Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
Chapter 06: Meetings, Adjustments Pt2, and a little bit of Familiar Fun?
For the third time in as many months Naruto found himself looking at someone he might have mistaken for a relative at first glance. Sitting across a large desk from him was Lord Rexal Phenex(1), in what was previously Gressen's study. Along with him the head of the Phenex family had brought his wife, Aurora Phenex(2), and his third son, Riser.
Rexal Phenex and his son were both blonde haired, blue eyed, and sharp-featured that lent a strong image. Both were tall, though that could simply be Naruto's impression due to his own rather young stature, hard-muscled- but not from hard work, Naruto noted -and they both carried an air about them. That was where the similarities ended.
Lord Rexal carried an air of capability and confidence. It was the air of someone who had seen hard battles and came out again. The air of a warrior, and the way he sat in the chair across from Naruto in his three piece black suit confirmed the image. That, and the way the man's eyes darted almost inconspicuously to the four females arrayed behind Naruto, assessing their threat values, told Naruto a very powerful man sat there.
Riser, on the other hand, was all arrogance, lust, and greed. The air of a spoiled rich brat who didn't learn from his mistakes and continued to think himself invincible because of his family name, family magic, and family wealth. His insouciant and bored posture were easy indicators of this, along with his rumpled burgundy suit, and Naruto found himself less than impressed with the third son of House Phenex.
His gaze then fell on the Lady of the opposite House, and he silently admitted that she was beyond beautiful. Her long silver hair was neatly braided down her back. Her posture was proper without giving any form of indication as to either her thoughts or feelings. Her large grey eyes were expressive, but also guarded. And finally her formal deep blue dress was both alluring and modest, while being utterly immaculate. If Naruto didn't know better, he'd almost think that there was a magical mannequin in front of him instead of a flesh and blood woman.
On the whole, Naruto was rather impressed with the Lord and his Lady, but less than pleased with Riser. Not that he was truly surprised, Demiurge and Albedo both suggested that this would be the case.
Lord Rexal, on the other side of things, found himself impressed with the professional and competent air of Naruto and his people. His eyes roved over the four women, one of whom he recognized as the late Gressen's Queen, Albedo. A known quantity, and a powerful wizardess in the arts of defense. The other three, though, they held his attention more as he didn't know them.
The first, a striking blonde-haired, aqua-eyed bombshell in an outfit that, while technically modest as it covered all the important bits, was nonetheless an arousing sight. If he hadn't been married for nearly six centuries to a woman of nearly peerless beauty, he knew there was every possibility of him popping a boner right on the spot. She carried herself with the air of a warrior, and practically hovered in a protective stance over the young man, despite giving the impression of boredom with her half-lidded eyes, as her hand never strayed far from a wide yet short weapon on her back.
Rexal would lay even odds on the woman being either the Asmodai's lover, his Queen, or both, and that the weapon was some kind of short sword from the wrapped hilt and the lack of visible blade. He didn't know it, but the weapon was a replica of the sword Tier used to use and was only recently finished being made.
His eyes panned next to the youngest person in the room, and the subject of his family's visit, Rias Gremory. She wasn't much of an unknown to him, he knew she had inherited her mother's Bael magic, she supposedly loved the human pastime of anime, and had been inducted into Naruto's peerage as his Bishop. She stood confident, however, as though she was certain that nothing happening today would cause her any form of grief.
He wondered briefly where that confidence came from. He didn't recall her having it the last time he saw her. And that odd outfit, wasn't that the Japanese Priestess look? What was that about?
Rexal's attention moved to the final woman, and found himself incredibly curious. She was a beauty, there was no doubt of that, but it was more than just the face or lithe body that would have most agreeing with him. She was exotic in a way that he never thought possible. To begin with, she had blue skin! He'd never heard of any species outside of the reclusive merfolk having blue skin before. This woman was definitely not Merfolk, the lack of gills on her neck gave that away without preamble. The two tentacle-like protrusions from her head, however, had him wondering if she wasn't some kind of strange half-breed, yet she didn't seem to possess the self-consciousness that most of those have. She obviously wasn't body-shy if the skin-tight hunting leathers she wore were any indication, and on either side of her hips dangled a silver cylinder attached to a belt.
Curious items, those cylinders. From the way she held herself, she was obviously well trained in close combat, and her muscle definition stated she was a weapon-user, but if those cylinders were her weapons, what were they? A kind of hidden, folding blade like some of the ancient Chinese used to make, perhaps? Hollow for the most part save for the springs necessary to push the blade out? How very curious.
Though perhaps the most curious to him was the fact that this woman stood at the young man's left hand, directly opposite of the blonde woman that Rexal was certain was the Queen of that Peerage. That was an odd place for any who wasn't the Queen to stand, as it implied an implicit trust in them. The "Left Hand" was an ancient position of authority, it pretty much meant the person standing there became the extension of the leader's will. While the RightHand dealt with internal matters, the Left Hand was often used to handle foreign matters, such as diplomacy.
Very interesting.
