::Author's Note::

The feedback for Arc Three has been excellent so far. We're getting close to catching up to the chapter I'm still writing. Chapter six. I'll be working on that while editing chapter five. Just be aware that updates may start taking longer to post now that we're catching up.

The story marches on. I present to you, Chapter Four.

::End Note::

She wasn't a child anymore. Irina was certain of that. After spending three years under Jon's tutelage she had grown. Not just physically, but mentally as well. It was funny. The past few years seemed to go by like a blur, and yet when she looked back on how far she had come it was almost impossible to see the little girl scared and alone in the woods anymore.

Now she was a Hunter. Maybe not legally. At least not until the Order fully accepted her. But mentally, she was already there. And she had her Mentor to thank for it.

"Hard to believe it's already been three years." Jon commented, having seemingly read the sixteen year old's thoughts.

"I was just thinking…" Irina commented, her boots crunching in the white powdered snow with every step they took. "...when you first found me all those years ago, alone and afraid...where I was then, compared to where I am now. I must have looked pathetic."

He shook his head emphatically, his breath visible on the cold mid-day air. "It wasn't like that at all. You were a kid, Irina." Jon then added with a sly grin. "Heck, you still are."

She shoved Jon hard enough to nearly knock him off balance. He snickered in spite of himself.

"Still though…" He continued. "...I think your parents would be proud of you."

Irina flushed slightly with embarrassment. Even after three years of dealing with Jon's shit eating grin and terrible jokes the man still somehow knew exactly what to say to get a rise out of her. It was irritating.

The two continued to make their way down the base of the Rockies. They'd spent a week near the Canadian border hunting a Wendigo that had been plaguing the local landscape for over a century. Missing hikers, campers, and rangers could all rest a little easier now knowing that the creature that had preyed on them for so long was finally destroyed. Thanks in no small part to Jonathan Hyodo and his talented young student.

The only problem now was getting back. Thanks to a freak snowstorm the normal pathways had been blocked off. Forcing Irina and Jon to take the long way down. During that time they had been completely by themselves. Something Irina definitely was not used to.

Nor entirely comfortable with given the issues she'd been having recently.

Upon reaching another pass, they noted with some dismay that it too had been completely blocked off by snow.

"Dammit!" Irina ran over to the giant pile of snow and groaned in frustration, finding it to be quite impassable. "We're getting nowhere! At this rate it will be another week before we even reach civilization."

"Good thing we brought snacks." Jon joked in a rather blithe manner.

"Could you please try to be serious for like, five minutes?" She huffed at him. "This is a major issue, Jon!"

"It's just snow." He rationalized with a shrug.

Irina sighed wearily. This was one thing about her mentor that bugged the snot out of her. Jon had no ability to take anything seriously. He was constantly using humor and jokes as a way to blow off his problems. Ignoring him for now, Irina focused on trying to find a way past the snowy obstacle. She began digging around for a way to climb up only for more snow to fall loose.

"You know that's never gonna work, right?" Jon asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Not with that attitude it won't." Irina shot back confidently. "Just watch, I'm gonna show you how-ack!"

The snow mound collapsed on her and Irina was covered in the cold white powder. She quickly popped out of the fresh mound of snow and shook herself vigorously. Jon, meanwhile, was cracking up so hard he nearly collapsed to the ground.

"Boy, you sure showed me!" He continued to cackle in that same obtuse way Southern Boys did whenever they thought something was way funnier than it truly was.

She glared at him harshly, shaking a tuft of snow out of her hair before a devious little idea popped into her head. As Jon continued to cackle he suddenly felt something soft, cold, and powdery hit him directly in the face. When he spun his head back at Irina, she was whistling innocently.

"Did you just throw a snowball at me?" He asked incredulously.

She shrugged at him, a coy smile plastered on her face. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh it is on now, you little brat." Jon dug into the snow and packed together a decent sized snowball. As soon as he raised his head to take aim, however, he got pelted directly in the face again with another frosty projectile.

Now Irina was the one cracking up. Jon quickly wiped the slush off his face and threw his snowball directly at her. Irina quickly dodged out of the way, giggling like an idiot as Jon chased her around the field, while continuing to fling snowballs back at him.

"You're digging your own grave here, Missy!" He assured while managing to dodge yet another snowball. She blew a raspberry at him moments before he managed to grab her by the waist and tackle her to the ground. Irina giggled like a schoolgirl all the way down as he proceeded to sit on top of her and whitewash her face with the snow around them.

"No! Wait! Stop! Uncle, uncle!" She insisted, laughing hysterically as she tried to squirm away. "I give! Seriously, you're getting my clothes all wet!"

Jon finally relented, halting his onslaught before grinning down at her victoriously albeit slightly out of breath. She smiled back up at him, also slightly winded. A tense silence held in the air for a moment as Irina's smile slowly faded and her face heated up like a thermometer.

"Get off!" She insisted while lurching up and shoving Jon to the ground.

"Hey!" He sat up and brushed the snow out of his hair. "What the heck was that for?"

She didn't respond. Instead, Irina simply stood up and turned away. Too embarrassed to show how flushed she was.

"Just...just come on." She insisted before waving for him to follow. "We're losing daylight."

Confused, but nevertheless compliant, Jon brushed the issue aside for now and picked himself back up. Grabbing the pack he dropped and rejoining his protege as they looked for another way down.

