This is what comes from passing most of your midterms with high marks. Good mood means more writing. 46 Pages of it.

As always, a big thank you to all who read/reviewed and continue to like and support my story. To all the new readers, welcome!

DarkZoruafox – Thanks!

Guest – I'm trying a lot of new things with this, Albion's newfound humor to be one of them.

Eclipse-Sol – Thanks! The grand entrance is something I've been looking forward to for a while.

The unsung antihero – Issei's Holy fire is completely separate from Divine Dividing. So, yeah, Riser's still screwed.

The Ultimate Balance Chaos – Feels are important, but the development is necessary. Glad to see that it's appreciated!

Nintendoes Gamer – Our father that art in Hell, unhallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Hell. Give me each day one to warm my bed and punish my debtors, lest their debts go unpaid. Please give me the patience needed to suffer the humor of the dreaded Internet troll. I offer my little brother's soul in payment.

In all seriousness, it was indeed a lonely chapter. And yeah, bad pun is bad, haha.

Notasavior – We shall see *Strokes imaginary beard*

Zeus501 – Phoenix' fall is coming. As for Kuroka's return, it's not quite what you think. As for Ryuu, I have something special in mind.

Cosain – Thanks a lot! As for the PTSD, I personally don't have it, but I used to be a dependent of one who did. Secondhand, but still experienced. Thanks again!

DatGuitarGirl – Thought we lost you a few chapters ago, but it's good to see you haven't been exorcised yet! Personally, I love both just about equally, they both have their… merits… wow, there is no good way to just say it, is there? Glad to hear from you again, will keep it up!

gangstar vegas – You're right. That would be cool.

NAFNAF509 – Thanks again for the continued love and support!

Conquest95 – Thanks! I wouldn't go as far to say it's the best, but I'm glad someone thinks so!

Kirinthor – Thanks a lot! Good hearing from you again!

DragonLordZipti – Issei has been able to make fire swords and holy fire since chapter 2, though that isn't necessarily part of his heritage. But yes, I have a plan. There is something in the works for that, and it may not happen for a long time, but he'll get something(s).

Guest(Ch. 7) – HELL (high entry, loud landing) jumps work the same way, deploying parachutes last minute. In the end, Batman can only glide and land. My version of Issei can fly. Take that money, you're not the best superpower anymore.

Lord Saber – Thank you for the kind words of praise, milord. I live to please and shall endeavor to continue to do so.

xSaberDragon – Thanks! Will try to do my best to keep churning out more chapters!

Dragonfox123(Ch. 1) – Thanks!

Disclaimer: See 1st Chapter

" " – Speech

' ' – Thoughts

( ) – Albion, mental

( ) – Albion, speaking

Just a reminder that this is a DxD story that is also rated M. It wouldn't be DxD otherwise. You have been warned.

NOTE: Before anyone comments, after much consideration, I have decided to accept the name RAISER PHENEX as the Yakitori's given name. I know I've already used a different spelling in a previous chapter, but going back through old chapters to change anything would take time away from writing new ones, something I'm sure we'd all dislike.

Chapter 12: Match Made in Hell

For whatever it was worth, Issei didn't mean to go this far. Granted, he was more irritable than normal, but in hindsight, this was overkill, wasn't it?

"We have no regrets!"

"Asia's tender flesh will be ours to cherish!"

Apparently, he hadn't gone far enough. Nowhere near enough.

Hooking the toe of his boot beneath the two-stack of soon-to-be dead boys, Issei kicked the pair to about chest height before slamming his fists together in a hammer blow to Matsuda's soft abdomen. The impact in turn sent him and Motohama tumbling back into a pile on the dirt below, where the boys groaned once more. They were still alive. How annoying.

After Rias had left, Issei had made an honest attempt to fall asleep, but his rest was fitful, plagued with the same dark dreams he had been having. Only this time, neither Rias nor Akeno was there to aid him. He had woken several times through the night, gasping for breath. Much of his room was now in disarray, his high temperature scorching and searing the walls and ceiling. The bed was beyond repair, crumbling sheets deteriorating into ash, and most of the furniture was barely any better off.

The end result was that Issei had only managed to drag himself to school, looking haggard and clearly in need of rest. He had made it through the morning classes without incident until nodding off just before physical education, the last class of the day. He had jolted awake when the Perverted Duo had been caught peeping on the changing girls, the screams waking him.

Under normal circumstances, the perpetrators who dared to ruin a dragon's much needed rest were quite painfully dealt with. Issei however managed to not blame the girls nor barge into the girls' lockers like a madman and instead cut off the Duo's escape.

Using the bare minimum of his strength, he now had both perverts crying below him, not daring to move a muscle for fear of angering him further. However, they still seemed well enough to him if they could keep perving on sweet Asia.

Behind him, he noted the appearance of the females of his class. Wearily he glanced over them, thanking whatever deity was watching that none of the Student Council was present. He may just get away with this last beat down.

"The King saves us, yet again!"

"Thank you!"

"Thank you so much, Issei!"

"Marry me!"

"Make me your Queen!"

"Make me a woman!"

"EEHHHH!" Issei cried. "WHO SAID THAT!" At his outcry, all of the girls blushed simultaneously, finding the ground to be a much more interesting sight than his flustered consternation.

"Damn… handsome."

"Go… away… Leave the girls… to us… MEN-argh!" Issei promptly stomped on the top one, squashing the other. At this point, he couldn't care to remember which one was which.

He stepped away from the two, before swaying slightly. Clearly, the exhaustion was visible as the girls immediately crowded him, quick to support him in the case that he passes out again.

"No, thank you ladies, I'll be alright." He smiled weakly. "I just need some rest that's all."

"We'll take you to the nurse's office!"

"Feel better!"

"Die… pretty…boy…"

'There is no way in Earth, Heaven or Hell that I could feel any worse right now.'

Issei felt as if he had just lain down to sleep when Kiba shook him awake. Growling as his eyes opened, he nearly backhanded the Knight into a wall before seeing the tense look on Kiba's face.

"What's going on?" Issei blearily inquired.

"Nothing good. C'mon," the blond offered a hand, "I'll explain what little I know on the way."

Clasping hands, Kiba had to lean back in order to pull the bigger boy to a sitting position. Issei swung his legs over the edge of the bed and grabbed his formal shirt and jacket before standing. Shrugging them on and sending his briefcase to his scale array, the King and Prince of Kuoh made their way to the ORC building. It was relatively uneventful, though Issei could hear the whispers of the female population hypothesizing what they were up to. He shuddered; sometimes he was appalled at what the average schoolgirl's imagination could come up with.

Arriving at the clubhouse, they found Rias, Akeno, Koneko and Asia gathered on one side of the room. Rias was sitting down on one of the couches, while the others lined up behind her. Standing before the desk was Grayfia. The Queen had an undecipherable look and gave nothing away with her body language, though if he had to hazard a guess, Issei would assume she was waiting for something.

Rias looked up to see her male servants enter, and she visibly brightened. "Good, you're both here. I need you to- Issei, what's wrong?!"

"I didn't sleep well last night, don't worry about me though." Issei held a hand up to stall any worrying remarks from Akeno and Rias. "Yes, I had another episode, but we can worry about it later. Rias, what's going on? Kiba said there was trouble, but didn't go into much detail."

"I don't know all of it myself, I'm afraid." Kiba admitted. "What on Earth is troubling you so?"

Rias sighed and sank back into her seat as the boys took their place in line with the others. "My fiancé is coming." Instantly, the two looked at each other, a myriad of looks and subtle movement taking the place of an entire conversation.

In the past month, Issei and Kiba had gotten along very well. Both had an accurate depiction of the other's character and found it to their liking. Issei appreciated Kiba's calm and gentle manners, especially in the face of stressful situations, while the Knight found Issei's blunt behavior to be rather refreshing, someone that he could relax his own behavior with. The list went on from there, but the two were rather close now, close enough to have a clear idea of what the other was thinking.

He who hurts Rias answers to them.

A gentle touch to his shoulder reminded him of Akeno's presence. It was clear that she was still unhappy about the events of last night that had led to his current condition. I'll make it up to you, she mouthed to him. Issei cocked his head sideways then shrugged. He wasn't quite sure he had the strength to dissuade her in such a sorry state.

An orange-red circle that lit up the entirety of the room interrupted the silence. Asia hid her face and Koneko squinted from the brightness. Akeno bore it stoically, while Kiba and Issei glanced at each other. Kiba jerked his head. Not now. Soon. Issei responded with a slight nod, suppressed his presence, and turned to see a man emerge from the circle. Orange flames and a bird cry accompanied his entrance as the blond man stepped from the runes' edge to present himself. The man wore a well-tailored suit, though his high-class look was marred slightly by the lazily unbuttoned shirt that exposed his chest. He had an arrogant swagger in his step, something that seemed to annoy everyone sans Asia and Grayfia.

As he walked to sit on the couch across from Rias, Issei was struck by the smell of ash and cologne. Both were present in sickening amounts, and it took all his concentration not to retch from the stench. No one else seemed to react, then again, only he and maybe Koneko had such a sensitive sense of smell and she barely reacted to anything.

"Rias, my dear," the flamboyant bad boy drawled, "I'm so very glad to see you again, though I'm hurt that you had Raiser come to the human world. The air here is foul and odorous, I can hardly stand it. A Lord of Fire and Air deserves only the best of both, though Raiser will make do to satisfy his bride's desires."

'Well, he opens his mouth, and I immediately dislike him.' Issei thought. 'There's nothing wrong with the air here, but I can't say the same for the cloud around you. You reek.'

"I'm not your bride yet, Raiser, and if I have my say, I never will be!" Rias retorted. "I did not agree to this!"

"Oh, but my dear, you don't have a choice." Words meant to entice an unwilling lover continued to revolt Issei, and it took even more control to not burn the man to a crisp. "Raiser is annoyed but will remind you that the contract is clear. The Underworld is our home, but we will soon be overrun by the lower class and reincarnated devils. As heiress to one of the Pillar families, it is your responsibility to ensure that there are purebred devils to continue our survival." Raiser licked his lips; clearly he cared little for responsibility and more about taking Rias for himself.

'Must not burn him, must not burn him.' Issei repeated to himself. Unseen to the others since his hands were behind his back, a spark of white flame sprang to life. Albion's withdrawal had not changed Issei's Holy attribute, something he had gained long before discovering the White Dragon's existence within him. What had changed with Albion's absence and his subsequent reliance on his internal fire was that his flame was surging beyond his control at times.

Fire is easily one of the most dangerous elements in existence. Each element had its strength and weakness; many could be used for a variety of purposes. However, of all the elements, fire is the only one to have a singular purpose and that is to burn. An adept user could manipulate it, guide it yes, but still it burned. In the time since his escape, Issei's flames had almost gained a primitive sentience, enjoying being used after years of repression, almost like a young child trying so very hard to impress a parent. Even with his level of control, it worried him that his emotions seemed to help the flame overcome acceptable limits. In a fight, his power responded perfectly as if it rushed to please him, but now, now was not the time. He snuffed the hungry spark and clenched his fist to deny it and any others further life, still unnoticed by the others.

"I did not agree to the engagement, nor was my opinion asked for. If I am to marry, I will do so, but at a time and place of my own choosing and with one I find suitable. That is a right long since given to the young women of the 72 Pillars, one that I will exercise here. And quite frankly, I have evaluated you Raiser, and found you wanting."

Raiser glared at Rias, clearly angered by her rejection of him. "A right that does not apply to those who ascend to the position of heiress of a clan. For you, my dear Rias, your choice is no longer your own, but that for the good of your clan. Is it really so bad to marry me? There are many in the Underworld that would gladly marry a child of the immortal house of Phenex!"

A Phoenix? The immortal firebird? Now Issei understood Rias' motives behind his resurrection. Supposedly un-killable, Phoenixes could live forever by living through a cycle of life and near death, only to be reborn from their ashes. So the Pillar family shared not only the name, but also their innate ability? As a being of fire, Issei was the perfect counter to a Phoenix's flame based abilities. As a Holy fire user and against another devil, he was even better suited to the task. As if all the pieces fell in place, Issei now understood why Rias was so willing to let him go if he helped her, he was the way out, a secret weapon. Issei's gaze flickered to Grayfia as he wondered how much of his abilities had been relayed back to the Gremory family.

"If there are so many, then feel free to pursue their interests instead." Rias crossed her legs fidgeting under Raiser's hungry gaze. "You repulse me. Find another maiden to woo and seduce, but I will never back down from this."

"Oh, I do hope that you don't." Raiser stood and walked around the coffee table. "I do like my women to be so much more lively." The Phenex sat next to Rias, directly in front of Issei. Raiser raised a hand to stroke her leg, letting his hand trail up her thigh, toying with the hem of her skirt. "I certainly don't want you to lose such an edge, it makes the act so much more enjoyable."

'That tears it, HE SUFFERS!' Issei's hand clamped down on the bastard's offending right shoulder and began to squeeze. Not enough to do any damage, but enough to cause a great deal of pain. It helped that he had fought the Hydra now, he knew exactly how to takedown supposedly un-killable beasts. They were never truly invincible to pain.

