Fate: A Volcanic Summer With Alter

by AGeekyWriter

There was a lot Ritsuka had experienced over the last few years trying to save the world. But times to relax were few and far between. In between writing a manuscript with Jeanne Alter's scrapped Doujin ideas, helping her to win the ServFest contest, and BB certainly being a source for more problems, he was starting to worry once again if there would be any time to relax.

9. From Zero With Alter II

Aaaaaat laast! Look writing while job hunting, apartment hopping, and doing college is not a fun experience. 1/10 do not recommend. But here I am now, with another finished chapter now. I've got an interlude chapter planned next set up a bit by the end of this chapter focusing a bit more on Emiya and Artoria. Since everyone really really liked my terrible horrible no-good really old at this point Waffles fanfiction. Figure I can have a bit of fun with the two of them again.

But onto why you are probably here. I gave a lot of backstory for our two masters here and sprinkled in some lostbelt-relevant stuff. Something that I think changes the dynamic for things to come if I ever decide to do something after this particular story. I'll actually for once leave some more notes at the end to avoid spoiling the reading experience. Suffice it to say this one was probably the hardest chapter to write for me, not including all the other life stuff that usually likes to interfere with what I would like to be a normal writing schedule. I was focusing more on stuff that I don't think I particularly write all that well. More about that I guess at the end.

I finally produced a Chapter that was shorter than my previous one! Though with all the additional things that I had to do editing was nearly two months to make sure this was in the best quality I could give. And this falls under the I don't think I'm fully comfortable with it still.

Always feel free to follow me on twitter AGeekyWriter where I complain about editing and give occasional story updates on both my books and my fanfic works. It's probably the best place to be up to date. Even if I don't post all that much lol. I'll expand into Reddit eventually. Don't even know where I should link my fanfic works for the Fate fandom on Reddit.

Anyways, I present to you the next chapter!:

---

###Ritsuka###

Rituska was hunched over on a wooden bench in a locker room. Arms resting on his thighs as he let out another deep breath. With a towel around his waist, his brow twitched as the soreness coursed through his body almost like a pulse. His body was still coming down from the excretion as if he'd completed a long morning run.

His chest felt heavy as he tried to catch his breath. A locker slammed somewhere off in the corner. His blue eyes however were on the wood floor beneath him. Sweat dripped slowly from his brow, rolling down from the tip of his nose and it fell to join the other puddles around him on the floor.

"Nice job today novice!" There was a chuckle further down the row

"Yeah, if you ever wanna add more to our rep at the top of the class, you and your sister just come right on back."

He blinked away the haze and while he was still hunched over half looking at the floor, he did turn his head enough to see them. His lips twisted in a dark frown as he looked up through the short locks of his hair at them, wiping the sweat away from his brow. His chest was littered with all the bruises and cuts as he sat up a little straighter.

I…

"What's it like being all the way down there?"

Oh.

Ritsuka's brow twitched a little, hiding his right hand balling into a fist.

This again?

"Hoo," The lead was tall, blonde, and most definitely bigger. He shook his head with the hard blue eyes that were looking over at him. "If looks could kill…" He smirked and ran his fingers through his hair as he tilted his head at him. "I suggest you contain yourself. Otherwise, I'll remind you of your place again."

His lip twitched and he looked away and he let out a sigh before he stood up. And winced at all the small wounds that had been inflicted, and the soreness of his muscles with the movement as he stood up. Most mages for self-defense could cast a small barrier around their bodies protecting themselves from all sorts of physical damage for a time. Something where he and his sister weren't strong or skilled enough to hold out longer than thirty seconds.

It's what led to their strategic attrition. They would only use their full protections only in short spurts where they were guaranteed to be hit to take the brunt of the force being used against them.

At least, he thought dryly, that they were capable of avoiding trips to the healer's offices now.

With one last glare at the blonde he walked around the other lockers heading for the sauna. Knowing that he needed to tune out the rest of the world right now. Because whether or not he would ever admit it. The boy was right…

I need to contain myself.

Mages of long-standing bloodlines got prestige and respect. Their mother and biological father weren't from prestigious families. And if they were, for some reason they hadn't been told.

That too was something that they considered mildly. Mages were very traditional in how they went about their livelihoods. And as far as they could tell beyond just being social outcasts. Their upbringing was vastly different by comparison. It made them the center of a lot of curiosity outside of their notoriety as well. The subject of more than one survey in the study of normal people because they could at least answer some of the questions.

Our parents could have better prepared us.

Ritsuka slammed his forehead as he made his way through the aisle of lockers passing a section more used by female mages bantering with one another in the same way that the boys were. Gossiping in their own way about the matches of the day or whatever else drama was fixating their attention.

Fuck it.

Gudako was hunched over in the sauna there, her orange hair frayed out and messy as it always had been. Several bruises and cuts of her own were visible above her sports bra and towel. Her eyes were narrowed as she looked up to see who'd dared to disturb her.

He nodded at her once as he walked and slumped into his chair. "Well, that could've gone better." He half smirked as he sat down with another wince to remind him that his body had been battered and beaten. That it had reached its limit some time ago. The fact that the both of them were still walking around when they could've dismissed themselves for the day was far more than enough.

His sister huffed out a tired smirk of her own and leaned back against the wooden chair. "For the supposed best mages at the academy, they should be ashamed of how close we…novices got."

Ritsuka nodded once. His brow twitched in the silence that followed. "You okay?"

Gudako blinked and nodded slowly. "I'm used to it," she half smiled and then let the smile fade away. "Yeah, uh, Ophelia wanted to meet me for lunch, wants to go over something I think…" Her eyes narrowed a little. She ran her fingers through her orange hair. "I've got half a mind to cancel though."

He smiled in understanding at that, "In times like this it's probably best that we find friends to hang out with. He leaned his head back against the warm wood of the sauna, the fancy stuff that only something like a private school for mages could afford. Ritsuka's lip twisted as the seconds ticked by, feeling the soreness of the day's activities grow more heavily with each passing second of the day.

###?###

Classes went by normally at first. Rtisuka could feel the large bruise swelling on his cheek as he walked through the hallway. Similarly, he could feel the others forming in their soreness even underneath the weight of his clothes. It was odd not to be in school with uniforms, though he noted that everyone dressed relatively well for the more important classes like with Lord El-Melloi.

"You look like shit."

He blinked and looked up, and half smiled.

Kadoc was there, binder against his thrifty sweater and his other hand running in his pocket. "You had your combat training today?"

Ritsuka nodded once, "Our teacher delights in placing novices against the prestigious and well-endowed families of the mage's association." He tilted his head from side to side. "Easier to mark up their scores that way."

He nodded once, sympathetic. "Yeah, I had her too." He moved to stand alongside him as they walked down the hall to their next class astromancy. Kadoc glanced at him for a moment. "Need anything?"

He shook his head, "I'm good."

Kadoc nodded his question of health over.

The pair of them ignored the snickering that was coming their way from a few of the higher-ups on the social food chain.

Ritsuka's lip twisted a little at that, "You'd think they'd have better things to do given their status."

He scoffed, "One might." He turned to him and raised a brow, "Hey, you've heard of Marisubury right?"

His brows knitted together, "Lord Animusphere?" Ritsuka turned to eye him. "I'd be a pretty pathetic student if I didn't know the lord of the astromancy department." He raised a brow at some of the other students looking their way. The lowest fish on the ladder sticking together somehow bothered them.

Kadoc half chuckled, "I suppose, I felt the need to check given you didn't know who the El-Melloi family was when you arrived."

Ritsuka hummed, "I heard the lord's daughter is quite out of our league and moreover, would probably use me as a rug if we ever met." He half smirked back at him. "You know, really fond of low-born nobodies."

"Well, I don't know much regarding her other than that she's mostly getting private tutoring." Kadoc shook his head, "Anyways, I bring them up now to talk to you about their research program."

He heard his friend hesitate, and he turned his head to eye him. Kadoc was looking down and tugging at the hem of his sweater. "I think I'm going to sign up." He said quietly to him. "It's supposed to be some remote research outpost."

Ritsuka stared at him. "What kind of research?"

"I have no idea…" Kadoc looked up at a pair of people once again staring at them. "But it would probably feel more at home than it does here." He half smiled a little at him. "They told me that even novices could get in with enough training."

His brows furrowed a little at that.

That bit of information alone was very interesting. The idea mages were being recruited in general, not just based on the level of their prestige. His blue eyes flicked to Kadoc at that, "How long are you to be gone?"

He shrugged, "I'm not really sure." he chuckled a few times, "As I said, I'm considering it, but I haven't gotten all the information for it yet." He folded his arms and they paused at the doorstep of their next class. Kadoc reached out and tugged his sleeve before they entered tugging Ritsuka to a stop too.

"What?"

Kadoc's lips twisted, "Be careful. I heard the others talking about putting you and your sister in the infirmary for the day when you next duel them."

Ritsuka's frown deepened and he looked away. "Not really much we can do about that if they put their mind to it." He shrugged, "I doubt our teacher would stop them unless they were actively trying to kill us."

His friend let him go and sighed. "I'll pass along some details to you over dinner. If you're interested?"

"About the research post?" His brows knitted together and then he shook his head. "I'm having enough trouble with my studies as it is."

Kadoc nodded, "Alright. Talk to you later."

"Later."

Ritsuka pushed into the class first, heading towards his usual back corner, while Kadoc descended the steps going to one of the closer rows.

Gudako was in there, a bandage on her forehead. She leaned in close to Ophelia the girl with a white patch over her eye. She seemed to be struggling to keep in her laughter at whatever his sister was whispering.

If he remembered right, Ophelia was a very uptight and by-the-book mage. Ritsuka wondered if originally she'd befriended the siblings as if to try and calm them down. But mostly he figured she'd come to the conclusion that she needed someone more outgoing to teach or show her what having fun was like every now and again.

He settled himself in the second row from the back in the far left seat from the doors to get in. Ritsuka took a long moment to breathe in and out. Then he flipped open his binder and waited for the lecture to start.

###?###

It had started as a particularly good day. Snow blanketed the courtyard of the Clock Tower. London was in a festive daze for the end-of-year holidays. Lights were strung up and Ritsuka was looking up at snowflakes catching in his eyelashes. Foggy air left his lips as he turned away, feet crunching into the white powder.

The normally packed halls of the clock tower full of students dwindled down to something an eighth of the size as people went home for holidays. As such he was alone in several of the first few corridors, blue eyes scanning the empty halls, the quiet echo of his footsteps with a bag under his arm.

His lip twitched and he could still taste the dried blood from the bruise that had formed.

The day had ended with the twins once again participating in a combat class. And it was again a time they'd lost rather badly to some of the stronger bloodline students. The teacher as well had been maddeningly reserved throughout the fair. It wasn't their usual instructor either as she'd gone home to presumably her family as well.

This one was sterner and keener to let whatever was happening on the fighting floor take place.

Thus they were reminded of their status and lack of magical aptitude all in one go. Ritsuka would've been furious about it if he hadn't grown a little numb to the whole idea. Thankfully for him, he had found out how to cool off from the whole affair. Walking around in the cold winter air helped considerably.

So too, did the quiet.

The saving grace was, for now at least, the fact that they didn't have any more classes to attend for the duration of the holidays.

It would be just him and his sister once again for the holiday. The two of them agreed to hit up an arcade or go see the London Eye for fun one of these days. For now though, they were content to just get time away from the crowd of school.

Which made things all the more surprising when he heard a familiar voice call out to him from down the hall.

"Hey,"

Ritsuka blinked the cascade of thoughts away. He turned and looked back over his shoulder to see Ophelia standing in the hallway off to the right. The white patch was still over her eye as it had always been for as long as he'd known her. Her lips pressed into a tight line, the greeting very uncharacteristically formal to his mind. The surprise must've been shown in his expression by the way she seemed almost amused at him.

Ophelia smiled in greeting.

Well, she did what she excused away as an attempt at a pleasant smile. Which was in reality grimace a little less, and her usually furrowed features were smoothed indicating the lack of seriousness or lack of business she meant to do. The young woman otherwise seemed to be the ideal mage.

He half smiled at her, "Ophelia." Then his brows knitted together in confusion. "What? What are you doing here? I thought you weren't going to be back for a while with the research program and all?"

She nodded once, "I got some leave, so I came to check on you and your sister." Her fingers wrapped around the strap on her bag as she came forward. "Plus I have some family matters in London to attend to."

He chuckled, "Well, Gudako will be happy to see you." He tilted his head and waited for her to reach him once she started closing the distance between them. "How's Kadoc? I haven't heard from him nearly as much as my sister hears from you?"

"Working." Her lips twisted again a little. "Trying to prove that even novices could make it to the best team." She bowed her head at him as she fell in step beside him.

He huffed a chuckle, "Something I'm sure you aced without having to try too hard."

She blinked, "Yes, how did you know?"

Ritsuka shrugged. "You're a dedicated worker and talented mage." He smiled at her in the same way he usually did with casual confidence in the small matter. "I also have the benefit of having befriended you to know what you're like." His brows furrowed a little as he found her staring at him.

Ophelia watched him a moment longer before also falling quiet and walking in step with him back to the siblings' shared dorm. She moved back to the original topic. "Otherwise last I saw of him he was doing fine. More combat exercises and magic ritual-related training."

He knocked on their dorm to announce his arrival, and he hummed at her answer. "Gudako, we have a visitor."

Then he opened the door and stepped in, spotting that one of the bedroom doors was closed.

"Just a minute!" his sister called.

Ophelia walked in and sighed as she came through the door. Her expression smoothed again as if the aura of the room was comforting.

"What is it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I think I just missed the natural barrier that you two have around your room. It's very…freeing when compared to other mages." Ophelia set her bag against the door and moved to hang her coat. "Kadoc also sends his regards by the way and apologies that he was unable to join me for this venture."

Ritsuka nodded and removed his coat, throwing it over the back of the chair on the dining room table. "He knows I'm not angry about that." He looked away from her as he walked across the room towards the kitchen meaning to wash his hands. "Like you, he's a very dedicated worker when he has a goal to complete something."

Ophelia nodded once at that.

Gudako stepped out in a simple shirt, a bandage over her knuckles as she flexed her fingers. Her golden eyes widened upon seeing Ophelia. "Ophie?!" Her smile widened, "What on Earth are you doing here?!"

He swore he could see the corners of the stern girl's mouth twitch upright at the sight of his sister.

Still, she managed to explain the situation matter-of-factly. "I've got some family business to attend to, but I wanted to stop by and check on my…" Her voice trailed off for a moment as if it was an admission. "Friends," She said.

Gudako smirked a little, "Finally she admits it." She crossed the room to give her a hug and Ophelia stiffened a little in her arms, before reluctantly returning the gesture. It caused his sister to wince.

She frowned and looked at his sister sternly. Ophelia was good at picking up on social cues a fair bit of the time. At least with the two of them. "Are you okay?"

"No worse than my brother." She backed up a step. "We had some particularly asshole students in the fighting ring today. And a teacher unwilling to reign them in." Golden eyes flicked to Ritsuka.

He smiled, "I'll start some tea."

The radio came on, chiming Christmas classics in the background crackling along to mark the age of the song. The heater for the room was on, and the tea was ready in a few minutes. As the three of them gathered around the small round table for a quick snack.

Ritsuka said something that made his sister laugh, and Ophelia's lips twitched. Something that on the best of days for the stern friend of theirs they considered to be a win.

"So, how's the research?" Gudako sat forward. "We've asked around the astromancy department a few times but we either got referred to Lord Animusphere or turned away." She sipped her tea and stared intently at her. "I imagine they are working you all to the bone over there to become the best of the best?"

Ophelia smiled, the faintest of blushes touching her cheek. "It's not so bad, Kadoc's there to keep me company. Wodime as well is also…brilliant." She cleared her throat, "I actually don't think I can talk about it outside of the project itself…" She looked away for a moment and seemed to think of what she would say.

Rituska and Gudako exchanged a look.

"Suffice it to say…" Ophelia's lips twisted a little. "The work we are doing might very well hold the key to saving the world someday." Her eyes fell on the pair of them. "I don't mean this in a hyperbolic way, or a turn of phrase." She held the teacup between both of her hands. "I mean this very literally."

Gudako's eyes went wide, "I have to admit I'm at least a little curious about the research project now."

Ophelia hummed, "Anyone who wasn't on board with the project was either sent packing in short order or came around to give their very best." She smiled a little at Ritsuka. "You should see how hard Kadoc is working, just to be average in a place like that." She set her mug down after another sip.

He smiled a little at the thought of his friend, "I can imagine. He did always say if he found something worthwhile he would pour his every effort into it." Ritsuka took a sip of his tea to hide the smile he had on a few memories. "Who is this Wodime? I can't say I've heard of him at the clock tower at all."

"He's brilliant," she repeated. "I think he was always working in different departments from your general interests though." Ophelia sat up a little straighter.

This time his eyes narrowed a bit. "I don't believe I've ever heard of Ophelia Phamrsolone ever refer to another mage as brilliant before?" He chuckled a little as he glanced at his sister. "I wonder how good he has to be in order to earn that kind of praise."

To perhaps his own shock, he thought he could see the makings of a blush form on their friend's cheeks. She of course seemed so oblivious to that fact that she made no move to hide it, instead trying to steel her way through that slight emotion.

"No." He whispered quietly to himself. His blue eyes glanced at his sister wondering if she saw it too. Knowing that she would get more from it since Ophelia was more her friend than his.

Gudako sat up a bit straighter and her golden eyes narrowed a little. Enough for him to know that she'd seen very clearly. The makings of a small teasing smile formed. "My dear friend, are you holding out information on me?"

That seemed to shock Ophelia back to the present. She cleared her throat and shook her head, "What? No, I mean. I'm not. Nothing of importance." She coughed again and sipped at her tea. "I don't have anything more to share…" Ophelia blinked. "Actually, I think I can talk about the rayshifting stuff."

Gudako's stare only hardened.

Ophelia only stiffened. "Stop that."

His sister smiled wide, "Oh my gosh Ophelia you have a crush. I never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Shut up!" Her cheeks were undeniably red now. "I don't have a crush. Crushes are for small people who waste their time on frivolous pursuits." Ophelia straightened up in her chair. "I'm a Phasmaralone, a mage with pride and prestige." She blinked when she realized Gudako had gotten up from her chair and was crossing the room to her.

"I don't have a crush!"

Ritsuka smiled behind his mug, "Good for you."

"Don't encourage her." She huffed out at him.

"Tell me all about him. More than just the fact that he's brilliant I mean." Gudako grabbed her friend's hand and dragged her from the table to the couches.

"I don't have a crush on him."

His sister huffed at her, "You're blushing like you're mad girl. You do…and it's okay." Gudako gave Ophelia a wide smile. "Trust me, mages make time for such small frivolous pursuits all the time. How do you think they keep the families alive?"

She pouted at that.

Ritsuka moved to the kitchen hiding his smirk as he went. Peripherally of course he was very interested in the details. Though he admitted that it was just fun for their dorm room to feel so at home. With another glance at the pair of them, his smirk faded a little and he went about making another batch of tea. This time a full pot's worth, along with a few small snacks that he could put together in their small dorm.

###?###

Ophelia's composure was damaged, which for the twins, they considered a win. However, it was short-lived due to the time constraints she'd had regarding her family business. So they parted ways at the end of the second hour.

Ritsuka and Gudako walked down to the cafeteria after one of their final classes over the course of the next few days. One that thankfully required little effort from them because the professor was missing most of their class. It quickly turned into a study hall and more prep was required for the following classes after the holiday ended.

The cafeteria was the last destination for the day.

Ritsuka estimated the number of students to be below that of twenty. Only there was a familiar face to greet him at the front of the line. The same brat from earlier that had beaten him and his sister in the fighting class.

He rolled his eyes, deciding best to ignore their presence. Ritsuka pressed a palm into his forehead and breathed out slowly and carefully. It was all he could do to stave off the headache the idiot induced in him by his sheer presence. Carefully he and his sister made themselves scarce in the back of the small line.

Gudako exchanged a tired glance with him.

The line was found to be unmoving for a moment, and he belatedly realized that there was some commotion to watch. Along the curled cafeteria line, there was the brat, two of his cronies, and one other smaller girl. A few chastisements escaped from the brat's lips.

Apparently, there was someone else who was the focus of his pride today.

"Looky here novice-"

The rest of what he'd said had vanished. The conversation was drowned out by the laughter of others. Ritsuka seethed quietly, sparing only a glance toward Gudako. And it was as if everyone in front of him could sense his growing discomfort. Some of them even began to part for him.

He set the metal tray down and walked through the line that parted for him. His expression was ridden with only understanding. It was another first year from where he was standing. She looked too young to be anything else. His lips twisted further and he exhaled slowly to uncurl his fingers.

Stupid was all he could chastise himself for.

All the measure of control he could muster, as he came to a stop. "You're holding up the line," Ritsuka said by way of trying to avoid direct accusations. His blue eyes flicked to the young girl with minty green hair and half-circle glasses.

She seemed surprised at the very sight of him.

He felt himself only grow tense at that.

"Ah, one of the twins of course." The man was only half a head taller than Ritsuka and he could feel his gut twist as he spoke. His eyes narrowed as well. "I was just telling this one that writing essays won't help her compete with magical talent."

The smile was just as devious as his voice was and Ritsuka ignored the twitch of his fingers.

"You're holding up the line." He repeated his sentence, trying to filter the emotion out of his voice, trying to keep a very carefully constructed neutral tone.

The eyes of the young man narrowed toward Ritsuka. He smiled, "You know I don't know why the clock tower let any of you in. Your parents seem like they're too poor to bring you home for the holidays." He folded his arms, "Want me to pay for your food?"

His lip twitched.

Ritsuka spoke before he could talk to himself. "Our parents are charitable, what's your excuse? Parents didn't love you enough?"

The girl with minty green hair caught her breath.

Internally he winced.

So much for that stupid plan of trying to diffuse the situation.

"Careful novice, no defense teacher to bail you out so quickly." He came closer to his stance and posture, an indication that he was ready if Ritsuka tried anything on him. The sort of thing he had to keep an eye out for when it came to openings. "Don't you dare spit on any family name here other than your own meaningless one."

All the eyes were on him now, a quick glance saw the girl slowly starting to shuffle away. Slowly, he took a breath and turned away. As far he was concerned now his work was done and he almost let out a sigh of relief.

Only a hand fell onto his shoulder and twisted him around quickly enough for him to nearly lose his balance. A hand grabbed his collar.

"Come on, you weak little mage."

Was this how it was always going to be?

Ritsuka let the first smack land, grabbing the arm holding onto him, and the other as it pulled away, tucking both against his chest.

Even as the bully realized with confusion that he was being held to him, Gudako's elbow slammed into his cheek and in an instant, Ritsuka let him go. As he reeled away, Ritsuka pulled his feet out from under him. The pair of them stared at the others that lay in wait behind him.

This time though, there really were no teachers to come to their defense quickly.

###?###

Ritsuka huffed out a tight breath. He ignored the glare the nurse was giving him. It was the same glare that he'd always gotten whenever he was in here after a particularly bad day. Across from him sat his sister holding a gauze to her head.

She winced as she tenderly removed it, glancing at her brow in the mirror. The line of blood that stained it.

Are we really so useless?

The fight from the cafeteria had been one-sided. To no one's surprise, not even their own. It wasn't a paired regulation match-up under close supervision. It was a dog pile from better mages against two people who could barely stand up to an average mage on the best of days. The brat mage had been right. No one was going to come to their rescue. He ground his teeth as he seethed in silence. His fingers curled into the fabric of the sheets he puffed out his bruised cheeks.

Another loss.

He was too angry to cry. Too sad to be angry. Even as he found himself uncurling his sore fingers from the hospital's bed sheets.

"Thank you." A crisp voice cut into the room. Its brisk sternness brought the two siblings to attention in nearly an instant. The nurse as well had straightened up and wiped her gloved hands on the hem of her apron.

The nurse bowed, "They're banged up as they always are." Her lips twisted a little, "perhaps you'd like to talk some sense into them."

The man was not someone Ritsuka recognized, but he knew someone who carried himself well by looking at them. He was dressed in a fine-tailored suit, a cane at his side. His lips pressed into a line. His eyes narrowed to mark his displeasure at what had happened, or perhaps more specifically at them. Given how the winds usually blew with mages, Ritsuka was willing to place a bet.

He was clearly a lord of some kind.

"Whenever I hear of some fight between students, the names of the Fujimaru twins always seem to be near the top of the list." There was a curse that escaped his lips. "I and I have to say, I as well as many others of my fellow lords are quickly losing their patience."

Maybe they should do better jobs?

Ritsuka pressed his lips into a line preventing himself from speaking out of turn. Wanting in desperation to keep his thoughts to himself.

His sister gripped her wrist, a sign to him that she too was concealing whatever bitter resentments she was harboring.

Is this why they didn't want us to be mages?

The silence lingered and the clock tower lord's voice began to sharpen. "I understand the two of you intervened on behalf of a first-year mage." Ritsuka watched his lips twist. "What an utterly foolish choice the both of you made. Squandering your chance here to make a name for yourselves for a mage that you don't even know."

Ritsuka looked away.

"Family and legacy are all that matter here. Mages like yourselves are too new and come from names that don't mean anything. Any mages who wish to make a name for themselves are going to have to strike out independently."

Gudako moved to speak.

The cane slammed against the ground. "If you are going to cite the story of Waiver Velvet again Ms. Fujimaru, save your breath. It was the El-Meloi family that took him and gave him his lordship." His fingers curled. "More importantly it doesn't diminish the point that the two of you still don't seem to understand."

His sister bit her lip and looked down at the floor.

"If mages are to be independent, they will need to stick up for themselves alone." His brows furrowed "We already have enough mages who are fighting and trying to subvert one another in the rest of the world. Let's not make it any worse here by picking fights with other students." The lord ran a hand over his hair.

Ritsuka's lips twitched, "He started the fight with us! As he does all the times that we end up here."

"Then be the better mage." His lips twisted, "That goes for both of you. You have to work twice as hard as everyone else just to keep average." He huffed, "Even more reason for you to not risk petty fights with a lord's son." He turned away and took a step towards the door. "This will be the last time I issue a warning, detention, and some service hours. From here on, I will be dealing out other more severe things."

His narrowed towards both of them. "Be at my office for the holiday tomorrow, there will be some tasks for you to clean empty classrooms." Then as briskly as the lord of the clock tower came, he'd left.

Right.

The nurse returned with fresh gauze, and a few more bandages she intended to apply. Her eyes were narrowed and she deeply inhaled. "It is always you two that seemed to find yourselves in here during even my off hours."

Gudako huffed, "Maybe we should just get a first aid kit for our room?"

The nurse glared enough to quiet whatever was going to come out of either of their mouths next. The glare slowly started to smooth. "Just hold still dear, I need to stitch it together. The gauze is also imbued with a bit of my healing alchemy to speed the process along." She moved to sit beside Gudako first.

Slowly Ritsuka watched his sister unwind herself as the nurse tended to the stitch, just at the base of her hairline, tying all of her hair to the opposite side.

The nurse sighed into the quiet, "For what it's worth, I do like your company. The two of you are a rather amusing pair to be around." She smiled a little at them. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."

Ritsuka sighed, arms resting on his thighs the way he always did as the soreness of all the preceding activities were slowly starting to hit him. The obvious came to him. "We're not very good mages are we?"

The nurse was silent as she worked.

It was clear to him as well, that he really didn't need much of an answer either. It was obvious how outcasted they were. He closed his eyes and laid back into the bed with a grown, wincing as the bruises collided with the soft mattress.

There was a knock on the door.

The nurse spoke loud enough for the person to hear. "Just a moment!" She worked just a little bit faster, fastening the gauze to Gudako's temple with some medical tape. She stood up and brushed her fingers off her apron. "You're next," she said with a last look at Ritsuka before she walked out to her office.

He hummed in response.

It left the two of them sitting in silence.

Gudako tenderly touched her forehead and the bandage. She hissed quietly to herself. As the seconds ticked by she seemed to relax a little more too. Shaking the verbal berating off and now doubted also, letting the soreness of her muscles overtake her. Golden eyes seemed to soften as she looked across at him. "How bad are yours?"

His lips twitched at that. "Mangible enough." Wanting to confirm his statement, he moved his arm and felt pain spike through his shoulder. His eyes widened with a wince. "Ah, actually, I think I got my shoulder dislocated if this pain keeps lingering." His lips pressed into a tight line and slumped over in arms in his lap. "Few bruises on my chest, and another on my leg…like you I think I'll need a bandage and some gauze for my hip…"

The brat had used magic.

Nothing toxic or poisonous that would've gotten him expunged. But a cut that definitely drew some blood. He could feel the cool warmth of the wound soaking his uniform.

Gudako sighed.

The nurse popped back in, there was a small smile on her lips. "Ritsuka, scoot further down to the end of the bed." Her expression seemed to smooth a little. "There is someone who wants to see the both of you." Then she moved out of the way.

And there was that young girl, with minty green hair and half-circle glasses.

Ritsuka blinked and looked at Gudako.

The pair of them exchanged a glance.

"A-are the two of you alright?" She asked carefully. Despite the nerves being clearly flayed away, she seemed to stand up a little taller at the two of them. "I…mean…uh…" She scratched the back of her head.

"Are you okay?" Gudako asked.

She seemed startled. "Y-yes. Well, thanks to you, I am…"

Ritsuka smiled, "Good. At least one thing came out of today."

The nurse chuckled as she sat beside him and quietly moved to patch his deeper wounds. She didn't say anything.

The young mage nodded once. "I…not many people would've done that for me." She commented.

Ritsuka's smile widened only a little, and the weight sitting over his heart seemed to lessen. His expression smoothed and he nodded once. "Well don't worry about that. My sister and I are…" He trailed off as he looked across at her.

She shrugged, "Oddities." Gudako seemed to settle.

Oddities.

He rolled the word over a few times in his head. Once again that weight was there, the way that they just couldn't seem to conform despite the best efforts of their superiors and their peers alike. His lips twisted a little, turning more darkly inward at the thought of it.

Too useless to be mages, too different to be normal.

She nodded once at them and continued to stand there awkwardly. Her mint-colored green hair swayed with her quick movement as she kept looking between them. "O-oddities or not," She seemed to smile at them, "I think you guys are great. Who else would do such a simple thing as being kind and standing up for another mage."

Ritsuka stared at her, a sharp intake of breath seemed to come to life just a little in him at her comment. His blue eyes seemed to widen on her as the seconds ticked by for lingering quiet. "Thanks." He managed.

Gudako stared in equal surprise.

The young mage seemed to clear her throat, "Anyway, that's all I came to say really. If you guys need help with anything…well, I'm not the most talented mage…" She scratched the back of her head. "Anyway. Just thanks, I appreciate it a lot." She smiled and bowed her head a little at the nurse.

The nurse nodded back.

Then she backed away, leaving the way she came, nervously clutching a binder to her chest and there was a sound of a door opening and closing again behind her.

The nurse chuckled, as she cleaned away at the cut on Ritsuka's hip. "While I do think the pair of you take far too many risks." The older woman smiled a little. "I'm in agreement with the young miss. I think the world could only stand to gain with more mages like the two of you."

Ritsuka huffed out a single chuckle. "Right, we'll do our best."

Gudako smiled across at him.

The nurse nodded, "Of that, you rest assured that the two of you doing your best was never in doubt."

###?###

"Another day." Gudako bitterly bit out. Just above her brow was another bruise her lip had cut running through the center. Her orange-red hair was rolled back into a frizzy bun and her golden eyes were narrowed with all the barely concealed contempt she had for mage's association, their self-defense teacher, and more importantly, the person ultimately responsible for getting them landed in the dean's office.

Ritsuka admitted though, he wasn't much better. He was pretty sure his wrist was sprained and that the students that were responsible, were going to get away with what had happened like they always did. He cut on his chin and an ice pack he was holding against his forehead. "Another crisis." He responded through gritted teeth.

And it was there in an office of the Clocktower, they awaited the fate of their tenure in silence knowing that the dean would be back any minute.

Both of them were certain of what the verdict was to be. The man who'd lambasted them only a week ago in the nurse's office was reputable for being someone who'd always kept their word one way or another. It meant at least suspension.

In the deafening quiet that persisted, they eventually could hear the heavy footsteps of the man returning to deal out his promised punishment. The door was opened and closed, and he walked right between them before going around to stand behind his desk, not speaking nor looking at them until he was ready.

He stood their hands folded behind his back, and his lips pressing into a line. The dean was dressed for the occasion, with a tailored suit and a few pins to mark his important family and his place in the school's hierarchy. Like with nearly all mages, the outfit exemplified both tradition and dignity.

"I warned the two of you what would happen if you fought beyond permissible grounds." His voice was not quite the tone of anger that it might've been if he'd come to see them first. Fortunately, or perhaps in this case unfortunately, he was the kind of person to verify the stories he'd heard, no doubt taking the time to ask other bystanders and the staff that had been on the scene first to break up what had happened.

Ritsuka's lips twisted a little.

That brat…

His thoughts were interrupted again. "I told you, both of you, that you need to start worrying about your reputation. There is a measure of a high bar of expectation for both of you." The dean's lips twisted. "Unfair perhaps, but senseless to ignore in the face of a potentially better education for mages like yourselves." The dean finally looked up at them, "The pair of you are supposed to be more competent and tucked away!"

Rtisuka's lip twisted further.

"Instead, I found myself here once again facing the pair of you." His eyes narrowed, "Another fight. Several more injuries, the two of you sent to the infirmary once again." He tapped his cane against the floor. "Over the same reasons as before!" Now some of the venom had slipped through, the mask faded to the traditional mage. "Are the two of you so low-bred that you are incapable of learning!"

Guadko's lip twitched, and she spoke first. "Maybe we're just too stubborn." She of course realized her mistake as soon as she'd said.

His eyes turned to her, "Perhaps you both need a reminder of what it means to be a mage of the clocktower. In that vein, I don't think either of you will ever be capable of putting our traditions over these small reasons you keep providing. You are both being stupid, short-sighted, and selfish trying to adhere to your little rules." He dismissed them with a wave. "The people like that girl you helped, need to learn to stand on their own. You are depriving them of that learning experience. You are also damning your family name! Lowbred you are, but that still means something here at the Clocktower."

Ritsuka glanced away.

Another day, another crisis.

"I'm suspending you both for at least a month." His brows narrowed, "Maybe your parents can hammer some sensibility into you."

"I'd rather doubt it." Gudako huffed.

"For your sake, I hope you do it yourselves. Stupid, shortsighted, and selfish, without want of tradition or formality. You're exactly the kind of mages that the Clocktower tries to weed out."

Ritsuka's mouth twitched, and his blue eyes came back to the dean. This time, he could taste the froth in his mouth. "Permission to speak freely sir?" His nose wrinkled with contempt, not with just the dean, but all of it. All of them. They were all so bungled. "Seeing as we are going to be sent away anyways?!"

His voice rose a notch as he finished, a fact that didn't go unnoticed, from his sister, who he sensed more than saw the way she tensed at the sound of his voice. Ritsuka didn't care though, not anymore. The constant beatings, the constant beratings, all because they were trying to uphold a moral standing.

He seethed in his froth taste.

The dean glared at him. "Fine, go ahead."

"Respectfully sir," Ritsuka's brows narrowed as he composed himself. "You and every highborn mage can go fuck themselves."

If a pin dropped one could hear it down the hall.

Ritsuka didn't wait, he jumped at it, the startling shock on the dean's face had been enough for him to continue unimpeded. He tore into them for their absurd inability to adapt as tradition goes. Everything from morals to incoming mages.

Gudako, his loving sister, had a smile on her lips for the first time that day, maybe it was the simple catharsis? Or perhaps she'd been thinking and feeling the same thing. She joined in with him when he needed to catch a breath.

And by the end, the dean had gotten so flustered and angered, it went from suspension to expulsion.

###?###

The dorm was silent, the two of them sitting on the couch with only the moonlight for company. The two must've stayed there for hours in silence allowing the finality of it all to sink in. Their final hours in the Clocktower's halls.

Around them, most of what was actually theirs had been packed in silence.

