Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor Highschool DxD and make no profits writing fanfiction about them.

(AN): So I started watching Prisma Illya the other day. It's surprisingly fucking lit.


Rias balanced a tea tray on one hand and a plate of biscuits in the other as she circled around the Olympic length pool that nestled in the backend of Starling Hall's estate. Technically speaking she could easily levitate both tea and cookies with magic alone, but there was something more concrete about actually using her own hands. It provided a grounded feeling she hoped she didn't need.

"A private meeting on a warm summer morning by the pool, with service included. Are you trying to seduce me, my love?"

"You're not as funny as you think you are." Sasuke sighed, letting Akeno's flirtatious look slide off him like water off a duck's back. He was tired, with dark circles shadowing his eyes, but it was much better than the sheer exhaustion that had been creeping up on him yesterday. A good night's sleep had done him well.

Rolling her eyes at her servants' usual banter, Rias delicately slid the tea tray and cookies onto the small round glass patio table. "Would it be too onerous to expect a bit of serenity from the two of you, or will you continue to go at it like cats in heat?"

Akeno made a low mreow, miming a catty swipe at the redhead.

"Lovely." Rias muttered before slipping into her seat. She briefly considered opening the umbrella that poked up from the center of the table but decided against it. There'd been too much darkness of late.

Instead Rias looked across to pin her Pawn with a patient teal stare, noting out of the corner of her eye that a suddenly serious Akeno was doing the same.

Sasuke blinked slowly, shifting his gaze from one woman to the other. He knew it was a feeble attempt to brush aside the horrors of Konoha, but Sasuke also knew that the girls wouldn't be satisfied with half the story.

So he drew in a deep breath, steadying his lungs and heart at the same time, and began.

Trying to smother down the desolation and despair, Sasuke explained how Konoha itself had been destroyed by the alliance of Iwa and Kumo, while Kiri stood on the sidelines playing them all against each other. He described the pure dispossession his people had experienced, wandering in the sands and scrabbling for survival.

In that hopeless wasteland, Sasuke confessed how it made sense for Konoha to look to the darkest of paths in order to simply survive. Konoha had been barely able to crawl back from the brink and claim to be a great power, staining their hands with blood all the while.

In the end, rationally, there had been no choice but to try and resurrect Naruto, hoping he'd be enough to lead Konoha back from the brink. Sasuke was fair enough to admit that what Sakura and Gaara did made sense, even if he and Naruto were the ones that got the shaft.

"Most of the time I felt like an extra." The Uchiha admitted, one hand coming up to fiddle at the buttons that crowned his throat. "They wanted my strength and they wanted my Sharingan, but they didn't really want me. Naruto was their mascot, but I was just a kunai in their pouch."

"If they wanted to throw their entire country on the shoulders of one man, that's on them," Akeno asserted coolly, the purple lightning of her eyes flaring. "You're more than just a weapon, and if they didn't want to see that then it's their loss."

Sasuke quirked the corner of his mouth into an indulgent smirk. It was always something to see when Akeno got worked up and defensive. "Regardless. There was a lot of pain and a lot of suffering to wade through. We personally must have ended at least three hundred lives."

Shrugging with bitter acceptance, Sasuke looked over to clinically examine the slow lapping water of the pool. "Even in the end we didn't really accomplish anything. We just created a global dictatorship and hoped for the best."

Rias narrowed her eyes, turning over the fragmented truths that Sasuke had passed on to her. There was no doubt in her mind that her Pawn had hid the deepest and darkest secrets from her. Doing so was only human nature – nobody wanted to claim weakness. But that meant that she had to guess, and Rias hated guessing. "So after you pulled off your one-sided victory, did the burden of expectation equalize?"

"No." Sasuke snorted, dismissing the entire world of shinobi with a lazy wave. "All chains of command still went directly to Naruto. He barely had a minute to himself to breathe. And since he was always more invested in Konoha than I ever was, everything just compounded until he broke."

"Which is why he's different." Rias exchanged a worried look with Akeno. The two young women weren't Naruto's emotional redoubts by any means, but they cared enough to deal with the man's emotions sooner rather than later. "I assume it's not as simple as a basic policy change."

Laughing in a low tone like broken glass, Sasuke shook his head. How could he even put into words the magnitude of the Will of Fire, and Naruto's apostasy from it? He could compare it to a dozen human religions, quoting gods and varna, but even that wouldn't be quite the same. Hagoromo's teachings had stained the entire ninja world with weakness, and repudiating that wasn't as simple as snapping their fingers.

"Let's just say that even if Naruto's heart has changed, his habits haven't. He'll still eat ramen and play pool with his 'father' on Saturdays. You can expect his basic preferences to be the same, even if his philosophy is moving ahead at all right angles. He should fit right back in, mostly."

Akeno tapped red-painted fingernails over the glass, munching on a biscuit and looking distinctly unsatisfied. "That's pretty vague, don't you think? Things haven't exactly been static here. Expecting that you can just slide in as easy as you please is a bit naïve."

Coal dark eyes skittered off to gaze into the distance. "You can let us worry about that."