For a brief moment, Raiser sat there gaping, as if stunned that Issei had dared to lay a hand on him. That expression turned from astonishment, to rage, then pain as the pressure on his shoulder continued to cause greater discomfort. His hand ceased touching Rias as he swiveled in place to glare at the demidrake.

"I'd appreciate it," Issei continued undeterred, "if you did not touch my master so. Continue to molest her and you will lose that arm."

Raiser glared at Issei, who continued to apply even more pressure. The Phenex raised his left hand, orange hellfire spiraling into being. "Is that a threat? Let go, human filth! You dare touch me, a high-class devil!"

"A promise, actually. And yes, I do." Issei replied calmly and then tightened his grip, shattering the bone beneath. Raiser shrieked for a moment as he wrenched himself free before staggering a few feet away. Flames emerged around his shoulder before vanishing as quickly as they appeared. The high-class devil flexed his shoulder, testing it, before smiling and reigniting the flames in his hand.

Before he could attack Issei, Grayfia stepped in. "Do not escalate this further. As representative of both the Gremory family and Queen of Sirzechs Lucifer, I will not allow any further conflict." Demonic energy emanated from her, unseen but certainly felt. It was a chilling sensation, one that promised immediate and fair compensation for refusing her request. Issei took pleasure in that he barely responded to the surge of energy, while Raiser recoiled as if struck.

Collecting himself, Raiser sat down on the other couch once more. "If the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation requests it, then I shall relent. As one ought to in the presence of the Strongest Queen."

Whether the sweet-talk had any effect on Grayfia remained to be seen, though it didn't appear to be in her nature to be so easily pacified. "There is a sub-clause in the original contract that may be to both your liking."

"What's this? What sub-clause?" Raiser seemed confused, though Rias smiled.

"Tell me Raiser, have you ever actually read the entire contract?" Rias asked sweetly. "You'd know about it if you did."

"I-What does it say?!" He demanded. "I have the right to know!"

"As one of the mentioned parties, you do." Unperturbed by the interruptions, Grayfia continued. "As agreed by both heads of the Gremory and Phenex families, should one or the other of the betrothed find issue with the engagement, then the matter is to be settled via Rating Game, unofficial of course, with the victor deciding the final outcome of the relationship. In short, an escape clause or solidification method, depending on what either family believed appropriate." Her cold gaze swept over the room. "Is this acceptable to you both?"

Rias replied without hesitation, "It is more than acceptable." Turning to Raiser, she taunted him. "Well, Raiser? Will you partake in this as well?"

Raiser did not respond with words, but with laughter. The man threw his head back, tears streaming from his eyes. After a few minutes, his mirth died down and he leered at Rias. "Game or no Game, the outcome will be unchanged. You will marry Raiser; that much is certain. Raiser is undefeated in the Games, while you my dear have never fought one before."

"That does not guarantee your victory Raiser. Pride does come before the fall."

"Ha, pride well deserved! As it is, you are sorely at a disadvantage, I see five servants before Raiser," with a wave of his hand, another Phenex glyph appeared behind him, "but Raiser has a full set!"

From the magic circle, fifteen figures appeared. All undeniably female, though considering Raiser's personality, that was to be expected.

Perhaps it was a matter of proving himself superior to Rias. Maybe it was all to soothe his aching pride. Either way, revealing his pieces would have been harmless, that is if Issei hadn't spent years learning to scope out his opponents strength's and weaknesses. Already, his mind was fast at work, categorizing each new player that Raiser was fielding. Using a combination of sight, scent, and passive Senjutsu, he began to memorize as much as he could.

First was the Queen. The most physically mature member of the peerage, the woman's purple eyes and matching long hair was indeed a beauty that he couldn't deny. She wore a revealing blue tunic top with gold accents, and a pale skirt with open sides, revealing thigh-high stockings with garterbelts. If he wasn't in such an analytical mode right now, Issei would have raised an eyebrow, but he ignored it. Beyond that, she wore a white overcoat with minimal shoulder armor. Her outfit was completed with a jeweled tiara of some kind to keep her hair in place and a staff-like scepter. A magic user then. On the same power level of Akeno, if not a little stronger.

Next were the Knights, made obvious to him by the blades they carried. One was dressed in an odd mix of both Medieval European and feudal Japanese armor. It was a tasteful combination to be sure, combining steel chestplate with lighter hip and shoulder guards. She carried a broadsword and dagger, both sheathed at her belt. The armor and dual blades indicated that she was more of a power type and used the armor to endure stronger blows.

The other Knight was taller, with long dark hair as opposed to her counterpart's short light-brown. Guarded by minimal shin and forearm protection and wearing a cheongsam and shorts, the Knight's dress indicated a speed-based attack pattern, though her large Zweihänder was clearly reinforced for damaging blows at both high and normal velocity.

Then came the Pawns. If the Knights were obvious by how they were dressed for combat, then the Pawns were identified for how they clearly weren't. Not one of them wore anything remotely suitable for extended combat. Two of them wore French maid costumes. One had the nerve to wear a skimpy runway showgirl outfit. Two sets of twins were also present, two small, innocent-looking girls in gym uniforms, and two girls closer to his age in dangerously tailored sailor outfits. The latter pair of twins not only had inverted color schemes, but also appeared to be bakaneko. They had the cat ears and tail, though their power levels were nowhere near Koneko's. Such was the difference between bakaneko and their more powerful yet endangered cousins.

The last Pawn appeared to be wearing a light haori and coat, though it was indecently cut. She carried a wooden staff, leading Issei to believe she was the most combat serious of the eight Pawns, though her power levels were the lowest.

Like the Knights, the Rooks appeared moderately prepared for hand-to-hand combat. One was of Chinese descent, dressed in a blue Chinese dress that hugged her like a second skin. From the look of it, she wore no undergarments. Again, Issei would have said something, but he was more focused on the wrist and handguards she wore. She carried herself like a dancer, clearly experienced in a few martial art styles.

The other Rook had a punk-rocker-esque vibe. Wearing only a jacket and jeans, the girl had heavily modified her outfit. The jacket was cut off below her breasts, exposing her midriff, while her right pantleg had been torn to reveal her thighs and butt. Fighting gloves, heavy boots, and a half-mask completed the look. She looked bored by the whole affair, but Issei had a feeling that would change very quickly if told to fight. Though slouching against the back wall, he had no doubt that she could snap into combat mode nearly as fast as he could. Her stance told him she lived for it and very little else. Issei couldn't help but mentally cheer. Finally, another combat junkie.

This left only the two Bishops. One was a subdued Nadeshiko beauty, though compared to Akeno, he found her rather plain. However, he only spared her a glance, little more. He was more concerned with the other Bishop. A beautiful young girl with blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Her hair had been tied into twintails with drill-like curls. She wore a light purple dress that made her look like a princess from a fairy tale. That was all just from a glance. Her power levels seemed rather ordinary, even for a Bishop. What set him off, was her scent. Cherries and a warm hearth fire. A rather homey smell. However, power and personal scent aside, she both looked and smelled too much like Raiser for Issei to believe that she was anything but a family member. Cousin, niece, sister perhaps?

His observation was cut short as Rias stood up violently in protest to something that Raiser had said. He only caught the last words. "…-and if you ever again insinuate my peerage is weak I'll~"

"You'll do what?" Raiser mocked. "Bore me into retiring? Aside from your Queen, all I see is a flat-chested loli, an innocent little girl who couldn't hurt a fly, a pretty boy and a brute. None of them can compare to my servants."

"Do not disrespect my family, Raiser! I will not tolerate that!" Rias screamed.

"Family? I see the Gremory compassion and kindness for their servants runs true in you. Very well then. When we are married, your boys will be put to work as slaves and your girls… well now, I can always use some variety in my sex life."

Issei's mind went blank at that last bit. The high-class devil had basically admitted that he would take not just Rias, but her female servants to his bed as well. The thought of Asia and Koneko forced to submit to this bastard, as well as Akeno…

Without thinking, Issei let out a low warning growl. It wasn't his typical, feral sound either, easily recognizable by all present as a male that clearly disliked another. Raiser took note of it and laughed. "Oh, so the human can get angry after all! Sorry, I'm not interested in dirtying my hands with you. Mira, dispose of him!"

The staff-wielding Pawn leapt forward, brandishing her stick. While her from projected her intended target on him, she did have some skill. Sadly for her, Issei found it to be little more than a nuisance. Mira jabbed forward, losing most of the strength behind her blows by overextending herself. Issei chose not to sidestep, rather stepped into the line the staff traveled and punched it open handed. His palm made contact with the leaden tip of the spear, and then the stick began to splinter as Issei drove his arm down its length. Barely a second had passed since she had moved to attack, and the poor Pawn now found her forward hand clutched in a grip of iron, while Issei's other fist had traveled between its resting place and an inch from her nose instantaneously. Breaking out into a sweat, Mira gulped. She hadn't even seen him move, yet her staff was all but destroyed and she now had to look cross-eyed to keep the large fist in view.

Almost lazily, Issei released her then patted her head as if to patronize her. The girl gulped again then retreated behind Raiser to the relative safety provided by her fellow Pawns. It was quite obvious who won that fight.

Trying to save face, Raiser simply 'tched' and simply called his Queen to his side. The woman, addressed as Yubelluna, stepped forward and slightly in front of him. Raiser wrapped one arm around her, just below her bust. Letting his hand slip in between the gap in her clothing, he began to knead and shamelessly grope at her chest. For Yubelluna's part, she merely leaned back into her master, a flushed look of pleasure and ecstasy washing over her face as he had his way with her.

Issei struggled to keep his disgust hidden. Beside him, Asia looked frightened, Kiba and Akeno were scowling and Koneko actually had a frown on her face. Good, they all disapproved of the playboy's antics. Their expressions were surprisingly mirrored by two of the opposing peerage. The blonde girl that appeared to be related to Raiser turned away with her nose up. It was a look of arrogance that only dragons, cats, and high-born women can successfully pull off, proving his assumption right, she was Raiser's blood relative. The other reaction was less obvious; the half-masked Rook didn't move at all, but Issei could see the slight curve of a frown on the shadowed side of her visible face. Dissent among the ranks perhaps?

"See this filth. This is the power and right of high-class devils!" Raiser mocked, now addressing Issei directly. "This is why I hate you humans. You low-class trash can't hope to equal me, in combat, courtesy, and the bedroom. Mira is the weakest of my peerage, and you didn't even have the balls to finish her! I seem to have offended you somehow; should you like, I will gladly kill you in the Rating Game."

"ENOUGH RAISER!" Rias screamed. "TOUCH HIM AND DIE!"

"Ho ho, Raiser seems to have found a weakness in you my dear. Very well then, Raiser shall show mercy. You can train all you want before our game, but then and there I will break your pitiful toys."

"Very well then." Grayfia interjected. "Lady Rias, should you find it acceptable, the match will be held ten days after tomorrow."

"Thank you Grayfia," Rias spoke softly. "Thank you."

"It is done. Details of the game shall be sent to you both."

"It matters not! Raiser's victory is assured!" With that, Raiser raised both his arms as if already celebrating his triumph. "Farewell, my Rias! When next we meet, we shall truly be man and wife! As for you, Rook," Raiser now glared at Issei, "Enjoy your final days. All deaths in the Game are accidents after all." With that, another cry echoed through the room and the entire opposing peerage disappeared via orange transport glyphs in the floor.

'Good riddance. Ten days is more than enough for me, Yakitori.' Issei immediately began mentally prepping himself. The Game had barely been confirmed and he was already thinking of several ways he would train with his Holy flames. Quick and painless? No, Raiser would suffer, ironically burning at Issei's feet.

"Just saying, it's still socially acceptable for young maidens to be kidnapped and locked away in towers guarded by a monster." Issei commented, idly watching two sparks chase each other across his palm. "I don't know of any convenient towers, but I'm sure we could find a suitable replacement. Raiser's no wondrous hero, so I doubt he'd bother expending any effort looking for you Rias."

"Ara ara, that certainly sounds like it could work", Akeno giggled. "Just how would we escape the watch of such a fearsome beast?"

Issei rolled his eyes and snuffed the steadily growing number of embers in his hand. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair." This caused the three longhaired girls in the room to sigh and blush slightly at the literary reference. Shaking their heads in amusement, Rias and Akeno returned to their work under Grayfia's supervision.

They had moved to the sole desk, summoning papers and books that appeared to be about the Rating Game official rules and history. Leaving the others to whisper among themselves, Issei strode over to glance over the heavy tomes. Seeing one listed as a complete set of rules, he asked, "Do you mind if I borrow this one, Rias?"

Rias looked up to glance at the book. "That one? Sure, in fact it would do well for a copy to be given to Asia as well. You both need to be brought up to speed on official rules."

"Very well." Issei let his glyphs activate and the book faded away in a burst of light. No one said anything about it, most used to the act by now, though unknown to all present, Grayfia looked on in slight interest.

Grabbing another book for Asia, Issei turned and arced it to Kiba who deftly caught the book one-handed before handing it to Asia. Issei then moved to leave before Rias interrupted. "Issei, wait." He stopped and looked back, puzzled. Rias elaborated quickly, "While I appreciate how you stood up for me, I must ask that you refrain from impulsive behavior in regards to other high-class devils." She shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, I know you meant well and I'm truly thankful, but a King that can't control her peerage-"

"Is no longer worthy of being King." Issei finished for her. "Do not worry, I won't let it become habit." He smiled encouragingly. "Do you need me for anything else?"

