The Powder Keg Gambit

As the last few games in the playing hall finished up, the weather subsided enough for the buses to come and pick everyone back up. Mimoko was still flustered thanks to her encounter with Xiu, but at least the ride back was uneventful. Though the WWCF did issue warnings to numerous players, including Jad, Miralem, Tvrtko, and Ognjen among others, primarily for property damage caused by their piece hurling.

By the time Team Japan got back to the hotel, the pairings were up. The men were up against Bosnia and Herzegovina while the women were up against China.

"I hope Iori's gotten better. China's a team we need to be at our best to beat," Daria frowned.

"She hasn't been replying to my messages. Hopefully that means she's resting," Mimoko frowned back.

As the dining hall was a bit crowded, everyone opted to dine in at the secret puzzle cafe for the night.

"Well look who it is. So how'd your match go?" Safumi growled as she noticed everyone coming in.

"You didn't watch the broadcast?" Tenju scowled.

"I got shit to manage, especially since so many SPCMs and DSPCMs are competing. And now everyone's coming in here for dinner. The hell gives!?"

"Can't be helped. Everyone ended up getting back at the same time due to the buses getting delayed because of the weather. This just happened to be the place that still had seating," Daria shrugged. 

"Great. I can't serve every damn person here! Tenju, clock in!"

"I'm playing, so I'm exempt from SPCM duties until the tournament's concluded, same for the others competing," Tenju scowled.

"Tch, then I'm calling the cavalry."

As everyone sat down at a table, Okisato and Mimoko took a look at the standings. "Looks like there's quite a few teams still unbeaten in both sections, but the real intriguing thing is that you're not the only team that's won all their matches with perfect 4-0 victories. Norway, Prussia, and China all have achieved the feat as well," Okisato stated.

"And that's not to discredit all the teams that have won all their matches thus far."

"But the key is the tie-breaks."

"Correct, since the teams we beat had higher average ratings than those of our opponents, we got a good tie-break score compared to the others."

"Which would make it all the more appetizing for China to beat you," a voice sneered.

The two turned to notice Ginji standing behind them with his trademark smirk.

"And you think they'd lose?" Okisato glared.

"But of course, it's an uphill battle. Iori-chan's still out sick, and without her, the team will get wiped by China."

"Now that even I have to disagree with. Sure, China is formidable, but the others are skilled enough to at least hold a draw," Mimoko scowled.

"Not at all. Maestro Xiao Lin will beat Himitsu, Xiu will beat you, and then Bao and Jia will clean up on the lower boards," Ginji chuckled as he walked away.

While both Okisato and Mimoko thought his prediction was rubbish, the fact that Ginji seemed eerily confident made them uneasy.

"Oh, and have you seen Iori-chan? Wouldn't want to lose a reserve member even if she's sick," Ginji called out.

Both thinking the same thing, Okisato and Mimoko reached for their phones, and tried to get a hold of Iori. When the messages went straight to voicemail, the two began rushing out, but found the exit was blocked off by some women arguing with each other.

"Zsa Zsa does not believe it! Zsa Zsa know you better than that!" Zsa Zsa fumed.

"I'm not happy about it, but a cold's a cold. Sorry we couldn't play," Collette grumbled.

"You know what this idiot did? She threw the match!" Tünde fumed.

"Zsa Zsa, did you really?"

"Zsa Zsa cares not for an insufficient spec of dust. Collette is the only rival at the top of the world, in fashion and chess. Play Zsa Zsa now. Zsa Zsa will ante up a pot and make it a spectacle if Zsa Zsa has to," Zsa Zsa glared.

Okisato and Mimoko, meanwhile, tried to squeeze their way through, but in doing so, triggered Zsa Zsa's reflexes, resulting in her slamming her fist into Mimoko's face, bloodying her lips instantly.

Mimoko let out a scream and fell to the ground in pain as Okisato glared Zsa Zsa down. "The hell was that for?"

Zsa Zsa completely ignored both him and Mimoko, as she began standing atop Mimoko, causing her more pain. With little choice, Okisato prepared to charge her, but Daria stepped in.

"Zsa Zsa, mind stepping off my daughter?"

Zsa Zsa stared at Daria for a bit before walking off Mimoko and getting up close to her face. "Usurper. Zsa Zsa had never heard of maestros before, yet here the WWCF claims are the "real" top chess players in the world. A thousand shits of bulls to that! Only Collette and Zsa Zsa are the best. You're just an usurper!"