He could hear her heart beating out of her chest. Something he attributed simply to altitude and exertion.


Heavy Metal blasted down the hallway of the underground club Irina and Xenovia had been lead to. The information contained in the file their unfortunate Informant managed to provide them lead the duo to this seedy bar and concert hall located in the bowels of an old building near the boiler room. The heavy rock reverberated off the walls and vibrated the floor. The further in the two holy warriors went, the louder it got. Irina felt like her skull was splitting. She definitely wasn't a fan.

"I don't see how anyone can possibly be into this sort of thing." She insisted while covering her ears through her cloak. "It's so loud."

Xenovia reached for the handle that lead into the club. "Music is a subjective medium. Just because it's not our particular cup of tea that doesn't mean it's bad."

As she opened the door they were both blasted with a wave of noise. Irina could feel her eardrums vibrating with how loud it was.

"You were saying?!" She yelled over the deafening music.

Doing their best to ignore the skull pounding reverberation and ear splitting guitar wailing, the duo made their way into the club. A mosh pit of metalheads had formed near the stage where the band was playing, their bodies bouncing and bobbing in time with the music, their faces painted to match the band members.

Irina and Xenovia slowly pushed their way through the crowd, drawing strange looks from their pure white cloaks. They made their way closer to the stage before making a hard left as was written in the diagrams of the building provided in the file. Eventually, they reached a set of double doors guarded by a man in a suit and wearing a pair of shades. As they approached, he raised a hand up in the air, barring their entry.

"Shades indoors?" Irina murmured to Xenovia. "How tacky." She then stepped up to the security guard and smiled as politely as she could. "Good evening. My partner and I have business with your boss. If you'd please be so kind as to let us through, I'd greatly appreciate it."

He cupped a hand to his ear and leaned forward, apparently not hearing them.

"I said, we have business with your boss!" Irina shouted over the ear shattering music.

"What's the password?!" He shouted back.

Xenovia stepped forward and cupped a hand over the side of her mouth. "It's Hetfield!"

He shook his head. "That's last weeks password! What's the new one?!"

Xenovia and Irina both looked at each other before simultaneously side kicking the guard through the door. The hapless man went sailing through the back hall before crashing into a pile of stage equipment, losing his glasses in the process. The two women entered the back hall before happily shutting the door.

"Finally." Irina sighed in relief before lowering her hood and rubbing her temples. "I can hear myself think again."

"I have to admit, I'm rather glad to be out of there."

The security guard lurched up, a murderous gaze in his pupiless eyes as he quickly drew a Springfield from his coat pocket and took aim. A deafening blast rang through the back hall and his brains flew out the back of his head, splattering the brick wall behind him. The man slumped to the ground, dead before his head even hit the floor.

Irina twirled the still smoking revolver on her finger before gazing down at the corpse she had left behind. "He was certainly a feisty one."

"To be fair, we did just kick him." Xenovia countered emotionlessly.

"What's up with his eyes?" She asked, peering down at the creature that appeared to have two white marbles in replace of where his irises and pupils should have been.

"He's a Husk." Xenovia explained. "A human body without a soul. They can mimic the behavior of a human perfectly, but they are completely without a human's spirit. Essentially puppets on a string."

Irina shuddered in disgust. "Why do the creatures of the Underworld have to be so damn creepy all the time?"

"These creatures were created using Necromancy." Xenovia observed. "According to legend, that was one of Kokabiel's specialties."

"Wonderful." Irina retorted in a sarcastic tone. She sighed wearily while rubbing her forehead with the barrel of her revolver. "Between this and the music I'm going to have the biggest headache once this job is done."

Another man in a suit and shades appeared at the very far end of the hall. He quickly placed a hand against his ear, alerting the rest of security via radio to their presence, before attempting to draw his gun. He fell even quicker than the last guy, as another deafening revolver shot rang through the back hall and went clean through his left eye.

"Speaking of headaches..." Irina commented before blowing the smoke off her gun. "Xenovia, hang back for this one. I've got this."

"If you insist." Her blue haired partner shrugged indifferently. "Just try not to make too much of a mess."

Irina lifted the cloak over her head and shook her two long twintails free. Her body was wrapped in a skintight grey battlesuit that clung to her curvy frame like latex. She clutched the silver cross dangling over her size D breasts in one of her gloved hands and pressed it to her lips before reloading her revolver and slowly sauntering towards the other end of the hall, the music still blaring from the other side of the stage.

Three guards appeared on the other end, their guns at the ready. They each took positions at the far end of the hall and fired their handguns at her. An aura of blue light enveloped Irina, making her iris's glow the same color, as she raised her left hand into the air. The bullets that flew from their guns came to a dead stop in the middle of the air as if having been frozen in time. With a small push she sent the rounds flying right back at the men who fired them, riddling their bodies with their own bullets. As they collapsed to the floor, reinforcements arrived one by one, each trying to take up defensive positions. She made quick work of each of them with her revolver, firing one shot after another from her hip while dampening the recoil with her other hand, just as her Mentor once showed her. Six shots rang through the hall, six more men fell.