"I'll text you and Kiba a list of things we'll need to bring to training, we'll be at my family's vacation home, so no one will bother us. Akeno, talk to Sona, get us cleared for extended absence. It's about time we're actually punctual with our excuses." Rias sat down, clearly drained from the ordeal before frowning. "Issei, are you alright? I know that you enjoy fighting to some degree, but what's going on with you?"

"It's a rather simple thing Rias. A foolish mistake, one that will cost him." Issei couldn't help it, he let his smile turn feral, sharpening his canines and slitting his eyes just enough to be noticeable. "He thinks I'm a reincarnated human." Turning back to the door, he opened it, and before he stepped through, he called out, "He also believes I am a Rook."

"So Raiser took the bait then."

"Indeed. He accepted the challenge immediately, believing victory is already his." Grayfia responded. She was standing in the dimly lit office of her husband and King, Sirzechs Lucifer.

"And Rias, do you think she has a chance?"

"At first appearance, it doesn't seem that way. However, her two new additions to her Peerage may even the odds. One I recognized as the exiled Holy Maiden, Asia Argento."

"The Twilight Healing bearer. Good, Rias has a way to temporarily surpass the Phoenix's ability to heal, though at best that will only end in a stalemate." Sirzechs frowned. He had convinced his father at the time of the contract's formation to allow Rias a fighting chance. Now the time had come, and his precious sister was about to be lost, her happiness stripped away. Sacrificed for the noble cause of birthing pureblood devils. While he loved his father dearly, this entire arrangement was a mistake.

"Perhaps not. Her other addition, the servant she was with last night appeared to handle himself quite well. You know how most fighters respond when placed in combat scenario." It wasn't a question, for she knew the answer already. It was basic fight-or-flight response. Fighting in the Civil War had taught all involved to look for subtle shifts in posture, demeanor, and behavior to predict fighting styles and intended action. "The boy had no such change. I believe he is a combat prodigy of sorts."

That certainly got Sirzechs' attention. Fighters who were constantly on edge, always mentally and physically prepared for battle had no such shift into fighting stance; they constantly lived it. Such beings were highly prized for their capabilities as their unpredictability made them inherently more dangerous both on and off the field. Most warriors of that caliber spent a lifetime honing such talent and then sold their skills as mercenaries in return for high rewards. So where did this one come from, so young, and where did Rias find him?

As if already predicting his own questions, Grayfia elaborated on the new servant. "He appears to be a reincarnated human, though his demonic power is appallingly low. What's more, Raiser believes him to be both Human and Rook, while the boy's parting words indicated he was something else entirely. I asked Rias about him, though she was surprisingly reticent about any details of her servant."

"Hmm. Then perhaps it isn't as hopeless as I was lead to believe. Either way, I'll be sure to prepare my Gryphon for a last minute getaway." Sirzechs snorted, unable to hide his mirth. "My sister abandons a Phenex at the altar. Should be quite the scandal."

"We'll weather it. We always do."

'Why couldn't we have just teleported there?' Issei was no stranger to physical exhaustion. In fact, he often welcomed it; the fatigue meant he was still breathing. What he despised however, was that Rias' teleportation spell had left them all at the roots of the mountain, prompting them to hike the trail. Rias, Akeno, and Asia briskly made it up the easy trail. Kiba followed spryly with his own burden, while Koneko lugged a humongous pack.

Issei himself had not been allowed to seal his assigned luggage away, and he was still reeling from the nauseating effects of the teleport. It wasn't easy for him to climb, but he managed barely. He was falling behind, having difficulty putting one foot in front of the other without the world spinning.

"Ano… Rias?" Asia asked timidly. "Shouldn't we help him?"

"As much as I'd like to help, I'm afraid this is necessary." Rias mourned. "We'll be teleporting to the Rating Game Arena when the time comes. If Issei doesn't build up a resistance to magical travel then we'll have a disaster on our hands." When Asia sighed and looked down at her shoes, Rias relented. "However, he can't train with us if he can't stand straight. Go ahead and help him when he gets to the top."

"Come on Issei! You can do it!" Akeno had taken it upon herself to shout words of encouragement down the trail. Sometime between their arrival at the top and the present time, she had magically transformed her casual wear into a cheerleader uniform. Standing on a boulder next to the summit, she was gleefully jumping up and down, back-flipping on occasion. Her antics were clearly visible, even from Issei's perspective, laid out on the ground below.

"Next time, I think I'll pass on the teleport. I'll walk instead," he groaned. 'Although, if that outfit is the reward, I guess I shouldn't complain.'

Both Rias and Asia looked completely flabbergasted at Akeno, either in downright shock or jealousy for not thinking of it first. Kiba merely glanced at her before smirking and shaking his head. Koneko simply dropped her package where it made a muted 'thud' and a small dust could as it indented the ground.

Minutes later, Issei had dragged himself to their level where he collapsed leaning against the rock Akeno was standing on. Asia knelt beside him, Twilight Healing already aglow with gentle green light.

"Ara ara, Issei. I do hope you have more endurance than that." Akeno's sultry voice sounded out from somewhere above him. He was put slightly on guard by it, he knew that she was up to something. Craning his head back to look at her, his eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. Akeno had moved so that she was almost on top of him, conveniently placed so that he would get a perfect upskirt view. Not that it was hard; the skirt was impossibly shorter than the regular Kuoh uniform she normally wore.

"Issei, are you alright?" Asia was confused. She had been healing him, now he rolled forward and landing in a crouch away from the rock. She cocked her head to the side, had she done something wrong?

"I'm fine. Just… surprised is all." He panted. Issei mock glared at Akeno who put her hands on her cheeks and wriggled her hips, clearly delighting in his discomfort, especially since she had caused it.

As he dusted himself off, Issei took stock of his location then paused. His jaw nearly hit the floor as he saw an expansive manor sitting pretty on the mountainside. Multiple stories, the sheer size nearly doubled his apartment building. On one side was a small lake, complete with pebble beach. Beyond that was what appeared to be a steaming hot spring, and considering the amount of wealth that went into the construction of the place, he'd bet his scale array and its contents that there was a an onsen here as well.

"Just how rich is the Gremory clan?" Issei breathed. "I don't think all the scales I've shed could amount to this."

"Oh, this is nothing. This is one of the smaller vacation homes belonging to the Gremory." Rias smiled. "As for riches, well my family has had millennia to accumulate vast amounts of wealth. I'd tell you more, but I don't think breaking your grasp on reality would be very productive towards training. Now then," She addressed the group. "Let's get unpacked and get to work!"

"RIGHT!"

Once inside, Kiba directed Issei to where the two of them would be staying. It was a rather large room complete with two full-size beds on either end, connected to a modest wash unit. Both began unpacking their respective duffels and efficiently readied themselves in their Kuoh tracksuits

"I didn't expect we'd be doubling up." Issei commented. "I would have thought that this place had plenty of rooms for everyone to have their own."

"Is it so bad to room with me?" In a faux-hurt expression of agony, Kiba dramatically clutched at his heart. "You wound me, truly you do."

"You're far from the worst company I've had." With a flick, Issei sent his now empty duffel to collide with Kiba's gut. Kiba's breath was stolen from the unanticipated impact, though he recovered and grinned.

"You're not so bad yourself either. As for the rooming situation, there are only a limited number of rooms available beyond those already claimed by the Gremory family members. It's a getaway for them, a place where they can act like a normal family for once, hence the lack of servants' quarters. The place is built for entertainment; I'm sure there's a game room and theater in here somewhere in fact. And that leads us here."

"A game room huh? Too bad we'll be training for the majority of our stay."

"It is what it is. Who knows, if we win this thing, we may end up throwing a celebratory party here."

"We can dream." Now finished with their work, both boys decided to skip the nuances of navigating the manor and finding an exit. Instead, Kiba pried the window open and both boys simply dropped three stories and landed lightly on the grounds. Issei took a look at the tool used to open the window. It appeared to be a sword; at least it had a hilt and crossguard to suggest it. However, its blade seemed to be vibrating constantly, like a tuning fork repeatedly struck.

"Now I know I'm not crazy, but I know you didn't have that before. In fact, all the swords you've used came from nowhere. So which is it, Blade Blacksmith or Sword Birth?"

"How can you tell? I never said anything?"

"Aside from the scent of devilry, I can tell that you're a former human. However, your human scent is almost overshadowed by the smell of freshly forged steel. Considering the number and quality of the blades you use, it had to be one of those two Sacred Gears, unless you have the power to magically conjure such blades on your own."

"Impressive. If you must know, it's Sword Birth, the power to endlessly forge Demonic Swords."

"Hmm. The girls aren't here yet. Up for a spar?"

"Are you sure? I won't hold back." Kiba had a smile on his face that mirrored his own. Without moving a muscle or saying a word, several swords sprang from the ground with Kiba at the epicenter. All of them were thin European longswords of varying design. Kiba looked around before selecting one with a widened crossguard and thinly tapered edge, almost resembling a rapier. He pulled it from the ground and took an en garde position.

Issei whistled as he examined the blades. "Impressive collection." He pulled one up, the closest one to him and examined it. While he wasn't a blade expert, he recognized the fine craftsmanship and truly admired its design. However, it wasn't quite his style. "Got any heavy broadswords in that wondrous armory of yours?"

Kiba made a pained face. "It's like asking an artist to use spray instead of a brush, but very well."

Without indication, several heavier swords burst from the earth around Issei, who stabbed the sword in hand back into the earth. He then took a few moments hefting every blade, each longer than Koneko was tall. After appraising each, he settled on the heaviest one, a double-edged monster of a weapon that must have weighed a dozen kilos. In his hands however, the claymore was as light as a reed.

"Is there anything I should know about this weapon before we begin?" Issei inquired.

"Aside from being the heaviest weapons I can forge, it's one of my most durable." With a dismissive wave, Kiba disintegrated the rest of the summoned swords. "Apart from that, it carries no special effects. It's one of the few I make that doesn't have any extraordinary function."

"Good." Issei grasped the hilt with both hands, bringing the polished blade parallel to the ground at his eye level. "Then we can begin."

With a nod, the two males rushed at each other, blades glinting in the sun. Issei angled his, trying to use the polished flat to reflect the light into Kiba's eyes in order to blind him. Whether expecting it or not, Kiba simply ignored the flash and darted forward, his own sword held one handed and sweeping forward to nick him in the side.

Issei let his sword point drop, parrying the blow and letting the blades screech as the metal ground against each other. With some force, he levered his blade up to disengage and then back down to cut across Kiba's chest, only for the Knight to vanish. Issei took a step back, bringing his claymore to guard his other side without looking, satisfied and disappointed to find that Kiba had gone for his other side from the front, instead of reappearing behind him. After blocking that thrust, Issei spun, letting his greater sword gather momentum. At the apex of his spin, he had gathered enough momentum to cleave Kiba's head from his shoulders, only to find that the Knight had danced back out of range again.

Their spar continued for several minutes in this fashion. Issei was not fast enough to match Kiba, though he was able to keep up with his attacks with frightening accuracy. After some time had passed, Kiba eventually was worn out, whereupon he stabbed the ground and rested on his sword, panting for breath. "You're a monster."

"I'm a dragon to be precise."

"Smart ass."

Issei shrugged. "You nearly had me at several points there." He gently set the claymore on the turf and flopped down beside Kiba. "You could have won with a number of different strikes, but you passed up the opportunity."

"Explain." Both boys glanced up to see the girls watching them. Each had changed into the girls' gym uniform, a tee and bloomers with the exception of Rias, who wore the track pants. All were wide eyed at the male display of violence. Rias was the one who asked, appearing genuinely curious about how Kiba had failed.

"Are you sure? You may not like what you have to hear?"

"Do it." Kiba requested. "I think I know, but I need to be sure."

"Very well then," Issei sighed. "As far as skill goes, you are undoubtedly my better when it comes to blades. Against someone who doesn't have my physical strength, you could have finished it quickly and easily, rather than let yourself be tired out. Ignoring that, if we had a professional referee observing, you would have won the duel."

Kiba didn't acknowledge the point as he frowned. "Won the duel but not the fight."

"Exactly. I was able to predict your movements after the first few blows after understanding your style. In a tournament, you'd be nigh undefeatable, but in an all out war, you could very well be the first to fall."

"Come now," Rias protested. "Kiba was trained by my brother's Knight. Surely he's stronger than that!"

"It's not a matter of strength Rias," Kiba clarified. "In this case, it's an issue of mentality."

"That's his problem," Issei agreed. "Each attack of his was aimed for nonlethal points. What's more, with his speed he should have been able to generate enough momentum to knock my sword aside and finish me. Finally, he only attacked from within or close to my field of vision, never trying to attack me from behind or use underhanded methods to win."

"The mindset of a chivalrous Knight." Kiba laughed, a hollow one at that. "Courtesy and respect, honor and valor. Is that what's holding me back?"

"Most likely. Chivalry is a code that only briefly addresses treating women with respect. The rest of it is basically a list of proper and morally acceptable rules of engagement. If one reads the rules, then one knows how to exploit or break them. That's how I could predict most of his attacks and turn the fight to a battle of attrition, one with obvious results."

