Chapter 4: The Night

"Senpai, are you sure that you are alright?" Mashu said as she repeated what she has asked earlier upon their arrival. She was quite concern over her Senpai since Nightingale told her that Senpai was suffering from fever recently. However, Ritsuka's action were opposite of what she expected, in fact she was quite lively as she was back from Chaldea.

"Yes, Mashu. I've repeated it several times: I'm feeling great." Ritsuka said as she tried to prove it to her by moving erratically before her. Mashu stopped her Senpai immediately.

"Anyways, I'm so happy that I've seen you again."

"Senpai…"

Ritsuka hugged Mashu for a moment. Mashu received it warmly.

"I'm glad to see you too… How are you this last week?" Mashu asked curiously since it is obvious that her Senpai arrived her a week before she can. Rayshifting can affect time really.

"It's fine, really… This world really does wonders the more you know about it…" Ritsuka said apprehensively.

"Like what, Senpai?"

"They have entities called 'Spirits' that causes calamities called spacequakes on this world. It seemed at first that this alternate world is peaceful at the first glance but I guess this is further a proof that a perfect world is just but an ever-distant dream."

Ritsuka's eyes shifted her away as she looked into the nothingness, her orange hair shadowed her eyes as she sighed.

"The government or whatever who are behind these, carefully wrapped up the information about the Spirits, leaving the spacequakes phenomena. I'm just glad that people here are quite prepared for any spacequakes to occur."

"How did you know all of it, Senpai?"

Ritsuka's suddenly became excited. "I'm glad that you ask me for it. Half of it came from my hypothesis and rumors." She then produced a thick folder filled with papers. "Half of it from these files."

Mashu tilted her head in wonder. "Where did you get it, Senpai?"

RItsuka's eat-shitting grin creeped Mashu for a moment. "Ratatoskr."

"Ratatoskr? Isn't that the lighting squirrel from the Norse mythology?" Mashu said as she delved from her stored knowledge.

"Yes you are right but here they are an organization of some sort."

Mashu skimmed all over the notes inside the folder. The flapping of the paper was the only sound in the room as Ritsuka waited for Mashu to talk or to finish her readings.

"How did you get this?" Mashu asked as her eyes remained glued on the papers, reading was a hobby she got from Chaldea after all.

"My favorite daughter did." Ritsuka said with a beat. Mashu seemed to be still hanging from her Senpai's word.

"I did!" A cute voice behind the Shielder made Mashu shriek from surprise. A jerk reaction from Mashu's arms made her threw all of the papers everwhere flying accidentally as well as the folder that hit the ceiling. Jack, the perpetrator, was flailing her arms away as she proclaimed what she did.

Mashu, in panic, was trying to catch all of the paper as she can, to the point she was crawling as she tried to avoid the papers touching to floors.

"Who's the best daughter?" Ritsuka headpats Jack.

"I am!" Jack stretched her arms away as she flailed them happily.

"Who's the best daughter?" Ritsuka teased her again.

"I am!" Jack hop up enthusiastically as she respond to her 'Mommy's' remark.

"Who's the best Assassin!?"

"I AM!!!" Jack made the highest note possible she can, not that they worried that they will be heard by their neighbors since Caster made the bounded field perfectly.

"Senpai!" Mashu immediately retorted as she was feeling irritated, not that she can voiced her complaints; Senpai is Senpai after all.

"Yes my cute eggplant?" Ritsuka chuckled as she gave Mashu her nickname which the Shielder promptly ignored. The Master of Chaldea wasn't even ceasing caressing Jack's head which the Assassin loved it as much.

"How did she do it? Where the hell is the organization located?"

"She's an Assassin and has the high Presence Concealment so its easy to sneak among ordinary people, and the Ratatoskr was located above." Ritsuka explained as she pointed up which Mashu just looked above at the ceiling dully.

"At the skies…" Her Senpai continued.

"What?"

"Caster detected the ship not long after despite being wrapped in invisibility. I sent Assassin up there and retrieved whatever it was there that could get me some information. I also have strict rule for Assassin that no killing allowed. I was surprised that they still keep tabs in papers instead of within their mainframes." Ritsuka said as she placed Jack in front of her as she groomed her hair, which Jack happily obliged.

"Backups if that you mean." Mashu said guessingly. She wasn't surprised at the advancement of technology here in this world.

"Jackie here was the best daughter because she followed her 'Mommy'!"

"Yay!"

Mashu scan the papers again that luckily was caught in her hand, although a bit crumpled. The rest of paper were on the floor.

"Senpai, why is Tohka and Yoshino's information on here?" Mashu asked curiously. She wondered if they are a part of Ratatoskr.

"They're Spirits… or should I say were. I don't how to say"

"What? How?" Now Mashu was being hysterical. Interacting with the so called 'Spirits' capable of creating spacequakes are really dangerous.

Ritsuka randomly took some papers, piled them neatly, and searched for a specific paper before she can start an explanation. An amused smile etched on her face.

"This is unbelievable but Shidou was the one who dealt with them by dating…"

"D-dating?" Mashu was thinking some random thoughts, particularly that involved her and Senpai.

