Ryuko smiled to herself as she slumped over her desk. While Ddraig hadn't completed repairs, he'd managed to push it enough that putting a cast over her arm wouldn't interfere with what was left, and so she'd come to class with her right arm in a cast. She'd received more surprised glances than worried glances, as apparently even without getting into fights on campus she had a reputation as a 'tough girl'...possibly from dating Mako, all things considered. A few comments of 'you should see what's left of the other guys' reinforced that and stopped questions of how it happened.
Besides, she had other concerns. Both Rias and Satsuki were in agreement that Ryuko's normal combat style was incompatible with her present situation, especially if word of her enhanced light vulnerability got out. While Devils couldn't use light on their own, there were far too many ways to make Light available as an attack for those who moved in the circles they'd now face opponents from, and she could no longer rely exclusively on tanking everything she came across, especially since she would be facing foes who could match or exceed her stamina in the future. As such, the entire morning from the moment she'd woken up had been re-training to a more evasive fighting style...and Satsuki had been especially cruel regarding motivation. Asia had a batch of 50 croquettes Mako's Mom had made for her lunch. She was engaged in battle with Uzu and Yuuto simultaneously, and Asia was under instruction to feed one croquette to Guts each time she got tagged.
...by the time Ryuko made it to school, she only had four, and that only because Asia had given her half her own lunch portion.
Asia's introduction to her class as a new student had gone predictably, more or less. A cute blonde foreign girl introduced to a class of horny boys and playful, friendly girls? She was welcomed instantly. It was also unsurprising that Issei, Matsuda, and Motohama instantly latched onto her the same way they were latched onto Mako, and to a lesser extent Ryuko (Asia having mentioned she was staying with Ryuko and Mako probably had something to do with that).
What was a real surprise to Ryuko was that Issei showed no signs of perverted intentions towards Asia...or, to be more specific, and active resistance to letting himself be commanded by said urges. Mako's comparison of him to Guts seemed oddly accurate, as he seemed to have decided to become a Guard Dog for Asia. Ryuko made a mental note of that, just in case Asia ever grew sure enough in herself to decide to seek her own relationship, rather than being 'kept' by herself and Mako. She could certainly do worse...
Ryuko carefully flexed her right hand as she glided through the night sky on her own wings. Asia had pushed her studies and figured out how to channel the energies of Twilight Healing directly into the Boosted Gear, giving Ddraig the energy he needed to finish his repairs. He wouldn't be able to activate for combat for a day or two, but he could now recede into Ryuko's aura rather than remain on her arm. She honestly doubted anyone would question her being out of an arm cast after a single day.
Unfortunately, the attempt had burned Asia out enough that she was unable to make her contract debut as Rias had planned, so Ryuko volunteered to take the contract for her. In the meantime, she'd left Mako with instructions to teach Asia how to respond to summoners who sought things from her in contract she did not wish to give...preferably without trying to carry a spiked club that weighed more than she did.
Finding her destination, Ryuko settled down at the door - as there weren't any windows - folded her wings in, and examined the door. It was bright pink, with flowers surrounding the door number. Curiously, she rang the doorbell.
"It's open!" a masculine voice declared while attempting to sound feminine, and using feminine speech paterns. "Please enter, nyo~!"
Ryuko blinked in confusion. "...nyo?" Uncertain what else to do, she entered.
Inside was an ordinary apartment...occupied by a man nearly as tall as Gamagoori who couldn't be more physically masculine if he tried...dressed in a magical girl outfit in pink, white, and red, complete with frilly bows. "Welcome, nyo," he greeted calmly, before doing a magical girl pose. "It's Mil-tan, nyo!"
Ryuko tilted her head slowly. "...and I thought I'd seen the strangest with the Shackle and Scourge Regalia..." she mused before rubbing the back of her head. "Did you summon a devil from the Gremory family?"
"I did, nyo!" the figure declared, a single footstep shaking the floor. "I had a request, so I called, nyo!" The figure's hands clasped in a pleading position. "I want to make a contract so I can become a magical girl!"
Ryuko stared at the figure before her calmly, letting it tick over in her mind. "...why?" she finally asked.
"Eh?"
"Why do you want to be a magical girl?" Ryuko pressed, pulling out her cell phone and activating the App to determine proper costs for contracts. "Pretty sure actually turning you into a full fledged magical girl like the one you're dressed as would cost more than I'm allowed to take, if for nothing else than turning you into an existing character would probably involve too much messing with copyright law..." She glanced at the result. "...life and soul, yeah, not allowed to take that much, and even if I did you wouldn't be allowed to enjoy what you were asking for."
Mil-tan's head sank. "You were my last hope..." Mil-tan whimpered. "I already tried seeking an alternate dimension, and my other self told me he found a Devil Boy who was nice and might be able to do the job someday, so I tried calling a Devil from this dimension's version..."
Ryuko quickly decided not to question that. "That's why I asked why you want it," she explained calmly. "Depending on the why, I might be able to find another way to give you what you want that doesn't cost more than I'm allowed to take, or more than you're willing to give."
"Oh?" Mil-tan asked excitedly.
"So...why do you want to be a magical girl?" Ryuko clarified, following Mil-tan into the apartment and taking a seat.
"Magical girls use their powers to help people, fight evil monsters, and make a difference, nyo!" Mil-tan declared excitedly. "They are symbols of purity, innocence, and determination!"
