The legacy of Mizuse Niimi [Side Story 3 End]

Raymond stared down at Ginji as he laid dazed on the ground. "For you, I feel a fine one-week ban from tournament play is appropriate."

"'Fine'?"

"Yes, we'll say one million yen."

"ARE YOU INSANE!? I'm clearly the victim-"

"Of your own scheme. Perhaps that man was the instigator, but you clearly had some knowledge of the plan due to your use of flesh-like gloves."

"Oi, I'm just germophobic, that's all."

"Perhaps, but you didn't seem surprised about there being Mercury on the pieces, thus I'm assuming that it is simply an issue of being slightly aware of foul play, such as that man telling you to wear gloves without telling you why. Or would you like to fight that case with me?" Raymond glared as he pulled out a DESPER key.

"Alright, alright, sheesh!"

Ginji quickly got up and handed Raymond a fat stack of cash from his pocket. After confirming that it was indeed a legitimate stack of one million yen, Raymond nodded and began to head out.

"Just so you know, I'm considering the Mercury poisoning you've been subjected to part of your punishment."

"Huh? But ain't that- Uhp!"

Ginji quickly lost his balance and ended up stumbling into a nearby fountain with a loud splash. As he sat sprawled out in the base of the fountain with water pouring down his head, Raymond walked up to him.

"Fear not, Caïssa's blessing prevents both you and Okisato from dying or suffering long-term effects from the mercury poisoning. Though I am a bit surprised it affected you both with the DESPER in effect. Perhaps it was due to none of your lives being at stake. In fact, why don't I modify your punishment a bit to include a one week stay at the WWCF holding facility. That way I can ensure you uphold your one-week playing ban, and keep that DESPER of yours in check."

Ginji responded with a scowl as he spat out some of the water he had swallowed. Tough this was still not the end to his torment, as thanks to Cyril Milverton, his cheating scandal would trend for days along with the image of him miserably sprawled out in the fountain.

As soon as Raymond left with Ginji and Shin Turk in tow, Daria turned to Okisato. "Well, I didn't expect things to end quite like that, but thanks for your help."

"No worries. Though a full-night stay is included, yes?"

"I assume you want to rest. Fear not, I'm sure the staff will happily service their hero."

Okisato nodded and headed off towards the front desk, Daria turned to Penny and Sandra. "Now it's up to you two to continue Mizuse's legacy. We'll handle thins on the chess side, but the fashion business is all in your hands. Be sure to make Mizuse proud."

"That boy really came through, what was his name?" Penny asked.

"Okisato Tanabe."

"Then perhaps we'll introduce a men's line, to honor him. To be honest, Mizuse had been considering it for a bit, but just didn't have the drive. Her passion, first and foremost was women's beauty. It still sickens me that the woman that claimed to be her close friend made her say and do such things before killing her."

"It hurt me too. I thought Michiko was my closest friend, yet she was nothing more than an envious snake. Rest assured she's suffering a fate in a similar vein to that butler."

"To be honest, that was a little terrifying to witness, but the bastard had it coming," Sandra nodded.

"Though before I leave, I will state that should either of you wish to succeed Mizuse as SPCM Himitsusama, you'll likely have to become grandmasters to do so."

"Why's that?"

"Currently, I have 2 active SPCMs, Himitsudono and Himitsubo, each rated 100 and 1014, respectively. Of the inactive, but still living SPCMs, their ratings are 800, 1362, and 2550. A candidate I've promised to grant the title of SPCM to currently has a rating of 1001, though she might be able to raise it higher before becoming an SPCM. Nonetheless, I would prefer to have at least one of the new SPCMs be a grandmaster, mainly for the challenge aspect of it."

Penny and Sandra looked at each other and sighed. Chess just wasn't their thing, though they did pledge to support the one that would be chosen.

...

As the sun began to set, Penny gazed out the window along with Sandra. The company had been saved from Kugisaki, but the task ahead of them was still monumental.

"So any ideas on what we do now?" Sandra asked.

Penny smiled and ruffled her hair. "We embrace peak femininity, that's what."

"Oi, if you're suggesting we shave our heads, that comes with a lot of risk."

"Yes, but I believe it's necessary to clear Mizuse's name. Not only that, but we must show what she was attempting to envision. I'm sure we know that Mizuse would eventually consider inking her head and body, however that bitch Michiko appeared to contort her vision and had her litter her skin with the most vulgar of designs. If we were to ink our heads with beautiful tattoos-"

"Look girl, I'm down for going bald and inkin' my head with you if it will clear Mizuse-sama's name, but if it doesn't, we essentially squander the chance we've been given to save Mizuse-sama's legacy. If the media deems us heretics too, it's over."

As the two argued on what to do, a visitor suddenly arrived.

"Good evening, ladies. My name is Cyril Milverton, an independent journalist so to say. I heard you had a history with one Ginji Inohara, care to divulge every unsavory thing he's done to your knowing?" a large silky sifaka with a pink face smirked.

Penny and Sandra looked each other in the eye and nodded. While they had only just met Ginji, they were the type of women that were willing to throw someone like him under the bus to save the reputation of the one they looked up to the most.

"You're aware Ginji is with the notorious Desperado league, yes?"

Cyril nodded in affirmation.

"Well we just learned that he played a hand in the late Mizuse Niimi's radical mood swing. You see, his colleague, Michiko Azami, hatched a plan to take down Maestro Himitsu, and went to Ginji for advice on how to deal with the SPCMs. Ginji then instructed her to..."

...

As soon as the interview concluded, Cyril thanked the two and went on his way. He figured not all they claimed was true, however, that didn't matter. All that mattered was slandering Ginji, the man he hated more than anyone.

"That bastard is stuck in WWCF prison for a week, meaning he's got no way to defend against the onslaught of slander I can hurl at him thanks to the cheating scandal. Oh, I do love kicking you when you're down."

...

"ACHOO!"

Ginji rubbed his nose as he lounged on a bed inside a holding cell. "Ugh, wonder who's talking shit about me now?"

[Side Story 3 End]