When Jon next awoke, he was alone in Rias's bed. His Treasure had obviously visited him while he slept and left the burning incense to help him recover. It smelled delightful, though the vase Rias had placed it in made him chuckle. It looked like something you would find at Pottery Barn. Definitely not the President's style.

With slow, weary movement he stood up and stretched. His throat was dry and his head was still throbbing. Some of Akeno's herbal tea and a healing session with Asia would have him right as rain again. He had no doubt.

The blinds on the windows had been drawn to keep the sunlight at bay. Jon had no desire to be hit with those harsh rays while he was still hungover so he left them be. The construction going on outside didn't help matters either.

After getting himself dressed in pajama pants and a white t-shirt he slowly lumbered out to the Chapter Room.

"Morning ya'll." He yawned while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "That vase sure is something special, Rias. Did you steal it from…"

He stopped. Rias wasn't there. None of his Peerage was. Instead, a woman with long silver hair dressed in a Maid's outfit stood up from the couch and placed the tea she'd been drinking down. She smiled at him warmly and bowed.

"It's good to see you again, Jonathan Hyodo. It's been too long."

"Lady Grayfia?" Jon asked in disbelief. He hadn't seen Lucifer's Queen since the incident at the Phenex Estate. What was she doing here now?

"I trust you slept comfortably?" She asked while proceeding to pour him a cup of tea and bring it to him. "Drink this, it will help with the hangover."

He took the tea from her and sipped. A worried look in his eyes. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you again, Grayfia. But I get the distinct impression this ain't a social visit."

Her ruby lips curled into a small frown. "I wish I could say it was. Unfortunately, you're right. I'm afraid the situation with Kokabiel has...escalated."

He felt a nervous pit form in his stomach. "Escalated?" A thought occurred to him. "Wait a minute...how long have I been out?"

"Almost two full days." She explained.

He blanched, nearly dropping Rias's antique tea cup. "T...two days?! Why the hell didn't anyone wake me up?"

"We tried." She calmly spoke. "Your body refused to awaken. The others are all back to normal, but you have been in and out of consciousness all this time."

"That Motherfucker!" Jon was seeing red now. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted that crap Sammy gave me!"

She shook her head vehemently. "I don't think it was the Loa Tablet that was chiefly to blame. Your body is still fighting to keep up with the burgeoning power within you, Jon. Your time at the Lab must have drained you more than you thought, the drugs were just the final chip in the iceberg."

He groaned in frustration before walking over to the couch and sitting down. "So it was my fault then. I pushed myself too hard."

"Ultimately this is a good thing." She tried to sound reassuring. "Your body should be more acclimated to your Dragon's Soul. Which means you've likely unlocked power in addition to no longer having to worry about excess energy being a problem. But only time will tell as to just how much you've grown."

Though he was still restless from the fact that he'd been out cold for so long, Jon decided it was ultimately not worth dwelling on. From the sounds of things, it was bound to happen one way or another.

"So what all did I miss while I was off in La La Land?"

She frowned at that. "It would be better if I just showed you." Grayfia bowed respectfully and headed for the door. "Please get yourself dressed. Lord Lucifer will no doubt desire to speak with you now that you're awake."

He shot up from his seat. "Lucifer is...here?!"

Grayfia nodded silently.

"As in...here." He pointed at the floor, still not quite believing her. "At Kuoh?"

"Yes." She confirmed.

If Rias's brother was here, then the situation was even worse than he thought. Which meant there was absolutely no time to lose.

At first, Jon was going to forego a shower. But Grayfia assured him if he needed to he could take one. That helped put his mind at ease. Whatever the situation was, it wasn't so dire as to demand his presence right then and there.

Besides, this was Rias's family they were talking about. He didn't want her Big Brother thinking the man she was seeing was an unkempt slob.

It didn't take him long to get cleaned off and fully dressed. Jon grabbed his red leather jacket and cowboy hat before heading out of Rias's room and making his way downstairs.

Waiting for him there was Grayfia. A dour look upon her face.

"Listen…" She cautioned. "...this may be a bit of a shock so just...brace yourself."

He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment, nervous as to what she meant by that. Finally, however, he nodded in understanding.

Grayfia proceeded to open the front door. She was right, he wasn't ready.

Kuoh had been turned into a war base. There were barricades of barbed wire around the perimeter of the campus. Troops clad in blood red armor that completely obscured their faces marched in formation. Massive assault rifles with what appeared to be chainsaws attached to them in their hands. Tanks and armored vehicles painted to match the color of their armor rolled through the streets and over the grass of the Quad. It was complete madness.

"What the absolute fuck is going on here?" He stood dumbfounded at what he was looking at.

"I'm surprised you hadn't noticed sooner." She admitted. "Your hearing is usually far more acute than that."

"I thought it was our contractor working on the pool!" He insisted. Still at a complete loss for words. "Seriously, what the hell did I miss?!"

"That's not all." She pointed up towards the sky. "Look."

Jon's jaw damn near hit the floor as he looked up above him. A massive energy barrier had been placed around what had to be the entire city. It went on for miles.

"My Lord erected that barrier himself." Grayfia explained. "It's the only thing keeping them in."

"Keeping what in?" He asked nervously.

"The disease." She turned and cast two woeful eyes at him. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Jon. But Kokabiel has attacked the city of Kuoh. He's officially declared war."

Jon followed Grayfia to the President of Kuoh's House, located on the Eastern side of campus. This sprawling mansion sat on the very edge of campus and was, as far as Jon could tell, always vacant. The normally clear, grassy lawn that went on for almost half the size of a football field was now covered with troops, military tents, and armored vehicles with machine guns attached to the roof. What stood out the most to Jon was how the troops seemed to come in two different varieties. There were squads of humans running around in black tactical body armor with weapons he recognized strapped to their backs.

But then there were these huge hulking armored troops as well. Their armor was blood red and their faces were obscured by thick helmets. As far as he could tell, there wasn't a single one of them under six foot eight. But the majority of these heavily armored troopers were easily over seven feet tall.