Irina was in the process of reloading her weapon as she rounded the corner when a guard appeared from her blind spot and attempted to pistol whip her. She grabbed his forearm with her left hand and pressed her revolver into his abdomen, firing the only round she managed to load straight through his spine and hitting the guard directly behind him as well. She holstered the revolver and her body glowed with neon blue energy as she easily lifted the large guard up into the air and hurled him at the man directly behind her victim. The two shade wearing suits fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. A third guard appeared from the corner of her vision to the left, his gun aimed directly for the spot between her eyes. As the bullet left his weapon's barrel time slowed down around her. Irina leaned to the right and the projectile went merrily whizzing straight past her head. She then dodged the next shot, and the one after that as well. From an outsider looking in, she appeared to be moving faster than the eye could detect. Flash Stepping a few inches to the right and then back to the left as each round missed its target.

She pulled a small metal rod from her utility belt that began to glow red hot. Irina flicked her wrist out in front of her and the metal rod stretched and flexed towards the guard like a whip before wrapping itself around the arm of his firing hand, all within a fraction of a second. She jerked back on the whip of light which dug into his arm like razor wire, completely severing his hand from his arm and bringing the gun with it. The Husk seemed to regard the loss of his hand with the same concern as one might consider a splinter. More a nuisance than anything else. With his remaining hand he pulled a black titanium serrated blade nearly three feet in length from the back of his suit and charged. Irina dodged a swipe from the left and then from the right, before nimbly grabbing his remaining arm and leaping into the air. She latched on to his neck with her thighs and used centrifugal force and the weight of her body to fling him head over heels onto the floor while landing in a perfect split and bracing herself with her palm.

"So you can't feel pain. Good to know." She commented smugly. As the Husk lurched up she flicked the whip at him again, this time wrapping it firmly around his neck. With a firm tug she separated his head from his shoulders as easily as if she were uncorking a champagne bottle. The whip retracted back into the metal rod in her hand as she turned a hundred and eighty degrees and assessed her surroundings.

She was in another hallway lined with boxes and stage equipment. Eight men had taken up positions behind the crates and equipment, all aiming handguns at her. The suits proceeded to unload on her until their weapons were spent. Irina's body flashed from left to right as she continued to approach. As time moved at a crawl around her, she ran up a series of boxes on her left like steps and leapt over one of the guards heads, doing a full backflip in the air with her hands out to either side and her legs straight like a cross. Midway through her spin she flicked her whip around his neck before landing gracefully on her feet and tugging. Popping off another head in the process. Using that same momentum, she whipped the glowing rod out in front of her and slashed a diagonal cut straight through the guard in front of her. She then flung her wrist out to the right, catching two more suits with her whip. The remaining four dropped their spent weapons to the ground and pulled two serrated blades from the backs of their coats before charging. Using her acrobatics, Irina easily outmaneuvered each guard, dipping, ducking, and cartwheeling between their blades while her whip left a bloody trail in its wake, cutting each man to ribbons like they were composed of butter.

As the last of the security guards crumbled into pieces on the floor she retracted her whip back into the metal rod and placed it on her belt. Irina then pulled out her revolver and began reloading it while she made her way to the metal staircase along the wall at the end of the hallway. She popped the cylinder back into place once she was done and spun it for good measure before slowly making her way up the staircase, completely unaware that one of the Husks was slowly standing back up. He picked up his gun, reloaded it, and aimed at the oblivious woman's back.

His stomach and chest were suddenly riddled with small holes as the hallway became engulfed in the sound of automatic fire. Irina spun around and aimed her revolver only to see the Husk's body convulse violently as its torso was turned into swiss cheese before collapsing on its knees and falling flat on its face. From behind the downed guard, Xenovia lowered her SMG and gazed up at Irina's bemused face completely unbothered.

"You need to be more careful." She calmly advised. "That last cut wasn't deep enough to be lethal."

Irina silently cursed under her breath then prayed to the Lord for forgiveness. "Thanks, Xenovia."

She continued her ascent up the stairs, over the railing, before finally entering what she could only assume was the club owner's office. Waiting for her inside was a bald, wide man of abnormally large stature wearing a black striped suit sitting at his desk with his hands interlocked and resting upon it. An expectant look in his eyes.

"I hope you didn't leave too much of a mess." He commented in a gruff, cold tone.

Irina pointed the barrel of her gun directly at him, a stern look in her eyes. "Are you Kokabiel?"

He reared back his head and laughed obtusely, clutching his healthy gut with both hands as he bellowed in amusement before wiping a stray tear from his eye. "That's a good one. Sorry Hunter, but my boss ain't one for mixing with the common rabble. This place is way above his pay grade."

She sighed morosely. "Somehow I figured you were going to say that. Figures I'd run into another damn lackey. You don't exactly look like a Legendary Fallen Angel anyway."

"Sorry to disappoint you." The large man growled while slowly strumming his fingers on the desk. "Now is there a reason two Holy Sword Users have come barging down my door? Or are you just here to spread the good word?" He added with a venomous sneer.

Irina pointed the revolver at him again. "Your boss has information about a wanted fugitive of the Church. Any information you have regarding the man known as Freed Sellzen is to be turned over to us immediately."

"You barge into my place of business, kill my guards, and point a gun in my face demanding information, and you think I'll just give it to you?" He stood up and cracked his neck loudly. "For such a pretty little girl those are some massive balls you're sporting."

