24 19 - ||

"…Like this!" Riser inhaled deeply, and mana spiraled around him.

I took advantage of the brief respite from ice spears to finally gather the Nature energy necessary to cast my Aurora Shield.

"Ice Devil's RAGE!" Riser bellowed, blowing a large purple blizzard of cold air, ice and what looked like snow from his mouth, aiming it directly down at my little shield.

I have never been happier that the Shield is spherical.

I was sent flying back, crashing through trees as the force of the blow fought against my Shield. I skidded several dozen feet upon hitting the ground, carving a deep furrow in the earth as the area around me was covered in lilac ice.

I shakily dispersed my Shield, flying back up to my previous altitude. "Holy shit, dude. I'm not sure whether to be more impressed that you managed to push me back…" A mocking grin stretched across my face. "…Or worried about your sexuality. Mister LILAC! ICE!"

I burst into laughter at his shocked expression. "So when were you planning on coming out of your closet?" I shouted over to him. "I guess you really were hiding something with all those girls!"

He twitched. "I DON'T CHOOSE THE COLOR!" He yelled back, a vein throbbing in his temple.

…All right, so maybe I lied about not trying to piss him off. But let's be real, here. It's really funny.

Riser didn't bother responding with words, instead simply hurling his next attack. "Ice Devil's RAGING BLIZZARD!"

He covered both his gloves in purple energy, and clapped them together. Instantly, a large sphere of pure mana exploded outward, mimicking an explosion, as an intense storm of violet ice swirled through the air. I pulled up Aurora Shield once more, calmly ignoring the intense flurry. "Is this you showing me your icy love, Riser?" I called, smirking. "Because I'm afraid I'm already taken!"

My Shield abruptly shattered, much to my shock. A thin sliver of ice flew past my cheek, cutting a thin line. Fortunately, the storm had already died down enough to feel relatively safe. Seeing a drop of blood seeping out of my new wound, Riser grinned. "Your Shield uses the surrounding Nature chakra to function, right? That means if I use an attack for long enough while you stay in once place, it runs out of fuel."

I grit my teeth, but still threw on a smile. "All right, fine. I won't use my Shield if you stop using ranged attacks."

He raised an eyebrow. "Half of my arsenal is ranged attacks, Issei. I'm a Battlemage. And knowing that you outclass me in every way when it comes to close quarters combat, I'm not dumb enough to try. And as long as I keep using indirect AoE attacks, you can't just punch them. So I'm going to say no to that, for the simple reason that I'm not completely stupid."

…It's at times like these that I regret helping Sensei kick some common sense into Riser. If we hadn't, he wouldn't have hesitated before agreeing to my request.

"Fine, fine." I sighed dramatically, ))Boosting(( my speed once more. "But since you didn't agree to my gracious offer, I'm going to have to start taking you seriously."

'Don't call bullshit. Don't call bullshit. Don't call bullshit.'

"Bullshit." Riser deadpanned.

'Fuck!'

I sighed, putting a hand in my pocket. "Well, you can't say I didn't warn you…"

I took a deep breath, summoning a dozen clones. It was really all I could spare, at the moment.

'12 mid-level clones, each stalling for 10-20 seconds each. An average of 15 seconds. So I have roughly three minutes to cast the spell.'

I took another deep breath, closing my eyes and clearing my mind. This wasn't a spell I could mess up and live. Finally, I spoke.

"I call upon the origin from the beginning of this world. That which creates and guides all living things. That which drives out the night, devours the darkness, nourishes the plants, and becomes the hope of those who love life."

My voice had a curious double-echo, and was coated heavily with magic. Riser's eyes widened. "Wait, is that—"

I ignored him, continuing. "Thou art I, I am thou. That which illuminated the world out of chaos in the beginning. That which is older than the sun, the origin of our Light. You were the first, before any, to enlighten the empty world."

"That is. Fuck!" Riser didn't bother messing around after that, instead wasting a hunk of mana on a large violet ice blade that quickly took out my remaining clones. He closed his eyes, and began chanting his own Aria. I knew from experience that he had less lines to say, instead sacrificing a larger amount of mana in exchange for improved cast time. "))Enders, ice wolves, lend me your breath. Let your freezing be more silent than death.(("

I didn't bother listening to the rest of his spell, instead continuing to cast my own. "Ripple, ripple, ripple. The wave that nurtures all life yet cannot be touched. Herald the dawn, shine down from the heavenly bodies above. Shine down from the innumerable stars in the sky"

"Riser-sama's six )Pawns( have retired."

"Tremble, tremble, tremble. Offer me everything to me who causes you to tremble. I nurture those who plead for aid, and I shelter those who slumber beneath my wings." I chanted, feeling my mana pool drain.

At the edge of my hearing, Riser's voice continued. "))Just as water flows downward, snatch away all vigor.(("

"Riser-sama's remaining two )Pawns( have retired."

"))Show me a World where all has stopped, seemingly even time.(("

"Coming down from that which circles the heavens; from the countless stars in the sky. Give praise. Give praise, all of you life." I poured increasingly vast amounts of mana into the spell. If I hadn't Boosted as much as I had, this spell would be my last as it consumed my life force to fuel its' completion. "I praise thee. All of life praises thee—! Thee that supports every existence—"

"))I desire for all to stop. I desire for everything to stop!((" Riser shouted, the winds whipping about us as the pressure of our two spells became increasingly intense.

"Here and now, may the element of the sun heed my call!" I shouted, finishing the spell. A ball of pure Light grew between my palms. It rivalled the sun with its' intensity, and I could feel it scorching my skin. I hurled it at Riser, praying that it didn't destabilize before I put up a defense.

'…In hindsight, maaaybe making a ball of Light as a Devil was a bad idea. Shit.'

"))Light!(("

The Light grew, enveloping everything in sight with its' white glow.

Riser finished his own, pointing a hand at me. "))Cocytus!(("

A Dragon of pure white energy flew from his hands, its' eyes a crimson hue that shone through the Light.

