General tomfoolery, havoc and mischief when I returned home for the holidays resulted in tendon strains in my right hand. Writing for extended periods has been a bitch since there's a splint in the way, even on top of spending time with family. All that aside, I hope you all accept and think of this chapter as a holiday gift, New Year's celebration, and my personal apology rolled into one.

Important author's note at the end, please read 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!

Hyrulian Hero Akai - thanks!

Lightningblade49 - we'll know soon enough

Reemikz - thank you!

megaslayer321a - who can tell for sure? Haha

SeerKing - There and back again, if needs be. Glad to see I got serafall's antics down

heroman626 - this was outlined before I ever read 8th dragoon, but I won't deny the similarities. Either way, the hopefully realistic development would logically be similar to a degree. Thanks for the support!

Tf330129 - will do my best

NAFNAF509 - thanks again as always!

Mike Kromer - I feel like I have too much power some times. And then I wake up from the bad dream haha

FallenSymphony963 - we actually won't see Artemis again for a good while, but it'll mesh well with future events I can assure you. And a specific cadre is going to get what's coming

Imperial-samaB - here it is!

Zeus501 - news will travel fast. Also, I'm not sure what media you use, but I've made sure to bold all Albion's audible lines, they show up best on mobile devices

lee - no

Synndraval - thanks for the kind words, they mean the world to me.

kenshin12 - will strive to do so

the Composcreator - we'll get his intro soon enough

Hadrian371 - the beat down will be epic, though it may not be Issei doing the beating

Talonsen - Did I? I had this outlined months ago, so I'm not sure. As for dragons, you're seeing only the interaction between Issei and Albion, and now Tannin's input. There isn't really a society or formally recognized organization, just a long list of similar viewpoints and unspoken agreements they generally adhere to. A group of individuals with shared opinions but no cohesion as it were. Read on for the subject of Kuroka

shadowslayer2015 - no

Muncher50 - I'm a guy, and thanks! As for the harem, Akeno and Rias will be 'special' for being the first to formally complete the bond with him. While he will bond with most if not all his harem, those two will always have a special place in his heart.

the unsung antihero - beat-down at worst, but I don't foresee that happening, due to the whole enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend concept

Notasavior - patched up somehow, let's go with that. Thanks again for the support!

Shad0wReaper133 - I'll be damned if I let my audience down by not updating. Glad to see you're interested still!

timmbarney94 - THANKS!

Uchiha Rai - Here's to breaking expectations then. Thanks!

thunder dragon - reread 'Requests' and I'll get back to you on that.

Guest - ongoing. Don't worry, this isn't gonna stop anytime soon.

White Keyblade Oathkeeper - It will have an effect early on, not too much impact in itself but the arc will be rather different even if it ends much the same

suhush - Nice to see you've caught up. Non, Artemis is not in the harem and he will not be wielding any swords or weapons aside from his fire and Longinus

Guest - going for unexpected

LordxSesshomaru - I did consider before abandoning it. Trying to keep the harem to dxd canon characters only, and Artemis' personality (derived from myths) clashed with marriage and by extension polygamy. Nice to hear you enjoyed the last bit though! Thanks again milord!

Cheery Wolf - a different familiar

slydino - teacher/student, brother/sister is what I'm gonna go with, emulating canon. Ophis' personality is deceptively hard to write for me at least. Anyway, glad to hear again from you!

Sasuke75249 - thanks

TheShogun - Here's to breaking expectations!

Temsen (ch 8) - there's a perceived difference between Holy and Light power in the series, the fights Issei lost were a result of his devil weakness to one yet inherent immunity to the other. Pride is a new concept that he wasn't able to exercise as a prisoner. Survival took priority there. Either way, glad to have you aboard!

Someone randome - not as much as you might think

sith3p - not as much as you might think. Will do, glad you enjoy it!

sweg101 - thanks a lot! and ya, LordxSesshomaru is a DxD god!

Conquest95 - Rias and Akeno are the first, that's all I'm saying.

PureDarkFire - no on the pairing, yes to the punishment

speo16 - glad you like this, but no on that pairing

Pedro52 - 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.

Chapter 16: No More Secrets

When Issei woke, he found both his potential lifemates lying beside him, both curled up to him, still pleasantly dreaming. Their naked forms were still pressed against him, both resting their heads on his shoulders and upper arms, pinning him to the bed. Considering his diminished range of motion, he settled for softly stroking their long hair. Call it weird, but it was comforting.

It had been just over a week since the party in the Underworld. After his fireworks display, the peerage had returned to the human world, it had been a school night after all. It meant that Issei hadn't been able to properly meet Lord and Lady Gremory though he was sure to get a chance soon. Since then there had been several changes to Issei's life, some more momentous than others. First, and most noticeable was that with Akeno and Rias both officially moving in with him, the Gremory family had seen fit to remodel the entire apartment. Seeing that he was technically both a tenant and Rias' servant, was it really his to begin with? Either way, the damage from his last nightmare had been completely repaired as overnight the suite was completely redone. While he knew extra rooms had been added somehow, he was more concerned with his own.

His room had been remodeled from a plain, nearly Spartan design to a luxurious master bedroom fit for a King. Well, considering Rias' rank, the comparison wasn't far off the mark. The bed had been upgraded to a king-size, complete with soft sheets, curtains, and cushions. From his limited view, he could see a numerous seats scattered, most congregated before an impressively large TV screen hung on one wall. Opposite from the entertainment center was a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling sliding window. Either Rias or Akeno had requested it to facilitate any random flights he might go on, he had yet to find a way to thank them for it.

In addition to the aesthetic design, his room now also included two new doors that logically led to nowhere, the difference between actual dimensions and the floorplan simply couldn't account for it. However, he had seen both girls take use of those doors that somehow led back to their individual rooms. While they both lived and slept with him in his, their rooms were more or less places to store their belongings so that his room was left uncluttered.

Rias' portal led to a room that was nearly filled to the brim with Japanese culture and clothes. The one time he had peeked inside he had seen that a number of white-armored action figures had taken the forefront of her massive collection. While none of them were of his ScaleMail, he felt somewhat privileged that he had such an effect on his apparently otaku master.

On the other hand, he had taken one step into Akeno's room before pausing at the scent of leather. Yes, there was a closet, dresser, vanity and other such things a bedroom should have, but the darkened room had apparently been custom built to resemble some type of sex dungeon. After taking a full look at the various torture and/or pleasure devices present, he had turned on his heel and retreated.

There were just some things he wasn't prepared for right now, if ever.

The next change, while not visibly obvious to outside observers, was the complete lack of any and all nightmares of Tartarus. Ever since he had recognized and accepted the bonds forming, he had held onto them like lifelines. While he greatly preferred their physical presence to soothe his mind, there was no denying that their mental touch did just as much to keep the monsters at bay. It did irk the two girls somewhat that they didn't have his level of interaction with the bond though. While Issei was somehow able to subconsciously register their emotions at most times, both Akeno and Rias struggled to read him at all. While they got occasional glimpses, bits and fragments of emotion, neither were particularly adept at sensing emotions to his level.

Lost in rumination, Issei didn't pay attention as his hand wandered a little too far south. Not accounting for how long Akeno's hair really was, he found himself not stroking her hair but instead firmly grasping her deliciously shaped rear. Noticing the change pulled him from his thoughts as all brain processes simply stopped. Like a kid with a hand in the cookie jar, Issei made to remove his own from Akeno until a hand firmly grasped his wrist.

"A group and run? Ara ara Ise," a sultry voice, still husky from sleep delivered the chilling news that Akeno was not as asleep as he had previously thought. "I do hope you'll take responsibility."

"Responsibility?" Damn it, this was far too early for any higher level brain function.

"Well, for starters you enticed me, a helpless and naked maiden, into your bed. Now you have laid your hand upon me," Akeno pushed off him only to swing a leg over his waist and straddle him, leaning forward with her hands on his shoulders to keep him pinned. Closing the distance so that their eyes met, she finished, "but above all else, you made me fall in love with you. So, in that case, I expect you to take responsibility for it all."

Issei sighed in relief, he wasn't going to die today. "I suppose you'll demand serious reparations? Keep in mind, I'm a poor boy with no family or upbringing to speak of."

"Nothing so material," Akeno smirked, leaning even further to press her bosom against his bared chest. So close together, Akeno closed her eyes and leaned in for a kiss before she was interrupted.

"Akeno, care to explain what you're doing?" Rias had cracked open her eyes just before Akeno could close that final gap for the much desired morning kiss. And she did not look happy. Perhaps death wasn't out of the cards just yet.

The nude miko pouted as she sat back, straddling Issei's waist. "Can you blame a girl for trying to express her feelings for the one she loves?"

"Hardly, though I take offense that you're methods involve taking the morning's first kiss for yourself." Rias also sat up to face her Queen, uncaring of her own nakedness. "I thought we agreed to alternate mornings."

"Oh, I certainly did agree, but you seem to have forgotten that it is my morning."

"It is not!"

"Fair is fair, and you stole him from me the day before yesterday. It's only fair that I take today and tomorrow."

"That is ridiculous! And since when is Issei yours to steal from? Since when did you become the master of his soul?"

"I don't want to be his master, I want to be his lover," Akeno brought a hand to her cheek as she blushed slightly, lost slightly in a daydream. "And if you're talking about ownership then I believe he claimed me years ago."

Below the older girls, Issei winced. While he considered the girls to be equally important to him as it had taken both to calm him, using the childhood-best-friend card was a low blow. As emotionally dense as he was sometimes, even he knew that it was an unspoken challenge, especially to the sometimes emotionally insecure Rias.

"So you have known him longer. Then you won't object to me fighting to maintain my place."

"Ufufu, I'm game if you are, but I do wonder, can you keep up?" As if to intentionally make matters worse, Akeno made to hug herself in delight, wrapping her arms beneath her bust and pushing up slightly to emphasize their slightly greater size.

Running through several different ways to peacefully talk this down, Issei nearly gave up when Rias reared one hand behind her and out of sight.

Fortunately, it wasn't a ball of destructive power in her hand. It was a pillow. The soft projectile managed to collide with Akeno in the face, causing her to lean back and her breasts to bounce.

"I can dish out much more than that if you'd like," Rias retorted, now standing on the bed.

"Ara ara, then perhaps for this I'll get serious as well." Akeno stood on the bed as well, pillow now in hand. Rias summoned a pillow to herself as well and so they began a rather spirited pillow fight

Issei tried really hard to be objective, but he had to admit, the sight of their respective bosoms moving in such a way was so very mesmerizing...

Oh no...

Now concerned with both girls, their fight and his apparently growing perversions, Issei began to worry about how to diffuse the situation. By now, they were glowing with their respective energies, and he was worried about the fight escalating any further. Rias may not have played an overtly active role in the Rating Game, but she was still a magical prodigy among her peers. Aided by her fine control of the Power of Destruction, her being upset was a great cause for concern. On the other hand, Akeno had just spent ten days mastering her power over the separate Light and Holy energies inside her. Considering that her power was on level with Rias, it was as even a fight as could be. Factor in their skill and power, they could be at it for a while if he didn't head it off now, to say nothing of the collateral damage to the newly refinished apartment.

It came to a head when Rias encoated her pillow with red energy before hurling it at Akeno. Said Queen simply pointed at the deadly cushion before disintegrating it with a focused blast of her own lightning. Feeling victorious, Akeno was about to throw her own cushion at her King before Issei intervened.

It was worth mentioning that the last change, and most interesting, was that Issei was no longer so reluctant to participate in intimate displays of affection, in fact he was sometimes the one initiating it. Possibly due to him subconsciously regarding both girls as already being his.

While the girls had been busy fighting, Issei had swung his legs out from beneath the sheets. He had found that wearing shorts to bed was most practical, especially since both girls were constantly testing his self-control, especially since he still preferred to abstain from actual sex until they had the fortune to finalize the bonds. Rias had suggested he sleep nude as well, but that would hardly be conducive to actual sleep. No matter, what he needed now was room. Slowly unsealing his wings over his shoulders but keeping them folded, he flexed the pointed spike on the prominent joint. While normally appearing inflexible, it was more or less the 'thumb' of his wing and therefore slightly dexterous. Taking care to bend the sharpened edge away from the girls, he sprang up to tackle the two back down to the bed, talons pinning both girls to the mattress with their hands together above their heads. Kneeling above them and crossing his arms, he mock scowled at them.