She cocked back the hammer as a warning. "I won't ask you again. If you have any information on Freed's whereabouts you better cough it up. I'll remind you harboring wanted criminals of the Church is a violation of the ceasefire the three factions-"

He slammed his fists into the table, splintering the wood. "Don't speak of that insipid ceasefire in my presence!" The club owner barked angrily. "If Azazel was even half the man my Master is, he would have said to hell with your damn ceasefire and won this war for the Fallen!"

"Last chance, Baldy." She threatened in a low voice. "Do you know where Freed is hiding or not?"

His lips twisted into a sinister smirk. "Sure, I know where he is. But I can assure you, he's not hiding."

"Tell me!" She demanded.

"You'll know soon enough, little girl." He warned ominously. "After all, he's coming for you and your friend the same way he came for the others. And when he finally catches up to you…" A low menacing chuckle emanated from the back of his throat. "...your impotent God will not be able to save you from your fate."

That was the last straw. Irina fired her weapon, unloading six bullets in total. One in the man's head, and five in his chest. Though his body jolted backwards with each shot, he did not fall. The club owner began to laugh in a low, threatening tone before gazing back at Irina with eyes full of bloodlust. The holes in his chest and head revealed, not blood and flesh, but sand. Sand that quickly reformed itself while pushing the bullets out of his body.

"A Gollum…" Irina seethed.

The Gollum picked up his desk as if it weighed nothing and hurled it at her. Irina's body glowed with neon blue energy as she struck out with her fist, completely shattering the desk as it connected with her punch, sending debris flying to either side. She barely had time to dodge the massive straight punch that followed as the Gollum charged her. Irina sidestepped to the left and his fist connected with the door before going straight through it. He quickly recovered and charged again. Irina dove out of the way as his fist connected with the brick wall, embedding itself in the mortar and shaking the foundations. She pulled her whip of light out and lashed it at him. Wrapping the razor like thread around the arm that was still stuck in the wall, she gave a swift tug, completely separating his arm from the rest of his body. The severed arm then dissolved into sand on the floor.

It was too early to celebrate however, for as soon as the sand fell apart it slowly began to swirl up into the air and reform on his arm. Within a matter of seconds his fist was good as new.

"Tsk, tough bastard aren't ya?"

He swung at her with both meaty fists. Though they were powerful, they were also incredibly sluggish. Making his blows fairly easy for her to avoid. Irina easily outmaneuvered him, using her acrobatics to their full potential to weave in and out of the range of his attacks while slicing him up with her whip. Yet no matter how many lashes she managed to wrend on her opponent, his body would instantly regenerate from the wound. It was frustrating to say the least. This was like trying to do battle with a moving rock.

After a couple more failed attempts by either party to do any lasting damage, Irina decided to switch up tactics. She somersaulted over her opponents head and lassoed a nearby fire extinguisher with her whip, pulling it from the wall and smashing her opponent directly in the face. The extinguisher burst, spraying dry white powder all over the room and temporarily blinding the Golem. She then leapt into the air and channeled her power into the soles of her feet, delivering a massive flying kick that sent the hapless goon soaring straight through the window of his office that overlooked the club. The music below came to a sudden halt as he landed in the middle of the mosh pit, parting the crowd of metalheads in the process.

As the noise died down to quiet murmuring they all stared up at the woman peering down at them from the newly formed hole in the office wall. Irina leapt into the air, flipping several times like a gymnast before landing gracefully on the main stage. The Golem sat up groggily, shaking the cobwebs out of its head.

"Sorry to interrupt boys and girls." Irina commented dryly. "But unfortunately my partner and I have to shut you down. Too many noise complaints."

A sea of inhuman eyes stared back at her angrily, the bodies of the metalheads contorting into different inhuman shapes. The Golem chuckled amusingly as it stood up and brushed the glass off its suit. "You really do have some gall, Holy Warrior. Barging in to the mouth of the lions den like this."

Just as she suspected. This place was a Haven for creatures of the Underworld. From the corner of her vision she saw Xenovia calmly open the door they entered from to get to the back hallway and step back into the club. She gave her a look as if to say 'still got this?' to which Irina nodded confidently.

She pulled out her revolver and whip and stood before the mass of Unholy creatures. This wouldn't take long.


The date Rias had prepared for her and Asia was incredibly extravagant for what was essentially just supposed to be a girl's night out. Asia was expecting a nice dinner and some shopping, and while she wasn't wrong, what she got was one of the most lavish experiences the city had to offer. A mall catering to the upper crust of the city. Every boutique and outlet store they visited offered makeup, jewelry, handbags, and assorted clothing that were impossible to purchase without a credit card.

Asia had her eye on a cute handbag she liked in one of the outlet stores and Rias offered to buy it for her. The moment she saw the completely outrageous price tag on the bag, however, she vehemently refused. As just the thought of the President spending that kind of money on her nearly gave her a panic attack. This was so not something she was used to, having lived as a cloistered Nun for most of her life. Everyone in this place was dressed in designer outfits and looked like very important people.

At one point, she saw a little boy walking with his mom, eating an ice cream cone with gold leaf in it.

Rias insisted she find something she wanted to buy, and Asia eventually settled on a small bottle of perfume that she liked. It was the cheapest thing she could find in the whole mall at fifty four thousand yen. After buying her gift, which came with about ten complimentary samples and a free hand soap, the nice lady bagged everything up for them and they went to another outlet store. This one sold swimwear.

