The next day, Satsuki, the Elite Four, Rias' Peerage, Iori, and the Exorcists were all gathered in the old school building. As everyone sat down, Ryuko sent a glance Asia's way. "So how did it go sending the message via Issei?" she asked curiously.
"Not bad," Asia allowed happily. "He seemed confused that I knew about his house guests, but the moment I mentioned that Rias-sempai would be pleased if he'd deliver the message, he stopped questioning."
Ryuko suppressed an amused snort. "Somehow I'm not surprised," she muttered, raising an eyebrow at the sight of Irina's pouting expression at the nature of the discussion. A slowly raising eyebrow on Ryuko and Xenovia's part led to Irina turning away in a huff, much to Akeno's amusement.
Xenovia cleared her throat. "I am somewhat surprised that the message came so early," she began awkwardly. "I was only able to get a few bits of information from my superiors. The rest could not be passed over the phone, and must be hand delivered."
Satsuki let out a frustrated sigh at that. "The device to track the Excalibur Blades is complete," she explained calmly. "Do you have any information of significance regarding the opposition?"
Xenovia clenched her fists around the hilt of Excalibur Destruction, as though clinging to it for support. "They have the backing of Kokabiel."
Rias, Akeno, Koneko, and Yuuto all visibly winced at that. Satsuki raised an eyebrow. "Is that name supposed to mean something to me?" she asked bluntly.
"The Fallen Angel of the Stars," Akeno clarified, gritting her teeth as she spoke until Uzu took her hand, causing her to relax. Ryuko raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing. "He's one of the leaders of the Grigori, the heads of the Fallen Angels, outranked - by technicality, at least - only by the Governor-General himself."
Huh, Ryuko thought silently as she found her hand idly going to her phone of its own accord. Guess Oji-kun is plan E, then.
Plan E? Ddraig asked in her mind. I thought we only had Plans A through C.
Isn't it obvious? Senketsu responded in their shared mind speech, his mental voice resigned. Plan D is fight him ourselves.
I really should have seen that coming, shouldn't I have? Ddraig responded eagerly, the concept of such a strong opponent exciting him.
Yes you should have, Ryuko responded with a smirk. Aloud she continued, "So we've got a fun fight, then?"
Several of those present twitched, though the Exorcists only looked stunned. Eventually, it was Asia of all people who spoke up. "Ryuko-san," she began awkwardly, "Kokabiel was one of the strongest Angels in existence before he fell...created in the same batch as the Angel of Death. While Fallen he won't have access to the same type of power..."
Ryuko frowned thoughtfully. She still remembered what it felt like to be stopped by that single bony digit, power that eclipsed gods denied simply because her target did not deign to allow her progress. Okay, setting up Plan E in advance next time Oji-kun calls for me, she decided silently, if a bit petulantly.
"Well, that makes our opposition's plans rather obvious," Satsuki concluded. "Artifacts stolen from the Church by Agents of a leader of the Fallen, taken into the territory of blood of two Satans? They seek war, and intend to use the Excaliburs to make it happen...which means they'll want yours as well." The end of what she said she directed specifically at Xenovia and Irina.
"Their attempts shall not meet success!" Irina declared with the conviction of the blind faithful. "We move by the Will of God, and shall smite them in His Name!" She either ignored or failed to notice the wince her words caused among those present who wielded demonic power...and Satsuki and Nonon.
"That is no reason we should not take every precaution in this struggle," Xenovia spoke calmly, catching Irina off guard. "Miss Satsuki, I assume you have plans for handling this situation?"
"Three, in point of fact," Satsuki explained calmly, "and I intend to enact all of them immediately." She turned to face the entire group as her heeled boot clacked against the floor, though the light did not shine at this point. "The first plan is to relieve our foes of the Excaliburs, whether through their retrieval or their destruction. Xenovia, Irina, Ira, and Yuuto will be handling that mission. Rias, if Sona can spare any of her own Peerage to help, it would be a good idea to make the request."
"I will see who she can spare," Rias confirmed. "Saji is in need of combat experience, and he should be safe enough..."
"Don't take too long, however," Satsuki interrupted. "Plan B is to render the Excaliburs unusable during the conflict. For that, Nonon, Ryuko, and Koneko will be briefly working with you in regards to your other Peerage member that your brother said you were ready to handle."
Rias blinked in surprise. Her brother had taken a measure of her after the battle against Riser, and had concluded that she'd personally grown strong enough to handle Gasper and could thus release the seal on his chambers, but she'd been reluctant to do so in the midst of this conflict that had arisen. "I see..." she began thoughtfully.
"Break the seal, introduce him to Nonon and Ryuko, and then leave him to the three of them," Satsuki instructed firmly. "Plan C is to remove Excalibur from the equation entirely, but even if it works the result will be a roll of the dice not even God will be able to predict." She ignored the looks of offense and outrage on Xenovia and Irina's faces, respectively, as she declared that. "So the less said about it, the better. Iori, Usu, and Akeno will be seeing to that, and Iori already knows what's needed to be done, and will instruct as necessary. In the meantime, you, Asia, and I will give every impression that we aren't even aware of the upcoming conflict, doing all we can to make things seem normal so those watching won't think we're already moving against them."
Asia suddenly smiled and clapped her hands. "I think I know just how to accomplish that!" she declared exuberantly.