"Mom was right," Gudako said eventually. "We are too much like dad…in that respect."

Ritsuka nodded, he huffed a chuckle that felt more bitter. But it still somehow, for him managed to loosen that sinking feeling he'd had ever since their last meeting with the lord. "We never were cut out to be proper mages were we?" It was an open admission now that seemed too impossible to ignore. He smiled at the thought of it. At this point he considered it to be a badge of honor.

Gudako leaned back and stretched. "Nope," popping the 'P' as she smiled a little too. "I'll look into booking flights back tomorrow." She sighed and as she relaxed back into her side of the couch. "At least mom will get to say I told you so."

"That is one thing I'm not looking forward to." He huffed a laugh and plucked up his warm drink on the table.

Another beat of quiet passed before one of them managed to speak again.

"Remember how mom liked to talk about how she is a non-traditional mage because of our dad?" He smirked a little. "I wonder if that's because she was trying to warn us off from experiencing all of this."

His sister nodded, "Maybe. She was trying to dissuade us…but she also didn't want to discourage us." She sighed and shook her head. "Maybe dad was just a lucky exception to the rule when it came to this whole thing."

"Maybe." He agreed.

Then in the quiet of the night, a knock came from the door. The both of them turned their heads to look and then they exchanged a glance. A singular conclusion came to both of them, as they wondered who and why someone would show up so late.

Gudako sighed and stood up.

The door clicked open and Ophelia was there, patch still over her eye as always. She also stood poised as if it wasn't some late hour of the night, and she was simply out for a routine visit. She smiled a little upon seeing her friend at the door.

Ritsuka's eyes widened as he caught her in the doorway.

She tentatively peeked inside. "I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced. Again." She added after a second.

Gudako smiled too. "Ophie? It's the middle of the night, what on Earth are you doing here?" She tilted her head. "I thought you were going to be busy with family stuff until you had to leave?" After another beat, she moved out of the way making room for Ophelia to join them inside.

He stood up and nodded at her, "Good to see you again."

Ophelia smiled, "I was…but I finished it early and I heard what happened." Her smile faded a little, "I wanted to see if I could help…" She folded her arms and pressed her lips into a line. "I would've been here earlier…but I wanted to sort some things out first. Needed to be certain before I could even share this proposal with you."

Ritsuka's eyes narrowed a little. "Proposal?"

"This time, you yelled at a lord of the clock tower." Ophelia pointed out. "That's certainly drawn more than one pair of eyes." She folded her arms, "Which means that you have to be punished, or at least bear perceived punishment in order for the association's top school to retain its vast prestige." She walked and folded her hands together over her stomach as she went toward the center of the space between them.

The frown on his lips only deepened, "If you hadn't heard what we were ranting about, you could probably guess that I have little care for the association at this point." He folded his arms and shifted his weight. "Look…I…" Ritsuka trailed off for a moment. He swallowed, "I think even you have to agree that we aren't cut out to be mages."

Ophelia paused and seemed to tilt her head and consider. "Yes," She agreed, "I don't think the pair of you are capable of being traditional mages. Her arms folded, "But what does that matter? You're both good friends and good people." She raised a brow, "Besides, I said the work I was doing was literally helping to save the world, I can think of no better place where the two of you should be.

Ritsuka stared for a moment longer. "Your research facility?"

She nodded once. "I spoke to the director and also requested that Kadoc speak for both of you as well. We have five spots that still need to be filled, and I'm not saying it will be easy for the two of you to fill them. But, they are willing to test you and your determination. The spots will be yours if you want them."

Gudako was quiet, and she looked over at her brother. "I imagine neither the dean nor any lord of the clock tower would want us anywhere near a top association research facility."

"They actually don't get much say. It's an independent project separate from the association." Ophelia quirked a brow. "Moreover, I spoke to the lord that expelled the both of you." She smiled a little, "He thinks placing the two of you as far away as possible, in a remote facility would be for the best seeing as it still gets you out of the school."

Ritsuka blinked.

Could we go?

"The two of you could make a home and a name for yourselves there if you want to consider it." she glanced off to the side. "I…leave in a week, and you'll need to have an answer by tomorrow night." Ophelia straightened up. "I need to train you and see if you are even capable of being rayshifted. The threshold for that is low as it is."

"You, training us?" Ritsuka could feel the beginnings of a smile forming.

A way out.

She shrugged, and he could see the makings of the gentle smile on her lips. The sign of a friend sticking their neck out for them because they wanted to.

Guess we really did get to her sis.

Gudako nodded once, and then twice as she hummed. "What was it called again? Your research facility?"

"Chaldea, it's a giant structure built into snowy mountains." Her eye bounced between them with a hand still on her hip. "Hmph, I should probably also warn you that when you are just starting out with the rayshifts, you are liable to be really tired and fall asleep at random periods of time."

Ritsuka blinked, his thoughts having drifted elsewhere. "Sorry, what?"

Gudako got back up to her feet. "My brother and I are going to need to talk about it first…but I think it's probably safe to say our chances of accepting are pretty high."

He blinked, scratching the back of his head nodding once. "Right, yeah I…it would be better than going back to see Mom in a state of disgrace." A smile found its way onto his lips. "It's unexpected, but it would probably best to expect a yes." He glanced at Gudako. "What do we need to sort out."

"Only the little things." Gudako turned to her friend. "Ophie, thank you for sticking your neck out for us."

Her lips twitched, almost into a smile. "It would be a waste for you to have come all the way from Fuyuki to send you back. The pair of you may not have the raw talent for a lot of things, but you have the patience and determination to learn. You're first-generation mages, right?"

Ritsuka huffed a chuckle, "Nope, both of our parents were mages too."

"Really?" Ophelia touched her chin. "I've never heard of Fujimaru."

"Our parents didn't give us their family names." Gudako said, "Our mom, Tohsaka, was quite insistent about it apparently since she had the suspicion we'd want to be mages someday."

Her mouth dropped and her eyes widened. It was as expressive as either of them had ever known Ophelia to be. "Tohsaka?"

Ritsuka's eyebrows knitted together in confusion, "Yeah…"

"I…just…" Ophelia paced away. "Sheesh you two. You really need to read up on the genealogy of mages." She muttered quietly to herself something about the dean changing their mind. Then she straightened up. "Training for a ray shift will be difficult, but I think I can run a simulation for you starting tomorrow morning." Her eyes narrowed. "Be ready."

Gudako and Ritsuka exchanged a glance and both nodded. "We will."

In the quiet that followed, Ritsuka's lips formed over the word that would now define his life. In an instant, one life was destroyed and another had begun. A remote research facility in snow-capped mountains. He tried to picture the possibilities. The meanings and the depths in quiet wonder at how fast everything had moved.

"Chaldea." He breathed and paced toward the window to look up at the night sky formed over the clock tower.

Gudako hummed, "Seems our adventure isn't coming to the end we thought it was."

He smiled, "No…no it's not." What a few months it had been at the clocktower. He smiled with glad relief, "And good riddance to this place."

###Jalter###

Alter was sitting quietly up in the bed, legs curled against her chest, an arm to hug her knees to her chest, as she sat upright against the headboard of the bed. Her amber eyes looked off into the early morning darkness that still coated the room. She could see the sunlight edging its way around the curtains.

More memories.

She touched her forehead, and her lips twisted. "Tch," Her amber eyes blinked rapidly forcing them to adjust to the stillness in the room, the dark shadows that still blanketed the whole of it from one end to the other. Once again she looked at Ritsuka, and she could see the twisted expression of pain.

Was it really so bad?

She bit her lip.

Am I really so lucky?

There was that terrible thought again that formed in the back of her mind as she looked down at him. The desperate hope that such things were exaggerated. It was an all too familiar feeling that she could sense from him. The sort of thing that she embodied, and the sort of thing he wanted to shed like snake skin.

Alter forced herself to turn away from him.

Even after last night's comforts…

Another curse was on the cusp of escaping her lips, so she mouthed it in silence as she seethed. The number of people she wanted to beat into the ground had only grown with each passing second of experience in the dream. They clearly had no idea what inadequate people looked or acted like. She would've used herself as a prime example. A mirror for them to compare because they all deserved to burn. "Good riddance." she'd heard him say of them. Her fingers dug into her bicep.

He's still here with me despite it.

Alter's teeth ground together, and she could feel the tension forming in her forehead as red started to form.

Ritsuka shifted.

He would probably tell me it was better than my memories.

She touched her forehead, and she breathed out slowly, trying to allow the tension and anger to dissipate as quickly as they had all formed. Suddenly she felt exhausted again and she glanced down at her fingers as they uncurled from the bed sheet. Alter stared at her hands and once more imagined the blood of her nightmares that stained them more often than they didn't.

Another deep breath as she finally shifted, stretching her legs back out, and rolling to lay on her chest propping herself up on her elbows as she scooted herself just a little bit closer. She tucked her white hair behind her ear to clear her vision as she watched him.

Sweat gathered at his brow.

Should I wake him?

She glanced at the clock, estimating the time before the others would arrive for their last work day before Servfest.

Her nose wrinkled as she realized there was at least another hour in it for the both of them stuck in the room together. Moreover, she could sense the leftovers of the magic that was coming from him. Mana that he'd expired to give her the space she needed from her nightmares and her own memories.

I should wake him, so he can at least get an hour of proper rest. Not using magecraft...

Like the day before she scooted herself closer, hovering near him as she sat up on her knees. She didn't cradle him like before, she positioned her hands as she remembered. Alter took a quiet breath and cleared her mind of all the turmoil as best as she could.

It's still such a stupid request.

She breathed and her brow twitched.

"Think of me."

"Idiot." She breathed.

This time her mind went to something else, the night in Shinjuku when she'd been left out to die. Who else but her stupid idiot master would manage to find her? And save her despite all her grunts and protests. Even back then he'd proven to be stubborn in his own way to make sure she survived and formed a contract with her.

She'd been on the backfoot between him and that stupid saber. The way he'd fought a blush when she asked him to dance with her back then at the end, was when she'd finally felt like she turned the tables. This memory was hazier than the one from France. She suspected that was because it was a different version of her altogether that had danced with him. Or that if it was her, something about the counterforce had messed with her.

It was neither jealousy nor contempt she bore at the thought of it. Somehow, as time passed, she'd thought of it as something more inevitable.

The way he would always try to help her.

Is it really such a surprise then?

Her heart fluttered in her chest and she looked down at him. Her thumbs brushed the corners of his mouth, and her lips twitched. The obvious memory that came from her first time trying to do this for him.

With how he still thinks of me?

His soft breath was on her lips, almost inviting.

With a different kind of warmth.

She bit her lip as she turned red from ear to ear, suddenly feeling like she was steaming from just the thought of it, as the proximity between them closed. She blinked glancing away realizing she lacked the excuse of food this time. In a way, it only steeled her resolve. The time he had to get any true rest was dwindling as the seconds ticked by. Resolve enough to close the gap just a little more, to where their lips nearly brushed together.

Alter would do anything for him. Failing that she would damn well try. After everything he did, just for the chance of being in the position where he was now. A place to save the world, and a place where he had only the chance to meet her. He'd deserved so much better than what the world had given him.

Better than you.

"Idiot." She muttered.

Her amber eyes bounced between both his closed ones, and she could feel her vision blur again like it had the night before. Still wracked with nerves and the memory, her fingers trembled against his skin. The exposure of everything that had happened was near enough for her to shrink into her shoulders again.

You laid boundaries.

He agreed to go at my pace.

Ugly.

Shut up!

Her dress had hidden more of her skin away than her swimming suit did. The spirit origin had been designed to get his attention, something that she thought he'd really liked. Now it only added to that feeling of exposure. That was an easier feeling to ignore she admitted to herself. She'd been wearing it all this time. The fact it was causing her problems now was only because of the things they'd talked about.

She wanted to, despite it, and her lips twisted and contorted as she sucked in a deep breath hoping it would be enough to calm her nerves. It was just enough that she had an airy smile despite the quiet trail that fell from her eyes onto his face. Jeanne Alter shuddered once more.

She breathed out.

Right?

Alter didn't give herself any more time to think, not wanting her mind or resolve to bend any further. She pressed her lips to his and tried to ignore how much her fingers started to shake. His lips were slack and parted for her. She spread them further apart with her own as she tried to imagine what he would want, only finding herself drawing a complete blank in how she was doing.

Her brows furrowed a little, as she, in between sticking her tongue into his mouth, suckled gently on his upper lip.

Guys liked that right?

She also felt increasingly stupid as the seconds continued to tick by, realizing that probably getting answers from other doujins and books weren't a good idea. Alter's frustrations were only further compounded by how one-sided this whole affair felt for the moment.

Too afraid.

Shut up.

This time she felt him come too more than she had done so the first day. Her amber eyes still opened, and her blush had still spread from ear to ear. His tongue wrapped around hers, and she could see a flush on his cheek with those piercing blue eyes looking directly back up at her.

Too warm.

She stopped her movements and she moved her hands, pressing them flat against his chest.

He stopped too and snatched up the fingers on his chest with one hand.

Alter shuddered, feeling the urge to slink away, only for his other hand to cup her cheek. His thumb brushing gently near her mouth. She stilled at the touch but stayed in place. She watched him sit up a little and realized he was now a head taller than her.

Amber eyes looked away again. "Sorry…"

He hummed a half chuckle and leaned forward.

Her eyes went wide, those warning bells still sounding in the back of her head. But instead of the fervent hungry reply she'd gotten yesterday, it was a far more tender, gentle kiss on her lips that didn't go any further. Ritsuka smiled at her as he pulled away, leaving her just as breathless as she'd left him, and perhaps even more wide-eyed.

My pace.

She breathed out slowly like it was a relief, and with that she relaxed, wanting to fall like mush back into the blankets of the bed. Alter leaned into his hand and closed her eyes, a shaky, but content sigh escaping her lips.

"And what do you have to be sorry for?" He mused.

"I didn't have any food on hand." She scooted a little bit away as Ritsuka's hand fell away. And after getting her knees out from under her she collapsed back against the bed, wanting to tuck herself back in under the blankets. Another pang came to her heart, "And given our talk last night it…I felt guilty about it given the patience I asked you to have with me."

"Ah…well," Ritsuka fell back to join her. "Thank you for waking me." He smiled, "Don't fuss over it. If I wake up from a kiss from you, I think it'll give me all the stores of patience I need."

She pushed his shoulder. "Idiot." Hiding her reddening cheeks behind a pillow. "I didn't have time to think about it. You using magic to help me, drains you even in sleep…" She glanced away from him.

He laughed, something that had seemed a far cry from only minutes ago when she'd glimpsed him in the midst of his memories. Her amber eyes were on him as he reared back a little, watching his smile spread a little further. "So you woke me up so I can get some proper rest is it?" He grinned, "I suppose I have another thing to thank you for."

Alter pulled a pillow to her chest, to cover herself, but it was clear she was still pouting at him over the compliments and the teasing. "Go back to sleep," she ordered promptly, still glaring at him.

Ritsuka chuckled and huffed out a breath, he collapsed back against the pillow too, looking over at her. His smile faded a little as he turned his body toward her. He took a deep breath to match his own flustered nerves, and the red in his cheeks also slowly began to dissipate. "Thank you." He tilted his head from where he was laying against the pillow. "For both the help and the kiss."

She hummed and glanced away. For the time being, she would accept that as her charge. He would keep her from the worst of her nightmares, and she would find the courage enough to wake him. Her amber eyes darted away at the thought of waking him up every morning that way. It made her heart flutter, and those alarm bells go on a little longer. But perhaps she thought, another silver lining might be more practical, she could simply get used to it.

I want to be able to express those things to him.

Alter hid the small smile she had behind the pillow, and still hid the flush of her cheeks from him.

And maybe that will help in its own way too. Knowing I can't be judged while he's asleep.

There was a beat of quiet that followed, and Alter watched him for a moment. The way his brows furrowed in thoughts, and the way that he tugged at his arm. Still sore or perhaps phantom pains thanks to the dreams. She could see the deep thought in his blue eyes as he sat still upright for a few minutes.

Eventually, her own blush faded and the tight grip she'd had on the pillow she was hugging to her chest started to loosen. "Was it really that bad?"

As soon as the words had left her lips, Alter felt the sudden urge to smack herself, to remind herself that the whole point of waking him up early was to give him a chance to actually rest a bit. Time to properly sleep unstrained by the mana he'd extended to her to give her reprieve from her own nightmares.

"The clocktower?" He asked into the dimly lit space between them. Some of the sheets shifted as he stretched his legs out beneath the covers. "Truthfully?"

"You can wait," Alter added quickly. "I…really did wake you to rest." She could only hope she managed to lace her voice with curiosity, but she suspected she'd failed even to do that. She layed on her side as she watched him, wanting to watch him fall asleep again. Deciding that the least she could do with the whole affair was to watch over him while he slept peacefully.

"It's alright…" Ritsuka said, "We won't have much private time today otherwise anyway." He opened his eyes looking back at her. "There were good days and bad days, and I didn't particularly enjoy most of my time there." He sighed, and his lips started to twist a little. "The bad days of course I remember more…" He trailed off a little, "I went through a fair bit I think in the dream." He pressed a palm against his forehead, fingers running through the edge of his hair. "What did you see?"

Alter's brow furrowed. "I saw…I think a few more losses during your fighting practice. I also met your asshole teachers and clocktower lords." Her expression seemed to settle. "The main highlights."

Ritsuka nodded once and then he huffed a small laugh, "I'm trying to think of a good memory that I made while I was there…" He trailed off for a moment, and she could see his brow furrow. Then he shook his head once. "Maybe lunch with my sister and our small circle of friends…" He glanced over at Alter.

She must've had something on her expression, and it caused her to curse when he seemed to focus on her pointedly. Alter glanced away from him, wanting to shrink away behind her pillows and the covers of the bed.

"What is it?"

Her brow twitched, "You were steadfast when they tried to push you and Gudako around." She took a breath and bit her lip. "I think…I only continue to realize how lucky I am to be here."

Ritsuka's brow furrowed.

Alter, "I mean if they'd gotten to you I would never have met you. I…Chaldea would've failed in its mission to preserve humanity's future." She looked at him, her amber eyes staring at him. "All this for the chance that you were there to overhear conversations, not lose your way against a traditional mage society, and for one of your only friends to make arrangements for the two of you."

"Ah…" He nodded once. "I don't think about it…or rather I haven't thought about it if that's what you mean." There was a smile that almost seemed to touch his blue eyes. "After all, Ophelia was right about one thing. I don't regret a single thing about where I am now. I get to meet wonderful people…and I get to help save the world from time to time." He hesitated on something, she could see it.

Alter wasn't stupid, and she could see all the wealth of the unspoken statement. She herself felt completely torn over the fact of wanting to hear it. And knowing that after the previous night, she might not have been able to bear it. Her fingers curled into the blankets between them. And once again her imagination took her to a place in a world where he wasn't here.

What kind of hideous monster would I have been? What monster would I have stayed?

She reached over and grabbed his hand. Alter squeezed her eyes shut even as she could feel the tension go up his arm. "Only it was so close…" She whispered tentatively, her fingers tightening around his wrist. Hoping to implore the importance of her understanding to him. That he couldn't have been any other way.

Ritsuka had to be the way he was just for the chance.

The chance.

Her breath shuddered, and her amber eyes bore into him.

Fear.

"I don't know what I'd be if you weren't here… or hadn't stopped me." She shuddered at the thought of it. She thought of that girl that Ritsuka and his sister helped, where she might've been if they hadn't stepped in. She trailed off and finally settled on what she had wanted to say. The thing her mind had been swirling around ever since she'd woken up first. "I need you to know…that I think you're the best mage in the world."

###Rtisuka###

Ritsuka was prepared to brush her compliments off. It was something he'd mastered over the years. The world gave way to harsh things, and compliments were rare enough that he never really factored them in. Or let them air out.

But the audacity of this one had made him go quiet. His blue eyes went wide and perhaps there was, along with the surprise and shock, a touch of genuine confusion. The insane idea that he is a good mage was bad enough. The concept of best in itself disqualified him. How could he dare to even qualify to be in the running of consideration?

Alter blushed again and looked away, still managing for the most part to keep her nerve-wracked smile as she did.

Absurd.

He thought quietly, his blue eyes still fixed on her, as he watched her expression change. Her smile shifted into worry as she looked at him. Those amber eyes glared in a manner that only seemed to dim and soften for him. She shifted up after a beat. "Master?" She asked into the quiet between them.

Ritsuka made no move toward her or to stop her as she reached up her gloved fingers, brushing his face. He nearly flinched at the gentle touch, making him aware of the damp touch on his skin, as her thumb brushed under his eye. Removing all traces of the trail that had been left in the wake of the silence.

Oh.

She shifted again, her amber eyes only widened with worry as she touched his cheeks tenderly again, wiping the trail away. In very much the same way he'd so often done with her. She pressed her lips into a line turning red again from ear to ear. "Master?" She managed again, concern now filling the air between them.

He huffed a single laugh, realizing what had happened. "I didn't expect that." He sniffed and swiftly clamped back down on the swell that had formed. He swallowed it away with half a smile as he reached up to grab her hand. Wiping away the other remnants of the wet trail with his sleeve. Ritsuka curled his fingers around her hand. "I…think you might have caught me off guard with that one."

Alter, despite the blush glared at him. "I meant it. Every word of it." She swallowed and stuck her nose up as if to add a profound regality behind her statement. "You're the best."

He took a breath.

I must be doing something right.

Somehow, like he had at the clock tower in the presence of the younger student, and the nurse offering their quiet words of encouragement. This filled him with a rare sense of pride. Something that could keep him going a while longer. A need that was finally fulfilled in a way he only dreamt of.

"I know it's not much of a promise coming from me." Alter glanced away again, but he could feel the tension in her fingers against this cheek, as she gripped it in a gentle way. He in turn wrapped his fingers around hers. "But…if you ever need anything please ask me first." Her lips twisted at that. "I mean…I want to help."

Ritsuka smiled, and another chuckle escaped from him. "You already are," The warm touch of her hand, even through the glove, seemed to speak to him in a manner akin to a lullaby. He could feel his eyes and his senses starting to grow sluggish once more. He hummed, and tugged her fingers a little, plying them up, and kissed the skin of her wrist. "Ask me for anything when you need it first too."

To be there for her…

Those amber eyes were still on him, and she nodded a few times for him. "I'll be here."

He hummed a final acknowledgment wanting to give way to that warm sense filling him, that only tired him further. "See you soon…Alter." Ritsuka smiled a little, which was the expression he slowly drifted away with. The thought of her watching over him warmed his heart in a calm swell of emotion.

###Jalter###

Stupid.

Shut up!

Alter quietly hissed at herself. She half turned away from him in embarrassment covering her lips. Her toes curled a little further under the sheets and she accidentally touched his shins with her toes and she instantly froze, wanting to make sure that he hadn't been lulled back into the waking world.

Her amber eyes flicked to the smile on his expression.

She bit her lip and scooted a little bit closer, her movements deliberately slow, so as to not accidentally wake him again. Alter got close enough to feel his warm breaths against her brow. Her hair moved a little with the ebb and flow of the air. Alter hugged herself with one arm and looked off the side again. The distance between them now was only a few inches, and she could feel the warmth radiating off his skin.

Lips pressed into a line, eyes darting up and down his calmly pleasant expression.

Slowly, she reached out and gently touched his lips with her gloved hand. And she froze only when she'd realized what she had done.

Stop it.

She moved back to hug herself and found his palm still lying between the face down on the bed. With another few seconds of silence quick to pass, she came to a decision to at least do that. She curled inwards a little and pressed her lips into a tight line to avoid her expression exaggerating any further, still red from ear to ear.

Alter interwove her fingers through the webbings of his and breathed tensely for a moment. Quietly she managed, nearly fumbling over the words, and steam that she could feel in her cheeks. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to ignore that alarm bell that seemed to only grow louder and more insistent.

Why is it so hard just to enjoy being near you?

The warmth had its own lull to her she noted, and though she meant to watch over him. She could feel the drowsiness once more plaguing her mind. In its own way lulling her to close her eyes and back to sleep. Even the pleasant thought of simply watching him fade away. She mumbled between her lips. "See you soon master."

###Ritsuka###

Salt filled the morning air as the sun continued to rise, marking it as mid-morning now. Already the beach had started to fill with a few people here and there setting up their beach day. Tents were being pitched, and chairs were being laid out. It was later than when the two of them had sprinted through the sandy shores two days ago, which meant it was more crowded.

Ritsuka huffed, falling in step beside his sister as the pair made their long strides over the wet sand. Occasionally water lapped at the soles of their feet. Alter was waiting for him; he had the sense. The two of them had parted a little reluctantly when the time had come for him to wake up properly. The others were eager to get started, his sister was eager to get their morning jog over with too. Ritsuka suspected that Alter would've tagged along if they didn't need to crank out the rest of the doujin today.

Not that she would have much fun as a servant having an easy go of it, while her two human masters worked out.

Perhaps she just wanted to be in close proximity to him again. The thought made his heart race even faster. Maybe he also was waiting to see her again too. He huffed at himself and shook his head clear of the thought. "Damn I really am a lost cause." he seemed to smirk a little at the comment. Ritsuka glanced at Gudako wondering if her thoughts often drifted toward Edmond when they were parted.

She spotted him looking oddly and raised a brow.

He could only laugh a little, breathless as he was.

Gudako smiled. "Whatever it is you're smiling madly over, save it for Alter yeah? That girl definitely loves to see you smile."

Maybe she does.

A flicker of emotion had slipped through their bond. Catching the frayed ends of it in a jumbled mess as it flowed right down into his heart. His eyes narrowed as he focused on it, his smile fading. There was a familiar feeling that settled into his heart before it faded back to normalcy.

It sent a shiver up his back.

What the hell was that?

Ritsuka skidded to a stop.

Gudako caught on and stopped a few paces ahead, kicking up sand as she realized she was pulling away. She huffed and put a hand on her hip. "What?"

His brows furrowed, "I think we need to go back to the hotel." Ritsuka didn't offer any more details.

She tilted her head a little off to one side, eyeing him in her own usual way that siblings often did when weighing the actions of their brother or sister. Gudako nodded once. "Okay, lead the way." She gestured for him to take the lead.

And Ritsuka wound them back through paths, sand, and arriving tourists heading toward the hotel in the distance. After another ten minutes of quick jogging, they were at the steps of the entrance.

"Ed?" Gudako said almost suddenly into the air. "Yes? What is it?" Her expression twisted a little at whatever she'd been told. "What's wrong?"

Ritsuka glanced back and saw his sister touching her temple. Her golden eyes widened with surprise for a moment as a frown started to form on his lip. He lingered hands on the door handle. Another one of those feelings crept back into his heart and he swung the door open, Gudako following just behind him.

"Master?" He heard Alter's voice as if she were talking quietly into his ear.

He glanced over his shoulder, touching his own temple making sure his sister saw the deliberate movement. "Alter," He greeted, he walked through the lobby with purpose moving towards the elevator. "We just got back to the hotel. Cut our run short, and are going to make our way up. What's going on?"

The first feeling that seeped through his bond was palpable relief. The fact he'd answered her was enough to calm her nerves somehow. For Ritsuka, it made the obvious distress a little more tantalizing in that it was still unknown.

"We're coming down." She replied.

And the direct connection came to an end. Ritsuka held up a hand to stop Gudako and she got the hint and paused with him.

"Right," she said, looking confused, brows narrowed. "See you soon." She glanced at Ritsuka.

He shrugged, "What's wrong?"

"It's Gilles," Gudako said, brow furrowing. "He's gone."

###Ritsuka###

Standing at the front step of the gate was eerie in itself. Neither of the masters had made efforts to visit him on what was supposed to be a vacation. So to see the haunted house and entrance of an old rusted gate that was broken off to one side was a tone-setting enough for onlookers. And as he stood there at the entrance, he couldn't help but feel there was a barrier in place. One that drove away onlookers.

Something cold settled into his heart in that instance as he caught…or rather he finally understood that other much smaller aspect of the barrier's construction. It burned the way that stupid curious animal in every person did.

In equal measure to the thing that would drive away onlookers, the house too gave off the sense of invitation. Open-armed and playfully innocent. It manifested in a manner of almost comfort, as Ritsuka would describe it.

Fingers wrapped around his hand, and squeezed them.

He blinked as if shaking away whatever had entranced him with a wince. "Potent," He breathed and glanced to his right.

Alter's fingers tightened on his and she looked away. "Don't be fooled by it." Her lips twisted a little as she looked the house down in a different manner. She glared down the entrance gate, stone overgrowth short wall, and fence as if it were an old adversary.

Her fingers twitched in his palm.

Blue eyes softened on her and his expression only continued to darken. "You don't have to go inside, you know? I'd feel a lot better if you didn't."

She pressed her lips into a line and spoke softly. "Thanks…" Then Alter inhaled sharply. "But I want to see…" She huffed and turned to stand in front of him as if to block him from the view of it. "I need to see…" Alter's lips opened and closed, and she looked away again. Searching elsewhere for words to better describe the turmoil written on her expression.

Ritsuka nodded once, "I thought you might say that." He tugged her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. He offered her a smile, "Then I'm with you all the way."

The ocean breeze once again reached them, and Alter's white hair flowed in the wind as she looked at him. Her cheeks tinted only slightly red, but she returned the smile. "Okay," She said, and she turned to lead the way, tugging him by the arm only half a step behind.

On the inside of the gate, and the other overgrowth, there were, assembled all the servants who were fully cognisant of the fact that this island was a singularity of some kind. For a lot of them, it was a coin toss, but nearly none of them were aware of the loop's repeating.

Jeanne was there conferring with Marie and Emiya. Her expression was tight, hiding the plane emotion that was swelling within her very well. The only hint that something was off, was that Marie was holding her hand. Something she rarely did when they were performing servant duties.

Emiya's expression was likewise smoothed and calm. He was the one relaying facts to the pair of them. He had apparently been in the neighborhood when Edmond had made his discovery and was the first to be on the scene alongside him.

Mordred was in the far corner opposite where Arturia was, distracting herself with chatting to Frankeinstein's de facto old man Moriarty himself. The old man seemed to give odd looks around the house even though he was in mid-conversation with the saber. Ritsuka thought of the man's equal mind to that of Sherlock. Looking over the crime scene with innate curiosity more than anything else.

Arturia was pacing back and forth, speaking with Medusa, and Cu. Medea was nowhere to be seen now, but they all knew she was on the property somewhere. Likely investigating the magic at hand at the behest of either Gudako or Edmond.

Edmond was on the porch of the house, leaning against one of the posts, talking with Gudako, Ushi, Robin, Ibaraki, and Mash, by far forming the largest collection of the servants that had been gathered.

Ritsuka could sense hesitation come from Alter, unsure of what group she wanted to meander too. He squeezed her hand and took the lead from there, taking them directly to the obvious one, that of their core group since their vacation getaway had started.

He felt his arm tugged, and he glanced back. Alter was looking at him pointedly.

He almost huffed a laugh, something that would've sharply clashed with the tone. He instead, silently obliged her unvoiced request, of intertwining their arms, so that they walked more shoulder to shoulder. Together.

Edmond spotted them coming over. "Wonderful, now that we're all here. I'll get this show on the road." He pushed off the wooden support and stood up a little straighter. He bowed his head a little towards them and led the way inside indicating for everyone else to follow. "Emiya and I searched the whole of the building and the basement when we first arrived on the scene."

Ritsuka led the way by a step, just behind Ushi, he and Alter bringing up the rear of the group. Just on the inside, he could make out the ripped-up floorboards, and destroyed living spaces. There was a miasma in the air, and there were blood stains in parts of the room that were immediately noticeable. The first was a large one at the center of the room, next to a giant hole in the floor that went straight down beneath the living room.

He looked down to see Medea floating down there with one of her magic circles beneath her. Ritsuka imagined her to be concentrating on her task, so he resisted the urge to call down at her. Instead, he took a few steps back. "Floors stable?"

Edmond stomped a few times for emphasis. "Aye, we checked that earlier. Just avoid the edges, and I think we'll be alright."

Mash sniffed the air. "That smell…" she quirked a brow at the two masters.

Gudako nodded, "It's similar to the miasma that we often come across when there is a dying shadow servant of some kind." She raised her brow at Edmond. "What do you think?"

"It wouldn't surprise me. Bluebeard made more enemies than friends. Pushed people away at Chaldea too if I recall." Edmond touched his chin and then looked to Alter. "You told me once that this Bluebeard wasn't the one you're familiar with?"

Alter's fingers tensed, and so he squeezed them. "I…believe he isn't. The Gilles that was with me in France, had no interest in helping to save the world. The one we had a Chaldea was different, in that…" She trailed off for a moment as she considered. "He found humanity entertaining, therefore he would be saddened with its absence." She gleaned a look at Ritsuka.

He squeezed her fingers again, his eyes on her, hoping to convey that she had his full attention.

She sighed a little. "It means he has his own methods and tools which he deems necessary to help humanity. Monster making for us as a way to ward off crabs and chickens with his urchin familiars is one of the ways he…voluntarily stays in line normally."

Edmond nodded, "But is this one ours? There is something off with a lot of the servants that are here."

Ushi's lip twitched, "You would know Alter, you've been with him the most."

Her lips twisted a little at that, "Yeah, don't remind me." With her other hand, she reached up and pressed her palm into her forehead. "I…suppose it's possible that this one is fictitious…" Her amber eyes narrowed a little. "There weren't many hints to me that he was all that different from the one at Chaldea."

Gudako huffed, "Right. And we have to remember that this one, Chaldean or not, was still helping us in the background."

Robin paced about the room hopping over the giant hole to the other part of the living room. From there he started turning over broken pieces of furniture. "Still makes my stomach turn. Think Bluebeard is responsible for all those gas leaks and other illness symptoms going around?"

Mash shook her head, "He shouldn't need one if he is still a caster."

"Wouldn't be a matter of need." Alter groaned out, "It would be a matter of want and for the sake of fun." She moved to take a glance into the kitchen. "What else do you have Edmond before we spiral off into our usually speculative conversations."

Edmond straightened upright, "Well, the basement isn't much better. The walls are torn up, with the markings of several different fights that took place." He folded his arms, beneath the jacket laying over his shoulders. "Thing is, I wouldn't have known there was a basement unless there was a hole in the ground."

Alter huffed, "What do you mean there is a door right there?" She pointed.

Ritsuka followed and found only a blank wall. "A secret passage?"

Amber eyes flicked to him and he found himself under the scrutiny of a glare. "No, the door handle." She trailed off, realizing with a huff that everyone was looking directly at her. Her expression only hardened.

He shook his head, "I don't see a door handle."

"It's right-" Her lips twitched, and she let go of him and walked across the room. She pointed at the blank wood panel. "Door handle." She pointed out again and her glare only harshened as she stared at them. "Here!"

No one made a move and Ritsuka took a breath. "Alter we can't see it."

She blinked, "But…" Ritsuka watched her go through the motion, her hand wrapping around the air, and twisting as if she were opening a door. Then she moved as if she were opening something out towards the room. She raised a brow at him when she was done.

He shook his head again as he moved to join her. "It looks like you mimed," Ritsuka said, skirting around comments of belief. He trusted her. So he paused beside her, brow furrowing with concentration. "I do feel colder air… it's faint." He reached a hand out meaning to touch the door for himself.

There were two quick steps behind him and he felt Edmond drag him back a foot.

Alter had reacted to the quick movement too, reaching a hand out for Ritsuka's shirt to keep him in place. Her eyes were wide on Edmond.

The avenger stared back at her as they exchanged a glance.

Ritsuka nearly lost his balance but he found Edmond still holding him. His blue eyes went wide bouncing between the two of them. "What?"

"Are you sure it's there Alter?" Edmond asked pointedly. His frown was only deepening with each second that ticked by.

She firmed her lips. "Positive, it's open and there is a stairway that leads down to where Medea is." Alter glanced from him to Ritsuka. Then she smacked herself, letting her master go from her grasp. "Stupid," she muttered. Her hard amber eyes softened a little. "I was invited in more or less."

Gudako touched her chin, "Invited…That magic…is simple. Like vampires and certain thresholds. He gave you permission to see it in a way." She glanced at her brother and then the door. "Ed?"