They both took turns trying on different swimsuits and comparing and contrasting with each other. Rias came out wearing an Amaio silver two piece bikini that looked absolutely gorgeous against her more tan complexion. It made Asia's heart flutter the moment she saw it, and when she told Rias how pretty she looked, the President decided to buy it. She instructed Asia to find one she liked as well and Asia eventually decided on one that was very similar to Rias's only gold in color. She felt a little embarrassed trying something so flashy on but Rias seemed less than concerned. She loved it on her, and insisted she let her buy it for Asia, not taking no for an answer this time and refusing to let the poor girl see the price tag on the back. After shopping came the dinner, and from what Rias told her, despite its small size, the Michelin Star Restaurant she picked for them required a reservation booked months in advance if you hoped to get a seat.

Unless your name was Rias Gremory, apparently.

The dinner alone would have been more than enough for Asia considering it was bar none one of the most intimate dining experiences she had ever had in her life. The staff was incredibly attentive from the moment they stepped foot inside the cozy, traditionally decorated, private dining area. Helping the ladies to their desired seats, while servers dressed in traditional Japanese Kimonos took their orders from one of seven fixed courses.

The meal itself was, of course, perfect. Consisting of an appetiser, soup, sashimi, and grilled main dish for both of them. All perfectly portioned, and cooked in full view by the Head Chef. It was easily one of the best meals Asia had ever had in her entire life, and the Chef would occasionally come and check on them to make sure they were both completely satisfied. All in all, it was one of the most luxurious dates, no, most luxurious experiences Asia had ever had in her entire life.

Which was probably why she now felt so incredibly guilty.

"So how was everything?" Rias asked her, a prideful smirk on her gorgeous ruby lips as she swirled a glass of expensive champagne in her hand.

Asia fiddled with the hem of her skirt nervously, her eyes cast down to the table. "It was all so nice." She admitted. "Nicer than anything I've ever experienced in my whole life."

"It was really no trouble." Rias assured before sipping daintily on her glass. "I figured since this is our first official date together I'd treat you a little."

"It was really too much." She insisted with a slight frown. "I couldn't have possibly...I shouldn't have.."

Rias frowned at her before setting her glass down and peering into Asia's eyes worriedly. "Is everything okay? I didn't make you too uncomfortable did I?"

"N...no! It's not that." Asia assured. "I just-"

"Because I do have a tendency to go overboard sometimes." Rias admitted. "Jon's told me multiple times that I tend to forget not everyone was raised as the Heiress to a powerful Devil Family." She smiled sweetly at Asia. "I've just been meaning to show my gratitude for all the hard work you've done for me. And if I'm being totally honest, this was also an excuse to spoil you a little."

Asia blushed at the President's compliment. "I'm sorry if I sound ungrateful. I swear to you I'm not. This is just so...extravagant." She sighed in a melancholy tone. "I can't help but think how many people there are who can barely afford to feed themselves. Meanwhile, I'm eating sashimi that costs more than some people's house payments. I can't help but feel like God would be ashamed of my...sinful indulgences."

Rias quirked her head at her curiously before breaking out into a small, quiet, laughing fit. She wiped a stray tear of joy away before addressing the bemused blonde again. "You know...I really can see it now."

"See what?" Asia asked.

"The thing Jon finds so incredible about you." She marveled, resting her chin against her hand and just...staring at Asia for a moment. "Despite everything life has thrown at you, Asia, you still maintain that virgin purity. You're incorruptible it seems."

She squirmed in embarrassment as her face heated up. "Th...that's not true!" Asia sighed, casting her gaze away again. "I'm not incorruptible, not even close." She closed her eyes. "It's just...sometimes it feels like I've done nothing to deserve this. I try to live my life the way God desires me to, but I feel as though I've strayed so far from his path."

"And it is exactly for that reason I want to spoil you rotten." Rias retorted before downing the rest of her champagne. "You'd be content with the world giving you absolutely nothing so long as you can continue to help others and make friends." She placed a hand over Asia's affectionately. "Well you've made more than just a friend out of me, Asia. Jon's not the only person I owe my life to. And if I'm being honest, I want to give you the same thing I'm trying to give him. All the things life never let you have."

"Rias…" Asia's face glowed for her.

"Because despite what you may think, you do deserve all of this." She assured. "After everything life threw at you, after all it demanded of you, it's time for someone to take care of Asia Argento." Her finger caressed the top of Asia's hand gently.

She smiled sweetly at her, finding it difficult to maintain eye contact with the President given how flustered she was. "I could never be like you. You're so bold, and powerful, but more than that you're not afraid to be passionate. It's so inspiring and…" Her face turned even redder. "...words can't describe how much I admire you."

They spent a moment silently peering into each other's eyes. Both of them seeing the absolute beauty of the other...same as him.

"You realize us being like this is completely Jon's fault, right?" Rias added with a lighthearted tone. "So if I end up spending more time spoiling you than him, he'll only have himself to blame."

Asia giggled in response. "I hope he's doing alright without us."

Rias's smile went from lighthearted to...slightly awkward. She cleared her throat and turned a way, a light blush creeping over her cheeks. "I imagine he is doing just fine right now. He and Akeno both."

Her mouth hung open and her eyes went wide. "You mean…Akeno finally..."