Finally the man's eyes came to rest on the new Lord of House Asmodai. The boy was young, younger than his own youngest son, Riser, maybe about the age of fifteen. Sunkissed golden locks of hair were in a natural state of disarray that Rexal doubted any comb in existence could hope to tame. Eyes of a rare silver-blue held an unflinching gaze. A strong jaw was softened slightly with the chubbiness of youth, and the face was set into a very well crafted blank expression, giving little away. It was the boy's posture, however, that piqued Rexal's interest. It was firm, the sign of a man who has fought in life or death battles and emerged victorious, yet there was an easy readiness that spoke of a level of competence rarely seen in one so young, and the grey pinstripe suit did little to hide the kind of muscles only achieved through hard training.
Rexal knew, if ever this young man and Riser came to blows, no one would know whom to bet on. The Phenex had the gift of resurrection and regeneration, but something about this young man, this Naruto Asmodai, told Rexal that he wouldn't wise to discount him. He had the sense that being underestimated was something this young man would easily capitalize on, no matter whom his opponent might be.
Naruto's mouth opened then, and Rexal heard the soft baritone that still warbled slightly with youth's pitch. "Lord Phenex, while I will agree that this meeting is long overdue, I would appreciate it if you would control your son. I do not take kindly to my people being eye-raped by a man who hasn't had his balls drop yet."
Rexal's mouth twitched slightly with amusement. He glanced at Riser, and immediately had to resist the urge to facepalm. His son was leering at the women behind the blonde boy with an expression that could only be described as lascivious. There was even a little bit of drool!
He was saved from responding by his wife, who made a gentle gesture with one hand. That gesture led to Riser being smacked upside the head by an invisible force.
"Our apologies," Aurora murmured. "His behaviour is that of an uncouth child. Pay him no mind."
Riser winced as he rubbed the back of his head. Damn that bastard brat! Why did he have all of those women, and Rias, if they weren't to be looked at? Were they not simply his personal harem?
"If he is to be paid no mind," Naruto said evenly, "then perhaps he should not be here for this talk. It would be … unfortunate, should anything detrimental slip from him that could shame your House further."
"Perhaps," Rexal allowed, giving his son a warning stare to remain quiet. "But I would prefer to keep him where I can see him. He has a habit of getting into trouble when I cannot."
"Then perhaps it is a good thing that his position within the contract with the Gremory has been voided." Naruto seemingly mused to himself, though his gaze never left Rexal. "If such an uncouth child got the prestige of such a well-liked House, I shudder to think of the damage he would cause."
"Now see here, you pathetic urchin!" Riser growled as he stood up to tower above Naruto, "The contract explicitly states that I am to be wed to Rias Gremory! You have no right to come along and steal her from me! I demand you give her back right now!"
Naruto didn't so much as flick his gaze away from Rexal's. "Be quiet, child. Know your place in this Underworld, and do not try the patience of your betters. I am speaking with Marquis Rexal Phenex. Do not think for a moment that you have any voice in these matters."
Rexal twitched in surprise. Few remembered the true rankings of the Pillars, fewer bothered to use them. He grimaced internally, and made a sidelong glance at his wife who returned it.
Unfortunately, Riser was now running his mouth and nearly frothing with rage. "Child?! My betters?! I am Riser Phenex! Third son of House Phenex! I am-"
"-Expendable," Naruto finished coldly, finally deigning to meet Riser's eyes with his own blank expression. "A third son has no use beyond marrying off to secure an alliance with a stronger family. The House of Phenex is that of a Marquis, while Gremory is a Duke. Even if you were to wed Rias, you would have no power, as you would be marrying into the Gremory! Rias would retain her position, becoming later the Duchess, while you would remain nothing more than her consort, Riser Phenex."
Naruto's gaze bored into Riser, "You would have no authority beyond what she allowed you within her own house, and by house I mean the building itself. No power would be granted to you, Riser. All you would become is a breeding stud to ensure the continuation of the Gremory line. Nothing more, nothing less. This is not an insult, it is mere fact."
Riser had a poleaxed expression as he settled back into his chair with a heavy thud. Rias had a similar expression. Neither had known any of this, having long since been raised on the human notions of modern day marriage where things were supposedly shared equally.
Rias grimaced. She didn't regret her impetuous decision though. What she had most strenuously objected to was marrying Riser. If not being forced into that meant she had to essentially abandon her House, then so be it. It was a hard thing to be sure, but it granted her the freedom to choose her life's partner for love rather than politics. And that was worth so much to Rias that she wasn't sure if there was anything she valued on the same level.
"The next thing I have to disabuse you of, Riser," Naruto continued blithely, "Is that the contract did not state individual names. It stated the heir of Gremory and a child of Phenex." He glanced at Lord and Lady Phenex and received nods of agreement. "Now, I have been informed that Lord Sirzechs Lucifer is expecting a son, a son he intends to give the name of Gremory in honor of his own birth parents, whom Lord Zeoticus Gremory and Lady Venelana have agreed to make their new heir until such a time as they conceive again. This means, with the advent of a male heir, that the only child of the Phenex that is suitable in the least is your younger sister, Ravel."
Naruto paused, and fixed a gimlet stare on Rexal and Aurora. "I expect that you two will be dutiful in preparing her properly for her new position? It is exceedingly obvious that Riser here was never truly suitable, and I can only assume a great amount of negligence was at the root. Intentional or not, it does not speak well of your House."