"On it." The avenger let Ritsuka go now that the immediate potential danger had been passed and touched the invisible door. His eyes went wide, "Whatever is on the door is weak." Then with a swift motion, he snapped the door off its hinges, and just like that everyone could see it in an instant. The door's pieces, and the dark stairwell leading downwards.

Secret passages and dark basements.

Ritsuka let out a tense breath, feeling his lips twist, and turned away to hide it from the others as he paced away to the kitchen door. There was that sinking feeling in his stomach as he rubbed his chin. The obvious question with his imagination wasn't giving him any particular answers he liked.

Why go through the trouble, unless there was a real intention to hide something?

Robin tossed a piece of wood over to a different side of the room. The impact noise was enough to pull Ritsuka out of his thoughts. The green archer flung his cloak as he stood back up. "All his furniture looks like traps of some kind. Some of them look run through with weapons."

Edmond nodded, "They could turn into urchins at a command." He looked at Atler, "Right?

He watched her try to loosen the tension in her hands. Alter stepped to the side of the door and folded her arms, as she leaned back against the wooden wall. Her lips were pressed into a line, but she nodded once. "They were used to deal with unwanted intruders." Alter looked away, "Or guests acting out of turn…" Her tone turned to ice as her amber eyes narrowed.

Ritsuka peered into the kitchen, seeing a similar mess in there to match the living room. His lips twisted a little as he glanced at Alter.

Her amber eyes went to him, then she looked away.

He turned back around and made his way back over to her and leaned back against the wall beside her. "Well, we've got a torn-up house and a torn-up hideout. I can only assume that he was attacked?"

"Seems to be the obvious point," Ushi said, bouncing on her heels for a moment. "The strange thing is, I thought that given Gilles is no longer with us, the materials and other evidence should've disappeared by now. His tombe or codex, whatever needs his magic in order to sustain all the creatures right? Even in their pieces."

Mash hummed, "In a manner of speaking. Often the blood of familiars works like servants. It will disappear with them when they can no longer be sustained." The pink-haired shielder leaned down and grabbed a broken leg from the couch. "Maybe it's because the objects were already here before we arrived?"

Ushi hummed. "Still," She folded her arms and looked pointedly at Alter.

Straight to the point as ever.

Ritsuka felt Alter shift uncomfortably and looked at her. The tight indent of her fingers on her bicep as she clutched her arm. "The fucker is probably still slinking around somewhere." Alter looked at him first. Then she let her arm fall to her sides again.

He took a hold of her hand.

Alter's mouth twitched, almost into a smile. Her amber eyes hardened again speaking with certainty. "I'm sure he'll make his appearance when we least expect him to." She pressed a palm on her forehead. "In any case, knowing Gilles, he was probably doing experiments in the basement."

"Sacrifices to be precise." Medea's voice filled the room as she floated back up from the large hole in the center of the room. She landed gently at the edge of it and walked to Edmond and Gudako. "As far as I can tell the magic he was doing was sacrificial in nature, but there isn't any blood for humans present. No marks." A frown crossed her lips. "Gilles was never so magically affluent as I am and is incapable of marking his territory properly. As far as I can tell he was just trying to generate energy from his limited familiar summonings."

Gudako nodded, "Meaning at least he wasn't going around and murdering people for the fun of it."

Alter sighed, "That we know of."

His sister nodded once. "That we know of." She looked at Edmond. "Is there a chance that Gilles was attacked by one of his own creations?" Then she looked past him at Alter.

She shook his head, "Not while he is in possession of his tombe."

Mash hummed, "But as of yesterday, we suspect that he wasn't for a period of time right? Given our findings after Sampson's death pointed us in Medb's direction." She tilted her head a bit. "He might really be gone."

Alter nodded once, "It's possible." Her words were still bitter with ice, but she managed a shrug. "Either way, I still don't believe he's dead. There have been cases where servants have used the noble phantasms of others true, but Gilles has always been rather slippery." Her lips twisted a little further as she sighed.

Medea hummed, "If it's one of Medb's braves I'm getting shadow remnants of, then I suppose it wouldn't be much of a stretch." She placed a hand on her hip, "Which leads me to the other thing I've found. There was definitely more than one servant here. Be they shadows or real." She looked between both masters. "Which means someone survived this fight be it Gilles or whomever else."

Gudako paced back and forth a bit between Edmond and the kitchen. "Okay, so let's run a scenario. We know that Medb was more than likely in position with the tombe." She held up a finger before continuing. "We also know that Medb disappeared rather abruptly yesterday when we came around asking questions, thus she successfully evaded us." Another finger was added to the list. "We can assume she sought either shelter or simply pawned off the evidence."

Alter sighed, "Gilles knows how you two care about your servants well being." Her lips twisted a little. "It also wouldn't be a stretch for Medb to come to the same conclusion because she'd know how…" He felt her fingers squeeze his. "It is uncomfortable for me to be here." Her amber eyes flicked up to his.

Ritsuka could only feel his heart sink further.

She half-smiled at him, "It would literally be the last place we'd look because Ritsuka doesn't want me to be here." Alter blushed a little as she looked away.

Ushi snorted, "Awe, that's so sweet."

Alter cursed, "Shut up harlot."

Gudako smiled even as a few giggles went around the room, but added a finger regardless. The point of her statement still stood.

Public affection with a point in understanding.

Ritsuka breathed, brushing a thumb over her palm. The sinking feeling seemed to stop and he nodded once in agreement with the obvious statement of fact. He relished that small feeling. It was like an intoxicated high, temporary as though it was.

His sister continued, "To which we now know a fight would have broken out here. The pieces fit, albeit with a few problems. The first of which being is why would a fight break out at all? If Gilles prefers entertainment, and Medb was here because of our actions and angry with us, where does that line break to even a lot for a fight to start."

A silence fell over the room.

His brows narrowed a bit in thought and he spared a glance over at Alter. She looked very cute with the way her brow was furrowed with thoughtful consideration. Ritsuka shook his head to be clear of those thoughts. It was time to focus on the problems right now. He relished in the fact he can probably compliment her when they were in private later.

So what could cause a break?

He looked down at their intertwined fingers between them, as he considered all that had happened. The answer came to him as if it were obvious in an instant, fresh with all the pieces laid out before him.

The key to it was very simple, Gilles was entertained by them.

Ritsuka lifted Alter's knuckles to his lips and kissed them deftly pulling her from whatever spiral her mind had taken her on. She blinked up at him in surprise, her mouth slightly agape at what he'd just done, a blush starting to form.

"It's us." He whispered to her. Then he spoke loud enough to include everyone who was already turning their way at the quiet sound of his voice. "The answer is in the question. The reason for the breakdown or the fight would've been us. Medb doesn't like us for this particular loop given what we did to prevent a worsening beach party." He firmed his fingers on Alter's hand. "And, Gilles is entertained by us and what we do."

Alter hummed a little.

Gudako tilted her head from side to side. "I like it…time will tell if it holds." She sighed, eyes drifting to the outside. It was the only explanation that would help to reasonably answer all the questions for the moment. "In the meantime, I think Ed and I will continue to ponder the reasoning."

The Avenger straightened his black hat and nodded once. "On the case again darling."

Robin cleared his throat, smirking a little as he crossed back over to their side of the room with ease. "We'll need to get back to work soon, or the doujin work will fall behind even more than it already has." He looked at Ritsuka pointedly.

He smiled, and he gave a nod. "In that case, is there anything else that we should know about Edmond?"

"Nothing other than to keep your head down." Edmond folded his arms and his lips pressed into a line. "Aside from all the usual precautions we take, an on-the-loose Medb out for vengeance of some kind is another thing we really didn't want to be added to our list." He touched his chin and then shrugged. "Just be smart, and stay safe. Goes for all the rest of you too, and keep in mind ways that we can avert this next loop."

With a round of nods, that went around Ritsuka took a step towards the door, only to find he was being firmly held in place as Alter's fingers wound tightly around his wrist. She looked sheepish as she glanced away for a moment.

He turned back around to face her and waited.

"I need to see the basement." Her lips twisted a little, "I was here after all." She bit her lip and her brows furrowed a little more. "It…" She huffed and stomped her foot quietly. "I could've done…something."

Ritsuka shook his head. "No, don't start going down that. What if's are always dangerous." He closed the distance so there was only a short half-foot between them. He lifted her hand again, kissing her bare wrist over her gloved knuckles this time. His voice was softer so as to exclude the others from their conversation. "If Gilles thought you could've done something had you noticed he wouldn't have shown you at all. Remember you and my sister both said it best. We entertain him."

She twitched and looked him in the eye again, letting him pull his hand against his chest. Alter quietly seethed and pouted, but she said nothing.

Guilt.

"Jeanne," He spoke.

Her amber eyes widened a little.

"Do you still want to see?"

He watched her take a deep breath and her nod was slower and tenser than before, her face wrinkled with worry. He could feel her grasp on his hand tighten. "I do."

###Jalter###

Were you expecting any different?

Alter felt her nose wrinkle as she gave the room one last look over. Blood among other things stained the walls. The things that weren't summonable by the tombe were still here, she noticed. The Vorporeal chickens and oversized crabs were scattered into far corners of the workshop. His oceanic barnacle-covered monsters were there too, fused with parts from the others. Shells or chicken feathers. One of Medea's skeleton familiars was roaming the bodies bloodying their white bones looking for something under orders.

There was a circle of blood in the room, drawn for rituals and summonings. The kind he would need for more powerful creatures from his tomb.

But all was as Medea had said it was. It looked like nothing more than grotesque attempts at making new and better familiars, while also supplementing something for mana generation that he could call upon for something larger or in case of emergencies.

Like being attacked in theory.

The summer berserker huffed at herself and took only the last sharp intake of basement air. The stench was muted somehow, Alter noticed. She also realized that it was something she still would've gotten a whiff of while she was here. Which means he found a way to hide it from her somehow.

Or did something to you?

Alter grit her teeth.

Or more likely he simply started after we parted ways.

Her lips twisted further.

Wanted to be entertained by the way I reacted now that he was more certain of my goals.

She took another deep breath slower this time, meant more to calm her nerves. She looked at Ritsuka in the corner of her eye, turning her head a little toward him to watch him. His expression was stern, and his lips were equally twisted. Clear signs of discomfort were present in his expression, but there he still stood beside her, keeping his promise.

Heat started to rise to her cheeks again so she looked away. Her amber eyes narrowed once more at the destroyed workshop.

Gilles you're still a monster.

Ritsuka tugged at her fingers and like before it brought her back to the moment with him. She blinked the thoughts away and looked at him. He quietly raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to make the decision.

She nodded once, "I am done." Her voice was quiet and she turned to leave back towards the stairs. Even if she could've jumped up through the hole in the floor above them. To leave this place or burn it to the ground. All of them would require leaving him behind in this place. And it was not something she wanted to linger in his mind the way it likely linger in hers. Alter's lips twisted as she pulled him just behind her all the way until she could feel the sea breeze once more on her skin, and that the sand was once more beneath her sandal heels.

Up ahead of them, Robin, Ushi, and Ibaraki were waiting.

Mash was behind them talking with Jeanne and Emiya still on the property.

Normal Jeanne's blue eyes met her amber ones and she excused herself away from the conversation walking over to them, standing now at the edge of the property.

Alter grit her teeth and turned to face her. Squeezing Ritsuka's fingers gently.

He came to a stop and raised a brow at her.

Jeanne approached with her handbag over her shoulder, and Reese in one arm barking over her shoulder. Her long blonde braid swayed with each step, and she smiled at something Reese had said before he vanished away into particles. Then her smile softened at the two of them. "How are you Alter?"

She huffed, "What of it?"

The summer archer's brows narrowed a little bit, "I think that's a normal question to ask." She pointed out folding her arms.

Alter grunted, "Yeah, then how are you feeling?"

Without missing a beat, "Everything one might expect of either of us in a situation like this. Relief, grief, anger. All of it." For once her mouth curled and she actually looked angry. Then she took a step towards them.

Alter's eyes widened, and her fingers tightened on Ritsuka suddenly feeling like she'd been trapped in a cage.

Only Jeanne's arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a hug.

She tensed.

Jeanne breathed out over her shoulder as she pulled Alter into her chest, her arms tightening around her.

Alter glared, "Ugh…"

She giggled a little at Alter's exasperation. Jeanne simply hugged her tighter humming and nodding once. "I'm your big sister, I was worried." It was only then she pulled away and took a step back once more allowing Alter her space.

"No, you're not!" She turned red, "Please stop saying that to people!" Alter wanted to smack her forehead but settled with smacking her own and curling her fingers into her white hair. "I'm fine as you can see!" Alter shook her head. "I even made up with Master." She turned to him trying to give him the strained patience look.

He let out a single chuckle, "We aired things out." Ritsuka nodded once, and Alter could feel him squeeze her fingers back for emphasis. "What about you Jeanne?"

She shrugged, "I'm…okay." The blue summer archer managed a smile. "Like Alter, I'm torn at the loss. But I also have a sneaking suspicion we haven't seen the last of him…" She looked pointedly at Alter once again.

Literally, regardless for us. He'll be back next loop.

She tried not to let that admission sink her feelings any further.

Before she could say anything else, Alter saw Jeanne look pointedly at her. "I came to make sure you were okay. I know…that…" Her lips curled, "I know that you…still wanted things from him from time to time."

In the distance, waves crashed against the sandy shore, and the sea breeze blew through her long white hair. Alter was quiet for a moment as she considered all the times she had gone to him. Her voice cracked, but she otherwise spoke firmly. A promise she intended to keep to herself and to the two of them. The only ones who stuck with her thus far through it all. Whether or not Jeanne was really her big sister, she had still been there in her own way for her. "Not anymore," Her lips firmed into a line.

Ritsuka smiled at her.

She stood up a little taller and while she didn't smile back she still blinked and tried to fight the blush rising to her cheeks.

Jeanne smiled too, placing hands on her hips nodding once, then twice, "Then good riddance." Her smile too was that of pride that seemed to fill her. Alter imagined that she was going to make some dumb comment about being a proud older sister again. However, the comment didn't come, cut short by the arrival of Jeanne's other frequent companion.

Marie was there and she moved immediately to Alter.

Once again, Alter was caught off guard by the unprompted hug. Marie smiled up at her, as she was pulled into her arms. "I'm so happy I caught you before you guys left!"

Alter seethed at this attention.

She heard Ritsuka laugh at her expense.

That bastard is definitely enjoying this, isn't he?

Still, even she had to admit, it was a far cry from the state that she'd been left in the day before after Sampson's death. Alter had to admit, even if privately, that she preferred when Marie smiled over when she was crying and angry. With lips pressed into a line, she sighed, eyes nearly rolling to the back of her head. "I'm fine."

Marie shook her head, the starfish in her hair seemed to curl almost like it was reaching out for Alter. "I mean, I know that all this is just more trouble. But, really I wanted to catch you and apologize about yesterday…" Marie said, clearing her throat as she backed away. "I mean…I know I said some pretty harsh things…"

"It's fine," Alter said quickly. She almost winced at the sound of her voice, trailing off and looking away. "I mean-"

Marie grabbed her and stood up taller making sure to get right up in her face.

Alter's eyes went wide and she took half a step back.

"No, it's not!" Marie's voice turned sharp. It was also quite the contrast to the usually peaceful expression that the French queen normally had. It was also cutting because she rarely ever raised her voice beyond the soft pleasantness that she liked to keep it at. "Stop letting people walk over you! And let people make up for their mistakes!"

"I…" Alter lips parting and then closing.

Marie nodded at her, taking the stooped silence as more than enough cue for her to continue on. "You deserve better." She, at last, took a step back, joining normal Jeanne at her side. "I was angry with what happened yesterday, and I took some of it out on you." She glanced right at Jeanne and then back to Alter. "I know you had nothing to do with what happened, and I knew you weren't in collusion with Gilles."

The summer berserker fell silent and stared quietly.

Don't deserve anything.

Leave me alone.

"As Jeanne told me after…" Marie folded her arms. "We should've known better given how you stayed with us after you left him." She glanced suddenly at Ritsuka and then back to Alter.

She didn't trust herself to speak, afraid that she might snap back.

This day is already too much.

Ritsuka squeezed her hand, and it drew a glance from her softening amber eyes.

I wonder…

The corners of her mouth twitched up a little.

Would I have gone to him at all?

Alter took a deep breath and finally returned her amber eyes to Marie. Her lips wrapped around a word that was seemingly foreign. She can't recall if she'd ever used it. Perhaps it was a fact that she simply never had.

"I forgive you."

Marie smiled, "Good." She smiled a little. She let the silence linger for a minute longer after that, hoping to get across the fact that she was pleased with just that. Then she smiled a little more mischievously. A contrast to all the mornings. "I would hate for your big sister and I to be left out of whatever ceremony the two of you planned to have."

"Ugh," Alter put her other hand on her hip as she looked away. "Couldn't have ended this whole thing on a good note could you." She turned away, hoping to hide how red her cheeks had gotten. "Let's go."

Ritsuka smiled standing at arm's length, rooting himself in place as he allowed Alter some privacy.

She could still hear them in full.

His voice was pleasant as he spoke to them. "Stay safe both of you, there are a lot of strange things going around these days."

It was her big sister-

Alter promptly smacked herself in the forehead at the thought, only catching the tail end of what she was saying.

"We will, you two look out for one another as well." Jeanne's voice was bright, lifting the mood as naturally as she breathed. Alter didn't have to turn around to picture the big grin on her normal self's face. The way it would've probably been infectious to her despite her best efforts if she had remained to chat with them.

Ritsuka smiled out of the corner of her eye as he waved.

Alter blew out a tense breath and tried to ignore the jumbled feeling still going through her. She felt Ritsuka step beside her and intertwined their arms like they had when they'd first arrived on the property.

She glanced up at him.

"Ready to head back?" He raised a brow. "They'll pass along any details that we might've missed…and whether we like it or not, we do have a doujin to complete."

Alter nodded quietly.

Ritsuka tilted his head a little while looking at her.

She winced as she realized she was making it worse. Alter could see concern form on his expression. She quickly shook her old expression away and tried to smile. "Then we best get going."

He still walked beside her shoulder to shoulder. "Say, what do you think, we stop and get a quick breakfast somewhere on the way back?' Ritsuka scratched his head. "I don't think I've eaten breakfast anywhere but the hotel and Emiya's place." He still managed a smile despite the hesitation in his voice.

Needy.

Her lip twitched, "I'd…" Alter glanced up at him again, her heart skipping a small beat in her chest as she suddenly, fully began to realize what the offer was. A date. Something that they both had skirted around the edge of. She stared at him, amber eyes wide.

Even as she watched him, she could see the realization of what he just did also play across his expression. He scratched the back of his head, looking away with a blush. A tense sigh escaped from between his lips.

Ritsuka made no move to adjust the statement.

Alter could feel her own cheeks turning red.

I want this.

She took a breath, her lips opening and closing.

Just say it coward.

Your fault we're behind on the doujin.

Say it.

Her master had straightened up a little, finally wiping some of his nerves away to now look at her pointedly. There was pressure in them though for her to answer one way or the other. Alter realized as she watched him, that he intended to keep his promise to her for as long as she wished for him to do so.

Her heart fluttered.

"Yes." She managed. Then she straightened up too, clearing her throat. "I think I'd like that," She wiped her free hand across her face trying to hide her expression behind her elbow as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Ritsuka smiled, "Then let's be off. We don't have much time to ourselves after all."

Alter nodded numbly following arm and arm with him, maybe only half a step behind. Her face was still warm, her hand touched the corner of her mouth, the line that indicated her smile. Even the following conversations as Ritsuka filled the others in their doujin group in about the small detour they intended to take was barely heard on her part.

Though walking across the sand, back towards the stone path near the road, she looked one last time at the house and her nerves seemed to settle the further behind it got.

Alter huffed looking down for a moment her amber eyes soft, faint blush still on her cheeks. Her smile only grew wider as she could feel it.

Good riddance.

###Ritsuka###

The spot for their late breakfast was a tourist spot with a deck that had an ocean view. Where the deck of Emiya's restaurant was a mix of darkened wood, with black metal on the rims, and bushes growing to encircle the outside, this wooden deck was plain. They sat under the rising sun with an umbrella to give them cover. The temperature too was starting to rise but thankfully hadn't reached the levels of full discomfort.

Cheap music muffled from the diner could be heard just over the rolling and crashing of the waves.

Alter folded her legs over one another, she was tugging at the sleeve of her black jacket again. Her expression was finally free of tension as he'd planned. She was even smiling a little as she finished the adjustment to her sleeve and tossed a blackberry into her mouth. She was learning to enjoy those little things as she promised she would try to.

In between them, sat a fruit smoothie with two straws sticking out, crossed somewhere in the drink. Beside it was a bowl of fresh fruit half eaten. As they waited for their meals.

The way she looked now…

His heart skipped a beat.

"I need you to know…that I think you're the best mage in the world."

Ritsuka huffed out a chuckle, the memory from the early morning crashing like a wave through his head. An intoxication he thought would be the only apt comparison. He still continued the story, one of the few good ones he could think of. A night of Halloween.

"Ophelia of course was at a complete loss for words. Her stern expression even showed the cracks of laughter and perhaps misgivings." Ritsuka's chuckles turned into laughter as if the memory itself could bring tears again. "Kadoc, the poor guy's face was covered with flour all the way up his black pants and hoodie. He was still in too much shock to do anything. Mind you, my sister and I also were still stuck behind the counter because we couldn't bring ourselves to stop laughing." Ritsuka only paused to take a breath.

She snorted with her mouth full, smiling with fruit-stained teeth for half a second only belatedly realizing what she did, and covered her mouth.

He paid it no mind thinking of what it would be like to kiss her while she was wearing her berry-flavored lipstick.

"So finally Kadoc manages to pull himself up, his hair all messy, looking down at all his black clothes. Finally, he mutters, 'Well, I guess I'm a zebra for Halloween.'"

It earned him another snort, "That's stupid." She muttered, still smiling.

He nodded his head. "Very," Ritsuka's smile faded a little and he tilted his head from side to side. "See? It wasn't all bad…" He leaned back into his chair a little. "It took me a while to remember that one though."

Things like that really did prove to be rare.

Alter nodded humming. She reached over their shared drink and tucked a straw between her lips. The sunlight seemed to glisten on her skin as she looked off towards the beach. Her lips twisted a little and he could see the furrow form in her brow as she thought. Her amber eyes settled on him. "I…don't think I can think of anything like that before Chaldea."

Ocean waves once more rolled and crashed against the distant shore.

After a beat of silence, Alter abruptly and loudly smacked herself, "Fuck, I can't keep my mouth shut even when it's obvious. I always ruin everything." She gave a huff in frustration as stood from the table, chair scooting back.

Ritsuka's eyes went wide and he stood up as well. "Alter-"

She waved it off, "Forget it…" Alter snapped, and then she saw that he'd stood up too. She held up her hand more slowly. "I'm…no I'm not leaving I…" Alter looked away. "Don't worry I just…" She trailed off into silence. True to her word she only walked the extra three steps to the railing of the restaurant's deck.

First, he breathed out a small sigh of relief at that, but he followed, joining her against the railings of the deck.

She poked at the railing, and he watched the sea breeze flow through her hair. Alter looked over at him beside her then looked away. "Sorry,"

The whiplash of her mood swings once again. It was all he could really presume to go from grinning and smiling in one minute to brooding the next. "You really have to stop apologizing for every little thing that goes wrong." Ritsuka half grinned, "You'll wear the word out otherwise."

She didn't respond to that.

Ritsuka folded his arms facing the opposite way of her, back towards the restaurant, back against the railings. "Jeanne, it really is okay."

Her name was something she was seldom referred to by unless he wanted to press a point. It had the effect of drawing her amber eyes back to him. There was still the fresh rawness of all that had happened in the past few days in there. So much had happened in so little time to process all of it. Ritsuka's lip twitched.

When I think of it like that, no wonder she feels so lost, even now.

He took a breath. "Remember, we're starting small here for a reason."

She nodded once, "It's just that…" Alter huffed, "It's so stupid…" She scratched the back of her neck and ran her fingers through her hair.

Ritsuka offered a hand to her.

She puffed out her cheeks pausing mid-motion through some of those nervous ticks. She took it, and in a beat she rolled across his arm, coiling it around her. So he was hugging her across her stomach. She hummed a pout, and by the time she realized what she'd done, her blush worsened considerably. Her back pressed against his chest. Alter's lips pressed into a line as she glanced over her shoulder.

He wrapped his other arm around her, resting his chin on her shoulder, nearly nuzzling her cheek.

Her blush only continued to deepen as she pressed her hands against his arms to keep his hold on her. "It's stupid," she warned again.

Ritsuka hummed, "Then I promise I won't laugh." He pulled her in closer swaying a little to the cheap muffled music. In his arms, she could feel her deflate just a little more with each breath, pressing into his hold a little more, relaxing against him. He snaked his sandals underneath the small space of her shoes between the heels and lifted both of their legs a little in a small tune to the beat.

She blushed madly, as the tension slowly evaporated.

"It bothers me that I don't have any nice stories to tell." Alter's fingers tightened on her biceps and she huffed out a single chuckle, devoid of humor. "Isn't that strange?" She glanced at him, and he could feel her nose brush against his cheek, and he could feel her stiffen again in his arms. "Too warm." She muttered.

He loosened his hold, after a few more seconds, savoring the brief closeness that they held with one another for as long as she seemed able to take it. Then she pulled away.

Ritsuka shook his head as she turned to face, "Not that strange." His brows furrowed a little in thought. "Think of it this way, it means you want to contribute to…well this. Take that feeling as a good thing." He gestured a little between them. "You feel it's one-sided for the moment and thus it makes you feel guilty."

Alter's lip twitched, "It's so stupid…"

"It means you care." Ritsuka smiled a little. "I find it a little endearing, to be honest. I like being cared about too."

She pouted a little at him, "Idiot." Though her expression softened a little as she ran her fingers through her hair. "I didn't…I mean I…" She trailed off for a second and Alter looked down to gather her thoughts for a moment.

He offered her a hand between them.

A few grumbles escaped her lips, but she still snagged it intertwining their fingers. As the seconds ticked by, he watched her grow more certain of whatever thoughts were going through her mind.

"I…" She started slowly, "I obviously care…but how do I make up for things like that?" Alter looked away. "I don't want to misstep and ruin this…" She hissed and huffed at herself. "You know…more than I already have?"

Ritsuka shook his head, "No, you have the wrong approach. No relationship is perfect. There are always missteps. The key to resolving them is…this. Talking about it." He pulled her gloved fingers to his lips and kissed her bare wrist. He smiled a little at the way she blushed looking at him. "And trust me, you've got nothing to feel guilty about."

Alter huffed while looking at him leaving her arm out for him. She hid her blush with her other hand. "Mmm," came the noise of her small pout. It never reached the levels of actual protest. A sign that he took to mean she also enjoyed his attention. "But I want to be able to contribute things like that."

Ritsuka shrugged, "Then all you have to do is go experience things. Let your friends care for you." He tilted his head from side to side. "I'll be there too of course. Because remember that ultimately we all want to help you."

Her breath shook for a moment as she tensed and untensed.

He kissed her gloved knuckles.

Alter glanced away, "I'm still sorry."

"And even if you've done nothing wrong, I still forgive you." Ritsuka smiled at her, watching the morning sun touch her skin. The expression she had on her face softened even more from where it was a few seconds ago.

The sort of small guilty smile that she gave him, made his heart skip beats. She smiled in a way like he was her guilty pleasure. Like just being with him made her feel wonderful because it was such an awful unfair thing. Just to be accepting of everything as it bothered her to no end and Ritsuka wasn't sure how to help her with that.

Then he smiled only a little to match her, "Do you think it will help if you paid for breakfast?" He cleared his throat feeling a blush. "I mean I obviously brought you here to help cheer us both up…" Ritsuka's lip twitched and he let out a nervous laugh. "It would be one way I suppose of contributing?"

Her brows furrowed a little as she thought.

Is that a rude suggestion to make?

Alter hummed a few seconds later and nodded a few times. "Actually, I think I…well it makes me feel like I did something." She took a deep breath. "I…it's not the same…but I think it will help for now."

He nodded once and smiled slyly, kissing her bare wrist again. "Then I thank you for treating me to a wonderful breakfast Alter."

She blushed madly again, "Can you please stop? It's hard for me to focus when you're doing things like that to me." Alter looked away trying to shrink away. Once again, she hid her blush behind her free hand.

"As you wish," He stopped though he lingered in letting go. Ritsuka could see those amber eyes on him from behind her hand, and he could imagine the rest of her expression. The way she pressed those lips together to prevent unwanted expressions. The mad blush that was still there, edging out around her extended fingers.

Alter managed to snake her hand back after worming it from his gentle grip. Turning around she managed to once more seat herself at their table. She blew out another breath, and reached for their shared drink plucking up her straw. Perhaps hoping the cold drink would hasten the dissipating blush on her cheeks.

Ritsuka likewise, snagged a blueberry for himself as he took his place opposite to her once more. He smiled still at her and tilted his head.

Still gorgeous.

She managed to hide the fact that she noticed him staring well enough to convince herself that he hadn't noticed. It probably helped her recover more quickly, he thought. Alter cleared her throat, "Got any more nice stories?"

He hummed and his brows furrowed a little with thought. "Not off the top of my head…" Ritsuka trailed off trying to think of something that she could do or say. Something that would leave her satisfied in a way that she would be able to tell him a nice story.

For now, she might have to settle with simple stories.

As he considered, an idea came to him that formed in a question.

She set down the smoothie once more between them and plucked a strawberry for herself. Alter paused, her amber eyes roaming him over.

Guess she's gotten good at knowing my patterns a little bit.

He smiled, "Actually I'm rather curious as to how you ended up as a lounge singer for Emiya's speakeasy?" Ritsuka could only hope that she saw the invitation for what it was given their recent conversation.

It was clear she did, her eyes wide on him. Once again though, he saw her frayed nerves coming to the forefront. "Well…I…" Alter then looked away. "I mean does it count as a nice story to share?"

Ritsuka shrugged, "I don't know. But I'll admit I'm curious." He chuckled a bit to himself. "While your performance certainly sucked the air out of me, I never once thought to consider that you'd want to sing." He tilted his head from side to side. "Actually, I don't think I've ever seen you'd be one for stage performances of any kind. It certainly took me by surprise, and the surprise of all of our friends when they first heard too."

Alter blinked, staring at him. "They surprised you?" She huffed, "Never did figure out how they found out. Probably my stupid normal self's idea. Or that devil on her shoulder Marie."

He chuckled, "I didn't ask."

She nodded, "Well…I guess…I was having a bad time of it, as I'm sure you can imagine." Alter propped herself up with an arm on the table. "This was after my running around Edmond to kill the Vorproeal chicken king, and this was when I was starting to figure out the plot for…that one doujin. About what makes a monster?"

He nodded once to show he was listening.

Alter continued, "Mind you Marie had made sure to stick the idea in my head earlier, before I went out to try and find Edmond. So when I arrived for the final argument of them trying to persuade me, I was already pissed off because of what happened." She folded her arms, "I was also too tired to even bother trying to put off a fight." She huffed, "Even I have to admit, knowing that I wasn't in a good state of mind, that perhaps some relaxing time to wind down would serve me well."

Ritsuka raised a brow.

She huffed, "Marie of course had the better makings of a plan to get me to enjoy myself, and to get my mind off things." Alter's lips twisted upwards a little, the hallmarks of a small smile. "She gave some much-needed advice both with myself and…" Her brows furrowed, "I suspect she knows about…you."

About us?

Alter cleared her throat, "But with the singing. My normal self is a regular performer there it seems. And Marie must've gotten everyone in on it, or carefully skirted conversations around the fact." Her brows furrowed a little. "I guess I have a reputation for being competitive…because Marie figured as soon as I learned that my normal self was going to be performing, that I'd want to perform as well."

Ritsuka smiled a little at that trying to imagine it.

Alter playfully pouted at him in response to his smile. "It's not something I wanted to do in a million years. But if that stupid saint could do it, I obviously could do it too." She folded her arms in a huff.

He stopped to ponder that for a moment. "Marie has a good understanding of people doesn't she?"

"Ugh, I wish she put it to better use than things like that." Her nose wrinkled a little. "But yeah, that's all there is to it. They got me out to have fun and even manipulated me to get my mind off of everything else." Alter touched her forehead. "Honestly…" The exasperation came at the end of the story.

Ritsuka however, was still curious. He tilted his head a little and noted the part that she'd left out. "You performed again when I was there. The next night."

She nodded once, "I found out that the saint was going to be the songstress that night. And Emiya liked my singing." Alter grit her teeth a little more irritated at the memory. "Marie suggested that I open for her. Emiya liked the suggestion, and well the stupid saint seemed excited by the prospect."

"And you agreed." Ritsuka raised a brow. "Why?"

Alter's fingers curled into a fist for a second and then the grip loosened. "Because it worked. I didn't think about all the stupid decisions I made, and for a very brief time I didn't feel guilty for what I accidentally did to you and I didn't feel like I was letting everyone down." She blushed a little at the admission that came to her lips. "I had fun." She huffed out her cheeks and folded her arms.

"It seemed like a normal vacation for once."

Ritsuka nodded a little at that. "I think this doujin thing we are doing was a great idea honestly. Though now it does feel a little bit played out."

"Ugh." She shook her head, "I really thought it was going to be something fun to do."

"It was, it was something I'd never done before." He tilted his head glancing at her. "And you are still so passionate about it." Ritsuka nodded at her. "You're still having fun working on it right?"

She glanced away, "I suppose." She tapped her finger a couple of times. "I just don't like the feeling of obligation hanging over it I guess."

He straightened up a little, smiling at her. Ritsuka was getting better at catching what she wasn't saying.

She is.

"But you are having fun?"

Alter's lip twitched, "Yes…" Once again Ritsuka thought he saw the makings of guilt on her expression. The admission of having fun despite their situation. What had once been a one-off strike of a whim, had turned into something akin to a job that they had to complete every loop. All the others who'd volunteered to help her, like himself, had been more or less dragged in.

He sipped at their shake, "You're overthinking again." Ritsuka tilted his head a little. "Remember I voluntarily stayed for that first week before we knew we were stuck in a time loop." He smiled at her when she looked up at him. "And it's okay, I know I'm still having fun too."

Even if I'm here to watch her master creativity. To watch her think and ponder and simply create art.

He smiled behind the drink.

Wouldn't trade that sight for anything in the world.

She blushed a little as she stared at him. Perhaps catching on to his implication of why he was having fun. Alter seemed to shrink into her shoulders a little. "I…which one's been your favorite so far?" She finally smiled just a little, replacing the fleeting guilt. "I mean…what's been your favorite doujin that we managed to finish?"

He tilted his head a little at it, he popped another bite of fruit into his mouth. It still didn't take him long to realize what the true answer was. Ritsuka nodded, "I think they all were my favorite at some point."

He didn't miss the confusion that instantly replaced her blush.

Alter's brows furrowed. "Huh?"

That switch…

Ritsuka pushed away his feelings on Alter's quick mood switches as he'd grown accustomed to them. He smiled, "I mean that truthfully. We've improved nearly every time that we've gotten through a loop. So usually it's always the current one that we're working on that I feel the strongest about." He grinned, "Actually I'm sure that even applies to the ones I've forgotten."

Or were edited away.

His smile twitched at the thought.

The singularity can change our memories.

He sighed a little, still smiling at her, "Which means I think…it will be the last one that will be my favorite." Rituska hummed for a moment. "I find my joy in the process of making them with good company after all."

She huffed, "Idiot." Alter rested her chin in her hand as she glanced away from him. Her lips likewise still twitched into a small smile. "But I suppose, I shouldn't be surprised by your answer." She tapped her fingers on her cheek.

Ritsuka raised a brow, "Do you have a favorite?"

Alter heard the door opening from behind her, and saw a waiter carrying food out on a tray. She cleared her throat and straightened up. Removing her arm off the table. She smiled at him lopsided, "I haven't finished it yet."

###Jalter###

This is stupid.