'Save me, Thought Acceleration, otherwise I'm screwed!' I shouted mentally, cranking up my mental buffs.

The world slowed to a halt. The growing ball of light still hoovered between us, the Dragon frozen mid-flight.

'…Sensei, I have never been more glad that you're a paranoid bastard. If you didn't make this spell with zero cast time, I'd currently be suffering from Light burns on top of my frostbite.'

I also said a quick prayer to the Random Number Gods. You know, just in case.

Cocytus creates a wide range of extremely cold temperature, freezing everything on contact and making everything look like a frozen hell. Last time Riser used it, it changed the climate in surrounding territory and made it snow for a few days even though it was summer. Over an entire mountain.

Fucking overpowered World-Class spells…

I glanced at my growing ball of Light. 'Well, to be fair… never mind. Now, how am I getting out of this one alive? Riser knows that without his Flame of Rebirth, he's screwed once that Light hits, so he's really just trying to turn this into a draw. If Cocytus works, Rias will be instantly frozen at the same time Riser is forced to retire. A stalemate. Rias can't even defend, since she doesn't know it's coming. Damn.'

I looked over the situation once more, assessing my options. 'I don't think Promotion will help much, seeing as it takes a moment to work and doesn't really give me anything I don't have. I've never really tried it, either, seeing as Rias just told me I had it this morning. Does that mean Pawns have some other use? No, chess is all about the King. Pawns are just the disposable foot soldiers.' I blinked. 'Disposable. That's right. I don't have to win this, just take Riser out of the game. Even if I lose, as long as Rias survives and the Bomb Shelter spell keeps Riser from regenerating, we win.'

'So how do I take out Cocytus?' I eyed the white dragon, knowing that it would turn into a giant sphere of icy death upon impact. 'Impact. Any impact, or just the ground? I would assume, since he shot it at me, it means any impact. But would punching it qualify as an 'impact', or would my Touki disperse it?'

I weighed my options. 'On one hand, theoretically Touki allows the user to counter magic attacks by punching or otherwise striking them. On the other, Riser knows that I use Touki, so he's probably found a way around that issue. So what else is there? The spell's radius is too large to misdirect it, and Aurora Pillar is probably also just as useless.'

'…All right, this has gone on long enough. Time to go from the top. What do I have on me?'

A quick mental check gave me a list.

-The Boosted Gear (Subspecies, unknown Balance Breaker)

-Strengthened clothing, granting high defense against most piercing damage

-One large sphere of Light (various properties imbued)

-Conceptualized Third Perpetual Motion Machine (erases friction but doesn't attempt to produce energy)

-A set of ordinary headphones. (Sensei downright refuses to let anyone use Guardian Configurations in Rating Games.)

'…Not a lot going on, there. Is there anything my Boosted Gear can do? I remember that Sensei said it extends the range of Boost from just my body to anything I can place my hands on. Damn it, why isn't there some kind of division thing? I could really use that, right about now.' I griped, searching through my mental repertoire of spells.

'Clones? Nope. I don't really have anything that can destroy the spell itself, either. This kind of thing is too far out of my skillset. What would Sensei do in this case?' I considered for a moment, noting that the Dragon had gotten slightly closer since I last checked. 'Damn, I don't have forever. I suppose Sensei would either dodge or use the opponent's spell to his advantage. If you can't dodge it, tank it. If you can't tank it, make sure it doesn't work twice. Some kind of absorption shit or something.'

I sighed. 'Absorption would be really handy right now. His water spell had that effect, if I remember right. Leviathan. It used Nature chakra and Devil magic to weave an adaptation matrix.' My long-awaited inspiration struck. 'Nature chakra and Devil magic. Basically what my Light spell is made of. Could I use that? I still have it under control, and theoretically I could still make changes. Hell, the Dragon is on a direct course for the orb. It could not be easier to catch it if I tried. Now all I have to do is figure out how to incorporate an entirely different spell into its' matrix without destabilizing either of them.'

Objective in mind, I set to work, triggering Memory Partition as I worked. '))Light(( itself is rather simple, it just has a whole lot of empty space in order to allow for better manipulation of what is essentially a Light nuke. If I removed the third psion barrier and shifted the lesser Transubstantiation Mystery to the side…'

My mind kicked into high gear, and I quickly made the adjustments necessary to absorb Cocytus into the matrix. It really just boiled down to keeping the original matrix stable while breaking down and restructuring the new matrix to fit in with it. If this failed, Light would become essentially a short flash that did nothing but blind me. But if it worked… well.

'Let's find out.'

I made the final changes, and allowed time to speed up once more. I didn't completely drop Thought Acceleration, but I toned it down from 700 to 100 times normal. ))Cocytus(( slowly crashed nose-first into ))Light((... and was promptly swallowed. I could almost imagine the sphere burp.

'…Oh sweet baby Lucifer, that actually worked.' I did a mental victory dance, not shifting my body in the slightest aside from putting on my typical cocky smirk. I sped up my mind once more, memorizing the new matrix for later study. 'I think I'll call this one Frostlight. You know… frost-bite, frost-light… ah, screw it.'

I released the spell in Riser's direction, causing a wall of bluish-white Light to obliterate everything in sight. When the Light died down, every tree in the forest was covered by a thick layer of frost and glowing snow fell softly to the ground below. Riser was barely aloft, Light burns covering his entire form, scarring him beyond recognition.

I blinked. 'Huh. I know I toned it down a LOT so as to not vaporize everything in its' path, but I'm surprised he's still standing. I guess I should work a bit more on my fine control.'

He sighed, his voice raspy. "Well played. I didn't see that one coming in the least."

I nodded confidently. "I pride myself on unpredictable moves."

Inside my mind, however, it was a different story. 'He must NEVER KNOW.' I hissed. 'He must NEVER KNOW that I pulled that plan out of my ass at the last possible second. This entire fight went as planned, and I am a master strategist. Take a bow.'

I bowed deeply, my smirk glued to my face. "Well? Are you going to surrender, or do you have some healing spell you'd like to use?"