"It's really far too early for this," he complained. "Come on now, is this really necessary?"

"Mou~ Ise, if you wanted me so badly all you had to do was ask," Akeno wriggled in place, testing the limits of her constraints.

"It's not fair, Issei!" Rias protested, glaring at Akeno, though he didn't miss how her cheeks heated up at the rather submissive position. "It may be her turn, but she can't keep using that excuse!"

Issei turned pensive for a moment before nodding. "That may be true, but we agreed to this. You two alternate or both bonds suffer, you know this. I can't pick favorites here, so please help me out and try to get along."

The third-years looked at each other before signing in unison. "Fine."

Issei had to hold back the sigh of relief. "Well, now that we've settled that, I think I'd like to start the day over on a high note." With that he leaned over Akeno. Wrapping an arms beneath her, he pulled her into his embrace as his hand began to wander her backside. Placing his other hand behind her head, he gently but firmly brought her face to his where he met her lips with searing passion.

Akeno moaned into his mouth as he took her for his own. Society and rules be damned, if she had known Issei could make her feel this way then she would have forced herself on him when they were children. Even now, it was all she could do was enjoy the sensations. She tried to relax, but her body was instinctively responding to his administrations. She whined now, her arms were still immobilized but she bucked her hips, trying to grind her womanhood against him to alleviate the want building up inside her. To no avail, he was still straddling her right leg and Rias' left, preventing her from freely acting on her desires.

Only as her lungs began to scream for air did he break away, allowing her to gasp for breath. Such ease did not come quickly, there was still a fire burning between her legs after all. She opened her eyes to see look into Issei's and in that moment she knew that he knew exactly what he was doing to her. And he had the nerve to smirk and leave her unfulfilled.

Akeno didn't know whether to push him away or throw herself at him now, though if he left her so close she was sure which she would choose.

Leaving Akeno to pant in heat, Issei turned his attention to Rias, who had gained a healthy pink tinge to her cheeks as she watched her Queen moan and writhe in pleasure. "Don't worry princess, I haven't forgotten about you."

After quickly peeking at Akeno's mental state, he determined that in her quivering condition restraining her wouldn't be necessary anymore. Retracting both wings, he sat back on his heels, pulling Rias to straddle his lap, facing him.

Placing one hand on her supple rear, the other in the small of her back, Issei smiled as she squirmed in his grip. "True, you weren't first today, but I suppose it's only fair that I make it up to you." With that, he pulled her close to a kiss with enthusiasm equal to that of the one he shared with Akeno.

Now it was Rias' turn to moan in delight. While sleeping with Issei was nothing particularly new after the last month, this was a level of intimacy that she hadn't ever allowed herself to think of with her pending engagement. Now free and in his arms, she felt safer and happier than ever.

Not to mention the fringe benefits of being a dragon's lover.

Paying close attention to the forming bond, Issei let his left hand delicately dance up and down her spine, searching for any place that elicited a greater reaction from the Western beauty. Finding the base of her neck to be such a weak point, he massaged it in time with the firm pressure he applied to her posterior.

Issei had never been the praying type. Who would he pray to? Great Red, Ophis? He certainly wasn't going to pray to Albion. But damn, this girl, knowing that she could make this noise and that he was the cause, was going to be the death of him.

Abandoning sight, Issei closed his eyes as he also lost himself to the sensations. The moans she made, the light sting as her nails scratched against the armored skin of his back, the soft flesh in his grip, and the hardening nipples dragged against his chest. Devils could not enter Heaven, but he'd sell his soul again to remain like this.

He thought it impossible, but it did get infinitely better. Lost in Rias' embrace, he was surprised when another set of soft breasts pressed into his back. Akeno wrapped her arms around him as she kissed him, from his shoulder to his jawline, vying for attention. Issei then squeezed Rias' ass once more before breaking off the kiss and arching his neck to return Akeno's affections.

Perhaps their impromptu tryst would continue for a while longer, but Issei's sensitive ears detected an incoming interruption and he tried to dial down the girls' enthusiasm. "Rias, Akeno, we need to-"

Too little, too late. The door to the hallway opened softly, revealing Asia. Clad in plain pajamas, the former nun began to tear up at the zealous display of affection.

"No fair, you two, no fair!" Asia wiped away her unshed tears before reaching for the hem of her pajama shirt. "If I have to be naked to be important to Issei... then I'll do it! H-here goes!" The blonde pulled the nightshirt over her head, pulled off her sleep pants, then hesitantly undid and stepped from her undergarments, leaving the Bishop clad only in her birthday suit. "I won't lose!"

Issei's pulse and arousal fell to near-normal levels almost instantly, courtesy of control over his own dragon physiology. Though sexually frustrated, he'd be none the worse for it. Akeno and Rias however, had no such good fortune and turned to face him, still panting, eyes half closed and cheeks tinged pink. As if rehearsed, they both grabbed his chin to split his attention fairly between the two of them.

"Next time," they smiled, though the smile promised endless suffering if noncompliant, "next time, you will weld the door shut."

The demidrake plopped himself down on a couch with slight exasperation. After Asia's intrusion, he had managed to extricate himself under the time honored excuse of needing a cold shower, though he was fortunate that none of the females comprehended that not only was it not needed but wouldn't have any effect on him. Having now bathed and dressed, he now had a chance to reflect on what had just happened.

While he would have stayed since it technically was his room, he was more than a little uncomfortable seeing Asia in the buff. Ever the Rating Game, she had taken her social cues from Akeno and Rias, who in this case now probably weren't the best role models.

True, for Asia's benefit both girls had limited how they acted within their home. And by limited, they deigned to wear clothes, which out of context would throw him for a loop, but in private the clothes they wore, if any, were hardly any more conservative than lingerie. Ever since the Game, once Asia left on a job or fell asleep, both girls stripped on the spot, provided that no one else was in their home. He could hardly complain, and he couldn't exactly stop them. The one time he had confronted them had been the day before yesterday and the answer he had gotten was hard to refute.

"You really don't have to do this," Issei pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off both headache and nosebleed. "I know I can't stop you, and even though this is a private home, I really don't think it's a good idea."

"Ne, Ise?" Akeno asked as she shimmied out of her silk panties. "Are you saying you don't want to see your mates au natural?" The miko pouted as she asked, leaning forward and bringing both arms forward to squeeze her breasts together.

"So not the point..."

"Issei, can you get this for me?" The demidrake turned to see Rias only in her underwear with her back to him. Somewhat resigned now, Issei reached out and unclasped her lacy bra. "Ah, much better," the heiress sighed as she let the offending garment fall to the floor. "Now, what were you saying?"

"I was saying, it's really not necessary for you two to go prancing around the apartment without clothes," he sighed again.

"We're just trying to make you more comfortable," Rias smiled as she too stepped out from her last garment.

"Speak for yourself Rias, I'm hoping he'll eventually lose self control and ravish me."

"I keep telling you, I'm pretty sure tantric sex doesn't complete the bond!"

"Maybe not, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to try. At the very least, it will give me a wedding night!"

Desperately trying to clamp down on his rampaging imagination, Issei resolved to look the girls only in the eyes for as long as possible. "Rias, just how would this make me more comfortable?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but most dragons in their chosen habitats aren't exactly in the habit of wearing clothes at all." The Crimson succubus shifted her weight, cocking a hip alluringly to the side. "Considering we're potential soulmates, isn't it logical to emulate the lifestyle?"

Sometimes, there was just no chance of winning against the female gender, though he admitted that it didn't feel like a true defeat. The sight of his potential mates wearing the skimpiest of clothing or else nothing at all was something he couldn't find in him to turn down.

Regardless, he had left the girls because as much as he enjoyed their presences, all three of them, it didn't sit well with him to see Asia in such a state. While he had heard her several times now worrying over her barely budding bust size, he wasn't quite sure how to respond.

He wasn't a complete idiot, he knew she liked him as more than a friend. Quite possibly she would refuse to even consider another male as a romantic interest. Issei had been her first friend, her rescuer, her literal knight in shining armor. For the sake of Asia's and Koneko's interest, he had activated his Balance Breaker when they had been released from the hospital. In hindsight, he could see how one could misconstrue the ScaleMail as an armored guardian angel. So now he had the fortune of being her not-so-secret fantasy.

The emotional attraction ran both ways. While Akeno and Rias had both their merits, they both switched from mature ladylike demeanor to love struck teenage girls in a heartbeat. Asia however had a permanent innocence and naïveté that was all her own, it was hard for him not to be attracted to such honesty and kindness.

In terms of physical attraction, he could still remember the first time she had seen him shirtless, barring his first outburst and his recovery. He had just come back from a job, an understaffed shift at a fire station hadn't been prepared to deal with a sudden fire downtown. He had put it out, though stripped off his shirt and jacket due to the soot and ash. He had flown home and taken two steps from the large window before an 'EEP' stopped him in his tracks along with the sound of breaking glass. He had found Asia had dropped her tea and was staring at him, wide-eyed and flushing, but above all, she appeared to be genuinely confused as to why she was reacting in such a way to the the sight of him.

It had taken Akeno and Rias the rest of the evening to confirm that her upbringing in the Church had left out several rather important details about everyday non-secular life and then a little longer to explain some more sensitive topics to the innocent former nun.

Asia had struggled to look him in the eyes the next day, stammering apologies.

In regard to her body, Issei freely admitted that she was beautiful. Sure, she was nowhere near as developed as the third-year girls, but her tender form matched her carefree innocence perfectly.

Ultimately though, such thoughts Issei avoided like the plague. With the sudden realization that he was dual-bonding, he had relented finally and begun to reciprocate feelings to Akeno and Rias, but he couldn't bring himself to betray those feelings by pursuing Asia as well.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when someone knocked on the main door. Curious, he stood to answer, having nothing else to do and the obligation as the main resident on paper.

Without thinking, he simply opened the door and was surprised to see Sirzechs Lucifer and Grayfia patiently standing there. For a moment, he seemed to be incapable of speech before catching himself.

"Lord Lucifer, Lady Grayfia" he nodded respectfully. "Please come in."

"Ah, thank you Issei," Sirzechs nodded in kind while Grayfia bowed from the waist. The pair entered the apartment, passing over the hallways to the kitchen and side rooms in favor of taking a seat in the main chamber. Well, Sirzechs sat down, Grayfia stood dutifully behind him. Unsure of how to proceed, Issei stood there flummoxed until Sirzechs sighed and gestured to the seat across him. "I'm not one to stand on ceremony, if I want formalities then I can visit the council in session. Now, where is our beloved Rias?"

Issei zoned out and listened for a moment before answering. "In the bath with Akeno and Asia."

Sirzechs raised a slender brow, "It's nearly noon, even if it is a weekend. What have you all been doing?"

Like a deer in the headlights, Issei could only blink for a response that wouldn't result in a painful demise. After a few moments, Sirzechs blinked as well, "Oh. I see." Instead of removing the demidrake from existence, Sirzechs instead turned to Grayfia and asked, "Could you let her know that we're here?"

"Of course," the Silver Queen bowed and unhurriedly walked to the hallway connected to the spa-like bath, leaving the two males behind in uncomfortable silence.

"I'm not going to do anything to you, you know that?" Issei started as Sirzechs addressed him. "Rias... made her displeasure quite known to me after learning about that warning I gave you."

Issei laughed nervously, "Sorry?"

"Don't be, as cute as our Rias can be, she can be downright terrifying at times."

"Terrifying? How so?"

"She threatened to tell Grayfia. After the last time she did I take her threats very seriously."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened last time?"

The Maou visibly shivered and the air grew colder. "Nearly died." That was all the man seemed willing to divulge at the moment, so Issei let it go though his curiosity remained unsatisfied.

A soft rap on the door prompted Issei to get up and answer once more. This time it was Kiba and Koneko, both of whom now considered the suite a second home. They both greeted Issei and entered, only to freeze in unison at the sight of the Satan. Though they were more composed than Issei had been, it was obvious that the unexpected visit still had them both nervous yet inquisitive.