Rias frowned, clearly thinking about the issue in a new light. Akeno and Koneko looked impressed with his quick evaluation, while Asia looked torn between worry for their well-being and awe for their fighting prowess.

"How would you recommend we break Kiba's habit?" Rias asked Issei. "How long would it take?"

"I highly doubt anything I do will ever even scratch this guy's common sense or manners, especially when it comes to girls. Even if I wanted to, it's ingrained in his being by now. But I think I can help with his fighting."

"How so?" Kiba was eagerly hanging on Issei's every word.

"You forge a fire-sword of some kind and make a genuine attempt at trying to kill me." The direct answer startled all of them, prompting Akeno and Asia to protest. Kiba frowned, clearly unhappy with the idea.

"Look Kiba, I get it. You have a sense of honor that you're not willing to compromise. I understand and appreciate that. However, I've seen where that can lead. There was an old vampire new to Tartarus about a year ago. He believed that he could fight honorably against any opponent and come out unscathed."

"What happened to him?"

"He was cut down by a lamia when his honor kept him from fighting a woman. Last I saw of him was him being constricted by her tail until his ribcage broke. I stopped watching after that."

"Sounds painful. I don't think I could do any different than he."

"Well, you're going to have to. Or did you forget that Raiser's entire peerage is female?" Kiba's face dropped as he recognized the truth in his words. "I can help you to a degree. A non-dragonslayer weapon shouldn't even leave more than a scratch on me now, a fire-type sword even less likely to do so. Besides," Issei nodded at Asia, "We've got a healer who needs practice with her Sacred Gear as well, so the chances of me dying are remotely small."

Kiba was quiet for a few moments, lost in thought. Issei stood up and dusted the grass from his pants before offering a hand to Kiba. "If it helps think of it as a war. We win, then nothing changes. We lose and then Rias loses her freedom and happiness to a man with no such respect for the opposite sex. I think that's worth fighting dirty to prevent."

Kiba was silent for a moment longer, then Issei's eyes widened. The blade that Kiba had used seemed to shatter and reform instantaneously as Kiba leapt back up, a cold smile on his face. The blade turned red, then orange as flames spat forth and engulfed its length as he swung, clipping Issei on the shoulder and burning away part of his shirt. Stumbling away, Issei spared a moment to prod the impact point. Not a scratch. With a grin, he looked back at Kiba. "You're learning." Hooking a toe of his boot beneath his heavier sword, Issei kicked it up and grabbed it in time to block another blow. And so the combat maniacs were at it again.

"Ugh, men." Rias complained. "Is it so hard for them to think of something other than senseless violence." She had to speak a little louder than normal, the din and shrieks from collisions of sharpened steel echoed across the field as her male servants continued to spar. No, fight, not spar she realized. They were both being serious about it now.

"Well, violence is a language all men speak." Akeno replied, clearly engaged in the fight. With a sigh of resignation, Rias noted that Akeno's hands were pressed to her flushed cheeks as she wriggled her hips. Truly, there was no stopping this girl.

"I suppose it's time for us to begin training as well. We can't let the boys outdo us, right ladies?"

"Word."

"Um, yes!"

"Ara ara, all this talk is making me so warm inside!"

"Akeno, be serious. This isn't a time for you to get off on training."

"I'm multi-tasking." Akeno raised her hands, electricity running down her arm. "Shall we begin as well?" She smiled with her usual sadistic glee.

Asia was about to protest before she felt Konkeo tugging on her sleeve. Surprised, she found the shorter girl pulling her away from the third-years. "Koneko? Where are we going?"

"Out of the line of fire. The president and vice-president don't hold back very well." As if to punctuate her words, several explosions rang out, followed by a thunderclap. "You can watch from here. Heal them if they need it." With that Koneko let go and began to march deeper into the forest.

"Koneko! Where are you going?"

"To train."

"I still think that was a cheap victory." Kiba grumbled. Towards the end of their fight, Kiba had moved fast enough to shatter Issei's sword with a tremendously draining swing. Issei had merely chuckled before tossing the hilt and few inches of blade aside before charging forward with fists raised.

"You're just saying that cause I won. Concede." Issei chuckled from his corner, the book of Rating Game rules open in his lap. Kiba himself was lying on a couch, trying to rest after Asia had healed many of the broken bones and bruises his friend had bestowed upon him.

Speaking of Asia, she was now getting a crash-course in magic from the older girls. They were surrounding a nearby table; Akeno and Rias teaching her to draw out more demonic energy in Asia's first formal class in magic.

"Magic is all about power and intent. You need the magical strength to power your spell, the will to guide it your bidding." Rias supplied. "All Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels have magic, though the source and magnitude vary from individual."

Asia put her hands together again. With a look of concentration, she tried to create a spark, a glimmer of power, only to be disappointed once more.

"Don't worry, you'll get it eventually," Akeno promised. "You have innate talent for this, it just requires a bit of practice."

"Are you sure? I have been trying for some time." It was true; it was nearly sunset now.

"You do have devil wings, their existence is proof that you have demonic power inside you. Now it's just a matter of guiding it into being." Rias gently reassured her Bishop. "You can do this."

Asia struggled with it before she stopped, seemingly puzzled by something. "How many wings can a devil have?"

"Most only have the two, any more requires blood relations with the original Maou." Akeno answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Raynare believed that she could gain a second pair. I thought if I did the same, this would be easier."

Rias tapped the table and nodded to herself. "I guess it's time for a brief lesson in physiology as well. For Angels, Fallen, and Devils, our wings are manifestations of an excess of magical power, be it demonic or angelic. While devils are generally limited to one pair, any Angel, Fallen or not, can increase their number as they get stronger and their excess energy increases."

"Oh. I see." Asia nodded before looking confused again. "But Issei doesn't have devil wings."

"Issei… is a special case," Rias whispered, hoping that the demidrake was too engaged in his book to notice. "His magical reserves are too low for the devil wings to properly manifest. Our wings are constructs of magic, his are flesh and blood."

"If he has no magic, how can he use his flames so well?"

"I'm not quite sure…" Rias looked to Akeno for support only to receive a shrug in return. "Though I too am curious."

"It's Aura." All three girls jumped. Issei had somehow snuck up behind them and was looking at the notes on the table with interest. "Dragons can't make use of magic energy in the same way devils do."

"Can you elaborate on that?" Rias was now very interested. She knew that dragons were incompatible with magic, but insight on how they used their power could prove helpful.

Issei shrugged. "Here's a question: what makes someone a dragon?"

Rias shrugged. "I would say it's the scales, teeth, and claws but I don't think it's that simple otherwise you wouldn't be asking."

"Do you know what aura is?"

"My brother once explained it to us. He said it was the sum total of an individual's available magical energy, physical strength, life force or ki if you prefer, emotions, willpower, even memories and soul. The collective energy of a person's very existence."

"If it's stronger that magical power, why don't we use that instead?" Asia asked politely, still uncertain of where the conversation was going. "It seems to be much more pure and mighty!"

Akeno sighed. "If two people with identical stats fought, one using magic and the other using Aura, the aura-user would pass out before unleashing her first attack. Even if you have insanely high magical prowess, one could have relatively low aura. Aura-based techniques are incredibly draining, even to ultimate-class devils. We can't use it without burning ourselves out." She paused, understanding crossing her face. "So that's what makes a dragon."

Issei nodded. "Even without magical energy, Dragons are properly defined as the only species that has ungodly amounts of aura, as well as boasting the highest efficiency with aura-based techniques. It's how we can come in all shapes and sizes, since every aura is unique. If I were to join up with a group of dragons in reptilian form, I'd fit right in, regardless of appearance or parentage. As far as anyone is concerned, hybrids capable of using aura are considered dragons in full.

"As for how it helps, low-level dragons can use it to take on high-class devils, Angels, lesser Gods, etc. It's also why the top two strongest beings, the Apocalypse Dragon and Infinite Dragon God, are so far ahead of the others in the top ten. The dragon whose affinity draws power from freaking dreams and the other has virtually limitless aura, both of them are nigh-undefeatable monsters compared to us mere mortals."

Rias shivered at the thought, though she brightened at the topic. "Then that means you can use it as well?"

"I have been using it." Issei raised a hand and lit the aura around it, brightening the room. "All of my flame attacks make use of my Holy aura."

"So our victory is assured then!"

Issei hesitated, unwilling to make such promises. "We… have a very good chance. Try to remember, I'm sorely out of practice with it. If I had used it at all when in Tartarus, I could have been killed outright or sold to the highest bidder as a weapon or a slave." He was tactful enough not to point out that he had been killed and was now technically her secret weapon. "It's not guaranteed, if Raiser or his Peerage takes you or me out before I can get a shot at him then we'll lose, but I'm confident in my abilities. Besides, I have ten, err, nine days now to train and improve."

Rias breathed a long sigh of relief. No longer trusting her legs to sustain her balance, she sank into a nearby chair, overcome with hope and joy. She had a chance at a happy ending after all.

Akeno moved behind Rias' chair to rub her shoulders comfortingly. Looking outside to see the lateness of the day, she took charge in Rias' place. "It's getting late, perhaps dinner is in order. We can talk more then. Asia and I will handle things here, Issei could you go and fetch Koneko?"

"Sure thing." Issei left rather quickly, obviously eager to sample more of Akeno's cooking. As the door swung shut, Kiba let out an uncharacteristic expletive.

"Yuuto? What's wrong?" The consistently timid Asia was unsure of how to accept the gentlemanly Kiba with his current behavior.

"That bastard! He was going easy on me! If he used his aura at all, I would have been defeated by only one of his attacks!" The Knight sat there fuming for a little longer before straightening. "My pride as a swordsman is at stake. I shall continue to improve as well!" With that, Kiba picked himself up and limped to the door, pushing it open and stumbling through. The door shut behind him with a dull thud.

"Ara ara. Men are so very competitive theses days. Now then," Akeno grabbed one of Rias' arms and pulled it across her shoulders. "Let's see what we can make quickly. We'll need to hurry, we're feeding both Issei and Koneko tonight."

Issei strolled out into the forest surrounding the manor. Finding Koneko's scent was easy, now he was absently following her trail further into the woods. While he seemingly wandered aimlessly, he was actually deep in thought.

Rias' question about whether victory was guaranteed troubled him, though he wouldn't admit it. He wanted to be able to promise an easy win, but without Divine Dividing, the task was much more difficult. Not impossibly, just… more challenging.

Albion's absence had also thrown a figurative wrench into his own plans. Believe it or not, he now felt comfortable enough with Akeno and Rias to let them know he is, or more accurately was, the White Dragon Emperor. He had almost told them yesterday, before Raiser's appearance. As things were now, telling anyone about his missing Longinus would only lift up then crush Rias' hope. Issei was nowhere near callous enough to toy with someone's emotions in such a way.

Thankfully, there was an out. The rulebook had included a list of rules when it came to reincarnated devils with high-tier Sacred Gears, the Thirteen Longinus included. So long as their presence were revealed to the Elder Council and Maou before the King was considered of age for official games, then there was nothing to worry about. The upcoming game was unofficial after all, although concealment was frowned upon.

Assuming they won and avoided servitude to the Yakitori, Issei shuddered at the thought, then he had however long until Rias' first official game to recover his full abilities without the political fallout affecting anyone else. A timetable versus the potentially limitless patience of a Legendary Dragon. He had his work cut out for him.

Issei was brought out of his reverie by a flash of white up ahead. Letting his idle musings flee, he observed Koneko standing in the center of a relatively small clearing. She was going through a kata, sparring a shadow opponent. Her form was well balanced, her stance impeccable. The only fault he could see was that her size limited her reach, though he could hardly hold it against her. No, she was doing well and clearly had no qualms with fighting dirty. He winced as she executed several strikes that would have crippled the average opponent. He thanked whoever might be listening that she was too short to pull the same exact style on him, though it was still unnerving.

As she began to wind down, Issei's gaze was drawn to the white cat ears and tail that remained exposed. It was the first time he had seen her Nekomata traits, and the look was endearing. It wasn't on the level of Asia's innocence and naiveté, but instead radiated sheer cuteness. Weapon's grade cuteness, that almost had him run over, pick her up and pinch her cheeks. Almost. Her final move in the exercise was to punch and bury her arm elbow deep in the trunk of a rather thick tree, conveniently at a height that as a male he was obligated to wince at. Yes, almost but not quite.

Koneko wrested her fist from the tree, panting in exertion. Just how long had she been going at it? Resting her hands on her knees, she gasped for breath for a minute before straightening and turning back to the path. Upon catching sight of him, she froze. Koneko was so still that she seemed more statue than living; he couldn't even hear her breathe.

Issei raised his hands and knelt, thanking Albion for some useful memories that could aid in the situation. He sat down, that way she was looking down at him instead of the usual reverse. Basic psychology, if you're trying to calm someone, then best to appear non-threatening. What's more, the perceived height difference should grant her a sense of superiority. Considering she was so small compared to everyone, it couldn't hurt his chances.