"…You totally pulled that out of your ass, didn't you." He deadpanned.

"Nope, completely planned." I lied.

He laughed. "Well then, in that case, I have nothing. You could probably just do the same thing again, what with that seemingly infinite mana you have."

I smirked. "Well, see, I am a Greed, and my )King( offered me herself as payment for my services, so I literally could not be more motivated."

'Better keep the Boosted Gear under wraps for now.' I decided.

He laughed once more, a wheezing chuckle. "Well, I could drag this fight on longer, but I think I'll pass. You've eliminated all but my )Knight( and )Bishop(, while I only took your )Queen(. I surrender, you win."

"Riser-sama has surrendered. The game goes to Rias Gremory!"

I felt myself being transported, and suddenly I was in a white room alongside my white-haired rival. Now that he was out of the Bomb Shelter spell, Riser's Flames restored him to pristine condition. He chuckled. "You win this round, Hyoudou. But next time, I'll kick your ass. But now that we're out of the spotlight…" His face twisted in irritation. "HOW the FUCK did you do that."

I glanced sideways at him. "Boosted Gear. That's why my clones were distracting you. Thirty ten-second intervals, thirty Boosts. I started with a thousand mana, and ended with over a trillion. And thanks to Sensei's ridiculous training, I can easily handle twice that."

Riser blinked. "Bullshit."

I laughed, walking over to the door. I opened it, and found myself in a large infirmary with nurses buzzing about. Riser followed. "No, seriously, how much mana do you have left?"

I tilted my head. "I dunno… like, sixty billion?"

"Sixty-" Riser choked. "I never stood a chance, did I?"

"You would've if you bothered taking the fight seriously." I replied easily. "But otherwise no."

'Weeeell, actually, if you had used that Devil Magic or whatever while I was chanting instead of throwing a fucking Dragon at me, you might have done some damage. In hindsight, I really need to figure out how to shorten the chant time for that spell.'

Riser sighed, glancing over to his family's side of the infirmary, where his girls rested. "I suppose your did fairly well for their first Rating Game, all things considered."

I nodded, putting a hand in my pocket and leaning against the doorframe. "It all came down to basic strategy, really. Your entire Peerage uses some form of fire for their attacks, while mine doesn't use any. And since I had the Boosted Gear, it was just a matter of stalling you long enough to charge. You didn't bother going all-out, so I just had to make you think I was playing around."

He chuckled. "Well, you really pulled that one out of your ass. Out of curiosity," He asked, glancing at my gloved hands, "is that a Subspecies?"

I nodded. "Yep, lets me Boost anything I can touch, as well as my own attributes."

He tilted his head. "That seems rather useful. You wouldn't even need to use Transfer, you could just straight up Boost your allies' power."

I blinked. "The fuck is Transfer?"

"You'll find out once the Dragon wakes up." Riser said dismissively.

"…The Dragon is named Ruby, and she's currently trying to get Sensei to impregnate her." I deadpanned.

"Seriously?"

I nodded gravely. "Dragon puberty is no joke, man. Even Sacred Gear users aren't immune."

"No, I meant about Ruby." He corrected, grimacing.

I chuckled. "Yep, Sensei freed her in exchange for her undying loyalty. Or so I'm told."

"Dammit Sensei, you lucky dog." He cursed dramatically, shaking a fist. He paused. "Wait, told?"

I laughed. "Who do you think told me about Dragon puberty? Ruby was very specific about what Dragons were like, their culture, and the reason she fell for Sensei in the first place. Let's just say, power is the biggest aphrodisiac the Moonlit world has to offer. Especially for Dragons."

Riser blinked, and a slow smirk crossed his face. "Good to know. I don't suppose you know of any Dragon females available…?"

I snorted. "Nope. And besides, you have an entire Peerage of girls already."

"One, they're not all interested in me. Some are lesbian, others are underage. Two, I still have a )Bishop( open, and I've always wanted a Dragon girl. Especially if she's a tsundere." He paused. "Do you think—?"

"No."

"Damn." He grumbled, crossing his arms. "What about Albion? Is he secretly a hot chick, too?"

I winced. "Nope, definitely male. Ruby was very certain of that as she plotted his castration."

"…And, on that cheery note, I'm going to leave now. I'll see you later, yeah?"

I chuckled. "Sure thing, Fried Chicken."

We both gave each other a manly nod of respect, and entered the infirmary. I quickly spotted Akeno's bed, surrounded as it was with the rest of Rias's Peerage. I approached, Riser splitting off and visiting his own wounded Peerage. As I got closer, Rias noticed me. "Issei!" A wide smile crossed her face, and she tackled me in a large hug. "You were amazing!"

I smirked, pulling her close. "Ah, don't worry about it." I leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I was properly motivated, after all."

She flushed, apparently remembering her words before the fight. "A-ah, yes." She murmured, cheeks a deep red. "I suppose I'm your Rias now, right? I remember Ruby saying that Greeds like you and Millicas like that sort of thing."

'Ruby, you have my undying gratitude.' I nodded. "Yep. And I'm never letting you go, okay?"

She giggled, and pulled away from the embrace. "Yes, sir." She was wearing a smirk that matched mine. "My Lord." She purred, pulling me into a scorching kiss.

Gaspar coughed. "Ah, hello. We're still here, you know."

I glanced over to see Valerie elbow her boyfriend(?) in the side. "Shut up, asshole. They're having a moment."

Kiba smiled awkwardly. "Er… Buchou… could you please at least take him back to your house if you're going to have sex?"

I burst out laughing, taking my new girlfriend by the hand and moving closer to Akeno's bed. "Oh, Kiba, are you already regretting breaking up with me? Was it the hot kiss, or the way I leaned in and—"

He reddened, spluttering. "Wh-what? Stop that! You're going to start rumors!"

I smirked, sticking my hand into my pocket. "Oh? And what if I want rumors to start, you naughty boy?"