After Issei sat down, Koneko looked around only to find that her unwitting competition was nowhere to be found. With that, she boldly marched forward, and in full view of Kiba and Sirzechs, sat down in Issei's lap.

As expected, all three males reacted differently. Kiba's only response was that of surprise, while Sirzechs' was one of amusement. For his part, Issei felt only consternation. This was so unlike the usually stoic Koneko he had come to know, and he wondered what brought on the sudden change.

"Um, Koneko? Are you alright?"

The Nekomata mumbled something that even his hearing couldn't pick up on. When he asked again, she blushed and buried her face into his chest.

"My spot."

"Excuse me?"

"My spot." Koneko was still blushing but she when she looked up at him she looked more determined than he had ever seen her. Flustered, Issei could only nod and accept that she wasn't going to cede her position anytime soon. He shrugged helplessly, and when she faced forward again he glared at Kiba, wishing the pretty boy would combust. Sadly, unless God or some other deity was in the business of smiling people these days, then there wasn't a way he could forces that he wouldn't be implicated in the Knight's mysterious death.

While he contemplated remotely enveloping the Prince with Holy aura then igniting it when Kiba was alone, he was suddenly struck by a sense of overwhelming terror. Instinctively reaching for the bonds, he found both Akeno and Rias' thoughts to be nothing but frightened traces.

What the Hell just happened?

Akeno shivered once more as she raised the bucket of icy-cold water a over her head. Taking a deep breath, she the vessel, dousing herself once more to rinse off the soap that stubbornly clung to her sweat-covered skin. Still shaking from the cold, she tried to remain still as the moisture streaked over her body, down her hair, through the valley formed by her large orbs, down her glistening flanks. Trying to conserve whatever body heat she had left, she hugged her bare chest and clavicles, idly wishing for Issei to be there in the bath with her.

Issei. This had been the first time they'd been this intimate since their time together after Asia's rescue. While she had had the advantage then due to his Promotion deficiency, now Issei had been in complete control.

On one hand, she was disappointed that all he had needed was one kiss to bring her trembling to release. Her, the notorious Priestess of Thunder, the so-called ultimate sadist. On the other, she was even more disappointed that he hadn't gone further. Even now, she could still feel his rough yet gentle grip caressing her, his body heat keeping her warm and safe. Fresh memories of him holding her pinned, dominating her, claiming her. His hands wandering across her back above her ass, hands she had seen rend steel and bone apart gently caressing her. It went against every ladylike tenet she had ever learned, but Maou save her, her need for him! Even now, the thought of his touch sent electrifying pulses to her throbbing netherlips.

Oh, what she wouldn't give to be back in his arms right now.

A lewd moan from beside her indicated Rias felt much the same way, perhaps more considering he had given her much more than a mere kiss. To her surprise however, Rias had abandoned her intention to bathe and was currently rubbing a hand furiously between her thighs. Deciding to follow suit, Akeno let her hand trail down to the juncture between her legs. It was a testament to how close she had been that she hardly needed to caress her own nether-pearl for long to reach her own release.

With a soft cry, Akeno sagged slightly in place, while beside her Rias was much more vocal. The two girls panted with excitement before coming to their senses and realizing, much to their embarrassment that Asia was still in the baths with them. The poor Bishop was red with embarrassment of her own. Having already finished soaping and rinsing off, Asia had retreated to the hot pool to relax, where she had tried to ignore the lewd actions of her seniors.

Akeno and Rias looked at each other before grinning slightly, both still coming down from their emotional and physical highs. Both girls silently agreed that perhaps they had gone a little too far. Their frustrations simply couldn't be placed on Asia's shoulders; the poor girl didn't have an ounce of malice anywhere in her body. This morning's cancellation was just a combination of bad luck and timing. Seeing that neither would hold it against the gentle Bishop, they tacitly agreed to let it go.

Just as they were about to lather up and clean off again, a cold presence made itself known. Paralyzed by fear, the two girls slowly turned to see Grayfia standing there serenely, not even a hint of emotion on her face. Even if she didn't convey any disapproval, the Silver Queen of Annihilation didn't need trivial things like words to make her opinion known.

Knowing that they were in for it now, Rias and Akeno were both thinking the same thing. They certainly didn't feel shame for pleasuring themselves with thoughts of their future mate, but instead were absolutely terrified that Grayfia somehow disapproved.

'Oh, fuck.'

"What on earth happened to you?" One worried demidrake found himself surrounded by feminine forms. Akeno and Rias had both appeared, immaculately dressed, and made a beeline straight for their chosen sides. Clinging to him like frightened children, it was all he could do to try and convey calming thoughts over the fledgling bond. Their terror was so great, neither noticed or visibly cared that Koneko was on Issei's lap, also staring at them in wonder.

Grayfia and Asia appeared next from the hallway. Although it was the weekend, Asia had followed the example of her seniors and wore the Kuoh uniform, something that Koneko seemed to be wearing by coincidence. Regardless, Asia took one look at the girls clinging to or lying upon Issei and immediately ran up behind the couch to throw her arms around his neck. Thus encumbered, Issei continued to simultaneously calm the girls while glaring at a snickering Kiba.

Sirzechs just looked entertained by the entire affair, something that annoyed Issei to no end. Thankfully, Grayfia cuffed her King on the back of the head to get his attention for whatever reason they were here for.

Sirzechs coughed to get everyone's attention, and by doing so Rias and Akeno finally came out of their her catatonic states. "Now that you're all here, I suppose I should tell you why I've come. Officially, I'm to diagnose Issei's mental state and determine whether he's a threat to the Underworld."

(If that's why you're here, then you've wasted your time since you already know the answer.)

"Indeed," Sirzechs nodded his agreement. "Issei's combat potential far surpasses most ultimate-class Devils, even without factoring his Longinus Gear. We've always been wary when dealing with powers derived from God or his hosts. Issei's very existence defies everything we've come to understand about the variability and inheritance factors of the Sacred Gear system. And it has many of the Council members running scared.

In fact, there have been talks of having Issei sent back to Tartarus." At this, Issei's mind went blank as he began to shake. Telltale signs of a panic attack were setting in, until he was cut off as every girl surrounding him squeezed him with all their might. His arms were buried in Akeno and Rias' cleavage, Asia was squeezing his neck as if her life depended on it, and Koneko wrapped her legs around one of his and tightened her grip. The sudden contact broke Issei from his reverie as his breathing slowed to just above normal.

Aware that his message had less than desirable effect, Sirzechs waited patiently for his sister's Peerage to calm down again before continuing. "Such decisions won't have any effect, if I'm right then it will be possible for Issei to escape again. Am I correct in assuming that such an escape method is unique to you?" The Maou turned to face Issei directly.

"The method I used was specific to me, or rather my Longinus. I spent the first eight years training to be strong enough to possibly Divide between dimensions, then the next two to use Senjutsu in order to control my destination." At the mention of Senjutsu, everyone else's eyes narrowed.

"This will be troublesome," the Maou sighed as he rubbed the side of his head. "You see, Senjutsu is more than a Taboo subject in the Underworld."

"It is?" As he asked, Issei felt Koneko stiffen in his lap, her hands balling into fists as she clenched the end of her skirt.

"Indeed," Lucifer continued, "some years ago, one of the Pillar heads was killed by his reincarnated Bishop. After recruiting her, her abilities with both Senjutsu and demonic magic began to outstrip his own talent. While Senjutsu is admittedly a topic we have limited knowledge of, we were able to deduce that absorbing the negative energies of the Underworld caused her to go insane."

As Issei listened, he noticed that Koneko was reacting adversely to the information. Then in a moment of clarity, he understood. Koneko's unwillingness to use her Nekomata heritage, her familiar scent, everything because of one Senjutsu user.

"...and since she decimated two retrieval regiments, the Nekoshou was declared an SS stray devil-"

"The Black Cat, Kuroka," Issei sighed as he finished for Sirzechs. His interruption gained the attention of everyone in the room.

"You are familiar with Kuroka?" Grayfia calmly inquired.

Issei laughed weakly, rubbing his head in discomfort, "That's one way to put it. She was my cellmate for the last two years, the one who taught me some Senjutsu while in Tartarus. Without her, I'd still be imprisoned there yet because of her, Artemis was able to track me down."

Rias and Akeno frowned, visibly upset, while Asia looked cluelessly confused. Grayfia was enigmatic as ever, though the Devil King seemed apprehensive. While subtle, no one missed how he was gathering energy for some purpose.

Worst of all was Koneko. The girl seemed impossibly split between trembling uncontrollably and deathly still. Her bangs covered her eyes, so even as he craned around he could not properly see her feelings on the matter due to her inexpressive mask.

Realizing his next words were of the utmost importance, Issei took a few moments before finding a loophole and taking it. "You said Kuroka went insane?"

The demonic power faded as Sirzechs' eyes widened in surprise, "All logic indicates that conclusion."

Now it was Issei's turn to frown. "That doesn't make sense. I mean I use limited adaptations of Senjutsu, but my own mental state can't be attributed to its use. What's more is that Kuroka for all her quirks, seemed normal compared to those that were insane down in the darkness."

"It could have been an act for your benefit, it's not uncommon-"

"No," he respectfully shook his head at Grayfia's suggestion. "You don't live with someone for two years and not get to know them. Sure, Kuroka's personality doesn't match up with anyone remotely considered normal; she was capricious, flighty, but beneath the act she had purpose. Granted, much of her time was spent trying to have dragon's offspring of her own, but still, she didn't do anything without due reason."

Grayfia tried to be diplomatic as Sirzechs mulled over the evaluation, "While that may be true, it does not in itself prove her sanity, and nothing will overturn her fault."

Issei shook his head once more, "I'm not debating her innocence, it was an unspoken agreement that we didn't talk much about our pasts. However, while the enchantments on the prison in general prevented her from using Senjutsu to escape, it didn't limit her in each deathmatch she took part in. Even if she barely won, she used Senjutsu offensively in every match. If what you're saying about Senjutsu being linked with sanity is true, then it should have been guaranteed for her to have undergone a severe personality shift as she assimilated every negative emotion in and associated with Tartarus."

(As much as it annoys me, the brat is correct. Kuroka's mentality did not at all change, even with continuous use of her power in the worst possible emotional environment. Is it conclusive, no. But it at the least disproves she killed her master in a fit of insanity.)

In Issei's lap, Koneko had stopped her panicked bout of anxiety and had twisted in place to look hopefully at the demidrake. Once again, Issei was torn between what he really wanted to say and what needed to be said. For a moment, he struggled but then decided to abandon his own frustration in favor of Koneko's benefit.

"Everything she did, she had a reason. As far as I know, she masterfully plays the part of the lazy cat, but never did anything of importance without carefully considering her reasons and the outcomes. I believe that she wouldn't have killed her master without significant reason." He looked meaningfully at Koneko, who started in response and looked away.

"By your reasoning, then she must have also had a reason to leave you at the mercy of a goddess of the hunt," Sirzechs clasped his hands together and leaned forward. "I find it hard to believe you're willing to overlook that."

The demidrake shrugged. "I won't deny that I'm pissed about it, but then again I don't know the reasoning behind what she did." He said that, but the memory of the kiss they shared at the hotel in Kyoto surfaced in his thoughts. He shook his head, playing the recollection off as part of the conversation. "She was the closest thing I had to a friend down there, it may not be exactly logical but I'd like to give her the chance to explain at the very least. Besides," he slipped his arms from Rias and Akeno's bosoms to surprise Koneko by hugging her around her waist and squeeze her hand comfortingly, "I think it worked out in the end."

(I do hope you're searching for more than a flimsy excuse from the cat.) Albion growled in the back of his mind.

'Don't mistake my words, I'm still pissed. But I'll only seek actual revenge in the event if I don't like her answer.'

Leaning back in his seat, Sirzechs tapped his chin a few times before looking back up to the collected group. "You've given me much to think about, Issei. If I didn't know any better you were intentionally making more work for me."

"Stop it, 'zechs," Rias interjected, slightly annoyed with her brother now. "You're the one who's been interrogating him. Back off!"

The cowed Maou held his hands up to placate the Crimson Ruin Princess, "I get it, ease up when it comes to your household. I'm just making a statement. Now, the Kuroka case aside, there was something else we needed to discuss Rias"

"Huh?"