"So who the heck are those guys?" Jon asked, slightly bewildered by the massive soldiers. "They're built like brick shithouses."

Grayfia chuckled. "These troops are all a part of Lord Lucifer's private army." She explained.

"He has a private army?" Jon sounded fairly impressed.

She nodded. "While Devil Armies are typically loyal to whichever House they come from, these troops are loyal solely to Lucifer himself. They come in two distinct factions. The Scout Regiment and the Assault Tribes. The heavily armored brutes you see before you make up the ranks of Lord Lucifer's Assault Tribes, whereas the humans compose the Scout Regiment."

Something she said caught his ear. "Wait..only humans are in the scout regiment?"

She nodded. "That is correct."

"So then what are those armored troops?"

As if on cue, one of the armored warriors removed his helmet and addressed his men, who had formed a line in the grass. Right away, Jon could tell that what he was looking at was in no way human. This creature had pointed ears, dark brown skin, and fangs like a saber tooth tiger. Its dark hair was braided into a war plait and looked like something you'd see in a Mongolian Horde. The massive creature paced in front of his troops, his face marked by a tattoo on his left eye.

"Soldiers of the Black Talon Clan!" The creature bellowed furiously. "The hour of War is nigh! Your foe is well equipped, well trained, and battle hardened! He believes his Gods are on his side. Let him believe what he will, we have the Tanks on ours!"

His men slammed their fists against their massive chest plates.

"Our Lord has approved the Tactical Task to breathe fire!" He continued, pacing in front of them like a feral lion. "You will breath fire day in and day out for however long the enemy stands! You will breathe fire in your sleep! You will breath fire when you are awake! You will feel no fear! You will feel no sadness! You will feel no regret! Only rage! The undying rage and blood thirst that has consumed your clan! And through it all, you will CONTINUE to breathe fire!"

Again, they all knocked their fists against their chests.

"You will use the operational instinct that is ingrained in your blood! You will stay methodical on the field of war by assuming effective fire, and tactical superiority to kill the enemy! Kill the enemy! KILL THE ENEMY!"

Jon watched from a distance, slightly in awe of the spectacle. "Grayfia...what the hell am I looking at right now?"

She smiled knowingly. "That is the Chief of the Black Talon Clan. She explained. Theirs is not the largest Orc Clan found in the Underworld by any means, but they are one of the more vicious ones."

"Sorry, could you say that again?" He cleaned his ear and perked it up to her. "Not sure I heard ya quite right there. Did you just call them ORCS?"

Grayfia nodded in confirmation. "Lucifer's Assault Tribes are not simply a Garrison of Soldiers. They're a species created by the race once known as Goblins." She explained. "Roughly six centuries ago, the Goblin tribes were a species on the brink of extinction. Encompassing little more than a few animalistic clans deep within the forests of central Europe, away from the borders of human civilization. These tribes, though few in number, were strong in their will to survive and a naturally aggressive race. Sirzechs saw potential in this. And so he formed a pact with each Chieftain of each surviving tribe and had them brought to the Underworld. There he placed them in the lower pits, amidst sulphuric rock, ash choked air, and furnaces of molten lava. With the only source of food available being the massive demonic beasts that called the lower pits of Hell their home. To survive, the Goblins had to adapt. They hunted these beasts, drank of their demonic blood, ate their flesh, and in doing so, mutated. Over the next few centuries, they grew, forming new tribes and growing in size and strength. Those who were too weak or too feeble soon died, leaving only the strongest and most aggressive to thrive in their hostile environment, becoming what you see now. A species that has been developed on a biological level to thrive on conflict and bloodshed. Though few in number, when it comes to war, they have no equals."

As insane as the explanation for their existence was, Jon was more interested in their weapons. "Are those...chainsaws on the ends of those things?"

She nodded. "I'm not a weapons expert, but I believe that is what is known as a Lancer Assault Rifle. Orcs do not believe in notions of self defense or peacekeeping, in war, they seek only to attack. Ripping their foes to pieces by any means necessary. The weapons they design reflect this philosophy. You will not find a single armament in the Orc Clans that wasn't designed to destroy an enemy in the most brutal way possible."

"Man…" Jon was almost mesmerized by the weapon. "...I have GOT to get me one of those."

Grayfia quirked a brow at him. "To what end? As a Dragon, you possess magic and abilities that far exceed anything that weapon could produce."

"Okay yeah but…" He could care less about that. '...it's a fucking CHAINSAW bayonet!"

She couldn't help but giggle at him in amusement. "If I remember correctly, Sammy had a similar reaction the first time he saw one too. You men and your little toys, I swear…"

Jon finally managed to pry his eyes off the assault rifles and the massive soldiers who wielded them and turned his attention to the other faction. "So tell me more about the human forces."

"The Scout Regiment? They're a different breed entirely." She explained while presenting the men and women in black tactical armor. "Their ranks are composed of Demons, or the sons and daughters of Demons. As their name implies, they are Lucifer's scout forces, however, the name can be misleading as they do far more than just recon. They are also trained as a Special Operations Division. Each member of their ranks is a trained killer who can be deployed to eliminate high priority targets. In many ways...they are very much similar to the Hunters trained by the Saintly Knights of Michael."

"You don't say?"

"Where they differ from their Vatican Brethren, however, is that Scouts are also trained in more conventional tactics of warfare. Their training may not be as personalized or thorough as a Hunter's is, but Scouts are far better equipped to respond to disaster scenarios such as this one."

"They've dealt with scenarios like this before?"

She shook her head. "Not one of this size, no. This is by far the largest operation the Scout Regiment has ever been a part of."

"I still can't believe…" Jon shook his head mournfully. "...he really did it. Kokabiel declared war. What is that madman thinking?"

"He's not." Grayfia assured. "Kokabiel has always been a power hungry tyrant. The ceasefire was just the excuse he needed to finally strike out on his own."