Akeno burst into giggles at the gobsmacked expression on his face, Gaspar joining in a moment later. Rias just sighed, and Valerie pulled out a bar of chocolate from God-ow- knows where.

The laughter eventually died down, and I sighed. "Well, what now?" I asked Rias.

She shrugged. "Life goes on as normal, I suppose. We go back to school, and have a nice, boring time. No surprises at all."

I winced. "…I think you just jinxed it."

Akeno smiled serenely. "My, my, Ise-kun. Are you actually the superstitious type? I never would've thought it of you."

I shook my head. "Sensei has taught me two vital lessons over the course of my life. One, always double-tap. Two, never ignore Murphy's Law, or he'll screw you over before you know what hit you. Mark my words, Angels are going to attack or something, just because someone tempted fate. And when that happens, I am going to say 'I told you so'."

Akeno giggled. "I'll tell you what, Ise-kun. If you're right, I'll join your little harem, okay?"

I nodded, smirking. "Deal. And if I'm wrong, you can kiss Rias whenever you want."

Rias squawked indignantly, but I ignored her. Akeno's slight flinch and flickering smile all but confirmed my theory that she loved her dear )King( in more ways than one.

'Murphy, if you can hear me, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG.'

Yep. That ought to do it. Two hot chicks willing to put on a yuri show? Totally worth fighting an army of Angels.

I shivered, even though I had both a blanket and a warm Devil draped over me. "I think Issei just tempted fate."

Sera hummed, her finger tracing my collarbone. "Now, now, don't try to change the subject. You're going to teach me that ice magic now, okay?"

{Millicas, tell the hot Devil yes.} Ruby sent, admiring Sera's shapely rear.

{Hmm.} Shirone agreed absently, more focused on Ruby's own form pressed against her own.

{This was totally worth giving up my spot. She's not even wearing any underwear!} Ruby continued, oblivious.

I smirked, enjoying the feel of Sera's pert breasts through my thin shirt. {I know.}

{…Damn it. How do they feel? Details, details!}

{They feel soft, yet very perky.} I sent, running a hand through my Sera's loose hair. {Her nightgown is thin, so I can even feel the nipples.}

{You're giving me the memory later.} Ruby sent, returning her attention to Shirone.

I finally returned to reality, and silenced Sera's continuous babble of complaints and pleas with a kiss. She stiffened, but began to lean in to it with a soft moan. I eventually pulled away, pressing my forehead against hers'. "I'll tell you what." I murmured, continuing to stroke her hair. "I'll teach you whatever you want after you join the Bond. It's easier that way."

She sighed, sitting back down on my lap. "I'm close." She replied softly, glancing away. "Very close. But not yet."

Asia smiled, moving a sleeping Gil off her lap and walking over. She wrapped her arms around the Devil, a gentle smile on her face. "Don't wait too long, Sera." She said brightly, eyes sparking. "You're our little bundle of joy."

Sera closed her eyes, placing a hand over Asia's. "Thank you, Asia." She murmured, and I could see a slight sheen to her eyes when they opened once more. Quickly wiping them, She gave me a wide smile. "After Ajuka's wedding, for sure. If I don't tell you by then, I'll give up Shirone cuddles!"

Shirone blinked, looking slightly panicked. "What? Why? Don't do that!"

Ruby sighed, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. "Calm down, pet. She's not serious. Deep breaths, now. You're fine." She told the Nekoshou, rubbing her ears.

Shirone smiled glassily, and I heard a soft purr building in her throat. "Yes, mistress." She murmured happily.

Asia finally released Sera, and walked back over to Gil's sleeping form. I gently nudged the little Devil, ruffling her hair. "I have to get up, love. We just watched T.V. for an hour, and I'm hungry."

She frowned, glancing at the empty bowls of snacks. "I think I ate too much, because I'm not."

I laughed. "No, love, I have a Dragon's metabolism. There's a reason I learned how to cook for myself, and why Ruby eats half her body weight every meal."

She sighed in mock relief, her eyes glimmering with amusement. "Well good, because I've been watching my figure lately."

'So has Ruby.' "I see. Has someone caught your eye?"

She smiled. "Well, yes, actually. There's this handsome stud of a Devil who makes me feel like a giggling schoolgirl."

I nodded solemnly. "Well, you don't have to worry much about dieting. Devils don't need to watch their figure, because it's impossible for them to get fat."

She sighed, glancing down at her perfect hourglass figure. "Well, yes, especially Lusts like me. It all goes to my tits or ass."

I blinked. "Wait, you're a Lust?"

She giggled, striking a provocative pose. The fact that she was both sitting on my lap and wearing a flimsy nightgown just made it sexier. "What, not expecting that? I tended to indulge in Wrath more during the war, but I never really lost my original Sin."

"…How are you still a virgin?" Ruby asked honestly.

Sera frowned. "It's not that hard to suppress, really. I was never attracted to anyone, and the only candidates there were for marriage were already fighting in the war. There's a reason none of the Maou were interested in romance during the war—we didn't really have anyone we could trust enough. Sirzechs is the exception, and that was because he was crazy enough to date an enemy." She sighed. "It's amazing how much of a turn-off it is to realize that everyone around you wants to kill you."

I chuckled, glad she was managing to talk about the war so casually. I noticed that she didn't mention any specifics, but it's still nice to hear. "I'll take your word for it, thanks. I prefer to give trust sparingly enough that no one can use it against me."

She nodded, finally slipping off my lap. She leaned over to pick up the snack bowls on the floor, making Ruby and Asia flush bright red, and stood. "All right, so what do you want for lunch?"

I smirked, noticing Asia wiping away a nosebleed. "Oh, don't worry about it. I can make lunch. Instead, would you mind helping Asia take Gil back to the room? You can get changed there, too. You do have your suitcase, right?"

She nodded, her hand going to her pocket. "Yep!"

"Good. While I'm making lunch, why don't you go home and drop off your things?"

She smiled. "Sure, sounds fine to me!" She walked over to the flushed Angel, and carefully lifted the sleeping Gil into a bridal carry. "All right, let's go!"