"… and kissing!" The Master of Chaldea added. To which Mashu's face was red all over.

"K-kissing?!" Mashu was trembling a lot. She wasn't ready for this!

"No matter how absurd it is; this is what was written on the paper. Shidou sealed their powers by kissing." Ritsuka as she tried to reconfirm again as she leaned closer on the paper.

Mashu was fiddling her index fingers nervously. She was uncertain how she would proceed with this information.

"Senpai, do you think that this is all a trap?"

"What? No!" Ritsuka really trusted her guts. "Besides, did you see their face over that dinner? They have no ounce of wariness that was written on their face. Cute Tohka reminded me of Saber, due to her gluttonous appetite and Yoshino was a cute shy mouse, I really wanted to hug her a lot and Kotori-chan with her 'onni-chan' tendencies with her brother…although, she was a bit too pretentious with it." Ritsuka explained to her as a matter of fact.

Although, Ritsuka was most wary of Kotori the most because she discovered her to be the commander of the said Ratatoskr. Whether Mashu discovered it or not, it depends on how Mashu would react. She prayed that she didn't jinx it since she doesn't want her precious kouhai to be troubled at this world.

"If Tohka-chan and Yoshino-chan were a former Spirit have sealed their powers as you say… then could it be they are allies? Do you think we can trust them?"

"Oh, my precious eggplant… Sadly, I don't still have plans for that. I remembered those lessons I've learned from all of the Singularities and Lostbelts. Mashu, I really wanted to align with them seeing their purpose but we can't just be hasty. I want to know the whole story behind this world and were just new here." Ritsuka said to her with a hint of sadness. Mashu sympathized with her Senpai too since she was right.

"I-I see, I am so sorry, Senpai." The Shielder regretted recommending it to her Senpai.

"No, it's not your fault for suggesting, although…" Ritsuka was being suspicious, as she has squinting eyes looking everywhere. Mashu felt her hair stood at the nape when Ritsuka leaned closer than she has ever imagined, making her blush intensely.

Ritsuka whispered into her ear. "There's no doubt that Ratatoskr has dubbed you as a 'Spirit' and possibly, Shidou is now preparing to date you." No matter how it sounded malicious, Ritsuka couldn't help but tease her precious kouhai.

"N-no! NO! I won't betray Senpai! No!" Mashu really terrified of what Ritsuka said. She was determined to remain loyal to her Senpai and she wouldn't ever betray her Senpai. That suggestion just made it grimmer. Mashu was on the verge of crying.

"Sssh… I'm so sorry for scaring you."

Ritsuka hugged her tighter than she could. Even the Master of Chaldea was worried over that thought she has suggested. She couldn't bear to lost her Kouhai once more, although that's impossible since she wasn't a 'Spirit' to begin with but a 'Demi-Servant'.

"Senpai… you meanie." Mashu childishly chided her, as Ritsuka wiped her tears. Mashu immediately accepted her apology.

"Mashu, there's one more thing that I forgot to mention." Ritsuka whispered to her ear once more.

"What is it, Senpai?"

"Fou!"

A chirp of a small animal can be heard and Fou appeared, trotting to them. Mashu became excited when she saw Fou again.

"Fou? I thought you remained at the Chaldea?"

"Fou here joined us for a trip and also ended up here too, just like us. It took him for three days before Fou can located me. Poor Fou."

"Fou!" The squirrel-like creature chirp again. Then it decided to jump toward Mashu, who instinctively caught her and held her in her arms. Fou just snuggled comfortable.

"Silly Fou." Mashu said as she caressed Fou's furs and ears and tease his nose.

"C'mon, it's the middle of the night, Rider and Caster will guard the dorm tonight. The amount of information that I've given to you must have taken its toll. We need to rest though."

"You're right, Senpai… good night."

Mashu said as she snuggled on the bed. Ritsuka and Mashu will be sleeping together in one bed. Before they can properly sleep soundly, Ritsuka called Caster to the room. Mashu just stared at her softly while Fou content to lay beside Mashu's head.

Circe immediately entered their room.

"I'm so sorry I've called you this late—"

"Eep, stop there, Master. You don't need to be formal with me. What do you want me to do here?"

"Umm, can you please clean the room? We sort of messed everything."

"Of course, as you wish Master."

"Thank you and good night."

"Good night." Circe said back as the papers everywhere floated at Caster's will. Circe gradually gathered all of the paper that floated to her and arranged them in order before retrieving the folder.

"Oh, Assassin's turn to sleep with me!" Ritsuka said before she closed her eyes.

"Yay!" Jack happily obliged as she curled up beside her Mommy. The bed was still spacious as it was as they slept soundly.

Circe was a little jealous as what she admitted when she saw them on the bed sleeping soundly to the point it was tempting to crawl and sleep with them but she still has her Master's order. She puffed her cheeks really.

Nevertheless, she was glad that Ritsuka was her Master and that she ended up in Chaldea. Almost all of the qualities she looked for can be found on Ritsuka. Master was really good at making orders, that's why Ritsuka marked the calendar on who will sleep with her every night. She couldn't wait to sleep with her too. A red hue slowly overtook her face before she shut off the lights.

"Good night, Master." Circe said as she closed the door.