"But what does he hope to gain from this? What's his objective?"

She stopped walking and turned to him, a severe look in her eyes.

"Kokabiel intends to use this attack as a means to reignite the Great War. Should he succeed in spreading his disease...it will mean the end of civilization as we know it."

The weight behind Grayfia's words sank deep into his mind. Jon understood now the true gravity of the situation. There was no time to lose, he had to speak with Lucifer and find out what could be done to stop this madness before it escalated any further.

Jon entered the President of Kuoh's mansion to find the place had apparently been converted into a war base. Female Devils dressed in secretary outfits darted about the large domicile, some carrying large stacks of paperwork, others with files marked as classified.

According to Grayfia, this was always how the building looked. Kuoh Academy had no official President, and indeed any formal decision regarding the University was collectively decided by both the head of the Gremory and Sitri Clans respectively. In the event of a catastrophe, this Mansion was designed specifically to be used as a command center by Sirzech Lucifer.

Lady Grayfia guided Jon up a flight of stairs to a large room in the middle of which was a table projecting a 3D image of the city of Kuoh. This table was surrounded by rolling leather chairs which lead Jon to deduce that this must have been the War Room.

It was here that his Peerage had been waiting for him. Rias, Asia, Akeno, and Koneko all collectively stood from their seats and beamed at him.

"Well if isn't my favorite ladies in all of Kuoh."

"Jon!" Asia was the first to run up and jump into his arms, kissing him tenderly.

Rias snickered and rolled her eyes before calmly walking over and kissing him next. "Did you sleep well?"

"As well as could be expected."

"I'm happy you're finally awake, Master." Akeno walked up to him and knelt down on her knees before gracefully bowing.

Jon chuckled in amusement. "Get over here, Ju'Kara."

She beamed at him before standing up and jumping into his arms, same as Asia. They kissed lovingly before Koneko suddenly cleared her throat abruptly.

"Umm, what about me?" She asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

He smiled lovingly at her. "Of course I couldn't forget you, Kani."

She rolled her eyes at him before tugging on Jon's lapel and kissing him fiercely. With a wicked grin Koneko then whispered in his ear. "For the record, that crap Sammy gave us left me with a splitting headache and a high grade fever...but it was TOTALLY worth it."

"Yeah well...considering I didn't wake up for a day and a half afterwards, we should probably consider making that just a one time thing."

Asia turned her head away and blushed as she recalled the extremely erotic encounter. "I agree…"

Grayfia quirked a brow at the sight of Jon holding one lady in each arm as well as two more clinging to his shoulders. The relationships he had formed with his Treasures was progressing even faster than she or Sirzechs could have anticipated.

"I take it from the fact we're missing our Knight that Kiba is still out of commission?" Jon asked worriedly.

Rias frowned and nodded. "I'm afraid so. He's yet to recover from his injuries."

Jon sighed, shaking his head before quietly swearing in disappointment. "They must have been worse than I thought."

"Now's not the best time to fret over that, I fear." Grayfia insisted. "The other groups will be arriving shortly."

"Other groups?" Jon asked.

Rias nodded. "Two other Houses besides mine have offered support for my Brother's campaign in Kuoh. The representatives from both houses are due to arrive soon."

At that moment the door to the War Room opened. Sona Sitri entered with her Queen Tsubaki and her Pawn Sammy.

"Ah good. You're here." Rias acknowledged Sona respectfully. "How is research into the cure going?"

Tsubaki adjusted her glasses and spoke candidly. "As well as can be expected given the time crunch we're under. We've ran into a bit of a snag regarding the Decay Rate Algorithm but…" She sighed. "Well to put it simply we're doing the best that we can."

"In the meantime, keeping Kuoh secure should be our top priority." Sona insisted. "Curing the plague that has befallen the city comes second to keeping it contained."

Sammy grinned at Jon upon seeing his fellow Dragon awake. "Well look who finally decided to join the party. One little tablet was too much for ya, Hyodo? I took three of those things and was fine."

"If by 'fine' you mean spending most of yesterday laid up in bed drooling all over yourself." Tsubaki spoke bluntly.

"Tsk! Why'd ya have to go and bring that up, huh?!" He asked indignantly.

Jon snickered at him in amusement. "Good to see you too, Sammy."

It was then that Sona frowned at Jon and approached him. "Listen...there's something that Tsubaki and I need to bring to your attention."

"Specifically, regarding those three humans you interact with. Matsuda, Motohama, and Aika, I believe are their names."

"Huh?" He gave her a nervous look. "What about them?" A horrifying thought crossed his minds. "Wait...don't tell me they're-"

Sona shook her head vehemently. "No no no, nothing like that. They're still very much alive."

"But…" Tsubaki continued. "...they may or may not have inadvertently become guinea pigs in a little experiment of ours."

He quirked a disbelieving brow at them. "Okay explain."

Sona proceeded to tell him everything. About how Matsuda, Motohama, and Aika were exposed to the Mutation strain of the virus and that their bodies had been permanently altered by its effects.

"So let me get this straight…" Jon rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger, trying really hard not to start yelling. "...these idiots...broke into your lab, messed around with equipment they have no clue how to use, and then grabbed a random vial and popped it open? Is that about the sum of things?"

Sona nodded. "In a nutshell. Yes."

"And you just...stood by and let them do it?" He asked, again trying REALLY hard not to start yelling.

She shrugged indifferently. "To be fair they did break in. And we had more pressing matters to attend to."

Sammy whistled nonchalantly and cast his gaze away from a rather perturbed looking Tsubaki.

"Sona, you know I respect the hell out of you and I would typically never question your judgement..." Jon spoke as evenly as possible. "But I swear to Lucifer if you got my friends turned into mutants…"

"You can relax, Jonathan." Sona adjusted the bridge of her glasses. "They're perfectly fine. In fact as Rias puts it, they're doing better than fine."