Asia nodded, smiling. "Okay!" She summoned a transport circle, and they disappeared.

I glanced over to the remaining duo. "You two going to be all right?"

Ruby nodded, still petting a purring Shirone. "Yep, we'll be fine. Just make sure to make plenty of meat, 'kay?" Her gaze sharpened. "And don't ever give my turn away again."

I matched her gaze. "Then don't use my name to manipulate others. If you want to see Sera in nothing but an apron, then ask her. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to indulge you. But don't get her to do it by saying it's for me."

She sighed, playing with a lock of Shirone's hair. "I would, but she isn't as open with the rest of us as she is with you." She paused, looking me in the eye. "She loves you, Millicas. At first it was just a crush, but you've somehow managed to get her to fall head-over-heels for you faster than I'd think possible."

I raised an eyebrow. "And? I know that, but that's still no excuse. I'm telling you, Ruby, you can't just use me as an excuse for everything."

She frowned. "All right, I won't do it anymore. But I still don't think you quite understand my point. Millicas, please, just hear me out, here."

I nodded, relaxing. She had agreed, so the hard part was over. "Go ahead."

"We're all broken without you." She said simply.

I frowned. "You've said as much before, but—"

"Listen." She interrupted. "I was a wreck before you found me, and my entire life consisted of a vicious cycle of revenge. You offered me your world, and goddammit, I fell for your self-sacrificing, overly noble ass. If you were to off and disappear one day, I would fall apart at the seams." Her eyes flashed. "And I'm the sanest one here. Just for the simple fact that I would survive your death with my mind intact."

She tapped one of Shirone's sensitive white ears. "Shirone doesn't just love you, she worships the fucking ground you walk on." She glanced down at the purring Nekoshou, oblivious to her surroundings as Ruby continued lavishing attention on her. "You picked her up when everyone she loved had either died or betrayed her. You offered her a life by your side, and gave her your own bed to sleep on. She's so obsessed with that spot on your lap because for her? It symbolizes everything you've given her."

She tilted her head towards the spot Asia and Gil had just left. "Gil used to be Ravel, a girl you showed affection to without even realizing it. That necklace you gave her was the most valuable and precious thing she owned—given to her by a complete stranger for the sole purpose of keeping her safe. Gilgamesh, her other half, had the same problem, or so I would assume. You were the first one to show any honest care towards her well-being aside from a divine, genderless mud glob. When their Spirits mixed, they, she realized how much you meant to her. And you have never." She emphasized the word by tapping her finger on the armrest. "Never. Left her mind since then. Everything she does, she wonders if you would approve. She would give you the key to her treasury if you so much as indicated you wanted it." She paused, smirking. "Either one, if you catch my meaning."

I sighed. "Yes, you all want to have sex with me. I want to have sex with you. We're teenagers, and you're in Mating Season. I know that, believe me. But we all agreed, before we even entering puberty, to wait 'til sixteen to have sex. And if nothing else, I'm holding us to that."

She sighed. "Millicas, Asia wants to fuck you. And she's an Angel."

I snorted. "An Angel you corrupted within the first week."

She smirked. "It was mostly her, actually. But I digress. Asia was this little Church girl who never actually had a life. At least, not one she thought was worth much. She only decided to become a nun because she had nothing better to do. She belittled herself, thought she was worthless, and thought her flaws were innumerable. But then you come along, caught her when she fell, and offered to help her. And suddenly, all those flaws were worth something. Her lack of knowledge was suddenly a conversation topic, as you told her everything you could think of. Her clumsiness was an excuse for you to help her to her feet, or carry her when she skinned her knee. You found her shyness adorable, and you told her that no, it wasn't wrong if she stuttered every now and then."

She sighed, and shifted slightly to wrap her arms around Shirone. "Asia… wasn't lying when she called you 'her Heaven'. For her, you're the one person that makes her love her flaws, and truly enjoy the world around her. Then you offered to not only let her stay by her side, but make her one of your own Angels. At that point, she would've happily killed God herself to get you to love her."

I held back a smirk. "I don't know, she didn't want to become a Devil because she'd have to leave her faith. And to this day, she still prays."

"…It's called a hyperbole, genius."

"Well, it didn't sound like one."

She sighed. "All right, whatever. You get the idea. The reason I can't really ask them to do that kind of thing is because it's you they want to show off for, not me. They do love me, yes, and I love them. But while they'd be more than happy to do what I asked, they wouldn't enjoy it like they would if it were for you."

I raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying… that you ask them to do humiliating things for your gratification… for their own good."

She paused. "…Yes?"

I stood, folding the blanket and setting it on the couch. "We can talk more about this later." I told her, stretching. "Now, I'm going to go make lunch. Is bacon okay?"

She nodded, seeming slightly relieved. "And cookies. Don't forget the cookies."

I smiled, summoning a Gate. "Ruby, when have I ever forgotten the cookies?"

I set down the little Phenex on the bed, pulling the covers over her. Asia giggled, handing my clothes in a neatly folded stack. "You seem oddly human, for a Pureblood Devil." She told me.

I frowned, taking them and sorting through to find my undergarments. The rest was set on the side of the bed. "No more than Gil or Millicas."

She shook her head, smiling slightly. "They're unique cases. You're the first real Pureblood I've ever met."

"…Unique cases?" I asked, confused. "How so?"

She hummed, her face scrunching up in thought. Needless to say, her thinking face was adorable. "I suppose… it's because they're them. I mean, Cas can't really be compared to anyone else, and Gil is only who she is because of Cas."

I paused, remembering a report I had read several years back. "Oh yeah, she joined him when she was really young, right?"

She nodded. "We all did, really. I'm the most recent one, and I joined three years ago."

I tilted my head in confusion. "Wait, then how long has Shirone been with him?"