It worked. Koneko began to take small breaths as she visibly relaxed, no longer bristling at his presence. Her tail twitched as it receded, her ears flattening and seemingly merging with her hair. She swallowed, clearly still uncomfortable. "Hyoudou, I know what it looks like. It's~"

"None of my damn business what it is." He brusquely interrupted. "I knew you were a Nekomata by scent alone. I don't know why you keep your ears and tail hidden, and I don't have a clue why you don't use Senjutsu. As curious as I might be, it's not my place or nature to pry. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

Koneko seemed shocked that he didn't even feel inclined to press the issue. While not very sensitive, turnabout was fair play; she hadn't been forthcoming with him and Asia. But even knowing what she was, he didn't press the issue? He didn't care?

"Now before it gets any darker, why don't we head back? Akeno and Asia are already working on dinner, I was sent to find you. Shall we?" The girl brightened at the sound of food and immediately moved towards him and the trail. She heard him wait until she was a fair distance away before getting up and following. At that she stopped, and waited for him to catch up.

Issei was hesitant as he drew even with her, but he was reassured by the trust in her eyes. Did he pass some sort of test with her, for simply not caring what she was? Either way, he wasn't going to complain about it.

It was quiet on their walk back, but a comfortable kind of quiet. Neither of them was willing to break it.

Rias, Akeno, Kiba and Asia just stared incredulously at the heated yet mostly silent competition between the well-built Pawn and the petite Rook. Akeno and Asia had outdone themselves in their efforts to create enough food to feed an army. Now, an army of two was easily devouring the fruits of their labors.

To be fair, they were both behaving well, showing exemplary table manners therefore maintaining some unspoken rule to remain civil at the dinner table. Because of this, the others were able to better comprehend just how evenly matched they were in the rate and amount they consumed. There had been enough to feed the four of them for a week perhaps, now most of it was gone.

Issei swallowed one last mouthful of food before setting his cutlery down. "That was absolutely amazing. My compliments to the chefs!" He nodded towards Akeno and Asia.

"Ara ara, if I had known you were so hungry I would have made more." Akeno teased. "Perhaps I should begin get started right away."

"Don't tempt me woman."

"Ufufu, or else what will you do?"

"I'll marry you." He muttered under his breath, though not quiet enough for three individuals to not hear.

Akeno closed her eyes, lost in a fanciful daydream. "Issei's wife," she mumbled. Already her cheeks were tinged pink, and she fidgeted in her chair.

"Did you like the soup, Issei!" Asia leaned forward. "I'm not so good as Akeno, but I did my best!"

"Uh, yeah. It was pretty good." Where was this coming from?

'So I too can be Issei's wife!' Asia was now lost in a fantasy of her own.

Rias began to frown, though hid it very carefully. Now was not the time for her to descend to the same level of frivolity, no matter how much she wanted to. She could do so if and after she won the Game. Instead, she asked Issei a question. "You said that you could use aura, could you elaborate on that?"

"How so? Is there anything specific?"

"Anything that you can do, as well as possibly do. Consider it a need-to-know to begin making battle plans."

"Okay then. I'll start with passive effects first, I guess. Having a dragon's aura does wonders for the human body. If you were to vivisect me, you'll find there really isn't a big difference between a normal human and me, anatomically that is. Some inefficiencies are cut out, while others are improved upon. Muscle, bone, skin, and internal organs all reinforced and strengthened immensely to physically match other hatchlings my age, lungs doubly so as to handle extreme temperatures from my own element. Visibly, the only mutations I have would be my eyes, teeth, and wings." He demonstrated his only noticeable features. "Beyond that, there are my enhanced senses as well."

Asia spoke up now. "If our wings are extensions of our magic and yours are flesh and blood, then where do yours go?" Seeing that everyone else was interested, he decided to indulge her curiosity.

"You remember the scale array runes on my hands? There's a modified version of it on my back. That way I can appear somewhat normal in public."

"Your runes. Can you use them offensively?" Kiba asked. "Imprisoning someone should count as a retirement in the Rating Game. Nonviolent takedown and all."

"Oh, hell no!" Issei slammed his fists down on the table, causing the others to jump in place. "No, no, no… I'm not imprisoning someone. Moral implications of putting a person in stasis without consent, all that aside… if it was an emergency like with Asia's rescue, then maybe… I can't. Not after Tartarus."

Kiba looked very regretful that he had even asked, remembering too late that perhaps asking a former prisoner to imprison others was not the best of suggestions, under any circumstances. Instead, he tried to change the subject back to Issei's combat skill with aura.

"Apart from breathing fire, I typically mold it around my body before igniting it." He held a hand up, a sliver of flame dancing in his palm, before winking out. "I've also been able to project it then remotely detonate it. I once used it to rocket myself into my dad in dragon form when we were in a spar."

"How well did that work for you?" Kiba joked.

"Poorly. My shoulder hurt for weeks after. Not sure I'll try that again. Oh, one last thing." Holding both hands up, he concentrated. Sure enough, ghostly pale smoke began to traverse the space between his palms before catching fire. In his hands now was an exact duplicate of the claymore he had been fighting with earlier, only in wraithlike form.

Asia clapped with joy and excitement, while the other girls were very interested and leaned forward to get a better look as well.

Issei glanced over at Kiba and managed to see a look of envy before the Knight hid it well. With that, he dissipated the blade. "If you're worried about me stealing your shtick sword boy, don't worry. Making weapons with my fire isn't exactly my forte and besides, it quite literally burns through aura."

"Explain. Now." Rias was not amused, but instead seemed intent on seeing another Holy Fire sword.

"For all intents and purposes, I shaped a sword just now. I slowed the process down so you could see it take shape before ignition. However, it's the most wasteful of my aura related abilities. It uses up a great deal of both energy and concentration to properly maintain its shape or intensity, so I'd prefer just lighting my fists or quick explosions. Less brain and or firepower needed for either option."

"And this was taught to you?"

"I learned the theory of the sword making from Baraqiel," Akeno started in her chair and her eyes bore into him. "But the rest of it's mostly instinct. Since every aura is different just by composition, techniques aren't guaranteed to work if taught from one to another. Theory is practical and could be altered for personal use, but I doubt I could teach another person to do exactly what I do."

Issei frowned. "Actually, there is something I've been meaning to learn. Dragons who've completely mastered their aura can shape-change between reptilian and humanoid form as they please. Personally, I think I'd prefer to stay like this for the most part, but I've always wanted to know what it'd feel like." When he saw Rias' hopeful expression, he had to interject. "Sorry, but I don't think that's going to happen between now and the Game."

"That's too bad." Rias sighed. "That'd be a tremendous help."

"You're not wrong. While we're discussing it, how does devil magic work exactly? I've seen it in use, but I never really got into learning the theories behind it."

"Why the sudden curiosity?" Rias blinked. "I thought you were incompatible with magic."

"A basic rundown wouldn't hurt. Besides, considering this to be my first proper fight against it, I'd like to know what I'm up against."

Akeno and Rias glanced at each other before nodding. "In that case, we'll give you the same lecture we gave Asia earlier." At this, Kiba and Koneko stood and collected the dishes. Issei tried to protest, but Koneko firmly pushed him back into his chair, ending the debate.

"Well, magical energy is the source of power that fuels what we define as thaumaturgy. Miracle making. In short, we use our innate energy and use it to fulfill our desires." Rias began.

Akeno now took up the burden of describing the phenomenon. "All magic users, supernatural or not, are bound to the same basic principles. Rule one, in order to be able to cast a spell, you must have the required minimum amount of energy to properly use it."

"Something that the magic circles and I have difficulty coming to terms with." Issei grumbled.

"Quite." Akeno smiled gently. "The second basic principle is that all magic follows a simple rule, intent. Wild magic is unpredictable, and can do more harm than good should the user be unfocused. For that reason, it's common practice to safely cast spells through either mental or verbal incantations or use runes or other mediums to channel the spell through. There are exceptions though; casters on the level of Grayfia can control their magic through force of will alone, bypassing the need for any safety incantations."

"So that's what the runes around the Gremory circles are for?"

"Yes. Those runes were arranged in a specific pattern for point-to-point translocation." Rias explained. "Change out a select few and rearrange the pattern and you'll have a shield equal to the amount of power you're expending to maintain it. The same goes for simply attacking with pure energy, just activate the right configuration to fire a volley of magical blasts."

"Sounds complicated. Clearly I'm not cut out for the higher theories, but how do I counter it? I did learn some things in the pit, but usually I countered magic with a fist to the face. I want to know how to do it right."

Both older girls exchanged a slightly amused look before turning back to him. "There is no right way for you to counter it."

"Come again?"

"You can't use magic, so you can't counter it." Akeno smirked. "Such a shame."

"All teasing aside, without magic of your own, training to specifically counter enemy spells is time better spent on improving the skills you already possess." Rias gently clarified. "In your case, it's all a matter of being faster and stronger than the spellweaver in question. You could use your aura, but with your admittedly limited applications I'm not quite sure how to equate the amount of power you can throw around with a trained magicians creativity."

"There is another thing to consider." Akeno interrupted. "Most adept magic users, Rias and myself included, have trained to use a specific skillset so that it is almost second-nature. The incantations are recited almost instantly in our thoughts, allowing us to silently cast so long as we have energy to spare."

"My affinity with the Bael power of Destruction and Akeno's thunderbolts." Rias sighed. "It may not quite be the same level of instinct you profess your flames to be on, but I'd say they're damn close. And Raiser's going to have some tricks up his sleeve as well." With that, Rias laid her hands on the table and rested her forehead on the edge. "This whole thing is getting to be more aggravating each minute."

"Don't worry, Rias! I'm sure we'll win!" Asia, cheerful as ever, stood up and hugged their King. Rias seemed surprised at the gesture, but smiled and relaxed into it.

"I guess I can hardly afford not to." She said with a weak smile. That smile brightened when the door to the kitchen opened and Koneko poked her head through. "Dishes are done."

"Excellent. Now, I don't know about you all, but I think a bath is in perfect order."

Issei shrugged. "Go ahead, I'll probably try and get some more training in before bed."

"Oh, don't be like that Issei." Rias warned. "While I appreciate your seriousness in this matter, I can't allow you to work yourself to death." She tapped a pointed finger to her lips before smiling innocently. "Why don't you take a bath with us?"

"Eh! Oh no, A that's hardly appropriate, and B, not all of us are comfortable with that. Mainly me, I'm not comfortable with that!"

"Let's put it to a vote." Rias decided. "Akeno?"

"I wouldn't mind at all." Akeno's smile set him on edge. She had that smile the last time they were in the baths together, why on earth was she wearing it?! "Asia, how about you?"

Asia turned bright red before timidly raising a hand. "I'd like that." She spoke softly. Everyone present turned to Koneko, who squirmed under the attention.

"I… I don't mind." She whispered, before looking up to glare at the demidrake. "But perverted thoughts are forbidden."

"How in Hell am I gonna avoid that! Come on~ ow!" Rias and Akeno had both grabbed an ear and were now pulling him away, Asia and Koneko following close behind. Just before they turned the corner, Kiba emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel before stopping in surprise.

Seeing his chance, Issei cried out to the only possible source of salvation. "Kiba! Don't let them take me!"

"What are they doing?"

"Taking me to bathe with them!"

Kiba looked stunned for a moment before shrugging. "If even Koneko isn't adverse to it, what do you think I can do?"

"YOU TRAITOR!"

"I swear, the sword boy is going to regret this", Issei muttered. "Just wait, Yuuto. I won't go easy on you in tomorrow's fight."

"Oh, relax Issei. Surely it isn't that bad." Akeno's voice floated to him from his right. "There are plenty of boys at Kuoh who'd give their right arm for a chance like this."

Issei snorted, "Comparing me to the Perverted Duo, are we?"

"Maybe not in the way you think." Rias, this time from the left. "You're undoubtedly better mannered and much better looking. Though it is an insult to us as young women if you won't even dare look at us."

Issei had screwed his eyes shut before he had been dragged into the women's bath. Without Divine Dividing and his instant teleport technique, escape was not an option. What was he going to do, fight his way out? A spark could injure them severely, and he couldn't bring himself to strike any of the girls he cared about. Considering Koneko's chilling warning and the kata he had seen her do, keeping his eyes shut and rely on his other senses was the best course of action.

"Are you dressed?" He asked.

"Of course not." Rias huffed.

"Well then, I'll keep my eyes closed a little longer."

"Mou, Issei." A very mature figure pressed up against him, two very soft mounds pressed against his chest as the Akeno wrapped her arms around his neck. "Please look at me. It's not anything you haven't seen before."

He both heard and felt Rias' irritation as she groaned at the Akeno's selective choice of words and slapped the water between them. "Don't make me order you Issei."

"Order me to open my eyes in a hot spring full of naked teenage girls. Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds."

Both third-years were silent for a minute before Akeno burst out laughing, "It does seem rather strange, doesn't it?" She tapped his nose before wriggling closer to him.

"Fine. You win this round Issei." Another warm body pressed up against him on the other side, Rias wrapping an arm around his middle and bringing his arm to rest between her breasts. "But I'm going to break you of this habit, mark my words."

"One day, it'll happen." Akeno agreed. "I can see it now Issei. You and me, skinny-dipping in the River Styx. We'll be sure to win future games that way, ufufu."