Cocking an eyebrow at Sasuke's cool statement, Akeno reached into her cleavage and withdrew a tiny black book. "We could, or we could give you enough information to not get killed on the first day, what will it be?"

"Somehow, I feel like I should be surprised you kept it there, but I'm just not."


"Well you know me. Always looking for a way to catch your eye."

"Are you well rested, Naruto Gremory?"

Snorting at that, the redhead turned away from the library window and glared at Ophis. "Better than yesterday, I guess." He admitted grudgingly.

There was no way in hell that Naruto could be considered anywhere near 'well-rested' after two months of hell followed up by some shoujo manga level developments in his personal life. He hadn't slept well and he'd spent most of the day trying and failing to find his cagey fiancé to try and settle things before a rift could form. But sure, he supposed that it could be worse.

Ophis hummed at that, tracking her grey eyes over the dusty tomes that were spread out over a dozen tables. If the Dragon God thought it was strange to find Naruto in a library, she didn't say anything about it. "We must speak then. Walk with me."

"Why?" Frowning at the tiny shapeshifter's back as she twisted towards the door, Naruto shrugged and slowly followed. "I don't think we've got a lot to say to each other, so what's wrong with here?"

There was a queer touch of uncertainty in Ophis' tone as she replied. "I prefer the walk. As of late, I find it centering." Which was such a purely human thing to say that Naruto almost stumbled with shock. Where the hell was the little girl that had once carelessly proclaimed Sasuke her slave? But before he could say anything, Ophis hardened. "And we have more to speak on than you would assume, Naruto Gremory."

Accepting that the moment of what might have been vulnerability was gone, Naruto kept his mouth shut as they wandered out onto the moonlit lawn.

The petals of a hundred different lilies shone silver in the night, blooming safe from the harsh light of the sun and crowning the grounds with what looked like stars come down to earth. It was an ethereally beautiful thing to see, with the experience only enhanced by the sweet scent that wafted over the warm evening breeze.

Ophis was nowhere near human, but perhaps there were certain sensibilities that all thinking beings shared. In any case, she came to a stop and looked out over the estate with a placidly cool expression.

"I dislike uncertainties. When you and I came to accord you promised me service against Great Red in exchange for three things. Transport to and from the world of shinobi on a single occasion by request, non-interference in the lives of the people you care for, and an end to my involvement with Uchiha Sasuke once Great Red has been defeated."

Shoving his hands in the pockets of his navy-blue sweatpants, Naruto hunched his shoulders tight. "Yeah, I remember." He remembered being that innocent, thinking that he could just pop in to see his old buddies for a few days without any worry. He remembered being hopeful enough to believe that everything would work out fine without him, because he'd thought people would inherit his will.

Ophis narrowed her eyes, turning away from the moonflower garden so she could squarely meet the Gremory heir's gaze. "Because of the shinobi, the first part of our agreement was pre-empted. Further, I had to bind myself not only to you but also to Rias Gremory and Himejima Akeno to enable them to pretend you remained here. This could be seen as interference from a certain point of view. It seemed preferable to renegotiate rather than ignore the circumstances and hope you'd uphold your end of the bargain."

In that moment Ophis proved that while she'd selected Naruto as a possible tool, she'd never bothered to understand him. If she had, she'd have known that his sense of fair play would compel him to uphold the agreement either way. Even after the nightmare of fighting for Konoha again, he'd assumed they'd be allies of a sort. But if she was offering a better deal, Naruto was smart enough to accept it.

"Alright then. Let's assume that the last bit is still in force. Sasuke isn't your slave. In fact, none of us are. Once your business with Great Red is solved that'll be the end of it. We don't have to fight for you or do anything else you ask." Naruto suggested quickly, combing his crimson hair out of his eyes and thinking desperately. What else did he even want out of the Ouroboros Dragon beyond her fucking right off and not messing around in their lives?

"Very well."

Staring down at the frigid-faced lolita, Naruto grinned weakly. Independence was once thing, but even that wasn't a sure bet. He wasn't naïve enough to think that Ophis would never under any circumstances lean on them outside of their original deal. So with that in mind, he decided he'd best get everything out of her that he could. "The second condition then is that I expect you to support me. I want to change this country. I'm not asking you to get down in the mud and sweat like a pig, but a few minutes here and there should be doable."

Ophis tilted her head slowly to the side, weighing the redhead with her sharp alien stare. "Do you intend to conquer Gehenna? I would not oppose that, but if you were doing so it would be much easier for you to do so as part of my Khaos Brigade."

Grimacing at that, Naruto shook his head. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'm sure your army is great, but I'm asking to be your ally, not your underling. Mutual support between us and the Brigade would work, as long as you understand we're not part of it."

"That is acceptable."

Naruto swallowed dryly, throwing a look over his shoulder at the dark manor he knew contained his closest friends and family. "And if I die, I want you to do call all your deals with Sasuke and the rest off, if you have them. I'll fight for you. I'll kill for you. I'll even die for you. But only if you can promise that the people I love will be protected, and that they won't be expected to fight a war for you."

