Chapter 14:

Collette and Mizuse

En Passant Grandmaster Volume 6

Life had always been rough for Collette growing up. Not only was her parent abusive, she was also deemed ugly by society and frequently bullied. Eventually, she found herself homeless living on the streets, slowly dying as malnourishment began to afflict her. Though as fate would have it, Mizuse Niimi just so happened to be in Paris that day, and upon noticing her, treated her to a meal.

...

"So what's the deal, philanthropist?" Collette snarled as she devoured three steaks.

"I noticed you rotting away in the alley, and decided to extend a hand in hopes of getting you back on your feet," Mizuse stated.

"How? Ya gonna give me a job or something?"

"Perhaps. Are you interested in fashion?"

Collette paused before bursting into laughter. "Yeah right. Everyone calls me the ugly muckling. That's why I'm here starving cuz nobody wants me."

"Then all the more reason to eat up so you can be healthy again, because I think you have a future."

"The hell makes you think I'm not fine as is!?"

"I can see your ribs."

"And you ever hear of body positivity?"

"I have, but malnourishment is NOT beautiful."

Collette once again paused, but this time decided to let Mizuse say her piece.

"You invoked body positivity, well I do believe in body positivity, HEALTHY body positivity that is."

"And that means?"

"I once met a morbidly obese woman. Like you, I offered to give her a better life, but she refused to lose weight, invoking body positivity like you."

"And?"

"She's dead."

Collette went quite as sadness flooded into Mizuse's eyes.

"Because she believed her current state of body was fine, she refused to change, and thus succumbed to a premature death from her morbid obesity. I truly despise those that approach a morbidly obese or malnourished woman and tell them they are beautiful as is and that society should except them for how they are. That's not helping them, it's killing them. If that woman I mentioned hadn't been fed so much of that drivel, she could have taken steps to live a healthier and longer life. The same could happen to you. If you stubbornly think the world should accept your malnourished self, that malnourished body you're so proud of will become the death of you! That's why I only believe only in healthy body positivity. If you can't live a healthy lifestyle with the body you've got, you shouldn't be proud of it and seek positive change. All I'm asking is for you to eat up to the point where you're not malnourished so that you can live your life beautifully."

"Please, there are folks that would love and accept a woman that's 1000 pounds overweight or just skin and bones, so shut the fuck up."

"And that is admirable, but if they do not try to help said women live a healthier lifestyle, they are just as complicit in her death as those that fed her the drivel that she didn't need to make change for the better. Think of it in a different way. If you adopt a dog that's been abused and starved to the point where it's skin and bones, would you say people should except the dog for how it is, and not take steps to make it healthy?"

Collette began to tremble. "That's not fair, you're trying to merge two completely different things."

"Not at all. When people can see a person or animal is clearly in an unhealthy state, would they not try to help them?"

"And what if they don't want help? Some of us just want to die."

"The fact that you yourself have devoured the food before you proves deep down, you want to live and change for the better."

This time, the line resonated with Collette and she decided to consider Mizuse's offer. But it still wasn't convincing her to trust Mizuse. Thus to lighten the mood, Mizuse suggested they play some chess.

"Surprised you know chess. I thought shogi was all the rage in Japan."

"It most certainly is, but it's thanks to chess that I'm the successful woman I am today. If I had never met my savior, I'd be dead on the streets..."

"What do you mean?"

Mizuse informed her of what her past had been like, causing Collette to go pale. Now she was able to see that Mizuse truly was different from the other philanthropists that would simply chuck her some money or offer to hire her for a spell.

"I actually played chess in the day, but I was the only girl doing it. And since I was ugly, I was teased and ended up leaving."

"Then showcase your peak femininity by becoming a grandmaster. For that, none shall judge your appearance, but like modeling, it will require a healthy mind and body."

"Huh? But all chess consists of is moving pieces. Babies can lift the pieces."

"There were many great chess prodigies who could have lived longer if they made healthier life choices. Perhaps you've heard of Mikhail Tal, the 8th World Chess Champion? There were times he'd drink and smoke excessively before and during a match, and sadly it took it's toll on him. It matters not how you look, so long as you're healthy. Oh, and checkmate."