Alter grit her teeth trying once again to drown out the others in the room as she forced herself to keep staring at him. She tried to think of what to say next. Her lips twitched and her brows furrowed in concentration. She opened her lips to try again. "I know that he meant a lot to you…and…I'm sorry for the way I treated you. If you need anything I…" Pausing again, trying to search for the right word to say.

Ritsuka was across from her as he tilted his head. His voice filled with fresh emotion. "You're hurting even worse than I am…" He trailed off for a moment and she watched him fiddle with something on his shirt. "Sure he was my teacher…a close confidant…but for you…he was…more than that wasn't he?"

Damn it he's blushing.

Alter glanced to the right wondering if she should even use Gilles as an excuse. But it didn't stop her own cheeks from warming up when Ritsuka adjusted his hair a little and delivered his next line. "So…I promise I'll be there for you."

She tried to ignore the beating of her own heart as it quickened in its pace. Alter to her own surprise managed to deliver the next line with a straight face. Though her lips twitched upwards in a small smile as he paused just half an arm's reach away. "T-thanks. I…" There was a beat then she knocked over the chair she'd been sitting on. "Maybe…" She tilted her head. I could-calibern-ta" Alter broke and frowned immediately. "Fucking goddamn it,"

At last, some snickering was heard.

The summer berserker sent the harshest glare she could muster at the three of them sitting around the other bed. Mash was dutifully transcribing the new dialogue they were trying to record into the scene. So the glare went right past her unnoticed as she paused only to flex her fingers and shake her hand before continuing.

Since when had this whole thing become a fucking show?

Robin coughed. Alter considered it smart of him to immediately move past the whole thing. Hopefully deleting it from memory for the sake of his life. "It's getting to be about lunchtime, as the manager I'll run down a few blocks and grab us some pizza. Anyone want anything specific?"

Alter heard Ritsuka blow at a breath only a foot away from her, "Nope, I'm good." He said, "Just the usual."

Mash held up the point of the pen without looking up. "Stuffed crust, for me this time, I don't think I've tried that yet." She scribbled a few more notes as the room fell silent around them. If she noticed it wasn't until Robin spoke again.

"You did, eight weeks ago."

Her lips twisted, "Really I don't remem-" She cut herself off as she looked up at them. "I don't remember," she finished. Her brow twisted. "Uh, I guess that still means it's what I want." Mash cleared her throat and set the book down beside her with a sigh. "Was that too cliche you think? Or should we try something else?"

Alter could feel another headache forming, even as amber eyes never left the snickering pair as Robin tried to tactfully defuse the situation. She felt it was justified because neither had Ushi's eyes ever once left her since she and Ritsuka had started the whole scene. If it weren't for the fact they were already behind, she would've thrown that harlot off the balcony.

There the summer assassin sat, feet up, a bowl in hand where she plopped another popcorn into her mouth with an even larger grin. She ate another one and spoke. "Keep going, I think you guys are doing a great job!"

Ibaraki at least had the sense to give it a rest, moving instead to look over Mash's notes as she'd transcribed the conversation. The banana oni had a serious expression as if she was just starting to get used to being around them as a group for the first time. "I'll go with you, just give me a minute."

Robin nodded.

The first time this loop things had gone smoothly for her.

The summer berserker cursed quietly to herself again. "Whatever master is getting," She said between breaths as she moved to sit down on her own bed. Folding her arms to hide her distaste for this whole affair. It was something she had enjoyed doing with Rituska earlier, but now that they had an audience the whole thing was embarrassing.

Ushi ate another popcorn. "Don't mind us Alter, this stuff is pretty golden, even if it's bordering into familiar romantic couples tropes. With all the will they won't they bait we're trying to give'em." She smiles a little.

She grit her teeth a little, "Well it's either this "will they won't they" crap at this point, or we make them kiss here." Alter reached for her drawing tablet to pull off the visuals they were trying to write the dialogue for. It wasn't the last scene, which is where they were intending to have them kiss. "This scene needs to set up the rawness of their open feelings with one another."

The summer assassin hummed the smile fading. Gone was Alter's inevitable tease, and returned was her newfound friend in editing. "Well, last I check you guys wrote out the apology bit of the scene, so I'll ask you both directly as the co-authors, what else could we do to sharpen the dialogue?"

"It's mostly yours and Mash's story." Ritsuka pointed out.

Alter felt the bed shift as he added weight beside her, and he felt his hand brush against her leg as he leaned over her shoulder to get a good look alongside her at the drawings she'd done of the scene. She could feel his warm breath on the side of her neck and she tensed for a moment, amber eyes glaring sharply at his cheek.

Her face started to warm.

Ritsuka blinked and turned to eye her. "Sorry," He quietly apologized. He situated himself just a little bit further away.

Alter would never admit she could feel the warmth radiating off of him, and that she still felt bad about the reasons why he pulled away. The alarm bell hadn't gone off, but it had been a very near thing. She shook her head slowly, "You just caught me off guard is all." Before she could even think to pat the space next to her for him to go through the rest of their drawings another voice filled the room.

"Ugh, just kiss already damn it!"

The summer berserker's brow twitched and she formed a glare sending it directly at the assassin who'd spoken. She grit her teeth again, once more imagining what it would look like if she threw Ushiwakamaru off the side of the building.

She looked up from the page in front of her. "I'm reading the notes, sorry I wasn't talking about you two." The smile that followed convinced Alter that it was anything but the truth.

Likely story. Goddamn harlot.

Ritsuka huffed a chuckle and scratched his head. "Right,"

Alter looked at him and saw the makings of a small blush start to form on his cheeks, enough that it made her smile a little. She would take it as a win that she had that effect on him even though it was for the moment a minor thing. She breathed out slowly and spoke quietly for only Ritsuka to hear. "What do you think?"

He blinked, "About the scene?"

She resisted the urge to yell at him.

Of course, it's about the scene! Why on earth would I want to discuss something private when that stupid Harlot is in the room?

"Yes." Her voice filled with pointed emphasis as to not leave any room for confusion. Something must've crossed her expression even though she tried to keep the sentiment of her feelings under wraps. He blinked with some surprise in his eyes at the glare or pout that she'd let slip past her short-lived mask.

Ritsuka blew out a breath and filled the space beside her as he pulled himself the rest of the way over the bed to sit down. A more comfortable position than his hands and knees looking over his shoulder. He nodded once as if affirming to himself that he'd guessed right. "Nothing is jumping out at me to improve the whole scene." He sighed, "It's as you say, the point of it is that this sets up their eventual kiss at the end."

"More angst?" Alter suggested.

He shook his head, "The focus is on the one thing that binds them despite their dislike of each other, their shared teacher."

She tilted her head watching the way his face seemed to shift when he was concentrating. He wondered if he knew how much it would make butterflies fill her chest. And warmth spread to her cheeks.

Ushi spoke up again, "Alright, I think we are done with the scene. You can go back to wrapping up the drawing end Alter." She flipped through a few more notes. "Mash and I can try to script out a fair bit more." She touched a finger to her forehead, "I'll want your help to write their last scene where they kiss though." She offered them both a lopsided grin. "Just a fair warning so it doesn't blindside you as this did."

A quick grab and throw is all it would take.

She pushed her lips together again halfway through forming another glare at them. Only movement drew her eyes as Mash slid off the other bed in the room. She walked over to the icebox and pulled out some water.

It was the only thing that delayed the follow-up remark from Jalter's voice filling the room. She huffed, "I don't think we need to go that far with the scene." She ran her fingers through her hair, setting her tablet down on her thighs. "I mean…it's not like you and Mash have writer's block or something."

Mash didn't look up and spoke matter-of-factly, a hundred percent focused on what she was doing that she had no idea what she was implying. "Yes, but while Ushi and I might be good conceptually, we have no feel for making our dialogue seem natural for the moment." She offered Alter a smile in the form of her next compliment.

Or she knows perfectly well.

"Which is why we prefer that you and Senpai handle this." She opened the bottle and chugged back a few gulps. "Ushi, do we have a particular direction we want the final scene to have when they kiss, given the setup we already have?"

Alter huffed at herself now feeling like she wanted to drown the rest of the conversation out. She picked up her tablet and scrolled through the sketches that would inform the rest of her final products. The storyboard had its notes, it was now mostly the reactions she needed for their facial expressions.

Some of which she could imagine, others she wanted feedback on before she sat down to crank them out.

Ritsuka hummed, "Well given that Achilles actually likes seeing Atalante blush, I imagine there should be a panel of them both being awkward and blushing as they both go in for it."

Ushi blew out a raspberry, "Yeah those two are incorrigibly avoidant of each other aren't they? Say, do you think this will double as a matchmaker for the two of them?"

Ugh, now I couldn't be bothered.

Mash sighed, "It doesn't matter, it will reset with the loop anyways."

Jalter got up from where she was sitting, intent on slinking back to her work desk in the corner. She had work to do before she had to bring up the obvious questions to flush out the last bits at the end. It was fine ultimately, she was used to not being social as it was. Rarely anyone noticed her anyway.

Normally that's how it was. So she bit her lip when she felt a warm hand wrap around her fingers before she stepped further away.

"I know," Ushi remarked. "But I think it would still be good to note down for the future. In case we decide to host any more of these back at Chaldea."

With her hand caught she slowly turned around to eye him.

Ritsuka smiled at her.

Her quiet attempt to sneak away and get back to work was already in shambles. She wracked her brain trying to figure out what he was meaning to do.

"Good luck." He said quietly. Then he let her go as if he'd done nothing at all and went back to his own tablet where he opened his journal and started moving other notes over.

Her cheeks twitched as she brought her hand back to her side, and her tablet against her chest. She pushed her lips together pointedly looking away from where Ushi and Mash were sitting. The red tint in her cheeks only growing with intensity.

Interesting…

She barely managed the thought. That something so small and virtually meaningless meant the world to her.

With a slight smile on her lips, she walked back around the bed finding herself wondering how things would be different. And moreover why she ever thought anything she experienced before now was a replacement for this.

Just being cared for…

###Ritsuka###

It was a day of pure workflow, the sort of day that every artist craved. A day where they were inspired to continue working without ever needing a break or having to worry about interruption. The kind of day where ideas flowed directly onto drawings, where ideas manifested easily into words.

Ritsuka had lost track of the hours that had gone by. He hadn't really looked outside nor glanced at his watch since Robin had fetched them lunch. The pizza he was now grabbing a slice of, was lukewarm. Still edible, but lacking the obvious freshness from their brief break at lunch. He paused only to grab a napkin, to wipe his hands free of crumbs. He spared the others a glance as he settled at the table.

Alter was still leaning over her makeshift desk. Her lips curled in that thoughtful way as she continued to draw at the edges of the Achilles-like character in the panel taking shape on her screen. She tilted her head every so often when she was considering something.

He smiled a little at the sight of it.

Robin and Ibaraki were sitting adjacent to Alter on her bed. Making small talk, and giving Alter quick feedback in between whenever she paused to shake her wrist from the strain or she asked for extra opinions.

Ushi and Mash meanwhile had volunteered to be the dinner retrieving team and were off to find something small for the whole of the group given that lunch was still scattered around. Pizza was shaping up to be their leftovers for midnight if they were up working on the doujin until then.

Another small thing they'd all grown used to.

The script was mostly done now to their satisfaction too, which is why Alter was cranking out the drawing end of things with ease. Even Robin had picked up a tablet to do some minor work in that field, and Ritsuka had started compiling the first pages together for the minor edits blending it all more seamlessly to give it a half-decent look of professionalism.

Eventually, Robin got up to stretch. "Wow, we might actually be able to finish early tonight and catch up on some of our lack of sleep the past few days." He grinned, a smile starting to form on his lips.

Alter made a choking sound as she whirled around at him. She grabbed the nearest thing, which was thankfully a pillow. "Don't say it, moron!" She'd practically knocked her tablet over as the pillow smacked him in the face.

The green archer huffed a chuckle. "What? What?!" He caught the pillow before it hit the floor and tossed it back to the bed. "I mean it. We should try to think of something fun to do tonight."

Ritsuka finished off his slice of lukewarm pizza and raised a brow at that. "What? Got something in mind?"

Robin shrugged, "I heard Skadi set up a shooting range, and I've yet to try my hand at it."

"Yeah, no thanks," Alter said, turning back to the drawing. Once again, even from where he was, he saw her brow furrowed in concentration as if she just hadn't been pulled out of her artistic groove with Robin's interruption.

A case where the Berserker enhancement is actually very beneficial.

He grinned at the thought of it.

Da Vinci is one step away from having a madness enhancement herself. Perhaps there was something to it?

Ritsuka hummed, "Could be fun…but we won't know for sure until we finish. Alter is still right Robin." He threw the napkins away and reached for his tablet. "We'll talk about it when we finish."

He heard the archer laugh, "Well, I think you and Alter still need to do our kissing scene's dialogue."

A curse escaped Alter's lips. She turned her head to glare at Robin.

He was, thankfully, smart enough to wipe that shit-eating grin away from his face and turned a few degrees more serious. One of the few points he had going for him in those few seconds. Ritsuka imagined that it was just enough to avoid him getting punted across the room. "We can leave the room if the two of you would prefer not to have an audience."

Ushi snorted, "Speak for yourself, archer. I'd like to be here to take notes." She, unlike Robin, didn't fear grinning, at least long enough for Alter to see it. She nodded once tilting her head towards their shielder in the room. "Mashu was right earlier Alter, you and Master are the best suited, and you have been from the start." She tilted her head a little from side to side. "I can't count how many people came up to us in the last loop complimenting our non-confession scene."

Ritsuka thought about that bench under the lamplight marking the turn of the day to an early evening. Then he thought about Shakespeare, and he chuckled. It was enough to draw all the eyes into the room as it was. He smiled gently, being sure to look directly at Alter. "I mean so long as writers and poets don't interrupt our collaboration."

She pressed her lips into a line and looked off to the side, a blush starting to form on her cheeks. The hardened expression she'd softened a little. It was clear she still wanted to protest. But something had changed in the instant the seconds that passed. Her lips twitched as she managed to return his gaze. "I…suppose…"

Mash bounced to her feet and stared pointedly. "Alter, if it's any consolation I didn't suggest it because I want you and Master to get along. I suggested it because it was the truth." She moved to grab her journal and pen.

Ushi smirked again, "It's a bonus."

"Ugh," Alter hissed out another curse between breaths and she also moved to stretch.

Ritsuka looked away, he learned it was in poor health to watch how Jeanne Alter's swimsuit accentuated her curves and how leather straps and collar gave him far too many needs in quick succession, moments he couldn't, at least for the moment, act on.

He counted out the seconds like a mental tally in his head before he could turn to eye her again.

Alter placed a hand on her hip. "I'd prefer that we are left alone…"

Ibaraki stood up and smiled at her. "Don't worry, I can keep Robin occupied." She tugged at the base of her eye and stuck her tongue out in the archer's direction. "Come on, let's go grab a shake from the lobby to share."

Robin sighed, "You and your sweets." His eyes narrowed over his shoulder. "You too Ushi! If I'm getting kicked out from the show, then I'm sure not letting you stay either." His smile turned into a smirk to match Ushi's.

She blew out a breath, "Sheesh, none of you are fun." With her hands on her hips, she pouted a look at Alter. "Just be sure to jot things down. And I promise I won't make fun of you about whatever happens."

Alter glared at her.

This is going to spiral if I'm not careful.

Ritsuka crossed over to the group on the side of the room. He looked at Alter hoping she didn't seem to be ruffled by the prospect of role-playing again. Though it was clear, since the audience that was there last time was not going to be present, the tension was considerably lessened. That blush, however, remained ever-present.

He cleared his throat, "I'll come get you all when we are finished, how does that sound?"

After an assent of nods went around the group. Mash spoke, "Let's hang out at the pool. I heard that the evening lights can make the whole area glow." Her grin only widened as she bounced to the head of the group. "It could be super fun!"

Robin's voice filled the hall as the door opened. "We are right next to a beach, may as well go to that?"

"Who cares," Ushi said, "Let's just have a bit of fun before we wrap up. I'm bringing my tablet so we can work a bit while the lovebirds pretend to kiss or whatever."

Alter twitched, and the door closed.

Well, we already have kissed.

Ritsuka looked over at her and offered a hand. "My sister is the only one that knows how you've woken me up the past couple of days by the way."

Alter huffed, "I know…" She plopped down at the end of the bed, brooding as much as she was blushing. The summer berserker folded her arms and repressed the makings of a smile. "We aren't that good at this are we?"

"I think they just want to make sure we are still okay." He rubbed the back of his neck, "Especially after this morning."

Her lips twisted at that.

There was little he could do but accept her feelings on the matter of how it sounded. She definitely didn't like how that sounded. "I'm fine," She repeated as her amber eyes found his blue ones. "We're fine, I mean…" Alter trailed off for a moment, her lips twisting further. "What else is there to be said?"

Ritsuka nodded, "I believe you." He sat down beside her, leaving a foot of space between them. "If we came out and made it official, I think they'll stop nagging you by the way." He tilted his head and huffed a chuckle. "I mean…I guess that would be a long shot because I think you're on the easy side to tease most days."

Alter breathed and he could hear her tense with the space in front of him. Her amber eyes narrowed for a moment. He watched her speak even though her mind was completely on his suggestion. "I'm not easy to tease," Her protest was mild and she stuck her nose up. "I actually think I handle it better than most."

He huffed a chuckle, "Yeah, maybe you do. Might be something to that whole being able to switch your emotions on a dime thanks to your berserker attributes." Ritsuka tilted his head with a smirk. "Sure helps you getting in and out of your working mode without much effort. Something I think everybody envies a bit."

She grinned at him. "See?"

He chuckled and fell back onto the bed, hands behind his head. "Oh yes, I can see it now. Jeanne Alter, the perfect picture of health. Of an artist's health at any rate."

Alter snorted "Don't hate me because I am too distracting for you." She flung out her white hair behind her as if a breeze might catch it. She grinned a little. "Don't think I haven't caught you staring at me while working or drawing. I think I would've been finished with my current drawing by now if not for you."

Ritsuka's lip twitched, "Right back at you." He smiled up at her.

She hugged a knee to her chest, her blush seemed to linger a bit longer on her cheeks as she glanced away. This time a small silence lingered between them. Alter had once again fallen quiet and he could guess her line of thoughts. But as he often did, he waited for her to feel comfortable with whatever she was settling on for the topic of discussion.

He could scarcely hear her voice when she spoke next.

"But we aren't official though…are we?" She breathed out a sigh and her gloved fingers left indents on her skin as she applied pressure enough to leave marks. Alter hugged her knee tighter as she looked over at him again. "It's all been…pointless comforting fun at the end of the day hasn't it?"

Ritsuka shrugged, "We've danced, we've kissed, we've held hands, we've officially had one date." He tilted his head as he added another finger, holding his hand up between them. "Two if we want to count or a little nightside pool swim." He smiled a little, sighing constantly. "Yes, they were pointless, comforting fun." He glanced at her watching her amber eyes as they roamed him up and down.

Those same amber eyes were filled with only concern.

"But isn't that what the best sort of dates are? Pointless comforting fun?" He tilted his head a little as he turned on the rest on his side. "I think we've done everything but admit that we are already dating at this point."

She stared at him, her lips buried beneath the arm she was using to hug her knee. Alter glanced away from him. He could see the small fidgets she was making despite trying to keep herself in place. "Is it really okay?"

"I left you in charge of deciding that, didn't I?" He raised a brow at her.

"Yes, but…" Her lips twisted a little. There was a beat of silence that passed between them, and he could see the hesitancy exposed in her expression.

"You...want to make sure I want it?" Ritsuka asked.

Her next breath was slow, "Yes."

He chuckled, "We can certainly be stubborn sometimes can't we?" He grinned up at her. "Yes, I would love to date you."

There were times in someone's life, rare and fleeting, but filled with all the certainty of a climactic apex, when you found a core memory. Most memories change as the years go by. But then there are those that you experience and are so in the moment that you know with utter certainty that it will be among the last you see on one's deathbed.

Jeanne Alter smiled at him. Something that was a blessing to him as it happened more and more frequently. But something had set this smile apart from all the others he'd experienced up until now. The blush that accented her cheeks was a perfect tone, one that only added to the flush of her skin tone. The amber eyes were softer than he'd ever yet seen. The way her cheeks formed to the lips that gave him the expression. The way her hair moved in the afternoon sunlight shining through the half-opened curtains on their window.

The way her eyes filled with water, but no tears had fallen. Alter tilted her head from side to side as if she was trying to hold it all in. Like a damn that was very quickly threatening to burst. Her brows contorted, but she still failed to hold it back entirely, even as a single trail escaped from her left amber eye, that smile remained.

Her voice was quiet, her breath was shaky for only a second before it grew affirmed with her own certainty. "Okay," She spoke quietly between them. Her smile grew wider as the seconds ticked by. "Then, we are official."

Ritsuka smiled back and felt his own cheeks warm.

Jeanne Alter, my girlfriend.

He sat up straight and snagged her hand before she could pull it back to hug herself again. And made sure to kiss the skin of her bare wrist rather than her gloved knuckles. "Then I will promise to treat you as wonderfully as you treat me."

"You're the best mage in the world."

Alter blushed, but nodded slowly.

Quietly they sat, basking in their revelations and admissions for one another. Basking in the officiality of the whole moment. Some might've considered the silence awkward if there had been an audience. But he was so lost in her smile he never paid it one mind. And he found comfort in the fact that she felt the same way toward him.

Then as all moments it unfortunately had to come to an end. Alter blew out a breath and made a face, her nose wrinkling with annoyance and disgust. "Well, we should probably get started on our writing thing so everyone gets their free time that we so desperately want."

Ritsuka nodded, "Did we agree on having them win the race?"

Alter's brow furrowed a little as she turned to face him, sitting sideways. "I think…they should come in second. It would give their relationship a bit more meaning as they accomplished it together, but found the importance in their connection rather than the race…"

He could see that, he tilted his head a little at the thought. "If we approach it that way, we could have one of their mutual friends win so the loss isn't a factor?"

She nodded, "I think we can work a reference in without too much worry that it will take away from their scene." Alter bit her lip a little as she now turned to the pairing getting together at last. "Well…should we set the scene in adrenaline or realization?"

Ritsuka hummed, "Well for the whole story it's about them failing when they aren't working well together, and them realizing not only their feelings but that they do work better as a team." He tilted his head from side to side. "I think…then…realization would work better as the ultimate factor over adrenaline."

Alter nodded, "They could be ecstatic for their friend and at the fact that they got so close to victory. And in their rush, they run up to hug each other. Only after their smiles and excitement is it when they realize…" She trailed off for a moment, her brows forming. Perhaps around the emotions she wanted to say and the idea now crystalizing itself formally for them to both work on.

Ritsuka watched her thoughts come and go as she looked at him and then back into space, trying to figure out how best to start.

Let's see adrenaline high in a close race, and no sense of loss because one of their mutual friends won the race…

He then tried to laugh in the same way that Achilles did, the words coming out a bit awkwardly if a bit humorously as he tried to deepen his voice in an unnatural way. However, it got him the reaction he wanted from her.

A snort.

"Did you see that?! We almost won! Us!"

Alter tilted her head in brief thought.

Ritsuka continued on, knowing that Achilles was talkative when he felt safe and was surrounded by people he cared about. Something that would be noted as a clear inspiration. "And you!" He gave a wide grin at Alter. "Your last maneuver was amazing, how in the hell did you manage that?!"

It was then he saw the spark in her eye. The one where she'd been struck with something to carry the idea to its fruition. Her voice raised to match the feigned excitement. "I don't know! I mean I've won a lot…but that was something new."

Alter tilted her head and sat up straighter to put a hand on her hip. "I mean I can't take all the credit, it was your silly asteroid maneuver that got us into fifth in the first place." She glanced away from him.

Ritsuka continued with a boisterous laugh, "Ah, finally you admitted I did something right!" In a surprise move to Jeanne as he stood up and without prompting pulled her up to join him and he proceeded to spin them both around as if they'd really just gotten to the finish line. "Guess that means we accomplished two miracles today didn't we!"

She was nearly snapped out of the whole thing, as she was pulled to her feet. Thankfully she hadn't been lifted upward into the air, but she managed a smile. "Oi I'd say my maneuver was a miracle too. Bet you haven't seen someone crash through the shields of someone else's ship before without damaging both parties."

They were both stubborn.

He smirked at that and then as if belatedly he realized that he was holding someone he cared about in his arms. The whole point of their acting was to get the feelings to match the words that wanted to try getting onto the page. As he looked at her in his hands, he could feel those emotions starting to boil over. It almost snapped him right back into reality in the way that he knew pulling her to her feet did the same for her.

Her amber eyes blinked as she looked away, uncertain, hesitating. The ever-present blush beneath her amber eyes. "I…should probably write that down."

She hesitantly moved away.

It was then, Ritsuka felt a certain boldness rise in him. A determination to match his stubbornness. He didn't want Jeanne Alter to slip away from him. The scent of the hotel's cleaning products were mostly gone so it was only her that seemed to wash over his senses as if only to inspire more of that sudden feeling within him.

Kiss her.

It was after that thought that a twinge of guilt came to him. Knowing what he'd promised her. He bit down on his tongue as he let her slip further away. Enough to see her snag the journal off of their bed.

The reason for relenting was obvious in that it was his full intention to give her the space that she requested. It was now, only as she took the last steps to free herself from his immediate grasp to jot down the notes that he realized, how hard it was going to be for him to keep his promise.

He breathed out slowly.

But I will. For her.

The seconds ticked by into infamy and he allowed himself a small smile at the thought. It was something he knew he would succeed in. He watched her pen move back and forth with the journal transcribing the notes they'd come up with.

Her amber eyes flicked to him, catching him, and then darted away.

At least I'm not the only one with fraying nerves.

Alter took an extra minute to transcribe and then he watched her embarrassment fade away almost in an instant as she bounced back to her feet and grabbed his hands placing them where they'd been on their hips. Her brow knitted together and her amber eyes narrowed with thought.

It was his turn to fight a rising blush.

She was not fazed at all, now that she'd written things down, probably having switched to focusing fully on the work aspect.

Ritsuka had thrown himself back to recall what had last been said. And then, he slid back into character as naturally as he could with the obvious open-ended compliment that Achilles always made of his friends and enemies. "You'd be right. I tried it once and it didn't end well for me." He smirked a little, "You were wonderful."

A beat of second went by and Alter seemed to straighten up. Perhaps the double-edged compliment not sinking in. Though her amber eyes went wide. "I…" She blinked and shook her head. "So were you," She seemed to settle as if belatedly. The simplicity of it would couple well with Alter's drawings. Their expressions of deep emotion were often stuffed into simplicity in order to convey their weight.

He tore his mind away from the obvious thought that crossed his mind.

Would Achilles just go for it?

Ritsuka scratched his head as he mulled that thought over. The hurt that they'd caused one another throughout their story so far. How and what might be the best thing to say next? The seconds ticked and he watched Alter make quick notes before once again directing his hands to her hips.

He had his approach in a quick moment then. Ritsuka let go of Alter's hips and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sheesh, I can't believe the teacher was right." His half lidded smirk as he shook his head now pressing his palm up against his forehead. As if to emphasize the feeling that flushed through him. "About a lot of things actually." He covered his mouth for a moment, blushing at the thought of what he'd wanted to do earlier. Only helping him here for the performance of the character.

Alter blinked at him, "Yeah…" She trailed off and grabbed her arm. It was more of Alter bleeding through the character than it was Atalante, that particular motion he knew. Whenever she was overcome with emotions she tried to hide, she often squeezed her own bicep. "Say…would…you might want to race together again? I mean we lost but…I think…" She trailed off again. Her blush faded and then she shook it off. "No, no that won't work." Her brow creased a little.

He held his spot patiently for her to collect herself.

"Okay…" She puffed out her cheeks. "Yeah…he was…certainly right about you?"

Ritsuka blinked. "A-about me?" He huffed. "Wow, I can't believe he actually bragged about me."

Alter seemed to adjust herself, there was more sass in her stance. Something a bit more feeding to the serious feline archer. When she got comfortable with those around her, it was then the flaring bits of her personality started to show. "He said you were an idiot and bullheaded. That you often ran right into danger and acted rashly. Not to mention stubborn and disregarding almost half his teachings."

He looked struck because he imagined Achilles would have been. "Really? Because-"

Alter took a step towards him. "But he also said that you were kind, brave, and one of the most talented fighter pilots he ever trained. And you sometimes take joy in competition…he always bragged about you and…well…" She trailed off a little. "It made me want to do better."

Ritsuka stared and nodded once. "Well, all he did was brag about you too. I mean look at you. You're the best racer I know, the most talented shot he's ever met. You mastered and honed your senses to your ship's ebbs and flows. If something were to go wrong you'd identify the problem long before ever could." He chuckled a little, rolling with his shoulders. "I mean just…" He trailed off hoping that she understood the pause was on purpose.

"I mean just look at you?" He finished.

He reached over and tucked Alter's hair behind her ear. This movement did get a reaction from her. She started to blush and she glanced away from him. Her fingers were deliberately slower and her breathing grew heavier. Slowly her fingers curled around his. "And now he's gone…" Her breath hitched and her amber eyes came to rest on him.

"And now we have each other."

She stared at him a few seconds longer. "Even after everything we said and did?"

Ritsuka felt Achilles would smile so he did too. "There is nothing to forgive. How could you know? How could I? Not unless we were made to work together." He cupped Alter's cheek and hoped that his blush didn't reach his ears. "And you…just look at you."

Her breath hitched as she felt herself slowly drawn in even more from his touch. "I didn't mean them…I…the insults the venom." Her fingers had now found purchase on the skin of his arm.

"I missed him too."

They leaned in toward one another, uncertain of what was to come. Only the feeling that seemed to bubble up into the air between them. It grew exponentially as the seconds ticked by. It continued to fester until he could feel her warm breath on his chin and neck. The way she angled looking up at him with those amber eyes.

A whisper pierced through the permeating heat. Cutting through between them with the ice of near simplicity.

"Kiss me."

Ritsuka felt his eyes widen with all the blood that had rushed into his face. It was very quick that he thought it was just his imagination. Until he felt her fingers dig into his shirt, trembling, but no less firm in their certainty. He opened his mouth and found himself drowning, at all the words that he couldn't say.

She was blushing as hard as he was and her lips pressed together again, perhaps sensing the cascade of his thoughts, or perhaps growing more certain of what she had just asked of him to do. Her amber eyes were on his blue ones when that whisper came out again harsher. "Kiss me, idiot."

This time though, there was no confusion or thoughts as his mind cleared for the single goal that had presented itself above all the others. He huffed and smiled a little. Then he closed the gap between their lips.

###Jalter###

First for her was the shock of the admission that had come out between her lips. All she could feel was the sheer horror of the sentence and what it might draw. She wasn't ready for it she realized in that instant of asking him. The two previous times, it had been her who initiated the contact.

But between Gilles's house this morning and now where they were writing the doujin. Something in her had changed, she realized even as she saw Ritsuka's break in character. The way he looked down at her suddenly filled with both concern and anticipation.

Writing from the heart.

She wanted to scoff.

It couldn't have been that, could it?

The journey they had written for the two characters was about them overcoming their differences. They had to learn to work together. The tension between the two characters had been palpable from the start.

But why would it be that?

Ritsuka had straightened up a little in front of her, the hand cupping her cheek seemed to stiffen as she looked at him.

Those blue eyes carried more worry than they did throughout their whole conversation. It panged her heart at the thought of him leaving at that moment and doing anything else but touching her. Even her madness enhancement seemed to struggle with itself, uncertain of how to deal with the blatant affection in the way those blue eyes looked her up and down.

Jeanne Alter was nervous, she realized. Fearful might even perhaps be the better word. Something out there had taken away Gilles. A fact, in isolation she wouldn't have given much thought or feelings over in front of others. Perhaps in private, she would mourn for him a little. Even if she had every reason to hate the existence of his and her own.

She felt touched at the thought. The chance that she saw slipping away right from the grasp of her fingers. The need and want for him to get closer. The stress of finishing up their doujin. The high of their affirmed relationship. The worry about all that was happening in this singularity around them.

"Kiss me, idiot." She managed, biting her lip. Her amber eyes grew narrowed towards him as the whisper once again cut through the silence between them. And she saw his confusion clear in almost an instant.

The realization that it wasn't the character that was asking. That it was Jeanne D'Arc Alter who'd wanted the contact. Contact that had been there with her through all her ups and downs. Like their two characters.

It was Ritsuka that provided her with the only avenue of certainty and comfort.

She bit her lip.

So stupid.

But it didn't stop the flood of anticipation as he leaned toward her, cupping her cheek to tilt her mouth up just enough at the right angle. She didn't smile but she closed her eyes wanting to focus on the sensation of him. His warm breath on her lips is almost soothing in its more methodical comforts.

Reward for patience came soon after his lips pressed against hers. His hand still cupped her cheek gently as he ebbed her closer. His other hand went to her shoulder first, before she felt it wrap around her back, fingers dragging along her skin.

Likewise, she left a hand on his shirt, while she slid the other through the opening, and around underneath, feeling his skin on her fingers the whole way they traveled until they'd gone as far as she could reach.

His hand ended on the hip opposite to where he started on her shoulder. Full arm pressing her against him, down the curve of her back, hooking her own arm around him underneath the flower-covered mystic code.

Alter inhaled him even as the warmth and alarm bells started going off. She wanted to hold him there against her for as long as her stupid instincts would allow. To bathe in the comfort that she felt was away from all the concerns of the world around them. It was easy enough for the moment even as she could sense that growing alarm from within her despite it. It was like temporary relief from a headache. Clarity among the chaos. It was an eye of calm amidst a moving storm that would once more overtake her.

Godamnit she could feel him smile against her lips. The upturned corner of his mouth against hers.

She wondered if she was so obvious to him as he had started to press in further to her. Could he feel the dumb smile on her lips? The sort of smile that she didn't know how to repress even as the joy-filled her from head to toe.

SHUT UP!

The alarm bell grew louder as the comfort and warmth started to turn to something that burned. In a way that pained her. She tapped her fingers on his chest hoping he understood. It was never something they had talked about. His touch intensified for fractions of a second, tempting her to tap his chest again gently, perhaps a bit more frazzled as the comfort started to turn away into something else.

Then his grip loosened again and slowly pulled away tugging at her lips. She wondered if her lips could get sore. Furthermore, she wondered if she would ever be able to find out as they both parted for air.

Red-cheeked the warm breath on one another for or only a second longer.

Alter smiled feeling just a little floaty from the experience as she stepped back touching the back of her palm to her forehead as he likewise stepped away, removing his hand from her cheek knowing now that she'd wanted some space.

The constraints of all the stress were temporarily removed just as she'd hoped they might be for a moment. She breathed out a sigh of relief too as she backed up into the bed sitting back down, fingers grasping and missing at first for her notebook. It was only after she felt it in the grip of her fingers did she take her eyes off of him, and the smaller gentle smile as her furrowed brows started to loosen.

That wasn't so bad.

She flipped open the notebook and found her pen meaning to write one-handed.

Perhaps not as stupid.

Alter could hear Rtisuka clear his throat from a few feet away, still left standing where he let her put some distance between them. The soft rumble provided yet more comfort as the tumbling alarms started to recede. She relished in the soft lightness of their noise. She smiled a bit wider knowing that she had been the reason.

"Should I even dare to ask?" He said and then chuckled in the small silence again. "Actually, did that help with whatever was going through your head?"

Alter blushed and looked up at him and then glanced away. Perhaps it was bashfulness or playfulness. But it bubbled up in her as if it was going to burst with a giddiness that she desperately tried to keep hidden. She half hid her expression as she twisted her body to sit on the bed, hiding her shoulder. "Yes. Probably far more than you realized." She touched her forehead again with the back of her gloved hand.

Ritsuka hummed, "Well, we've had quite a day so far." He spoke matter of factly and scratched the back of his head for a moment. She watched him out of the corner of her eyes as she jotted down her notes, her complete attention not having been pulled yet. She watched him long enough to know he was just as nervous and lost as to what he should do next. Her heart skipped a beat when he saw his blue eyes rest on her.

She half smiled when he saw him draw closer.