She thought for a moment. "Shirone joined his Peerage at the age of five, and she fell in love with him before she even knew what love was. Ruby's a special case—I'm sure you've noticed by now that she's actually a Dragon, right? Well, even so, I'm told she used to be very different before she fell in love with Cas. Ravel… she was rather insecure about herself. She got better, but I'm pretty sure she can't be called 'healthy' by any means. She finds her identity in how much she can please the people she loves, and it's only gotten worse since she started liking it sexually, too."

I blinked, sliding on my panties beneath my dress. "I was wondering about the collar. Do you all have something like that?"

Asia smiled widely, and her hand went to a snug golden necklace with a small, heart-shaped locket I assumed to be a clasp. "Yes. Cas made one for every one of his girls, and Gil once used its' protection to hold a Holy Sword."

I nodded, my fingers brushing my own D-pad choker. "I know, but that's not what I meant. What does that have to do with sub fetishes? It seems like most of his harem are some kind of kink involving submissiveness."

She frowned. "Cas gave us unmovable, irrefutable evidence that we belong to him. He gives us all the love we'll ever need, provides for us, and always thinks of us before himself. All he wants in return is for us to love him. So how could we not give him everything we are? Who could possibly resist?"

I blinked. '…Ruby. Me. Most sane people.' "I see. What about Ruby, then? She just wears a thin red choker. And I have a hard time imagining her submitting to anyone."

Asia's shoulders started shaking, and her hand still latched on to her necklace. I froze. 'Oh, please tell me she's not…' She finally sat heavily on the bed, clutching her sides as she burst into giggles. 'Oh, thank Satan.' "O-oh, Sera." She managed. "Of course she does. Cas is the only person in existence who can win an argument with her, let alone scold her!" She paused for another peal of laughter. "Y-you know those stories of ferocious men that are brought low by a single word from their wife? That's Ruby!"

I abruptly remembered this morning's one-sided debate about whether or not I would be wearing clothes while cooking. "Ah." I muttered, pulling off my nightgown and grabbing my bra. "I see. Makes sense. Mind fastening me?"

Asia stood, still giggling, and hooked my bra. "As for you," She continued, handing me the rest of my Adult Nep outfit, "I know full well what you're like. I've heard the stories and seen the sights, miss overenthusiastic."

I flushed, putting my arms through the sleeves and zipping up the black jacket. I stepped into the black-and-purple boots, fastening the gun holster onto my thigh and patting it comfortingly. It held my biggest weaponry, but I had to leave it here for my 'vacation'. "I have been known to be a bit… hyper…" I eventually admitted. "But that's not a bad thing! I asked Millicas-sama, and he said it was fine!"

She held up her hands soothingly. "I never said it was a bad thing, Sera. If anything, it's your defining trait. What I'm saying is that Cas is the only one who can calm you once you start going too far. Am I right?"

I nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. Millicas-sama loves playing with my hair for some reason. "Yes, but that's only because—"

"—you let him." Asia finished. "And that's just it. Sona, the only other person you ever seem to show affection to, is completely baffled by it. She's been trying to control you for years, and you only ever seem to get more and more exuberant around her. Then Cas manages to not only get you to finish high school, but wear the uniform every single day. Your poor sister thought she was dreaming."

I pouted, crossing my arms. "I try to listen!" I protested. "Sona just has so many rules!"

"Which is what made you fall for Cas." Asia agreed, a smile playing at her lips. "He never abused the power you gave him, and he never did anything more than prevent you from hurting people."

I flinched slightly. Her words were truer than I'd care to admit. "W-well…" I stammered, glancing away.

I heard her giggle once more, and suddenly I felt a pair of lips on mine. My eyes widened, staring into her green orbs as she pulled away and rested her forehead on mine. "Why do you think the rest of us wear these?" She whispered, putting a finger to the chain around her neck. A spark of mischief was present in her eyes. "They're a mark of pride, that we have a man who never abuses the power we give him."

I blinked, still slightly punch-drunk from her sudden kiss. "Wha-a?"

She hummed, leaning in and pressing her lips against mine once more. This time she stayed, and we continued the kiss until breathing was absolutely necessary. She stepped back and giggled at my frazzled expression, taking my hands into hers'. "Don't worry, Sera. You don't have to be defensive. None of us will ever hurt you."

Staring into the beautiful Angel's green eyes, I realized that I wholeheartedly believed her. "O-okay." I whispered, feeling a slight shiver of desire.

Asia sighed, pecking me lightly on the cheek. "Go on now, little Devil." She whispered. "Go back home and put away your things."

I nodded, reluctantly pulling away. Forcing my fuzzy mind to work, I put on a smirk and struck a pose. "Farewell, my rival! Next time, it shall be I who is leaving you breathless!" I crowed, relishing in her giggles. I disappeared in a light blue flash.

As the walls of my comfortable house came into view, I shook my head. 'No! No falling for the adorable, beautiful, wonderful, kind, compassionate Angel. You don't know if she's your enemy or not!' I paused, brushing a finger across my burning lips as I remembered the feel of her warm kiss and kind green eyes. 'On second thought… there's no way that beautiful creature could be anything but pure love and happiness.'

I shook my head once more, my cheeks flushing bright red. 'Nonononono! Bad thoughts! I can't fall in love with her until after I've made sure she's not a threat. And to do that, I need to have a closer inspection.' My mind began generating images of what kind of 'close inspection' I could do to the kind Angel. 'Damn it, why is this just now a problem! I haven't heard a peep out of my Lust in hundreds of years, and suddenly an Angel's kiss gets me all hot and bothered?'

I firmly set my mind on things not related to tainting a pair of soft white wings and sinfully beautiful Angels I suddenly felt like screwing. 'Dammit, I always loved the idea of corrupting an Angel, too! Why is my list of secret fetishes coming back to haunt me? I've got a knight in shining armor, an Angel, a domineering older sister, a shy little sister, and a pet kitten.' I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. 'The universe must be conspiring to give me a harem of walking fetishes. I always knew I was a main character, but I never thought it'd be a harem anime!'