Collette froze and stared at the board before bursting into laughter. "Now that's a riot. Me a grandmaster? I can't even beat a rich snob like you."

"Well this "rich snob" also aspires to be a grandmaster and is inching ever closer to it. If I'm lucky, I might even attain the title before my 22nd birthday."

"'22nd birthday'!? YOU'RE ONLY 21!?"

"Ara, my apologies, but yes, that is my age."

"Y- You're younger than me!"

"Hmm?"

Realizing she had no out, Collette revealed she was actually 30 years old.

"Ara, ara, and you were hung up on being "ugly"? Girl, you're slaying at your age with that face. Just get your body healthy and the world had a femme-fatale model ready to slay it."

It was that moment that Collette truly formed a kinship with Mizuse. And in just a few short years, Collette had not only become one of France's top models, but also the top female player and a grandmaster. Adopting "Femme-Fatale" s her surname, Collette now sought to spread Mizuse's influence worldwide. She also founded charities seeking to combat obesity and hunger, even adopting a young orphaned girl from Africa in order to give her a better life. And that was all in addition to the regular donations she'd make out to animal shelters in order to help the animals there get back on their feet and find their forever homes.

The moment she became a grandmaster, she long dreamed of a day when she could properly face Mizuse on the world stage, yet thanks to the qualification tournament, that wouldn't be happening. And now, the one Collette pinned the most blame on for the qualification tournament even being a thing, as well as the one who ultimately defeated Mizuse within it, was about to beat her, resulting in a humiliating defeat for the team.

...

Back in the present, Mimoko had long since captured the pawn at e5 with her rook, meaning the ball was now in Collette's court. However, her position was mate in 7 at best, meaning a resignation was on the table. However, pride prevented Collette from resigning, though her will was beginning to waver as she struggled to capture the pawn at e2 with her queen.

Now Mimoko could capture said queen with her rook, forcing the king away to g1. And after Mimoko followed up with knight e3, Collette was at a loss on what to do next, yet she couldn't resign. Not because she refused to yield to someone she despised, but also because she refused to be the reason her team would lose. Thus, she was living on the increments, hoping she could at least make the time control to delay her inevitable defeat.

Bishop d6, queen captures d6, a4, rook e1, check, and finally king h2 and the time control had been achieved. The only problem was that after knight e2, Collette had only one move left before she was mated.

Taking advantage of the additional 30 minutes she now had, she cried, and cried, and cried, before eventually mustering what little will she had to move her pawn to a5. "4-0... We're going to lose 4-0... Aha... Ahahaha."

"My apologies, but that's just the way it is. Checkmate, you played a fair game," Mimoko stated as she captured the rook at g3 with her queen, winning the game.

Collette didn't even bother with the scoresheets, storming away in tears with Fifi close behind.

"My apologies, I didn't expect it would be a perfect rout," Daria sighed.

"No, that's just the way it goes, but the real challenge will be tomorrow. If we lose again, it'll be rough for us," Fleur sighed as she put her hand over her face and slowly walked away.

A short ways away, a reporter managed to catch Iori for a post match interview. "So it looks like your team just won the match, and 4-0, nonetheless. How ya feeling bout that?"

"Uh, elated! We fucking wrecked them!" Iori grinned.

"I heard there was some intense banter pre-match where ya said some... controversial things to the French team, care to elaborate?"

A sadistic smirk appeared on Iori's face as she gleefully did just that. "Guess I will, and with a little added footnote. See, I tend to believe the stereotype that Frenchies are prone to surrendering, but I guess that ain't true since none of them resigned. But when it comes to the Frenchies, surrender or not, they always get conquered by the end of the day one way or another..."

The full game:

White: Collette Femme-Fatale (2600) Black: Mimoko Inoue (2809)

1. d4 e6

2. c4 d5

3. Nf3 Nf6

4. Nc3 Bb4

5. e3 O-O

6. Bd3 b6

7. O-O Ba6

8. cxd5 exd5

9. Bxa6 Nxa6

10. Ne5 Bxc3