For the first time Ophis hesitated. The first condition was simple enough, since she would have no use for pawns once the war was won and Great Red destroyed. Even the second condition was relatively easy to deal with, since the mere mention of her name could strike fear into the hearts of many. Confirming she supported Naruto would stabilize any conquest of Gehenna he made, while adding the devils de facto to her Khaos Brigade, even if they were de jure independent.

But Naruto Gremory's last condition was almost damning. The man was a reckless brawler, and it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he managed to get himself killed in one war or another before Great Red was destroyed. Giving up not only Uchiha Sasuke but the rest of Naruto's or Rias' peerages as pawns could actually set her back a few decades.

Was putting a leash on Naruto Gremory – the man who had changed the world of shinobi twice over worth that kind of gamble?

"I will accept your terms, as long as you agree in return that you will render me honest and unwavering service."

Smirking, Naruto wordlessly held out his hand. Call it old fashioned of him, but he expected that any honest deal would be concluded with a handshake. It took a few moments of Ophis goggling in confusion for her to clue in, but eventually the immortal sealed their deal with a firm shake.

"That's that then."

"For now."

Rather than endure further pointless niceties or waste time standing silently, Ophis vanished in a spark of black unlight.

Naruto glared at the empty space that the tiny goddess had once occupied, rolling his eyes at the arrogance of immortals before pivoting on the spot and trekking back up towards the manor. It was getting a bit chilly outside, and if he was done playing around with an eldritch abomination he had better things to do.

Like hunting down a certain errant fiancé.

Or at least, that was what Naruto thought. Maybe in a different world he would have spent another few hours running down Ravel and sternly lecturing into her the vices of cowardice. But in this one he came face to face with the young blonde girl as soon as he slipped in the side-door, his inspirational speech entirely forgotten.

"Umm."

"Well, err…"

"If I had to say, well, uhh…."

Shuffling awkwardly in place, Naruto clasped his hands behind his back and searched for something to say. He might be passionate and impulsive, but he wasn't an ignorant retard. He knew exactly how Ravel felt about him, and how Valerie felt about him, and how he couldn't respond to one over the other without making the third wheel feel left out.

"Ravel, I…"

"Shut up." Ravel closed her eyes and sucked in a desperate breath, holding up her palm in the universal stop sign, demanding from her fiancé at least a single silent moment. "Just give me a minute. Just, shut the fuck up." Maybe it was the naked desperation in her voice, or maybe it was just the shock of the prim and proper Phenex princess cursing, but either way silence reigned.

Ravel was in no way dressed for confrontation. She'd slipped into a baggy set of gray sweatpants, tying her hair up into a lazy ponytail and plodding around the mansion barefoot. If she'd wanted to hide in some tiny closet with a bucket of ice cream no one would bat an eyelash, but her sloppy appearance would make her grandfather die of an aneurysm. The blonde was better suited for the bath than she was for the buffet.

In the end though, it didn't make her any less regal when Ravel straightened her spine to steel and glared up at the redhead that she'd been sold to for the sake of a political alliance. "I know you Naruto, so I know that right now you feel like you need to give me a stupid apology hoping that I'll forgive you for your mistakes."

The unyielding cold fire of Ravel's sapphire stare was enough to unnerve a lesser man. If the blonde set that glower on her servants or even her own brother it would explain perfectly why they all jumped to keep her satisfied. "I don't forgive you."

Naruto half-expected the rejection, but that didn't prevent him from wanting to fold in half with guilt. It made perfect sense after all. Ravel had given him her love without reservation for years, only for him to piss all over it by running around with Valerie. If she turned her back on him now it was only just desserts.

"I don't forgive you, because there is nothing to forgive." Ravel bit out, clenching one hand in the faded pink cotton of her hoodie like she could steal strength from it. "Maybe you're projecting your human sensibilities on Gehenna, but whatever you've done or haven't done is exactly what I was raised to expect from my husband."

Sparks sputtered and flared when Ravel exhaled, glittering a blinding orange in the night as they flowed out from her lungs. Those sparks scattered and died once the blond lunged, plunging the pair into stifling darkness as she cupped Naruto's jaw with bruising force. "I don't care who you stick your fucking dick into."

The sharp edges of Ravel's nails cut mercilessly into Naruto's skin, but he was too spellbound to pull back and reject the pain.

"But you had better understand that I'll take no less than her." Then Ravel slammed her mouth onto his, inexperienced and clumsy. There was no romance in the kiss, only the heat of anger and the copper taste of Naruto's own blood when she nipped at the flesh of his lips. "And if you think you can play me I'll burn you to ashes. Starting with your balls, and ending with your brains."


(AN): 3100. Wrapped up the Ravel conflict here. She's not ever going to be 'lol noice' about her husband fucking around, but she is raised in a country that expects it.

So she's less focused on the physical fidelity angle and more on the emotional honesty one. She lets go of her airheaded dreams, and now settles for demanding Naruto at least reciprocate her emotional investment.

What rank in Gehenna does Sasuke aspire to? – I haven't decided what to do with the aristocracy. But in terms of power he'd be both Field Marshal and director of the secret police.