Ryuko groaned as consciousness slowly returned to her. Her senses began feeding her information bit by bit. First was the agony in her skull, which she quickly realized was a rather terrible hangover. Apparently, either her enhanced constitution and recovery rate between Devil power and Life Fibers didn't work on hangovers or Senketsu had decided to prevent it from working as a means of making her face consequences for her actions as a part of growing up. Given she knew her recuperation powers had holes already, the former seemed more likely, but she wasn't about to rule out the latter. Next was her sense of touch, and she felt someone held tight against her, someone else cuddled up to her back, and a rather comfortable bed beneath her, at least as soft and supportive as those of the 2 or 3 star apartments. "...this isn't my futon..." she mumbled blearily as she struggled to make sense of sensory input.

"No, it is Rias' bed in her home here in Japan," a strident voice stated clearly but calmly, though with a hint of disapproval insinuated within supported by an odd hum that seemed to fill the air.

Ryuko squinted her eyes shut even tighter than they already were, not wanting her headache exacerbated by the light show that was surely accompanying the hum and Satsuki's words. Instead, she focused on the hum. She'd noticed over time that when her sister got into her "holier than thou" declarative state accompanied by glowing lights and humming that one could deduce her emotional state - among other things - just by listening to subtle differences in the choral hum that accompanied the light. Ryuko could tell that Satsuki was more perturbed than actually upset, with a hint of being resigned. There was also a unique tone to the humming, one that Ryuko had only heard before during the time when Satsuki had been part of Nudist Beach and at no other time before or since. If she had to qualify it, it was almost as though the humming were coming through unfiltered...

"Nee-chan..." Ryuko managed to get out. "Are you...naked?"

A quiet sip indicated Satsuki was having some tea. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you became so convinced about bringing back 'Nudist Beach' while in your drunken stupor that after Rias teleported all of you back to her room in embarrassment, you managed to work a spell on the room so that the only way anyone could come in was if they were naked."

Ryuko let that turn over in her mind...and felt something unfamiliar against her chest. A worrisome thought occurred to her. "...who am I cuddling?"

"Actually, Yuuto's in more of a headlock than a cuddle," Satsuki pointed out flatly. "According to Senketsu, you seemed convinced that if you let him go, he would go on a blind quest for vengeance and get himself killed like the idiot you used to be." As Ryuko twitched in response to that statement, Satsuki continued. "Your exact words, as best as Senketsu was able to understand your drunken slurring. You actually got weepy at that point over Yuuto not having his own Senketsu or Mako to remind him that his life was worth living for his own sake...or so Ddraig insists."

Ryuko wondered momentarily whether having those two making sure she didn't do something dangerous or upsetting while drunk was worth them reporting everything embarrassing that happened. She eventually came to the conclusion that she was stuck with them either way, so she'd convince herself it was worth it. "Is he still breathing?" she managed to ask.

There was silence save for a creaking chair. "...barely," Satsuki allowed.

"Then he can stay where he is," Ryuko mumbled under her breath. "Who's at my back?"

"Asia," Satsuki responded readily. "According to Senketsu, she managed to get comfortable with being 'Nudist Beach' surprisingly quickly once you were all in private." Somehow, Ryuko was certain she could hear the twitch of Satsuki's eyebrows. "I find it difficult to believe Ddraig's claim that she suggested the 'drunken orgy."

Ryuko was silent as she let that turn over in her mind. "...I had a drunken orgy?" she managed to barely squeak out.

"No," Satsuki responded quickly. "Senketsu came to the conclusion that that was taking things too far and managed to cast a sleep spell that knocked everyone out cold until we got here."

Ryuko let out a sigh of relief. "So...Senketsu didn't like the idea of a drunken orgy?" she managed to ask curiously, starting to feel her headache subside.

"One without Mako's presence or awareness, yes," Satsuki mumbled, rueful disapproval in her voice.

Ryuko managed a nod. "Yeah...sounds about right..." She let out a sigh as she started to open her eyes. "Where's everyone else?" she managed to ask.

"As soon as we all arrived and the others began to awaken, Koneko hid inside Ira's jacket as though she expected you to deflower her the moment you awoke," Satsuki explained, amusement noticeable in her voice. "Ira's been most awkward about that."

Ryuko managed a chuckle, only to wince as her headache flared again. "Rias? And Akeno?" she managed to ask.

"Rias extracted herself with a surprising amount of dignity," Satsuki observed, the slightest hint of admiration in her voice. "I got the impression she would rather have stayed, but apparently she had a communication from her older brother she needed to look into. Uzu extracted Akeno and has taken her to a private room before hanging up a 'Do Not Disturb' sign."

