The fallen maestro

                                                                                                                                                                                "Sulking about are you?" Michiko sighed as she walked up to her.

"Michiko! I'm alone! Hang out with me!"

"You know I have a day job, right?"

"Then do my hair."

Michiko shook her head in disappointment before reluctantly guiding Daria to the salon. 

"Oh my, look who it is. Here to finally mirror moi?" Ai cooed as the two entered the salon.

"No. If I ever get my head shaved, you won't be the one doing it!" Daria huffed as she sat down in a chair. 

Michiko caped her and spun her around to the sink, washing her hair and taking her to bliss town. 

"I never get tired of your head massages," Daria smiled as Michiko finished the washing and wrapped her hair in a towel. 

"Styling is all I was able to get by with," Michiko grumbled. 

"But I thought you wanted to be an actress."

"And before that, a grandmaster. Styling's the only thing I'm constant at, and constant is what pays the bills."

"You beat yourself up too much."

"Not everyone is as talented as you."

The two both went quiet as Ai let out a sigh. "Well why don't we go on break."

"My hair-"

"Beauty cream."

Michiko nodded and encased Daria's face and mouth in beauty cream. 

"Ngh mmph ngh mmph ngh mmph mmph ngh [You didn't need to do my mouth too]," Daria pouted. 

"Yes, yes I did. Now relax. The cream's a 15 minute deal, our break will be 10." 

And with that, Michiko placed some cucumbers over Daria's eyes before leaving with Ai. Thus, Daria chilled until a few minutes later, someone yanked the cucumbers off her eyes. 

"Ah, look who it is. The "trespasser"," Xiao Lin sneered. 

                                                                                                                                                                                  From the curtain to the staff area, out stepped Himi along with masked hooded figure. 

The figure's features were indistinguishable due to their large black cloak, while their face was covered with a white long-nosed mask with red fire painted over the dark eye holes. Fittingly, the figure was referred to as, Phantom, since none knew what they actually looked like. 

"She is out then. Alright, you may have your revenge," the masked figure growled. 

"I've been waiting for shit like this. Twintails is gonna cry like a bitch," Safumi sneered as she stormed out from the curtain and gazed down at Daria. 

"I shall do the honors, though be warned, the DESPER might not fully respect the conditions," Phantom stated as he held out a DESPER. 

"That's why we're having you do this shit to increase the odds. But since I'm the one playing, I get the rights to the rules, yeah?" 

"Correct, only the players can make the wagers and be bound to them, not the DESPER provider."

"Good, so for the conditions, Daria Inoue over there is part of Xiao Lin's team, and if Xiao Lin loses, Daria dies and Xiao Lin's forced to join the Desperado league."

A malicious smile appeared on Xiao Lin's face. "A bargain price for taking her out."

"Hold... The DESPER-"

"Not allowing it? Tch, then irreversible comatose state for her." 

"Again-"

"Just regular old comatose state that can only be reversed if I'm beaten with the condition that it be reversed. Normal protocol I guess." 

Phantom gave a nodding approval and the game began shortly after with Safumi moving her pawn to e4.

"Could this not have worked the other way around?" Xiao Lin chuckled as she moved her pawn to g5.

"Don't wanna fight for your good ole friend against the "evil SPCM who turned Desperado"?" Safumi chuckled as she gleefully moved her pawn to d4.

"Ah yes, my "dear friend" Daria. I'll do my best not to let the Desperados hurt you," Xiao Lin mockingly smiled as she moved her pawn to f6.

"What a beautiful sight, a 3020-rated chess player willingly losing a high-stakes game in such a manner."

"That just goes to show how much I hate that bitch." Xiao Lin smiled as Safumi moved her queen to h5, winning the game.

Immediately, a bolt of lightning appeared and struck Daria in the head. Himi then pulled the cloth off her face and checked her pulse. "Perfect. Now, Miss Xiao Lin, it's time for you to join the league as punishment."

An ominous circle of light emitted from the floor as Xiao Lin watched something large and metalic rise from it. "Oh hello, Ultima-master. How I've wanted a DESPER for so long..."

"And now, we just need to goad Mimoko into a chess boxing match. Hmm, how about we recruit a little sex offender to do the bidding," Himi maliciously thought. 

The full game:

White: SPCM Safumi Bouzi (2559) Black: Maestro Xiao Lin (3027)

1. e4 g5

2. d4 f6

3. Qh5#