A meadow of chess and a little night music

As the 5th and final round began, Peter and Mimoko sat down at a table on the hotel’s grand stage. Many had gathered to watch the match including Raymond Redfield, Mizuse, and Kuon.

"Ah, this is how things should have been last week. I've been looking forward to this. Do not disappoint me," Peter maniacally grinned.

"I will play to the best of my abilities," Mimoko smiled.

"Players are free to converse throughout the match. And as a treat for all of you, gathered here before us, the Tochigi prefecture orchestra shall grant your ears the pleasure of Mozart's Serenade No. 13 for strings in g major for the duration of the match," Raymond nodded as the orchestra began playing Eine kleine nachtmusik.

"To think the president would prepare such a spectacle," Mimoko nervously smiled as she moved her pawn to e4.

"It is to be expected, you are the next muse of chess, Mimoko Inoue," Peter smiled as he moved his pawn to e5.

Mimoko then moved her knight to f3 while Peter moved his knight to c6.

"Mimoko Inoue, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Peter asked as Mimoko moved her pawn to d4.

"I'm not quite sure," Mimoko frowned as Peter captured the pawn at d4 with his e-pawn.

"The game, it's exactly the same as the game we first played together, the one that could have been fantastic had that bastard Gunnerson not interfered," Peter said as Mimoko moved her bishop to f4.

As soon as Peter moved his knight to f6, Mimoko moved her pawn to e5. "True it is just like our first game," Mimoko nodded.

"Yes, and that's why I want to play it proper. I've been having sleepless nights thinking about this game that could have been were we not rushing against the clock. And that is why, I want to recreate it and play it proper!" Peter declared as he maniacally moved his pawn to d5.

"I see, much to your regret, we shall not be replicating the game, for now my mind is clear," Mimoko smiled as she captured the knight at f6 with her pawn.

A large smile appeared on Peter's face. "Yes, YES! Mimoko Inoue, this blunder I made a week ago has been tormenting me! Yet now that we are unrestrained, we may play a true game!" he laughed as he captured the knight at f6 with his queen.

"So the blunder you made plagued your mind?" Mimoko asked as she captured the pawn at c7 with her bishop.

"Yes, you were at a disadvantage due to the mental trauma of Gunnerson's scheme and the lack of time on your move clock, but now, we can duel to our heart's content!" Peter exclaimed as he moved his queen to e7.

"We are still on blitz time," Mimoko nervously smiled as she moved her queen to e2.

"It is slow as molasses compared to the speed we played at a week ago," Peter smiled as he moved his bishop to e6.

"You're really into this," Mimoko smiled as she moved her bishop to e5.

"Perhaps Mozart has gotten my blood pumping. I feel as though I am walking amongst a meadow of chess pieces with a scepter in hand to direct the pieces at my whim. Do forgive me, but I do wish to match this, WITH THE MUSIC!" Peter exclaimed as he dramatically castled on the queen's side.

Mimoko immediately began laughing. "That's great. The whole point of chess is to have fun," she smiled as she captured the pawn at d4.

"Yes, then do forgive me if I get crazy, for perfect chess bores me. I want the game to be more entertaining!" Peter exclaimed as he captured the bishop at e5 with his knight.

"Then fun we shall have. Win, lose, or draw, chess is meant to be fun and enjoyed by all," Mimoko smiled as she captured the knight at e5 with her queen.

"Then let us dance upon the chess board to some night music!" Peter exclaimed as he slid his queen to b4.

As Mimoko countered the check by moving her knight to c3, Peter began to imagine his vision of a chess meadow. It was like the two had been transported to a lush European countryside of green grassy hills occupied by larger than life chess pieces. Now with a royal scepter in hand, Peter happily gazed up at the beautiful Mimoko hovering above the meadow like an angel.

"Now we duel!" he declared as he pointed his scepter and sent his bishop flying to d6.

Mimoko simply nodded and held up her palm causing her queen to retreat to e3.

Peter grinned and dramatically motioned for his bishop to fly through the meadow towards g4 as Mimoko ordered her bishop to e2. "To the death of the bishops!" Peter shouted as he captured the bishop at e2 with his bishop and watched as his bishop was captured by Mimoko's knight.

As Mimoko descended to the ground with a white scepter in hand, Peter moved his h-rook to e8 and before anyone knew it, the two were moving the pieces at a rapid pace.

"My, this truly is a treat, look at the elegant play. Queen h3, King b8, a castle on the queen's side, bishop e5, queen d3, pawn d4, knight e4, queen b6, knight d2, bishop f6. I dare say I'll have this piece of music play every time these two face off in a tournament," Raymond mused.

Kuon however, didn't seem pleased. "Knight g3, rook d7, knight h5, bishop e7, king b1, rook c8; Mimoko Inoue, you irk me more than Hagemi," she thought as she glanced over at Mizuse.

"Knight b3, g6, knight f4, bishop f6, knight e2, queen c6, h-rook g1, c-rook d8, queen g3, king c8, rook d2, rook c7, queen g4, queen d7, queen f3. They really are having fun. I've never seen that man so happy before," Mizuse thought as she watched the game.