Rexal grimaced like he had just been presented with a rotten fish and nodded, he couldn't very well state that it was really the hired help's fault as he was the one who hired them to teach the boy in his place. All he could do now was to suck up his pride, and make certain that Ravel was prepared correctly. After all, if the young man knew of the Phenex's rank of Marquis, Rexal was positive that he also knew of the Asmodai's rank of King, and at that he was Phenex's King. No matter how rude the young man was being, Rexal could do little about it.
A slim blue hand came to rest lightly on Naruto's shoulder and Aayla's soft voice said soothingly, "Naruto-sama, that was rude. I have no doubt that Lord and Lady Phenex meant no slight toward you, or House Gremory, with their son's actions."
Naruto let out a slow breath, closing his eyes for a moment, "You are correct, Aayla."
Opening his eyes and inclining his head in a respectful bow, he said, "My apologies, Lord and Lady. I know it is no excuse, but I have had a stressful few months. Forgive my abruptness."
Rexal and Aurora relaxed noticeably and the lady smiled a little.
"Of course," Aurora said gently, neatly accepting the offered olive branch. "This must be a trying time for you. Suddenly finding out your heritage, and being thrust straight into the thick of things. It would be stressful enough with just one of those, but both must be taxing in this short period."
"Ahem, yes," Rexal interrupted smoothly, "And of course we will endeavor to educate Ravel properly for her sudden inclusion into the contract. This meeting was not so much an attempt to regain Rias as it was to make certain that the contract was still valid. It is no issue to us if Ravel is the one to uphold the honor of the Phenex in this matter."
"However," Lady Phenex interjected in a manner as smooth as her husband, "It is not impossible for us to also demand compensation in return for your intervention in this matter. While the contract is still valid, there was no real reason for you to become involved, Milord."
If they expected Naruto to be put off by their combined assault, they were sadly to be disappointed as the young man smiled.
"That is true, Lady," Naruto admitted with a tiny shrug. "However, I had no intention of not compensating either House for my interference in this matter. The Gremory declined my offer, instead gifting me with a portion of their territory in the human world for 'answering their daughter's desires'."
He paused for a moment to let that information sink in, that he had not interfered simply because he could, but that he had been requested. And not by an outside party either, but by one of the primary expected participants.
As he saw the light of realization dawn in the eyes, Naruto continued, "Now, I'm more than willing to grant you the same level of compensation as I offered them, which amounts to quite a tidy little sum. Of course, I'm also willing to hear your own ideas as well…"
He left his statement hanging, letting them read into it what they would.
Lord Phenex's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. Rexal was no fool, he knew that he could technically ask for something else, but he also knew that he was limited in options. He had no idea to what extent the young man had offered to Gremory. It might have just been money, it might have been old knowledge, or even artifacts. He just did not know. If he pushed for something else, something of greater value than money, he could look like a fool, but if he merely accepted what was being blatantly offered he could appear weak.
He caught his wife's eye and saw the same thoughts stirring in her mind. He nodded slightly at her, indicating that he was willing to let her lead at this crucial juncture. He'd married her for more than her looks after all.
Aurora took a deep breath and released it slowly, then said, "Lord Asmodai, I will admit we were hoping for something more than money. Perhaps an equivalent concession could be made?"
Naruto raised one brow. While not unexpected, he did not really want them to think of something else."What did you have in mind, Lady?"
She smiled, "It is difficult to say without knowing the exact monetary compensation you offered to the Gremory."
Naruto hummed in thought. "That is true," he mused.
Time seemed to stretch interminably as Naruto thought about giving them a number. Or that's what most of them thought, in reality he was carefully gauging Riser out of his peripheral vision, his gaze never actually leaving Lady Phenex. The fool was already back to a boil and it was only a matter of time…
"Will you stop wasting our time already?!" Riser shouted in exasperation. "It doesn't matter what those fools in the Gremory turned down! This is just another pathetic attempt on Rias's part to avoid her true destiny as my plaything!"
Riser snorted in disgust, completely ignoring his parent's scandalized expressions. "Look here, you ignorant peon," he sneered, his lips quirking into a smug smile, "You had no right to interfere, and you obviously have no idea what you're talking about. Rias is mine! Once I marry her all of her right to choose goes out the window, and I become her master! If I want to parade her naked through the streets, I will! If I want to use her as a high-priced whore, I will! And there is nothing you can do or say that can change that! In fact-!"
A heavy backhand to his face silenced Riser's speech, knocking him backward to the floor. When he looked up in rage to see who had dared to lay hand on him, he stared straight into the cold and controlled fury of his father. Riser paled instantly, there was no way in the Underworld he could stand up to his father in that moment.
"If I did not know without even a shadow of doubt of Aurora's faithfulness, I would not believe you were my child, for surely no son of mine could be so foolish!" Rexal hissed, his fury almost palpable. "You will remain silent, child, and not embarrass us further with your ignorance, for Lord Naruto is correct! And your foolish behaviour has now put us in an unfavorable light!"
As Rexal retook his seat, obviously attempting to restore his calm demeanor, Riser lay upon the floor unable to respond in the face of his father's anger.
Finally Rexal seemed to master himself, and he sketched a small bow to Naruto and then to Rias. "My apologies for his outburst, and my own. In light of my son's words, I believe we owe you thanks for disrupting his obviously distorted plans, and we owe young Rias more than a mere apology for not listening to her concerns."