The President of the ORC nodded. "I've been monitoring their progress for you while you've been asleep. While I couldn't directly intervene on account of everything happening here, I was able to have our forces draw the bulk of the undead horde away from them while they got to safety." A wicked grin covered her lips. "And that's not all...just wait until you hear what those three have been up to since the outbreak occurred."

He groaned in exasperation. "Do I even want to know?"

Rias proceeded to go into detail about what all they had successfully done since awakening to their new powers. Everything from fighting off the zombie horde to rescuing two attractive young women. She even told him about Irina and Xenovia showing up, as well as their little falling out. Jon took in all this information, every last bit, everything Rias told him, and seemed for the most part to be able to accept all of it. All of it except one little detail.

"Matsuda got laid?!" He asked incredulously.

Koneko nodded. "Yep, I couldn't believe it either until Rias showed us. Your perverted buddy finally lost his V-Card."

"And to a rather fine young thing too." Akeno added with a sultry tone. "Honestly, I was a little impressed."

"It was so sweet!" Asia melted at the memory. "I'd never seen Matsuda act so gentlemanly before. He honestly reminded me a little bit of you, Jon."

"And in other news, the forecast in Hell indicates a high probability of freezing over." Sammy joked.

Jon was so floored he fell backwards into one of the leather chairs behind him. "Holy shit...I missed even more than I thought." As he slowly got over the initial shock regarding his three perverted friends, his focus shifted over to the next major issue. "So Xenovia is on her way here with the Holy Swords?"

Rias nodded. "It would seem so." She then frowned apologetically. "But it appears Irina did not decide to join her. I'm sorry Jon, but we haven't been able to locate your former student since they parted ways."

Pain stabbed his heart. He hoped to God Irina was okay.

With a heavy sigh he stood up from his seat and straightened himself up. "So my friends are fighting off zombies, my Pupil is off on her own doing God only knows what, and we're about to have a full blown war on our hands with the Angel of Stars. Any other huge surprises you wanna throw my way while we're at it?"

"JOHNNY!"

From out of nowhere Jon felt a pair of A cup breasts smack him right in the face as the five foot one blonde they were attached to glomped him to the ground.

"Oh, Johnny Darling, it's been far too long! Why haven't you called me?!"

At first he thought he was under attack by a rabid nine year old given the way she was giggling hysterically and hugging his face to her chest.

When it finally clicked who was on top of him, Jon about lost it entirely.

"RAVEL?!"

"Ah good." Lady Grayfia commented. "It would appear that House Phenex has arrived as well."

Lady Ravel Phenex beamed down at Jon from her position on his chest. The young woman's hair was done up into two golden twin tails as usual and her dress she had chosen was a lovely burgundy color.

"Did you miss me, Darling?" She asked in a bubbly voice. "Oh who am I kidding? Of course you did!"

Okay...there was so much to unpack here it wasn't even funny. Why was Ravel Phenex here? What was she doing on top of him? And furthermore…

"Darling?!" Jon asked in bewilderment.

She giggled at him before placing her hand pridefully up to her chest. "I'll have you know I've been practicing exactly how I'll greet you each and every morning when...when…"

It was at that exact moment that she seemed to finally come back down to Earth. Everyone was staring at her. Literally, everyone. While most just looked to be stunned by her rather sudden entrance into the room and subsequent tackle hug, Koneko in particular looked quite annoyed by her presence. Jon hadn't seen her scowl like that in a good long time.

Ravel turned white as a ghost as it slowly dawned on her the scene she had just made in front of everyone. She squealed indignantly before flailing off Jon and quickly trying to backpedal about three steps from the crazy lady she had just presented herself as. She stood up straight and quickly straightened her posture.

"Ahem!" She produced a small hand fan from her waistcoat and began furiously waving it in front of herself, trying desperately to reduce the redness in her face while maintaining a calm and poised demeanor. "In any case...it's...good to see you again, Jonathan."

"Is this chick for real?" Sammy muttered to Sona.

"It's good to see you too, Ravel." Jon sat up and tried to get a handle on the situation. "But what are you doing here?"

Before she could answer, someone else spoke up.

"Isn't it obvious? The Phenex Clan owes Lucifer a debt, and we intend to repay it."

Jon's expression immediately soured. He could recognized that voice just about anywhere. After standing up, he slowly turned towards the door to meet the gaze of the man who just spoke. A man in a tailored suit complete with a smokers jacket and golden pocket watch stood in the doorway next to his Queen.

"Riser Phenex…"

The head of the Phenex clan narrowed his eyes at Jon warily before offering a halfhearted greeting. "Ddraig…"

"Hoo boy. Is it me or did it just get a bit chilly in here?" Sammy commented.

Riser's Queen, Yubelluna, took her King's coat for him and hung it on a nearby coat rack as the young Lord of the Phenex Clan approached Jon. The two seemed to consider each other cautiously for a moment before he finally extended his hand out to him. Without a word, Jon shook hands with Riser, noting his power had effectively skyrocketed since becoming the new Head of House Phenex.

A threatening grin formed on Jon's lips. "Well well, I'm impressed, Blue Blood. That's quite a handshake you've got there."

"Indeed…" Riser returned his menacing smile with one of his own. "...yours isn't half bad yourself."

"Since becoming the head of the Phenex Clan and merging with our Houses Spirit, my Lord has almost tripled his level of power." Yubelluna stated pridefully. "He is now even stronger than Salazar during his reign."

"That right?" Jon continued to glare at Riser as he spoke. "You'll have to give me a demonstration some time."

"Be careful what you wish for, Ddraig." He cautioned. "Riser may just give it to you."

"Still talking in third person, eh?" Jon chuckled at him. "I guess not EVERYTHING about you has changed."

Rias sighed wearily while placing a hand against her face. "Well this is already exhausting."

"Why do you feel the need to turn every single encounter with another male into a dick measuring contest?" Koneko asked bluntly.

Akeno giggled in amusement. "It's not as if he can help it, Koneko. Dragons are just as prideful creatures as Phoenix's are if not more so."