"Well, you're certainly strong enough to do that as you are," Ryuko observed calmly, "and I don't think a charm to make people see you as a magical girl - or simply as someone doing good for good's sake - would be that difficult or expensive, even making it self-maintaining and bound to part of your costume so you can't lose it. Is that what you want?"
"But...but magical girls don't lie..." Mil-tan pointed out.
"They're always balancing their civilian lives with fighting magic forces, and no one recognizes them even when their faces are plainly visible," Ryuko corrected. "Obviously, there's some sort of magic protecting their 'secret identities'. That's not so much 'lying' as 'hiding a dangerous or inconvenient truth'."
"Hmm..." Mil-tan turned that over for a time. "I don't knyo..."
"Is it a question of identity?" Ryuko asked. "Is it that you want magic that will let you become a girl?" Mil-tan was silent, letting that turn over. "Or is it you specifically want to work with magical powers? Or at least powers that look magical?"
"I...I'm not sure, nyo..." Mil-tan finally admitted.
Ryuko got to her feet. "Well, get back to me when you do know for sure," she allowed, handing over her direct contact number for Devil business, which triggered a different ringtone on her phone. "Pretty sure I can make several of those happen one way or another, and in the meantime I'll look into the ones I'm not sure on."
"Thank you, Ryuko-san nyo!" Mil-tan declared, reading her name off the business card. "You're the best Devil ever!"
Ryuko couldn't help but chuckle. "And don't you forget it," she said teasingly before turning to go. No contract that night...but possibly a return customer. Better to give Mil-tan what Mil-tan wanted once Mil-tan knew what that was.
The following day, Asia made her debut as planned. For reasons of her own, she chose to wear her nun's habit for the summoning. As she stepped out of the circle, she opened her eyes...and took in a room that seemed filled to the brim with samurai memorabilia, including an entire suit of samurai armor complete with war mask...which then stood up.
"Oh, are you the Devil?" a surprisingly cute female voice spoke from behind the war mask.
"Yes, I am Asia Argento, of the Gremory family," Asia replied, choosing not to judge. After all, here she was a Devil dressed as a nun. She gave a polite bow. "What need do you have of my assistance?"
The woman in the armor bowed back, allowing Asia to see the blond curls hanging from under the helmet. "I am Susan," she greeted in formal tones, though with an accent that revealed she was not a native speaker...possibly British, if Asia were to judge. "C...can you come with me to get my notes from the university?" she pleaded in a frightened voice.
Asia blinked at that request, then smiled. "Certainly!" she agreed happily.
Asia kept her hands clasped together as they walked to and from the university, letting Twilight Healing give off a relaxing light to ease Susan's fears of the night, and schools at night. It didn't take long for them to retrieve her notebook.
"Thank you very much!" Susan offered warmly as they returned to the safety of her home.
"You're very welcome," Asia replied warmly. "I will take my leave now."
"Actually...I...I have one more request..." Susan began awkwardly.
"Oh?" Asia asked in surprise. "What is it?" While she was only supposed to do one request per contract, given the simplicity of the first request, she saw no reason not to allow a second one if it was equally simple.
"There's...there's a guy I like..." Susan admitted. "But...I'm shy and can't convey my feelings..."
Asia smiled as she sat back down. "I know that feeling," she offered gently. "There was someone I had trouble conveying my feelings towards, but I think I managed..."
"Oh?" Susan asked hopefully. "What did you do?"
Asia smiled warmly. "I asked her to keep me," she allowed, a slight blush tinging her cheeks.
"Oh no!" Susan gasped out, her blush visible through the war mask somehow. "I could never be so forward!"
Asia managed a soft chuckle. "So what is it you would like? Magical assistance in achieving his affection?"
"N-no..." Susan replied nervously. "I don't want him to like me because of magic...I'd like to make him love me...because of my own feelings..."
Asia thought that over for a time. "Do you desire magical assistance in making your feelings known to him?" she suggested. "Perhaps a charm to give you the confidence to speak to him?"
Susan thought about that for a time. "Maybe...no, no. I want him to love me for me. I don't want to have to change to make that happen."
Asia nodded with a smile, pleased that she had the courage to make that decision. "Then perhaps magical assistance in the delivery of the message?" she suggested. "A guarantee that he will receive, say, a love letter?"
"A love letter?" Susan asked in surprise.
Asia nodded. "You could put your feelings into words, and a small magic could guarantee that the letter will reach him, and that should he choose to respond he will find you."
Susan thought that over for a time. "...actually...do you think you could maybe just be there to support me when he comes to answer?"
Asia blinked in surprise, but smiled and nodded. "Sure!"
Asia smiled to herself as she returned from successfully making the contract, glancing down at the picture she had as a souvenir. A knight in full armor with his arm around Susan in her samurai garb. Certainly an unusual couple...
"Go, Ryuko-chan!" Mako called out in a cheer as she stuffed her face. "Dodge those blows and earn those croquettes!"
"Mako, you're eating my prize!" Ryuko screamed back as she dodged around Uzu's strike to strike the back of his head with her elbow.
"...I am?" Mako asked through a mouthful of the last croquettes.
"Don't worry!" Mako's mother called out kindly. "I'm making more!"
...but then again, who was Asia to judge?