"THAT'S OUT OF LINE, AKENO!" Rias shouted. "BESIDES, THAT PATH TO INVULNERABILITY HAS BEEN OUTLAWED FOR CENTURIES!" From the change in her position and the light spray of water, Issei surmised that Rias had stood up to shout at her Queen.

"No need to shout Rias. And in the end, does it really matter? Issei is invincible enough for me." By the feel of it, Akeno had stood as well. By the sound of it, there was lightning crackling in her hand. Now was the best time to get away!

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" Almost immediately, Issei was pulled back into the water as two pairs of hands grabbed his arms. "WHO SAID YOU COULD LEAVE!" Now thoroughly drenched, Issei found himself back in his earlier position with both girls fighting for his attention as they hugged him tightly.

'Two girls I'm attracted to, both of them naked with me, and I'm keeping my eyes closed due to threats from a little girl a third my size.' Issei wondered. 'Though for once, I'm glad Albion isn't here to peek on me.'

While Issei and the older girls were sitting now against the edge of the spring, Asia and Koneko were busy rinsing the soap from their bodies close by. While rinsing the last bit of soap from her form, Asia looked over to see both Rias and Akeno in a rather intimate position with Issei and bemoaned her situation.

'Does Issei like big breasts?' She wondered, though she was prudent enough to not say anything out loud in front of Koneko. She lifted her hands to cup her own modest pair and tried to imagine what it would feel like if she traded places with one of her seniors. To her chagrin, she compared her size to Akeno and Rias and moaned out aloud, she had lost to her seniors! It wasn't fair!

"Jealous you're not on the double-D team?" Koneko surprised her. "Don't try to compare yourself to them, you'll always be disappointed."

"It's no fair, no fair no fair!"

"Rias is a pureblood devil and you've seen Akeno's Fallen wing. They're biologically designed to be as seductive as possible. Trying to compare to them will not end well." Koneko tapped her budding breasts. "Take it from one who knows."

Now clean, the younger girls stepped into the spring proper. While Koneko slipped in without a splash, Asia barely dipper her toe in before shrieking. "Cold, COLD!"

"Oh, is it cold? I can't tell." Rias said from where she hung on Issei's shoulder. "Is it bothersome for you as well Koneko?"

"Tolerable."

"Ara ara, I can fix this." Without warning, Issei felt his head grabbed with two hands and was suddenly pressed face first into the wondrous valley between Akeno's breasts. As expected, Issei's body heat skyrocketed, rapidly warming the pool.

"Oh my, that was fast", Akeno lightly laughed, though she made no move to dislodge or release Issei from his current position, heedless of the other three girls' irritation.

"Akeno, what is with you, you're way out of line!"

"Not fair, no fair! Mine… mine aren't big enough yet!"

"…Lewd thoughts are forbidden."

'That's it. The pretty boy is going to suffer.'

For the first time in a long time, Issei woke well rested, which surprised him. Last night, he had been released (for the sake of his pride, he preferred to say 'escaped') the girls' bath late and made his way to the room he and Kiba were sharing.

After coming to his senses, he was surprised that two familiar beings weighed his limbs down slightly. When he had retired for the night, he and Kiba were the only ones in the room. Had Akeno and Rias teleported in? How did he or Kiba not notice?

Looking down, Issei saw that both girls were not naked, thankfully, though they were very close. All they wore were a pair of sexy panties and what appeared to be some of his spare t-shirts.

'That is a very good look.' He grinned. 'Definitely a good look. What is it with girls wearing guys' clothes?' Realizing that even though they were making an effort to preserve their modesty, he looked over to Kiba's bed to find why he hadn't woken yet.

The answer came to him in a form of a dimly lit Gremory circle that lazily spun above Kiba. The Knight in question was still out cold, and apparently hadn't moved. Ah, the girls had cast a spell to keep the gentlemanly Knight asleep while they had their way with him.

Remembering the girls' antics the night prior and Kiba's abandonment of him, Issei decided upon the most entertaining course of action. Moving slowly to extricate himself from beneath the older girls, he was able to move them closer together so that they embraced each other. He debated about whether he should separate them, but remembered one of them admitting that they sometimes slept together. Shrugging, he grabbed his usual clothes and dressed before turning to decide the pretty boy's punishment.

After thinking long and hard, he decided to test how well aura matched up against magic. Condensing his aura around his hand, he used his wings to lift himself to the sigils' level. Placing a hand on the runes, he concentrated more aura to his palm until the circle silently shattered. Kiba didn't wake, but rather turned onto his other side, mumbling inaudibly in his sleep.

'Let's just see how this plays out. Who'll wake up first?' Issei maliciously grinned. 'Either way, I can't lose.' With that, he slipped out the door and headed out to the lake. 'Time to train and maybe watch the fireworks. From a safe distance of course.'

Akeno moaned as she shifted in her sleep, some naughty dreams having a great deal of effect on her. She rubbed her thighs together and clutched the body she embraced closer. Right now, she needed Issei's warmth, dammit! In her sleep-muddled state, she didn't question why the body wasn't as warm as her Issei usually was. Nor did she note that instead of the hard muscled form one clings to for comfort, she was embracing a calming softness that one typically holds to comfort. Odd. Well, Rias was always her competition as they physically matured.

Hold on a moment…

Reluctantly opening her eyes, Akeno was surprised to see Rias' blue-green eyes looking into her violet ones. Rias stared at her in equal confusion as they both realized that they were holding each other in a very intimate embrace. Without saying anything, they scooted apart, leaving a fair distance between them where Issei should have been.

A muffled cough alerted them to the third presence in the room. Kiba had propped himself up on his elbows and was staring at them in bewilderment. While he had seen them in varying states of undress before, his sense of honor dictated that he offer the greatest courtesies to them in regards to privacy. And here they both were in lingerie and clothing that did not leave anything to the imagination.

In unison, every teenager present turned red at the situation. While Rias and Akeno didn't pull up the blankets to cover themselves, Kiba resolutely turned away. "Do you ladies mind terribly?"

Rias and Akeno's minds went blank before separate red circles formed above them and transformed their risqué nightwear into gym uniforms. Now properly dressed and with Kiba comfortable in his sweatpants, they should have been able to speak about the situation, though their mutual embarrassment hindered them from doing so.

Unsurprisingly, their thoughts turned to the missing Pawn. For a moment, Rias contemplated some form of punishment for taking her accustomed body heat away, though she quelled the urge when she remembered how much he was needed in peak condition. Akeno was lost in a daydream where Issei was tied up and helpless before her, until she remembered that simple things like pain and torture were things he had long since been acclimated to and probably wouldn't take to very well now.

Kiba had no idea how to go about getting petty revenge though he had to concede that Issei had one-upped him in a rather spectacular manner. It was he who voiced their mutual thoughts. "Issei?"

"Issei." The girls murmured.

Before they could wonder where the errant dragon had gone, a loud roar broke the silence as a pillar of white fire burst from beneath the center of the lake outside. Looking at each other, the three nodded and rushed out.

Upon arriving at the lake's edge, they found Issei's boots and shirt neatly stacked, while the dragon in question was nowhere to be seen. Kiba gestured to the center of the lake where not a second later, a second pillar of flame erupted. It continued to burn for nearly a minute before dying down. A few seconds later, Issei broke the surface and used all six limbs to propel himself to shore.

Upon reaching shallow water, he stood, shaking himself as he did so to rid himself of excess water. Kiba was secure in his masculinity, but even he had to admit it was an impressive sight. A young man with a well chiseled form, water dripping down his exposed skin before contact with his water-darkened pants. The dragon's body was lean yet well built, clearly not by countless time spent in the gym but through years of fighting, resulting in an aesthetically pleasing specimen. The sight of Issei flapping his wings a few times to dispel even more moisture made the sight all the more impressive.

Yuuto looked to see whether the two girls would berate the dragon for leaving them alone, only to sigh as he saw both Rias and Akeno stare longingly at Issei with glazed expressions. It could be a trick of the light, condensation flung from Issei perhaps, but it would appear that they were both drooling slightly. Both were rubbing their thighs together, giving away exactly what they thought of Issei right now.

'This is going nowhere', the Knight cursed. Instead he raised his voice to address the demidrake directly. "You jerk! What's with leaving me with the girls?"

Issei had let flames ripple over his body, drying him and his pants simultaneously before reaching for his boots. He paused as he did so and raised an eyebrow at the flustered boy. "Didn't you do the same thing last night?"

"I-I… I guess I had that coming didn't I?" Kiba rubbed the back of his head, unknowingly replicating the same gesture Issei usually performed when he felt embarrassed.

"You could argue that I had it worse. Though let's leave that dangerous conversation for later." Issei pulled his shirt on and looked at the girls, who seemed genuinely disappointed at the lack of skin showing. "Is there a problem ladies?"

Both girls flushed and shook their heads, their part in his prank apparently forgotten already. Rias shook her head and asked the dragon what exactly he had been doing. The response seemed satisfactory. Issei had been trying to increase his stamina by testing his fire breath control and duration against the limited water pressure at the bottom of the lake.

With his excuse now accepted by the female portion of the little delegation, the four teenagers moved back into the house for breakfast, where Asia and Koneko met them, both wearily blinking sleep away.

'Maybe I shouldn't have added that roar to the mix?' Issei wondered as Koneko nearly fell forward face first into her breakfast. 'Then again,' he glanced at a sulking Kiba, 'maybe it was worth it.'

The morning progressed as intended, with each of the peerage pairing off into groups by the type of fighting style they were most capable in. Kiba and Koneko both teamed up to attack Issei, sending him backpedaling with surprise as they displayed teamwork beyond anything his treacherous fellow inmates had ever considered. In the end, he won, but it was a close thing, something he readily admitted to. Issei simply was not prepared for the level of cooperation that his senior devils could accomplish. Having fought on his own for so long, it forced him to reconsider his own strengths and weaknesses.

Asia's magical education continued as she began to memorize several spells that complimented her gentle nature. While taking a direct role in combat would probably forever be beyond her, she was more than capable of casting several defensive and support spells that more than made up for her inability to fight.

Rias and Akeno had taken to the skies, casting thunder and black flames hither and yonder as they dueled with magic. Their power resembled hundreds of fireworks in the sky that Issei and Kiba acquiesced to Koneko's mute insistence that they watch. All the while, Issei was evaluating their skills. Both were highly skilled with their natural elements, and their energy levels seemed to be equally powerful. Their techniques appeared flawless to his untrained eye, though Kiba and Koneko appeared equally awed as well.

After the older girls' duel came to a draw, Issei and Kiba supported the exhausted King and Queen back inside. After making a quick and simple lunch, the entire peerage gathered to eat and discuss any progress made. A rather innocent question from Asia, why devils reincarnate humans, led to a rather enlightening conversation.

Rias explained the history of the original Lucifer who had been the first Angel created by God. Having observed the process by which God had created the others in the Heavenly Host, Lucifer questioned God's motives and intentions for the newly created world. For all of God's power and greatness, he made no effort to declare his superiority over the others deities involved in the planet's creation. God was by far the kindest of the creators, and clearly favored the newly made humanity, though he did little to distinguish himself as greater than each of his peers. Dissatisfied with God's benign neglect and acceptance with the status quo, Lucifer tore off his twelve wings and willingly cast himself from Heaven. Using all his knowledge and skill, he corrupted the energy inside him so that it stood against everything God had created Angels to be, thus the first Devil was born.

Now carried by twelve self-created dark wings of shadow, Lucifer replicated the process that created Angels and manipulated it to create Devils in his own likeness. Naming the three strongest as his closest allies and confidants, the four newly christened Devil Kings began to establish a kingdom of their own creation and rule. Their armies, seventy and two separate legions, each with their own merits, carved out a functional society in the darkness that modern devils found themselves most welcome. This territory surrounding Hades' Realm of the Dead became known as the Underworld. The seventy-two legions eventually became the seventy-two Pillars, with the greatest commanders of each contingent becoming the head of the newly established noble families and the rank-and-file becoming the first of both the low and middle class devils.

This was done over time a matter of decades. In that time, many other Angels saw the progress that the Devils had made and wondered why they were so special that they could do as they pleased. Were they better, superior to God's creations? The most curious of their lot began to marvel at what devils were capable of and many became jealous at the freedom their creator had granted them.

Eventually, numerous Angels began to fall from God's grace as they too questioned God's restrictions. The first to fall fell for sleeping with human women, a union that could only be blessed by God's permission alone. One by one, their wings turned as black as their Hell-bred cousins, though they retained their born power of light and therefore were not welcomed by Lucifer and his ilk.

Then the Great War began. Beginning shortly after the crucifixion of Christ and the creation of the first Longinus, each side fought for a cause or purpose that had eventually been forgotten. Truly, if God had a reason to fight, he had not deemed fit to dispense it. Lucifer's greatest strength lay in his people; there had been no need for conflict to cull their numbers. And the founded Grigori could have survived well enough on its own. Perhaps it was Pride that began the war, each race and leaders wishing to prove themselves superior.

In the end, there was no victor nor was there a clear losing side. Lucifer, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and Leviathan were dead, though their descendants remained. God and his forces retreated to Heaven and barred the gates. The Grigori remained in isolation as they remained in their conquered section of the Underworld. No one had gained anything, only losing many.