Rather than respond, Koneko elected to shoot daggers at Ravel. "Go figure…"

"Riserrrrr!" Ravel folded her fan and smacked her older brother over the head with it, an angry scowl on her face. "You promised me you wouldn't pick a fight with him!"

"OW! Ravel!" Riser rubbed his head and protested indignantly. "We weren't fighting. It was just a handshake."

"Dude, we can literally feel your auras from over here." Koneko commented taciturnly. "You're not fooling anyone."

Ravel placed her hands on her hips and glared up at him sternly. "I want you to play nice with Johnny, okay? I AM his Treasure after all."

Jon about damn near hit the floor again. At that moment his spirit drifted from his body and began slowly floating away. Koneko meanwhile bristled from head to toe in anger.

"Why must you insist on calling yourself that?" Riser looked about ready to keel over, himself. "Saying such things so openly is not dignified of a Pureblood Phoenix."

"It's also a little presumptuous if we're being honest." Rias spoke through gritted teeth, her brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Hmph!" Ravel raised her nose snootily into the air. "It doesn't make it any less true. My heart has accepted the Red Dragon Emperor's Mark same as the rest of you. Johnny and I are bonded whether you like it or not."

Koneko's mood continued to darken. Something Jon was keenly aware of as this whole situation continued to spiral further and further out of his control.

Rias closed her eyes and shook her head in exasperation. "I'm not doubting that. But there is much more to becoming a Dragon's Treasure than just saying it."

"Much more." Koneko growled.

"The idea that you are Imprinted to this scoundrel…" Riser placed his palm against his forehead, clearly in denial about the whole thing. "...what ever did I do in life to deserve this?"

"You know I'm still right here." Jon spoke in an aggravated tone.

"I am. And I really wish you weren't." He suddenly pointed at Jon dramatically. "Now here this, Ddraig! Riser shall not allow you to rob his little sister of her pure virgin innocence! We shall settle this like Gentleman! I challenge you here and now to an honorable duel! Winner claims her chastity!"

Ravel looked mortified. She quickly swatted Riser over the head with her fan again, and then several times after that for good measure. "Would you stop talking about my Chastity you knuckle brained imbecile?! You're my Brother for Lucifer's sake!"

"Ow ow ow! Sorry Sis! Sorry!" He quickly backed away as his little sister continued to swat him repeatedly with her fan.

Jon was so not ready for this day. He was fully aware of that now. Was it too late to hop back into bed and pretend he was still in a coma?

She finally stopped wailing on him long enough to speak. "Listen, I've already made up my mind about this. I'm going to join Johnny's peerage and become his First Mistress. There's nothing you can say or do that will keep us apart."

"My, she's rather full of herself isn't she?" Akeno observed with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"What does she mean by First Mistress?" Asia asked worriedly.

"Ravel, Sister Dearest, please see reason." Riser was practically begging her at this point. "If you really want a Dragon I'll get you a Dragon. But does it honestly have to be HIM?"

She looked completely aghast by the notion. "Don't speak to me as if I am a child, Brother! I'll have you know I am just as mature and sophisticated a woman as Yubelluna."

His Queen rolled her eyes and sighed, choosing not to comment.

"Riser's not doubting that, Sister. He's not. It's just..." Riser was trying desperately not to have a full blown anxiety attack over the thought of Ddraig getting his hands on her. "...why him?!"

Jon coughed awkwardly and turned his head away. Now definitely was not the time to make a comment given Koneko's current temperament.

"I get that the two of you are on less than friendly terms given your past history." Ravel spoke in earnest. "But this is not a matter of pride or status, it is a matter of LOVE."

Every single one of Jon's Treasure's gawked at the five foot one Ravel in utter disbelief. How was she being so nonchalant about this? Just about every single one of them struggled to come to terms with their feelings for their Dragon yet Ravel seemed less than concerned by her own.

Jon for his part was just trying his best not to look Koneko in the eye.

"See, you say that so casually." Riser was starting to sound less like the pompous arrogant persona he tried to project and more like a legitimately concerned older brother. "Have you even thought any of this through yet, Sister? You're still a member of my Peerage after all. It would hardly be feasible trying to manage a relationship with someone who's not-"

"There's a perfectly simple solution to that, Dear Brother." Ravel insisted, beginning to fan her face again. "All you must do is trade me."

He blanched. "T...trade you?!"

She nodded and shut her fan before pointing it at Rias. "Lady Gremory, you possess only one Bishop amongst your Peerage, yes? Here is what I propose. Trade your open Bishop Piece to my Dear Brother here in exchange for me. I assure you you won't be disappointed."

Asia gasped and covered her mouth with both hands before turning two horrified eyes at Rias. Who at that moment looked to be about a million miles away.

"Well, what will it be then?" Ravel asked.

'That. Little. IDIOT!' Rias thought to herself. Ravel had no Earthly idea what she just did by opening her fat mouth. The fact was, Rias did NOT possess an open Bishop piece. Not that she wanted Jon to be privy to that little bit of information yet.

Before Rias could speak, Koneko did it for her.

"Hey Birdbrain, where do you get off talking to our President like that?" She growled in a severed tone.

Ravel immediately spun around and glared sharply at Koneko. "Wh...what did you just call me?!"

"You heard what I said." She folded her arms. "Or would you prefer Fried Chicken Girl? It seems appropriate given those drumsticks you've got attached to your head."

Lady Phenex was completely aghast. "S...Such impudence! What makes you think you can speak to me in such a manner?"

"What makes you think we want you in our Peerage?" Koneko shot back without missing a beat. "As far as I'm concerned, you're nowhere near our best choice."

"I am a Pureblood of House Phenex." Ravel stated pridefully. "My powers may be limited now, but that is simply due to my inexperience. Soon that will change, and I will possess ability beyond anything a Commoner such as yourself could possibly hope to match."