Those alarm bells were still there, loud, obnoxious, and still winding down. She noted the indent of the bed beside her and her free hand being wrapped up in his.

Alter at last turned to face him as he sat down.

"So, good enough?" He asked.

She nodded once, "Good enough." Alter curled her fingers into his palm and continued to jot down the rest of her notes. Trying to remember the intricate details she wanted to get right with the script. "Anything you want me to try and get across in their expressions?"

Ritsuka hummed.

This is wonderful.

"I think Achilles would be blushing as he grows more forward throughout the scene even though he's not really the blushing type." He fell backward on the bed like he had been before they started. "Atalante would only blush in that way once he's repeated himself for the third time, commenting on her beauty."

"Ugh." Alter frowned, "Speaking of which, the other idiots are going to be the ones in charge of renaming them." She puffed up her cheeks and straightened up a little in her spot. "After all we can't be the only ones doing all the hard work."

He snorted.

And her smile widened.

"Want me to tell them we're nearly finished wrapping the dialogue up here?" He raised a brow at her.

She collapsed back beside him, legs dangling off the bed. "Mmm, maybe in five minutes. That should still leave us enough time to wrap up and have some fun tonight right?" Alter turned to face him laying on her shoulder, her fingers digging into the blankets. She held his hand in the space between them.

He hummed, "Five minutes to steal." Ritsuka smiled at her, turning to face her content evidently just to watch her. "I think I live with that."

Five minutes of quiet with no one barging in or interrupting them. Alter thought it was pleasant and closed her eyes. Her fingers tightened on his hand and she smiled.

I'll steal every moment I can.

###Ritsuka###

Ritsuka tugged on his black suit jacket. "I honestly think we should add a splash of color." He turned and raised a brow. The mystic code would still be serviceable even with a few minor changes to some of the clothing. But as tonight was more about just wanting to dress up and look half decent…

Gudako tilted her head from side to side, also throwing on her black suit jacket. "Maybe. White undershirts with different colored ties?" She moved to stand beside him and they both looked in the mirror. She leaned forward brushing her orange hair back behind her ear, frowning a little as she looked at the pair of them. "Too much?"

He tilted his head from side to side. "Yeah, too much. How about we do the same setup, but no jacket, and instead go with the vest?" Ritsuka raised a brow. "It would certainly be easier in all the heat."

Alter is probably just going to wear her Shinjuku outfit out on the town.

His best option to deal with her pretty legs was to dress up a little in a manner that would get her back just a little in the way that she knew her outfit would probably get to him. Ritsuka blinked and glanced over at her. "Why the suit tonight?"

Gudako smirked, and he suddenly had the feeling he was going to regret even asking the question. "Edmond likes doing things with my ties. Sometimes to me. Sometimes he wants me to use it on him."

He tried not to wince, "Sis, I really didn't need to know that."

Still smirking, she shrugged. "You asked." Then she went back to looking in the mirror. "But you're right, I think we can tone it back to…button ups and vest." Gudako stared at the two of them. "Since Ed is going to be in dark colors, I'm going to use the blue vest and blue tie." She stepped away.

Ritsuka stared at himself in the mirror for a little longer, making his own considerations of how best to look. "I think…I will do black on white. Purple tie." his brows furrowed.

"Awe, wearing her favorite color?"

"Shut up." He half smirked, she left the bathroom and went to change first.

He sighed, folding his arms and tugging a bit at his collar, and straightening up. Trying to picture the white-on-black with the aforementioned colored tie. The mystic codes he had could be assembled in a way to give him the look he was looking for. The only thing he would need was a purple tie. And that was a quick run he could make as soon as he was done here.

"Done," Gudako said. The suit jacket was off, and the button-up shirt had been replaced, draped over her arm were the vest and the tie. "Shall I send for Mordred downstairs?"

Ritsuka shook his head, "Nah, I got it, you keep getting ready."

He stepped out, shrugged off his suit jacket, and started loosening the black button-up. He put the hotel phone on speaker. "Hey, Mordred?"

Her voice was a bit garbled but still had the air of familiarity. "Yeah boss, what's up?"

"I got an errand for you to run." He smiled a little. "And I got the Gil bucks to send you on a fancy date with Frankenstein tonight if you want?"

There was a beat of silence, but he could swear he heard her blushing a little at the other end of the line.

"I won't deny you…piqued my curiosity." There was a muffled noise. "Fine, What's this errand of yours? And how much am I getting in that bonus."

"Eight hundred."

The silence was longer this time. "Master, I know we are in a singularity but…how?" He could almost hear her lips compress and see her eyes go wide in the back of his mind. "How in the hell are you that rich?"

"Take it or leave it, rebellious knight of Camelot." He smiled a little as he wormed out of his black button-up.

She sighed, "Fine I'll be right up. I'm just gonna run it by the other host with me. Give me the details when I get there."

Sometimes, it pays to be rich since our money carries over. And it pays to have good friends.

"Ugh." He heard Gudako make a disgusted noise as she popped back out. "Stupid fucking tie won't god damn look neat."

Ritsuka could only chuckle at that, "Come on, I'll show you again."

###Ritsuka###

He checked his watch and frowned a little.

Late.

Gudako sighed, "I'm going to head downstairs, the others are waiting for us." She stood up and raised a brow. "How much longer do you think she'll be?"

Ritsuka sighed and shrugged, "Hopefully she didn't go on her date before delivering the damn tie to me." He stood up too.

His sister gave him a strained patience look and shook her head. Then her expression smoothed a little. "It won't be so bad if you go without your purple tie." Gudako nodded toward the door. "You know, Alter would prefer you be there than have you stay behind worried over your little tie."

He smiled at that. "Oh, I wasn't planning on waiting that long. I figure I'll just give her five more minutes while you stall before I come down."

"And what exactly am I supposed to complain about? My brother's got butterflies dancing in his stomach at the mere thought of going on a triple-double date with his precious wonderful berserker girlfriend?"

He blushed but managed a small grin back as he sat up a little straighter. "What was it about needing help with a tie to help with her boyfriend's kink?"

Gudako blushed. "Touche."

The door knocked, and Mordred's voice came in. "Yo master!" She opened the unlocked door after announcing herself. She was dressed casually, having ditched the formal suit and tie somewhere along the way. She looked partially winded for a servant, but the toothy grin on her expression was enough to calm any nerves in the room. "It took me a while to master but I found one for ya." She tossed the bag across the room.

And he plucked it out of the air already heading to the mirror to put it on.

Gudako smiled, "Thanks Mordred, you managed to think of a date?"

She shrugged. "Not yet, I thought I saw Ushi and Mash downstairs. Are they planning to tag along?"

Ritsuka tugged at the fabric of the purple tie, smiling as he removed the tags. "No, they're going off with Francis Drake tonight. Mash likes hanging out with the pirate and her crew. They learned to love life in a very special way, and it can be quite infectious."

Mordred nodded once, "I suppose we could all wish to be infected by that. Maybe I'll speak to them before I go." She gave both masters a salute. "Anyways I'll see you both later tonight." She tilted her head from side to side. "Or tomorrow, for Servfest." Then she grinned and gave a final wave as she stepped back out the door she came from.

Gudako made some last adjustments to her jacket while Ritsuka touched up his tie.

He could feel the glance on him as he did the final adjustments and touch-ups. "Go on," He said. "Better not to keep them waiting. And I know Ed's probably excited to see you after being apart for half an hour."

Guadako snorted, "Be quick or I'm sending Alter up to get you." She left the room with a chuckle once she saw his expression.

He breathed out slowly as he tucked his tie away beneath the folds of his vest. Then he put a hand in his pocket testing the look. With narrowed blue eyes he sighed a little.

Best I could do before a last-minute date night.

Then he smiled a little as he grabbed the room key and tucked it away in his pocket, thumbing through all the other useful things he definitely would need. At the last second, he plucked his suit jacket from the chair he'd left it on unused. He doubted he would find the time to wear it, but would bring it along just in case someone else would need to wear it.

And he would never admit that he couldn't get the idea of her wearing his jacket out of his head.

Wish I could do better for a first official date.

He leaned against the elevator bars as he rode down by himself. Another deep breath in the quiet to chase away any more of his nervous feelings. He thought that having them was a good sign knowing he wanted it to go well for her. He could sense them though, almost wanting to bubble up and make trouble for him on the date.

At last, the elevator smoothed to a stop and the doors parted.

Only to be greeted by Ushiwakamaru standing stiffly at the door looking miffed. "Oi, what's this with your sister saying you're nervous."

He stared. "I was…" Ritsuka blinked and then smirked.

Wasted no time did she?

His smirk changed into a chuckle as the angry fluster on Ushiwakamru's face lessened. "Sorry, I was literally right behind her. Guess it was the first thing she told you?"

The summer assassin huffed, placing her hands on her hips. "More or less." She stepped away from him to make room.

Alter's face was red. No doubt from the very openness his sister had when trying to poke fun at him. Despite Gudako's teasing, she saw him and smiled. Perhaps he saw some relief in her expression at the sight of him being there at all.

Still, doubting?

Ritsuka had his hands in his pockets as he started the trek across the lobby towards his group with Ushi in tow just behind him. As if he was going to chicken out.

"Can't take any chances," She smirked at him. "You both need this."

He huffed, "Thanks. I hope you have fun tonight too. Drake is looking forward to having both of you I imagine."

"Mhm. Be sure to sweep her off her feet at least once." Ushi's smirk was so vibrant that Ritsuka didn't even have to turn to know it was there. He reached up and touched his chest, pinching the hem of his shirt collar.

Truthfully, it's perhaps their unwavering support that's gotten me this far. Support from everyone...

Alter was dressed neatly and cutely in her usual purple-red dress. Though he could see the stockings were a bit lower than normal. He blinked and quickly looked up. With another blush forming on his face. Just the thought of her doing it on purpose for him was going to drive him mad in his own way. He breathed out slowly trying to calm his nerves and he spared a glance at Ushi.

The summer assassin's smirk had since faded as she focused on something else.

Not a suggestion from her then?

He wanted to smile.

Very well, two could play at that game.

As he walked toward them, he adjusted the cuffs on his sleeves, raising them a bit further up to his forearms before buttoning them in their new spot. Trusting the slight hint and edge of muscle to do the work for him.

Jeanne Alter meanwhile waited patiently for the two of them to cross the room, playing with her hands in front of her. He could see other small differences that had been made for the sake of appearance. Her hair also had been changed. Instead of the long flowing patterns he'd gotten used to, her hair was braided much like the normal version of herself preferred of her hair. It wasn't the long flowing singular braid though, but rather one that comprised at least half of her hair going down her back, making it considerably small.

But more importantly, he knew she had watched him the whole time as he adjusted his cuffs. And he could make out the barest hints of a blush.

On either side, was a near-mirror image, of small braided loops and very small buns. She reached up to brush hair behind her ear, and found nothing to brush away like she normally did, and instead fiddled with her dress. The corsage flower that he'd given her earlier in the loop was likewise still resting in its normal spot in her hair.

Gudako nudged him, still hooked onto Edmond's arm.

He coughed, "Yeah, uh, you look wonderful Alter."

She silently nodded, her blush remaining ever present.

Robin cleared his throat. "Well, then gang, since we are all here at last. Why don't we head out?" The archer's grin only grew. "We're done and we have just one night to celebrate our next completed doujin! Better not to waste what little time we have left right?"

"Right." Edmond held his arm out for Gudako.

On Robin's arm was Ibaraki who looked just as dressed up as Alter was. The banana oni had a jewel hanging from one of her horns that looked a little out of place and it was clear she liked jewelry in her attire.

Ritsuka blinked and noticed how well-dressed the others were too, as if just noticing the sundresses that Mash and Ushi were in. Thankfully his sister and Edmond were just as eager to get going, the sounds of their polite goodbyes pulling him away from his drawing thoughts of concern.

Jalter touched his arm.

He smiled at her, and he held it out, allowing them to hook their arms together.

Then she smiled at him again.

"We'll say hi to Drake for you all!"

It wasn't until they were outside, where the side of the road could mask the noise of their conversation from one another, that Alter spoke with him. "You look…handsome." Her voice was awkward around the words, but the intention behind them was no less felt. "I…see you've got a new tie as well."

Ritsuka chuckled and instead of holding her by the arm, he got out of it and managed to wrap it all the way around her back. Resting it on her skin, where the dress left her sides exposed. "And I stand by what I said earlier in my stupid dumbfounded way. You look beautiful."

He felt the touch of her fingers as she did likewise to him, holding his hip as they pressed their sides together for a moment. "And…the hair?" She asked nervously.

"Different." Ritsuka said, "I think it looks great…I just…don't think I'm used to it quite yet." He resisted the urge to run his hand through her hard work. Instead, he brushed her cheek with his spare hand and tilted her head a little. "I don't think my urge to kiss you has lessened if that's what you're worrying about." He nodded at her. "Those stockings…a bit on the shorter side no?"

Alter blushed madly, "Stupid cuffs." She muttered under her breath. She half smiled and then grew a bit melancholy. She reluctantly pulled her arm from around him, and he followed suit allowing her the space. And the pair once more settled with hooking their arms in the space between them. With a growing frown, she pressed her palm into her forehead and shook her head. "Stupid bells." She muttered between breaths.

Ritsuka, still keeping their arms linked, managed to give her a little more space between them, trying to give her more of what she needed.

Alter smiled privately for him. "Just for the record, I think this is a horrible idea for our first date." Half teasing as she leaned forward a little to look at him.

He nodded once at that smile, knowing that he'd thought the same thing only a few minutes ago. "Thankfully we agreed that this wasn't our first date. So why not treat this night as it is meant to be? Just some fun?" Ritsuka sighed. "Plus, I think Robin liked hearing our stories about training under Scáthach." He nudged her a little. "He's been a good manager for us don't you think? Making sure we don't overwork ourselves even during crunch time periods like today?"

She hummed and wrapped her other arm around his, holding on to him with both. "I think I would have preferred another night in the town." Alter leaned into him a little, humming a little more. "Cash in on my promised song a little early."

Ritsuka huffed and shook his head, "Trust me, it's better that we've put it off. I need some time to practice before I go up on stage." He smiled lopsidedly at her. "And I don't think making my lady berserker's ears bleed on our second official date is a good idea."

Alter feigned a pout. "Well, this could be fun I guess. So long as we are careful, and we don't find any of the other odd couples out there." She hummed as she looked down at her dress a little. "I think I was looking forward to the picnic in the park afterward." Alter let go of him with one and reached down to fiddle with the hem of her dress.

"We were outvoted Alter, and we'll still get our time alone I'm sure." He hoped he landed on the correct worry. "But part of being in a group is to spend a little time with everyone you want to."

She glanced up at him and smiled a little. "That's only partially my complaint, master." She shrugged, "Not just a complaint really…but…" Alter trailed off and he watched her brow furrow a little as she was taking the time to say what she wanted in a polite manner. "I guess I'm just worried that we won't really be having fun together at the range…"

Ritsuka smiled at her. "This isn't a class though, this will be however we want it." He tilted his head a little at her and snuck a kiss on her temple. He enjoyed the blush that filled her at that moment and the small pleasant smile that formed on her lips. "Don't underestimate our manager, we'll find a way to make it a more inclusive group activity."

He felt her shoulders sag, relaxing in the grip of their hooked arms. She sighed a little more contently and nodded once. "Fine, I'll hold you both to that then." She straightened up a little. "It can't be that hard to find fun surely?"

###Jalter###

The walk and short ride on a tour bus took them exactly where they wanted to go. They all chose to sit on the second story of the bus, enjoying the evening view of the city lights compared to that of the street. Alter sat with her back against the edge of the bus, her legs resting over Ritsuka's lap for most of the journey.

None of them paid the tour any mind all having experienced the bus ride one way or another.

Alter's fingers were intertwined with Ritsuka's as they all stepped off for the last leg of the walk. Distant cracks grew louder with each second, the sound of Scáthach's gun range being used intermittently.

Edmond huffed, "You know? Next time we come out this far we should have Mordred call up a Limousine for us. Get a ride in style from the hotel."

Ibaraki bounced. "Oooh, that could be fun! Maybe we can do that when we come back next summer."

The Avenger tried not to wince and nodded. "Yeah, we can do that I think?"

Alter tightened her grip on Ritsuka's hand, and she was delighted to feel him squeeze her fingers right back. The quiet affirmation of comfort that she was seeking. She blew out a breath and once again hooked their arms properly. "We can do it tomorrow for our ride to the servant fest? Just for fun this once?"

Her heart beat just a bit faster with the way Ritsuka looked at her.

It was just a silly suggestion.

"What a wonderful idea." He commented and he nudged her gently by the arm, no doubt taking delight in the way her cheeks started to warm.

Idiot.

He raised a brow at Robin wondering if the archer had taken her meaning. Alter looked down and smiled a little at it. Just the fact her Master wasn't going to let her comment go past in conversation unnoticed.

She bit her lip and rubbed her thumb along the back of his hand.

Gudako smiled a bit, having caught on as well. She nudged Edmond before she spoke. A movement that Alter was pretty sure she was the only one who saw. All the subtleties of a relationship that's withstood its own fair share of tests. With her show of support, Alter felt more emboldened by her statement.

While the memories would reset for Ibaraki at the end of the loop barring a miracle victory, there was still the experience itself to be had. One that Robin would remember. Perhaps even one he'd try to replicate having with her if they couldn't figure out how to get Ibaraki to remember all their small adventures on and off together since the loops had started.

Robin of course deferred to her even now. He smiled and raised a brow looking at Ibaraki. Alter thought she could see the faintest of smiles on his lips. "So…a limousine ride huh?"

Ibaraki gave a bright grin and a nod.

Alter smiled a little too.

"Then I'll make the arrangements when we get back to the hotel." He agreed. "Everyone cool with a 9 am departure time tomorrow?"

There were a few nods and assets that made the rounds.

Alter felt herself tugged into Ritsuka's side, and felt his lips just beneath her ear. The quick kiss not long enough to give her any problems. Just short enough to make her want more.

Damned idiot.

She didn't try to hide the smile, knowing that it would've probably just come across awkward and irritated. Two things she didn't want him to feel when it came to her. So she let it bloom across her lips and nudged his shoulder. "We're almost there…You came before with Mash and Ushi earlier in a loop right?"

Alter decided as well, she liked the vibrations of his throat when he was humming. Before she pulled away to look at him. Then she forced herself to look away and once again found herself resisting the urge to kiss him. She could hear the smile in his reply.

"Yes, you were wanting to work alone at the time as I recall." He huffed out a few chuckles. "I think you also just wanted to make sure the rest of us who you saw as not as passionate as you, were still sane."

Jeanne Alter straightened up a little turning up her nose with a feigned regality that she knew Master occasionally found amusing. "Breaks can be necessary in order to achieve peak productivity." She smiled at him. "Besides you all had fun."

It made me regret not going. And perhaps just a bit jealous.

Ritsuka chuckled, "And what brochure or travel guide did you find that in?"

She pouted at him and pressed her hand against his cheek gently pushing him away. "Idiot. Not everything I've done here has come from those books." Alter would've folded her arms, but he pulled her as she pushed him. So instead he was hugging her again. "I could just be worried about the three of you." She sighed.

He playfully walked around her to the other side of her. "You could be. But I'm sure that travel guide was one of the few I read at your recommendation." His furrowed together in a way that Alter thought frustratingly cute. "It went something like; 'Don't over plan your tourism. Spread things out to enjoy them more.'"

Alter pressed her lips into a line and hummed her protest. The warm chuckles coming from him weren't going to be enough to change the fact she was upset with him now. Even in a minor way. "Hmpf," She looked away from him. "So what? I read it all for yo-..." Alter grew a little redder. "For all of us so that I would know what to fill our vacation time with."

Lot of good it did.

She puffed out her cheeks.

All you did was drag them all into your stupid doujin-making endeavor.

The pout faded into a small wince, one that she barely managed to hide from him. With her other hand, she reached up and pressed against her forehead. "I'm sorry that it hasn't been of much use to all of us lately."

A waste.

You're not invited to our date.

Ritsuka hummed back at her. His fingers rubbed her shoulder, but he loosened his grip. "You're overthinking it again, Alter."

Her pout deepened a little. "I know," She grumbled. "I think I just want to make sure we have fun."

It will be your fault if they don't.

Ugh.

Her master put some space back between them. Alter noted for once, this was an instance where she hadn't wanted him to. With that annoying voice back in her head ever present, thankful to the madness enhancement that she'd stupidly given herself for this summer vacation, she wanted him to hold her just a bit longer.

Alter knew that he was only doing his best guesswork. She couldn't fault him for that minor error in misjudgment. She still frowned a little at it. Alter couldn't help it. She couldn't have him not holding her one minute only to instantly recognize barely a minute later that she wanted him to hold her.

It felt wrong to do that to him.

He might correctly blame the madness of a berserker.

Or he'll blame you.

Even if the thought of it still hurt, she knew enough to almost scoff at the idea of it.

Were you always there I wonder?

Her lips twisted as she spoke into her mind wondering if she would get an answer.

Were you a gift from Gilles?

Her fingers tighten a little on Ritsuka's palm, grateful for it all the same.

Or were you from me?

Quietly Alter prodded into the dark waiting carefully at its edge. Trusting Ritsuka to guide her the rest of the way to the gun range as she tuned the walkout. The squeezing of her own fingers by him was enough to almost chase her frown away entirely.

You found a voice, and I want to know who it belongs to!

Ritsuka hummed pleasantly from beside her, drawing her attention only briefly. "So long as you know." He smiled and touched carefully fitted fingers under her hair loops taking care not to ruin her hard work. "Just be sure not to stray too far into that overthinking of yours." He nodded ahead of them. "It's supposed to be a fun night."

Who's fault is it!?

She nodded once at him. "I will…" Alter hoped that he couldn't feel the wince in her voice. It was all that she could do to convey that she wasn't as horrible as she was starting to feel. And the date night had only just started.

What does it matter? I am here for you.

It was a soothing voice that she seemed to understand well. The fake comforts that it would provide, the bad instincts that it oozed off in gallons. It was enough to send a shiver up her back with cold understanding.

Liar.

Gently Ritsuka pushed his palm against her cheek tilting her amber eyes up at him. Giving her a small respite from what was going around in her head. Her breath shuddered at the warmth of his gentle touch. His voice is calm and soothing in its own way, yet entirely different from the other one. "We'll be done whenever you are ready to go alright?"

Alter tentatively wrapped her fingers around his wrist. Quietly wanting to hold him there for a few seconds longer. "Okay."

The cracks of the gunfire grew ever closer as they approached the entrance. Alter fell in step beside him again, ready to follow after the rest of their small group. It was a quiet few moments for her as she tried to stow that voice away. Even still she was grateful for Ritsuka still holding her hand as they came the rest of the way.

"Sounds like the range is being used," Edmond said casually over the counter.

Facing him was another berserker. His unmistakable blue hair and red eyes were shadowed a little by the hood of his spirit origin's choice of clothing. Cuchulain gave a cocky grin and his spiky tail moved a little from side to side behind him.

If anyone could rein that berserker in, it would be Scáthach.

Alter smiled, letting some of the amusement at the thought slip through. "I guess the teacher still drives her students hard even when she's on vacation."

She felt Ritsuka stir a bit on her arm. "Well, so long as she isn't here to ruin tonight's fun, I don't believe we should have any qualms with them."

"Yep." The Irish berserker said, "At this point, I think they come on this hour to annoy me." He continued to check them in.

Gudako smiled, "Ah, would rather be fishing would you?"

He snorted. "Obviously. But Teacher is paying me several months' worth of Gil Bucks a week to upkeep the place for closing hours." Berserker Cuchulainn leaned back and shrugged. "Far be it from me to ask stupid questions when I'm getting enough to buy my own fishing boat at the end of the week."

Ritsuka hummed, but Alter could feel once more the collective wince. Her master recovered first before all of them, and his fingers firmed on her as a way of comforting her. "Well, best of luck to you then Cuchulainn."

He huffed at that. "Yeah yeah, weapons and ammo are available by the pound. Grab what you want. Seems your sister and Gudako paid for the hour."

Alter raised a brow.

Gudako shrugged, "What else am I going to spend it on?"

It'll be worthless by the end of the singularity.

If you even get there.

Alter bit her lip to prevent from blurring out whatever comment she'd initially wanted to make. Instead with her free hand she pressed a palm to her forehead and sighed again. Somehow this night was going exactly the way she didn't want.

Robin rolled his shoulders as he grabbed the first gun off the wall. "Alright, so Master's had classes, and the rest of us still got our holy grail knowledge right?" The archer's grin only continued to widen. "This should be interesting."

Edmond smirked. "Just remember that having the technical know-how doesn't mean you know how to aim without your bow archer." He nudged Gudako and she smiled just a bit brighter at her boyfriend's equally growing grin.

"Ugh." Alter made the noise under her breath.

"Oh, is that a challenge Eddie boy?"

From beside her Ritsuka sighed a little muttering under his breath, though he was clearly more amused by the display than she was. "And we're off."

Robin and Edmond led the way, grabbing five different pairs of the same guns that could spread around to all of them as needed as well as the ammo that was off the shelf for them. Headphones and earplugs came next. Even though it was outside and they would space themselves accordingly enough to not need it when watching over one another's turn at taking shots.

Though the night took another turn when the others who'd been using the range on the far side came over to join them. Jalter couldn't help but glare at the saber-turned-rider sticking out her middle finger towards them with a popsicle between her lips.

She'd brought with her that boy toy of hers EMIYA Alter.

"We come here whenever he's got the night off."

EMIYA Alter just hummed in agreement. "It's something we both liked to do apparently so we thought it would just be more prudent to do it together." Always blunt as he was, still despite his usual demeanor, there was a small smile on his lips.

Gudako hummed, resting her chin on her hand, which rested on her knee. She'd sat herself up on one of the fancier chairs near the back. "Sounds oddly romantic?"

Edmond went first, but he politely waited until the conversation would end, so for the moment the gun was settled out of his hands on the table from which he would start the competition and exercise. "You both seem like you'd be good shots."

Alter Artoria's grin only widened at that. "It actually started with a friendly competition between the two of us." She pressed a hand against EMIYA Alter's back between the shoulder blades. The doting affection is not lost on everyone present. "It was quite the evening. As things got a little more intense." She pointed off towards the hillside.

Jalter was trying to ignore the funny feeling in her gut as she followed her finger. The craters on the sides of the mountain. Her lips twisted a little too, but she had to admit, at least mentally that she wasn't surprised by the way the two of them had grown closer. Both Alters seemed the kind of people who would grow closer by blowing shit up together.

Honestly…

Jealous?

It took more effort than she would admit not letting a frown form. That stupid alter-saber-turned-rider could be very observant sometimes. And a part of her knew if she frowned suddenly, it might be taken as a slight. That would be just another thing thrown on the pyre of problems that could potentially boil over and ruin their night.

What? Why the hell would I be jealous of either of them? Fucking match made in hell the pair of them.

The words of the conversation were lost next as she observed the pair of them. The two alters. with gunslinging weapons enjoying their own summer vacation together. Jeanne could feel her brow twitch when Alter reached up and kissed EMIYA on the cheek, running a hand over his head, even if she had to stand on the tips of her toes.

A match made in fucking hell.

She could hear the quiet laughter at her misery and she chose to ignore it as best as she could.

The now summer rider Alter seemed to straighten as she tossed the popsicle stick to the side in the trash can. "Can you even use these things, Jeanne?"

"La pute." Once more she felt her brow twitch. "I'm still a servant dumbass."

She is going to bait you, and you're going to fall for it.

Jeanne fought to keep from shaking her head.

The other woman gave her a wicked grin and tilted her head from side to side. It was enough for her to reconsider her own statement about the matter. The challenge that might be laid down that she wanted to avoid. "Well, you can forgive me for worrying, seeing as you screwed up a few things when you tailored made your spirit origin as a berserker."

"Ugh." Jeanne Alter wrinkled her nose.

How did Shinjuku me even stand her?

Perhaps you are more alike than you are not?

Shut up.

Once again her amber eyes fell to the causal way that the other Alter had leaned against Emiya without much care in the world for it.

So easy for others.

But not for you.

Ritsuka touched her hand and it drew her amber eyes to him.

A beat of silence passed between them, and wordlessly she could feel the obvious question. His curiosity as to how she was doing. It made her want to slink away just a little more. The fact that somehow he still noticed.

Gudako cleared her throat, "I mean blasting holes into the sides of mountains sounds like fun. We all should catch up with you two soon." She wrapped an arm around Edmond.

EMIYA sighed, "If the mission requires it."

The rider Alter smiled a little and rather playfully pushed his shoulder. "Yes, we'll be there." She stuck her head out glaring at Emiya Alter with a small pout on her cheeks. "And I believe I've told you over and over, that your mission is pointless if you don't know how to loosen up at all." She took a stronger hold of his arm and started to guide him through the center of their group toward the exit. "Just let us know where and when." She looked back at Gudako and then turned her eyes to Ritsuka.

He nodded back, "Might be fun."

Alter Artoria smiled and then turned her eyes to Jeanne and she smiled a little less, that same bantering smile that she often gave her. "You look…well." She said casually pocketing her other hand as she passed.

Jalter paused, eyes furrowing as she followed her.

What the fuck was that supposed to be about?

Ritsuka nudged her once just above her hip gently to draw her attention back to him. It worked for better or for worse. But she must've still looked both confused and angry judging by the growing concern on his expression.

She sighed, "I'm fine." Alter would've moved to step away, but she still enjoyed the feeling of his hands clasped over hers.

It's so stupid.

It's because of you.

Her master looked at her, still doubtful of her brushing it off. However, he didn't push the matter of what was causing her to feel so down. Instead, he gently kissed her temple and took a step away. "Then, let's get your mind off of whatever's bothering you okay?"

She inhaled sharply and her amber eyes followed him as the short space between the grew just a bit larger.

"It's the point of going on a date after all. Trying to have some fun."

This man…

Her heart swelled in the brief seconds of the close contact. But it fled away in the space she needed. Alter sighed and pressed her free hand once more against her forehead, that sickening feeling coming back all at once. "Sorry," She mumbled just loud enough for him to hear over the others starting their conversation up once again. There was no way for her to deny that she was starting to get sick of her own apologies now too. It was their first official date night and she didn't want to be the reason they were going to have a miserable time.

But that feeling just persisted.

He'll eventually get sick of you.

Go away.

Alter reached up and touched her hair, something she'd tried to avoid doing. Something she'd now run out of patience to prevent herself from doing. Her lips twisted a little as she bit down on them with a sudden taste of froth. Her nose wrinkling, and her eyes narrowing as she seethed in quiet silence.

Ritsuka waited patiently for her.

This too, was something she noted, the small counterbalance to the weight settling over her. She pushed some of her white locks back behind her ear catching some in the webbings of her pinky and ring finger holding it there. She sighed again, blowing out all that frustration in a huff of warm air. "I guess…I'm just really not in the mood right now."

Amber eyes flicked to his blue ones now filled with understanding.

He nodded once as the confusion faded away from his expression. "Really? Why didn't you say so? That's why I asked you when the others were making suggestions."

Alter shook her head, "I was…more okay with it then…" She almost winced at how stupid it sounded still coming out from her between her lips. The honesty of it and how shallow it was without any reasoning. The stupid berserker enhancement was probably at fault for the mood swing itself. Of course, the sound of her thoughts was only making it worse in its own way.

Internally she winced when she heard him sigh. She could hear it almost laugh inside of her head at his more instant response. Once again that urge to slink away only grew.

He interwove his fingers. "Okay," Ritsuka said with a nod. Then he looked at the others. "Hey, Alter and I are going sit the first few rounds out."

Robin smirked, "Roger that, guess we'll make Edmond and Gudako our first victims this time." His grin only widened.

Alter's brow twitched and she shook her head. The whisper was barely enough for him to catch. "I don't want you to…" She looked away. "I don't want you to miss out on having fun." She pressed her lips into a line. "Please, I mean just go out and have fun with them. I can wait by myself…"

Ritsuka's chuckle was warm as the rest of their group bantering back and forth seemed to fall on deaf ears as the pair walked a fair distance back behind them under the lights. The booms would be close enough to be loud, but not so that they would feel the need to wear headphones to cover their ears.

Outside there was an area for food and a bar for drinks, all of which had been closed for the night. But the seating was still there.

"Jeanne, it's precisely because you aren't in a good mood that I want to hang out with you." He scratched the back of his neck with his free hand, and as they walked away the lighting grew a bit brighter near the seating for the food and the benches for observing, she could see his cheeks turning a little bit red at the prospect of something. "Don't worry about me having fun alright…this…" He trailed off. "Well, I'm going to get it just by being near you. Foul mood or not."

"Tch." Her amber eyes narrowed, "Idiot." Even as she felt the blood and heat rush to her own cheeks, she looked away. With her spare hand, she brushed the base of her lip with her glove, once more feeling more subconscious.

Not pretty enough.

"What does it matter?"

"I…" Jeanne was quiet.

He will be bored by it.

Ritsuka raised a brow at her.

"I think…" She tried again.

Worthless servant.

He hummed for a second and brought her hand to his lips. "Come on, let's just find a seat and get comfortable."

Alter pressed her lips into a line. "I think I'd like that." She let out a breath of relief at the honesty that had come out. Then she almost smiled as they found their bench to sit at together. Amber eyes looked at him.

"What is it?" He half smiled back at her.

"My stupid berserker madness can bite it." She smiled up at him. "At least you can cheer me up enough to know I want your company." Alter pressed her palms against her cheek as they sat shoulder to shoulder.

And the first crack of a gunshot filled the air.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm still sorry though. I know this isn't how either of us wants to spend our fir-...second date." Alter fell quiet as she looked on ahead. Then she glanced at his arm, and their shared fingers between them. "Stupid berserker madness and mood swings…" she trailed off a little.

Ritsuka hummed and caught on a little holding up their hands between them again. "What matters is spending the time together."

She unwound her fingers so her hands are separated, the blush forming on her cheeks from ear to ear. Alter's lips pressed into a line and she did her best to drown out those ceaseless doubts that continued to form. She adjusted his arm, draping it across her back, and threw her hair over it. She rested his hand on her bicep and scooted herself close so she was up against him.

He smiled and she heard more than she saw him speak as she closed her eyes. "How long?" Ritsuka whispered.

"As long as I can manage," Alter said, leaning her head against his shoulder and squeezing her eyes shut. Making a more proactive attempt to drown out the noise of her thoughts. Instead, she focused on the quiet beat of her own heart.

A second crack filled the air, then a third. A gun that was faster she knew as whoever was using it was still adjusting. Firing the weapon in bursts. Every now and again she could feel Ritsuka tense at the sudden noises that burst through the air. And the distant banter or laughter that they could scarcely hear.

Her fingers gripped his vest and she looked up at him. It was a moment when those blue eyes happened to be off of her. It was only then, she could feel her worries slip away as she recognized the expression on his face for what it really was.

Content.

Her lips twisted upwards into a smile, and if she could snuggle close, she would've just for a moment. Alter looked away, and her fingers pressing against his vest tensed, shaking for a moment. "You really are the most wonderful mage." She whispered quietly between them.

He blinked as if pulled from a daydream. "What?"

She shook her head once, "I'm just…grateful is all."

Only magic could make a monster feel this, right?

###Jalter###

Had she been normal, she might've been like that rider, being able to stomach close proximity to the person she cared about. As it happened she was proud of how long she managed, even as that painful headache started to form, and the warmth was starting to make her feel sick. She didn't even bother trying to hide the displeased look on her expression as she pulled away from him.

A part of her was grateful that he let her go without a fuss, knowing that others might've ignored her odd wants and needs.

She pressed a palm against her forehead as she leaned forward over her legs. Alter dug her fingers into her skin as if to exemplify her own frustration.

Why can't I just be normal for a night?

Her lips were already twisting with an expectation of the obvious answer.

You know exactly why.

Ritsuka left his hand between them for her to grab when she was more settled again. He whispered comforts to her that she heard over the loud insistent noise of her growing headache. Just enough to keep from pouting about the whole affair for too long. Occasionally he felt him tentatively touch her shoulder in a gentle manner that also seemed to work in its own way.