"With the Elders running scared, it's only a matter of time until they get the courage to do something stupid that Serafall and I can't prevent. While the ones terrified of Issei are in the clear minority, they do hold a great deal of influence. The kind that could see Issei taken from you."

Almost immediately Issei found himself buried face first into Rias' bosom as she held him protectively. Dark fire burned in her eyes as she made her response clear. "I won't let anyone take him!" she hissed.

"If it were just one then perhaps there would be nothing to fear, but rumor has it they're moving around a lot of capital so that they can trade as many unused mutated Pawns as possible into one of their loyal heirs' peerage. If that happens, then they could legally pressure you into trading him."

"You can trade Peerage members?" This was news to Issei.

"You can, provided that the exchange involves the same Piece type at equal value. That's why the Elders can't act immediately, the rarity and varying values of Mutated Pawns makes it difficult to even approach Rias with an offer given your unique worth. It's only rumor but a serious one. Failing that, they could place an observer here in Kuoh. That way they'd keep a constant eye on Issei and report back to them. His strengths, weaknesses, anything and everything that could possibly be of value."

"Is there a way to avoid that as well?" Akeno inquired, hanging off every word.

Sirzechs had the nerve to smile, "Indeed. I place an observer here in Kuoh that keeps a constant eye on Issei and reports back only to me."

At this, even Koneko expressed some confusion, though Rias and Akeno soon smiled as they saw how the situation could dissolve so.

"By placing your own representative here, you deny the Council by forcing them to have to question your judgement if they really want their spy here," Rias concluded. "They can ill afford bad press by going against you or by sending someone here without our knowledge."

"Quite," the Maou gleefully exclaimed. "As the owner of this territory, at least in Devils' perspective, entry to Kuoh has to be approved by you or requested of you through Heiress Sitri, and I doubt she'd be fooled by anyone trying to get past her."

"So what stranger did you have in mind to watch him?"

"Actually the individual has already met Issei."

"Eh?" The teenagers were in perfect sync.

"It was actually quite recently. After the celebration, Lord Phenex approached us for officially dissolving the marriage contract, something we didn't want to do and possibly bring you down at your party. It was in passing, but he was highly impressed by Issei's fire control, particularly the duplicated swords you made. Of course, my father had to show off and then gave him a copy of the recording of your one-man firework display."

All present turned to Issei who cocked his head sideways. "I've never met the head yakitori though."

"I'm getting there. Apparently, your trick with the flaming sword copies got his interest. Only a handful of Phenex clan members can create constructs like that in such exquisite detail for extended amounts of time. Lord Rainard for one, and his eldest son Ruval are the only ones that come to mind. Even then, it took both centuries to reach their current level, while you're still a teenager. As such, Lord Phenex passed on a request from his daughter, Ravel, to study under you in the hopes that the skill of dragons can be learned."

After a moment of silence, Rias turned to see what Issei was thinking before signing. Reaching up, she delicately pushed Issei's jaw up from where it hung, his teeth clicking together jolted him from his shock.

"Eh? Me a teacher?"

The Maou shrugged dismissively, "Why not? You trained with a Fallen cadre, from whom you copied your weapon creation. Surely the same is possible for young Ravel, she may not be as strong or talented as her brothers but more than makes up for it with a quick mind and exceptional insight. If there was someone who could duplicate your aura techniques, I'd say she has more than enough ambition to do so.

Also, consider the political side of things. As a member of the Phenex clan, she is not directly affiliated with me or the Gremory, so the Elders cannot fault her appointment. Additionally, it eases any perceived tensions lingering since the Rating Game. If a former Bishop of the Phenex were to train with the Gremory's hidden ace, well that would be good for all our reputations."

"Former Bishop?"

At Asia's question, Sirzechs elaborated, "Apparently after the Rating Game, maybe even after the victory festivities, it seems that Lady Phenex forced Raiser with the intention of trading Ravel of her brother's Peerage. Since Layla doesn't take part in the Games, it leaves young Ravel with a significant amount of free will. As a 'free' Bishop, she seems quite eager to meet Issei once again."

Issei laughed nervously, not even trying to hide his discomfort. "Still, me teaching is still a worrisome subject. I'm nowhere near qualified. Not to mention my inability to use magic."

"You're not giving yourself enough credit," Rias frowned at her only Pawn. "You're mostly self-taught yet you're leagues ahead of the competition in flame manipulation."

"And it's not like you'll be teaching her all the time," Sirzechs nodded his assent. "Should you accept the position, then she'll be enrolled at Kuoh Academy as a first-year and will live here in one of the guest rooms. You'll have to adjust your contract schedule in accordance, but it will be manageable. In fact, it should help that Ravel will be in the area, one more devil to fulfill requests would hardly be unwelcome in the long run."

Issei mulled it over before looking to Rias and Akeno for support. Seeing that both their stares were openly encouraging, he nodded. "All right, I can't promise anything but I'll give it a shot at the least."

The Maou smiled widely, "Splendid. I'll let the Phenex know that you've accepted and are willing to teach whatever you can. Now since that just about wraps up my business here, we'd best be off. Do watch over my sister, Issei." He stood, rolling his shoulders to remove some crick or another before straightening. "I suppose the next time I'll see you will be the class observation day, so take care all of you!"

Beside him, Rias gripped his shoulder and muttered something along the lines of 'oh, Hell no', before standing and nodding respectfully to her brother. Issei and the others followed suit, taking the cue from their master as Lucifer and Lucifuge left through a series of crimson glyphs. Once the glow died out, Rias let out a long sigh.

"Problem?" Issei asked concernedly.

"It's nothing really," she smiled back, though he could tell it was forced. "I wish I could've foreseen that the Elders would take poorly to a Ultimate-level servant with Holy Power. Perhaps I should have told them, but~"

"But then word would have gotten out and Raiser would have found a technicality or loophole to keep me from torching the opposition," he concluded. "Seriously, I don't mind and what can they do? I'm a paragon of model behavior."

At that, Kiba couldn't help but roll his eyes, "I'm sure the records in the nurse's office show multiple repeated fractures on the Perverted Duo. So, model behavior?"

"Yeah I don't see your point."

The Knight sweatdropped, "I didn't think so."

As the six teens began to disperse for separate activities, Issei kept an eye on their youngest member. Nodding a response as Rias, Akeno, and Asia moved to the kitchen to prepare a lunch, he followed Koneko to the large window as Kiba sat back with a book.

The petite Rook was staring outside the massive portal, her reflected expression more hopeful than he had ever seen. Again, there was the temptation to pick the cat girl up and pet her endlessly, but he refrained. This was not the time or place.

Still gazing at her reflection, Issei watched as her lower lip quivered for nearly minute before the Nekomata spoke up. "You knew her?"

Issei nodded silently, knowing full well she'd see his mirror self do the same.

Koneko fidgeting in place, shifting her weight from side to side, struggling with what to say next. After a minute or so, she looked back to his reflection with resolve and fire in her eyes. "Shirone."

"Beg pardon?"

"Shirone. That's my name or it was. I didn't want it after... so Rias gave me a new one."

"Shirone," he rolled the syllables around as he looked at the girl. Somehow, even though he still thought of her as Koneko, this new name, or her old one as it were, seemed equally descriptive of the little girl. "White sound."

The Nekoshou shuddered slightly, "That was what she called me. Her white sound."

Before he could apologize for any offence, she surprised him by whirling and latching onto his midsection, burying her face in his shirt. Acting on reflex, he knelt, that way she could hug him properly. Repositioning herself, Koneko threw her arms around his neck as she pressed her face to his shoulder. Responding in kind, he uncertainly patted her on the back with one arm while rubbing her head gently.

To his shock, Issei found Koneko stiffen in his arms when he first touched her hair, but she then relaxed. As he continued to pet her head, he began to hear the telltale signs that she was purring. Quiet as she was, she couldn't conceal it from him.

After five minutes of this, Koneko's pulled away hesitantly before dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve. Once finished, she looked back at the boy who had patiently waited for her to finish. "I'm sorry for what she did to you."

"If anything, I'm the one who should be sorry. Your sister... she was the last secret I had, and I should have told you. While I can't say I'm particularly happy with her at the moment, I will say this: she was kind, patient, even when there were times she had every right to be bitter. And she was strong. Strong enough to do hard things, and I'm guessing that one of those tough decisions was made for your sake."

"You really think so?"

"She never did talk about you, but then again I never talked about Akeno for the same reasons. She was hopeful, determined to see you again, to make things right, even if I didn't know it at the time."

Koneko stood there silently, taking in this new information. Then as if galvanized by some life-altering choice of her own, she grabbed Issei by placing both hands on the sides of his face. "Teach me?"

"Eh?"

"Teach me Senjutsu."

"Oh. Wait, what?"

"Kuroka taught you. You can teach me."

"This isn't as simple as agreeing to teach the Phenex girl, I can only use the basics of Senjutsu, I cannibalized several theories to make my teleportation work and that's about it. As a natural user, your skill and know-how are probably league's way ahead of me"

"You can teach me."

Realizing that Koneko was dead set on having him mentor her in any way he could, and accepting that she wouldn't let of his face unless he acquiesced, he did so. "I don't know how much good I'll be."

Like magic, she was hugging him again. "I think you'll be the best."

"Well, that makes one of us."

"I know you'll be the best."

Issei snorted, "We'll see." Koneko frowned, but nodded and let him go. Massaging his cheeks, Issei stood to see Rias, Akeno, and Asia standing behind them. "Um, girls? Is there something wrong?"

"Something occurred to us while we were getting started with lunch." Rias smiled, but he knew her well enough to know there was an ulterior motive behind her statement. "You said that Kuroka was interested in having a dragon's offspring? Just who did she intend to be the sire?"

(The window is unlatched, even if you don't teleport out you could be gone before anyone can stop you.)

Albion's silent advice was inevitably useless as Koneko latched onto him again, using all her Rook strength to keep his leg immobilized. As he looked down to her, she too had gained the same inquisitive look that the other three girls now wore.

Knowing he was beaten, Issei resigned himself to some form of punishment. "There's no good way to say it so I'll be as simple as I can. Kuroka made it a habit to sleep with me naked and constantly tried to wear away at my self-control. Nothing ever came of it, unless you count acclimating me to the female form."

For a moment, Issei was treated to the sight of all four upset girls and a startled Knight looking at him in shock. Kiba had nearly dropped his book but quickly hid his gaze in the pages once more. Asia had turned bright red and was trying to bore a hole in the floor with her gaze. Koneko's grip tightened as she began to possessively rub herself against his leg. Rias looked overwhelmed but at the same time thoughtful as her face reddened in anger. From her bond, Issei felt her irritation directed at Kuroka as well as a sense of eager anticipation even if it was well-hidden. Akeno had no such reservations and didn't hold back; not only was she rubbing her thighs together, writhing her hips with hands on her heated cheeks. Issei found a slight buzzing through the bond and found a rather intriguing mental image. Himself, naked tied to a bed with an equally nude Akeno above him, while Rias and a shadowy Kuroka watched from where they were strapped to various pleasure devices.

Shuddering slightly, in equal parts fear and interest, Issei tried to escape physically, knowing that he couldn't transport out with Koneko attached to him. However, his luck ran true to form. Sure, while Rias and Akeno seemed more than interested in progressing to the next level of intimacy, neither seemed happy that Kuroka had effectively two unsupervised years ahead of them.

Koneko nimbly jumped out of the way, just in time as a miniature thunderstorm and dark red hurricane engulfed the demidrake. Sure, while Rias' attack wouldn't leave any lasting damage that didn't mean it wasn't painful. And Akeno's newfound talent for Holy Lightning would normally be canceled by his own flames were it not an attack composed almost entirely of Light. Power of God couldn't hurt him thanks to his own Holy aura, but Angelic Light directly opposite of shadowed demonic energy? Life is full of contradictions, and this one would hurt a great deal.

Just before impact, Issei couldn't help but groan as he both heard and smelled the excitement both girls had for his somehow deserved punishment.

The following Monday was, as expected of the most vile weekday, immensely boring. However, this was one the student body was sure to remember.