Luggage. Luggage is nice, nothing wrong with luggage. My clothes need washing, and I have to shower before I talk with Sirzechs. I pulled a large white diamond that was easily worth more than my house out my jacket's left pocket. All of my pockets and my thigh holster had been enchanted by my wonderful boyfriend to hold an airplane hangar's worth of shared storage space. Both completely washable and accessible through all of my outfits, I'm assured.

'Damn it, Millicas.' I thought fondly.

A single space expansion the size of a bread box would sell for more than even the richest Devils could afford, and it was only used on the most powerful weapons. Using enchantments valuable enough to match my entire fortune for pockets? I always wanted to be spoiled by someone I loved, but this takes the cake. And that's not even counting the easily five hundred carat masterpiece he had given me for storing clothes in. This little beauty alone could be used to cover my father's requested bride-price. Not even counting the storage aspect.

I set aside the matter of ridiculous gifts, instead taking out my suitcase and setting it on my kitchen table. The priceless diamond was put back into my pocket, and I set about unpacking my dirty clothes.

And then I saw the unused books and games I had packed, and hesitated. I don't know why, I just…

I turned, holding my armload of used Nepgear outfits, bras, and panties. I walked into my laundry room, stepping over a fallen broom and dumping them all into the machine and setting it to 'cold'. I never bothered turning on any lights, knowing that my Devil vision granted me near-perfect vision in the dark. Putting in the detergent, I closed the lid and started it.

I headed back towards the kitchen, idly wondering what color green Asia's eyes were. They seemed too bright for emerald, too clear for shamrock. Chartreuse, maybe?

I felt my foot catch on something, and suddenly I was falling… falling… falling…

I was falling headfirst, not bothering to slow my descent. I was missing four of my six wings, and my right side only had one wing left intact. If I caught myself now, I would dislocate it. Not to mention…

I glanced back at the golden figure behind me. Six pairs. Twelve wings. A Seraph. Female, from her face and figure. She caught my eye as I fell, and I could feel gut-wrenching terror as she raised her gleaming spear, aiming at my plummeting form.

Her green eyes flashed as thousands of deadly weapons were sent hurtling towards me, a rain of death I wouldn't, couldn't escape…

I caught myself, gasping. 'Broom. I tripped over the broom. Damn it Sera, stop getting distracted.' I shivered, rising shakily to my feet. 'Calm down, girl. Get a hold of yourself. You're a warrior, not a damsel in distress, so FUCKING ACT LIKE ONE! Asia is not Gabriel. I doubt they've even met. Now move your ass, soldier. You still have to report to your commanding officer.'

I took a deep breath, ignoring my pounding heart. Suddenly, my cozy house didn't quite feel like home, anymore. It was missing something calm, relaxing, sturdy, and distinctly Millicas. My cautious step echoed in the eerily silent kitchen, and I found myself wishing my wonderful boyfriend was here. He always seemed to make all my worries dissolve, just by being there.

Shirone's voice whispered in my mind. "We're all completely addicted to him, you know…"

Addicted. That's what I am. Addicted to the calming presence, the relaxing feeling that is Millicas.

'Oh, Satan. I'm already his.' I realized with a jolt. 'I can't even leave for five minutes, and I'm missing him.' I ignored the still-packed suitcase, now taunting me with the knowledge that I didn't want to unpack it. Instead, I summoned a teleport circle and vanished.

I appeared within Sirzechs's study, and slipped on my assassin persona like a familiar mask. Serafall was a vulnerable girl, but Hassan was the perfect assassin. That's what I needed, right then. Perfect assassin meant no confusing emotions or conflicting morals. I did exactly what I was told, and nothing more.

Sirzechs looked up, noticing my blank expression, and tapped knothole in the wood of his desk. "Ah, you're here. Well? What have you found out?"

I considered my reply. "I have discovered both the identity of Asia Argento and the reason he can say the name of the Almighty without repercussions."

He nodded. "Proceed."

"Millicas's research appears to be based on sidestepping the System, or perhaps exploiting its' loopholes. I had no evidence of this, until I discovered that Asia Argento is a Seraph-level Angel with utterly perfect control over her energy signature."

Sirzechs paused, his face blanking. "I'm sorry, please repeat that last part. I don't think I heard you correctly."

I shook my head. "No, sir, you heard me perfectly fine. Asia Argento is, at the bare minimum, a Seraph-level Angel."

He narrowed his eyes. "At minimum, you say?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir. May I continue?"

He gestured with one hand. "Yes, go ahead."

"Since no new Angels have ascended to Seraph stage, she has absolutely no connection with Heaven, and that she was born and raised human, I deduce that she is, in fact, an artificial Angel. This is backed by the fact that his pupil, Issei Hyoudou, cast a Divine-class Light spell with no visible repercussions."

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Millicas, what did you get yourself into?" He mumbled to himself. He looked back up at me. "All right, give me the rundown on Asia Argento."

I hesitated. "Sir? I may be slightly compromised when it comes to that particular subject."

He blinked. "Compro-oh. I see." He began to smirk. "That's right, you always did have a fetish for—"

I cleared my throat. "Sir, that has no bearing on the current matter, so I would appreciate it if you didn't bring it up."

He chuckled. "Very well, proceed." He paused. "But seriously, did she kiss you?"

I nodded absently, thinking over what I knew of the blonde Angel. "Asia Argento. Species, Angel. Height, 155 cm. Hobbies, fawning over Millicas and praying to the Almighty. Goals, be with Millicas forever, support her fellow wives, and bear as many children as she can. Strengths…"

'Beautiful form, soft voice, good kisser…'

"Increased empathy and high-level Light manipulation. Appears to have a Sacred Gear, as well. Sacred Gear is designated Twilight Healing, granting weak regenerative abilities to a subject of choice. Weaknesses… extreme dependence on Millicas Gremory. Has been described as addiction."

"Just like the rest of them, then." He murmured.

I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. 'I'm one of them, now.'

He blinked. "Well, carry on, then."

I nodded, swallowing. "Things of note… she seems to be incapable of falling."