Slowly the pressure Alter was applying to her own skin, her heavy breaths started to calm. And the rapid beating of her heart started to turn away with all the alarm bells in tow. Alter huffed out a breath as she straightened back up, grabbed his hand, and leaned back against the bench the pair of them were still sitting at.

The distant cracks still sent a cold shock through her body every now and again after a prolonged silence until she grew used to it again. She glanced at him and nodded once. "I'm okay," Alter spoke though even the sound of her voice rang hollow.

Her master nodded once, "Then I perhaps have an idea. If you don't mind, it's one stolen from a mutual friend?"

Her amber eyes narrowed a little at that. Suspicion arousing just as much as her curiosity. Alter knew both of those together could be damning things. She turned her amber eyes to him brows furrowing a little. The tension from earlier had evaporated mostly. Though there were probably still marks of her grip on her face.

Ritsuka's finger twitched as he tentatively touched the indent her nails had left, the red stretch marks.

She didn't lean into his touch, but her brow smoothed a little.

I trust you master.

She breathed out slowly and nodded once at him.

He smiled at her, "Marie is right about one thing. Your competitive side can be used to more directly get your mind off of things."

###Jalter###

Alter had grown half amused by the end when Edmond bet that he and Gudako could land more hits than she and her master.

Master had once mentioned she was competitive and it was a way to get her mind off of things. So it was then the night started looking up. There she stood in the most impractical outfit, a purple dress, hooking the but of a rifle into her shoulder and aiming down range adjusting her scope.

Worth it.

A sadistic grin came to her lips as she fired once, testing the recoil. Then twice and a third adjusting herself and getting used to the behavior of the gun. She also took great pleasure in the fact that Ritsuka couldn't quite seem to take his eyes off of her. Though she found if she looked at him for too long, that it would cause her to blush.

Unfair.

She pouted as she pressed her lips into a line instead of trying to focus on just beating the shit out of the other pairing's score. She had been right when she made her claim earlier, that there was a basic knowledge that came in understanding how the weapon worked. Alter admitted she was tentatively slow as she adjusted.

It was only in the privacy of her head, that she admitted that the stupid summer rider was right about the skill set translating over. That it didn't necessarily translate the practical feeling of it. She was adjusting to each gun. The differences in recoil and the slight differences in reloading the magazines.

The master's benefited from having attended the class here; she, like Edmond, was relying purely on the basic understanding of how it worked.

While she was taking a break between shots, pushing the next mag into reload. She let her headphones slide off and rest around her neck, not really caring anymore about the hairstyle. It was going to all be messed up when she went to sleep anyways.

Robin muttered behind her. "I should've just kept my stupid mouth shut."

Gudako's laugh filled the space. "It would be very unfair for all of us if an Archer participated in the competition."

"It's also why you're the best judge." Edmond pointed out. He gestured open-handed toward the target of intention. "We are also saved from having to go out there and check our accuracy. How badly are we beating Jeanne and Ritsuka, be honest."

Alter almost smirked as she finished the slow reload and looked behind her. "Headphones up," She said.

All of them mirrored her movement in putting the headphones back on. It was something they'd all agreed to in order to not ruin anyone's night. It was still a date night after all, and the potential for ruin was exponential as a result.

She glanced downrange through her scope again. Like before she eased herself into the shooting, squeezing the trigger quickly, feeling the kickback against her bare shoulder. Once more she glanced down at her purple dress. Noting that if she were a normal person this would feel more uncomfortable.

This time the recoil was expected in her mind. So she was more able to control it. Alter didn't even have to look closely at the marks downrange to know that she was doing better than before. Improving was enough to make her smile, but she also had the suspicion she was doing just the barest of hints better than Edmond was.

Wanted to show off for his girlfriend.

Ritsuka was seated behind her with his eyes no doubt still glued to her.

He did well enough for both of us.

She grinned a little as a thought came to her, one that was more romantic in nature. Of him coming up behind her to help her aim. Alter's face flushed red at the thought of his arms wrapping around her.

Alter pushed away the thought, and fired again, this time squeezing the trigger longer so the auto could come into effect, emptying three or five from the magazine before she let up again.

Of course that won't happen.

Her lips twisted a little.

I'm a servant after all with already ample means of being able to understand how it all works.

He might just not like you enough.

A shot went wide, and she removed her finger from the trigger entirely as she puffed out her cheeks with a huff. She resisted the urge to ground her teeth knowing that she was nearing the end of her last magazine and every shot counted. Alter pressed her lips into a line focused on the competition part of it again.

Shut up.

She adjusted for a moment, resetting the butt of the gun against her shoulder. She leaned forward partly over the table, the railing that was blocking her from walking onto the range, and the table with her empty ammo mags, and casings that had fired out to the side. She sucked in her next breath and took aim once again, firing through the rest of her ammo.

Alter grit her teeth.

Focus you stupid berserker.

She kept squeezing the trigger until she was done. With a huff straightening up her lips twisting again.

I'm doing just fine, thank you very much.

Alter let the empty magazine fall to the table intent to leave it for whoever went next. Pressing a palm to her forehead with a grimace. "Come on. Just call it quits for the night." She muttered to herself in a bitter tone.

Footsteps pulled out of her thoughts and she caught the eyes of Ritsuka walking up to her. "Somehow seeing you wield a weapon in that purple dress of yours isn't a view I knew I needed to have."

"Idiot," She said to him, "Shut up." Alter set the gun down and let him hug her as he was planning to do. Even if it wasn't so cliche as the help she'd wanted from him. Help in steadying the gun and her aim. She smiled at the touch of his arms and she leaned into his shoulder, nearly head-butting his chest as she wrapped an arm around him in turn.

Good enough. Close enough.

"I think you did great," He smiled.

She hummed, "I did good." Alter pulled away from him only a little intent on holding him as close to herself as her stupid brain would allow her. Eventually, she turned her amber eyes onto the archer servant with a smile. "Perhaps well enough to even get us to finally get us some bragging rights over your sister and her edgy boyfriend."

Ritsuka snorted.

Robin stood up and cleared his throat. "Alright, give me a second." He smiled as he walked up the shooting area to peer down the range.

Alter and Ritsuka sidestepped together to give him some space.

Edmond flipped Alter off.

She smirked and flipped him off back.

Gudako stuck her tongue out.

Ritsuka swiped his fingers out from under his chin.

It was all in good fun so even Ibaraki joined in with making a silly face. It was enough for them to crack and break up the small tension with laughter. It was enough for it to evaporate entirely as they waited together.

Robin hummed, "Alright Jeanne Alter's total is 23. Which puts her and Ritsuka in the lead with a final score of 51 to 49." The green archer grinned a little and gave them a thumbs up. "Congrats on the couple."

Edmond comically sighed, still with a smile. "Damn it, I knew I screwed up."

Alter's smile grew into a slightly darkening smirk. "If you spent more time aiming and less time trying to show off." She gestured open palmed with her free hand. "Maybe you would have even run away with the win."

"Oi, at least I got the hug from my master I wanted while I was shooting." Edmond's grin widened.

Alter blinked and she grit her teeth, her eyes narrowing. "Why you little-"

How does he know that?!

She felt Ritsuka's grip on her hand tighten a little and he chuckled a little too.

Damn it and of course, now he knows!

Gudako gently smacked Edmond on the back of the head. "Don't worry, you're cute and I forgive you." She grinned a little. "But I expect you to have picked the most wonderful place for a late-night dinner."

Edmond wrapped his arm around her, "And does my ranking depend on it?"

She hummed eyes, narrowing playfully. "Hard to say from here. We shall review your final scoring come after dinner."

Alter tuned the rest of the conversation out, her cheeks were still red and she was taking careful efforts to avoid looking directly at her master's face. There was a pout forming on her cheeks. Her humming grew to audible that pout.

Ritsuka chuckled, "I mean I wasn't sure…I'll be sure to hold you next time."

"Ugh, forget it. The moment was gleefully ruined anyway." Alter pushed off of him a little, though Ritsuka was careful not to allow her to pull too far from him, still intertwining their arms between them.

"Dates rarely ever go perfectly Alter. Remember?" Ritsuka was gentle with his reminder, which Alter found she greatly appreciated. His smile was equally disarming over her darker and more embarrassing thoughts of all the recent affairs.

She puffed out her cheeks with a sigh, "I know." Alter's lips pressed together and she pressed her palm into her beforehand again, applying the pressure onto her skin as if it would somehow shut it up before it spoke.

He'll leave you if things don't go well.

Ritsuka saw her grimace and squeezed her hand. "If you aren't up for it, we can just head back and eat at the hotel?" He suggested with a slight tilt of his head. Alter got the sense he was trying to gauge her reaction. She also had the suspicion he would be able to see through a blatant lie of hers when trying to convince him otherwise.

He is observant like that.

For a few seconds longer she was quiet, even as she squeezed his fingers back. "I…was more excited about the dinner than I was about the shooting range anyway." She hesitated a little. "I'm not at my best right now…but as you say. I think it's because it's not going perfectly and I'm…still having trouble being okay with that." Alter's honesty shocked even herself; she moved to touch her own lips.

When has it ever come so easily?

"Alright then." He leaned over and pecked her on her jawline, beneath her ear. Even though it was brief she felt the smile in it. "Then dinner it is. And we shall call it whenever you're ready to head back to the hotel.

Her cheeks warmed, and there was a buildup of those alarm bells going off again in the back of her head. This time though, he wasn't close enough, or present long enough for the effect to continue building. The gesture still made her bashful and Alter pressed her lips into a line as finally seemed to relax her shoulders.

"Dinner then." She agreed.

### Ritsuka ###

There was only a brief moment when Gudako managed to pull him away from Alter during their trek to the restaurant. Edmond had taken up the head of the line, while he and Alter bickered back and forth, nearly acting like tour guides in their own way. Both of them were best suited for the role as they strolled under the evening lights and fancy billboards. Edmond had far more experience exploring the city than the others did, and Alter with vast knowledge of brochures and travel guides gave her an edge about some of the history and stories that went into the whole place.

Ritsuka raised a brow at Gudako, noticing her solemn and more serious expression. "What is it?"

She glanced at the servants taking the lead. "I think we should have a talk about something…and…it might be uncomfortable in its nature. It has to do with the potential to alter memories." She gestured to the singularity around them.

He slowed a little, "Then what's troubling you?"

"For all we know we've beaten the singularity before right? And then a reset happened, and we were unable to process or hold onto those memories?" Gudako bit her lip and she shook her head a little. "Whether it be a demon pillar or some very powerful rogue servant…they could just do this into infamy until they figure out a way to win."

Ritsuka nodded his blue eyes staring down at her, the siblings walking side by side. A car drove past them in silence as he fell quiet. "Yeah, it crossed my mind too."

Gudako's lip twisted a little. "That's the thing you see…" Ritsuka saw her golden eyes narrow toward him a little. Not filled with venom or malice. Only an emotion that slashed Ritsuka right down into his heart to make it ache. "As far as I can remember it, my brother and I were never on the same page."

He stopped.

"And you're wonderful…" She said.

"You think they changed me?" His chest muscles started to tighten. "Or…you think I'm…not him?"

There was a downcast silence between them.

Gudako cursed quietly. "I can't believe I'm doing this to myself." She ran a hand through her orange hair. "For all I know, I'm the one they fucked with." She turned to stare at him for a moment. "And we would never have a way of knowing. Not while we are in here at least…" She shook her head. "We…just need to sit down and have an extensive talk. The kind where we talk about our lives…and see…what matches up and what…" She looked away. "...doesn't."

Ritsuka's brow twitched. Like her, he seethed underneath that somber mask. He also, like her, didn't even want to consider it. The implications of all of it. If they could change that, they could change literally everything about them that mattered.

He reached over and offered a hand.

Gudako let out a slow breath and took another in.

"No matter what the conclusion, at the dinner table, at the end of the day…" He said half a smile.

He saw that smile form on his sister's face. "-You always be my brother." Her smile widened. "That's something I remember our parents making us say to one another…"

Ritsuka nodded, "After our long fights. A lot has always changed for us since then."

She nodded once, finishing the other version that she was supposed to say back. "And I'm always going to be your sister." Gudako straightened up a little. "You're right, I could just be thinking of particular times over others. A lot changed when we went off to the clock tower together." She blew out a breath. "Less infighting…more surviving."

It was a sulking feeling for a moment that settled between them. Ritsuka thought about a few things quietly and then smiled. "I've got one. Remember when you tattled on me to Dad about us sneaking into the shed? We both told a different lie." He folded his arms. "I dare say you weren't on my page then as I was the one that got in trouble."

Gudako snorted. "Asshole, you deserved it because it was so obvious after I snuck around to find the key, and you forgot to clean up our mess." She reached over and bumped his arm with a grin.

Ritsuka bumped her back. "Admit it, we need more of a basis than we were never on the same page. What about that time we dual confessed middle school to our crushes?"

"Ugh." She hit herself in the forehead. "Don't remind me. Even Edmond would laugh at me for that stupid question."

He chuckled a little.

She shook her head a couple of times trying to rid the memory back out of her head. "Alright, I got one. What about…our short aunt? She caught us trying to cheat by picking out chestnuts in the trees. We gave different excuses when we were caught."

"Again lack of communication." Ritsuka chuckled. "Though as I recall I shoved the blame onto you for that one."

"Yes, you did." She glared at him and then it softened with a small smile. The quiet came rushing back and they could hear Edmond and Alter's voices chattering about the statue that they were walking past under the city lights. Alter told its history and Edmond told a bit more about the location.

Ritsuka was quiet for a moment. "I have given it my own thoughts too…but for all intents and purposes. There isn't a difference." He spoke quietly and shook his head. "No point in dwelling on it now anyway."

Her golden eyes seemed to narrow, filled with all the passion and fury of even the possibility that something had been done to either herself or her brother. Gone was that brief solemness from earlier. In its place was only determined familiarity. "We will win eventually." She grinned. "One thing that hasn't changed, is we're both fucking stubborn."

He nodded. "Yes, we are."

The rest of the walk was less melancholy. Though Ritsuka and his sister thought a little bit more on the topic, they realized the necessity of letting it drop in order to have a good night like they planned. Plus he knew it would be hypocritical at least a little bit if he wasn't at least trying to put his best foot forward.

Of course, I want this date to go well.

He had his patience for hiccups that would crop up in it of course and try to smooth things over. But even he didn't want it to be a total drop. At last, he and Gudako separated when Edmond and Alter grew bored with their little tour.

He slapped his cheeks gently, freeing himself a bit more sharply from the heavier conversation. Though he appreciated the lighter weight that they both managed to ascribe to the discussion as they pushed it off for another conversation. Perhaps over lunch tomorrow during all the Doujin sales.

The action though, was something Alter clearly noticed as she raised a brow at him. She ended her conversation with Ibaraki and waited patiently, slowing down until she fell in step beside him. Up ahead he saw Edmond wrap an arm around Gudako hugging her close to his side once again.

Both of them can really be observant in their own way sometimes.

Alter snagged his hand when he offered it out to her. "Were we really boring you so much with our little tour?" She smiled in a way that let him know she wasn't really annoyed by it at all. The light concern was there. Then she blinked and looked away. "Sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound so…"

"A topic my sister and I agreed to discuss in detail." He interrupted. "No worries and no harm done." He scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know if it will be fully pleasant when we hammer the rest of that conversation out." He smiled back at her a little. "But don't think I tuned your conversation and toured entirely out Alter. I heard you might want to stop at a certain candy shop?"

She blushed, and no doubt would have folded her arms if she wasn't entangled with him. "I…just want to see what it's like." Alter didn't like the fact it was something she'd missed out on in her time away. She puffed out her cheeks in a slight pout and looked pointedly at him. "I ran out of chocolate this morning if you'll recall."

He blinked and started to blush, "Yeah…" The way she looked with the evening lights rolling off her skin was tempting enough to pull her in and kiss her. He compromised and pulled up her long purple glove-covered hands and kissed the fabric of it around her wrist. "It's okay Alter, you're cute when you're only a little jealous." He tilted his head. "Not enough to you know…make me feel as if my life is threatened."

Alter playfully pouted at him again, curling her hands into a fist and tapping his shoulder. Her pout grew more intense. "Ushiwakarmaru by the way didn't hesitate in telling me that you went underwear shopping with Mashu." Her glare became more pointed.

Oh, that little devil of an assassin.

He coughed and half smiled. "First off it was swimsuits-"

"Same thing!" Alter's fingers tightened on his arm. She pouted at him a little more pointedly, "It's a bra and panties just made of different material!" Sputtering at the end as if belatedly realizing what she was complaining about out loud. Alter covered her lips and looked at the others horrified of them potentially overhearing what she was trying to share.

For himself, Ritsuka felt a little like a deer in headlights quickly stumbling for an answer. "Alter this Mashu we're talking about. She prefers one-piece swimsuits." He tried to ignore the memory of the situation of him waiting patiently out for her to try different things on. One of them had been a two-piece he recalled. But if all the rest were one-piece it shouldn't matter that much in the grand scheme of it.

Oh.

A warning bell went off in the back of Ritsuka's head.

I'm not gonna win this one, am I?

She poked his cheek, still sternly glaring. "I don't care!" Alter hissed out between lips. "You were there with her in the changing rooms-"

Ritsuka quickly shook his head, "No. No, I definitely wasn't there with her. Not all. What is? You're getting this from Ushiwakamaru, remember?" He grabbed her finger before it could slip away and he kissed her knuckle. "You're the only person I would even want to be in a changing room with-" He bit down on his lip.

NO. NO NO NO.

Alter stiffened upright. "You hentai," She blushed from ear to ear. She sputtered again. "And you're dodging the main point." She curled her fingers into a fist and lightly tapped his shoulder. She pressed her lips into a line and he could see the embarrassment forming.

He could feel his own only increasing.

"You hentai."

"Since we're in a relationship now, it bothers me okay!" Her lips pressed into a tighter line and she puffed out her cheeks. "I'd prefer if you didn't do that with anyone else anymore." Her nose wrinkled. "Maybe your sister because I know that you two could never see each other that way."

Where did this go wrong? What was the important second point?

He nodded a little, "Alter, it's okay. I'm being honest that nothing happened. We weren't even supposed to be in there but-" He cut himself off as the sharp realization hit him again in the back. Like a cold splash of water. Ritsuka straightened himself and lifted Alter's fist to kiss her wrist again. "Alter, did Ushi neglect to mention the part to you where Mashu and I were being followed by Shadow Servants and we wanted to see how far they were willing to go?"

All the blush and embarrassment drained in an instant and her amber eyes turned into an icy glare that could probably freeze Medb in her tracks.

Once again, I envy that berserker enhancement sometimes.

"What?" She asked, "Are you serious? What happened?"

Ritsuka bit his lip and tilted his head a little. "Well, we were doing two things at the time. We were looking for BB and of course, I was also out and about to keep an eye out for you at the time."

She blinked and looked away. "Oh…"

"The Shadow servants came into the picture when we were at the market. You know the one we hit up for good fresh food? It's a few blocks from where the Servfest is held?"

Alter nodded once, more quiet this time.

He tried not to wince, knowing that something else was bothering her now. If he was a betting man, he was sure to win. Ritsuka would guess that it was the fact he'd run into trouble while he was out and about trying to look for her. Slowly, as the pace of the previous conversation slowed down to a halt with the change, he wrapped an arm around her to keep her close, and they set off once more following the rest of their friends.

"After we finished our round of questioning we figured they took to following us. Gudako and Ushiwakamaru stuck around at the market a little longer, letting Mashu and I go on ahead. Wanted to see if they would follow both of us or if they were after a single target."

"So you and Mash made a detour into a department store?"

Ritsuka held up a hand in surrender. "That was fully her idea, not mine. She wanted to do some real shopping while we were working. It's something that had been bugging her for a while. It was just browsing it at any rate…" He shook his head.

Alter nodded once. "Not sure if her stuff would make it over to the next loop."

Our journals and books seem to make it. But our Doujin copies don't.

He blinked and glanced at the flower corsage his sister had given them as a gift. He wondered if that would by some chance survive the journey from one loop to the next. Ritsuka quickly pushed down the uncertainty. "At the end of it, we think we threw them off enough. They were also unwilling to follow us into the store."

She'd fallen in step beside him and the pair of them once more intertwined their arms. "Medb's braves?"

Ritsuka shrugged, "More likely someone else's. We hadn't done anything to piss Medb off yet in this loop." He touched a hand to his forehead, that ever-present reminder of their half-made plans about him joining over with her next loop. Privately, he was still wracking his brain in a way that he could explain to Medb to allow Alter to come with them.

It would put her partially at ease.

His lips twisted a little.

Then again if Medb crosses a physical line with me it might piss her off more.

His blue eyes flicked sideways, and he looked at her. Once more the city lights reflected off them as they turned the corner down the main street passing between main buildings. Ritsuka glanced at her lips and down the exposed skin left from her dress.

Hentai.

Ritsuka smiled and sighed a little and shook his head of all those thoughts, clearing his mind. "Sorry if Ushi made you worry."

"Just forget it. It was stupid anyway…" Alter shrunk into her shoulders a bit and with her other arm she half hugged herself. "It's not like I know how to be a good girlfriend at any rate…" She muttered out.

He firmed his grip on her hand and hummed at her. "We're fine."

She made a pout at him.

"We're here!" Edmond said, hands on his hips. He took the last two steps by storm onto the porch, a tent hanging over the glass doors and an usher of some kind waiting at the door. They exchanged a smile as they both opened the doors for the group.

Ritsuka looked down to see a red carpet now beneath their feet as the group came to a stop. The entrance marked it as a part hotel. It wasn't entirely unusual given the fact that their own hotel had at least two places to eat.

He smiled a little and glanced over at Alter.

She seemed to shake off whatever dark thoughts were plaguing her this evening again. Long enough to smile a little back up at him. Almost near enough he thought to suck his breath away for the rest of the night.

Gudako tapped Edmond's shoulder. "Alright, let's see what you have in store for us tonight."

###Jalter###

It's clear the two of them are planning a nightcap.

Alter folded her arms waiting in the corner, her lips twisting a little as she watched them. She was hugging herself for the moment. The late evening air having gotten to her, and the full stomach made her feel just a tiny bit tired.

The dinner as Edmond had promised had been a hit.

Now she waited and watched Gudako and Edmond argue over what wine bottle they wanted to bring back to their room with them. The sake bottle was of course already a given, it had been the first thing Edmond grabbed.

Alter tapped her arm as she waited. Her amber eyes drifted to Robin who was going up and down the shelves trying to find something that would be more suited for his own date. Though even with that smile present on the archer's face, it was hard for her to ignore the pang now rooting itself once more in the center of her heart.

Jealous?

Shut up.

Ibaraki had elected to wait outside and instead decided on going with Ritsuka to visit Emiya's up the road a few blocks. The former wanted to see if Shuten-douji had made her way into the bar-restaurant at all. The latter wanted to pass on a few words to the round table for tomorrow about keeping an eye out for problems.

Both are reasonable excuses.

She bit her lip.

So why the fuck am I still sulking?

Gudako giggled at something Edmond had said, as they shared the wine bottle between them with a glance. She pushed him away and she shook her head. With a smirk, he put it back and grabbed another one. Alter watched the both of them look it over again, exchanging some more whispers.

Alter pressed her lips into a line.

This what…

She slunk behind the shelf not wanting to seem rude.

…being in a normal relationship must look like.

She knew it was bad to always be comparing herself to others. But the fact remains she had no other basis for which to compare herself. It was something she knew she shouldn't be doing. Alter could also imagine Ritsuka's advice to her about it. Reminding her that they are going at the pace she so chose.

A pace that wasn't freely given or known. That too was directly her fault she knew.

Alter hugged herself and her expression darkened as her lips pressed into a line. Trying not to think about how those stupid alarm bells brought horrible memories to her every time she even wanted to move at the pace she wanted.

"So stupid." She bit her lip.

Her fingers dug into her arms, nails biting a little through the gloves. Her lips trembled as she mouthed quietly to herself. "Just get over it."

I'm always here for you.

She grunted a little between her teeth, hiding away in some stupid small corner wanting to avoid running the moment for others. Her fingers curled and uncurled against her skin until she drew red marks into her biceps.

Go away…

Gilles could tend to you whether you wanted or not.

That was a mistake she wouldn't be making ever again. Even still, somehow the rub managed to hurt. Somehow it terrified her less and she couldn't fucking even begin to fathom as to why. Her fingers squeezed her biceps a little more. Her amber eyes grew bitter in their resentment and she glanced at the wine sitting across from her.

A bottle of Chinon.

Her lips twisted a little wondering how and why it had to be that wine she laid eyes upon first. The wine was famous, and the brand originated in a city built by that stupid holy maiden she knew from France.

Her eyes flicked to another and she found Chateau De La Tour. Something in her felt to crack as she reached over to the bottles and plucked them both off the shelf looking down at the both of them. There were others that pulled at her attention. A bottle of Bordeaux. Chateau Sanext. Her lips twisted further.

So stupid.

The wine was a welcome distraction from the seething resentment boiling up under her skin. Just the audacity of it.

How utterly fucked my priorities are.

She set one of the bottles down and grabbed another.

"It's bad manners to sulk in a store you know?" The annoying voice cut through her thoughts parting them quickly aside. In an instant, her riled and conflicting emotions were gone and she turned her amber eyes with a fury onto the owner of the voice.

Robin was there, a bottle of rum in one hand, and Irish cream in the other. He half smiled at her as he leaned over to look at the two bottles. "French wines?"

"Who asked you?" She muttered.

"No one, that's why I'm butting in." He half smiled at her, and his smile faded as her glare turned to ice. "Okay, not really in the mood to chat with anyone else are you?"

"What do you think Archer?"

Robin still nonchalantly leaned over and plucked the wine she'd just put back on the shelf to glance at the bottle. He hummed for a second. "I think that if you're planning a nightcap, it would probably put your heart a bit more at ease." Then he frowned a little. "Then again, you are most likely just hiding from your feelings and problems."

Alter glared at him.

He returned the stare, "You could also just be honest with him."

"I have been." Her lips twisted, and her nostrils flared, "What on earth would you know of it anyway. The fucking idea of you telling me, to be honest, is stupidity of the highest order." She snatched the bottle away from his hand.

Robin stared at her, "That's rich. Mine can't remember how many times I have been honest with her." He pointed at Alter, "And you accuse me of dishonesty." He seemed to laugh filling with just edges of mirth. "Maybe I got sick of being hurt at the restart of each loop so that she could scarcely see me the way I look at her?"

His problem isn't personal.

She bit her lip and straightened up.

But yours is. Shame that not even Gilles can help you.

He glared down at her and huffed out a breath. "What do you think, berserker? Arte thou clouded in a cage of madness?"

Shut up.

Her fingers squeezed her bi-cep and she tensed when his glowing eyes traced to the movement. Alter's lips twisted only more and she could feel the froth on her lips.

Robin sighed and put a palm against his forehead. "Sheesh, almost had me going there Alter." He laughed a little as he suddenly leaned away. He set the wine bottle back up on the shelf. "Not a French wine expert. I'm more of a British beer kinda guy." He hummed for a moment as if seriously considering which one he wanted.

She blinked at him, staring for a moment. Now it was confusion that she felt on top of all that seething and boiling anger. Her fingers grew tighter on her skin, even through her gloves the pressure was enough to elicit some pain from her. Distracting like the wine bottles had been from the issue.

Like Robin had been.

Alter's frown only deepened at the thought.

Robin hummed, "I'd say go with these two, or the one in your hand. The drawings on them look cool enough." Then as casually as he'd started the conversation, and with how hard she'd driven into him. He casually slipped away as if nothing had happened at all.

She glared at the space he'd left behind.

What was that about?

She hadn't noticed the door opening back up nor even the fact that Robin had turned toward the door to hug Ibaraki who was dancing with two things in either hand. They looked like desert skewers of some kind.

Ritsuka's voice still managed to startle her. "Hey,"

Alter yelped and spun around to face him eyes wide. She was red ear to ear at the reaction and the wine bottle in her hand suddenly felt very heavy. "Sorry, I uh…" She half smiled and then set the wine back onto the shelf. "I didn't hear you come back in."

He smiled at her, a bouquet tucked under his arm as he took a few steps towards her. Then he stopped.

She blinked and stared at him. "Wha-what is it?"

Perhaps a bit more timidly, her master walked closer to her until he was only a couple of feet away, his fingers brushed across the skin of her bicep. She felt the flicker of pain at the gentle soothing touch. Enough to draw her eyes right back to where she'd grabbed herself for her most recent conversations and the downward spiral of thoughts.

The same spot she'd been grabbing at all night, right above where her long glove came to an end. Red marks were there, more violent than before. She could still see the indents she'd left on her skin. A different emotion flooded through her. "Forget it," she muttered out between her lips. "I'm alright."

He didn't poke or prod, but the warmth of his thumb could be felt just above the edge of her glove, right next to the marks on her skin. Rtisuka hummed for a moment thinking to himself for a few seconds.

I'm alright.

Alter tried to smile a little at him.

I'm fine.

She watched him press his lips into a line for a moment, and then reach forward. With his other arm, not dropping the flowers, but wrapped it around her with his arm. He was careful to avoid the bicep, as he wrapped his other arm around her too. Her arms were stuck to her sides by the gesture.

"Sorry," He said quietly. "Next time I'll just bring you with me."

"It's not your fault." She hissed out against his vest, her fingers curling into his clothes, wanting to keep him there. Alter buried her cheek against his chest and her lips twisted into a growing frown of disdain.

The feeling of disdain of course was for herself. She'd been nothing short of a mess for fair portions of their first date.

"I know." He smiled, and she could feel his lips in her hair. It was enough to make her go tense for a few seconds as he pressed his kiss into the folds of her hair. "But I still want to be there for you."

She took a long breath and closed her eyes. Slowly she returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around him, content to hold their spot for a few minutes longer. It was enough, she realized. The tense feelings in her muscles started to loosen, and the cascading thoughts started to smooth enough to bring her calm.

Then she stood up on her toes and kissed him on the chin, blushing red from ear to ear. "I'm sorry about tonight." Her own heart danced in a way that made her feel just a little bit better. She smiled a little again at him.

More than enough.

"Tonight went great," He nudged her a little. "Despite whatever's bothering you I hope." Ritsuka smiled again at her. "It was an odd first official date, but it went smoothly enough."

"Ugh…" She sighed and pushed away from him gently as she pressed a palm against her forehead. Then she felt the brushing of flowers against the skin of her back as she watched him bring the bouquet back between them.

She raised a brow at him. "What are those for?"

"Thought we could decorate your desk with them tonight." He glanced away a bit nervously, "Though I admittedly didn't think it wouldn't matter by the end of tomorrow with the whole loop resetting." Ritsuka's blue eyes flicked to hers and she watched his cheeks turn a bit red to match hers.

"You got them for me?"

"Of course I did." He straightened himself up a little. "After all, I'm your boyfriend now. I have the right to spoil you whenever I want."

"Idiot." She smiled and tentatively took the flowers from him. "Mm, we'll have to see about getting things that transfer over from one thing to the next." She folded her arms and found her fingers tapping the side of her elbow. "Mm, and…I think I'd want to keep them from the start on my desk…" Alter turned a little red at the thought of it. "Next time." She said quickly as if hoping he didn't notice.

Ritsuka blinked and his smile widened. "Alright, next time then." He offered the bouquet out to her.

Tentatively she took it as if it was going to suddenly disappear. She brought the flowers to her nose inhaling all the wonderful smells that the flowers brought with them. It also hid her blush enough to where she could straighten herself out a bit.

It was her turn to speak a bit hesitant. "Did you want to get wine?"

Alter quietly considered that, knowing that she probably didn't have the stomach in her to do a nightcap with him. Too much else buzzing around in her head right now. There were still those ever-present pangs of jealousy that the others had given her. She glanced over her shoulder at the bottles that lined the shelf behind her.

"Too much?" He offered into the quiet.

Alter blinked, "I…think I'd like one." She plucked one of the bottles off the shelf again. "I…think I just want something to dull the mind a little before we go to sleep tonight." Alter could only hope the flowers hid how red her cheeks must've turned.

He breathed out and scratched the back of his neck. The nerves were present in his expression as he turned to look at something on the wall. Then he half smiled as his eyes came back to her. "Only if you're sure."

She nodded once, straightening up.

Who said it had to be for a nightcap anyway?

Alter turned the bottle over in hand and with her other hand pulled up her dress reaching for her own share of gilbucks she'd stuffed away. She shrunk into her shoulders as she pushed past him and toward the counter. She didn't need to look at him to know that the idiot was probably still smiling at her.

It's just a drink to help get my mind off of things.

Edmond and Gudako were purchasing at the counter.

Robin and Ibaraki were already walking outside with their bags in hand.

Alter pressed her lips into a line.

He won't understand.

Her lip twitched and she blew out a breath looking back at him and noticed he'd followed her to the line. Standing at the counter with her as they went through the process of getting ringed up for the wine. "I gave myself a lot of grief over this stupid little thing you know?" She tried to joke about it.

Rituska tilted his head a little at her, "What changed your mind?"

She puffed out her cheeks, "I think I just wanted to relax before I went to sleep tonight. The wine will help me get my mind off things." She fell quiet for a moment as she leaned toward him a little. The words she wanted to say to him initially died in her throat at the thought of how embarrassed she would be.

The plain honesty in that she simply finds him trustworthy. Even if she couldn't go through with what the others were clearly intending to do. That particular thought was near enough to start the whole stupid spiral again. She blew out a breath and smiled at him, as she focused on that simple truth again.

He raised a brow.

She cleared her throat as she placed a line of gilbucks on the table. "Besides, a bouquet is rarely complete without a bottle of wine right?"

Trying. I have to try.

Or he'll leave.

Her brow twitched.

I just want to try.

Ritsuka nodded once at her, that same half smile still there. "Well, I'll definitely have to remember that for next time. I'd hate to give you only half gifts." He leaned over to kiss her cheek again.

She hummed, trying to ignore the warm feeling that spread through her. Even if it was nice compared to what she was used to. With the wine bottle purchased, and the brown back over it the pair walked back out into the warm evening air.

Gudako stuck out her tongue in the vague direction of Emiya's Iron Bar. "He can stuff it, we just got stuff to party and we won't get in trouble." She touched Edmond's shoulder as she wrapped her arm around him. "Then again, maybe your tall dark, and broodiness scared them off from even answering the question."

Robin shook his head amused, "More likely the idiot was just taken too aback by the stunning ladies with us here tonight." He smiled a little. "Either way, it won't really matter much for him at least. Not likely to get in much trouble."

"Tch." Alter tried to ignore the flattery, instead, her lips twisted a little as she tucked the bottle between her free hand and her hip. With the other, she held it out and waited patiently for him to notice the gesture.

It didn't take Ritsuka long, having fallen into a bit of a routine with her. "I can see it." He said quietly, tilting his head as if studying Alter's appearance.

She blinked and muttered quietly, "Idiot."

Gudako snorted, "Either way doesn't matter! We circumvented an Emiya, and we are going to finally cut just a little bit loose before the big day tomorrow." She hummed, "I think I'll have to mark this down for next time."

"You know we are going to get a lot of lectures if he finds out we even stepped foot in a liquor store?" Ritsuka smirked.

"Doesn't it just add more fuel to the fire?" His sister grinned back at him lopsidedly.

Alter thought she saw something perhaps a little more painful come across Ritsuka's expression. Then she saw the genuine smile form. It was delayed by only fractions of a second, and she realized if she hadn't been staring, she wouldn't have caught it.

"It does." He agreed.

The talk they had?

She pressed her lips into a line and thought. It was a thought more than enough to keep her distracted for the rest of their walk back to the hotel, right through where they'd all started to part ways after the lobby, in the hallways.

Edmond and Gudako rode up another floor. "See you bright and early for the limousine ride."

Ritsuka smiled, "Right. Don't get lost, and don't stay up too late. I think we could use the extra hands tomorrow around Servfest with how odd this loop has been.'' Absent-mindedly, Alter felt him tug a little on her fingers.

"Will do."