Now, usually when Issei walked to school, it was in the company of Rias, Akeno, and Asia. All kept a somewhat respectful distance between each other, though they each disliked the need for appearances for their individual reasons. However, after the revelation that they had unwittingly been in competition with another buxom beauty, both third year girls were acting most unladylike.

Issei was now the walking centerpiece of an impromptu game of tug-of-war. With Rias on his right and Akeno to his left, his arms were currently being pulled deep in between their breasts. All the while, poor Asia slowly trailed behind them with a slightly downcast expression.

As the girls became more forceful with their attempt to pull him closer to themself and away from their counterpart, Issei was getting more and more annoyed. While their informal declaration of war against each other really hadn't interfered with their relationship, the girls were still the best of friends, he was very away of how hard they had worked to build their public personas. They only had one more block until the school, and if they were still fighting over him then there goes their hard earned reputations.

Knowing this, he sighed and came to a full stop. Both Rias and Akeno were a step behind and continued to cling to him for balance and support lest they fall.

"Look, I don't understand the reasoning for why you need to fight over me," Issei paused, trying to find a less volatile way to express this, "as endearing as your perceived conflict is, would it hurt to rein it in for now?"

"Of course we can. Akeno, accept defeat and we can end this here."

"Ara ara, I've enjoyed this too much to give in to you now."

'Honestly, the way these two go on it's like they're bartering for prime breeding stock!'

(In all fairness to them, that is exactly what you are.)

'I thought Rias threatened you into submission.'

(She did.) The Heavenly Dragon seemed perversely pleased by something funny only to him. (Intimate moments are yours and yours alone. This qualifies only as entertainment!)

Issei was brought back to reality as he felt growing anger bleed over the tentative mental connections and sighed. For the briefest moment, he let loose with his draconic presence, feeling that the argument demanded a little more effort to contain. To his surprise, it worked but not in the way he intended.

As he searched the psychic links, Issei found not fear or anger, but a ravenous want. In the physical sense, he found both Rias and Akeno staring at him, panting slightly, rubbing their thighs together and looking with half-lidded eyes and unapologetically lewd stares, as if they were hungrily eyeing a prime cut of meat. Confused for a short time, he now understood that while his unshielded presence was a terror to any creature he would encounter, there was a notable exception. His soulmates, potential though they may be, didn't see him as a threat.

They saw him as their mate, and with that came everything it physically entailed.

"Dammit, here we go," Issei pinched the bridge of his nose before firmly grasping the shoulders of both girls and steering them out of sight, nodding to Asia to follow. Ducking into the last side street before reaching Kuoh Academy, he brought the third-years to a halt, noticing that the entire time, they had leaned into his touch.

"Listen you two, all I'm asking is for you both to get along and act normally until we get back home," he pleaded. "For my sake if not yours. I couldn't care less if it's my rep that takes a hit, but you've both worked two hard to throw your reputations away." The entire time, he was issuing calming thoughts along the fledgling connections. At least he hoped so. If not, then there was a good chance that their physical relationship would be consummated right then and there, scarring Asia for life.

Much to his relief, it worked. Both Akeno and Rias blinked as they focused on him and his words, and while they're breathing and heart rate slowed, their faces continued to heat up as they realized what had happened to them both.

"O-Oh my." Rias was genuinely embarrassed about the situation, clearly struggling to come to terms that she had lost control of her actions, even if temporarily. Issei supposed that perfect control of her emotions had been ingrained in her personality from a young age, to act the perfect heiress of a prominent devil clan. Now, she wasn't an heiress but a teenage girl falling in love.

"Mou~" Akeno did show some embarrassment but appeared disappointed that the situation hadn't escalated further. "And we were so close too."

If dragons were physically capable of sweating, then Issei would have sweatdropped. Oh, the advantages of having exceedingly high internal temperatures and advanced homeostasis. As it was, he only shook his head in what was admittedly some measure of his own disappointment. "There'll be other times. But in all seriousness, can we please try and make it through the school day without any more trouble."

Rias and Akeno looked at each other and reached some sort of agreement nonverbally. He had forgotten, but they had had years of their own to get to know each other, they were best friends now. They could anticipate each other's actions and reactions just as well as the bond allowed him to. As such, he was glad they at least visually appeared to have reached an arrangement that of course he would have no knowledge of the details.

The teens then moved from the side street to the academy gate. However, once there, Rias immediately broke the unspoken truce by wrapped her arms around Issei, pressing his arm once more between her mounds and thus made her entrance. Escorted as such, she made quite an impression on the mundane student body.

"Look! Rias Gremory has a hold on Issei Hyoudou!"

"Aw, I wanted to be with the Silver King! Oh well, at least it was one of the Great Ladies that snagged him."

"I ship them so much!"

"Maybe she'll share!"

"Lady Rias in a wedding dress would be so beautiful! Kyaa!"

Predictably, the females of the school acted with all the grace, demeanor, and gossip that only Japanese schoolgirls can. Equally anticipated were the reactions of the opposite gender.

"Damn that handsome!"

"Quick! We must gather blackmail on this bastard!"

"If he gets to sleep with her, then sure as Hell I'll kill him myself!"

"My word," Rias almost laughed, "it seems that takes care of that." Issei had to agree, this was something he had tried to avoid for as long as possible, but now it seemed the secret was out. This was the first physical display of affection they had in public; of course their classmates would react like so. "Well then, I'll be off. Do take care, and don't be late after training for when Ravel arrives." With that, she pulled him down by his collar to capture him in a quick kiss before winking and walking to class, a slight coquettish sashay in her step that had nearly every male staring at her rear.

Issei growled in frustration, had his words meant nothing? he was highly tempted to vent his anger in one of his favorite outlets, combat. Every male staring at Rias' finely toned posterior would do. Before he could move to act on his chosen plan, he found himself pushed up against a wall with a slightly irate Akeno holding his shoulders. Due to the height difference, he had to peer through her bangs to see her eyes, but they were glowing with barely-contained fury.

"Oh, clever bitch," she whispered, licking her lips. She reached up and with a slick motion undid her usual bow to let her hair cascade down. The ladylike Akeno was gone now, this was the jealous lovestruck teenager. "I guess all bets are off now." Without warning, she moved her hands, tracing down his arms until she grasped his wrists and placed her ribbon in his hand. Moving his hands to her own rear, she held his in place as she continued to pout and glare up at him. "Why do you have to be so tall?"

"Excuse me?"

"Lean down, now."

Regardless of her own request, Akeno let go of his left wrist to reach up to his neck and pull him down in a similar manner to their King. The difference between the kisses was so: first, in his shock, Issei's free hand remained below her waist. Second, the kiss lasted for a much longer time. Finally, there was much more tongue involved.

After what seemed like ages, Akeno pulled away, a strand of saliva connecting their lips. She sensuously licked her own before grinning sultrily at him. "Rias isn't the only one who's allowed to kiss you." With that, she released him and stepped back. "Do behave yourself," she giggled, with a hand on her cheek. Akeno then picked up her bag and pranced off, a step that had her breasts bouncing hypnotically.

"Akeno Himejima is in love with him too!"

"They totally go well together too!"

"You go girl!"

"I could see her with his babies!"

"I see it now! The Great Ladies are fighting for his affections and he can't decide! There's still a chance for all of us!"

As entertaining as the girls were, he couldn't help be amazed at how close they were yet simultaneously so far from the truth.

"He can't have them both! He shouldn't have one at all!"

"He's a true man for going all or nothing! But he's a heartless bastard for taking the great beauties for his own!"

"Lecherous beast!"

"Share pictures with us! Breasts and butts now!"

"Give them to us or die!"

Issei sealed away the orange ribbon in order to fulfill his sudden inspiration to activate his Balance Breaker and eliminate every other inheritor of the Y chromosome on the school grounds.

He didn't, but only because both girls would ironically be upset if he made a scene.

Several hours later, Issei managed to escape his own personal hell and retreat to the roof, where he had told Koneko to meet him. This was their first chance to practice Senjutsu, they only had a limited time before Ravel Phenex's expected arrival so they planned to make the most of it.

Right on time, Koneko appeared on the roof, briefcase secured on her bag. Upon seeing him, she closed the door behind her and held her bag to him expectantly. Smiling, he took it and sent it into his array. "Are you ready?"

Koneko shivered but stood resolute. "Let's do this."

Another flash and Koneko was sealed away as well. Since they couldn't be observed by anyone, Issei activated Divine Dividing and was transported to a suitable training ground.

Yet another burst of light and Koneko stood in front of him again. She looked around curiously but her eyes widened as she recognized the place.

In a month's time, the plant life had miraculously recovered from the damage Issei had caused last time he had been in the old training clearing. There were a few scorch marks here and there but for the most part the hundred meter diameter of the clearing had regrown nicely.

"Are you sure we should be here?" Koneko cocked her head sideways, surprised that Issei would transport here willingly.

"If you're referring to the fact I died here and that I should be avoiding this place like the plague, remember that I do have nearly two years of fond memories coming here." Issei put his hands in the pockets of his cargo pants as he surveyed the meadow with fondness. "Sure, dying sucked. But this place is really the only place accessible in Kuoh that I have happy childhood memories from. Akeno's old house was warded off by her father when he left town, and my old home was demolished to make room for the school expansion. Plus," he pointed an open palm in a random direction and watched as a ball of white flame impacted against a barrier in midair, "in addition to the wards my dad managed to purchase or somehow set himself, we have the barriers personally created by a Goddess here. Nothing can disturb us, and we can't disturb anyone. Plus this place is as close to an emotionally neutral zone as we can find, so it's a good place to start small."

The Nekomata nodded after a moment. "I see. So now what?"

"Well, the only way I know how to teach is the same way I was taught. Which is to say, as a third-rate practioner and a dragon, I can't master Senjutsu."

"No one truly can."

"Good, you know that." Issei sat down and brought his legs to sit in a meditative pose. "Like I said before, your knowledge probably surpasses mine, this is as much a learning experience for me as it is for you."

Koneko nodded mutely as she mirrored his position. "Looking forward to it, sensei."

The demidrake winced, "Please, Koneko, don't call me that. It makes me feel old."

"You're seventeen."

"Fine, older." The not-yet-adult stuck his tongue out at her, causing a smile to tug at the girl's mouth. "I won't insult you by asking if you know how to meditate, so instead I'll ask you to maintain the strongest flow of ki possible. We'll take it from there."

The Nekomata nodded slightly before closing her eyes in concentration. After a moment, she began to glow as a pale white energy began to form around her. The aura, the immediate energy not draconic Aura, fluctuated, wavering as the young girl struggled to properly channel not only her lifeforce but that of their immediate surroundings.

Koneko held the connection for a minute while the demidrake watched patiently. After another two, the glow ceased and Koneko nearly fell over, a sheen of sweat upon her brow. Issei unsealed a handkerchief and offered it to her, which she gladly accepted. Once Koneko's breathing had slowed, he then offered his advice as well. "As far as practical application goes, I can't actually do that. It's a difference in species, I'm simply not cut out to manipulate any energy besides my own."

As a demonstration, he activated his own aura, the energy glowing around him as he willed it to be visible. The intensity was much stronger and didn't waver, a sign he was advanced in controlling his own reserves. "From here on out, all I can do is lecture, I physically can't show you anything. However, the first thing has little to do with application but everything to do with acceptance."

"Acceptance?"

"Koneko, I say this as your friend and as a proud member of my own race, you need to accept what you are," Issei smiled gently to reassure her. "We can hide what we really are to the end of time, but neither of us is going to grow if we deny ourselves."

Koneko looked away forcefully, "It's not that simple."

"You're scared. You're worried that you'll lose control, like everyone believed your sister to have done. I can't make you do anything, I have no control over anyone's life save my own. But think to yourself, what if I'm right? What if Kuroka acted not out of her own selfishness or departure from sanity, but for your sake? What will you do then?" Issei paused uncertainly for a minute before continuing. "I was with my father, the day my mother died."

The white-haired girl looked up in concern, but Issei was set on this. "We were here, in this clearing in fact. It was the day my childhood ended, I remember it very well. Even with the fright I felt from Akeno, I remember how terrified I was myself. I was there to see him fall and lose himself in madness and grief. In a twisted way, I should have known it was inevitable," he chuckled darkly, "it's what comes from bonding with a short lived race like humanity. My mother could have died ten, thirty, eighty years later, maybe more if his aura kept her alive longer but she would die eventually and he would turn.

