Episode 1: What is It?

It was a bright summer day in Stone City. The birds chirped in the park as people walked the paths. On the streets, there was little traffic since it was just the middle of the day.

There was a boy, about thirteen years old, walking along the streets of downtown. His name was Ren Hama, and, despite not realizing it, his life would forever be changed by a game called Sukoshi Ishi, a game of skill and strategy.

As Ren walked, he came across a store he had never seen before.

"Huh?" He wondered. "What's this?"

He heard shouts of determination from inside and he was curious, so Ren entered. When the automated door slid open, it revealed a room with huge banners on the wall. There were kids around his age and older playing various games. One, in particular, caught his eye.

Ren walked over to the table were the kids were setting up circular game pieces on a board.

"I'll go first," a rather tall, dark haired boy said as they both finished setting the pieces. Then, he picked one up and slid it across, knocking his opponent's piece off of the board.

"That was a good shot, but I'll show you an even better one!" The other boy said energetically as he prepared to slide his piece.

Ren leaned over and picked up one of the pieces to examine it.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" The boy yelled at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just thought that they looked cool. What is it?" Ren asked curiously.

"It's mine!" The boy shouted, snatching it out of Ren's hand.

The tall boy had walked over at this point and decided to explain. With exhaustion, he told Ren what it was.

"It's a Sukoshi Ishi, a game piece in a game that goes by the same name."

"That sounds cool!" Ren replied happily.

"Yeah. Now, if we could get back to our game, that would be great. We already have to restart," the tall boy said with an uncaring attitude as he walked back to his side of the table.

"Could you explain the rules as you play?" Ren asked politely.

"Look, kid. I don't even know your name," the boy who had yelled at him earlier stated. "I don't think I want to have to explain the rules to a stranger."

"I'm Ren. Now we aren't strangers," Ren said happily. The boy just smiled and shook his head.

"You know what, kid? Er, Ren. I think I'm starting to like you," the boy started. "I'm Dan."

"Now that you two have introduced yourselves, let's get on with the game and set up the pieces," the tall boy said impatiently.

"Chill out, Crux. We'll start," Dan assured the tall boy as he set up his pieces and began to explain the rules. "So, Ren, we start by placing the five Sukoshi Ishi, or just Sukoshi if you'd rather, in a strategic arrangement."

"Done," Crux said. He had arranged his five Sukoshi so that they were a triangle with a gap at the back.

"Me too," Dan replied. He had arranged his in a straight line width-wise with about two inches between each Sukoshi. "I'll go first to explain the rules better."

"Fine," Cruz said.

"So now I choose one of my Sukoshi and use it to attack by sliding it across the table. If I knock one of his off, it is removed from play, so that's my goal. Here I go!" Exclaimed Dan as he picked the middle Sukoshi, snapping his hand forward, launching the Sukoshi at Crux's, knocking one of Crux's to fall off the end of the table. "See, I knocked one of his off. This means he has to put it to the side and I get to put mine anywhere on my side I want to."

"That's so awesome!" Ren shouted with excitement.

"My turn," Crux said as he slid a Sukoshi at Dan's, knocking it into another, causing both of Dan's to fall off.

"Aw man! He just got rid of two of mine," Dan pouted as he prepared to launch his next Sukoshi. The piece slid across but missed all of Crux's and fell off of the table. "See there? I missed, meaning that none of his go out of play but mine does."

"That stinks," Ren said with disappointment in his voice.

"My turn again," Crux stated unenthusiastically. He slid another Sukoshi, which seemed to miss, but before falling off of the table, circled back, pushing one of Dan's Sukoshis closer to the center line.

"Woah!" Ren exclaimed as Crux brought his Sukoshi back to his time. "How'd he do that?"

"I'm not sure, but he didn't get rid of my Sukoshi, so I'm good," Dan said as he reached for the Sukoshi closest to him, preparing to launch. He tried to take aim, but the Sukoshi near the center was in his way. "Darn it. Nothing I can do here except miss on purpose. That'll give me a chance to move this one."

Dan slid his Sukoshi, but he pushed too hard, causing it to fall off the edge of the table. Crux smiled.

"Oh no!" Ren inserted.

"Now to finish you," Crux said as he slid his final Sukoshi, the one that had been at the top of the triangle. It hit Dan's, knocking it off the table.

"Darn. I lost again," Dan said with sorrow.

"Try it against the newbie," Crux said as he gathered his Sukoshi, slipping them into a small pouch. Then, he left.

"Do you want to try?" Dan asked Ren.

"Uh, sure! I don't have any Sukoshi, though," Ren replied.

"I've got some extras. The main thing is that they're not the same color," Dan said as he slid five blue Sukoshi to Ren.

"Okay. Thanks!" Ren replied happily. "So, do we want to start?"

"Yep. You take that end," Dan told him, pointing at the opposite end of the table, "and I'll take this one. We'll set up and I'll start."

"Alright," replied Ren. He set up the blue Sukoshi in a crooked line. A young woman walked up to the table.

"Would it be alright if I stepped in and battled?" The girl asked.

"That's fine with me," Dan answered. Then, to Ren, he said, "Go ahead and clear your side of the table."

"Actually, I want to battle him," the girl said. Ren and Dan were both caught a bit off-guard.

"Bu-but I've never played before," Ren argued.

"That's alright. You look like you'd be able to rise to any challenge," the girl said. Dan had stepped out of the way, and so now the girl was setting up her end. Dan pouted in the corner.

"Okay then. I'm Ren," Ren informed her.

"I'm Terse. Terse Hinger," the girl told him as she finished setting up her clear Sukoshi in a spaced out triangle. "I'll start."

Terse slid her front Sukoshi, hitting the front of Ren's line. The blue Sukoshi practically exploded everywhere, but remained on the table.

"Good shot," Ren said as he took the Sukoshi that had fallen closest to the edge. His pupils constricted for a split second, and he slid the Sukoshi. It hit the front of Terse's triangle and sent two of the clear Sukoshi over the edge.

"Are you sure you've never played before?" Terse asked, shocked that anyone had been able to knock two of her Sukoshi off in the first turn.

"Never," Ren answered.

"I'm not sure I believe it," Terse replied. She picked up another Sukoshi and hit one of Ren's, knocking it off of the edge. Her Sukoshi ricocheted off and hit another one, knocking it off as well.

"My turn now?" Ren asked.

"Yeah," Terse told him. Ren picked up one of his last two Sukoshis.his pupils constricted again as he slid the Sukoshi. It hit, knocking two of Terse's off, leaving her with just one.

"Yes!" Ren exclaimed, happy he had done so well.

"Don't be so sure you've won," Terse said as she slid her final Sukoshi.