"I will admit that this meeting is not going as I had thought it would. I had thought of merely confirming that the contract was still valid, and perhaps wrest a concession from you," the older man admitted candidly, passing one hand over his eyes in fatigue. "Instead I find out more about my son's character than I had known before, and I am at a loss as to explain just where it comes from."
"Who can say just what truly lies within the heart of a man?" Naruto asked in a sympathetic tone, then his voice hardened, "Yet in light of this latest outburst, perhaps I should withdraw the offer of compensation. After all, it appears as though I have inadvertently stopped a disaster from occurring."
"Also," Naruto continued in a slightly sly tone of voice, "I highly doubt that a man of your reputation had not already deduced the remaining validity of the contract, Lord Phenex."
Rexal sighed in defeat, and grinned wryly. "Yes, you would be correct about that. You cannot blame me for trying, though."
"Not at all," Naruto laughed goodnaturedly. "Now, if there is nothing else," Naruto nodded in the direction of the doors behind them, "Sebas will see you out. Have a good day, Marquis Phenex, Lady Phenex."
It did not escape the Phenex's notice that he deliberately ignored Riser's presence in that dismissal. Even as they exited, Riser's face practically glowing purple from suppressed rage, and then going pale again in remembrance of his father's own ager, the two older members of the Phenex were already in silent contemplation.
Once they were gone, Naruto leaned back into his chair, releasing a long pnet-up breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. That had been a tense situation, but he'd wanted it done quickly before they could possibly weasel anything out of him. He knew of Rexal Phenex's reputation as something of a lawyer in the Underworld, if there was any capable of worming secrets from Naruto unwillingly, it would be him.
Some of those secrets could undo much of what Naruto had already accomplished. Yet it seemed that the Lord of Phenex was almost… pleased with the outcome. The mere fact that Naruto couldn't pin the man's reactions down told him that he only really managed to pull out a win today by disrupting everything through Riser. The hotheaded third son had been the lynchpin in Naruto's plans, despite his earlier commentary to get rid of him.
Come to think of it, Yugao and Konan just entered their third month… just six more to go, huh? I should probably spend more time with them than just the nights in bed...
XxXxXxXx
Marquis Rexal Phenex sat beside his wife in the back of their personal vehicle, their son riding in his own, running over the short meeting with the young Asmodai.
He frowned. It really had been short, only a few minutes to be certain. He had anticipated a much longer one, with a great deal of back and forth negotiations, or perhaps a one-sided political slaughter of an inexperienced child.
Well it was definitely one-sided, but not in Rexal's favor. He reviewed the meeting with a detached calm, trying to see exactly where it went against him. It had seemed to start so well…
His wife's voice brought him out of his contemplations, "He played us."
Rexal raised an eyebrow at her, a signal she knew well to mean that he was encouraging her to explain her thoughts. Her mind had been the first thing to attract him those centuries before, thus listening to her opinion was something he was fully prepared to do.
So she continued, "Young Asmodai, he played us from the beginning. It wasn't really anything subtle or special, though. Despite the politeness of his tone to start with, his insults were calculated, and I would bet our entire House that they were geared specifically towards Riser's pride. Riser was goaded from the start into giving Asmodai that first opening, and again later. He wanted Riser there so he could use our son to make things go in his favor. On top of that, he used both our own prejudice and his youth to great effect, which allowed him to get away with saying things he otherwise could not."
She paused for a moment to let her words be understood, then repeated her earlier statement. "He played us."
Rexal grimaced, "Yes, I see that. The problem lies in the fact that I didn't see it in the moment. I knew Riser's outburst would land us in a position where we would have to make some concessions, but everything snowballed from there."
He ran a hand through his hair, messing up his otherwise neat locks. "But perhaps the worst part is that the boy then managed to point out that the contract with Gremory was still valid through Ravel, which protects them from the destruction of their House."
"Dammit," he muttered viciously, "I completely underestimated the boy!"
"It protects us from that as well, Rexal," Aurora murmured gently. "Considering the drunken stupor both you and Zeoticus were in at the time, the contract could have been contested in any number of ways, and a breaking of it for any reason could have destroyed us just as easily."
Rexal pursed his lips and leaned back into his seat. "You have a point, my dear. That contract did state the the one who broke it would have their House destroyed. That could just as easily have been us."
She nodded, "Now, what are we to do about that loudmouth we call a son?"
Rexal groaned.
XxXxXxXx
"He controlled the entire thing," Aayla muttered in awe as she and Tier made their way to a small training area for a bit of sword work. "Aside from that little bit with the goading of Riser, Master Naruto practically led them down the route he wanted them to take."
It had only been a few days since Aayla became a devil, but she had already settled into a small routine of practice and meditation, followed by several hours at a time in the library to read up on the history of this new world. It was helpful to her to learn as it calmed her nerves about being in not only a new world, but a completely different universe than where she was born and raised. Tier's assistance in her practice had been invaluable in that regard as well, along with Naruto's help in her studies.
Tier nodded, "He did. I have seen someone else do something similar, but with far greater malice behind their words. This was done smoothly, and with the explanations there can be no truly bitter feelings between the Houses."
The twi'lek woman grimaced slightly, "Perhaps not between the Houses, but I'd bet my sabers that Riser fellow will hold a grudge."
The blonde nodded, "Indeed. I feel the same. But only should he try anything, is when we can act."
Aayla grimaced, "Politics. No matter what world, there is always that damned red tape."
