Hifumi sighed as she sat in the church, clack....clack....clack... She put each piece down recalling her match with another, her 'Queenly' style of thinking kicking in. Only not the way she liked it. She recalled the boy who she taught to play so that she could come up with new moves. Akira. Handsome young man she had to admit. She was rather aggressive with him. "Can you hear them screaming in pain?" Taunts as if the pieces were actual soldiers, but this time SHE was the one being destroyed. She kept replaying the game trying to find a way, to slip through her opponent's strategy. But no matter what she did the outcome was the same. She'd lose. She felt as if she was losing more than a match but a part of her. "Hey..." She felt a hand on her shoulder. Akria smiled to her. "Not looking too good there." Her face turned to one of concern.
Hifumi let out a sigh. "Yeah...I just don't get it."
"You looked like you were...um...defeating yourself, a lot. Is that some kind of Shogi punishment?" Hifumi shook her head.
"No it's-" She looked at him, he was joking. "Oh...no no it's um...I met someone who was good, REAL good, but nothing I did worked." Akira had a flashback to the video game cheater in Mementos.
"I know the feeling." He muttered. "So who was this person, some kind of Grandmaster?"
"No I..." Akira tilted his head. "I feel like I dreamed it all, I've been so out of it lately and-"
"Your soldiers depend on you My Queen." Hifumi thought he was mocking her for a moment, but by the gentle smile on his face he clearly was just trying to appeal to her play style.
"I failed them."
"Not yet." Akira said looking over the board. "I'm not on your level but wouldn't this work?" Akira pointed to a peice then traced his finger along the board. "Here let me just." He played it out. "Maybe?" After six moves Hifumi's eyes widened. "I mean this other person likely sees three moves ahead but-"
"Why didn't I see that?" Hifumi whispered she felt a tingle inside herself. An odd one, she wasn't sure why, Shogi wasn't THAT arousing to her. Not on an intensely pleasureful feeling.
"Likely due to stress, I tend to make mistakes a lot in P&P if I get too stressed."
"P&P?" Hifumi asked.
"Places and Phantoms, it's a role playing game based on the Phantom Thieves."
"Oh yes...they're an interesting topic actually, I've been meaning to ask you something." Akira tilted his head hiding his worry.
"Do you think they use tactics like in Shogi?" Akira thought for a moment.
"Likely so, I mean how else would they steal someones heart, Now how they do it is anyone's guess." Akira sat down and put his hand on Hifumi's shoulder. "Look you're clearly stressed out, why don't we take a walk or something, at least get a little fresh air." Hifumi nodded and got up. Akira was puzzled by what he saw next. Was Hifumi always like this, it seemed like she had gotten, taller. Her uniform looked tighter, not by much but being 'Joker' he noticed even the smallest things. Hifumi was sweating too. "Once they got outside Hifumi felt hotter. Why though? Did Akira have some kind of effect on her?
"Hey Akira, random question but how many peices did you capture?"
"Um...three, I think?"
Option A: Akira's Star Arcana persona(s) are mixing with his desires to see Hifumi grow taller and stronger
Option B: Due to Hifumi's 'Queenly mindset' she tapped in to an unknown power, she grows for each peice taken in any shogi game from now on. AND Any Shadow Akira defeats.  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
<<-- Previous · Outline  · Recent Additions © Copyright 2025 Firekeeper43 (UN: flames65 at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
Nokokomomo has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work within this interactive story. Poster accepts all responsibility, legal and otherwise, for the content uploaded, submitted to and posted on Writing.Com. |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author