Chapter 382:

An Irish encounter

En Passant Grandmaster

After finishing breakfast, Daria and Mimoko decided to head out to go sightseeing. But as they passed by the hotel's massive library, someone inside caught Mimoko's eye.

"Hmm? Whatcha looking at?" Daria asked.

"Nothing. Just thought I recognized someone."

"Who?"

"Someone I'd rather not see ever again. Okaa-chan, we really should be going. I don't want to be seen by her," Mimoko scowled.

"Tell me who it is, then I'll leave," Daria countered.

Not wanting to argue, Mimoko bit her lip in frustration and mumbled, "Sorcha-chan." Daria's expression shifted significantly, startling Mimoko. Immediately, Daria picked up a book to hide her face as she began scanning the room for Sorcha. Sorcha was a member of the Fairy league, meaning if she was here, it meant she would likely be the one guarding Ina. Yet Daria was unable to spot her.

"Mimoko, you sure you saw Sorcha here?" Daria sternly asked.

Mimoko was taken aback by her mother's serious expression, but calmly replied that yes, she had seen Sorcha, who now appeared to have grown her hair back.

"I thought you said she was bald."

"She was, but I saw someone with green hair styled exactly how she styled it before going bald."

Daria began to think. It was reasonable to believe that Sorcha had either regrown her hair or gotten a wig, but it still seemed odd. Even without Scharlachrot, the Fairy league, now dubbing themselves the Spriggan league despite everyone else still referring to them by their old name, still had a formidable information network. Sorcha also seemed like the more intelligent type, so her blatantly going around with a familiar look when she should be hiding seemed unreasonable.

Yet after another quick scan of the room, there Daria saw a woman sporting Sorcha's old hairstyle with her back towards her. Aside from now sporting a green sports jacket, the woman was wearing the exact same trademark outfit Sorcha was known for sporting, increasing the odds that this was her.

Slowly, Daria began creeping up, but as the woman turned, she recoiled in horror at the sight of Daria. Seeing her face, Mimoko noted that she did look similar to Sorcha, but it wasn't her. The girl meanwhile began to curl up into a ball and silently cry, making Daria feel a little bad, but she decided it was best to just leave. However...

"The feck ye do to me daughter!" Keira fumed as she charged up to Daria.

"My apologies, I just thought she was someone else. I didn't mean-"

"Saoirse's got a fragile mind, can't speak either! Ye bully her, ye answer to me!"

"Calm down. Ma'am, okaa-chan was only watching your daughter from a distance. When your daughter turned, she suddenly began to panic, without her doing anything," Mimoko stated as she walked over.

"Girl, ye in on this too?"

"No, but I guess I'm the root of it. My apologies, I mistook your daughter for a dangerous woman named Sorcha Glas, which is why she got so serious. If that's why-"

"Hold on, ye just say, "Sorcha"?" Keira snarled, her tone becoming slightly more menacing.

"And if the answer is yes?" Daria glared.

Keira's glare intensified as she summoned a chessboard with her WWCF card. "Then ye two ain't leaving here. I win, ye leave me daughters alone."

"Your daughters? Are you saying-"

"Aye, Sorcha be me other daughter from a previous marriage, a marriage I've never been happier to have divorced from. I heard she's finally happy, and as her mum, I won't let ye WWCF officers nab her!"

Mimoko sighed and stepped forth. "Then if your her mother, I'll play you. And if I win, you tell us where Sorcha-chan is, just that, I don't want you bringing her anywhere near me after what she did to me."

"Ye got a problem with me daughter? Bring it, I'll set ye straight!"

Mimoko accepted the challenge and opened the game by moving her pawn to d4, while Keira responded by moving her pawn to d5. After moving her knight to f3, Mimoko knew what was coming next, and sure enough, Keira played the exact move she foresaw, pawn to c5, the Queen's Pawn Opening: Chigorin, Irish Gambit.