Tier glanced at the blue woman and nodded again. "On a different topic, you're progressing remarkably in the languages we use regularly."
A grin formed, "Yeah, I've always been pretty good at languages. Had to be, there were so many races in the Republic, and some of them couldn't use Basic."
Tier nodded, "Though it's also possible that the magic of the Evil Piece is hard at work. All devils are supposed to have an instinctual knowledge of the languages of the nearby human world."
Aayla shrugged unconcernedly. "Either way…"
They reached the training room, and each moved to opposite the other, grabbing practice weapons as they went. Aayla took her usual two, and Tier took one. Being the only sword users of Naruto's current peerage, they kept each other sharp, and Tier took the opportunity to increase her previous ability. She would readily acknowledge the twi'lek as her superior with the blade, but she was determined to at least bridge the gap so as to keep her silent promise.
For her part, Aayla wondered where the blonde woman had learned her sword work, It was rough, animalistic, and incredibly reliant on force, yet there was a measured step and an elegance that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was enticing to her, and she wondered how the woman kept such calm in the face of the raw passion that could be felt from the clashing weapons.
A measured, circling step… Aayla mused silently, as she and Tier took up their respective positions. Feints, and passes, and she wears you down, drags the fight to her pace, then she goes for the throat viciously, as though her sword were her fangs...
Tier's soft voice broke Aayla out of her thoughts, "So what do you think so far? I know it's only been a few days, but I expect you have an opinion."
Aayla's eyes unfocused for a minute as she thought about that. "I'm honestly not sure yet. Master Naruto treats me well, better than I expected really, and those two human women have been very welcoming. But I can't say I've really formed much of an opinion just yet."
With an understanding nod, Tier said, "I see-"
She was cut off by a raised hand, "But! While I may not have an opinion on this place, I am certain that Master Naruto is a man I can trust, and worthy of my service. That is enough for me right now. Time will tell me the rest."
Tier hummed softly, and then snapped her practice blade into a guard position. "Then for the sake of keeping Naruto-sama safe, shall we grow even stronger? To protect both him and his dreams? And to make sure he grows into a man we are beyond certain is worthy?"
With a smile and nod, the battle was joined. Both women strove against the other, in a dance as old as time itself. A dance that, if they had been any less skilled, would otherwise be one of death.
From the shadows of another door, a blast of frigid air escaped the watching Cocytus.
They are not yet strong enough to truly protect the young master, but they have the spirits of true warriors. … Perhaps I should teach them of how devils fight with weapons. Albedo is a fine teacher of magic, but her knowledge of a warrior's art is limited.
XxXxXxXx
Rias stood panting next to her King, and wondered for the tenth time in as many minutes just how she had gotten into her current predicament.
Oh, right, I said I wanted to learn how to defend myself without magic… she thought with an internal grimace
Her teacher for this particular bit of practice? Well, she hadn't thought much of him before, but now she knew Sebas was officially an Underworld terror. The elderly-seeming devil had just spent the last hour pretty much knocking the stuffing out of both Rias and Naruto, and to the girl's dismay he didn't have so much as single hair out of place!
Screw the hair, he's not even breathing harder! She thought in despair, and her eyes panned to her partner in this exercise. Naruto-sama doesn't seem to be trying hard either! It's not fair!
"Rias-sama, you seem to be more tired than I would have thought," Sebas' deep voice broke into her thoughts, "Perhaps you should rest for a bit, while Naruto-sama and I pick up our pace a little?"
Rias just nodded tiredly and quickly took a seat on a bench along one wall. This was one of the training rooms dedicated to physical exercise, specifically it was designed for the practice of unarmed combat. The walls were reinforced greatly to withstand blunt force, and the ceiling was just high enough that she thought one of the old Balor(3) could have jumped easily and not brushed it.
She watched as the two men took up their favored stances, Sebas in a modified boxer's pose and Naruto in… what in the Nine Hells was that? Some kind of "Brawler meets Martial Artist meets Ninja"? Left-facing profile, left hand out in a vertical claw with the right held in a half-ram handsign over his heart, his feet set at basic shoulder-width but with an aggressive tilt. There was almost nothing of defense to it at all, and Rias was sure that if she could see it then so could Sebas.
Her eyes flickered over to the older man, and noticed a tiny frown marring his normally professionally serious countenance. It wasn't something most people would even notice, but Rias had discovered that her observational abilities were better than what most would expect of a ten year old. It was the kind of thing she chalked up to the oddity of her own Bishop piece.(4)
Then Rias blinked, and the battle started in earnest. She watched, spellbound, as Sebas balanced his attacks and defense, while Naruto just seemed to flow around the old man to strike from every conceivable angle. Suddenly Rias understood, Naruto didn't have anything of defense in his stance, because his defense was his smooth yet erratic movements. If you struck at him, he simply wouldn't be there when your strike finished. He moved as the wind would, flowing, everywhere, untouchable, relentless, untiring, unpredictable. He moved as his Nature dictated. He refused to be bound to anything not of his choice, be it his fighting stance or his own life.
Rias understood then, for the first time. Naruto was the Wind. He was so in tune with it that it reflected in everything he did. And combined with his natural imagination…
Rias winced as a thunderclap went off. Before her the two fighters stood, fists colliding in a stalemate. They held the pose for a moment longer, then disengaged.
