Berethier smiled at the four Sailor Scouts trapped in the ball of ice, and the one that remained free.

"We can make this interesting. I'd like to play Sailor Mercury at chess first... but how about we go one by one? All or nothing?"

"What do you mean?" Sailor Moon protested.

"I mean, one of you wins, you all go. You all lose, you all freeze up and I take you home..."

The five Sailor Scouts stared in surprise.

"Take... us home?! What?!" Sailor Venus shouted.

"You'll all look adorable frozen I bet... And I'd take such good care of you all!" She squealed.

All five girls looked very confused.

"...She's nuts..." Sailor Jupiter said.

"Yep..." Mars agreed.

"Wait, so... I play you, and if I win, we all go and you give up?"

Berethier nodded.

"Of course. And no cheating from me. But as you lose a piece you'll freeze up. Up to your armpits and one arm, but if I put you in checkmate, all the way. If you forfeit... All the way and the next player takes over."

"Okay... but if we all lose we all freeze and you keep us?"

Berethier nodded once more.

"Of course! What use is a challenge without prizes?!"

Sailor Mercury sat down at the table, looking at the chess set.

"You can pick your colour. You're the challenger." Berethier said.

The Sailor Scout chose white. She made her first few moves, an offensive play, but Berethier's play was to avoid any losses or gains on either side, until Mercury saw a chance for a check.

"Check." She said, feeling a little more confident as the others cheered.

"Excellent move... But it has one problem." Berethier said sympathetically. She made her move, and took the piece putting her king in check... and even as Mercury felt her feet encase in ice, her blood ran cold for a different reason.

"Check." Berethier said.

"What... But... But how?" Mercury stammered.

"Did she cheat?!" Sailor Moon screeched. Mercury shook her head.

"No... No, she... She's just... good. I never saw it..."

"You sound impressed." Berethier noted.

"To be honest I am, really..." She confessed, even though she saw the next series of moves.

To block check made another piece vulnerable and put her right back into check. Ice went over her ankles. Again and again she would lose a piece and either be unable to respond without losing another right after going into check again, or would be losing a piece even as she tried to evade the trap.

Her calves froze over, encased in the ice. Her two feet were stuck together the way she sat, and then her knees froze, locking her in a sitting posture. Her teeth chattered as she grew colder. Another piece gone, her thighs froze. Another, her pelvis now froze, along with the stool she sat on. She rubbed her arms as her upper body felt frozen already...

Piece after piece was lost. Her stomach, her chest, her upper left arm, her elbow, her lower arm, her hand... Her arm now frozen reaching over to try and warm the other one So few pieces left after this and almost none taken in return. She'd managed to get the queen and a few pawns but all she had left was her king, a knight, and a few pawns.

"...A-all or n-n-nothing." She whispered/chattered to herself. This one could maybe manage to pull it off and turn this desperate situation around or...

She reached her hand back, trying to rub her other arm and maybe thaw it even after Berethier warned her nothing would happen.

"I'm so sorry about this, but... Checkmate. Good game." Berethier smiled.

Mercury never had a chance to protest or agree as the rest of her was encased in ice. She didn't even look very startled below the frozen coating, just... cold.

Berethier stood.

"Hm. No handshake I guess. How about a hug?" She squealed, nuzzling up against her iced and vanquished foe.

"You're adorable! I'll keep you well chilled and looked after!" She said, sliding the stool and her frozen trophy out of the way, and moving a new one in.

"So, who's up next?" Berethier smiled.

"No one? I'll pick someone out if there's no volunteer..."

Silence as the four hesitated. Then a yelp as Sailor Moon fell from the ball of ice.

"Well, we'll see how you do..."

The blonde girl was already feeling frozen before she got near the chess set...