Ryuko calmly walked side by side with her sister, Satsuki, as they made their way to the old schoolhouse, now the Occult Research Club's clubhouse...and the home base of Rias Gremory and her demonic peerage, of which Ryuko was now a member. Ryuko didn't really understand why Satsuki was coming too, but understood it had something to do with the 'families' now being allies. Unfortunately, Ryuko's understanding of politics and negotiations boiled down to 'punch the idiots until they stop being idiots', so the explanation escaped her. She didn't really mind, though, as it meant she'd probably get to see Rias squirm again, which would be entertaining.

As they entered, Ryuko looked around the main room. There were a couple of comfortable looking couches, an antique looking desk with a chair behind it, a table between the two couches...and a shower and tub behind a curtain just off to one side? Ryuko raised an eyebrow at that, but a glance at Satsuki showed she wasn't surprised in the least. Apparently, having your own private shower readily available somewhere other than home where you held power was a 'rich, noble thing' rather than a 'Devil thing', so Ryuko shrugged it off and took in what else she could see.

The overall structure of the building was old, with well treated wood everywhere one looked and barely any metal in sight. The warm lighting provided by a few wall lamps left it feeling cozy and homey rather than primitive or enclosed as it might have. A few halls led off in other directions, indicating there was more to the clubhouse than this room, but there wasn't as much signs of life in those halls as there was in this room. Plainly, while the whole place was well maintained, little beside this room saw much use.

"Ah, you're here," Rias spoke up as she stepped around from behind the curtain, straightening her uniform. "Welcome."

Satsuki nodded calmly. Ryuko stretched, not as impressed as she probably should have been. After seeing what Satsuki could afford to 'throw away' for one, two, and three star families at her school, displays of wealth had no effect on her anymore. Not only that, she'd always been more at home in the cozy if dilapidated no-star apartment the Mankanshoku family had while there than in any of the manors provided for the higher ranks. Aside from that, she'd yet to see anything from Rias to earn her respect.

Rias clasped her hands together. "I've asked you both here today to introduce you to the rest of my peerage, and vice versa," she explained calmly. "Normally this would just be for Ryuko as a new member of the Peerage, but as you are head of her family, in the name of our alliance you should know them as well."

"Understandable," Satsuki allowed calmly.

"Would you like to take a seat?" Rias offered, gesturing to the couch.

"Not just yet," Satsuki responded instantly. "After I have gauged your Peerage, I will sit."

Rias sighed, rubbing her forehead. She then lifted her other hand, a small red circle appearing in the air between her palm and fingers. "Akeno, please bring the others in."

"Yes, Rias-sama," Akeno's voice responded instantly. Shortly thereafter, one of the other doors opened, and Akeno stepped in. With her was Yuuto Kiba and Koneko Toujou. They both glanced curiously at Satsuki and Ryuko, and Akeno seemed surprised by Satsuki's presence.

"Everyone, this is Ryuko Matoi, our newest member," Rias introduced calmly. "And this is her sister Satsuki Kiryuin, the head of Ryuko's family and our new ally." While Satsuki's eyebrow gave a barely perceptible lift at that introduction, it plainly surprised the others but quieted their questions. Rias then turned back to Satsuki and Ryuko. "And these are the rest of my peerage, your new comrades, Ryuko. You've already met Akeno Himejima, my Queen."

"It is surprising just how quickly you've adjusted, Ryuko-san," Akeno observed softly. She then giggled a trifle wickedly. "Ara, ara, my new kouhai is just full of surprises, isn't she?"

"You have no idea..." Rias groaned, rubbing her forehead. Her expression soured a trifle when she saw Ryuko and Satsuki both smirking, though Ryuko far more noticeably. She then decided to move on, in order of age and seniority. "This is Yuuto Kiba, my Knight."

Yuuto gave a formal bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you both, Satsuki-dono, Ryuko-san."

Satsuki raised an eyebrow at the form of address, but Ryuko just smirked. "Don't be so stuck up, Ken-bozu(1). Relax a little!"

Yuuto's eyes twitched briefly, but a firm glance from Rias quieted him. Sighing, Rias walked over to the last member to be introduced. "And this is our little Koneko Toujou, my Rook."

"Pleased to meet you, Ryuko-sempai," Koneko greeted quietly, her voice monotone and barely audible.

Ryuko glanced at her for a time, then nodded. "Yeah, likewise, Koneko-san."

Satsuki's eyebrow climbed at that in surprise, but she filed it away for later. "Is there a reason you are introducing them as Chess Pieces?"

Rias nodded. "Yes. It is in reference to the Evil Pieces that reincarnated them as Devils." Reaching into a desk drawer, she set out a Rook, Bishop, and Knight piece, white laced with gold. "For certain reasons, they are themed after Chess Pieces, and shape the magic of the one revived after the nature of the Piece. Thus, selection of the proper piece is important when raising someone, though my choices were limited."

Satsuki glanced from the pieces to those gathered and frowned. "And which piece did you use to raise Ryuko?"

Before Rias spoke up, Ryuko interrupted. "Eight Pawns, right?" she asked, getting a startled glance her way from Rias. "I was bored this morning, so I took a look inside. There were eight magical focuses bound up in my fibers, though they looked different from each other. Since you treat the names of pieces as titles, I'm guessing you can't mix and match."