Naruto flopped to the ground in a boneless heap, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. "Damn, Sebas. I haven't had a workout like that in a long time! How much were you holding back?"
Sebas, who simply smoothed his slightly ruffled hair, answered, "I could never harm my Master. So in order to make sure I did not, I held back to your level of physical strength."
Naruto grinned wryly, "That doesn't answer the question, Sebas. How much?"
"Sixty-seven percent, Naruto-sama."
Naruto blinked, then chuckled. "So I only got thirty-three percent, huh?"
"Do not mistake me, Young Master," Sebas stated, "Few newly-born devils could hope to make me use more than five percent. The fact that you have managed to get thirty-three is quite an achievement. Even most other Rooks I have met in battle have not forced me to one hundred."
Naruto waved him off, "Nah, I get it Sebas. I did good. And when I finally get myself a Rook or two, it will be your job to bring them up to snuff. I'll leave their training entirely in your hands. In the meantime, before I get up for round three, I think we'll make this a weekly session for us."
Sebas bowed, "As you wish, Naruto-sama."
Naruto let out one last heavy breath and stood, tugging his sweat-drenched white work-out Gi(5) into place. He swept his hands through his hair, and resumed his stance. He glanced at Rias and smiled.
Rias blanched. It looked her resting time was over.
XxXxXxXx
Naruto stared across his desk at Albedo. "You're kidding me."
The ravenette shook her head lightly. "I'm not."
"What do I need a Familiar for? I have Kurama."
"Yes, but be honest, Naruto-sama," she said with a small smile, "You and your peerage will still need to do other jobs and contracts to gather desires. Distributing the summoning fliers is usually the job of a Familiar, and if I am not mistaken, Kurama has refused. So you will need another."
He raised an eyebrow, "But I already receive human desires for power. Those books I released in the nearby human realm tied to this one, they gather it for me."
"That's you, Naruto-sama. What about your Queen? Or your Bishop and Knight? They will need to take jobs as well to increase their own powers." Albedo pointed out softly. "There are other considerations as well, of course, but they are medium to minor at best."
Naruto sighed and leaned back into his chair. "Hit me."
"Well, to start with, there is the Asmodai territory in the human realm," Albedo said. "There needs to be an actual Asmodai presence there soon, or we could lose it to another grasping devil."
He groaned quietly. "Dammit. Where in that world is it?"
Albedo moved over to a map of the human world hanging on one wall. There wasn't much else on the walls though, as most of the space was dedicated to large bookshelves. She used one finger to trace a rather large area near an even bigger body of water.
"Here, Naruto-sama. This country is called-" She trailed off with an amused expression, "-Italy. The island off the end is called Sicily."
He gave her a suspicious gaze. "You seem oddly amused at our territory being this Italy. Is there a reason?"
She nodded, "Devil-kind's most ardent human enemy is there. In a city called Rome is a small city-state called the Vatican. It's widely viewed as the center of the Christian religion, though it's really just the Catholics."
"Wait, you're telling me that our biggest human threat is inside my territory?" He asked incredulously.
"Yes."
"Lovely," he groused, "I've already been there a few times to start getting those books out, and no one bothered to warn me first. Stupid set-destination transport circles, why couldn't anyone warn me?"
Then he blinked, "Wait. If I don't show my presence in that country, who would be ballsy enough to work in enemy territory? And wouldn't publishing those books count as showing myself?"
Albedo frowned slightly, "There are any number of Strays or Independents that might try it. It would almost certainly end with their deaths, seeing as the Vatican is rather zealous in their attempts to cull us devils further of course."
"As to publishing those books, that's really an incredibly minor act that just about anyone could pull off." She finished with a tiny shrug to show just how insignificant it was.
He nodded, digesting the facts for a bit. "Then how did we ever manage to work there?"
Albedo shrugged again. "I don't know. Gressen-sama never told us, and I never asked."
Naruto thought about it for a minute, then his hand came up to slap his forehead as he remembered just how cozy the Archangels had been at the funeral. "He had a deal with Michael. It's the only thing that makes sense."
"It is quite likely," Albedo agreed easily, "Gressen-sama held close ties to his former foes once the Great War was called into a ceasefire."
The blonde let out a groan and peeked through his fingers at her, his voice slightly muffled but carrying a small tinge of exasperation. "And the territory we got from Gremory?"
The woman picked up a pencil and circled a small area in an island nation. "We received the area in and around a fairly large town called Kuoh, in the country of Japan. It's not quite on the size of a city, but it isn't far from it either." She smiled slightly with amusement, "It is also a few hours drive away from a place that I'm sure will have young Rias bouncing with joy. A place called Akihabara, known world-wide as the 'Home of the Eternal Anime Convention'."
"Rias does love her anime," Naruto conceded with a grin, "even if she says they are becoming predictable."
He sat back and drummed the fingers of one hand on his desk in thought. "I wonder… who else has interests in this Japan?"
Albedo shrugged slightly, "I'm uncertain as to all the members, but if I remember correctly, aside from the obvious Gremory and Sitri interests, I believe Bael and Beelzebub have interests there as well."
"Is there a chance we could trade any of them territory for territory?" He asked.