"You know the girl you just stepped on and hit beat Collette fair and square-"

"LIES! Collette is Zsa Zsa's rival. She did not lose, she deemed her insignificant, and thus adjourned herself from the farce!"

As tensions seemed to rise once more, Collette took notice of Okisato, stealthily looking something up on his miniaturized WWCF card. Getting an idea of what it might be, she let out a heavy sigh. 

"Zsa Zsa, I'll play you."

Zsa Zsa's mood instantly shifted as she giddily spun around.

"I'll play you, but only if you can first beat that boy as Black."

Zsa Zsa frowned as she slowly turned her head towards Okisato, venom and bloodlust already oozing it's way into her eyes. "This insignificant trash?"

"Yes. And I'll even allow the match to be Armageddon. And as an added incentive, 1000 euros upfront to the winner."

"Armageddon? Then Zsa Zsa will assert her dominance. But if the trash refuses to even play-"

"Oh I'll play, so sorry to disappoint, but you won't be winning by default," Okisato glared.

"Mocskos szar [Filthy shit]," Zsa Zsa snarled.

"Hmm? What was that? I couldn't quite understand it."

"Trash like you does not deserve to know, now set up the match, posthaste. Zsa Zsa wants to face Collette as soon as possible."

As Mimoko's bloody lip was treated, everyone else gathered round as Okisato faced off against Zsa Zsa. The rules were simple. Armageddon format with 10 minutes for White, 7 for Black, with no added increments.

Okisato opened by moving his pawn to g3, gaining odd stares from those that knew him and his playing style well.

"What's he doing?" Mimoko thought as Zsa Zsa moved her pawn to d5.

Next came bishop to g2, baffling Mimoko even more as she had never seen Okisato play like this.

"Hmm? Is there a reason the trash has decided to play the Hungarian Opening against Zsa Zsa, Hungary's top model and grandmaster?" Zsa Zsa scoffed as she moved her pawn to c6.

"Yeah, so I could play THIS!" Okisato maniacally grinned as he slammed his king down on f1.

"Of course that was coming. Why did I have hope?" Mimoko grumbled to herself.

Though one person who seemingly didn't react much at all was Zsa Zsa, though she had already been scowling from the start. "And that is?" she asked as she moved her pawn to e5.

"Don't recognize it? You just played it in the tournament," Okisato snickered as he moved his pawn to d4.

"Oh, so you're protesting. Well do carry on, or even resign. The faster this ends, the better," Zsa Zsa scoffed as she moved her knight to d7.

"This could be interpreted as a protest, but I'm not protesting you, I'm kicking your ass," Okisato proclaimed with a sadistic smile as he captured the pawn at e5 with his d-pawn.

"With Zsa Zsa's opening?" Zsa Zsa scoffed as she captured the pawn at e5 with her knight.

"'Your opening'?" Okisato scowled as he moved his pawn to e4.

"Yes! Zsa Zsa played it, so it becomes Zsa Zsa's opening!" Zsa Zsa fumed as she moved her queen to b6.

"Maybe the continuation, but the basic 1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 c6 3. Kf1 will henceforth be known as the Hungarian Opening: Powder Keg Gambit!" Okisato declared as he captured the pawn at d5 with his e-pawn.

"Shit of bulls! Why do you get to name Zsa Zsa's opening!?" Zsa Zsa fumed as she slammed her bishop down on g4.

"Because to the winner go the spoils, and you didn't win with it," Okisato smirked as he moved his pawn to f3.

"You won't win this!" Zsa Zsa scoffed as she moved her bishop to f5.

"And when I do?" Okisato taunted as he moved his queen to e2.

"YOU WON'T! Only Collette can match Zsa Zsa. WE are the peak of chess and fashion! NONE can match or surpass us!" Zsa Zsa fumed as she castled queen's side.

"Then time to get knocked of your mountain of ego," Okisato grinned as he captured the knight at e5 with his queen.

"Don't insult Zsa Zsa! Zsa Zsa is an elite grandmaster, and never loses. CHECK!" Zsa Zsa proclaimed as she slammed her queen down on b5.

"Then what was that loss earlier?" Okisato asked as he moved his queen to e2.