My point is, at that moment I saw the worst of my own race. It's one thing to hear of how dragons razed villages, slaughtering indiscriminately, but it's another to see that lifestyle forced upon a parent. Regardless, my parents took the risk because it was a chance for happiness. Yes, it ended in tragedy but I know that they didn't regret anything. My mother used to laugh, you see. When my dad and I started wrestling without cause." Issei's eyes were unfocused as he let the memories come forth. "She'd stand there and smile, knowing that we were together and we were safe." His gaze refocused on Koneko.

"It's the same smile Kuroka had. Now I know she was thinking about you."

Koneko sat there, lip quivering for a moment before she threw herself at Issei. Letting her tackle him, he fell back as he felt her tiny form mold against his. As she clung to him, sobbing, he felt a tinge of pride as he saw her ears and tail slowly emerge. Deciding to risk it all, he relaxed his own control over his reptilian features, pupils' slitting and his teeth sharpening to match his permanently prominent canines.

As her soft crying ceased, she pushed herself up but made no move to get off him. She dried her eyes on the back of her sleeve, before looking in his own. In that moment, Issei was struck by how mischievous they looked. His frame exceeded six feet in height, while she was nearly two feet shorter. Such difference meant that they usually couldn't look each other eye to eye, but with him on his back and her on his chest, their faces were perfectly level.

"How do you do it?" she whispered, though she didn't need to clarify. He understood.

"It gets better everyday. I know that taking things further with Rias and Akeno is a risk. I think about it all the time." He sat up so that she fell into his lap, "But what I know is that life isn't worth living without being close to those that unconditionally return the loving care you give them. It's selfish of me, but I want to be happy, so I accept both of them and accept I am dragon." He gently pet the side of her head and smiled as she leaned into his touch, purring softly. "You'll find life is kinder when you stop trying to ignore what fate is trying to tell you."

The Nekomata nodded before blushing. "Sorry."

"What on earth for?" She patted his chest and shoulder, where her tears had stained his jacket. Issei huffed and rolled his eyes, putting a hand on the formal wear and sealed it away, leaving him in his button down and grey shirts. "Don't worry about it. I hate the uniform as is, so it's a small price to pay."

Koneko's right ear twitched at that, then both ears folded flat to her skull in a downcast form. Combined with her tail going limp on the ground and he didn't need magic to tell she was still upset.

"Hey, can you promise me something?" She looked back up, one ear rising halfway. "Let's make a deal, we don't hide what we are from each other anymore."

"So I show my ears and tail more?"

He nodded, "And I'll keep my own features exposed within reason. I'll break things all the time if I'm not careful with my wings. And Asia is still jumpy around all the sharp teeth."

The Nekomata looked pensive for a moment before both ears twitched, her tail flicked, and she smiled. "Deal."

Issei smiled back, a warm tender smile regardless of the knife-like array of teeth he was currently sporting. "Deal. Now, let's try again."

Taking her position again, Koneko began to meditate once more. This time, it came easier to her. Her own ki and that of the world around her began to flow through her, surrounding her in a warm white glow. In that moment, she understood and felt every living thing in the clearing. The grass beneath her, the trees and bushes surrounding, each was like a candle. However, the greatest source besides her own was the demidrake sitting across from her. The last time she had sensed his power had been in the same clearing a month ago, when he had first suffered from haunted dreams. Then he had been as a dying sun, but now it was as if new life surged through him, transforming him into the brightest of stars.

She had to rely on years of practice to keep her features from reacting, but the untainted power encased in flesh before her called to her Nekomata instincts. The subconscious urge to find the strongest mate possible, and failing that, the drive to find the one she'd feel safe and at peace with. In this case, Issei fulfilled both unworded desires and Koneko had to struggle to remind herself that technically he was already spoken for. Twice over in fact. However, even knowing that Rias and Akeno were in a relationship with Issei, the white haired loli still found herself wanting Issei, even if she had to share. By this point she couldn't blame Kuroka for wanting him, though the thought didn't justify her betrayal just yet.

As she began to focus more on Issei's somewhat unrestrained lifeforce, Koneko found her pulse begin to race and her breathing quicken. She frightfully clamped down on her power, halting the meditation. She'd rather him think she couldn't hold it any longer than let him recognize the telling signs of her physical attraction to him, something that would be all too likely given that he was watching her.

"Nice going, that was at least three times longer," the demidrake gave her a victory sign and she hesitantly returned it. "Now again."

It was a few hours later when Issei came home, carrying a tuckered out Neko in his arms. Koneko had worked herself to exhaustion, trying again and again to surpass some limit preventing her from maintaining a steady flow of energy for more than a few minutes. Perhaps not ideal, but for the first day he found it exceeding his expectations. Relatively untrained, her control over life energy matched his pre-Tartarus skill with aura manipulation.

He was held her in a princess carry, gently laying her down on one of the couches in the apartment's central living room. Checking his watch, he found that they had roughly an hour before Ravel Phenex's arrival, so he set out to find Rias and Akeno, hoping that neither was currently out on job requests. After wandering the suite, he had checked nearly everywhere with one notable exception.

Akeno's room.

Using the magical doorway to seemingly nowhere, he hesitantly pushed on the door and entered Akeno's personal pleasure chamber.

"Ara ara Ise, come to join us?" The half-blooded Fallen turned to greet him.

Now depending on one's personal preference, one could argue that what he found was highly arousing yet equally terrifying in its own right. Akeno stood with her back to the door, hair down from its usual ponytail. It fell to her calves as usual and would have hid her body if she hadn't turned, but he got the full view of her in what was formerly Raynare's skimpy outfit, though modified to at least make the effort to contain her much more impressive assets. Make no mistake, Issei appreciated the look, but Akeno was only part of the package and he had still yet to decide whether the situation was paradise or purgatory.

As much as he enjoyed shamelessly ogling the eye candy, some part of his mind registered the term 'us'. Managing to quit staring for a few precious moments, he found that the other occupant of the room was in a much more attractive state yet still cause for concern. Rias had been tied up in a series of intricate knots that left her upright on her knees yet with her arms tied together above her. She wasn't naked entirely, Akeno had left her her corset and cape from the Kuoh uniform but that was all she wore. Surprisingly, she hadn't been gagged, though the hazy look in her eye suggested there was no longer a need for one.

Issei sighed and walked over to Rias, intent on undoing the bindings, "Do I really want to know?"

"No, perhaps not," Akeno admitted wistfully, cocking one hip to the side in what was clearly a seduction attempt. "You're not going to ask me how I did it?"

"Fine. How?"

Akeno giggled and held up a hand. A few lines of electricity surged forth, not enough to injure even a human, but perhaps overkill to provide a number of different sensations. "Euphoria via electric field. One of my favorite applications of my magic." She licked her lips, grinning, "Second to healing you of course."

The demidrake knelt to undo the bonds, finding them to be warm, black chains of some unidentified material. "What's this? An inhibitor of sorts?"

"Designed to reduce strength and incapacitate their magic," Akeno nodded as she drew close. "They're meant for when we need to capture Strays instead of eliminate them. We haven't ever needed to use them so I thought~hey! Issei!"

Issei hadn't been hindered by the presence of a chain rather than cloth restraints. It simply took a little longer to undo safely. Catching Rias before she fell with one arm, he swiveled in place to net Akeno with the same length. Gently lifting the heiress, he put her in place over his shoulder before seizing the shocked sadist and throwing her over his other shoulder as well.

"We've got maybe half an hour to get ready for the Phenex's arrival," he deadpanned. "In that time, we've got to get Rias coherent again, cleaned up, and presentable. Same goes for you."

As the tall boy marched off, Akeno began ineffectively hitting his back with her wrists bound. This was not how she had planned her payback for Rias' betrayal. However, she wasn't particularly opposed to how dominant the young Alpha was when he was serious.

Instead of heading to the baths designed to resemble a hot spring, Issei surprised her by instead approaching the bathroom connected to their shared quarters. The shower and bath there weren't as expansive, though it was more than enough for just the three of them...

Akeno looked over to Rias who was being carried in similar fashion. The heiress was still dazed from their session together, though it seemed she was coming out of it. A shame that Issei couldn't have helped her. Wait. Issei was serious about getting both of them ready and presentable. Hence the private bath and dominant display.

Akeno found herself no longer opposed to the current arrangement.

"All I'm saying is that it's entirely possible."

"Kiba, I'm saying this as both your friend and the one you're insulting, you're an idiot and you should drop this."

"Don't reject it out of hand!"

"Issei, is it true!" Asia seemed genuinely curious as to the topic, eager to know more about Issei's childhood. "It can't be all that bad if it is."

"Asia, don't listen to him, pretty boy's being annoying."

"Ara ara, Ise, you don't have proof to the contrary now do you?"

"Et tu, Akeno?" Issei whirled to face his childhood sweetheart. "You know me better than that!"

"True," the uniform-clad Fallen tapped her chin in thought, "but this isn't something I ever thought about or asked."

"Kiba and Akeno are foolish. Issei may be a reptile but he's nothing like birds." Koneko deadpanned, ears and tail still on display.

"See! Koneko agrees!"

Rias was sitting on one of the couches in the living room while her peerage was lined up behind her. After gaining coherence courtesy of an ungodly cold shower, Issei had helped her get clean quickly and dried her off with both towel and his own body heat. After that, and she had to repress a smirk from the memory, he had unchained Akeno from the clever knot of chains he had constructed just outside the bath before picking her up and carrying her into the shower as well. It was nice to see that Issei was at least being fair, though she was annoyed that Akeno got the same treatment she did. Akeno's spontaneous betrayal and session was at least warranted after her own hypocrisy that morning, but that didn't stop her from being irked at the demidrake for being so damn noble. Thus her current alignment was with Kiba and her Queen.

"I don't know, we're all a little biased here," she admonished. "Though I can't help but wonder Issei, are you denying it out of a sense of insecurity?"

Issei looked on the verge of either tearing out his hair or shedding scales. Perhaps both. "For the last time," he growled, unhappy with them all, "I was born in Kuoh, yes, but there was no nest, no aerie, and I most certainly did not hatch from an egg!"

"It's alright to deny it Ise, we won't hold it against you." Akeno's words said one thing, her tone of voice mirthfully disagreed.

"My mother was human! I was born in the typical fashion and even thought I was human until I was five! Why is this so hard to accept?!"

It was either the best timing or the worst that an orange series of glyphs appeared before them and from it rose Ravel Phenex, accompanied by Isabela and with a considerable amount of luggage. It was by sheer luck that she had arrived in time to hear the latest byplay and as a result was understandably concerned.

"H-hello Rias," she curtsied uncertainly to Rias, who stood and returned the gesture. "Did I come at a bad time?"

"No, not at all." Rias moved to tenderly embrace the confused first-year. "We're just having some fun at my cute servant's expense."

"Oh. I see, this is the Gremory familiarity with their servants that is so famous." Ravel seemed to now comprehend. "Please, do not hold back on my account then."

"Very well. In fact, I think you could assist as an impartial judge." At Ravel's confused expression, Rias smiled and elaborated. "For the official record, all reptiles hatch from eggs, correct?"

"Of course! Why even ask, it'd be foolish to even consider otherwise!" Ravel firmly declared, though even as she said it she frowned. "Why do you ask?"

Everyone else turned to Issei, who threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "You're all conspirators, I get no respect whatsoever." He lowered his hands to his sides, and bowed to Ravel politely. "A pleasure to meet you again, miss Ravel. I'm sorry to bring our reintroduction on hold, but if you'll excuse me." With that, he turned ninety degrees, unlatched the giant window and launched himself into the night sky.

"Oh dear, I didn't mean for this to go that far," Rias stepped to the glass in concern. "I hope he doesn't do anything rash." Asia and Koneko both joined her, pressed to the glass in a vain effort to try and spot the errant dragon.

"Oh no! This wasn't how I was supposed to first address my instructor!" Ravel nervously tapped her fingers together as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Don't worry Ravel, just let him blow off some steam." Rias' consoling tone was punctuated when a loud roar echoed through the night, accompanied by a bright flare of light that could have been mistaken for a second sun.