She thought about it for a moment, her left hand resting lightly on her shapely hip. Naruto's gaze unconsciously tracked the gesture, and suddenly his pants felt a few sizes too small. Visions of all sorts of sexual fantasies ran through his head, some wholesome, some nowhere near. The worst part in his opinion was that those fantasies weren't centered on any one woman; Yugao, Albedo, Konan, Tier, and a few of them even included ideas of a more mature Rias.
It took a wrenching effort to pull his mind out of the gutter it had fallen into when she broke her silence to say, "Maybe."
Damned hormones! He thought to himself, I knew it would be bad from what I found in those old medical books, but this is ridiculous! Every time I'm around one of them for longer than a few minutes I can't seem to stop thinking about it!
Shaking his head slightly to banish the thoughts, he put it aside for later contemplation as Albedo asked a question of her own.
"Naruto-sama, why are you suddenly interested in acquiring this one country?"
The blonde gave her a wry look, "From what Rias has shown me, Japan is fairly similar to the Elemental Nations in terms of traditions and basic language. I suppose it makes me nostalgic and somewhat more comfortable."
"I see," she replied, though her tone said otherwise.
Naruto smiled at her, "Just see if any of the families with interests in Japan are willing to trade for equal pieces in Italy. Failing that, perhaps see if we can outright buy those interests."
Albedo bowed, "As you wish. Now, about that new Familiar…"
The young devil sighed and slumped back into his chair, "Dammit. I should have known you wouldn't be put off so easily."
"Never, my Master." She said with a twinkle in her eye.
XxXxXxXx
"So, why are we walking through this incredibly creepy forest?" Aayla asked as she, Tier, Naruto, and Rias moved beneath a sea of dark trees.
Naruto sighed and set himself to answering, "Because apparently this is the only place to find a typical Familiar, and tonight is the one time this month that a guy called the Familiar Master can be found to help us out."
"And what good is this Familiar thing?" Aayla asked, her interest piquing a little. She honestly hadn't been paying much attention before they'd left the mansion. She'd simply heard that Naruto was going and had decided to follow him to offer the protection afforded by her lightsaber and Force abilities.
But rather than Naruto, Rias was the one to pipe up with an answer, stars in her eyes. "Familiars can do all kinds of things. Hand out contract fliers, be a companion for either battle or daily life, some of them are even magical in nature!"
Tier raised an eyebrow. "You mean like possessing the ability to cast magic?"
"Well that, or they may simply be a kind of reserve tank," Rias explained, "like an extra power source if you need it. They could also be magical in the way that they have a natural effect, like Slimes and their ability to eat clothing, or dragons and their breath attacks..."
Naruto held up a hand, "I think we get it, Rias-chan." He said gently, "I also believe we are not alone anymore."
"Hahahaha," came a loud obnoxious voice. "So the young man can sense me even when I'm hiding? That's good!"
Naruto looked up and immediately wished he hadn't. The man looked like a kid that found his way into the forest and, like Peter Pan, never bothered to grow up despite growing older. It was the only description that made sense. Easily viewed skinny legs that bowed noticeably, short socks and boots, cargo style shorts, and a blue and white wife-beater to cover his chest, topped off with a death's-head grin, a mane of wildly uncontrolled brown-ish hair- Naruto wasn't quite certain if it was brown or if the man just never washed out the mud - and a pair of fingerless gloves on his hands. As if that weren't enough, the man stood on a branch above them, and none of the women were quite sure if he was leering at them or just in general.
The young blonde heard Aayla's disbelieving words, "You have got to be kidding me."
"Hahahaha! I am the Familiar Master! I can help anyone catch and tame any familiar!" The man boasted loudly, scaring several birds from nearby trees into flight.
Naruto just gave the man a deadpan stare. "If it wasn't for the fact that the only Familiar Binding spell I know is a full ritual, I wouldn't even consider bothering with you," the blonde boy said with a flat tone.
Naruto sighed and dipped his head in defeat. "However, Albedo hasn't steered me wrong yet, so I guess I'll put up with this, though I just know she's laughing at me right now."
FM- Familiar Master -dropped from the branch to land in a surprisingly spritely manner. "O-to! Alright! Now, what kind of Familiars are you four wanting? Remember to think carefully, as you will have them until you die."
Naruto let loose another heavy sigh and raised a defeated expression, "I guess I need one that is helpful in dealing with paperwork and running errands. Something with enough intelligence that I don't need to worry about it getting my orders wrong. But not something that will attract undue attention."
FM rubbed his chin in thought, a serious look on his face. "Hm-hm! Young man you have just given me a challenge! Most young devils just want something cool, or dangerous, or even scary. But you… you seem to understand that the Familiar is an extension of yourself. A complement to your own abilities."
Thinking for a few more moments, FM said, "Okay! I'll think about your request a little more. There are a few possibilities, but we'll narrow those down a bit more. What about you ladies?"
Tier shrugged, "Going on the idea of complementary abilities, I think I should look for one with a high affinity for water and healing to balance my destruction."
FM's eyes lit up, "Oh! You'll be looking for an Undine then! Water spirits they are, and they specialize in healing spells. There's even a small lake nearby with a colony."
The blonde woman nodded and stepped to one side to better keep the strange man in her view. She didn't think he was going to do anything against Naruto, but she wanted to be safe just in case.
Aayla spoke next with an uncaring air to match Tier's, "I suppose I would want something that could assist me in my duty to protect Master Naruto. A strong and loyal partner that understands and compliments my fighting ability."
