Farm fresh fried liver

In London, Mimoko and Carol stared oddly at Iori as she led the the two around.

"And just where are we going?" Mimoko asked.

"Someplace safe I guess," Iori replied.

"Your mood's been happy since we freed," Carol stated.

"Well yeah, Mimo-chan's mom got the message and the cavalry's comming to save us."

"HUH!?"

Iori had refrained from informing both Mimoko and Carol that she had sent Daria a copy of the video featuring Mimoko losing her castling checkmate bet. She quickly informed the two of the fact, though left out any mention about Raymond's gift to her.

"So now you're saying we should stay put until help arrives?" Mimoko glared.

"Well, assuming we can't just leave, yeah," Iori shrugged.

"Can't we run to France, though?" Carol asked.

"Ya mean via train? Guess it's doable, but now we're kinda screwed thanks to our baldness."

"So now we're being branded murderers. Just great, my life just went from bad to worse," Mimoko groaned.

"But since I sent your mom the video-"

"You think that man won't try and spin it as though I was shaving my head to avoid being identified for the "crime I committed"?"

Iori went silent. Though she had just met Pewler, she could tell just off of the little interaction they had with each other that he was fully capable of doing something like that. "He's just like that fucker Segawa," she thought to herself. "Then how bout we try and track down a Desperado and have em send us back home?"

"And how will we do that? Assuming there are still Desperados with active DESPERs running around, why would they just warp us home?" Mimoko glared.

"Uh- Um... I'll sway em with words!"

"Like in anime? Kind of lame, but ok," Carol shrugged.

"Oi, I know I said that trope sucks, but it works, so whatever," Iori grumbled.

...

Back in Japan, Rodeo scowled as he glanced over at Yuusuke. Yuusuke seemed dejected after his loss to Skaberghast, but didn't seem to be doing anything in regards to the mini-punishment Skaberghast had implemented during the match.

"Oi lug, ya gonna move or run out of time? I hate waiting," Abigail glared as she impatiently tapped her fingers on the table.

"...Sorry," Rodeo mumbled as he moved his pawn to e4.

"Too impatient. Should have just let him run the clock down," Skaberghast thought.

The game began to play out normally with Abigail moving her pawn to e5 and Rodeo moving his knight to f3. After Abigail moved her knight to f6, however, Rodeo moved his knight to g5.

"Well that's reckless," Abigail thought as she moved her pawn to d5.

Rodeo remained silent and captured said pawn with his e-pawn.

"Seems like you're just another run of the mill country hick. I grew up in Oxford, and got accepted to Stanford. The difference in intellect couldn't be clearer. Though I expect your pocket change to be poultry, it shall nonetheless serve me well," Abigail sneered as she captured the pawn at d5 with her knight.

Rodeo's eyes lit up as he stared at the board. "...This is it. Inoue told me bout this. Fried liver," he mumbled as he captured the pawn at f7 with his knight.

Abigail's confidence shattered. "T- The fried liver attack!? No! This is a fluke! I'm a genius and you're a rube!" she fumed as she captured the knight at f7 with her king.

Rodeo thought back to his teachings and moved his queen to f3.

"Remember, like the fried liver attack is good against beginner-level opponents. At the higher levels, players will usually counter with the Italian game: Knight attack, Polerio defense by moving their knight to a5 instead of capturing the pawn at d5. If that happens, just turn the game into an Italian game: Knight attack, Polerio, Bishop check line by moving your bishop to b5. Of course if they capture the pawn with the knight, and capture your knight after you move it f7, bring your queen out to f3 and make sure to watch for the following mating lines," Mimoko's voice echoed in Rodeo's mind as Abigail moved her king to g8.

"...That's the line. Check," Rodeo mumbled as he captured the knight at d5 with his bishop.

Abigail immediately exploded in rage. "NO! I'M AN INTELLECTUAL ELITE! YOU'RE A DAMN IMBECILE FARM BOY! YOU MUST BE CHEATING!" she ranted as she slammed her bishop down on e6.

"That's it... Checkmate," Rodeo mumbled as he captured the bishop on e6 with his bishop, winning the game.

As the board vanished, Skaberghast opened an eye before closing it again. "DESPER's prevent cheating and the Fried liver's a hallmark move. You just fell for it like an idiot. Ironic since chickens are supposedly smart creatures."

Abigail shot him a deathglare as she found herself unable to get out of her chair and storm away. Due to the fact that she wasn't acting like a chicken either, Skaberghast surmised that either the DESPER was preventing everyone from leaving until all the matches had concluded and that it either decided not to enforce the minor punishments or was waiting to do so after all the games were complete.

Now each team had a win a piece, but things were far from over. Zago and Azenira ended up drawing their games thanks to the repetition rule meaning everything now hinged on Utami and Numakawa. Since Numakawa was an idiot, and the fact that Utami had a nasty punishment hanging over her should she lose, all hope was riding on her winning her match against Maria.

"I wonder if the minor punishments would get nullified if the whole thing ended in a draw, though the DESPER said the mini-wagers were good. Guess there's only one way to find out," Skaberghast pondered aloud.

The full game:

White: Rodeo Gorou (500) Black: Abigail Boffin (1300)

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Bc4 Nf6

4. Ng5 d5

5. exd5 Nxd5

6. Nxf7 Kxf7

7. Qf3+ Kg8

8. Bxd5+ Be6

9. Bxe6#