Rias nodded. "That's right. And each piece has a...call it a numerical value related to the potential as a Devil of the one being raised, and that value must be greater or equal. It required all eight Pawns to raise you..." Her voice trailed off, and she lifted her hand. A circle appeared...only for Life Fiber energy to spark around it as an image appeared briefly before the circle shattered. "And it appears that several of them have become Mutation Pieces. I really shouldn't be surprised..."

"Mutation Pieces?" Satsuki asked curiously.

"It's what happens when something about the nature of the power of the one being Raised alters the Evil Piece through their development, giving it the abilities of other pieces in the process," Rias explained calmly. "It's rather rare. I've only seen it once before."

"Your Bishop you aren't introducing to us, for some reason?" Satsuki asked incisively.

Rias frowned. "For now, that is something we will not discuss..."

Satsuki nodded her acceptance of this directive, though her curiosity was aroused.

Sighing, Rias rubbed her forehead briefly before straightening. "Now then, in order for a Devil to gain magical power and increase in standing, they need to fulfill contracts," she explained, lifting a flier like the one Ryuko had unwittingly used to summon her. "However, it has been many centuries since it was legal for Devils to take souls as payment. Other forms of payment are utilized now, as the Contract itself is what's important for growth, rather than the nature of payment."

"How am I supposed to know what to ask for, then?" Ryuko demanded irritably.

"It varies," Yuuto explained calmly. "For the most part, it's what you consider worth it for your investment of time and effort, assuming the request is only for something physical, which is rather frequent." He smiled softly. "One of my regulars summons me just to cook her a nice dinner after a long day at work."

Ryuko couldn't help but smirk at that. "Just dinner, Ken-bozu?" Yuuto glowered, but remained silent.

"The calculation is different if what is asked for requires an investment of magic, however," Rias explained calmly. "The price there is more strictly regulated, to prevent price gouging competition between Devil families, and because the payment is frequently in terms of time in service." She calmly pulled out her smartphone and thumbed through a few pages before showing it to Ryuko and Satsuki. "We use this App for that."(2)

Ryuko didn't know whether to laugh or facepalm, and could only stare. "...right..." she finally allowed, deciding to push past that. "So, what's up first for me, then?"

"Your first task will be to pass out fliers," Rias explained calmly, setting out a stack. "So-"

"Got it!" Ryuko replied, grabbing the stack and leaping out the window to the top of the nearest tree. "Later, Rias-dono!" she called back as she used the bending of the tree to catapult herself out over the city.

Noticing the way Akeno, Yuuto, and Koneko were reacting to that form of address, Satsuki decided to speak up. "Don't react too strongly to her choice in address," she explained calmly. "Ryuko has no real respect for tradition or normal rules of etiquette, and has her own rules for how she talks to people."

"She does?" Koneko asked curiously as the others turned to Satsuki.

Satsuki nodded calmly. "From what I've seen, just about every suffix she uses is in some way, shape, or form teasing or taunting the one she addresses, with only five exceptions...the most significant being when she chooses to use none." She turned to Rias. "When she addresses you by name with no title, you'll know you've earned her respect."

Rias blinked in surprise at that, but remembered from the discussion at their house how, while Ryuko had slung many insulting phrases at Satsuki, she had never attached a suffix to her name...save when she called her 'Nee-chan'. "And...chan?"

"Chan and Kun she uses to show affection," Satsuki explained. "She only uses those she feels intimately close to...and that's only three people. Myself..." He voice trailed off, a warm smile on her face transforming her from an intimidating figure to a breathtaking beauty. She then looked back up. "The other two are Mako and Guts...and Guts is the only reason I know she uses Kun for affection."

"And they are?" Akeno asked curiously.

"Her girlfriend and her girlfriend's dog, respectively," Satsuki explained, making Yuuto suppress a snort.

"That's three exceptions," Koneko pointed out calmly. "But she called me San."

Satsuki nodded sadly. "San she uses if she doesn't know how to feel about someone, and wants to keep them at a distance until she's more sure of herself. Something about you left her uncertain." She frowned thoughtfully at Koneko. "...it is probably your strong if untapped spiritual presence. Ryuko's nature makes her far more attuned to those things than I am, so she likely felt it even stronger, and didn't know how to react." Seeing Koneko lower her gaze and the rest move defensively around her, Satsuki raised an eyebrow. "Another thing we won't be discussing just yet?"

Rias nodded. "Yes. That is something that is...difficult for Koneko to deal with."

Satsuki nodded calmly. "Acceptable. However, this last is a warning: if you ever hear Ryuko refer to someone as 'Senpai', grab the nearest mop. You'll need it before long."

Remembering what little she'd seen of Ryuko's abilities - and the way she'd reacted to a perceived threat to those she cared about - Rias swallowed nervously. "I'll keep one close at hand, just in case..."

(1) "bozu" is a rather teasing suffix approximately translated as 'little boy'. 'Ken' meaning 'sword', Ryuko is tauntingly calling Yuuto "little sword boy".

(2) Idea borrowed from "Devil Arts Online" by fanfiction user Greatazuredragon.