The door closed and left the two of them alone in the hall. Well almost entirely, as Robin and Ibaraki made their way down a few doors exchanging pleasantries as they went. Their conversation was quieter and far more subdued than the siblings. Their goodbyes have already been stated earlier.

Ritsuka let her go fishing for the keycard to their room.

Alter stopped a foot short of their own room looking down at the floor beneath her feet. Her heart seemed to grow heavier and her fingers curled a little into the palm of her hand while her other fingers twisted around the wine bottle.

She felt her master pause as he was searching for his card key, more than she actually saw him. "Alter?" He asked gently.

Asked in such a way that informed her that he was only just realizing that something was off with her. The tone of voice he used was one he always put on when trying to understand what was going on with her. A voice meant to show his care for her in ways that she couldn't quite put into words. Yet she understood.

And at that moment, it was all wrong.

He is the one who needs it right? Is he trying to hide it?

She shook her head once, "I…"

How do I even begin to try and comfort him?

"I…" Her brows knitted together. "I'm fine…" She settled to hopefully dissuade him from any worried follow-up questions he normally had in store when talking to her. She blew out a breath as she looked at him. Alter peered into those caring and tender blue eyes. Even the way they looked at her now was near enough to make her heart flutter.

That smile was still there, reminding her of that morning. The one he was wearing as a mask when trying to cover up something he'd thought was trivial. The same kind that faded away at the surprise from her compliment to him that morning.

You'd know all about wearing a mask wouldn't you?

Her lips twisted and she bit down the verbal response that had threatened to spill over. The last thing she wanted was for it to be construed as a message for Ritsuka. Instead, she focused a bit more on those blue eyes and the gentle masking smile.

Even if I have problems…

"Master…I…want to be…here for you." She blurted it out before she could think herself out of it. Before she could make more excuses for it. Alter glanced to the side and trailed off. "I mean…I…want you to talk to me too." She frowned a little as she reached out to grab his wrist with her free hand. "I feel…I would feel…more guilty if this is only one-sided. Like I said this morning…" She blinked turning away and cursed quietly.

Is that all it would take?

Ritsuka's eyes went a little wide.

Why is it so hard for me?

She pressed her lips into a line. "What I mean…" she spoke, trying again. "Is that you can't be the one always comforting me…I…feel guilty about this relationship as it is." Her amber eyes darted up at him. "Yes, I know we agreed that there is nothing to feel guilty about. Logically of course…but I…still feel it…" Alter's brow straightened and her legs slid together to straighten her up taller. "I want to help."

I want to help.

Worthless.

He returned the grasp on her fingers, "I…mean…there isn't much to tell." Ritsuka brought her gloved fingers to his lips and kissed her. Then he seemed to deflate a little, and away his smile seemed to go for a moment. "Was I really looking that bad?"

Alter tilted her head a little and offered him an awkward smile. "No worse than I've been the whole night." Then she nodded once at him. "Pretty bad master, especially with the goodbyes you shared." She glanced away from him. "It's what made it…more obvious to me above the rest of your behavior tonight."

Ritsuka nodded, letting go only to find the room key. He held the card up between them. "Come on, I'll explain…but…as I said…it's not much to it other than a bad feeling."

###Ritsuka###

Alter was patient with him, he found as he often was with her. She waited until they were sitting across from one another on the table in the corner of the room. The wine was airing out and had yet to be poured, but the cork sat beside it and he found his eyes focusing in on it. The grooves and indents into the shape of it.

Those amber eyes peered across from him filled with concern warmed his heart.

He smiled a little at the feeling and nodded once. Ritsuka had decided to be blunt from the start of it. As Honest as he could be without potentially violating or giving away his sister's fears. Those were, after all, her story to tell if she so chose. "We discussed the topic of our memories being affected…a bit more in-depth. Probing other implications of it." He tapped his fingers along the table.

He could feel his heart turn to stone at even the thought of it. The anger that started to fill him as a reflex just even at the possibility.

"My sister…isn't sure I'm her brother…"

Alter blinked, staring. He could see the spark of understanding in her eyes in an instant. The horror at the thought of it. The cruelty that could be trapped within it. The insult at the very implication that could form in it. Politely though, she waited for him to continue and speak his mind.

"It's…not meant as an insult to me or from me to her." Ritsuka rubbed his hands together. "It's just the plain fear of it that's seeping in right now. That's possibly why Ed was being so lovey-dovey at dinner. He could tell something was wrong." He blew out a breath and shook his head again, and forced himself to stop rubbing his hands together.

She stared at him and he could see her own fingers curling into a fist together. Alter's anger was much quicker to rise to the surface. But this anger wasn't at herself like it normally was. Or their enemies like it normally was. This anger was on behalf of him.

He blew out a breath and glanced away. "And…while we passed off the concern…the deviation…slight or not is cause…enough for some worry." Ritsuka nodded once. "We aren't even sure we…" He cut himself off and suppressed his lips into a line. "It's just on the back burner now for the both of us…" He shrugged, "There is…no way we can be sure…but it's another thing we have to consider going forward." Ritsuka trailed off for a moment as he thought about his life at the clock tower.

How much more raw it made him feel.

I just had to pick those dreams to show her.

Jeanne Alter nodded again. "I…" Her fingers twitched and suddenly he got the distinct impression of someone who was uncomfortable. Like she had backed herself into a corner that she didn't know how to get out of.

If it had been another time, he might've found it amusing. But he understood how riddled with self-doubt she continued to be when it came to the two of them. The confusion of how she was supposed to go about doing what she had firmly set out to do. And that was to comfort him like she had this morning.

He reached over and grabbed her hand, holding it firmly. "It's okay," He nodded and even though it was painful he continued. "I'm okay…I just…" He pressed his lips into a line. It was a lot he knew that was true too. They'd been taking on so much for what was supposed to have been a short vacation.

How close am I?

Ritsuka wondered but suspected with certainty.

He shook his head, "I just hope that it's not true…"

Because if it isn't…

Ritsuka took a long breath mired with unevenness as he leaned back into the chair. He could feel Alter's fingers firm themselves around his knuckles. In that moment he huffed out another breath and shook his head.

He didn't even want to consider it. Rituska didn't want to grow to understand that feeling. If he thought about it too much it would be the thing that surely tore him away from all of it. The drive to get through it.

I'll need time.

He nearly hissed at himself.

It's not certain yet.

Alter peered at him biting her lip, her fingers gripping his hand tighter. Being at a loss, was something that slowly started to fade from her expression. And he could see her amber eyes sharpen with a certain focus.

Then he saw the decision she made as she stood up. She walked to his end of the table and wrapped him up with both arms, hugging him. Pressing his head against her stomach. Her lips twisting a little. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I wish I was better at this…" She glanced away, "You deserve better than this," she corrected.

He could feel her fingers dig firmly into his hair, and the other firmly in his shoulder.

"I would be distraught too." She said, "I mean…" She bit her lip again and he could feel her shake her head somewhere above him. "You and your sister…have been through so much together." He could feel her fingers holding him shaking at the sudden thought. Maybe that same fury was mirrored in her. "If I'd ever had someone like your sister…I think I'd know…what it feels like."

Ritsuka, at last, returned the hug. His fingers against the bare curve of her back growing more firm in holding her there.

"This…is…so much worse than we imagined," she muttered. And while he couldn't see her she could feel her firm hold on him start to waver, and her fingers opening and closing against his skin and his hair. A curse hissed out from between her lips, something in French that he didn't recognize.

He loosened his hold on her too.

And she backed away her cheeks red, a slight pout on her lips, not really meant to be directed at him. Jeanne Alter took a long breath and touched a hand to her chest over where her heart was and sighed. "Sorry," She muttered.

He half smiled at her, "And once more, you don't have anything to apologize for."

She grinned a little at him as she grabbed her arm the same way she does when trying to suppress an emotion of any kind. Alter's grip wasn't tight enough to leave marks on her arm at any rate like it had the last time. Though that slowly started to change with the darkening of her expression. "So…what does that mean for us?" She asked carefully. "I mean…whatever could be fucking with you two…"

"Think they're running experiments on us?" Ritsuka sensed the direction that it might be going in. He hadn't thought about that either.

Alter didn't want to say it but she still managed to jumble it out for them. "I mean…we can't know anything for sure right?"

"No, I suppose not," He agreed. "But I'm content to let this one experiment play out." Ritsuka leaned back a little. "Singularity or not, I don't think my feelings could change so easily on a dime." He didn't want to think about it much more either. Especially when going down that particular path of thoughts.

She nodded once. "I hope…" Alter glanced at the wine bottle beside him.

He hummed, grabbing it to pour something small for the both of them. "One drink for the both of us, before we go to sleep tonight. How does that sound?"

He watched her expression clear from the darker emotions. It was instant as it always was with that prevailing berserker enhancement. She smiled a little, a blush returning to her cheeks in a way that made his own heart start to race.

"I think…that sounds quite wonderful." She blew out a breath and moved to take her seat across from him, taking care to brush his legs with hers only once, as she removed her heels. Then she offered her glass as he poured the wine.

He tried not to think about how her legs brushing against him made him feel. But with the whole world seemingly against them, he rather relished in the small gesture. Content to laugh and drink in a more light-hearted way. One that he could only hope would clear their minds enough to have some better dreams.

Ritsuka took a light sip and could only gawk as Alter, chugged the whole of the first glass down. She grinned as she snatched up the bottle to take on a second. And in that moment, Ritsuka could only hear the alarm bell go off in the back of his head.

Thankfully she didn't chug down the second. "S-sorry…" She muttered again, still smiling. "Really bad night you know." She flicked her forehead. "My stupid head won't shut up and...and you should know first hand about how terrible I am with comforting my boyfriend so…I think I want a little more." She blew out a breath. "I don't know, maybe I'll even want thirds if my head keeps yabbering away.

The grin was there, but Ritsuka could hear the mirrored pain behind it even when he chuckled. "Good first date, but I guess the mood could've been better."

"Ugh, my fault too." She pinched the bridge of her nose. This time she took more of a swig than downing it all. "No…I know what you're going to say…"

Ritsuka smiled, "So long as you know."

She nodded again and seemed to deflate a little. A sort of silence seemed to slowly wrap up and hug the table that they shared between them. Her amber eyes flicked between looking at him and the wine glass in her hand. "At least our doujin is better than we both thought it might be. Given the late start that we had."

At that, Ritsuka nodded.

She is as bad with this as I am.

It was almost enough to make him smile. The way she was now just awkwardly trying to fill the quiet with him. Ritsuka took another sip from his drink and tilted his head a little at her. "You're doing wonderfully Alter."

She pouted at him turning red as she planted her chin on the table. "I don't like being patronized even if it's a compliment." Her pout grew as she puffed out her cheeks and pressed her lips together into a line.

Ritsuka in the meanwhile looked her over again watching her as she slowly freed her long white hair from all the ornate stuff she'd put it up into for their date. The frown on her lips only grew as the long minute went by. He chuckled a bit and shook his head a couple of times. "It's okay, I really want this to go well too."

Even if I learned something about us has changed.

He smiled at her.

She is still here in one way or another.

###Jalter###

Alter's breath hitched and she lifted herself from the table only enough to look up at him. She was still flushed even as she loosened the tension of her puffed cheeks. Even as she took another swig, to hide the blush on her cheeks her amber eyes roamed over him, studying his expression. She stared at him desperately searching for the right words she wanted to say.

I realized something.

Even as more pleasantries were exchanged, it all became secondary instantly, and suddenly she found her mind whirled in stark silence. A hush for the single voice in the back of her mind as he said something that made them both laugh.

She'd told half truth earlier. About memories and the singularity.

That I do have something I don't want to lose.

It was enough to make her heart dance in her chest.

The closest person I have…

It had been a lie to herself to stave off the fear that she knew continued to circulate around her like a predator waiting for its moment to seize her. Even knowing that it would come didn't make the feeling better. The way that he smiled at her.

Stupid. Dumb. Idiodic.

Ritsuka sputtered at something she said covering his lips trying to keep from spitting out all the wine he'd tried to drink. She likewise pointed at him laughing, having caught him in the moment of something. The small prank notwithstanding, she was rewarded again with even more of the sound of his laughter.

The truth of it…is that it was far too easy to imagine. The idea that you could be taken from me. The idea that you already were.

She could taste the wine in her mouth as she swirled the goblet around.

Would it matter if he was really the one who held my hand back then?

The alarm bells went off in the back of her head.

It makes me angry…but I want to commit this to memory. And I don't want it muddled. I want so many things that I can't express.

It seemed to grow into a headache. One that she continued to ignore knowing…perhaps trusting that somehow it would go away. Just this once long enough for her to be near him. Just to share the space with him.

But if you're gone…what will I do?

The rest of the conversation seemed like a sweet melody. Moving through them like an unbroken current. But even then she knew something was deeply wrong. Alter ignored it to relish in the moment's melody.

I can't trust myself…this I already know. This loop proved what happened when I left you. I went to people worse. What if they had agreed to help me? What if Medb's monster had gotten you in that hall? What if the singularity already got you? What if it already got me? What are we even doing?

"Can I kiss you?" He asked.

Alter reached over and chugged the rest of a fourth glass. "Guh," She came up for air and wiped her lips and chin with her glove. She tugged at his tie as she plopped herself down onto his lap facing him, only a few inches above his head. Her heart must've been racing even more. And she could feel the room almost tilt.

She could feel his warm breath on her décolleté under the red ribbon around her neck. Jeanne Alter was red-cheeked as she firmed the grip around his tie, her amber eyes filling with a haze as she opened and closed her mouth only a few inches away from him.

"You better." She bit out.

Ritsuka smiled at her, that stupid idiotic smile that she hated and loved with all her fury. She for a moment was left to wonder if it was a teasing smile before she tasted his lips on hers. It was thankfully more reminiscent of their morning kisses they shared so far. Enough to drive her up the wall as she hummed into his mouth.

She felt his arm wrap around her back and press her closer, her hair falling around him. She reached up and pulled out the corsage. Tugging out other things in haste not wanting them to be ruined and her hair to be a bit more free.

He pushed them apart first and tilted her chin up to kiss her neck and worked his way lower, feeling his teeth against the ribbon around her neck and then the gentle peck of his lips. Next was her clavicle above her breasts. This time the kisses were a bit longer as she worked to discard the next piece in her hair.

Sensing what she was doing he stopped and peered up at her, leaning away to tug at one of the braids in her hair and starting to unwind it.

She stopped to kiss him as thanks. Being sure to press her palm down against his chest, pushing him upright, and flat against the chair. Feeling and tasting the heat of him as that alarm bell only grew with all its own potent fury.

They were in bed and she was on top of him when the alarm bell almost threatened to explode cutting through the fog like a searing pain as she came up for breath. Her lips felt almost sore from the intensity of it. Her heart froze in her chest as if threatening to explode. Her breaths were deafening in her ears as it pierced through the quiet of the room as his did the same.

Another kiss.

His hands were on her hips, fingers in the open space of the dress, holding her up. His blue eyes scanned her up and down as if she were the most important thing in the room and world to him. But they were also gentle and caring as they always were.

Her knees were on either side of his hips, and she had a hand on his shirt. With the other, she was holding onto his wrist. Keeping one of his hands in place on her own hips. She breathed out again, cheeks red with blush. Her amber eyes narrowed a little as the seconds went by looking down at him.

And found him slightly blurred.

There she was, in a wrinkling purple dress and her hair free of all the ornate things she'd tried for the date tonight. Unwound slowly over the course of their conversation both by her, and by him as they first collapsed with giggles onto their bed. He'd started unwinding her remaining ornate things so her white hair could flow more freely in the space between them.

"Alter?" He asked gently, sucking in air as much as she was with heavy breaths.

I can't remember the taste of his lips.

Her brow twitched.

Was that my fault? Or was it the singularity?

His hand moved upward to shift her back down.

Jalter's hand firmed against his chest, and the movement stopped. "S-sorry…I…" Her brows narrowed a little and she could feel it. That searing pain in her head and she stopped holding onto him to smack herself in the forehead. "Something's wrong…"

What would I do without you?

I need you.

Ritsuka's blue eyes took a few seconds longer to focus on her and she was able to watch that hungry haze over his eyes fade away. His cheeks were red too. Perhaps he had more of the wine than she'd noticed in their conversation. Whenever that had come to an end. She didn't look away from him.

Her fingers started to shake and the room seemed to spin.

Something is wrong.

The dizziness only intensified and her strength seemed to leave. She shook her head shaking. "I don't know." She managed. The hand she was using to support herself upright on his chest started to shake.

Her breath shook and vaguely the world continued to spin. She spotted the flowers he'd gotten her, sitting on her makeshift desk beside the bed as she promised it would be. Distracting from the panic that was going through her.

Posion?!

It came unbidden from the corner of her mind. Fear that never quite left her. The kinds of things she didn't want to end her night on. Because she didn't know where it had come from. "I'm…dizzy again." She managed enough for him to hear before she was unsure of even that moment.

The rest of the world faded into a blur around her. Unfocused and covered with a blinding haze as she felt herself fall. She heard Ritsuka's voice and it was calming as it was always above it all. The weight of it, the breath of it. All the things she feared she would never be for him. Even as that voice grew strained with worry.

It was only in her final grasp of consciousness did she remember something familiar that had happened.

Mana.

###Ritsuka###

His blue eyes widened as he caught her by the shoulders. His heart leapt into his throat and his brows narrowed. Panic was a near thing to set in on the sight of her motionless in his arms. He could feel the air from her lips, which was the only thing that had kept it away like a dam does a river.

The breathing was strained was the next obvious notation he made, as he slowly moved to get out from under her still holding her in his arms. He didn't know what or why it had happened and further still that panic slowly started to creep into his arms.

Ritsuka must've muttered her name half a dozen times with intensity. He noted that there was seemingly still nothing wrong with her. He managed to push the fog of panic away long enough to touch his forehead and concentrate with a sharp focus.

"Medea I need you." The prompt was almost like a command seal, forceful and direct. But it was a near thing, he glanced at the remaining two red marks that were there on the back of his hand just to be sure he hadn't. Remembering with distinct clarity the other time he'd used it in battle.

Her voice returned, startled. "Master?! Medusa we-" The connection severed and he trusted his servants to come at the beck and call to his aid with haste. He didn't remember where they stayed. But with Medusa, the rider, it would be a very short wait indeed.

Ritsuka took a breath and lowered Alter gently to the top of the bed freeing his legs and arms out from under her. Quickly he kissed her temple and strained to hold back the panic of his shaking fingers straightening her gently out on the bed as he stepped away. He all but sprinted for the door to unlock it. He swung it open gazing out into the hotel. The open floors in that wound around him. The balcony that he neared provided an open view of the lobby floor far below.

The air in front of him contorted, forming from a blur the familiar colors first of Medea having been carried by Medusa on the wind. The air blast was like a storm in the hall shaking the floor of the hotel.

Ritsuka couldn't bring himself to care and made room. "Inside…she's on the bed."

Medea floated quickly past him and Medusa paused to stare at him.

Her voice was calming in that low melodious monotone that it always seemed to be in. "How bad?" She asked calmly.

He shook his head once, twice. "I…I don't know. Bad, she passed out from being dizzy as she said just before she collapsed..." Ritsuka must've looked far more shaken than he seemed because Medusa reached out and squeezed his shoulder. He blinked away the confusion and gestured once more for her to join Medea inside the room.

The last thing he saw was Robin opening up his door down the hall and catching his eye. The archer must've heard the wind and could only have responded as quickly as his legs could carry him. His eyes found Ritsuka in an instant with an open door and stared hard at him, wondering what was going on.

Ritsuka gave him a look that spoke of trouble and he came jogging over. Then he finally closed the door behind them.

Around the corner, the first thing Ritsuka saw was Medea floating above her hands alight with magic as she worked through her usual diagnosing spells. He noticed that the princess of Colchis for once wasn't wearing her cowl. So her purple hair was flowing freely, if a bit messy from the wind currents it just sustained.

Medusa's hair was likewise perfect though she was, as always quiet as she waited for Medea to come to whatever conclusions she supposed.

Robin yawned but was in the room just behind Ritsuka walking around him to see Alter lying on the bed. He then looked at his master and grabbed his arm. "Want me to fetch the others?"

His instinct had been to say yes immediately.

"I'll be faster." Medusa pointed out, interrupting his thoughts.

Not thinking clearly.

It was the first hint for him that he wasn't having missed the obvious choice in the rider servant, and the extra second that it gave him to realize he could already potentially be wasting everybody's time. Quietly he smacked his forehead trying to clear those thoughts as he moved toward the bed adjacent to Alter, sitting at her usual desk.

Those flowers were still sitting there.

It was only then he managed to speak. "Wait, wait I…" Rituska looked up at Medea. "Let's wait and see what Medea diagnoses first. If it's just something minor there would be no point in fetching the others. We've had a long day and we are going to have an even longer one tomorrow."

Robin snorted. "Every day and every week seems to get busier around here." He sighed and walked his way over to the Medusa meaning to chat the gorgon up about a few things should she be the one to at least get Mash and Ushiwakamaru.

"Split up your duties," Ritsuka added.

It is late, he supposed.

But he recognized the denial and avoidance for what it was.

No, I'm just worried.

He looked at Alter's hand lying open on his side and then up at Medea. Ritsuka's lips twisted uncertainly as if it would interrupt her concentration. Thankfully though, the princess of Colchis caught on.

She didn't smile at him, but she glanced his way, "You can hold her hand master." Then her brows furrowed a little. "Mana, something is wrong with her mana flow."

Rituska didn't need any further prompting as he snagged Alter's hand gently, scooting closer to the bed. "Her mana is lower than normal?"

"Yes…well…" Medea's brows knitted together in confusion. "It's lower because the flow is interrupted. It's…" She trailed off again thinking. "She's on her own personal battery now and she's been unplugged."

Ritsuka stiffened. "From Chaldea? Because the masters don't supply mana? And if we do, it's in very short quantities."

Medea's eyes widened. "She's cut off…" She licked her lips and floated away and down onto the floor. "She's not getting anything from Chaldea!"

He could feel his heart drop into his stomach. "She's been having problems about it for a fair bit of the loop." And as he recalled a bit more, after Shakespeare, "And the last. They've been minor though. Small dizzy spells here and there, and loss of balance as a result. Nearly falling over. What's changed? Why is it happening now?"

Medea shrugged, "I…don't know master. I can only tell you as I found it…Chaldea is not supplying her mana right now. But it's coming intermittently." The princess's eyes seemed to glow. "Right now, it just started up again. But it's…as I said it's like it's being interrupted and she's not getting a hundred percent of what she needs."

Hello, anxiety my old friend.

It was just another thing to add to that goddamned list.

"Master?" Medusa questioned.

Ritsuka blew out a breath and his fingers tightened their grip around Alter's knuckles. "Get the others." He ordered.

Medusa and Robin bowed their heads and darted for the door meaning to do just that. Having already split their duties as needed between them.

Medea grabbed the folds of her cloak. "I'll do what I can to try and stabilize her for now." She took off again floating once more above the two of them.

He could barely nod at her in acknowledgment. The night was getting longer and the days were getting busier. The singularity just never seemed to let up long enough for them to get a single moment. And in his lap, he found his fist shaking, and his fingers digging into his palm hard enough to leave marks. The voice in his head was tired, dry, and filled with a sense of rage he hadn't felt in a long while.

Another day…

###Ritsuka###

"-another crisis," Gudako muttered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Their clothes were as much of a mess as they were. Clearly having been put on in haste in order to arrive quickly. Her hair too was tied into a messy bun. She pushed her lips into a line of thought and her eyes only narrowed as she walked to the other side of the bed opposite to her brother.

Ritsuka might've huffed a laugh about it if he didn't feel the situation growing more dire as the seconds ticked by. He worked to clear his head because he needed it to be clear. It was the only way he was useful to his servants. The only way that useless mages could ever be useful…his lips started to twist.

Gudako's golden eyes went from Alter to him. She stared for a few seconds in silence at him and she let out a slow sigh. "Is her spirit core damaged in some way?" Turning only after she spoke aloud to Medea, the Caster doing all the assessing for the moment.

Medea shook her head still holding onto Medusa's hand as she spoke. "No, but it has been destabilized for some reason." Her lips twisted, and her eyes seemed to fill with a rare sense of concern. "As I already explained to your brother, the mana flow to her is being periodically interrupted. Something is interfering with Chaldea's summoning system."

Ritsuka took another long breath. "She isn't going to just up and disappear then." It wasn't quite a relief that he felt, but it did give him some reprieve from the worst-case scenario. His fingers intertwined with the webbings of her hand.

"No," Medea confirmed.

Gudako scratched the back of her head and looked back around at the Ushi and Mash around the pink-haired girl's shield. She was trying to use it to contact Chaldea. But all they were getting was still static. His sister touched a thumb to her lip as she thought and paced away from the bed for a moment. "How long do we have?"

Medea shrugged. "For the moment indefinite. If her condition deteriorates or any other servants are experiencing something similar." She glanced at Medusa. "Inform me and I'll try my best to stabilize them. In the meantime masters, I'd recommend getting any other casters we have in the singularity to help.

His sister nodded once and then looked his way.

Ritsuka nodded a few times a bit more slowly. "Another thing to do tomorrow morning before we set off for our normal day."

Ushi huffed from her corner kicking the edge of her shield. "When did we get cut off?"

"We have no way of telling." Edmond pointed out leaning back against the wall further away from the group. "We haven't checked in a long while. And furthermore, we don't know how time is operating outside the singularity. Whether they are experiencing a linear progression, or like us are simply repeating the same weeks over and over." Edmond tapped his bicep as he leaned his head back flat against the wall.

Medea's brows knitted together. "We're what?"

That pulled the pair's attention sharply to Edmond.

He sighed and rubbed the tiredness from his eyes. "Medea, the singularity is someone's territory or hallowed ground. They can mimic true magic." Edmond was clearly tired, and he opened the door to having to explain to them the issue that plagued them. Something that was pointless given that Medea and Medusa likely wouldn't remember when the loop resets anyway. "I have a natural immunity to the problem."

"But we're not reliving weeks." Medusa pointed out.

"You are, your memory is just resetting at the end of tomorrow as it does for everyone else." Ushi came over to join and relieve Edmond.

In that fashion, Medea showed several different emotions from rage to concern. She also didn't like being fucked with. And given her legend, that was unsurprising. She glanced at Medusa stoic as ever beside her. Though the Gorgon seemed to be deep in thought about something.

"Our routine check-ins didn't vary much did they?" Gudako said quietly to Ritsuka.

Roman was cheery but that was hardly new.

His mouth started to twist a bit.

Romani Archaman

His head started to hurt. Something about that...was problematic...

Eventually, he stopped and shook his head. "No," Ritsuka agreed. "They didn't. Not enough to be definitive in either case…I remember them being cheerful as always." He ran finger through his hair as he leaned away from Alter, and back into his chair. Still holding onto her hand. Trying to ignore the sounds of her strained breathing.

It's a lot to put together.

Medea cleared her throat realizing there was nothing more to be done on the time front, but they all knew she would try her darndest to figure something out for herself and Medusa. "Alright, all servants are now required to eat three meals a day, sleep during the night and adhere to a more general living standard so as to avoid using up too much mana."

Medusa hummed. "That means no more floating menacingly."

The caster looked at her wide-eyed and rubbed the back of her head and she sighed. "Right…I do suppose…that I do that a lot. No more of that. No more dematerializing and rematerializing. Anything that puts general strain on mana usage we need to limit." She looked down at her feet on the ground for a moment and her lips twisted into a small sigh.

Gudako nodded, "I'll spread the word."

We'll have to spread the word again when the loop resets.

But Medea and Medusa were only freshly aware of that problem. And once again Ritsuka could only feel his mind start to wander until he felt a gentle grip return onto his hands. It was near enough to stiffen him upright and he made a gesture to quiet the hum of conversation as he scooted himself closer.

Alter's face twisted as she turned in the bed, thankfully toward him. Her expression was that of plain discomfort as her eyes seemed to squeeze shut even further and she pressed her lip into a line.

Though a moan escaped her lips as she strained as if to stretch. The reward was a following hiss as if she might've pulled something while she was sore, though he doubted that was the reason. Her amber eyes opened up onto him, a blush still on her cheeks not bothering to look anywhere else as she stared at him.

"What happened?" She managed.

###Jalter###

The room was muffled as she could feel that pressure and pain in her head slowly starting to fade away. It was all she could relish in as an accomplishment, trying not to think about all that had happened. She could vaguely remember Ritsuka's touch on her when she collapsed. Just as she could feel his hand around hers.

It was only with an effort she managed to open her eyes and look at him. She could see the relief on his features as she was coming to.

Serves the idiot right for falling for a monster like me.

It was only after she asked the question she became more aware of other figures in the room. People she couldn't quite make out yet as she tried to focus in on her master's bright blue eyes looking over her. "Feels like I got hit by Hercules."

"You passed out and…uh…I got help." Ritsuka explained. Then he glanced over at someone she couldn't see.

But she saw the figure come over to stand beside Ritsuka. Medea with her cowl down and her blue hair flowing out behind her. The caster class looked to be deeply disturbed by something else, even as she folded her arms and brought her eyes to look down at her. "You got a mana supply problem."

Not poison.

Alter wasn't sure if she should be relieved or not at the fact. She stared at Medea and then at Ritsuka. But the fact that her mana drop had been sharp enough for her to collapse was something new. Something curled around her heart like a vice grip and squeezed in her chest enough to make it ache. A bead of sweat dripped from her temple.

Still not fair.

She would've grit her teeth in anger but she found that the effort to do even that seemed to hurt a little right now.

The only time something could have damaged my spirit core was with Gilles.

Alter didn't want to think about it, and she hesitated to ask biting her lip, her fingers curling around Ritsuka's. Suddenly she was grateful he was near enough to keep a close eye on her and found his presence very comforting. She huffed out a breath. "My spirit core…" She started, finding the words clogging themselves in her throat.

"Is fine," Ritsuka answered gently.

Medea only nodded to confirm and took a long breath to gather herself. "From what I can tell Alter, your supply from Chaldea is being cut off intermittently. Like a damn opening and closing at random points." She put a hand on her hip and looked at Ritsuka and then back to her. "Wish I had more details than that, but otherwise it stands out as the only thing I can confirm."

Alter's lips furled and unfurled as she looked at Ritsuka.

In response, he kissed her fingers wrapped in his hand.

She huffed and shook her head.

Idiot.

She took a breath, "Why haven't I been feeling the effects until now?"

A deeper, more monotone voice answered her, somewhere where she wasn't looking. But she still recognized it for Medusa. "It's because you haven't been doing anything that would normally drain your mana supply. Aside from the incursion into the hotel as far as I've heard from those sea creatures. All you've been doing is eating, sleeping, and working on the doujins for Servfest."

It was Ritsuka's sister who spoke next, another voice she knew well. "You've also been making regular fluid transfers when you make out with my brother." She sighed dramatically, but Alter knew the shit-eating grin was there. "Among other things, you have been strengthening your mana ties a bit more to Ritsuka recently."

Ritsuka looked about as red as she felt at the comment. And Rituska sputtered at the start of his next sentence. "We have-" His lips twisted, "Ugh, yes, I understand that probably helped to stave off the result. "But sis we aren't exactly known for being mana generators? We got lectured for that all the time."

"Yes, we did," Gudako said.

Alter didn't turn to see, wanting to shrink a bit further into the pillows while her blush slowly faded from the prospect.

"It could also be the dream-sharing sessions you've had the last couple of nights. Sharing dreams is a powerful tool for strengthening bonds with servants. Furthermore, you've also brought her into your more memory-filled dreams. Another sign typically attributed to a deepening bond between a servant and a master." Gudako hummed for a moment.

"It helps." Edmond pointed out. "Servants are soul eaters by nature."

"Only we don't do that." Medea pointed out.

"Right," Mashu said. "So at least we know what's been delaying this…but the question is how long will her mana flow be interrupted?"

Medea cut in, "I can tell you that. It's reopening again now. It's smaller but it's there." She held up her hand over Alter's shoulder and frowned with glowing blue eyes. "As I said it will be periodically going and leaving."

Fuck. How can I be any more useless?

Your existence is a burden.

Alter huffed and muttered under her breath a curse for only herself to hear. Though she had to admit she could feel the pain and the blurred dizziness subsided somewhat. She took it to mean that Medea was probably right. That her mana was coming back. She squeezed her eyes shut and pulsed herself slightly to give it a check.

Something a proper master could do.

Her cheek twitched in irritation.

Shut up.

She fixated on the sense of it, the mana that was starting to trickle back in. It felt soothing almost like taking pain meds to relieve a sore limb. Only she found she was sore everywhere, and it was not enough to relieve all of it. She grabbed her bicep as she did whenever her discomfort grew and squeezed, trying to distract from it.

Ritsuka's hand was still curled around hers, and she could feel his gentle touch, pushing the white locks of her hair behind her ear.

When she saw him, he was looking at the rest of the room. "Suggestions?" He asked.

The room stayed quiet for a moment.

Even Alter tried to devote herself to thinking of one. One that would hopefully avoid putting the two of them in compromising positions.

Medusa's melodious voice was the first to fill it. "Ley lines," She looked at Medea. "Before Chaldea, whenever we were summoned during a holy grail war, Ley lines were key pieces of territory masters and servants had to grab a hold of in order to help maintain our presence."

"You mean beat the Earth trying to erase our existence on a constant basis?" Edmond huffed, he glanced at Gudako and then Ritsuka. "Speaking of, I had a good spot, a clearing in the woods that could substitute in part. Whenever I was spending a particular loop out here alone rather than with you all."

Alter considered, knowing that sleeping under a Ley line would help. If she could somehow dematerialize, that would be even better. But while the former was feasible, the latter certainly wasn't an option.

That one at least was the fault of Chaldea.

Or a terrible master.

Fuck off.

Medea nodded, "The sooner the better." She folded her arms. "There has to be a resident with camping gear somewhere in this hotel." She looked at Gudako and Ritsuka and coughed. "If uh…you will allow me, I can fetch some stuff for you to use tonight?"

"Master doesn't need to be there." Alter huffed. She squeezed his hand and pressed her palm into her forehead. "I don't want to risk…him being too far away from you all."

Ushi snorted, "Yeah right Alter, like we'd let the two of you go out there all alone. She grinned and wrapped an arm around Mash. What do you say to a big slumber party in a tent!"

Jeanne Alter groaned and shook her head "Like it wouldn't be a fucking headache with you around."

The summer assassin servant huffed, hands returning to their hips. "Sheesh, I forgot how moody you can get. Come on Alter you know I was just having a bit of fun." She waved it off and walked to a place where Alter could see her.

Alter tried to make a face at her only she was interrupted by her master Ritsuka running his thumb under her hairline again and her amber eyes flicked to him with an accusatory glance. "I don't want to put you in danger." This time she spoke directly to him with a worried glance. "I'm..already causing you so many problems that if…"

She stumbled over the words in her throat when he leaned a bit closer and tilted her chin up a little.

"I'm free to make my own choices too." He tilted his head a little, blue eyes going from her lips to her bright amber. "And I think I learned my lesson when I leave you to your own mind by yourself for too long."

Useless servant.

His fingers brushed her, the base of her lip resting on her chin. "And that's okay. Besides as your master, having me there to help could only speed things up for you."

She blinked, still feeling that ever-present ache in her chest growing with an intensity she couldn't describe. Alter looked away, the thought of the two of them camping out under the stars together had never even once crossed her mind yet.

Why is this happening?!

"I…won't be enough to protect you." Alter admitted.

Ritsuka hummed and looked up at the rest of the room, then back down to her speaking privately for the two of them. "Then can I invite others to join us?" He glanced at Ushi, who was now the closest taking up the spot Medea had once filled.

She shrugged, "Mash and I haven't gotten to use our room the last couple of nights anyway Alter." The summer assassin waved the prospect of the two of them tagging along for fun and business off entirely. Though there was that shit-eating grin that still came to her lips a few seconds later. "Though I hear that red archer and Artoria might be a good pair to bring."

Gudako snorted, "They'll do their job and they're a good team despite the awkward tension that might fill the space between them." She shrugged in a manner that Alter could barely see from her place at the corner of the foot of the bed.