Rias nodded. "It was time. She'd been holding herself back ever since the Rating Game. I gave her my blessing to go ahead with her plans for Jon." She added with a knowing smirk. "I imagine the two of them are enjoying each other's company even as we speak."

Asia puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms, going into full blown pout mode. "Well I don't see why he couldn't have told us first." Her expression glowered somewhat. "If Jon's already bonded with Akeno, then I guess it won't be long before others come along as well. I sometimes worry that...as time goes on, we'll get lost in the shuffle."

Rias giggled at her before shaking her head emphatically. "It will never happen. Our bonds with Jon are each wholly unique. And besides…" She swirled a finger around her champagne glass. "...what Akeno desires from him is very different from what we do."

She gave the President a confused look. "In what way?"

Rias motioned for her to lean in an ear, at which point she whispered something that turned Asia scarlet from ear to ear. The befuddled blonde quickly hid her face in her hands and turned away.

"Th...th...th...that's...oh my God. It's just so lewd."

The President of the ORC couldn't help but snicker at the poor girl. God she was adorable when she got this way.

"You know, Asia. I didn't just suggest this date to you just to give them their space. I was also testing a theory."

Asia finally removed her face from her hands and peered back at the President. "What theory?"

She smiled lovingly at her before biting her lower lip provocatively. "I wanted to see if my feelings for you are purely a manifestation of Jon's spirit, or if they exist even when he's not around. Turns out, I was right." She leaned her ample chest over the table, giving Asia a glorious view of her healthy endowments. "I've completely fallen for you, Asia. Whether it's because of Jon or not, the fact is...I need you just like I need him."

The poor girl's heart was racing out of her chest. It was all she could manage just maintaining eye contact with the gorgeous redhead. "I...I feel the same way." She finally managed to confess.

"So you see?" Rias assured her. "Even if Jon's attention is elsewhere, the Dragon has assured we can still feel his love. Through the love we feel for each other." Rias took her hand in hers. "The night's not over. Since we're giving Jon and Akeno their space, I figured…"

Asia gulped nervously. "You figured what?"

She shot her a devious little grin. "This isn't just a mall and restaurant. It's also a five star hotel. And considering the penthouse has a lovely little Jacuzzi overlooking the city..."

She pulled one of the shopping bags they had carried in with them from under their table.

"...I thought we might try out those new bathing suits we just bought."


The Penthouse sweet was every bit as elegant and luxurious as Asia pictured. The nine room, four thousand square foot suite put every Motel she had ever been in to shame. From the living room's lacquered walls inlaid with mother of pearl to the Thai silk canopy bedspread with 22-carat pure gold woven through it, the suite designed in conjunction with Billionaire Entrepreneur Yanai Masayoshi was as decadent as it gets.

The jacuzzi that Rias spoke of was less a jacuzzi and more a small heated pool built directly into the balcony overlooking the city. And once the girls were inside, changed into their swimsuits, and made their way into the pool Asia noticed even more features that the suite had to offer. The controls for the jacuzzi came with temperature gauges, a built in music player, as well as a button to summon the suite's personal Butler. After settling in and ordering drinks, Asia marveled at the gorgeous view of the city lights below while Rias relished in the blonde beauties reaction. She was happy that Asia seemed to be relaxing now that they'd made it up to the room.

"It's beautiful." Asia beamed. "I've never been this high up in a city before."

"I'm glad you like it." Rias took a sip of her Ribena, her perky breasts only halfway submerged, nothing but a thin piece of silver cloth between her skin and the water. "I was worried I might have ruined the date with my choice of venues."

Asia shook her head insistently. "No, not at all. Truthfully, I was just a little intimidated. I hope I didn't come off as ungrateful, I'm just not used to this sort of thing at all." A small frown formed on her features. "Honestly, I feel a little bad now. You went out of your way to make this date something truly special for me and I got all sanctimonious." She sighed morosely. "Force of habit, I suppose."

Rias shook her head assuredly. "It's no trouble at all, Love. I told you already, that moral purity of yours is one of the things I admire most about you."

"It's more than just that though." Asia continued, sinking down further into the water and hiding her breasts. "Truthfully...these new feelings scare me more than my feelings for Jon did."

The President quirked a brow at her and placed her drink aside. "Because I'm a woman?"

Asia nodded. "I'm changing so much so fast. I've lost my virgin purity, become a Devil, and now...now this." She lowered her head shamefully. "It feels like I'm slipping further and further from grace. I just...can't help but feel-"

"Shame?" Rias finished for her, a small frown on her features as she gazed out over the city. "That's an emotion I understand all too well. After all it's what my parents used to keep me in line with all those years."

Asia peered up at the President with concerned emerald eyes.

"It was the shame of betraying my house and disappointing my parents that kept me from being more open about my hatred of Riser. And it was the shame of my forced marriage that kept me from being completely honest with Jon." A small, bitter scowl formed on her features. "Shame is just another kind of prison. One that the Church, the Noble Houses, indeed anyone who believes they are entitled to something from you uses to keep you in line. I've since cast any doubts or shames away, and you should too Asia." Her smile returned and she looked at her again. "Because I don't regret my feelings for you. Not one bit."

She felt her heart skip in her chest. At that moment it was like all the walls had suddenly come crashing down. With this one confession, Asia suddenly felt closer to Rias than she thought was possible. Jon wasn't the only person in her life she couldn't live without anymore. And that was just something she had to accept.