Rias quirked a brow in intrigue. Her outburst and pompous demeanor aside, Ravel did bring up an excellent point. As a Pureblood, Lady Phenex possessed the potential to become as powerful as a Kingpiece.

A Bishop with that kind of latent potential in her arsenal would be unrivaled amongst her peers. A shame that the current situation hadn't changed. Rias possessed no open Bishop Pieces and no desire to reveal her little secret regarding Gasper. For now, at least, Ravel would have to remain disappointed.

Though if Jon continued to gain power at such an exponential rate, there was a chance that issue would change. As it stood right now, however, Rias simply didn't have the room.

And if she was being completely honest, the idea of having Riser's little sister counted amongst her Peerage left a rather sour taste in her mouth. She still had mixed feelings regarding her Ex- Fiance.

"Big talk coming from a flat chested chicken lady." Koneko responded without missing a beat.

"The nerve!" Ravel's aura became murderous. "What gives you the right to speak down to me in such a way? And FYI you're just as flat as I am."

Koneko narrowed her eyes at her dangerously. "If you're looking to get thrown through the roof keep it up. I'll drop kick you out of this building so fast you'll end up right back in the Underworld."

Both ladies squared off, their auras murderous. Despite it only being about ten o'clock in the morning it got dark REAL fast.

Finally, Grayfia spoke up, bringing her own terrible aura to bare. "If I may be so bold as to interrupt. I must insist the two of you do not start fighting. This is hardly the time or the place for this. And Lady Ravel, your status as one of Jon's Treasures is hardly relevant to the purpose of this meeting."

Seeing Grayfia's eyes glow like that always unnerved Jon. By the looks on Koneko and Ravel's faces it was more than a little unnerving to them as well. Even for women as stubborn and prideful as they were, when Hell's Strongest Queen spoke, you listened.

The two of them finally seemed to calm down, albeit reluctantly. They were still giving each other death glares whenever they thought Grayfia wasn't looking. But at the very least, it appeared they wouldn't be trying to kill each other any time soon.

"Now then." With order restored Lady Grayfia addressed all those in attendance. "Lady Rias, Lady Sona, and Lord Riser. Lord Lucifer wishes to have a word with all three of you. Jon, he has requested your presence as well. The rest of you may wait here until we return. This won't take long."

The three King Pieces descended alongside Lady Gremory and the Red Dragon Emperor down to the sub basement of the giant mansion. There, a throne sat upon a large alter where Lord Lucifer himself sat upon. His overwhelming power fueling the spell that kept the citywide barrier in place. As they approached the altar, Rias, Sona, and Riser all took a knee. Jon removed his hat and was about to kneel as well when Sirzechs stopped him.

"You need not bow before me, Red Dragon Emperor. I know you're only doing it for the sake of my Little Sister. The Wild Flame bends his knee to none save his Treasures after all." Lord Lucifer assured with a patient smile.

Jon was already halfway down to a knee when Sirzechs stopped him. He awkwardly stood back up and placed his hat back on his head. Meanwhile, Riser was stewing. Though he dared not say it, the fact that Ddraig was exempt from showing one of the Lords of Hell due respect absolutely infuriated him.

Rias, meanwhile, couldn't have looked more tickled if she tried.

"As my Queen has no doubt made you all aware, the situation here in the city of Kuoh is grave." Lord Lucifer declared. "The Bio-Weapon that the Angel of Stars has unleashed upon this world could very well consume it if we do not intervene."

"My Lord, if I might speak." Sona requested respectfully. "You insist that the situation is dire and that we must act in haste. But what of the other Pillars? Why have they committed no forces to this campaign? Furthermore, why can we not bring the full wrath of our own houses to bare upon our enemies?"

"We are still dealing with the political aftermath of Salazar's...unfortunate demise." Grayfia explained. "It will be some time before we've managed to reestablish stability in the Underworld."

At the mention of Riser's deceased father, the young Head of House Phenex glowered.

"As for why I am not permitting your parents or indeed your older sister from becoming involved in this, Sona…" Lucifer spoke. "...as vital as it is that we deal with this quickly, doing so discreetly is just as paramount. Do not forget that one of the conditions of the Ceasefire we agreed upon was that no side could deploy vast amounts of powerful forces all at once. As we speak, both Azazel and Michael's eyes watch this city, waiting for any sign of us violating this agreement."

"Bringing in the most powerful members of our combined Families is exactly what Kokabiel desires." Grayfia explained. "He is trying to stoke the fires of war and force Azazel's hand by openly attacking us in the heart of one of our own cities."

"I will not play into his hand so readily." Lucifer insisted. "Nor do I intend to let this heinous act go unabated." He leaned forward in his throne with his elbows resting on his knees before continuing. "The four of you managed to bring down an entire Noble House, I am asking much more of you now."

"What of the Human survivors?" Rias asked curiously.

Sirzechs narrowed his eyes at his younger sister for a moment. "The last time you and your Peerage fought, Rias, you did so away from humankind. The frontlines of your war with Salazar did not place the lives of oblivious beings in harm's way. Today I am telling you that the frontlines are history. With the invention of this Bioweapon, civilian populations have officially become a relic of the past. The war rages EVERYWHERE now. And I guarantee there will be many more casualties before we have seen its conclusion."

She frowned sourly. "This IS our City, my Lord. They may only be humans but they are the ones that ultimately keep it running. Would it not be prudent of us to-"

"A Lioness does not lose sleep over the concerns of a flock of lambs, Rias." Her Brother interjected with that same, calm, powerful sense of authority. "You would do well to remember that as you prepare for the Hunt to come."

That answer definitely didn't sit well with Jon. And by the look on his President's face, it didn't sit well with Rias either. As polite and diplomatic as Sirzechs made himself out to be, Jon still had a tendency to forget who exactly it was they were speaking to.

This was Lucifer. One of the Four Great Satans. The loss of a few human lives was a trivial matter to him.

"The Angel of Stars is fighting his own war and he has no rules nor boundaries." Sirzechs continued. "He doesn't flinch at genocide, human or otherwise. He's not loyal to any banner, creed, or set of ideals. He trades blood for power."