The Phenex sweatdropped but took it in stride as best she could. Isabela nodded to Kiba and Koneko and the three began to carry the baggage to one of the guest rooms that would now become Ravel's.

A light thud alerted the remaining devils to Issei alighting on the window sill. Casually sliding inside and shutting the glass behind him, Issei took a deep breath before nodding to Ravel. "My apologies for my lapse. I'd say that it won't happen again," slitted eyes glared half-heartedly at the older girls, "but I'd be making a promise I'm not sure I could abide by."

"R-regardless," Ravel curtsied again, "I'll be in your care, White Dragon Emperor."

"Please, Ravel," Issei tried to ignore the smiles on his reacting mates, "just like I asked of you in the Underworld, please call me Issei."

"I understand that respect and courtesy are highly prioritized in this country." Ravel bowed once more for good measure, "I would bring shame to the Phenex clan if I were to ignore the customs of the society hosting me. Therefore, I ought to address you by your title."

Issei was struck by the near exact same conversation the last time a blond-haired Bishop came to live with him. Granted, Asia's confusion was born from both adorable incomprehension and genuine naivete. Ravel's more or less stemmed from both her pride and stubbornness.

"I feel as if I'm repeating myself now, but I freely admit to being terrible at Japanese."

"What does that mean?"

"I was born here, but thanks to my unique background I may as well be a visitor myself."

Ravel's curiosity was by no mean satisfied, but she straightened and nodded to him, "Regardless, I look forward to your instruction. Please treat me well."

At that moment, Koneko and Kiba escorted Isabela back to them. The light-hearted Rook had her hands behind her head, whistling softly. As they drew close, she crossed her arms and addressed her charge, "Bags unpacked, everything's squared away. With your leave, I'll head back now."

"Thank you Isabela." Ravel nodded to her brother's Rook, signaling her dismissal.

Isabela bowed slightly, her right hand laid across her chest and over her heart. "My Lady." She repeated the gesture to Issei. "Still waiting for a rematch, Lord Issei." With that, a circle of orange sigils blazed beneath her and she departed.

"That has really got to stop," Issei groaned. "I'm not a lord for God's sa~ Dammit!" He swore as his inferring use of the big man's name triggered the universal response for all devils.

"Are you alright Issei?/Are you well?"

Issei was greeted by the sight of both blonde Bishops peering up at him, equal measures of concern shining in their eyes. "Yeah, I'll be okay," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "Keep forgetting that even with Holy power, I'm still a devil."

Asia nodded in sympathy, the former sister had yet to break her own habit of praying or using God's name. Mentioning him wasn't the cause of pain, it was using it as a curse or blessing that incited the reaction. While he was generally very good at avoiding both altogether, poor Asia had yet to stop trying to bless each and every meal.

However, Ravel seemed less than sympathetic. "That's stupid. How can you possibly forget such a fundamental part of who you are?"

Issei bit back a retort when he realized that Ravel, and by similar upbringing Rias, was raised as a devil and knew such things subconsciously. It was a mark against him to make a simple mistake like that, at least maybe in Ravel's well-trained opinion. No words could describe how patient Rias was with him, but he wasn't dealing with her right now.

"Guess I'm still having trouble remembering I'm more than what I was born as," he said diplomatically. Weak worded maybe but honest enough that Ravel blushed at the simplicity of the words.

"Y-you can't just say things like that! Jeez!" The Phenex girl blushed as she looked away and began tapping her fingers together. "It's not fair to be so open like that."

"Heh?"

By now, Issei was beyond lost. High class women and their emotions were more erratic than any flight turbulence he knew of. Best to try and change the subject...

"If you're going to be like that," Ravel's face heated up even more, "then is it alright if I be the same?"

"Heh?"

Thankfully, Rias stepped in to bail him out. "It's fine Ravel. We're not in the Underworld, and I actively encourage my household to speak their minds. Even if he's slow on the uptake, at least he's always honest, so I welcome you to do the same."

'That sounds like a backhanded compliment, I think?'

And with that, a proud daughter of the house of Phenex began to live and learn in the company of a dragon.

"Just keep calm, be polite, and above all, remember that the humans around you are classmates on equal footing, not inferior."

"I know that," Ravel huffed in annoyance, "This is the fourth time now."

Rias, her current minder, raised an eyebrow as they walked together. "The fourth?"

"Once from mother and father, now you, and Issei this morning."

"That so?" Rias looked back to see the dragon in question walking a few yards behind, Akeno and Asia holding onto him. "Well, I'd imagine it's because it's an important distinction."

"I don't see why it's such a big deal."

"Ravel, in the human culture, private tutors are pricey and not always affordable or even available. As such, this school system is the only one they know and we all need to respect that. That means pretending to be ordinary human students."

Ravel fumed for a minute before nodding her understanding. Rias inwardly sighed with relief, children of the 72 Pillars were treasured for their power and skill yet reputable for their tempers. Rias herself was no exception; she had had her fair share of explosive outbursts, though she was glad that Ravel wouldn't be starting any wildfires today.

As the five teenagers arrived at Kuoh Academy, Rias and Akeno both kissed Issei then broke away from the group to get to their class, while Issei and Asia escorted Ravel to her class since it was on the way to theirs. Arriving at class 1-A, Issei stepped inside just to get a feel for the Phenex girl's new learning environment. The classroom wasn't full yet, there was still time before home room started.

As luck would have it, Issei recognized one of the students in the class. Koneko sat idly by in one of the front rows, open bento on her desk. The Nekomata guiltlessly kept reaching in to retrieve snacks at odd intervals, a content look on her normally stoic face.

"Hey Koneko!" The demidrake greeted her cheerfully. Issei was pleased to see that her eyes brightened when she saw him, slowly but surely he was making strides in helping her overcome that stoic mask of hers. "Good morning!"

Koneko quickly gulped down the last mouthful and swallowed before returning the courtesy. "Ah, hello Issei."

Noting that Ravel had followed him into the classroom, Issei looked back to the neko and leaned in. "Look, I hate to spring this on you, but can you do me a favor? Just help Ravel out in class and show her to the roof after school, she'll be joining us in the clearing for training later."

The Nekomata looked as if she had swallowed a lemon instead of a cookie. Issei hid a frown; an angry junior was not the way to start the day. Thankfully, it seemed like Koneko had calmed down because her stoic face was back as she nodded to him.

"I'll watch her."

"Thanks a lot, I owe you one." Issei checked the wall-clock and saw that it was almost time for class to begin. "I'll leave you two to it. See you later!" He turned now to Ravel, who was looking for a seat, though the only one he saw available was next to Koneko. "Take care and good luck!"

"Luck? Why do I need that?"

Issei instead hurried out and rejoined Asia. Neither wanted a tardy note on their attendance record if Rias couldn't excuse it with club activities. They had hardly made it down the hall when they felt as much as heard a certain Phenex shout, "DID YOU JUST CALL ME A YAKITORI!?" The two looked at each other before the boy shook his head, grabbed Asia's hand and pulled her along.

Surely they'd be fine.

"This could be going better," the teenage instructor sighed. It was barely early afternoon and after only an hour of trying to teach, Issei was close to giving up. Koneko had been doing her exercises off to the side, though without his direct attention it seemed she was making less progress. Because of this, she kept trying to ask further questions from him. Not that he minded, but Ravel wasn't happy about interruptions in what she considered her valuable instruction time.

"Get back here, stupid cat!"

"No."

"Argh, stay still."

"You'll have to try harder than that, Yakitori."

"STOP CALLING ME YAKITORI!"

Both first years were currently dressed in the Kuoh gym uniform, citing that training shouldn't be done while in formal attire. Considering that he was always wearing his normal combat wear beneath his button down and blazer, he wasn't in a position to deny them.

The two were chasing each other around the clearing. Or what was left of it. He had severely underestimated how emotions affected Ravel's inherent magic, making it easier for her to repeatedly throw globes of orange flame at her classmate. Koneko herself wasn't exactly helping. With both her ears and tail exposed, she was using all her skill and agility not only to evade Ravel's attacks and was even negating some by using Senjutsu. True, she had simply created glowing orbs of her own ki to throw at the incoming flames, letting both dissipate, but at least this was good practice for them both.

One such collision detonated rather close to him. The flames he shrugged off, but the ki was a different story. The various physical sensations he felt from the blast were discomforting. Pain, joy, sorrow, excitement. The sudden influx of foreign life force passed and he decided to end their shenanigans.

"That's enough you two. Settle down."

"Nya, yes sensei." Koneko seemed much more lively than usual, she was actually having fun if she could joke like this. The sight of her winking, tilting her head and making a cat paw gesture certainly indicated that the mock fight with her classmate was the most fun she'd had in awhile.

"Y-yes Issei!" Ravel stuttered. The girl kicked back and forth, scuffing the grass beneath her in her nervousness.

Issei stood from his relaxed seat and looked down at them. "Koneko, back to meditation with you." The nekoshou frowned but wandered off to do so. "Alright now. Ravel, just what did you do differently just now?"

"Differently?"

"Your blasts were precise, high fire date, and above all didn't need a circle", he clapped. "Guess we found one way for this to work."

Ravel's main problem was control. Before her acceptance of the Bishop piece, she had had complete control of her lackluster power reserves. She had shyly explained that as part of the reason for why she was adopted into Raiser's peerage in the first place. The Bishop piece upgraded her overall power level, but hadn't given her anyway to easily control it. While she had the power to use magic circles to direct it, she was honest enough to admit she needed help since she was the only Phenex child that couldn't conjure fire offensively without the glyphs. So far, her only ability with her family element were the passive effects of her flaming wings and healing powers, in addition to her ability to enter the required trance to produce Phoenix tears. Otherwise, she was reliant on the runic circles as a crutch.

Until now. "You mean I have to be angry to use my power!" Ravel seemed rather embarrassed and rightfully so. "That's not helpful at all!"

The demidrake shrugged. "Not necessarily angry. Emotional."

"Huh?"

"From what I know of magic, it's intent that matters, though for safety reasons it's guided and focused by incantation and glyphs. Adept users have transcended the need for either, or am I wrong?"

"That's right."

"Hmm." Issei paced a circle around her, causing her to squirm. "Then perhaps we need to focus on what you wanted. Let's try intent. Just what were you trying to do to Koneko just now."

"Roast her."

Issei paused and raised an eyebrow. "Wow, not even a moment of hesitation there."

Ravel blushed and looked down to hide it. "Sorry."

"Don't be, I think you made a breakthrough. Demonic power seems to be a strange and fickle gift, maybe for you to use yours, your emotions and intent need to be aligned."

"That's ridiculous!" The girl fumed in place, her hair actually beginning to sizzle with telling heat. "That's absolutely absurd!"

"Not at all. I've seen wizard types overpower their spells based upon their emotional duress. Rias and Akeno combined obliterated a city block when Asia was frightened by a Stray's appearance. Likewise Asia's defensive shields are at their strongest when she has someone else to protect. While they're really the only magic using experts I observe, the facts don't change. Maybe your alignment is the catalyst to focus and truly use your own power."

Ravel mulled over the new information. "So if I want to get stronger then I need to have a reason for it."

"Maybe not exactly, but that's a good start."

"How would you even test that?"

"Lob a fireball at me."

"Heh?!"

Issei felt a headache coming on. "Just do it." Seeing she was still reluctant, he added, "As your instructor, I'm telling you to throw fire at me." Ravel reared her hand back and did so, though the sphere she used was deformed, lopsided and sputtered out long before it neared him. Issei raised an eyebrow at her near-contagious reluctance, before testing his theory further. "Koneko, don't sneak up~"

Koneko wasn't doing any sneaking of any kind, but Ravel reacted anyway and summoned two boulder sized spheres, launching them across the clearing as she spun to face her nonexistent attacker. The attacks flew near the full length of the clearing before impacting against the protective fields. It was a rather spectacular display, considering her ebbing strength.

"Well that clinches it. Your magic is officially tied to your emotions." Issei stepped up next to her. Ravel's arms were still outstretched in shock. "It's a little early to tell, but I'd wager that sufficient magical energy isn't going to be a problem for you if you feel strongly about your desires." He gently laid a hand on her shoulder in comfort and approval. "With the breakthrough, this means I can actually teach. Emotions, control I can teach with similar effects of my own power. If this was gonna be a lecture on magical runes and glyphs then our time would be short lived."