"To the death of the queens!" Peter proclaimed as he moved his queen to c6.

Mimoko nodded as she captured Peter's queen at c6 and watched as her queen was captured by Peter's rook. "Mr. Peter, can you overcome this challenge?" she asked as she captured the pawn at d4 with her b-knight.

"Of course I can!" Peter declared as he raised his black scepter and sent his rook flying to e6.

"Brilliant, for capturing your rook is not the best move," Mimoko smiled as she moved her pawn to c3.

"Then let me say it back to you, BRILLIANT!" Peter declared as he moved his rook to e4.

Mimoko gracefully moved her king to c2 as Peter moved his pawn to b5.

"A bloodbath it shall be," Mimoko smiled as she twirled and had her knight capture the pawn at b5 while Peter captured the rook at d2, forcing her to capture said rook with her king.

Peter smiled and moved his rook to e7 as Kuon began to scowl. "Why does he look so happy? Pawn b4, rook d7, b-knight d4, bishop captures d4, knight captures d4, pawn h5, he's clearly losing."

"But that's not the point, the point is to have fun," Mizuse smiled.

Indeed, the two were having fun as their pieces continued to dance. Pawn a4 and pawn f5, then a sidestep by the king to d3 and a pawn marching on to g5, the movement of the pieces themselves was so whimsical that coupled with the music, others began to see Peter's vision too.

Next up on the dance was rook e1, pawn h4, pawn h3, pawn g4, then pawn a5, before the g-pawn captured the pawn at h3 ending the peaceful dance.

Kuon meanwhile seemed to be the only one in a sour mood. "Pawn f4, pawn b5, pawn f3, ugh. My apologies President Redfieled, I don't see why everyone is all smiles.

"A shame, but the duel is about to enter its climax. Look, rook e8, king b7, pawn c4, rook c7, knight e6, rook d7, knight d4, rook c7, and there it is. Peter will be mated," Redfield declared as Mimoko moved her pawn to a6.

"Brilliant, Mimoko Inoue. HOWEVER, I won't go down easy!" Peter declared as he moved his king to b6.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't want you to," Mimoko smiled as she moved her rook to e6, forcing Peter's king to a5.

As Mimoko moved her king to c3, Peter began to think to himself as he moved his rook to c8. "Ah, this beautiful vision. I don't need a DESPER to create the perfect landscape for chess, my own mind can do that just fine!"

"Knight b3, king a4, rook e1, rook captures c4!? That's a throwaway move!" Kuon shouted.

"No, the game would end if he didn't do that," Mizuse stated as Mimoko captured the rook at c4 with her king. "Seems he wishes to enjoy this dramatic dance, just a bit longer," she smiled as Peter moved his king to a3.

Mimoko moved her knight to d4 while Peter moved his king to b2. Then Mimoko moved her king to b4 while Peter moved his king to a2.

"Mimoko Inoue, never have I ever felt this overjoyed to play chess. You are the first person to ever invoke such an emotion within me," Peter thought as Mimoko moved her king to c3. "I dare say, you are the muse of chess, Caïssa herself, gracing me with your rivalry. To our future matches," Peter smiled as he moved his king to a3.

"Heh!?" Mimoko cried as she went red in the face while moving her rook to a1, winning the game, just as the song reached its end.

The full game:

White: Mimoko Inoue (2700) Black: Peter Morphy (2890)

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. d4 exd4

4. Bf4 Nf6

5. e5 d5

6. exf6 Qxf6

7. Bxc7 Qe7+

8. Qe2 Be6

9. Be5 O-O-O

10. Nxd4 Nxe5

11. Qxe5 Qb4+

12. Nc3 Bd6

13. Qe3 Bg4

14. Be2 Bxe2

15. Nxe2 Rhe8

16. Qh3+ Kb8

17. O-O-O Be5

18. Qd3 d4

19. Ne4 Qb6

20. Nd2 Bf6

21. Ng3 Rd7

22. Nh5 Be7

23. Kb1 Rc8

24. Nb3 g6

25. Nf4 Bf6

26. Ne2 Qc6

27. Rhg1 Rcd8

28. Qg3+ Kc8

29. Rd2 Rc7

30. Qg4+ Qd7

31. Qf3 Qc6

32. Qxc6 Rxc6

33. Nbxd4 Re6

34. c3 Re4

35. Kc2 b5

36. Nxb5 Rxd2+

37. Kxd2 Re7

38. b4 Rd7+

39. Nbd4 Bxd4

40. Nxd4 h5

41. a4 f5

42. Kd3 g5

43. Re1 h4

44. h3 g4

45. a5 gxh3

46. gxh3 f4

47. b5 f3

48. Re8+ Kb7

49. c4 Rc7

50. Ne6 Rd7+

51. Nd4 Rc7

52. a6+ Kb6

53. Re6+ Ka5

54. Kc3 Rc8

55. Nb3+ Ka4

56. Re1 Rxc4+

57. Kxc4 Ka3

58. Nd4 Kb2

59. Kb4 Ka2

60. Kc3 Ka3

61. Ra1#