After straightening himself in his throne, he spoke his decree.

"As of this moment, he is your prey."

Riser smirked approvingly. "So Kokabiel is to be our prize then, my Lord?"

"Kokabiel isn't a prize. He's a whore. A mad dog who needs to be put down once and for all." Lucifer corrected. "It will cost dearly to get you to him. It will cost next to nothing compared to what you will save."

At his next words a grave look formed in his eyes.

"Rias, please stand."

His younger sister slowly craned her head upwards and peered at her brother searchingly before rising to her feet.

"The time has come." He declared. "If you are to truly confront the Angel of Stars, you MUST tap into our Mother's Blood."

Rias went wide eyed in fear.

"Lord Lucifer, with all due respect…" Jon spoke up immediately, dread in his voice. "...the last time she tried to do that she damn near lost control."

"I am aware." Sirzechs nodded. "And she may very well lose control again. Which is why before any other plans get put into motion, you must learn to calm the raging storm within you."

She cast her gaze to the ground, her whole body trembling and her eyes still bulging nearly out of her head.

"What makes you so sure she can do it now?" Jon insisted, getting slightly aggravated. "Do we even have time for training like that?"

"It's not training she'll be partaking in." Lucifer assured. "It is a leap of faith. Rias has always possessed this burgeoning power within her, what she lacks is the will to contain it." He suddenly bore more sympathy in his eyes, a melancholy sigh escaping his lips. "I had hoped to give you a few more years before we put you through this, Sister. At least another decade or two to let you refine your abilities. But time is no longer a luxury we possess. If you are to have any hope of surviving a direct confrontation with Kokabiel, then you MUST acquire more power."

"If she ain't ready then she ain't ready!" Her Pawn spoke angrily. "There's no sense getting your little sister killed in some-"

"Jon." Lady Grayfia spoke up gravely, her eyes honing in on him with razor sharp intensity. "While I understand your concern for Lady Gremory given the bond you share, I must insist you do not raise your voice at my Lord. Not in my presence."

He quickly bit his tongue. There was no point arguing with these two. One of them could kill him without so much as dirtying her frock the other could probably do it without even bothering to get up from his chair.

Which just begged the question…

"Why is it all on us?" Jon asked insistently. "Why can't either of you fight Kokabiel?"

Sirzechs didn't appear to be the least bit bothered by this question. If anything, he was expecting it.

"I can't leave this room, Jon." He spoke plainly. "Not so long as you desire this barrier to remain standing."

"The energy field surrounding the city is conjured forth entirely by my Lord's power alone." Lady Grayfia explained. "While taxing, he can hold it indefinitely if need be, but only so long as he remains here, directly at the epicenter of this University's Leyline."

"The campus is built on a magical focus point." Sona added. "Or did you think we chose this location for its cherry blossom trees?"

That made sense...he guessed. Still, that didn't explain everything.

"So what's your excuse?" Jon turned to Grayfia next.

"My place is at Lord Lucifer's side." She explained with concluded resolve. "So long as he remains on this planet I would not part with him even if it were to burn to cinders. I'm not going anywhere."

Lucifer chuckled in amusement. "If it's any consolation, even I couldn't make her leave were I to desire it."

For a moment, Grayfia almost seemed to glare at her Lord. Jon had seen that look before. It was a look Rias would often give him shortly before whatever verbal thrashing was about to come his way.

So even the mighty Lord Lucifer still crumbled when it came to the demands of his Lady. Jon honestly wasn't sure whose authority he needed to be more afraid of. His or hers.

Lucifer cleared his throat abruptly upon seeing his Queen give him the stink eye and straightened up in his throne. "In any case, as much as it pains me to say it, I fear that the task of dealing with Kokabiel falls to you and Rias alone for this one, Jon. The rest of my peerage is in the Underworld keeping it safe from the Two Hundred Watchers. This task is yours."

"It's the only way." Grayfia insisted. "Lady Rias, if we are to succeed in preventing the Great War from reigniting you and Jon MUST confront Kokabiel."

"But…" Rias spoke up for the first time since her Brother informed her she'd be tapping into her true power. "...what if I can't control it? What if I fail?"

"I do not believe your chances of success are as hopeless as you imagine, Sister." Lucifer spoke up encouragingly. "If what I saw from the Rating Game was any indication, you have exactly what you need to harness that power and control it once and for all." Sirzechs then pointed at her Pawn. "Him."

"Me?" Jon asked in confusion.

Lady Grayfia nodded. "We were both watching when Rias inadvertently tapped into her Mother's Blood during the Rating Game. When this happened, Jon, you did something that we considered to be impossible until now. You managed to single handedly calm her down."

"I believe, Jon, that if anyone can draw out Rias's true power and help her Master it, then it is you." Lord Lucifer confirmed.

So that's how it was. Now it was beginning to make sense. Sirzechs wasn't asking Jon to simply stand by and watch as Rias killed herself trying to draw out power she wasn't ready for. He was asking him to help guide her way.

"Zex no!" Rias insisted, now even more terrified than before. "I won't do that! I won't put his life in danger that way!

"Rias." Jon spoke up, his voice now calmer than it was before. "It's alright. We can do this."

"Absolutely not!" She spoke to him sharply. "I refuse to subject you to that level of peril!"

"I'll be fine." He assured before walking to her with open arms. "We've done this once before, we can do it again."

"You don't understand what it is you're asking me to do." She shook her head in refusal, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "This is nothing like last time. Nothing!"

"Rias…"

"I won't do it!" She began to break down. "Please, Jon, don't make me do this! Don't make me kill you!"

He grabbed Rias by the waist and pressed their lips together fiercely. Though initially still resistant, she eventually relaxed into him and held onto his body for comfort. Lucifer turned his head away, as did Sona and Riser. Only Grayfia seemed to watch, a pleased smile on her face.