"Rias...I love you." Asia's face heated up upon saying the words out loud. "I know I haven't said it yet, though I've felt it ever since the Rating Game. I love you the same way I love Jon."

"Asia…" Rias slowly floated over to her.

"When Salazar took you away from us, I begged Jon to promise me that he wouldn't return unless he brought you back with him." Her eyes began to well up. "The idea that we would never get to see you again...that I would never get to see you again." Tears began to leak down her face. "I couldn't bare it. Even though I denied my feelings at the time, the thought of you being gone was-"

Rias interrupted her by pulling Asia in by the waist and practically gluing her lips to hers. Asia went wide eyed the same way she would whenever Jon surprised her like this, and for a moment it seemed like she might back away. Rias's lips felt nothing like Jon's. They were softer...gentler…

Slowly but surely, her eyes began to close and she melted into her partner. Wrapping her arms around her as she completely relinquished herself over to the redheaded beauty. Finally their lips parted and they locked eyes with one another. After a moment of awkward staring they both burst into a stream of bubbly giggling.

"God...I don't think Jon's ever kissed me quite like that before." Asia admitted.

"It was definitely different." Rias admitted, her cheeks turning almost as red as her hair. "But...I loved it all the same."

Asia turned her gaze away and smiled in embarrassment. "Do it again."

She quirked a brow at her curiously. "I'm sorry?"

"Do it again." Asia closed her eyes, her little heart racing in her chest. "Kiss me just like you did a moment ago."

A devious little grin formed on Rias's features. She floated back over to the controls on the jacuzzi and began playing the first track that came up in the Sensual playlist. It was a unique mashup of the songs Often and Waves created by an artist who went by the name of Sickick. As the song began, Rias silently floated back over to Asia, reaching a hand behind her back and pulling her bikini top loose. The President slowly removed the silver cloth and sank back into the water before tossing it aside, that same amorous grin on her face.

Asia swallowed back her nerves and shut her eyes before doing the same. Slowly untying her top and removing it. She met the President in the middle of the pool and the two young ladies pressed their chests against each other, their arms wrapped around the other's waist. Rias placed a tender hand against Asia's cheek before they pressed each other's lips firmly together once more. After a few moments of tender kissing, they broke apart and stared at each other with heated faces, before going right back into it. This time far more eagerly. Rias and Asia sat on their knees in the middle of the tub like this for the entirety of the song, relishing in the softness of each other's lips.

At the songs conclusion they slowly broke away. Next to come on was Ride by SoMo.

"Wow…" Asia marveled, her eyes glazing over in adoration. "...I never knew how wonderful it could be."

The corner of Rias's lips curled into a little grin. "Still feeling shame?"

Asia shook her head vehemently. "There's nothing shameful about something this beautiful." She admitted. "And besides. The Bible says it's a Sin for two men to lay together. It never mentions anything about women. So...theoretically...we could do whatever we want. If you're interested, I mean."

Rias gave her a disbelieving look. "Why Asia, are you exploiting a loophole in a holy text to justify your lustful behavior?"

She blushed before nodding her head silently.

"Well I've got to say…" Rias's devious little grin spread all the way across her face. "...I have never been more proud in my entire life."

They lost themselves in each other again, the music fading into the background as the two young women explored this whole new side to love that had opened up to them.

Somewhere, in an apartment complex miles away, two perverts looked up from their Hentai. Both of them having felt a sudden disturbance in the force.


Jon stood over Akeno's raggedly breathing body. Over the past few hours the two had experimented with many of the various toys and tools that could be found in Sona's Pleasure Dungeon. Her feisty attitude earned Akeno a trip to the cross, where she happily walked through each device Jon used on her, explaining how best to use it while eagerly sticking her ass in the air for him, her wrists tied to the wall.

Deciding to give her ass a break, and not wanting to burn her out too quickly, they next played around with the shackles dangling from the ceiling. Jon tied her arms in the air and raised her up on the tips of her toes before freely playing with her body. Akeno was more than happy to let him explore, and even went so far as to offer him her most sensitive spots. He spent a fair amount of time just experimenting with his hands. Figuring out what worked best, where on her body she was the most responsive, and for how long. Once he had a steady rhythm going, he really started to torture her. A little payback for all the unnecessary teasing she'd done on him over the past year and a half they'd known each other. Jon played with her little heat until she was just on the very edge, only to back away and watch her wriggle and squirm uncomfortably. It wasn't until she was begging him desperately for sweet relief that he finally offered it to her, and the release she experienced upon his mercy made her entire body convulse happily and her eyes roll into the back of her head.

After that, he let her down and used the built in cuplinks on the back of her harness to tie her hands behind her back. It was time for the main event, and despite his reservations, Akeno assured him multiple times this was exactly how she wanted their first time to be. She wasn't Rias, and she wasn't Asia. For their first night together, Akeno wanted her Master to take her on the floor, her hands tied behind her back and her thighs spread for him obediently.

So that's exactly what he did.

Akeno proved to be every bit as loud during sex as Rias was. The expressions she made however, were also far more wild. Akeno wasn't afraid to stick out her tongue, arch her head back and move her hips greedily to accept him. It wasn't long before she found herself in the throes of yet another violent orgasm, upon which he quickly followed suit.

