Chapter 12: The Game

Ishtar was frowning, disappointed and annoyed.

She crossed her arms under her chest in frustration. She was waiting for something.

Despite her obvious negative behavior, Ereshkigal on the other hand, seemed to go with the flow. She was clapping enthusiastically at the sports in front of her.

Ishtar doesn't know what is exciting for Ereshkigal but for Ishtar, she was really bored here.

The Twins they met earlier, dubbed as the Yamai Twins one named Yuzuru while the other is Kaguya, pulled them to their stupid game after their illegal entrance at the park. Ishtar felt dumb when she felt that the Spirits would attack them on the whim, only for them to invite them for a stupid game.

They were supposed to be in the mansion right now and could have nicely turn down the invitation but Ereshkigal happened.

Ereshkigal was simply curious enough and accepted the invite, unknowingly dragging me to it. I just couldn't let Ereshkigal left alone, so Ishtar was obliged.

"Draw!" Ereshkigal exclaimed, waving the fan furiously. Ishtar and Ereshkigal were sitting on the bench, observing the Yamai twins playing the games in a speed of light, not a problem for Divine Servants like them.

The Yamai Twins where playing ping-pong and as expected, their games went up to eleven.

The Red Devil of Venus also noticed their unique costume or whatever it is. Say 'Astral Dress' according to the Twins. It showed a lot of skin, and adorned heavily with chains and other BDSM regalia. She was not judging of course, since hers was literally exposing.

"Hueh!!!"

"Affirmative. Power move." Ishtar wondered why speak like a robot, almost reminding her of Altera. Ugh.

The ball was zipping back and forth faster than light until it turned to dust. For the record, they managed to destroy an exact 100 ping pong balls within an hour and managed to messed up the studio with the wasted balls. Also, hey replaced their pans the fifth time at exact moment. Ishtar wondered where did they get the items in huge bulk.

"Its 50 – 50." Ereshkigal once again exclaimed, cheering for both of them. The Yamai Twins seemed to be breathing deeply but their competitive spirits will never exhaust.

"Your game ended up in the tie. Can we go home now?" Ishtar argued with the twins. She really needed to rest.

"Ah, my visitors, fellow Spirit, we really wanted to know who is the superior twins between us." Kaguya exclaimed, with exaggerated arms flinging as she made some emphasis, which Ishtar suspected that Kaguya has a curious case of chuunibyou.

"For your information, we are not Spirits!" Technically, they are not but Ishtar expected them to ignore that piece of information.

"Denial. We can still feel the Spirit energies emanating from you." Ishtar didn't whether Yuzuru was bluffing or not since Caster already given them sealing charms that should make them sense like a human being even added additional runes by Scathach for extra features.

"We found humans can't even reach to our level and can't even measure our games correctly. Only a Spirit can see how our games flow clearly so that we knew there is no sign of cheating."

"Agreed. Highly suspected my other twin to be cheating."

"Oh really? How about you?"

"Denial. Yuzuru is always clean."

Ishtar just facepalmed. They don't even have time for this. Even powerful on their own rights, they are really naïve over petty issues, justified though that they are not of Divine.

Ishtar promised herself and to her Master that they will not act recklessly unless it is necessary.

"So the game is over, right? I bet all of your materials were really burned to dust. Can we go home now?" Ishtar not-so-subtly suggested. Even if Ishtar have plans going home, she don't if it's the same case with Ereshkigal.

"Wait a minute!" Kaguya stopped her, which Ishtar expected. "We have another game and its called drag racing."

"Affirmative. A very challenging game for an expert."

"Game on, sister!" Yuzuru and Kaguya's gaze to each other were electrocuting. Ereshkigal seemingly enjoyed the moment.

Ishtar wished that her Master is here, at least she's entertaining to begin with.

Yoshino was found herself within the isolation of Fraxinus. This is where she stayed whenever she is not found in Shidou's house. She claimed that she's not alone because Yoshinon is always with her.

"Ohh, fun reading!" The puppet rabbit sneered at Yoshino. Of course, the Hermit considered it friendly for her.

Yoshino was reading a book filled with nursery rhymes. Reading were simple and exciting. She loved reading this books whenever she was alone with Yoshinon.

Immediately, a noise somewhere surprised Yoshino and it made her look around curiously. She knew that she was protected inside the room but she couldn't help feeling right now that someone is here.

"Creepy, isn't it. Are you scared, Yoshino?"

"No… not really." Yoshino replied back. She was frightened a little but she knew was also brave.

A shadow just moved.

Yoshino was about to activate her powers and alarm the Ratatoskr.

"Hello there!" An unknown voice came out of nowhere, and it made Yoshino and Yoshinon looked toward the source of the voice.

It was Jack and Yoshino recognized her when she joined Shidou visiting the dorm. The Assassin swiftly jumped down after hanging by the ceiling silently. Her soles of feet were like a cat, as she landed softly.

Yoshino looked at her surprised.

"H-How did you get in here?!" Yoshino at first was terrified and afraid but later she was curious about Jackie.

"We slipped in." Jackie happily proclaimed then scanning Yoshino's face, she figured out something. "Are you afraid of us?"

"No? We're not." Yoshino replied back. She was still wondering how she got in here, or even how she got on the ship that easily.

Jackie approached Yoshino carefully and glance toward the book she was reading. Yoshino noticed Jackie's peerless green eyes and scars that shouldn't be present at her age. She wondered what happened to her.

Yoshino, somehow suspected that Jackie might be a 'Spirit'… just like her. That could be answer why she can slipped in easily and why she has scars.

"Are you a Spirit, Jackie?" Yoshino softly asked.

"No." Jackie swiftly denied. "Are you reading a story about ugly duckling?" Jackie asked as she reminiscent a past memory involving Nursery Rhyme, the Caster was the first friend she ever made in Chaldea and she couldn't help but miss her. Nursery Rhyme loves to tea party and reading books, a complete opposite of her.

Even though they are vastly different, Jackie could see Nursery Rhyme on Yoshino a little.

"Hey, can you read me that book?" Jackie asked her as she tilted her head on the book.

"Sure, why not! Girl." Yoshino swiftly answered.

"Yoshinon agreed to… so why not?" Yoshino happily told her but then worried about something. "… what if they will discover you here?" She was concerned about Jack.

"Silly Yoshino. I can just hide and escape." Of course, Jack has a high Presence Concealment and Information Erasure at work, ensuring that even the cameras in here won't work properly or record her presence once she's out of the picture.

Somehow, Yoshino believed the Assassin. "Then have a seat here, Jackie."

"Yay!" Jack leaped on the sofa, waiting for Yoshino to sit beside her and read her the story until midnight.

When Yoshino was already asleep, Jack took care of her and tucked her on the sofa. Assassin found a spare blanket lying somewhere and covered Yoshino with it before she disappeared, leaving all of the evidence of her appearance here nulled.

Little did Jack know that there is at least one individual who knew Jack sneaked in Yoshino's isolation room without permission.

It was Reine Murasame, the head analyst of Ratatoskr. She can see Jack being closed to Yoshino. On her face was an unreadable expression as her eyes followed Jack's movement.

No matter how many protocols Jack breached, Reine decided to fully ignore them and pretended not to saw her from the camera feeds (Even if the recording was 'accidentally' faulty at the best, Reine still figured Jack out). Her intentions? Still unknown.