Mizuse

Back at her office Mizuse slammed her fists down in frustration as she looked up chess tutorials online.

"Madam Kujou, you shouldn't be wasting time on trivial-"

"YOUR FIRED KUGISAKI, NOW GET OUT!"

Kugisaki scowled and stormed out. "Well I'll do my damndest then to ensure you end up homeless on the streets. GOOD DAY!"

As the door slammed shut, Mizuse scowled and gazed at her laptop. "That woman said I was worthless. I'll prove her wrong."

For the next few days, Mizuse devoted herself completely to chess. However, when she returned to the food court, Daria was no longer there. Desperate to face her once more, she registered for as many chess tournaments as she could and quickly began racking up wins and elo. However, her company began to suffer and as a result, employees began to get angry.

Kugisaki, disgruntled at Mizuse's treatment of him, lead the protests and even tried to outright usurp Mizuse for her spot as CEO. However Mizuse paid it no heed. All she cared about was getting good at chess. However, her oversight would cost her, as week later, Kugisaki managed to take everything from her.

Thanks to him divulging some the late master's unsavory business practices publicly, all the monetary assets Mizuse had were frozen. This allowed Kugisaki to stage a coup, ousting her from the company, and leaving her homeless.

Now left with nothing but the clothes on her back, Mizuse somberly wandered the streets, delusionally hoping Daria would return, and she could show off her chess skills. However, that never came to be. Worse, Kugisaki decided he wanted Mizuse gone for good, and hired a hit man to take her out.

It was on that day, that Mizuse's life changed forever. As a sniper took aim at Mizuse, a red-haired woman suddenly walked in as he pulled the trigger. Yet much to the sniper's shock, the woman appeared unharmed.

"Ya all right the woman asked as she extended her hand.

Mizuse looked up at the woman. Her hair was similar to that of the flamboyant woman, yet she looked different. Her voice was similar too, but the tone was all wrong.

"... I have no need. You're not her."

"Ya lookin' for someone? Maybe I could help."

"Do you play chess?"

"Nope, never in my life."

"Then be off."

Rumble!

Mizuse huddled up tight as her stomach rumbled. The woman however smiled and began dragiing her away with her.

"Unhand me!"

"Come on, I gotta feed that tummy of yours. You don't wanna die yet, right?"

Mizuse begrudgingly nodded as she followed the woman, not knowing that she was the very woman she had been seeking.

The sniper meanwhile, clicked his tongue and decided to pull back for a bit.

...

At a restaurant, Mizuse found herself unable to stop gorging on food.

"Ya really were hungry girl, so now that you're full, mind tellin' me who you're lookin' for?" Daria asked.

Mizuse sighed and begrudgingly described the woman she was seeking.

"Hmm, sorry, never seen a gal like that. But, hey, ya said you're playing chess, so how good are ya?"

Mizuse shook her head and pulled out her WWCF card. In the short span of 3 weeks, she had managed to climb to a rating of 2012.

"So is that a good number?"

"I guess, but everyone I faced was terrible. None played like that woman."

"Were any of em grandmasters?"

"No, though I believe some had titles such as "International master" and "WWCF master", but they were terrible."

"Maybe you're just too good."

"Not at all. When I played that woman I was terrible. Since then I learned the game, but the level of opponents I faced just seemed so low compared to that woman."

"Come on girl, stop beating yourself up! I heard your ex-butler walked all over ya too."

"So you saw the news."

"That guy ticks me off! Hell, I say ya go back and kick his ass out."

"I'd end up being thrown out, and it's not like beating him up would change a thing, he'd just sue me anyway."

"Then beat him in chess to win everything back."

"Are you serious? 1st, I doubt he'd ever agree to such an outrageous proposal. 2nd, even if he did and I won, it wouldn't be legally binding and he'd still have everything."

"Now that I disagree on," a voice rang out.

Mizuse turned to notice a larger elderly man seated behind her.

"Mizuse Kinjou, yes? I could arrange such a match, and it would most definitely be legally binding. However, should you lose, he'd be able to demand anything in return from you. Do you have confidence in your chess prowess?"

Mizuse thought for a moment. Memories of her match against Daria flooded into her mind, causing her to shake her head no.

"Very well. I will be in town for a few more days, so should you gain confidence, simply come back here around the same time for the next few days," the man stated as he left."

"Oh, sorry to bounce, but I got a schedule. Don't worry, the check's paid, and it's all you can eat so keep on ordering if you're hungry," Daria smiled as she headed out.

Mizuse sighed and continued to munch on the food for another 15 minutes. As she was about to leave, the woman she had been searching for, suddenly entered the restaurant. Mizuse immediately approached the woman and begged to let her play her.

"I remember you; Mizuse, yes? Very well, I shall humor you just this once," Daria glared as she placed a chess bag down on the table.