"Oh?" Rias asked in surprise. "How's that?"
"It's a surprise!" Asia insisted with a giggle.
Rias sighed softly, wondering if perhaps Ryuko or Satsuki had been too much of an influence on the 'devil nun', as she sometimes affectionately thought of Asia. "Very well," she allowed reluctantly as she got to her feet. "In that case, let us begin immediately."
"So who is this we're going to meet?" Ryuko asked curiously as she, Koneko, and Nonon followed Rias to a sealed door in a deeper part of the old school building, the large double doors covered with what looked like caution tape and the handles chained together with a massive padlock. "Given past talk, I'm guessing it's the other Bishop, and one with a Mutation Piece...and someone whose power is rather volatile?" Getting a nod from Koneko at that description, she continued, "But that doesn't tell me anything about who."
"You'll meet him soon enough," Rias stated calmly as she placed her hand against the door, her magic flared briefly and the caution tape, padlock, and chains disappeared. Taking hold of the handle, she tightened her grip in preparation of opening it, causing the internal mechanisms to audibly click.
"Kyaaaaaa!" a high pitched, exceptionally feminine sounding voice cried out in despair from within the chamber as the door swung open, revealing a somewhat Victorian style bedroom done up in a mix of various shades of pink.
"What was that?" Nonon asked in confusion.
Rias for her part chuckled softly as she addressed - of all things - a coffin in the bed. "I'm glad to hear you're in good spirits," she stated with a smile.
"What in the world was that?" the voice demanded from inside the coffin.
"A vampire, huh?" Nonon asked quietly.
"Half-vampire," Koneko corrected.
"I'm surprised even a half-vampire was willing to tolerate being sealed away, whatever the reason," Nonon observed curiously.
"Well he doesn't have to anymore," Rias stated firmly as she lifted the lid off the coffin...revealing a young, platinum blonde-haired figure in Kuoh Academy's girls uniform with an exceptionally pretty face.
"But I like it in here!" he wailed out as he turned to face them, his bright pink eyes watery as he wailed. "I'm happy in here, you don't have to unseal me!"
"Hikikomori..." Ryuko and Nonon deduced simultaneously, sighing ruefully.
"W-who are...?" the figure began, only for his eyes to suddenly light up. "The Crimson Warrior!" he suddenly squealed, rushing past Rias and up to Ryuko, much to Rias and Koneko's surprise.
"Eh?" Ryuko asked in surprise. "You know about me?"
"Are you kidding?" the figure declared excitedly, bouncing on his feet in an excessively adorable fashion. "You're the one who fought against the tyranny of Honnoji Academy, who overcame all odds whatever the challenge, conquered her own inner beast, and through sheer will, determination, and bonds of friendship, defied and denied Armageddon itself!" His eyes shone as he stared up at Ryuko with a worshipful gaze. "You're my hero..."
Ryuko stared down at the young half-vampire devil pretty boy, blinking uncertainly. "Uh...pleased to...meet you?" she asked awkwardly.
The boy's grin widened even further...only to turn into a horrified expression. "KYAAAAAH!" he cried out as he dashed back into the room, diving into a cardboard box. "Outside is scarrrrry..."
"Agoraphobic hikikomori..." Nonon corrected thoughtfully. "And Satsuki thinks he's an ace up our sleeve...?" Grumbling under her breath, she stomped into the room before seizing the box and pulling it open. "And where do you think-"
"KYAHHH!" the boy screamed out as his eyes suddenly blazed. A grey aura suddenly covered Nonon, freezing her in place...
...only for Nonon to appear behind the boy, grabbing him by the collar and hauling him out of the box. "-doing hiding in there?" she demanded irritably.
"Ueh?" the boy gasped in surprise as the others turned to her in shock.
"When'd you get that trick?" Ryuko asked as the Nonon that was grayed out faded away, shortly followed by the gray aura that had surrounded her.
"We've all been learning to adapt our Goku Uniform abilities to more mundane uses now that we don't have enough Fibers for three-star uniforms," Nonon explained readily. "That's my Encore technique. As long as I'm on the attack, I can leave a sound-image of myself behind if I'm targeted and reappear to complete the assault from a different angle once every beat of the metronome." She indicated where a tiny metronome was just barely visible on the brim of her hat, ticking back and forth to 8/4 time. "Still working on managing it faster, but the focus Fibers that guide my energy aren't complex enough yet."
"You...you can move after getting frozen?" the boy asked in surprise, tears beading the corners of his eyes.
"Uh...yeah?" Nonon stated with a confused raised eyebrow. "I just finished saying-"
"Please don't leave me alone!" he wailed out as he suddenly clung desperately to Nonon.
"Whaaaaaa?" Nonon cried out in confusion.
Rias couldn't stop herself from chuckling. "Nonon, Ryuko, this is Gaspar Vladi, wielder of the Sacred Gear 'Forbidden Balor View', which freezes anything affected in time...as best our understanding of the magic involved can explain it. Nonon, I leave him in your care. See what you can do to help him face the outside world."
Staring at the situation completely stupefied, Koneko responded with the only thing that seemed to make sense. "Yare yare daze..." she murmured in her monotone.
Unable to help herself any longer, Ryuko collapsed to the ground in laughter.