Ryuko managed a smirk. "Any guesses what they're doing in there?"

Elsewhere in the manor that was Rias' residence in Japan, Akeno's pleased moans could be heard echoing from a closed room. "You really do have...magic hands..." she managed to moan out between gasps.

"I did tell you," Uzu purred happily, a tightness in his voice along with a few grunts. "But what were you thinking neglecting yourself like this?"

Akeno let out a sudden startled gasp that sounded somewhat like a startled bird. "Part of me...I do not like," she managed to say.

"No reason to neglect," Uzu insisted tightly. "If you..." A grunt interrupted his words. "...feel the need for punishment, I can grant it if you want. But neglect..." He let out a relieved gasp.

Akeno suddenly let out a pleased cry somewhere between a moan and the notes of a songbird. "Ooooh..." she moaned out in ecstatic pleasure.

"See what I mean?" Uzu asked with a chuckle.

"I have no desire to speculate," Satsuki stated calmly and coldly. "However, I don't think either of them are actually as ready to pursue things like that as they act."

"If you say so, nee-chan," Ryuko allowed. Not to say she disagreed with the assessment, but given how she herself had apparently acted, she wasn't sure if Devil nature had a stronger influence on such things than Satsuki had managed to account for yet. "...do I need to get up yet?"

"I'm afraid you do," Rias' voice cut in, showing that she had returned to the room. "We have two matters of business that need to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, the one my brother raised must be delayed, as the communication from the Church is more time sensitive."

"The Church?" Satsuki asked in surprise.

"Yes," Rias allowed guardedly. "We are to receive two envoys of the Church, and I would like my entire Peerage present to receive them. I would like you to be there as well, Satsuki-san."

"I would be pleased to," Satsuki allowed warmly. "It would be intriguing to take the measure of another side of the Biblical stalemate that seems to be the status quo. Would it be alright to have Uzu and Iori along?"

"Uzu would be acceptable," Rias allowed thoughtfully after a time. "He would look the part of your bodyguard...but why Iori?"

"If they are representatives of the Church, they are likely to have access to potent Light magic or other Holy power," Satsuki explained. "This may be one of the only opportunities to study such energy when it isn't being actively used against us. With luck, Iori might be able to figure out how to tune Ryuko's D-Fibers to either repel Light and Holy energy, or at least to not try to feed on it."

"While a reasonable course of action, I'm not certain how we would float that past them," Rias pointed out ruefully.

"Leave that to me at the meeting," Satsuki stated firmly.

"Very well," Rias allowed. There was silence for a moment. "Ryuko, I don't suppose you remember how you worked this enchantment on my room?" she inquired carefully. "It is...rather fascinating, and I'd rather not destroy it to remove it if I can avoid it. However, I would like to be able to use my room to get dressed, if only because my clothes are all in here."

"I don't even remember casting it," Ryuko muttered as she finally released Yuuto, allowing the rather embarrassed Knight to roll out of bed and move to somewhere he could conceal his nakedness. Sitting up, Ryuko rubbed her eyes as she felt Senketsu wrap around her of his own accord. Apparently being her familiar meant the spell didn't register him as 'clothing'...or he incorporated an exception for himself into the spell as she was casting it and had just let her sleep naked. "Senketsu? Do you know the spell weave?" she asked as she opened her eyes.

"I do," Senketsu allowed calmly. "There's a rune inside the wall just under the light switch that can be rotated. Simply place your fingers in the marked circles and turn it one quarter turn clockwise to disable the spell. Turn it back to reactivate it, and turn it one quarter turn counterclockwise while the spell is active to bring all fabric within the chamber to life to molest everyone in the room."

"What," Satsuki stated flatly.

"Wait, what?" Rias demanded as she jerked her hand back from the noted rune.

"Why?" Ryuko demanded in confusion.

"Ddraig's doing."

"Hey, it's not *my* fault my draconic nature means my hosts are always surrounded by members of the opposite sex!" Ddraig countered flatly. "Or in Ryuko's case, same sex *and* opposite sex since she apparently swings whichever way the person she's most emotionally invested in happens to be. Still, after thousands of years of it, did you really think I hadn't learned to enjoy it and start tweaking things to make it more entertaining?" The Gear suddenly shuddered on Ryuko's arm. "Though the less said about one particular generation, the better," he continued in a barely heard mumble. "Seriously, he *knew* I was taking a female host that generation. Why the heck did he pick that playboy? Didn't he realize how awkward that would be? That is *not* our idea of proper *fights*..."

...Ryuko decided she didn't want to know.