The first domino

Tenju and Taira sat on their beds in matching pink pajamas and nightcaps. "I can't believe Michiko forced us to do that despicable act," Tenju fumed.

"..."

"Don't worry, Taira. Onee-chan will protect you, just like I always have."

The two were interrupted by a knock at the door. Tenju cautiously gazed out the peephole and gasped in shock as she saw who was knocking. "Taira! The Maestro's here!"

Tenju immediately unlocked the door as a woman with fiery orange and red hair clad in a fiery kimono and white sneakers entered. The woman's face was also painted white and her eyebrows had either been shaved off or covered with makeup. In their place were two painted-on circular eyebrows styled like fireballs.

"Why hello Himitsutan and Himitsuue, it has been an eon," Ai smiled.

Taira immediately went on guard as Tenju happily greeted Ai. "Maestro Himitsu. It has been eons indeed. I apologize if we caused you any inconvenience."

"No need. You were all having fun were you not?"

"Er... Yes..." "I forgot her definition of fun was a bit contorted," Tenju nervously thought.

"Now, I actually wish to discuss something important with Himitsuue. Himitsutan, could you give us a brief moment of privacy out in the hall?"

"Yes, though um, please don't take too long. I don't like being separated from her for too long."

"Yes, it will only take a minute."

"Te- TENJU!"

Everyone turned to face Taira.

"Te- Te- Te- Tenju, sh- sh- she's not..."

"Not what? MMPH!?"

Taira stared in shock as Tenju was suddenly chloroformed from behind.

"Mmph ngh..."

Thud!

Taira began to tremble in fear as she stared at the one who had chloroformed her sister and was locking the door behind her. It was Michiko.

“Not bad Michiko. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to convert her,” Ai sneered.

"As you wish, Madam," Michiko bowed as she pulled a DESPER out of her pocket and activated it.

The room immediately changed to that of a medieval torture room styled salon. Tenju was immediately restrained to a salon chair as a chess board appeared in the middle of the room.

"Now Taira. Will you choose to play? If not, your sister will have her eyes and mouth permanently sewn shut, in addition to the clean shave,” Ai sneered.

Taira began trembling uncontrollably, before finally uttering, "No."

Ai and Michiko went pale with shock as the DESPER deactivated, returning the room to normal.

"Mi- Michiko. You- You know I'm higher rated than you... Ye- Yet you had that thing and tr- Tried to use it on me. Y- Your bluff f- Failed.”

Taira Kuroshiro was known to be a timid and shy girl. However, under all that shyness laid a genius intellect. Unlike Utami who manifested alternate personas to exude her true feelings, Taira did none of that and was instead timidly stuttering all the time. However, that didn't mean she was afraid to speak her mind or do what needed to be done. While her older sister Tenju could be considered more of the muscle, Taira was surprisingly skilled at martial arts and was even a 1-dan in karate. As for chess, Taira was a prodigy and boasted a rating of 2631, the highest of all the SPCMs in Japan. As such, she was only allowed to be challenged after beating the other 6 SPCMs, though that wouldn't stop her from appearing alongside her sister at her secret puzzle cafe in Kyushu. As such, many knew her face, but not that she was a SPCM like her sister.

Sweat began to run down Michiko's face as she lunged for the unconscious Tenju. Taira, however, leapt into the air, and promptly sent Michiko flying face first into the wall, embedding her there for a moment. She then turned her attention to Ai and shot her a nasty glare.

"Kinda hard to see those glaring eyes of yours with all that hair. Why don't we SHAVE IT ALL OFF!?" Ai shouted as she maniacally charged at Taira.

Taira scooped Tenju into her arms and leapt over Ai with ease, sending her crashing into Michiko, further embedding her in the wall. She then took the chance to run, however...

"DESPER, activate!"

Taira's eyes widened as she suddenly found herself standing on a rock in the middle of a moonlit pond.

"Well, you certainly have some skill. However, I could easily kill you in a physical fight. Therefore, I shall kill you in mind," Xiao Lin smiled as the moonlight illuminated her face.

"W- Who!?"

"Oh, I am Maestro Xiao Lin of China," Xiao Lin sneered as her black WWCF card appeared.

"Th- That card... Y- You're a maestro!? B- But why!?"

"Michiko, the conditions?"

"Ah yes. Should you, Taira Kuroshiro lose, then you shall..."

Taira began to sweat buckets as she heard the conditions. "A- And if I win, w- We go free. A- And you all turn yourselves in!"

"Very well. Now, Why don't we have the maestro herself, best you at chess," Michiko smirked as Ai sat down at the chessboard.

"Oh, Xiao Lin was merely here to step up if need be. You see, all it takes to trap someone in a DESPER battle is for a high-rated member with a DESPER to activate theirs and remain present while their proxy fights. Now, why don't you see just how good Maestro Himitsu truly is. For you see, she is the most powerful maestro there is."

"What's this feeling!? This woman, where did all that menacing energy come from!?" Taira thought as she gazed at Ai.

"Oh, first thing's first, f*** the wig!" Air cackled as she chucked off her wig, revealing her clean-shaven bald head. Taira let out a shriek as Ai wiped away her painted eyebrows and peeled off her fake eyelashes. "No hair on this beautiful maestro! AHAHAHA! And soon, you'll be just as smooth when you... AND your sister join my hairless harem!"

Taira began to tremble even harder, but maintained enough composure to make her first move. "I'll- I'll- I'll beat you!"