But even after their first time, she still wasn't done. Akeno wanted just a little bit more, and so Jon sat her up on her knees whereupon she splayed her thighs open for him and bowed her head. "Do whatever you want to me." Was her only request. So, deciding to get creative, Jon placed a blindfold over her eyes, and a ball gag in her mouth. Her body instantly responded positively to the new sensations, and Jon found himself looking for new ways to torture her as she so desired. The next few minutes were a blur of riding crops, rat tails, and switches as he experimented with different methods of pain on the different parts of her skin. After awhile, he started to get a feel for what she considered "good" pain and what she considered "bad" pain based on the way she would scream through the gag.

But after awhile, she eventually began to reach her limit. And so now here he was. Riding crop still in hand, looking down at his obedient submissive as her breath came in ragged whistles through the ball gag still in her mouth.

"Well...you've certainly been a well behaved little thing, haven't you?" Jon teased her, a twisted smirk on his face. He wasn't sure about this at first, but Akeno's guidance had really brought out the inner sadist in him.

Akeno's head was bowed as usual, her hands still tied behind her back. Her legs were starting to give out and her body was covered in red marks while her thighs glistened with her own wetness. She had had enough.

Jon slowly knelt down on one knee and removed the blindfold from her eyes. She fluttered her lashes at him, her gaze tired. He then gently removed the ball gag from her mouth and she sighed in relief as her breaths began to steady.

"Can you speak?" He asked in a calm, gentle tone.

She slowly nodded. "Yeah." Her voice came out as a horse whisper.

He released the restraints from her arms and slowly helped her out of the skin tight harness she was wearing. Peeling the leather straps away to expose the raw skin underneath. When Akeno was finally out of everything, even the harness, Jon gently wrapped her up in a blanket and carried her out of the Dungeon.

"So what now, Master?" She asked, clinging to him like a small child, her face nuzzled into his chest.

He smiled down at her affectionately. "Now, we get you some much needed aftercare."

She quirked her head up at him curiously. "You know about that?"

"Of course I do." Jon assured, hitting the button on the elevator that lead them back up to the Honor's House. "I'm not such a complete amateur that I don't know the Golden Rule of S&M."

Akeno sighed lovingly into his chest. "They broke the mold when they made you, Sir. I swear."

"So what are we watching?" He asked while carrying her from the elevator back to her bedroom.

"It doesn't matter." She assured, her eyes closed as she slowly began to drift off. "Just put something on in the background...all I really need is you. At least for awhile."

They cuddled up on the bed together and Jon flipped on the TV. It wasn't long before Akeno was asleep, and God help him if he didn't think seeing her resting her eyes was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

His heightened senses picked up the sound of someone violently beating on the front door. Jon frowned in annoyance before standing up. He didn't want to leave Akeno alone but whoever that was they sounded insistent. He left her room and made his way to the front door before turning the knob and opening up.

"Hey buddy, you do realize what time…."

Jon's skin turned white as a sheet and his blood ran cold.


Rias tilted her head and gripped the sides of the jacuzzi until her knuckles turned white. Her breath came in deep heated pants as her breasts heaved with every labored breath she took. With each exhale an erotic sigh escaped her lips which increased in decible at every breath. As she reached her threshold Rias brought her right hand up to her face and bit down on the knuckle of her pointer finger. Her breaths came faster and faster until she suddenly slammed her right hand back down onto the side of the tub shut her eyes tight and arched her back almost completely out of the water before screaming in ecstasy as her whole body went tense.

After riding the wave of euphoria that followed, Rias collapsed back into the tub, gasping for breath as she tried to regain her senses. Asia's head popped up from below the surface of the water and she gasped for breath, having been down for far longer than she needed to be.

"Rias...I…" She panted heavily, trying to regain her breath. "...I don't think I can keep this up. I keep getting water up my nose."

The President took a moment to shake the fog away before staring at Asia incredulously.

"Is...is something wrong?" Asia asked worriedly. "Did I mess up?"

Rias simply continued to stare in disbelief. She really had no idea. Asia was completely oblivious to the talent she had with that little tongue of hers.

She giggled hysterically at her before shaking her head. "No. Nothing's wrong, Love. Nothing at all."

Asia smiled and reached up to kiss Rias. The President wrapped her arms around Asia as she straddled her lap. As the two settled back in to a tender makeout session Rias's phone suddenly went off, completely ruining the mood.

Rias groaned in annoyance before glaring at her phone silently. Upon seeing the contact number, however, her eyes filled with concern.

"Is that Jon calling?" Asia asked curiously with her arms still wrapped around Rias's neck.

The President reached for her phone while Asia gently got off of her and sunk back into the water. Rias hit the green answer button before bringing the phone to her ear.

"Hey Jon…" She answered nervously. "Is everything okay?"

It didn't take long before Rias's eyes went wide with terror and she shot up out of the bath as if the water had just started to boil.

"What happened?!" She shouted angrily.

"Rias, what's wrong?" Asia asked worriedly before standing up and covering her chest with her arms.

The President lowered the phone and looked back at Asia with horror stricken eyes.

"We need to get back to the Honor's House immediately." Her voice was severe.

"Why? What's going on?" Asia was suddenly terrified.

"It's Kiba." Rias explained in a grim tone. "He's been hurt...badly."