Scene from Illusional part 2 : https://www.furaffinity.net/view/63806439/

"From underneath her construct, Dhalia allowed herself a devious smile. The bathroom door opened. Miss Rubliss stepped in.
The bathroom door closed. Three seconds later it opened again. Out stepped a teenage ‘Dolly’."
...
"Time for a game on Easy Mode to warm up. The uneducated and reductionists like to frame chess as a game of warfare and they couldn’t be more incorrect. Nothing so brutal, chaotic, and disorganized as warfare could be simulated through something so courtly, orderly, and strategic. What chess actually simulated was the dance of politics and courtly intrigue. Dhalia made it so her shoes audibly clicked as she walked, broadcasting her approach. Confidence and intent were key when it came to introductions. Setting up the pieces to play."
...
"In chess, the pawn is the most common opening move. In courtly affairs, pawns are the people
with connections and resources but no real direct power. In conversation they were simple, direct claims, challenges, and questions. “Excuse me,” Dhalia reached out and tapped the owl on the shoulder. White moves king’s pawn to E3. Like the novice she was, the owl girl saw the opener and moved a corresponding pawn as if they were the only two pieces on the board. “What?” She demanded, not even attempting to conceal her annoyance or hostility at the intrusion. Her hands were tensed up on her hips, and her entire body was still facing Zinny despite turning her head one hundred and eighty degrees around to glare at Dhalia."

All characters depicted belong to me  Hokkigai