FM nodded slowly, once again rubbing his chin in thought. "Hm… Not many fall into that pattern," he muttered to himself, "Though I'm sure we can find something…"
A loud piercing cry echoed as a figure flew above them at tremendous speed.
FM snapped his fingers as he recognized the creature, "Yes! That's it! A gryphon! Proud, noble beasts with an uncanny intelligence, and known far and wide for their loyalty! Some say they were made by a wizard in another world as one his works of art, but no one really knows."
"Of course getting one to agree is nearly unheard of-" FM continued in a wise-sounding tone with his arms crossed and eyes closed.
"Uh, I hate to interrupt…" Aayla said nervously.
"Hm?"
FM's eyes widened comically as he saw an adolescent black gryphon nuzzling gently into Aayla's shoulder, it's feathers glinting a deep purple in the light of the moon. The gryphon made soft trilling noises, it's eyes closed in what the onlookers could only suspect was joy. Aayla, smiling nervously, was patting it's crest feathers gently, despite the fact that the creature's shoulder easily came up to her own.
"Wha-?"
Aayla turned her nervous smile on the man, "Looks like it chose me."
FM just stared dumbly, before silently handing the twi'lek a piece of paper with the Familiar Binding spell on it.
I suddenly get the feeling that this is going to be a loooong day, FM thought to himself.
XxXxXxXx
Several hours later, Naruto and his group returned to the Asmodai mansion. Albedo and Sebas stood waiting for them, and made a quick headcount to make certain nothing had gone wrong.
One, two, three, four, five, six…. Wait, six? Albedo double-checked, and indeed, six human-shaped figures were approaching, along with one large winged quadruped, and a… bat? Peering a little harder, Albedo determined that yes, that was a small devil-bat fluttering along at the shoulder of young Rias.
Alright, let's see here, Albedo mused to herself as she took in the new arrivals. Basic body of a giant cat, wings, aristocratic neck and head of a hawk, taloned foreclaws, overall appearance of a work of art… Aayla Secura managed to get a gryphon...
Forcing herself not to faint in shock, the raven haired woman panned her eyes to next pair. Lithe body, skimpy outfit in a chiton fashion, definitively female and made of water.. So Tier Harribel managed to acquire an Undine, and the rare one that actually looks like the legends. Not bad at all.
Then there is Rias with her little devil-bat. Not overly impressive, but she is just a child, and those little things have some rather handy tricks, so it's fine.
And Naruto-sama…
Albedo felt her mind shut down.
Walking beside Naruto in deep conversation with him was a tall woman, her long pale blue hair hung in a wavy and sensuous waterfall down past her ass. Her body was nothing shy of spectacular, even under the female variation the suit that Naruto wore; light grey jacket and slacks, white button shirt, and black strap heels. Her golden eyes radiated an intense chilling atmosphere, even as she smiled gently in her soft conversation with Naruto.
"Naruto-sama?" Albedo said, her voice cracking slightly as a rare primal fear shivered up her spine.
"Hm?" Naruto brought himself out of his talk with the blue-haired woman, "Yes, Albedo? What is it?"
"Who might that be with you?" The tremors in her voice went unnoticed by the young man, but not by the clearly smirking woman with him.
"Oh!" Naruto smacked his fist into his palm, "Right! I should introduce you. Albedo, this is my new friend and business partner, Tiamat, the one and only Dragon Queen. Tiamat, these are Albedo and Sebas."
"A pleasure," Tiamat demurred, her smirk not dropping by the slightest degree. She knew what kind of effect she was having on the raven-haired Albedo, and she was enjoying it immensely. She hadn't had this much fun in centuries!
"Oh. Yes. A pleasure indeed," Albedo said in light voice just before she fainted.
XxXxXxXx- Ending Notes
1- Rexal Phenex: I did a second look before I decided to use this name again, and I will use it for him until the author decides on one themselves.
2- Aurora Phenex: Same as Rexal, I did a double-check to be sure she hadn't been named yet. So until the author gives her one, she's Aurora.
3- Balor: a high-ranking demon out of the Abyss. I typically run across them in D&D, but I am uncertain at this time as to just where the inspiration for them came from, though I'd lay odds on the Irish myth of King Balor. Nonetheless, they are huge, usually standing at an average of 12 feet in height, and are pretty much at the top of the Abyssal food chain as Generals or minor princelings… not counting creatures like Lolth.
4- The Bishop pieces of Naruto's set, for those who have forgotten, are in the shape of wizards. Wizards are supposed to be wise and learned, so they have absorbed a small amount of Naruto's shinobi mental training and will impart it to the host. Only a small bit, of course, but it's enough to make a significant difference in a child like Rias.
5- Gi: this is often the term used for the traditional martial arts outfit, like what you'd see in a karate dojo.
Alright, Familiars! So Naruto technically doesn't need one, what with Kurama and all, but hey, why not? Like I said in this chapter, the Familiar is more than a pet or a servant, it is a part of you, and is meant to compliment you. We'll see just how well Tiamat compliments Naruto as a partner first, eh?
Naruto - Kurama (Bijuu/Kitsune)
Tier - Undine
Aayla - Gryphon
Rias - Devil-bat
Assistance with the chapter once again comes from SkySage24.
~Dreaming of the Phoenix