"Ye got nothing against the might of Ireland!" Keira proclaimed as Mimoko shook her head and sighed as she moved her bishop to f4. "Ye think ye're better just cuz yer ratings above 2800? I don't fear ya," she scoffed as she moved her pawn to e6.

"Well that is admirable, but bravery alone won't help you against me," Mimoko frowned as she moved her pawn to e4.

"Guts are what it takes to knock down a giant!" Keira declared as she moved her queen to f6.

"True, but guts without brains won't help you take down me," Mimoko countered as she moved her bishop to e5.

"I got thinkin' skills, lass," Keira scoffed as she moved her queen back to d8.

"Not good enough to beat me though," Mimoko grumbled as she captured the pawn at d5 with her e-pawn.

"Well aren't ye one to ride a high horse. I'll knock ye down a peg or three," Keira snarled as she moved her knight to d7.

"You certainly are a contrast to Sorcha-chan, and so far I appreciate it," Mimoko sighed as she moved her knight to f3.

"Oh? What ye mean by that?" Keira asked as she captured the pawn at d4 with her c-pawn.

"You're nowhere near as crafty or flirty as her," Mimoko grumbled as she captured the pawn at d4 with her bishop.

"Eh, what?" Keira scowled in genuine confusion as she moved her queen to e7.

"Do you even know who I am and what your daughter did to me?" Mimoko glared as she captured the pawn at e6 with her d-pawn.

"Not at all, but I know yer mum made me other girl cry, and if ye're after Sorcha, I'll stop ye in yer tracks n' make ye shave yer head bald in repentance. Check!" Keira declared as she captured the pawn at e6 with her queen.

"Never mind, you're just like her," Mimoko growled as she moved her bishop to e2.

"What do ye mean by that?" Keira asked as she moved her g-knight to f6.

"I'd rather not say," Mimoko sighed as she castled king's side.

"I want to know!" Keira fumed as she moved her pawn to a6.

Mimoko let out another heavy sigh. "If I must, your daughter kidnapped me and shaved me bald against my will. Thanks to that experience... Ngh," she scowled, her face beginning to turn red as she moved her rook to e1.

Keira went quiet and slowly moved her knight to e4, before bursting into laughter. "She shaved ye bald!? What a riot, must've been great."

"It was not!" Mimoko fumed, her face getting even redder as she captured the knight at e4 with her knight.

"So why ye lookin' for Sorcha then? Want a reshave?" Keira grinned as she moved her pawn to h6.

"Never again! Being bald was humiliating!" Mimoko cried as she moved her bishop to c4.

"Ah, guess I'll have to make that yer punishment for losing then," Keira taunted as she moved her queen to g6.

"No, because you won't be winning. Check," Mimoko declared, composure returning to her as she moved her knight to f6.

"Game's far from over, lass," Keira smirked as she moved her king to d8.

"No, it's over. Checkmate," Mimoko stated as she moved her bishop to b6, winning the game.

Keira blinked before her jaw dropped in shock. "The feck, I lost!? ... Ugh, so now I have to tell ye where Sorcha is... The old inn over on the west side of the city. That's where she's staying."

Mimoko nervously nodded as Daria smiled and began escorting her out.

"Sounds like we hit the jackpot. Thanks, Mimoko, we'll have a fun time today sightseeing as a reward."

Mimoko could only nod nervously as she was completely unaware of Daria's mission to find and save Ina from the Fairy league.

Once Mimoko and Daria had left, Saoirse slowly rose, still trembling, and hugged Keira.

"Sorry they frightened ya. I know ye're more of a bookworm, so ye always get absorbed when a library's around. Fear not, I doubt Sorcha will be in any trouble anyway," Keira smiled.

The full game:

White: Mimoko Inoue (2809) Black: Keira O'Doherty (1996)

1. d4 d5

2. Nc3 c5

3. Bf4 e6

4. e4 Qf6

5. Be5 Qd8

6. exd5 Nd7

7. Nf3 cxd4

8. Bxd4 Qe7

9. dxe6 Qxe6+

10. Be2 Ngf6