Finally, they broke away. Rias gazed up into his eyes, she looked so conflicted, so scared of what they were about to do.

"You won't kill me." Jon smiled at her before gently brushing a tear off her cheek. "How many times do we have to go over this, Rias? I know you can't kill me."

"Jon…" She shook her head before burying her face in his chest. "...I love you so much. More than anything in this world. The thought that I could be the thing that destroys you...I wouldn't survive. The knowledge alone would be the end of me."

"It ain't gonna happen." He whispered lovingly into her ear. "We're gonna get through this the way we get through everything. Together."

"You promise me…" She gripped his shirt and pulled herself closer into him. "...you promise me that if I go beyond the point of return, that you will destroy me before I get the chance to destroy you."

He laughed. "Now you can bet for damn sure if you ain't gonna kill me, I sure as hell am not killing you." Jon tilted her chin up so her gaze met with his again. "Because what you just said, the same goes for me. I love you more than words can describe, my darling Rias. You and the girls, ya'll mean more to me than life itself."

She sighed contently before resting her forehead against his. "We both have to return, no matter what. Not just for our sakes, but for theirs. We cannot abandon them."

Jon shook his head. "We won't be. We're gonna make it through this, and everything is going to be okay."

"So it's decided then." Lucifer spoke up. "Rias, Jon, the two of you shall go with my Queen to a neutral space in the Underworld. If we're lucky, this shouldn't take us more than a day or two."

Rias and Jon stepped up to the portal Grayfia had created. His President was terrified, that much was obvious. Not only by the expression on her face, but by the death grip she had on his hand. Which was why he continued to whisper encouraging words into her ear as they approached the portal.

"Are you two ready?"

Jon nodded. "As ready as we'll ever be. Let's have this done."

They entered the portal and the three of them were spirited away to an astral plane devoid of anything save for some floating rocks and that miasma like atmosphere he remembered from the Rating Game. The one that reminded him of the Aurora Borealis.

"This is it." Grayfia declared. "Here is where Rias Gremory will tap in to her true power."

Jon cast a worried glance over at Rias. She was still staring at the ground, lost inside her own head.

"We're currently in neutral space." Lucifer's Queen continued. "This realm of the Astral Plane belongs to no faction and no one claims sovereignty over it. It's the perfect place for you two to do battle."

A nervous pit formed in his stomach. Jon suspected that that was what they were going to be doing, but hearing it out loud made it about a hundred times more real.

"Just tell me what I have to do to help her." He insisted while holding Rias by the hand.

"For this to work, the two of you must do battle as if you intended to kill one another." She explained. "Jon, you must push Rias to her absolute limit, both physically and mentally. Only once she has fully awakened to her Mother's Blood may you attempt to pacify her."

"How will I know once she's fully awakened?"

"Trust me, you will know." Grayfia assured.

"Jon, there's something very important that Grayfia is not telling you." Rias spoke up in a quiet, nervous voice. "This trial by fire has cost many members of both my Clan and my Mother's Clan their lives. The Power of Destruction is so volatile and so unstable that there are many purebloods born with the gift who are eventually consumed by it." She cast two worried orbs up at him. "What I'm saying is...even if we do everything right, there's a chance this still may not work."

He shook his head and smiled at her. "I ain't worried about that. You're strong, Rias. And I genuinely believe in your ability to overcome this."

She sighed in a melancholy tone while hanging her head and shutting her eyes. "You say that so calmly, yet it is your life that's on the line here. If I lose control…"

"Rias…" Jon placed a reassuring hand against her cheek. "...you remember when I first became your Pawn? You asked me to give you a chance to earn my trust." He smiled lovingly at her. "Well now I'm asking you to let me earn yours. I'm not gonna let you fall. I'll catch you no matter what."

She looked into her Servant's eyes for a moment. Rias would follow this man anywhere if he asked it of her. There was no one in life she trusted more than him. Time and time again, her Pawn, her Dragon, her LOVE, proved himself to her. Even in her darkest hour, he managed to bring her back from the edge of oblivion.

If anyone could see her through this, it was him.

"Okay…" She steeled herself. "Okay. It's time. Jon, remove your jacket and shirt please."

Jon removed his hat before freeing himself of both his jacket and shirt as well. Rias proceeded to draw a sigil onto his chest right where his heart was.

"What's this for?"

"It's an enchantment that will prevent me from stopping your heart." She explained. "Should the worst happen and I fall completely into darkness, this will at least prevent me from using that against you."

He quirked a brow at her. "What's going to stop you from just undoing the enchantment?"

"Because…" She took his hand and bit down on his thumb hard enough to draw blood, causing Jon to wince slightly. She then pressed his thumb to the sigil she had created, causing it to light up and begin to glow. "...only YOU can break the enchantment."

He smirked at her. "Clever."

She grinned back. "I have my moments." Her grin faded as she stared up at him with concern again. "Jon...no matter what happens, I just want you to know that-"

He placed a finger up to her lips to stop her. "You can tell me after we're done and back at the ORC."

After a moment she nodded in understanding and turned to Grayfia. "Okay...we're ready."

Grayfia bowed to them both respectfully. "Then I wish you both luck. I will be here, observing from a safe distance."

Rias took one last moment to look at her Dragon and hold his hands in hers before shutting her eyes and sprouting her Devil's wings on her back. As she floated away, she maintained her grip on his hands until pulling just out of his reach. Jon watched as she flew to a floating rock that was roughly thirty yards away from him and landed.

Her eyes remained shut as she took a deep breath and steeled herself. When she finally opened her eyes again, her gaze was steely and determined. Just the way he liked it.

"Now Jon…" Power erupted from her being and her hair blew up into the air. "...defend yourself!"

He summoned his Sacred Gear, conjuring two gauntlets two his hands, as well as two metal boots to his feet. His body and face became covered in the Dragon's Mark and his forehead sprouted two great horns. Finally, on his back, two massive Dragon's Wings appeared.

He brought his own terrible power to bare, and the two forces charged.