He froze. "What."

It wasn't a question, it was a demand for information. I complied. "I initially discounted the possibility of her being an Angel due to an excess of Lust. Not only towards her object of obsession, but towards me, as well. Even after giving me the hottest kiss of my entire life, she didn't have a single black feather." I pulled a soft feather from my pocket, ignoring my traitorous desire to keep it close, to smell its' purity. That was the Devil in me, I reminded myself, and it would only lead to my doom.

Sirzechs didn't bother taking the feather, much to my guilty relief. "I see. So my son managed to not only prevent himself from Divine retribution, but also protected an impossible Angel from the same. How odd."

He paused, tapping the desk with a finger as he considered. "Perhaps he merely swapped their weaknesses." He finally said, a spark lighting in his eyes. "Perhaps he is the one who makes her fall, and she is the one who is harmed by the System by praying. That would make perfect sense. Millicas hasn't so much as touched any of his girls, and he hasn't had any episodes of Wrath in a very long time. He becomes immune to light, and an Angel is gradually trapped by her own desires until she loses everything that makes her Holy."

I blinked, my mind generating images of a Lustful Asia, begging Millicas to finally let her fall so she could indulge her desires. 'Oh, Satan, it's getting worse.' "N-no, sir, that isn't the case, either. He only refrains from touching them due to Shirone not being of legal age."

He blinked. "Wait, that's why he's holding back? What the hell? I thought… never mind. Anyway, let's shelve that for now. Is that all you need to report, or is there more?"

I shook my head, deciding that he didn't have to know about Gil's Goddess-level beauty or Shirone's second tail. Those memories were mine. For… um… observation purposes.

'Oh my Satans, I am terrible at this right now. Damn it all to hell. I can't even use assassin mode to hide anymore.'

He smiled, tapping the knothole once more. "Good! Now, you said the other day that you had something else to talk about?"

I finally dropped the mask, sighing and flopping down in the padded armchair. "Yep. It's a present from Millicas-sama and I to celebrate Ajuka's wedding." I pulled a sheaf of paper nearly six inches thick out of my left pocket, setting it on the desk. "It was Millicas's idea, I just helped."

He raised an eyebrow, picking up the stack and looking at the cover page. "Addendum to Satan Accords: Marriage and Spouses." He blinked. "Wait. You went through and made an entire subsection of the Accords?"

I nodded proudly. He blew out a lungful of air, staring at the thick stack. "Well. I guess my gift seems a bit lacking, now. Mind giving me the highlights?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. It's mostly legal jargon and avoiding violating existing laws, but it makes it so the spouses of Maou have all the rights and restrictions of the Maou themselves—albeit in different areas. For instance, as the wife of the Chief Advisor for the Technology Department, Medea would be in charge of cleaning up and correcting shoddy workmanship. She would have no say in the Department aside from that, however. And should either the original Maou or the spouse be irrevocably indisposed for the foreseeable future, such as childbirth or a coma, the remaining of the two will assume the duties of both, should a majority vote of the other three Maou allow for such a thing."

I paused, considering. "Say Medea gets pregnant, and has to take a leave of absence. Ajuka would then have to make sure no one blows themselves up while she's gone. Of course, if the other Maou think he's only going to make things worse, they can instead appoint a substitute. Understand?"

He nodded slowly. "I see. Restricting rights so someone can't just marry into power, while adding mandatory responsibilities that ruin the chances of a political marriage. A good plan. I take it the spouse has no political clout?"

I smiled. "Not from their title, no. But if the Strongest Queen of the Underworld were to show up as your appointed representative, no one would complain. She does command quite a bit of respect, after all. She was a candidate for my throne."

Sirzechs snorted. "I'll tell you a little secret, Sera. The only reason she had as much power during your duel as she did was because she indulged her Lust for almost a full day beforehand."

I froze. "Wait… what?"

He laughed. "She wanted to be able to hold a title that would allow her a spot by my side. Badly."

I suddenly found myself wondering how much of a power boost I could get by—no. Bad girl. "…Anyway. The rest is stuff to satisfy the council. The candidate for marriage must either be from a prominent family, or have the endorsement of one such family." I smirked. "And, since Peerages are considered a part of their )King's( family due to the Civil Rights Act of 1877…"

Sirzechs blinked. "…That's genius. Pure genius. The Council will approve it because they think it's pro-Pureblood, but it's actually skewed more towards Reincarnated Devils than anyone else. Brilliant."

I snorted. "Sirzechs-chan, you of all people should know what Millicas can accomplish if given sufficient motivation. The only reason he was so inspired was because he intends to use it himself, one day."

The Crimson Lucifer glanced up, a twinkle in his eye. "And how goes that particular battle?"

I flushed. "W-well, um, I agreed to join the Soul-Bond by the day after Ajuka's marriage."

"…Sera…" He ventured cautiously. "…You do know that the wedding is tomorrow, right?"

I froze. '…Shit. Shit. Shit. I totally forgot. I thought it was still two weeks away! Damn it, where did the time go! I still have to prepare myself for this!' "…Of course I do." I lied smoothly.

He nodded, taking my words at face value. "Good. I take it you plan on making some public announcement, or some such?"

I smiled, realizing what he was implying. "Depends. Can you get that signed by tomorrow?"

He chuckled, rising to his feet. "But of course. It is only noon, and this is something the Council would be more than interested in. I'll get it signed by tonight."

I nodded once, relaxing. 'Okay, I'm sure Millicas-sama has a plan. More like six billion plans, really, but whatever.'

Sirzechs paused on his way out the door. "Oh, and one more thing. Let Mi-tan know that everyone in the Underworld was calling me after Ria-tan's fight went viral. They wanted to know who Issei and Riser's 'Sensei' was, and if he taught anyone else."

I tilted my head. "Well? What did you tell them?"

He chuckled. "I told them the truth."

And then he left.

A/N: Well, there's your fight scene. Next chapter will be Ajuka's wedding, and the transition between story arcs.