The children of the old Satans had taken leadership of the Devil race, however their rule was violent and chaotic. Placing greater demands on tradition and power, rather than progress and reflective change, they had imposed laws that in time would have squandered the remaining power of all devilkind and driven them to extinction.

The Anti-Satan faction rose to prominence soon after the end of the war, where the strongest fighters of many of the remaining Pillar families had united to prevent the devils' extinction. The war raged for nearly a century, during that time the map of the Underworld had to be re-written as the births of super devils such as Sirzechs Gremory and Ajuka Astaroth rampaged against the traditionalists. In the end, the Anti-Satan faction won the Civil War, at the cost of the total demise of several of the surviving Pillar families.

The newly named Maou were quick to set laws and limits that were enforced for the survival of their race. However, fighting two such wars had decimated the devil population. The solution came in the form of the Evil Pieces, an invention by Ajuka Beelzebub, formerly of Astaroth, that could be sued to convert any species save gods into Devils.

Granting these Evil Pieces to high-class Devils, the new method of reincarnation allowed the devils to free themselves from possible endangerment. However, it came at a cost. Pureblood devils were now considered a precious commodity as families tried to remain beings of pure demonic energy. This combined with the naturally low birth rates of devils was the foundation for enforced marriage contracts such as the one Rias now faced.

After concluding the impromptu history lesson, Issei and Asia were quiet as the absorbed the information. While much had been new for both of them, it was different hearing the story from a devil; Issei in particular found the fresh perspective intriguing. Lost in thought, Issei was pulled out of his musings as Akeno bopped him on the head with a ladle.

"Ow," he muttered reflexively. "What was that for?"

"I asked her to do that because I've been trying to get your attention for a full minute." Rias sighed exasperatedly. "I asked you, could you tell us more about the history of dragons? Most of it predates devilkind and the rest is closely hidden. We're all curious, what can you tell us?"

Issei looked around the table and saw equally interested expressions. He huffed in defeat, light smoke emanating from his nostrils as he did so. "Alright, though we might want to move somewhere else. Some of it goes against accepted history, you will want to sit down for this just in case."

Following his suggestion, the devils quickly cleared and disposed of the remains of their meal before gathering in the sitting room, where Issei began pacing.

"I'll have to ask for your forgiveness; I'm not one for story-telling, and I personally don't know all that much about my own race's past, so my apologies in advance."

"No matter." Rias reassured him. "Please, continue."

"Okay then. Now, I'm sorry to disprove commonly accepted biblical trivia, but 'In the beginning and there was a an empty void' isn't quite true. Before the beginning, there were dragons. Ten of them, the only Legendary Dragons. Great Red, the True Dragon, there was Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God, Albion and Ddraig, the Heavenly Dragons, and the six Dragon Kings: Tiamat, Tannin, Vritra, Midgardsormr, Fafnir, and Yu-Long.

Each was born from pure energy, literally from the wild and untamed elements before creation began. After the world's construction ended, each found a portion of the newly-created earth to their liking, and so separated so as to better watch over the dragons now born from wild energy in the uncharted corners of the world.

I don't know much about the history between the world's creation and the Great War's beginning. All I know is that the Heavenly Dragons began their infamous quarrel sometime during that era. After that, they were sealed in two different Longinus-tier Sacred Gears, and so continue their unfinished conflict through their champions, the Dragon Emperors.

Without the Vanishing or Welsh Dragons to keep the balance between humanity and dragons, Medieval Europe collectively became a slaughter as every moron with a weapon or tool dreamt of becoming a dragonslayer of myth and legend. Dragon communities are sparse there nowadays, hidden away so that even other dragons have trouble finding them. It is not quite the same in the Eastern hemisphere, Yu-Long may be the youngest of the Dragon Kings, but he's done his job to keep our people safe.

Most tales and stories of dragons have basis in truth, and many other great events in history have dragons at the cause. In the end, it becomes a challenge to differentiate what is and isn't pertinent to dragon-lore. What's worse is that humans continue to create fiction and accept it as reality, further diminishing our endangered race."

"Hold on," Akeno directed. "Endangered? Surely that isn't true."

Issei shrugged. "It is what it is. Ophis and Great Red haven't been seen or heard from in centuries, the top two strongest beings have simply disappeared. Of the remaining Legendary Dragons, Albion and Ddraig were sealed away in Sacred Gears, Tiamat secluded herself after the Great War, Tannin became a Devil in order to secure dragon-supporting territory in the Underworld, and Fafnir and Midgardsormr are quite lazy. With so many Legendary Dragons out of commission or no longer actively fulfilling their duties, dragons have fallen to the mercy of whatever entity they come across. Oh, we can hold our own well enough in a fight, but our territories are taken by human expansion, supernatural exploitation, valuable resources stripped away. We're endangered, no question about it."

"But you're a considered a full-dragon." Kiba wondered aloud. "Shouldn't the number of hybrids make up for the losses?"

"Remember what I said about what makes a dragon? Our aura? Well, every child of a dragon inherits the ability to use aura, qualifying them as dragons as well, but what no one seems to understand is how incredibly difficult it is for a dragon and non-dragon with comparatively low aura to conceive. Physical compatibility isn't the issue; it's relative energy levels that are key. As creatures born from energy and aura of both parents, having a non-dragon partner makes the birth rate decline somewhat. Bonding helps, but not by much. I grew up knowing that even if my mother and father were still together, I would most likely always be an only child."

"So even Dragons are prey to wounds of the past," Rias whispered. "You're also ensnared in the difficulties of representing the purity of your race."

Issei shook his head. "Not as much as you think. Devils have a social-ranking system; Dragons do not. The Legendary Dragon's have titles like Heavenly Dragon or Dragon King but they're honorary, all relations between individual dragons are based entirely on mutual respect. In truth, there is no official Dragon faction, ranking system, or written law that binds any dragon to fulfill any responsibility, only the moral obligation to do so if they have the strength."

"That's a rather simple way to run things," Kiba commented.

"We like it that way. We're free to make our own choices, no limitations can be set by others."

"I have another question." Akeno stated. "Actually, two. First, you mentioned Apocalypse Dragon and Infinite Dragon God yesterday. If they have multiple titles, why don't all dragons? And second, you did not mention Vritra in your expression of the Dragon King's current whereabouts, nor did you explain how a son of Loki was born before time began."

Scratching the back of his head, Issei laughed uneasily. "In reverse order then. First, Loki was the first to clone a dragon. The copy of Midgardsormr is passable at a glance, but Jormungandr is nothing but a slave to Loki's will and so Loki claims to have fathered the monster. He was created as an effort to see whether cloning could increase our numbers artificially, the process was a success since the beast had above-average aura but considered a failure as the clone's free will is bent to Loki's command.

As for Vritra," he paused, taking a deep breath, "Vritra was the first Evil Dragon in existence."

Rias, Akeno, and Kiba all visibly reacted, each knowing exactly what the title implied. Asia and Koneko didn't react; Asia was restrained possibly because she didn't understand the concept, and Koneko hardly reacted to anything at all.

Issei took another breath and continued. "Vritra's mate is unknown to me, though his subsequent history isn't. After her death and his transformation into an Evil Dragon, the other Dragon Kings and Heavenly Dragons tried to intervene. They hypothesized that they could somehow mitigate or ease the pain of Vritra's loss." At this, he gave a cold bark of laughter. "It failed miserably. Now his soul is split into multiple fragments, a by-product of the failed treatment. What's worse and also what repulses any dragon from trying to improve upon the procedure is that he no longer even remembers his bondmate at all. He's now an Evil Dragon in name only, quite amicable should you ever find a Sacred Gear with a soul fragment inside, though no dragon is willing to volunteer for the process if the price is parting with the memories of the one who made their soul complete."

After finishing, Issei ceased his monologue and sat down, slumping into the chair. No one seemed particularly interested in talking after that. Issei himself was loth to resume, but he had promised an answer to Akeno's first question.

"You asked why not all dragons have titles. To better understand, every dragon has a born name and if they're lucky, a gifted title. That title is dependent on a number of different factors. They could be based on personality, physical characteristics, famous legacies, etc. For example, Ddraig spent much of his time in Wales, hence the Welsh Dragon. On the other hand, Tannin boasts the hottest breath attack of all known drakes, hence Blaze Meteor Dragon. The multi-eyed Ladon was named the Insomniac Dragon, and the poisonous ash-cloud that came as a by-product of his unique liquid fire earned my father the moniker of Volcanic Dragon." Issei shivered as he remembered the cold ash he had felt that fateful day a decade ago. Since he had never used fire in liquid form against his son before, it had been the first time he had seen or felt tangible proof of Ryuu's legacy and it still chilled him.

"Ah, so you have a draconic title too!" Asia seemed rather excited; it was with heavy heart and sad smile that Issei had to discourage her.

"No, no I do not Asia. For one thing, I haven't reached my maturity. Even once I'm old enough, there are no guarantees I'll get one. Many wait centuries before receiving a publicly accepted title, there are some that even posthumously never receive the honor."

"Publicly accepted?" Kiba asked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything! Remember I told you that our society is dependent on respect between dragons; birth means very little in regards to social standing. No dragon chooses his or her own draconic title. For example, I could call myself a third Heavenly Dragon or the Demonic Dragon Emperor. I could, but I'd forever be a laughingstock. For one, it's incredibly rude to lay claim to a rank unanimously granted only to the Legendary Dragons. Another is that the term Dragon Emperor is reserved for those who wield one of the two Heavenly Dragons' power and authority. The Emperors in question might adjust the name slightly; there was a consecutive number of Reds that happened to be serial killers, justly creating the legacy of Blood Dragon Emperor, but that is more of an exception than the rule. In order to properly receive a name, it has to be a name that a good number of other dragons, both titled and not, find fitting enough to properly describe me. It's supposed to be a representation of who I am as a dragon, therefore I cannot add any input to its formation save my history, abilities, and behavior."

"Interesting. So your own social behavior prevents any self-proclamations about your own grandeur, thus entrusting your pride and name to your peers. At the same time, you have a voice in what others are called as well." Kiba nodded. "It's a fair and simplistic system, one that neither requires nor accepts outside interference."

"Yeah, and that's how we prefer it." Issei grinned. "Until I start meeting other dragons, Issei Hyoudou is my only name. At this rate, I'll probably be named the Hellbound Dragon for my prison time."

"There are worse things to be called, I'm sure."

"Absolutely."

"Well, as interesting as that is, all of us will be labeled as servants of the house of Phenex if we do not resume training soon." Rias glanced out the window to see that the sun was already setting in the late afternoon sky. "We really ought to get back to work." Her peerage nodded and broke off into groups again. Akeno, who grabbed his hand and pulled him aside, intercepted Issei this time.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Issei asked inquisitively. She had a look of determination that somewhat frightened him.

"I want you to help train me to use Holy Lightning."

"Err, okay? I'm not seeing what this has to do with me."

"You said my father helped train you to better control your flames? Then I need you to help me do the same." Akeno's face was set and unreadable, but her body language betrayed how nervous she was.

"I use fire, you use thunder, and those are two very different elements. Besides, my flame has a natural Holy element, where are you… oh."

"'Oh' indeed." She smiled weakly. "We might be devils, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm the daughter of a cadre. Light is in my blood, lightning is my birthright. And you're the only one of us with a Holy element and experience training with and against another Fallen."

"You're serious, aren't you." Issei just stared at her, still partially shell-shocked at her intention. "What brought this on?"

"Do I really need a reason?" At his insistent look, she capitulated to his silent request. "I don't like the idea of leaving Raiser's defeat solely on your shoulders. I don't think you can't do it!" She reassured him when his face fell, "But it isn't fair for you to take on the challenge by yourself, I know it and Rias knows it. I know you're willing to do so, and we're all grateful for it, but~"

Issei's lips collided with her own as he pulled her flush against him. She squeaked in surprise but then melted into his embrace. After a minute of fighting for dominance as their tongues dueled, Akeno bit down on his to separate them. At his hurt look, she smiled. "I wouldn't normally be against this type of behavior but this is important. Besides, if I master this, then maybe~~" she used her arms around his neck to pull herself up to his ear where she finished her sentence, causing him to turn bright red. Akeno impishly lowered herself before grinning at him. "Do we have a deal?"

"Done. Let's go outside, if your power is anything like mine then we'll need to practice where there isn't anything terribly expensive."

The next few days passed by quickly. Now, the training match-ups altered very little. After finding out that Akeno had asked Issei to help her with Holy power, Rias had asked him to do the same but instead to help her increase her demonic power as she could fight against him without fear of harming one of her cute servants. She was quite skilled with her Power of Destruction, though she was humble enough to admit that she wasn't anywhere near the proficiency needed to take on a dragon and expect victory.

With her and Akeno alternating with Issei, the other would spend time assisting Asia in magical training. Now Asia could hold and maintain a shield for a short time, it wouldn't help against multiple opponents or someone like the Bomb Queen for very long, but it could be the difference between success and failure if it came down to protecting Rias.

Kiba had spent the most of his time sparring with Koneko. The Knight had taken his instructions to heart and though he was cautious to never inflict life-threatening wounds, he no longer slowed his attacks or altered his intended target, trusting in Koneko's durability to protect her from most of his most basic attacks. In turn, Koneko had grown faster to better avoid the Knight. Having agreed with Issei's evaluation of the other boy, she was now able to better predict Kiba's attack patterns and react accordingly. Now when the Knight blurred too fast for her to see, she was already countering the blow. Her strength was hardly changed, but she was now more than ready to handle Raiser's own Rooks.