Issei paused as he checked his watch. "We're done for today. Next time we'll start endurance and then maybe we can begin thinking about constructs."

Ravel's face displayed several emotions quickly. Shock was still present, but it had been replaced by awe, excitement, joy, then finally gratitude. She pulled away from his grip and bowed deeply. "Thank you!" She exclaimed, unshed tears of joy in her eyes.

"Don't mention it," Issei rubbed the back of his head in the habit he had yet to break himself of. "You're a creature of fire same as me, I'm practically obligated to help you now."

At this, Ravel straightened, being very serious. 'O-of course. As for payment, I can~"

"Payment?"

"Yes, payment for my lessons of course."

"Hold up there," Issei put a hand on the top of her head to surprise and silence her, which worked. "Payment is out of the question."

"But that isn't right! As a hired instructor, you are due~"

"Due respect and attention during our teaching time and nothing else," Issei declared firmly. "I'm well aware that most if not all relationships between client and devil are matters of give and take, but we're both devils and we're not making a contract. And since I happen to be in charge," he shuddered at the thought, "I say no payment is necessary."

Ravel continued to fume as she tried to refute his words in any way. Finding none, she sputtered, "F-fine! But your lessons had better be of the highest quality you can provide!" She pointed at him for effect, though it seemed to do nothing more than further amuse him.

He gently ruffled her hair for a moment before retracting his hand. "Well, since practice is over, here's a more long term assignment."

"What?"

"Find something meaningful to you. Something that the thought of is emotional enough for your magic to flow naturally." Issei smiled and walked off, tapping Koneko and stirring her from the impressive sitting-up nap she had been holding. All the while, Ravel simply stared, though she lifted her hand to where he had held her shoulder after her last use of magic.

'Something meaningful to me?' She wondered. The Phenex girl smiled, as she remembered a polished white gem sitting on her nightstand. 'I can think of someone like that.'

And so, life went on. Days passed, turning to weeks, then a month. The seasons shifted as well, prompting the student body to abandon the long sleeves, jackets and sweaters as the warmer spring arrived.

Even with the occasional stray hunt, Issei soon found himself becoming... complacent. It was a dangerous feeling, being on the verge of boredom. After years of constantly seeking freedom, he now had it in a way, he also had two stunningly beautiful girls dead set on spending their lives with him.

Yet perhaps that was the issue.

In the dimly lit bedroom the three devils shared, there was a flash of light as Issei teleported in with his ScaleMail active. Rias had tried to break him of the habit, but he had successfully argued for its use when returning home. Dismissing the armor, he kicked off his boots and prepared for bed.

The sound of rushing and falling water indicated that one or both of the girls was in the adjoining shower. For a moment he considered joining them but thought otherwise. He was tired, needed sleep. Balancing teaching, school, devil contracts, and his own training was taking it's toll.

Stripping off his usual garb, he briefly surged his aura and lit up in ghostly blaze. For a moment, he was engulfed in fire before he eased off. A rather inefficient way to cleanse oneself, and hardly enjoyable when compared to an honest-to-Maou shower, but he wasn't picky. Slipping on some shorts, he fell onto the bed and nearly fell asleep then and there.

A door opened and two sets of footsteps brought him back from the brink of Morpheus. "Issei, you're back!" He looked up to see both Akeno and Rias standing there, their hair and bodies wrapped in towels. He could detachedly sense his pulse quicken at their undress, but his weariness kept his libido in check.

"Hey you two," he smiled easily, that was no large effort. "Come on, it's time to sleep." It was a childish tone and request he made, but the girls deigned to humor him, albeit with a habitual request.

"Sure thing, but aren't you forgetting something?" Akeno teased him, undoing the towels to bare herself before him.

"Now don't be harsh now," beside her, Rias had also divested herself of cloth. "Issei's tasks are generally much more laborious than our own. Give him time."

Issei managed to sit up straight before taking a deep breath. Holding it for a few moments, he exhaled, specifically aimed at the girls.

The first time had been frightening, as they had been fighting a Stray devil with a Sacred Gear granting limited water control. In an attempt to warm the thoroughly soaked trio comprised of Asia, Koneko, and Ravel, Issei had tried to gently breathe a stream of his power between them, mid-fight. A liquid whip to the head had twisted his aim, and he had frantically clamped down on the flames that eternally burned in his gut. As a result, nothing more than gently heated air passed from his maw, quickly warming and drying off the girls.

It had been a complete accident the first time he had done this, but after Akeno had suggested a more commonplace use for such a skill, both Rias and Akeno now preferred his warm breath over towels after bathing. The girls compared it to being caressed by a wind spirit, comfortingly banishing the remaining moisture on their bodies.

"Ah, much better," Rias sighed as Akeno folded the towels before dropping them in the closet's hamper. Both girls the clambered into bed beside him, clinging to him as was their custom, before beginning what was now the normal pillow-talk/game.

A single finger traveled over his chest as Rias explored the many different scars he had accumulated. She kept tracing them before settling on three jagged claw marks that had scraped downwards in an attempt to penetrate his ribcage. "These?"

Issei had his eyes closed already but answered dutifully. "Empusa, the Greek sub-species of vampires. Broke the skin clawing me, but my bones were a different story."

Akeno had found one on his left shoulder, a crescent that was no wider that her thumb, yet had a matching exit wound. "Where did this come from?"

"Dwarves can make crude weaponry from just about anything, thankfully the shiv didn't splinter."

As the game went on, both girls were saddened as Issei revealed more and more about his history as a self-serving gladiator. Depressing, certainly, but still, they had the right and the need to know. And Issei was more than patient with them, willing to divulge the histories of scars they had already inquired.

However, on this night, both sensed that Issei was a little... off balance. Instead of smiling in remembrance or frowning at the unsightly marks, he was resting with eyes closed, his mind wandering elsewhere.

Fed up with her Pawn's reticence, Rias carefully pounded on his chest. "What is going on with you?"

The demidrake cracked a near-golden eye at her. "Hmm?"

"You've barely responded all day to anything, even now you're only giving token attention to us." Rias kept her voice level, though he knew her well enough that she was worried. "It's not like you."

Issei looked to his left to see Akeno looking at him with equal worry in her eyes. He sighed internally, before hugging them close.

"I'm worried," he slowly admitted. "For the first time in a long time, I feel at peace, thanks to you two."

"And that's bad?" Akeno asked.

"No, not at all. But after years of fighting and having nothing of my own, I'm worried." His grip tightened around their waists. "I feel like I'm going to lose you both somehow, out of neglect or ignorance I don't know, but it's a feeling I can't shake off."

Rias looked at her Queen and then rolled her eyes, "Foolish boy." The Gremory heiress and Fallen hybrid moved just so that they now lay upon his chest so he could keep them both in view. "You think we wouldn't tell you if something was wrong?"

"No, I~"

"And do you intend to ignore us?" Akeno this time stabbed a finger into his chest for emphasis.

"Of course not!"

"Then learn to trust us and be happy, Issei." Both girls snuggled closer to him as they spoke in unison. "We're not going anywhere, and you're not leaving us alone. Your days of scars and misery are over." With that, Rias kissed him, then Akeno as they settled down for the night.

"Yeah... you're both right." Issei slurred as sleep finally came for them. "Worrying over nothing." He held them close as they one by one drifted off. 'Worrying over nothing... Nothing's gonna happen... I won't let it.'

"Kokabiel's agents are quite skilled, but they're not infallible. Valper and Sellzen left it clear as to their destination." The gathering of clergymen ringed the floor below them, a single woman standing in the center. "Kuoh, Japan. You'll go by official channels, mundane transport, once negotiations with the Shinto pantheon for travel rights are complete."

The woman, appearing to be somewhere in her late twenties, nodded in understanding. "Am I to assume I'll be going alone? If at all possible, I request Strada and Dulio to accompany-"

"Both have already been assigned as security elsewhere in the event that Kokabiel's unsanctioned actions turn out to be a feint by the Grigori. Instead, you shall take your ward and young Shidou."

Griselda Quarta hissed with frustration and annoyance. "I see. You're sending those considered expendable to retrieve the stolen fragments."

The men above her looked at each other and shrugged. "Take it as you will, but as natural-born Holy Sword wielders, none of you can be considered expendable. Quite frankly, there are no others capable of taking your place on the assignment. You'll make contact with the devils there and explain our situation, as well as the importance they stay out of a church affair."

The woman huffed begrudging agreement. "And our armament? Against a cadre and his cohorts, artificial light-swords will not be enough."

"The remaining three Excalibur's shall be made available to you, in addition to the blades the girls already carry."

"Very well." Griselda hid her anger well as she turned to exit the chamber. Before she did, she stopped in the entranceway. "You know that allowing Irina to return to Kuoh will not go unnoticed. It is a fool's gambit, the risk is too great."

"We do. And perhaps not as we've been led to believe."

"It may be her hometown, but there is a reason why her family migrated here in a hurry. If what she really is is discovered, or what she is capable of, then we may as well invite-."

"You and your subordinates are being sent to retrieve the Holy Swords to prevent the rogue from starting precisely that!" The most opulently dressed fanatic rose from his seat to shout at her. "Unhinged as he is, Kokabiel could drag us all into a war. The risk must be taken, and you all shall serve as a deterrent to any Devils who would interfere, Shidou especially against this new White Dragon Emperor."

Knowing that nothing she could say would convince the proud fools otherwise, Griselda walked out of the room to find her charges. All the while, her mind was perturbed by the would-be's and possibilities of what was to come.

'Fools,' she cursed. 'It is not Kokabiel and his warmongering we need to fear. War implies we have a chance to win. If we are discovered,' she shuddered, cold sweat breaking out upon her brow, 'then it is not war we court with, but annihilation.'

And so, the strongest female exorcist informed her adopted sister and foster niece of their new assignment. Both Xenovia and Irina were thrilled to be sent forth in God's name once more, but all the while, Griselda silently cursed the foolish men that led the church.

That night, she tossed and turned in her sleep, hardly finding a moment's rest.

For her dreams were not filled with Heaven's Light and His word, as they usually ought. Instead, her visions were overcome with endlessly flickering glow of a different source.

Dragonfire, as far as the eye could see.

AN: Dun dun dun... Sneak peek = sort of cliffhanger. Sorrynotsorry. So we got Kuroka history, some Koneko and Ravel perspective, and some ecchi moments. Here's to 2016.

Also, congratulations internet. You've broken me... Here's the updated list of Issei's romantic outlook.

Harem: Rias and Akeno, Asia, Koneko, Xenovia, Ravel, Kuroka, Irina, Rossweisse

I added Irina and Rossweisse after reading through some very convincing PMs. Special thanks to noobsaleh for exchanging rapid-fire meaningful messages with me as we traded concepts that eventually convinced me to add them to the list of pairings, as well as incorporate a few other ideas for later down the line.

Now unless someone writes a convincing four page essay on why I should add anyone else from within Issei's age group AND from canon DxD, then this is the final harem list. The only ones I'd favor adding right now would be Sona and Raynare, and I'm NOT removing any of the girls currently listed. No Serafall, Ophis, Grayfia, Tiamat, Venelana, Gabriel, Shuri, Penemue, Griselda, etc.

And for the last time, I don't care how many of you ship Artemis with anyone, this isn't a Percy Jackson fanfic. I wrote her in cause I needed a hunter-type deity that was well-known and recognizable and could be used for several upcoming plot points, not because I want to defy established mythology and go ooc with her. Seriously, enough.

Now, important topic. It took me about four-five? weeks to get this written and edited. Ideally, I'd write/edit/upload within two. So here's a chance to vote, just let me know in a review or PM what you'd like to see happen. Long chapters but longer delay, or shorter but faster update schedule. Not definitive, just a way for me to find out what you'd all prefer. I know I could set up a poll, but I'm lazy like that. Plus it feels more personal to read opinions from you all rather than punch numbers.

Also thinking about getting a beta. Message me if you're interested.

Please lemme know what you thought about the chapter and what you'd hope to see! Feedback is important!