The mischievous monster

Okisato scowled as everyone digested the potential revelation on Hagemi. Something wasn't quite adding up. Back during the Michiko incident, Hagemi went missing after challenging Xiao Lin to a match. It was later revealed to everyone that said match was actually a kung-fu chess match, meaning penalties were quite lax. It was believed that Xiao Lin kidnapped Hagemi following the match, however, she remained tight-lipped on the topic even to this day

...

In China, Xiu hummed as she gazed at the teams competing in the chess Olympics, zeroing in on Prussia.

"Say, this girl looks a lot like Hagemi Shousen. Didn't you kidnap her after you lost at kung-fu-"

"Xiu, I'll have your mouth permanently sealed shut if you keep up that banter," Xiao Lin scowled as she gripped her cane tighter.

Xiu smirked as she gazed at Xiao Lin, zeroing in on the wig she was now sporting. While Xiao Lin did not mind the fact that she was permanently bald, she did mind the fact that her humiliating loss to Okisato had been inked on the back of her head. Worse, it was permanent thanks to the DESPER so the only way she could conceal it was to cover it with something.

"Xiu, I'll shave you completely bald if you so much as THINK of making a wise crack about my wig."

"Then shave me smooth, sweetheart, cuz I'm laughing at that dumb wig of yours."

SMACK!

"Come on, you said 'I have no issue with being bald', but look at you. Wig, fake eyelashes, you even drew on some eyebrows. That's treason if I ever saw it."

"Xiu, shut up. While I might not have had an issue gazing at my hairless state before, every time I did after that humiliation... angered me. It made me curse that bitch Michiko for botching it all in the end, made me curse you all for failing to stop the boy, and made me remember that boy's maniacal smile as every move of the game was inked atop my head for all to see. My honeymoon with the bald look is over, and I want a divorce."

Xiu began mockingly applauding Xiao Lin's speech, only to nearly get another lump on the head from Xiao Lin's cane. Still, she had to ask Xiao Lin something.

"What did ya do with Hagemi after ya kidnapped her?"

This time, Xiao Lin relaxed a bit and calmly stated that Kuon took her off her hands, and that was the last she saw of her.

"Kuon? She's with America now. Heard she blew the tryouts in Japan so she threw a tantrum and left for America."

"Perhaps we should have held tryouts here."

"So you could get humiliated like her?"

"Xiu, my mood was improving, but you soured it. To the board, I'm going to destroy you."

...

Back in Japan, the strategy meeting continued, though Hagemi still weighed on everyone's minds.

"Getting back on topic, America, India, and Prussia are the three big teams both teams need to watch out for. However, this doesn't mean they are the only threats, simply that they are the only nations with both strong women's and men's teams. Norway is a strong team on the women's side, but not so much on the men's."

"Huh? I thought Magnus Carlsen was playing," Zago scowled.

"Yeah, isn't he the best in the world?" Azernira chimed.

"Magnus Carlsen is indeed playing for Norway. But that's it. He's the only noteworthy player on the men's team. There's also a good chance that like the maestros, he'll only play 8 games so even if our men's team faces Norway, Magnus himself might sit out feeling that his team can handle it. While his teammates are no slouches, they certainly aren't a title contention team in my opinion. The women are a different story though. Maestro Amelia Stavanger along with some of her top SPCMs and proteges are aiming for gold, and me."

"What do you mean?" Mimoko asked.

"Normally I wouldn't disclose information on maestros you've yet to meet, but since we're likely to face Norway, I'll tell you a bit about Amelia. She's a few years younger than me, but fashions herself my rival. She's actually rated higher than me at 3300, however, she's not once beaten me. Drawing is the best result either of us has had against the other."

"You've never beaten her!?"

"Sadly not. Nor have we ever played an Armageddon match. This will also be the first time we face each other while representing our home nations. Thus, our key to victory will be winning on the lower boards, for if I lose, Norway will likely win the match."

Mimoko stared in bewilderment. Normally, her mother was quite confident in her chess, but to see her so uncertain of a victory showed what a terrifying foe Amelia truly was.

"On the flip-side, China's the reverse problem. I have complete confidence that I can humiliate Xio Lin, but the problem's the lower boards. Not only do they have grandmaster Chen Bao, they've also got Xiu Mei-mo."

Okisato raised an eyebrow as Xiu's image flashed on screen. "I remember her. She was trying to seduce and annoy me as we played fog of war chess."

"I can imagine, but her skills are the real deal..."

...

Xiao Lin trembled as she stared at the chessboard. Things had appeared to be going well, but now it was clear as day to see the position was lost, and that all along, Xiu had been craftily luring her into a nasty trap/

"What's wrong, Xiao Lin? Though you were gonna school me," Xiu snickered as she leaned back, pointing her bare foot at Xiao Lin's face.

While Xiu Mei-mo did have a more seductive and mischievous personality, her chess prowess were no joke. China's highest rated female player after Xiao Lin and a 2-time women's chess world champion before even turning 18, Xiu Mei-mo was a monster on the chessboard.

Xiao Lin scowled before resigning and storming away in a huff.

"Wow, and you're supposed to be the best of the best. Well, there are merits to having the best play on the lower boards," Xiu thought as she twiddled her foot in the air.