The final day before the game was a day of enforced rest. Rias basically ordered everyone to not train that day and instead conserve their strength for the battle tomorrow morning, something that they all could use right now. Most of them spent it taking full advantage of the different venues of entertainment available, while Rias continued to read more and more of the Rating Game rules and procedures.

That night, Issei woke up after being troubled slightly by a vision from Tartarus. He shivered and to his surprise found only one other heat source in bed with him. Rias was missing. After some internal debate, he managed to leave Akeno clutching a pillow to herself and ventured off to find the crimson beauty.

After the prank he had pulled on Kiba and the girls, Akeno and Rias had deemed fit to drag him back to their shared room. They admitted that it was to better keep an eye on him and help him with his flashbacks, though they all knew it was more to avoid giving him another chance to embarrass them in front of Kiba. The Knight in question had simply shrugged and let the demidrake be pulled away again. As Kiba saw it, now he could sleep without fear of spells or awkwardly find scantily clad girls in his roommate's bed.

After coming to the conclusion that Rias was no longer inside the manor, Issei stepped outside into the cool night air. Taking a deep breath, he immediately verified her position. Following the sweet scent of sugar and destruction, he found her at a small veranda a short distance away.

As he came up to her, Issei noted that she wasn't really dressed appropriately for the cool night. She was wearing only lace panties and a sheer nightgown, a very questionable choice for spending any time outside in, cold or not. She was hunched over the same book she had all day, but was wearing glasses this time, lending her a rather interesting look. Like a secretary or librarian.

"You do remember that the game is tomorrow?" He asked gently. "You need your rest as much as the rest of us." When she made no move that she had heard his question, he listened for a moment before pulling himself up onto the railing she sat against. Tapping her shoulder, he was rewarded when her breathing quickened and she sat up straight.

"I'M AWAKE!" Rias part shouted and part slurred, before leaning back in exhaustion. Already she was struggling to keep her eyes open, losing the battle with every passing moment.

"You are now," Issei agreed wryly. "Though I'm not sure that's the point. You need to sleep Rias. Without proper rest you'll retire from exhaustion tomorrow."

"I know, but I can't. I can't sleep with all of this!" She waved her hands towards their surroundings. "This is unlike any stray hunt I've been on!"

"Ah, pre-battle jitters." He nodded sagely. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised, especially with what's at stake."

"Of course I'm nervous!" She snapped back before looking very apologetic. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

"No harm done, I know you didn't mean it." Issei let his eyes roam over her body, not to leer at her form, but to study her posture and stress as to find what was really at the heart of the matter. Finding no way to properly determine what was going on, he decided to wait patiently for her to admit what was troubling her.

"It's my name," she eventually said. "It's because I'm Rias Gremory."

"Uh, not sure what you mean by that."

She giggled before smiling at him. "No, I suppose you don't. Remember that conversation we first had? About the princess and the hero?"

"Don't forget the dragon. Never forget the dragon."

"And the dragon," she capitulated, still smiling at his antics. "Sometimes I wonder if it's because I am a Gremory that my life is no longer truly mine. My future was assured the moment I was born, however, there is a part of me that wonders… Make no mistake, I'm proud to be a Gremory, how could I not be? But sometimes…"

"Sometimes you wish for something more than being what others see you as." He finished. "Does that mean the dragon gets to be the hero as well?"

Rias shook her head, shaking with mirth. "Perhaps I should never have made that comparison with you."

"It makes you laugh, doesn't it? If that's a sin then I'll die unrepentant." Issei tried to hold a straight face but doubled over holding his sides, trembling with laughter of his own.

He was interrupted from his revels when Rias pressed against him and rested her head on his shoulder. While surprising, the contact did not go unwelcomed. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her with him as he leaned against a support of the gazebo. After settling to make him more comfortable, a smile graced his lips as she did the same as she rested against him. "Cozy?"

"Very. I'm much warmer now. I expect you to do this for me more."

"Such a cruel master I have." He deadpanned. She laughed and closed her book, removing her classes shortly after. With that, they rested in silence for a while. Issei thoughts were running with ways to improve her moral, his jokes wouldn't do here, not in the way that was necessary. So instead, he told her a truth.

"Did you know I considered going stray?" He told her. Rias stiffened as she heard this, and he both felt and heard her heartbeat quicken. "It was in the first few days after I woke up. I wasn't sure I could ever willingly live as someone else's servant.

"But you grew on me. Instead of distrusting me, you gave me a much longer leash than I ever expected or even deserved. You gave me a home, a family, things I can't repay. Most of all though was the way you treated me. You didn't try to assert dominance, you never asked to be treated as a superior, and in spite of my initial misgivings, I found myself intrigued. I didn't formally meet the heiress of the Gremory family; instead I came to know Rias as a friend.

"Would I be happier free and by myself? I don't know, it's possible. But I'm happy now, and much of that is thanks to you. So, what I guess I'm trying to say is thank you. Thank you, Rias, for saving me. Thanks for giving me a chance to live when a goddess saw fit to put me down. I don't know how exactly to repay that kindness. But I guess fighting with my all tomorrow to save your happiness would be a good place to start."

For a moment there, Issei was uncertain how she'd respond. Her heartbeat had slowed considerably, her breathing slowed just as much. Tilting his head to get a look at her face, Issei smiled when she saw her eyes fluttering to stay open as she fought to remain awake a little longer. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and another under her legs to carry her bridal style back to her room. It was a short trip, Issei's long legs making the journey quickly.

After gently shutting the door to their room, he saw that Akeno had not stirred at all and was mumbling in her sleep. Even his hearing couldn't detect what she was enunciating, so he thought little of it, trusting that whatever dream she was having was a good one.

He sat down on the edge and kicked his boots off before backing up and into his previous position, laying Rias down alongside him. Akeno curled into him as he relaxed, Rias doing the same though she was more awake than he had realized.

"Issei? Can you do something for me?" Rias murmured sleepily. "Please…"

"Um, sure. What is it?"

"Please… promise me we'll win."

Issei froze at the sudden request. Given his current inability to rely on his Longinus and Rias' vulnerability when compared to Raiser, that was a tall order. He couldn't be split between defeating the yakitori and defending Rias at the same time, and the numbers were against them here. However, given her endearing sleepiness, he found it difficult to refuse her.

"Yeah. Yeah, we'll win." Issei forced a smile, doing his best to provide for her and loth to disappoint her now. Rias mumbled a reply, though she drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

Next day, ten minutes before Game Start. VIP observation room.

"Well Lord Phenex, it seems that it's come down to this." Lord Gremory clapped his longtime friend on the shoulder. "Though I doubt the ending of the game will change, I do look forward to how the game progresses."

"Indeed. It is a pity that their relationship will begin like this, but perhaps it is for the best. They may yet gain a healthier respect for the other in this way." Lord Phenex appeared to be a bearded, older version of Raiser, though without the playboy attire and in formal attire as required of the family head. Both men were currently sitting front row to the multiple screens dedicated to the Rating Game in question, with a number of screens rotating as the cameras surveyed the map, while two of them displayed the two Peerages.

Raiser and his group were currently lounging in the main hall of the Phenex estate as they awaited the transportation circle. Already it seemed that they believed themselves the victors; well-earned pride to be sure, their record spoke for themselves, though both men frowned slightly at the rowdy behavior.

When the Rating Games had first been created, it had been intended as a way for newly Reincarnated Devils to get a better feel for the types of conflicts that would undoubtedly occur in supernatural warfare. It was a training ground, for all intents and purposes the perfect war simulator, something that the older devils fully understood and appreciated. However, with each generation, the young devils treated it less and less as life-or-death scenarios and more and more as a social status symbol. While it did have a place in public standing, it was one of many things that had evolved beyond elder devil control as the new blood was caught in the hype of victory. As such, Raiser's pre-game rituals were rather unbecoming, even to his own father.

On the other hand, Rias and her group appeared rather composed in their little clubhouse. Rias was sitting at her desk, her Queen standing patiently just behind her. Her Knight leaned against a wall, strapping light greaves and vambraces to his limbs. Her Rook had donned a matching set of fighting gloves, each with a pink paw print on the backside. Another girl in a nun's outfit nervously fidgeted in place, clearly worried about the upcoming match. However, the Lords' attention was drawn to the sixth member of the Gremory team. A teenage male, tall and lithe was stretched lengthwise across the couch across form the younger girls. Although he wore the Kuoh uniform jacket and button down, the visible grey shirt and black cargo pants were major deviations to the uniform, something that everyone else, sans the blond girl, were adhering to. However, even under the clothing, lines of toned muscle rippled as the male squirmed in place as he made himself more comfortable.

"An odd one there," commented the Phenex. "He looks completely unconcerned with the upcoming fight."

"Perhaps. I believe they are all nervous to some degree, maybe he knows it as well and is trying to comfort his allies with a calm air about him." Gremory suggested this, though it was clear he was uncertain.

Beside the redhead was his wife, Venelana. She too had focused in on her daughter's servants and quite frankly was also concerned. Six of them against sixteen? And so inexperienced? As Lady Gremory, she could not publicly object to the whole affair. However, as a mother, she was worried for her daughter, and it was a struggle to keep that fear hidden from the others.

As if to spare her from any sign of anxiety, the door opened and her only son, Sirzechs walked in. Immediately, both Lords stood and bowed slightly to the Satan.

"Please, don't get up on my account," Sirzechs waved his hands. "I'm not here as a Devil-King, but as an older brother. I wouldn't miss Rias' first Rating Game for the world." With that, the man plopped down in the chair next to his mother and signaled for a drink from a passing attendant.

"You're not going to say anything to your sister?" Venelana whispered. "You know the encouragement would help her."

"Grayfia will let her know I'm watching. That's the most I can do."

"This is Rias' future at stake! You must~~"

"Sit back and watch the events unfold. Don't underestimate Rias or her servants." Sirzechs' trained eyes lingered on the silver-haired boy. "I think little Rias has a surprise in store."

"Haha, yes! I've got it!" Azazel cheered. "Finally! Take that Ajuka, your networks are mine!"

"What are you blithering about now?" Baraqiel grumbled. They were in the break room at one of the Grigori's offsite laboratories, conducting experiments for several new technologies. Baraqiel and Vali were both there as security, since the prototype of the artificial Sacred Gear was still a top-secret project.

"I've tuned in to the Rating Game channels! I didn't think it'd be this easy, I'm surprised other pantheons haven't done this as well. Now I'll have something to watch while we wait for Fafnir to wake up again."

"Then plug in headphones or something," Vali grumbled. "Unless there's anyone actually interesting participating, I'd rather get some shut-eye."

"Oh, but there is. Hey Baraqiel, your daughter's on live TV."

"WHAT!" Baraqiel lurched forward and situated himself over Azazel's right shoulder to get a better look at the laptop. Sure enough, there was Akeno, standing quietly behind the Gremory girl.

"Is that him? The dragon with Holy Fire?" Vali hung over Azazel's other shoulder, gazing at the boy who could have been his double. "Maybe this will be interesting after all."

Rias continued to read from the book of rules before sighing, shutting the heavy tome. "Reading anymore now won't help anymore."

"Very true." Grayfia stepped through the double doors. "I've come with a message for you. It was decided that as Lucifer's Queen, I would be the one to referee your match. "He sends his regards from the VIP room."

"Big brother is watching?" Rias was astounded to hear that piece of news. She trembled for a moment before biting her tongue. "Did he say anything?"

"Only that he wishes you the best of luck." With that Grayfia bowed and turned to a forming Gremory circle. "You have five minutes. Prepare yourselves." With that, the Strongest Queen vanished.

The room was quiet for a time before a snarky dragon broke the silence. "So. How're you guys doing?"

For a moment, no one said anything. It was Kiba who reacted first; laughing at the simple question everyone knew was Issei's rather unique way of trying to break the tension. Asia smiled hopefully, a smile mirrored across Akeno and Rias' faces as well. Even Koneko's lips curled upwards for the briefest of moments, though it was enough for Issei to see and give her a victory sign.

Not a moment later, a large crimson glyph appeared in the floor near the entranceway. As one, the devils moved towards it, taking their places on it, one reluctantly. Rias took note of her Pawn's hesitance. "Worried about the jump?"

"Me? Of course not. Not at all." While he said it so sincerely, Rias knew that the show was for her benefit, and she touched him gratefully on the shoulder, sympathetic to his unrelenting magical plight. Once they were all in place, the circle's brightness flashed twice before whisking them away.

Let the Game begin.

AN: Wow, writing this has reminded me how much I despise authors who write cliffhangers. Sorry guys, but I had to cut it off somewhere! Forgive me!

Please leave me a review to let me know what you think! What did you like? What do you wanna see in the Game? Your feedback means a lot and helps my writing improve! Hell, seeing so many people actually take the time to leave a thoughtful comment motivates me to write more!

For those of you are interested and I KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE, I will be revealing the romantic outlook of this story at the end of the Rating Game. Until then, please do not ask in the review sections. Thank you for your patience!

Next time: The board is set, the Pieces are moving.