It was with that glance that she also noted Medea was already gone. Off to fetch any camping gear that she might find in the hotel.

Gudako nodded towards where Alter had last heard Mash's voice and walked out of her eyesight. With another gentle touch to her temple Alter once more found herself eye-to-eye with her less than a foot away. He tilted his head in a lopsided way smiling for her, knowing it would help her, even if it was minor.

Alter hated it.

You're a burden.

But his smile at her helped.

He hummed just for her and leaned in just a bit closer. "The thing about being in a relationship is that we are supposed to look after each other. You'll protect me, and I'll watch over you. Plus we'll have some good help."

She nodded once and she could feel sleep pulling at her again, even with the soreness in her muscles nearly gone in its entirety. "Keep holding my hand…" Alter muttered, closing her eyes again.

Vaguely she could hear him speak softly to her.

"As you wish."

###Ritsuka###

The camping gear as it turns out wasn't difficult in the slightest to find. Mordred had a few sets intent on taking Frankienstien out camping after Servfest. This time it was Medea who complained about having to skirt around the excuse of the loop resetting. Something she shared with and complained about when all of them were on the back of the pegasus heading out to the clearing Edmond had told them of.

At Medea's word, and Edmond's, Alter had changed back into her proper spirit origin, her swimsuit. She saw in front of Ritsuka on the Pegasus, though there was a bag between them, much to both of their Chagrin. Alter was still tired, but she managed to bring herself back up from sleep, noting that with the power nap she'd taken she'd felt much more normal. Enough to walk and talk as she had done the whole night.

Gudako and Ritsuka before leaving, made sure to contact the red archer Emiya, and Artoria, and informed them of their plan, and their need for the help of their servants. They both agreed quickly. Ritsuka then caught Alter up to speed on everything else in between Medea's constant complaining and Medusa's occasional interruption to the caster, still smiling, clearly amused with the Grecian caster.

The clearing was dark, nearly a perfect circle of grass in the ground surrounded by trees, and in the distance the sounds of quiet rolling ocean waves. Medea used magecraft to make a lamp as she stepped off the pegasus first. Looking around with glowing eyes in an appraisal of Edmond's choice for the leyline.

She hummed, "Yes, this will do quite nicely. I should thank the Avenger when I next see him."

Ritsuka got down next meaning to get off before Alter. He didn't want to treat her as fragile per se, but he still wanted to help. Even as Alter twisted herself in her seat to face one way. Ritsuka stepped in front of her, making her stop. He smiled up at her as he held up his arms to her and got closer, grabbing her hips.

"I can get myself down, idiot." She huffed.

"Of course, you can." Ritsuka still smiled, being sure to avoid any hint of sarcasm in his voice when he spoke. He tried to sound genuine and supportive, and he could only hope that it worked.

Alter trailed her fingers up to his shoulders as they both worked in tandem to get her back down onto the floor. She pushed off, hand on the pegasus, the other Ritsuka's shoulder, no doubt trying to ignore the spreading blush on her cheeks as she let herself down. She puffed out her cheeks with a hum of protest even though the deed itself was done. Her lips twisted a little, glowering at the floor.

She's probably angry at Medea for conjuring a simple lamp to light up the area. Or maybe she took it as me thinking of her as useless.

He resisted the urge to sigh.

I need to be more careful.

Ritsuka tilted his head and grabbed her fingers to kiss them, and she glanced away from him not wanting to make eye contact. It made him smile a bit wider and instead of kissing her knuckles, he leaned forward to peck a quick kiss on her cheek. Then he pulled away. "Come on, let's hear from the inspector of our new digs tonight." He whispered for her, just for her as he'd been doing all night.

She smiled at him and felt her grip tighten on his shoulder, intent that she wasn't going to let him get far from her.

Medea turned around and smiled holding the lantern up. Quiet as she inspected the grounds as if it was going to be her own territory soon. Ritsuka imagined that she might turn it into just that in order to keep them a bit safer. He had been on Medea's territory before in order for her to show off the full scope of her abilities. She glanced up for a moment at the sky and then back to them, still gathered around the pegasus.

Medusa stepped down from Bellephrone, tapping the side of her main before moving to unload all the gear that they'd managed to gather.

The caster servant hummed evidently pleased with something she'd found, "Alter, if you would?" She beckoned her to come over and join her.

Begrudgingly, Ritsuka could tell, Alter let him go and made her way over to the caster. He, in turn, went to help Medusa, grabbing the remaining bags and other gear that they would need for the night. Some water, something for a small fire if they so choose, and snacks among other useful things to go with the rolls, sleeping bags, and tent.

Medusa re-mounted Bellephrone once all the gear had been emptied off the back and handed over. The Grecian rider hummed, "I'll fetch Artoria and that archer." Without much else, the rider took flight and then dashed off across the starry night sky.

Medea pointed out spots on the ground for Alter and the summer berserker likewise pointed out other spots as well. Ritsuka only came within earshot at the end of the conversation with an extra bag still over his shoulder. But he could tell enough that they were trying to find the best place for Alter to recover mana with the help of the leyline.

The caster nodded to him evidently satisfied with their conclusion. "Set up here." Then she took to the air herself, once more hovering above the ground. Ritsuka watched a pentacle etch itself into the ground glowing blue in a manner that reminded him almost of a servant summoning before fading to just the shape in the dirt.

Medea looked pointedly at the berserker. "Alter, you must sleep in the center of the circle, and set up your bedding and tent accordingly." She then looked around them at the dark shapes of the trees and frowned a little. "I will put a barrier in place for your protection. It should stop anything short of a servant from coming in and out. It will give everything else the sense to avoid it like the plague."

Ritsuka bowed his head stiffly. "Thank you, Medea. Your work over the past week cannot be understated. Your's and Medusa's."

The princess of Colchis managed a smile. "Think nothing of it Master." She looked to Alter. "You too Jeanne. Doubtless Medusa and I would be dead if not for you when we fought the Vorporial chicken king." The caster servant smiled pleasantly and slowly floated back down to the ground. Then she turned walking off toward the tree line. "Best make haste you two, the night grows ever shorter."

"Right," Ritsuka said with a small smile.

Looking at seven hours at best now…maybe six…

He blinked.

Then again, Mash and Ushi can run things while we have a slow start in the morning.

Ritsuka glanced at Alter, watching the berserker go through the bags to inspect the things the other servants had gathered for them.

We finished our doujin on time, and we don't have an interest in riding a limousine anyways.

Alter blinked and blushed when she saw him staring. "Stop that…" She bit her lip. "Please…I've got enough on my mind right now as it is…" She huffed and pulled out the wiring to keep the tent upright.

He nodded and looked back down at the bag. "Sorry, I was just thinking. We should probably start slow tomorrow. We need a morning to rest before the loop resets. And obviously, it doesn't help since we are both going to be up late tonight." He blew out a breath and looked at the lamp Medea had left for them only a couple of feet away. Ritsuka dragged it closer.

She paused to stare at him, "I…well I suppose we could…" Alter was quiet for a moment as she considered. "Mash and Ushi can probably run our booth at Servfest if needed…" He could see the idea slowly becoming more amenable to her. Though he could also still see the hesitation to accept it.

She doesn't want to feel useless.

The reminder came as he nodded and pulled out the other things in the bag. He was trying to find those folded paper sheets that would give him the necessary directions to put the tent together properly. "We can just play it by ear and see how we are feeling tomorrow morning hm?" Ritsuka smiled, "After all, it would be kinda pointless if you don't feel well rested."

"I…suppose." She admitted. Alter held out her hand and gestured. "Pass me that…I need to connect these two."

Ritsuka fumbled and looked up quickly. "You know how to put a tent together?"

The summer berserker scoffed at him. "Of course, I can. I mean it's not all that different from what I did when I was…" Her lips twisted. "When…other me, was fighting a war for France." There was a point where their memories diverged, with Alter walking away with whatever memories Gilles had fabricated to make her. Ritsuka could hear the part where she'd stopped herself, wanting to distinguish where she knew she started, and the other had ended. "Pitching tents I mean. Ropes have just been replaced with metal wiring. And whatever I didn't know the grail and throne saw fit to fill the gaps and…" Alter trailed off and her amber eyes flicked up to Ritsuka as if realizing.

He wanted to smirk a bit but huffed a laugh rubbing the side of his forehead.

"You don't know how to pitch a tent master?" Alter asked seriously.

With honesty, he shook his head. "No, surprisingly it never came up in any of my mage classes." He smiled a little. "Not saying I didn't ever want to go camping…but my mother never really had the time for that. And the brief times that my dad was home, the most we did was set up in the backyard…" He leaned away a little to watch her.

Alter hummed, "I suppose...that makes sense…" She trailed off and her work slowed a little. She'd connected the two pieces she'd said she was and had connected a few more, running fabric over a few of them, the part that would serve as the base of the tent. Then she stopped suddenly and looked at him. And in the lamplight, she blushed and glanced away from him. "I…can teach you if you want?"

He blinked.

"It's nice out here…and I guess coming out here might have to be a more…regular thing until my mana problem is solved?" He could see her blush growing and he could feel his own cheeks starting to warm at the prospect. Alter twirled her hair around her fingers. "I mean…it would be nice if I wasn't the only one having to do this every time."

Ritsuka snorted despite the blush and chuckled. "Fine, yes. Show me how." He scooted himself closer planting himself just beside Alter on the ground, their knees touching and he dragged the lamp closer too so that it could sit between them. Though as he settled himself and scratched the back of his neck, he smiled. "So, what first?"

Alter, despite her own blush, smiled too. She leaned closer to show him under the lamp. "See these? They can be twisted together until they tighten."

He busied himself, focusing on what she was teaching him so that when next the pair were out here, he could better help her with or without directions.

It must've been another ten minutes as she walked him through the basics, sliding the wires into the tent and gesturing for him to get to the other side as the familiar shape started to take form. A modern weatherproof tent that was often used for long overnight camping. Should any rain or squalls suddenly appear.

That would be a change.

Alter huffed. "Hold it still."

"I'm trying."

"Well try harder! I'm trying to get it to fit."

The two continued to struggle with the basic steps of getting the wires slung through to hold the tent upright.

Caster chuckled as she returned from a few feet away, hand on her hip. "My my, you two are incorrigible." She tilted her head a little.

Ritsuka tried not to laugh at Alter's flushed expression.

"Shut up Caster!" Her amber eyes were alight with a glow, "Just because I'm low on mana doesn't mean I can't kick your ass even with all your tricks in place." She then vigorously went back to the task at hand. "Not like I have any personal practical knowledge anyway…" She grew quiet.

Medea watched for a moment before coming over to join them. Placing herself on a third side to hold up the tent with her hands. "Hmm, like this?"

"Yes, keep it still, you'll fill something, try to squirt through your fingers and the tent, let it," Alter replied.

The caster servant did as she was told.

Soon enough, the tent was standing upright and Ritsuka backed away and circled around back to their bags to get the other things from their bags. When he looked up, he noticed that Medea and Alter were conversing quietly.

He looked away as if that could give them some more privacy. Quietly he once more mumbled his gratefulness for Medea's presence. It didn't take a genius to realize that the princess of Colchis was doing wonders for Alter with her presence.

###Jalter###

It was an unexpected question as Medea had asked only when Master had gotten out of earshot. "Are you okay?"

Alter blinked and started backing away to look at the work from setting up the tent. She tilted her head looking at the caster with a raised eyebrow. "I'm fine, it's as you said. The mana here is quite plentiful and I can feel that it's helping." She blew out a breath. "It's…like there is less pressure on my spirit core somehow."

Medea hummed, "That's good, but not what I meant." Still amused, the caster stared at her pointedly, "I'm asking if you are okay. Furthermore, how are things with you and our master Ritsuka?"

Amber eyes narrowed a bit, "So what-" she coughed and cleared her throat. "What do you care?"

The caster was patient and answered slowly. "I want things to work out well with you two. But I know what it's like to bring baggage and trauma with you into a relationship." She moved to stand beside her and folded her arms into her cloak. "I know further that it can cause troubles for not just yourself, but your lover too."

Why is she being so nice?

She can see you're a burden too.

Medea glanced at her, and Alter could see something soft in those blue eyes as they roamed her up and down.

Sympathy.

Alter shook her head once twice. Her lips opened and closed for a second. "I'm okay…I mean…we are okay." She wasn't sure if she should be honest. This was supposed to be private, wasn't it?

The caster's servant tilted her head with a hum. "If you said no, would he listen?"

"He already has…" Alter trailed off awkwardly and just stared at the tent not really sure where else to look. She twisted her long white hair around her fingers and her lips pressed into a deepening line. "I…just wish I could do more…be more…than what I am…" Her amber eyes flicked back to Medea.

The pointed ear caster nodded once. "Patience Alter. If he truly is to be your lover, things will work out. And when you're ready to…" Medea smiled, perhaps noting the words avoiding being said, part of it from amusement, to know that she hadn't suddenly become someone she wasn't, partly because she simply understood. "...be more…he will be waiting for you." She smiled a bit wider, then her amusement faded. "Our master has only ever proven to be a good person."

Alter turned red and fumbled over her next few words. "I never said…when did…when did we?" She coughed and shut herself up.

Medea chuckled, "You didn't have to say anything. It's the way you two interact that tipped me off, to begin with. I saw it more plainly a couple of days ago."

Alter hesitated and her fingers curled. "I know…but I have that…" She cut herself off, deciding not to talk about the other lingering voice in her head. The one that saw fit to always throw her inadequacies back at her. "I…don't have a good track record…with people in general I mean…" She wiped at her face and took a long breath. "Makes me worry…"

How could someone like him...

Medea tilted her head, "How could someone so nice ever fall for you?" The caster chuckled when Alter turned on her with a surprised expression. She responded by pointing at herself. "Personal experience…" She once more said by way of explanation. "If you recall, I have a history with Jason to a degree, and as I've slowly discovered, I've had it in my previous summonings too."

Alter stared unsure of what to say.

"But there were some…good people along the way that helped me break that cycle. A man in Fuyuki I think...had a hand in it." Her eyes narrowed a little. "Though I can't quite remember his face anymore…he was tall…and strong." She smiled, "And the rest of that horrible cycle was turned into a distant memory thanks to her."

Movement shot across the night sky, forming into a familiar white shape of Bellephrone, Medusa sat in the front on the pegasus, two more servants seated just behind her. The archer and saber were going to be pulling a night shift for herself and her master.

Alter stared at Medusa. "I…see. She is…a gentle giant isn't she."

The princess of Cholcis snorted. "She is. And she is wonderful. Plus she understands whenever I accidentally curse in a Grecian dialect or make a joke that seems to go over everyone else's head." Medea touched her hip and turned to smile at Alter. "You're right to worry, but it will come to an end with help. You've already learned, haven't you?"

Alter felt her heart constrict and that fear yelling in the back of her mind. The thought of making the choice to ever go back. "Yes…I won't make that mistake again." She huffed a smile and leaned back with a small laugh. "Actually, Master swore to me that he wouldn't let me make that mistake again either."

Medea nodded, "Good." Then she stepped forward to meet Medusa, Emiya, and Artoria. Admittedly, Alter could scarcely recall whenever the Princess of Cholcis had smiled. Though here, it was as often as every few minutes or so.

I wonder if that's what I look like around him?

"Medea," Alter spoke.

The caster turned to look at her a few feet away. "Yes?"

Jeanne Alter smiled too, "I hope you find a way to remember this loop."

The caster blinked and smiled. "If I don't, I expect you to remember me and tell me about our little chats." Medea turned and finished walking up to the group of newly arrived servants. Grabbing onto Medusa's hand and squeezing it before letting it go and turning their attention to the red archer and Artoria.

Even if I do look like that…what does it matter?

She sensed him rather than saw him, hearing his footsteps come up beside her. He tentatively touched her fingers, silently asking for permission. Alter couldn't resist a smile of her own as she snagged his hand up into hers. "Should we stargaze tonight? I don't think I ever finished running off my list of constellations."

His fingers wrapped around hers, and she heard him hum pleasantly at the thought of doing just that. "If we aren't starting early tomorrow, that's an easy yes." Ritsuka tilted his head a little leaning into her vision. "Everything okay? Medea looked like she had something very serious to talk with you about…"

"Mmm." Alter felt herself nodding. "It was important…but she was just…checking up on me. Nothing to worry over." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as if to help her soak in the mana from this spot. Near the entrance of their tent for the night, and the circle Medea had crafted for them on the ground. "Thank you for wanting to be here."

He nodded firmly. "Always,"

The two straightened their tent, centering it on the circle that Medea had made for them before they joined the other four servants that had gathered around Bellaphrone for a bit of a fuller debriefing on the situation.

"I see…" Archer spoke, folding his arms. Gone were his usual attire of an apron and other more normal clothing. Tonight he was in his dark gray armor and silver-tipped boots. His red mantle and waist cloak flowed out around him. The tallest in the group by only a few inches, Medusa stood adjacent to him. "I have the ability of independent action, plus my ties to the world are a bit…stronger than the average servant. I would likely be among the last to feel any of the effects."

Medusa tilted her head, "Not to mention you prefer to hold back in all fights in order to avoid either draining mana or out of your sense of morality…"

"Even now I'd rather not tip my hand so easily." Emiya looked off to the side back in the direction of the city. "If this singularity truly is repeating and I have yet no memory of it, then it's all the more reason I should stick to holding onto my versatile basics. They will get me and those I'm with out of most fights."

Ritsuka nodded. "Thank you, archer."

Artoria was quiet, she had instead opted to switch her spiritron dress from her summer swimsuit to her usual preferred saber class. The reason of course was obvious, as there would be no point in having two archers when a saber and an archer could more easily complement one another's fighting style. In her hand was the invisible wind-covered sword, point planted firmly in the ground at her feet, with her arms outstretched resting over the hilt. "Archer…you once spoke to me of your ability to remember different periods in time?"

"I said I once experienced several different versions of the same grail war with all of you in Fuyuki." His brows furrowed. "For whatever reason though…it seems that I don't have that immunity here." The Red Archer turned to Saber, "And I'm certain you share my concern given your similar status to mine?"

She blinked and her green eyes narrowed trying to figure out what he was referring to. The expression however cleared quickly. "You mean the fact that we are direct members of the counterforce?"

Medea hummed for a moment touching her chin, "I only have a day to even start thinking about it. But I will do all I can for us…at least the ones who are aware we are in a singularity…right now in order for us to remember and recall our mission." The princess of Colchis straightened up. "I'll also, while I'm at it, try to figure out why some servants remember and some don't."

"Well I…might have a theory…" Ritsuka spoke up.

Alter could feel him shift a little on her arm and she glanced his way suddenly.

"The four of you, are among the people who were summoned to Chaldea the earliest. It might simply be, for that reason, you might have gained some innate immunity to whatever else is making the servants forget their duties."

Medusa hummed, "It would…make some sense. The bond between a servant and a master can be a powerful thing on its own. When allowed to…linger as this one has it might be able to grant us such a passive skill. Gudako would probably think the same thing."

Archer hummed. "A possibility worth considering, lady of Colchis."

The saber shook her head, "None of which will matter if we can't remember the fact that we have been repeating loops."

Jeanne Alter's fingers tightened around Ritsuka's hand. "I would like to say that we have tried in other loops to involve all of you more directly before. Obviously, the fact you don't remember any of it is a sign that we haven't been able to find anything thus far that could either answer…or help you in any way."

Medea touched her chin again, her eyes narrowing in sharpened thought. "While that must be true there has to be something that we could do…"

The group of four fell quiet as the evening breeze blew through, and Bellaphrone made a noise as it grew restless. Medusa smiled a bit, stepping away to scratch the winged beast.

Alter could feel Ritsuka tense up again beside her and she glanced at him again. She could see the hard line of thought coursing through him as he tried to think of a way to help his servants. In the same way that he always endeavors to do so.

With his arms still folded, Archer looked pointedly at Medea. "I have a theory that might be worth running an experiment before the loop, as Master put it, resets us and the week. It will involve your noble phantasm."

"Rule breaker?" Medea raised a brow. Then again her brows narrowed in thought. "That…could be one possibility…I'd like to try some of my other methods before resorting to that. Breaking out of potential awareness in such time loops using Rule Breaker would be tricky…"

Emiya smiled, "Not if one was under a command spell of compulsion."

Ritsuka lit up "Actually yes, that might work. Servants are incapable of teleporting, but a command spell combines mana from both the master and the source in order to make it possible. It would be a mimicry of true magic. Or perhaps the mana supply in of itself given by the order could be enough." He smiled at the archer and then looked to Medea. "Would it work?"

Medea hesitated and looked uncertain. "I…would be willing to test it. But in order to properly negate the loop…the timing might be an issue."

Alter felt her cheeks warm at Ritsuka's sudden brightness. It was a sight she would never grow tired of seeing. She looked away a little, her smile growing as she once more found her voice. "The loop effectively resets at the end of sundown. Which, tomorrow, will be seven forty-four PM, at exactly thirty-three seconds."

Medea made an obvious mental note. "Then five minutes earlier, I will conclude all of my other experiments and see if Archer's idea will work."

"We can work out the details of the command seals wording tomorrow," Artoria said. "For now, I think the two of you should be getting some much-needed rest." She looked at Ritsuka and Alter with a small smile.

He blinked and then nodded with understanding, taking a deep breath. Alter could see the fatigue in her Master's expression, but she also saw the resolute determination still present. That he would force himself to hold council if the other so desired. "Is there anything else that you all want to concern yourselves with?"

Medea smirked a bit more teasingly. "Only that, when you bed my friend, I suggest you give her your full attention."

Alter crushed her master's fingers in a tight grip. "W-what?" She turned beat red almost in an instant and her amber eyes went wide as her gaze whipped over to the caster servant who had only moments ago won her trust. "That's not-" She pushed her lips together feeling only her irritation grow to match her blush.

Witch of betrayal.

Ritsuka coughed and rubbed the back of his head. Alter could see the red tint nearly reaching his ears at the barb.

Artoria, the king of knights was also caught off guard by the sudden barb and found her own cheeks were starting to warm. "I didn't mean to suggest-"

Emiya smirked a little and Medusa smiled pleasantly.

It was the rider servant who would take the next move as the joke hung in the air.

Alter hissed, "I ought to give you a piece of my mind you Grecian harlot." Her lips twisted and despite the pleasantries, now she wanted to hit something with the thudding heart in her ears. She had nearly manifested her sword in her grasp.

I shall punt her into the sea that would be the most appropriate place to cool her off-

The caster smiled, "You are all too easy, how could I-mm" Her lips were muffled as she found herself lifted off the ground with Medusa having wrapped her arms around her back and pressed her attack.

The Gorgon rider's tongue invaded the caster's mouth and Medea's cheeks began to warm into a blush to match everyone's present. It was a long purposeful kiss long enough to renew both the blushes of everyone who stared, and the awkward silence filled only with a muffled moan that escaped the caster's lips.

Medea was set back down on her feet staring at Medusa.

The purple-haired rider, likewise smirked looking pointedly at Alter and Ritsuka. "The real trick is to find your lover's tendencies and pick the right moments." She smiled tilting her head and looking more pointedly at Artoria and Emiya. "And perhaps not to wait an eternity before admitting something."

Artoria stared, still flustered, "And just what are you implying Rider?"

"Who's to say…" She smiled.

Archer Emiya meanwhile had fallen quiet and his eyes seemed to be thinking of something else. His lips twisted and while his features didn't take on anger or fluster, he looked like he'd fallen somewhere between being slightly annoyed and thoughtful about the display that had taken place before them.

Medea slapped Medusa's arm touching her lips. "What was that for?!"

The Gorgon smiled simply, "You were teasing our masters and I wanted to show them that even you could blush darling."

"Why you…" Medea's fingers curled and she took half a step to follow after Rider. Her expression is more than enough to convey all the unspeakable things she wanted to do to Medusa. Only she paused to turn around looking at her Master and Alter. She then awkwardly cleared her throat. "If you should need anything, Master do not hesitate to call for us further, do take care, as I said my barrier will keep out many things, but servants aren't one of them." Then with a flowing cloak, she mounted onto Bellaphrone behind Medusa.

Emiya smiled, "Who knew the princess of Colchis could blush so beautifully."

Medusa smirked to match his even smile. "Hands off servant of the bow."

Artoria's green eyes swept to her would-be partner for the night. Their eyes widened, her lips parting open.

"Shut it, Archer!" Medea replied. She huffed and hugged Medusa's form in front of her.

Then the pair took flight as the Pegasus extended their wings. "What time shall we return to retrieve you, Master?"

Ritsuka had at last shaken the blush away from his lips. "Late in the morning, perhaps ten would be sufficient Medusa."

She smiled, "Understood master." With one last nod, Medusa guided the reins of her pegasus upward. The wings parted and the beast lifted off the ground and back into the air turning back and heading towards the city leaving the three servants and their master to the late-night warm air among the stars.

Alter could still feel the warmth in her cheeks and her lips twisted looking at the spot where the Greek servants had been. Her amber eyes narrowed a bit and her fingers were still curled at her side. There was no denying she felt robbed at the fact she couldn't punt Caster into the ocean for her stupid joke.

His hand wrapped around her fingers and gave them a squeeze. Near enough to pull her out of her cascading thoughts.

The smile made her heart skip a beat. His blush was still present too, though it was quickly fading. He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand as he glanced at her. "Come on, we should settle in for the night."

Emiya broke the silence next, looking oddly first at Saber before his grey eyes went to Alter and his master. "Yes, I think it would be wise. How would you prefer us to take up our guard duties master?"

Alter frowned at the question and turned to Ritsuka. It seemed like a question that would have an obvious answer, but she saw the way his brow furrowed.

A stupid test?

The summer berserker would've complained about the fact that their master should be focusing on getting sleep. But she found her vision had flickered into a blur. And her frown could only deepen as that headache started to form. She glanced down at her free hand and watched it twitch.

I guess I'm cut off again.

Ritsuka's voice was what pulled her from her thoughts and she glanced over at him as his voice filled the quiet. "Archer, it would be best if you found a good perch…" His brow strained a little to force away the fatigue of long hours. "Saber, I think you should patrol in a short semi-erratic circular pattern?" He looked up at the two of them.

Emiya smiled and nodded once. Then he deferred to the Saber.

Artoria picked up her sword from the ground, the invisible wind still coursing around it. The King of Knights gave the two of them a small if proud smile. "You're getting better Master." She turned to Emiya and hummed, "Come, Archer, I shall escort you to your perch. The tallest tree I believe is this way."

The red archer's mouth opened and then closed. Even Alter could see that whatever he intended to say, had probably been snark. There was a nonverbal exchange between the two of them she noticed as well. Saber walking past him had given the archer a look that was meant to convey something. Emiya too made a smaller expression more private for her, a rare smile of his own as he lingered a second more.

Eventually, he sighed and moved to follow her. "As you wish, I suppose I should be glad of the company." He followed a few steps behind and looked back at the two of them. "Be wary, master, and good night."

That sensation in the back of her mind started to scream and she rigidly stood beside Ritsuka as he returned the evening goodbyes for now. He led them back toward the tent, she was grateful to be following just behind him.

The mana in the clearing underneath the leyline was staving off the problem from getting worse. She could feel her very presence trying to soak it in as fast as she was burning through it. It left her with an oddly felt chaotic stability. Alter grunted as she stumbled and fell to a knee. The thing that would instantly alert her master.

Damn it.

Useless servant.

Just another few feet to the tent and it would've been-

Ritsuka had come back to her crouching beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and holding her. "Jeanne?" He didn't rush to help her up, only holding her upright and steadying her in place until she was ready.

"I'm…alright…the…mana here is…" She trailed off and found even the strength to that was starting to evaporate. "Staving off the worst of it…" Alter pressed her palm into her forehead and hissed out a breath. She tested her legs and found her right one to be unresponsive, the one in the dirt. "H-help me to the tent…"

Useless.

She inhaled sharply as if she'd suddenly been stung. Her heart started to race with a palpable and familiar anxiety.

Come on worthless…you have to learn to better trust him.

Right now, she realized that like with what happened the day before when she'd been injured by the oceanic familiar, he was the only thing there for her. Forced once again to just rely on him to do the right thing. She grit her teeth and tried to ignore the quickening heartbeat even though her breathing rate was increasing…and growing more strained.

He did as she asked, lifting her gently from the ground only when her muscles locked did he realize he was going to have to carry her, even if it was a short distance. It's the sort of thing she could barely perceive as even with her eyes squeezed shut, it all closed in like really loud white noise.

###Ritsuka###

The hardest part was just getting her through the tent entrance. He'd thankfully thought to dump the rest of their gear inside the tent, and as soon as he set her down, he dragged Medea's lamp into the tent. With twisted lips and in the quiet of him scampering around he could hear her breathing rapidly nearby.

Hopefully, now that we're on the pentacle, it should help to alleviate yet more of the strain.

Ritsuka's brows furrowed a little as he took a second to eye her out of the corner of his eyes. Her state reminded him a bit more of that night when he saw her having a nightmare only a bit worse. He could see a bead of sweat trail from her temple and she curled in on herself a little on her side of the tent.

It looks a bit like bad anxiety too.

His brow furrowed, knowing it had been a long while since he'd seen that sort of thing. He and his sister had been occasionally prone to it at the clock tower. But nothing so bad that a warm drink and some slow music couldn't fix. Though as he thought of it, according to his mom, their aunt used to be prone to it a lot when they were finally reconnecting with one another.

He tried to remember the small things his mom used to do, things he could scarcely remember. While he was thinking about what he could best help, he worked on getting out a few things that would make their space a bit more comfortable. First was their bedding and blankets. He had a change of clothes for himself meant for tomorrow.

The blankets were thin due to the warm summer air, but even the night could get cool sometimes. He spoke carefully and clearly so that she could understand him. "Alter, I'm going to put you on the bed roll so you'll be more comfortable okay?" He didn't expect her to respond to him as he touched her shoulders gently. Though her amber eyes flicked to him, she made no move to stop him as he adjusted her onto the bed roll.

He grabbed her hand, clutched her fingers and he could feel her nails almost digging into his skin. They were shaking, he realized too. He did a quick assessment realizing he could do now, everything else with the one hand had he still had free. Ritsuka took a slow breath and frowned now looking at the bedroll.

Just the one, big enough for two…

Medea probably didn't realize and if she did she was a keener witch than he gave her credit for. His lips twisted looking down at the zippers.

A small whimper drew his attention.

Fuck it, we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

He needed to focus on Alter, he adjusted himself sitting cross-legged, and adjusted her again. This time he ran his free hand through her hair, combing it back in a long smooth rhythm. He adjusted so his arm was under her neck as he supported her. Speaking slowly again, Ritsuka smiled for her. "Is there anything else you need?"

She bit her lip, and he could see her hesitate for a moment. "It should…go away…soon." Alter with her other hand reached up to press her palm against her forehead in a manner that she always does. He curled his fingers around her other hand against her cheek and hummed at her quietly.

"Sorry to put you through all of this…" Slowly he could see her breathing starting to slow a bit.

"Think nothing of it." Ritsuka smiled a bit, "I actually had something similar when I was going to the clock tower. My sister too. One of the many other problems that makes us human...I suppose."

She frowned a little, "But I'm not human aren't I?" Alter huffed out a breath. "If this was a traditional holy grail war I would've found a million ways for us to lose by now…" She shook her head again, and she bit her lip. "Stupid…"

Ritsuka was quiet and brushed his thumb across her temple. "But we aren't in a traditional holy grail war…so there isn't anything to worry about." This was something he was growing intensely familiar with just how much self-doubt she was infected with. She'd been infected with. He could only imagine how long she'd felt worthless to something even at Chaldea. It was like he found himself replaying memories of his interactions with her. He tried to think about how well she'd hidden it.

And in some cases how well she didn't.

His brows knitted together and his lips twisted slightly.

"But if it were-" She started.

"If we were Alter, we would have found our own way." Rituksa looked down at her and adjusted so could peer into her amber eyes. "Just what we are doing now. We would've improvised, scraped by the skin of our teeth. We would have treated survival as winning simply for the fact that it is."

She pressed her lips together as if trying to prevent another protest. She didn't want to argue the point he knew.

He huffed a single laugh and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. He could feel her fingers and her muscles tense only for a brief second until she relaxed. Ritsuka leaned away from her, and he ran his thumb under her hairline again. As he did he found her breathing had started to smooth and the grip she had on his hand was still firm but wasn't a painful clutch.

A memory came to him when he was giving the battle report to all the servants about their performances. The way Alter had approached him personally at the end when everyone had left. She was loud and boisterous when others weren't around. She went to him to either be praised or criticized. The truth of it all in one go.

She would flaunt her ego when he praised her, and glare at him with fuming anger and some bitterness when he criticized her.

I should have realized then she just wanted to be useful.

Slowly she propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him. Once again she hesitated. "Master…" Alter whispered. "Are you…happy to have summoned me?" The question hung in the silence of their tent.

He paused for a moment, still looking at her. "I'm grateful to all of you for answering the call of our summons." It wasn't the answer she wanted and they both knew it even as it left his lips. That same careful neutral tone he had when servants competed against one another and wanted from him either criticism or approval. It had come as a reflex and so naturally he couldn't even benign to imagine or think of all the times he'd said something similar.

Ritsuka's fingers twitched, "Sorry." He quickly apologized. Though for him it was easy to see the dejection in her eyes.

She'd wanted something more he could tell. If she was as important to him as he'd rightly claimed over the last loop. Her amber eyes narrowed a little toward him and she hugged her knees to her chest as she moved to try and sit up a little. Even as she did she met a firm resistance in his hand on her shoulder keeping her against the ground for a moment.

"I am." He answered honestly. "I won't deny that it wasn't instant happiness. I was filled with worry." He looked away from her for a moment and took a breath.

He could still feel her stiffen under his touch.

"You were imposing and abrasive. Still are those things if only to a lesser degree." He was honest and his brows knitted together. "I didn't expect you to answer my summons even after France and the business with the counterfeits." Ritsuka could feel his cheeks turn red as he looked back at her. "I didn't think we were compatible, even as master and servant…" Then he smiled. "Shows just how wrong I'm willing to be."

Alter stared at him for a moment. "You're happy?"

"Yes, of course, I am." His voice turned firm. "I will say it as often as you need of me." His fingers wrapped around her hand and he kissed her knuckles. "I know just what it's like to have a head as stubborn as yours. And a distaste for all that makes it."

She huffed a laugh and in her amber eyes he could see water in them as she turned away from him. He couldn't see her face, but he could see the edge of her blush. He thought he could kiss her jawline. And that temptation grew with a fervent fury that was understood with absolute ease. "Then master, would you lay with me tonight?"

Even as the gentle breeze brushed the tent, and the evening crickets sang their songs.

His lips touched her jawline. "Until you push me away." He promised.

She huffed out another single laugh. And in the seconds that passed, she rolled over the bedding as he placed it beneath her and wrapped her arms around him. He did it for her too, wanting to press her as far into his chest as he could manage.

Like times before it didn't last, but he savored it while it did. When her grip loosened she tapped him and he moved away a little. Though she still clung to their hands out between them. "Goodnight Master."

He smiled. "Goodnight Alter."

---

Alright, so the hardest thing for me to work on was actually trying to flush out Ritsuka and Gudako's backstory a bit while trying to make it fit within at least a version of the Nasu verse. The opening twenty or thirty pages, the flashbacks/dreams took a lot of time for me to work on. I wanted to frame the world of mages in a very aristocratic way, and then kind of lump in how the twins would be in that world. I also wanted to add some additional pain and groundwork if I ever move forward into covering the lostbelt's in any capacity, covering a little bit as to why and how the twins even ended up on Chaldea.

The next most difficult thing for me to work on was the "unromantic" date night. I wanted to sort of portray a date night that wasn't going well? This was mostly to facilitate a sort of realism I suppose in my mind that often greatly or extravagantly planned romantic nights don't often go perfectly. I intended it as more of an homage to the idea of our pairing still finding some fun with each other despite all the little things that came up to bug them.

Huh, anyways next chapter is fifty pages in, and my interlude chapter is at about twenty pages? So work as always is already progressing steadily lol. As always I look forward to reading your comments and theories lol.

Until we speak next time!

AGeekyWriter