"An adjournment! A protest! Zsa Zsa did not choose to play, so Zsa Zsa never lost!" Zsa Zsa fumed as she captured the pawn at c2 with her bishop.

"Doesn't quite work like that. Check," Okisato grumbled as he moved his bishop to h3.

"YOU DARE!?" Zsa Zsa shouted as she moved her king to b8.

"You bet I dare. Unless YOU want to resign. That would save me some time," Okisato snickered as he moved his knight to c3.

Rage now consumed every fiber of Zsa Zsa's being. Never before had she received THIS much attitude from someone. "Oh... You want things to end fast? You want ME to resign!? NEVER TO BOTH!" she shouted as she captured he queen at e2 with her queen.

If the game wasn't being played on the holographic-like board created by the WWCF card, the captured queen would have gone flying off towards the wall. But since it was, it still went flying, but vanished a second later as it was not a real piece, but a holographic one.

As for Zsa Zsa's degree, Okisato shrugged and captured the queen at e2 with his g-knight, not minding that things my last a while. He was making good use of his time management as well, so all he needed to do was mate Zsa Zsa, which was an effortless feat for him at this point.

Zsa Zsa wasn't happy about this, and moved her knight to f6, inviting another check in the form of bishop f4, further worsening her mood. She blocked it by moving her bishop to d6, but Okisato knew he was ahead, and when you're ahead, you trade off pieces, which is just what he did by capturing the bishop at d6 with his bishop.

"Oh look, another check. Thoughts on this?"

Zsa Zsa's teeth began to grind together so much it was a miracle they didn't shatter. "Halott vagy, patkány [You're dead, rat]," she snarled as she captured the bishop at d6 with her rook.

"Come again?" Okisato asked as he moved his rook to c1.

"Zsa Zsa will not translate!" Zsa Zsa scoffed as she moved her bishop to g6.

Okisato frowned and nodded while silently capturing the pawn at c6 with his d-pawn.

"Hmm? Did he not understand her? I thought he said he was a polyglot," Mimoko thought as Zsa Zsa captured the pawn at c6 with her b-pawn.

Mimoko was now feeling better, and aside from the band-aid on her lip, looked fine too. While she could have taken the chance to leave and check up on Iori and Maida, she was drawn to the game. Not to mention, she didn't feel safe going without Okisato, as who knew what Ginji had planned. He did have the entire day to do whatever he pleased at the hotel after all.

While the game was one-sided at this point, it was far from over, with plenty of chances for blunders abound. And after Okisato moved his king to f2, Zsa Zsa sensed an opportunity and moved her rook to d2. Okisato countered by moving his pawn to b3, but Zsa Zsa continued the aggression and moved her bishop to c2.

"Well two can play at that game," Okisato snickered as he moved his king to e1.

Zsa Zsa shot him a silent glare and moved her h-rook to d8. Okisato then moved his rook to f1 as Zsa Zsa decided to move her pawn to h6. Next the rook went to f2, cuing Zsa Zsa in on what was in store, and prompting a tactical retreat in the form of bishop to h7.

"Well someone's running scared. So up for a trade?" Okisato snickered as he moved his knight to g1.

The answer was no as Zsa Zsa scowled and moved her 2-rook to d3.

"OK, guess I'll get a bargain rook for a bishop," Okisato taunted as he moved his bishop to f1.

Zsa Zsa angrily clicked her tongue and moved her 3-rook to d7.

"Alright, rook for rook," Okisato smirked as he moved his rook to d1.

"OH FINE! YOU WANT A SLAUGHTER!? ZSA ZSA WILL GIVE YOU ONE!" Zsa Zsa fumed as she slammed her bishop down on d3.

And thus began the trade. Bishop captures d3, rook captures d3, rook captures d3, and rook captures d3 completed the happy trade. Though Zsa Zsa was eyeing more in the form of the knight currently on c3, but it was taken of the store floor and moved to e4, dashing any hopes of a bargain.

Not in the mood for anymore trading, Zsa Zsa moved her knight to d5, but Okisato clearly wanted more as he moved his rook to d2, forcing Zsa Zsa to capture it with her rook and watch as he captured her rook with his king.

"So it's even then. Well you forget it's Armageddon and Zsa Zsa's got Black. Zsa Zsa draws, she wins. Now let Zsa Zsa show you why she's number 1," Zsa Zsa thought as she moved her king to c7.