In the time since being chosen, Asia's familiar had warmed up a little to the rest of the club.

Except for Issei.

Despite doing all he could to be nice to the new dragon, it still acted hostile towards him.

A couple other members of the Occult Research Club had brought their familiars out, though they had little interaction with each other, mostly because Koneko's cat seemed content sitting in its masters lap and Rassei still didn't seem to like anyone that much besides Asia.

After another series of failed attempts to win over the new familiar, Issei had given up and went over to where Rias was to talk to her for a few minutes.

"Asia seems happy." He commented.

"Yes, it's as if she has gotten a new pet." Rias agreed.

She has, in many ways.

Issei looked over at said familiar, who Asia was still gushing over.

"Why do you think he hates me?"

"I think he senses your Gear." Rias told him.

"What do you mean?"

"The Red Dragon. It senses Ddraig. Other dragons can feel his aura. 'Rassei' sees you as a threat, and will probably be defensive for a while. I would stay away from him for the time being if I were you."

"I'll keep that in mind, but he looks like he's okay now."

"Asia seems to have calmed him down. For whatever reason, he's not aggressive when he's around her."

Issei felt it too. The former nun just had a calming atmosphere around her.

So far, he's only noticed it with himself and the familiar. He wondered why that was.

"Speaking of that," She continued. "Why don't you have yours here?"

He looked back over the the crimson haired girl next to him.

"She wasn't in the best of shape when I found her. I figured it'd be best to let her rest for a while."

"Yes, of course. That makes sense…" She responded.

Issei looked at her oddly. Something was off.

Rias looked like she was holding herself back from saying something.

"Rias?"

"Yeah?" She asked, louder than necessary. Had the others not been preoccupied with their familiars, they probably would have been alerted.

"Is something bothering you?"

"No, I just… Can I ask you a question, Issei?"

"Sure."

"What do you think about love?" She blurted out.

"Uh…"

What the hell?

Issei didn't really knew what he was expecting her to ask, but it wasn't that.

"You don't have to answer it if you don't want to."

"No, I… I think it sounds pretty nice." He finally stammered out.

"Yes, pretty nice…" Rias repeated, eyes towards the floor.

"Much better than…" Issei trailed off, mind filled with unwanted images of dark hair and even darker wings.

"Than what?"

Issei shook his head. "Never mind. It's nothing."

He smiled while saying that, something she assumed was intended to be reassuring.

Instead, it just looked like the saddest thing she had ever seen.

"Oh." She said, quietly. "Okay."

Rias's question bounced around Issei's head for most of the day, any other thoughts eventually being pushed to the side as his mind kept going around in circles, beginning and ending with what she had asked him.

Hours later, he was still thinking about it.

All Issei was really hoping for at this point was a quiet end to his night.

That wish died almost instantly when a red circle lit up on the floor besides his bed.

Why is the world so cruel to him sometimes? One night wasn't too much to ask, was it?

Issei relaxed when he saw it was only Rias. But there was still something about her that was off.

"Rias, wha-"

"I need you to take my virginity."

Issei blinked once. Twice.

"..." He found that he lacked the ability to formulate a sentence.

WhatthefuckWhatthefuckWhatthefuckWhatthefuckWhatthefuckWhatthefuck-

Rias was already taking her skirt off. She climbed onto his bed.

"Hurry up, we don't have much time."

"Rias, we-"

"Issei." She cut him off, impatience starting to creep into her voice. "This isn't that difficult. Just do what you're told."

She started fumbling with his clothes next, completely ignoring his attempts to figure out what exactly brought this on.

A noise outside his room made Issei keenly aware of the three others in the house. Especially Asia.

If she were to investigate a noise or the magical presence from the transportation circle in his room was and stumbled upon this...

The brunette devil didn't even want to think about what her reaction would be.

Rias pulled his shirt slightly up, exposing part of his stomach.

His hands flew to her wrists and caught them in a firm grasp, surprising the heiress. As well as himself, if he was being honest.

"Rias," He said, voice little more than a whisper in fear of alerting someone else in the house. "We can't do this."

His actions seem to have a bit of an effect on the princess. Her eyes slowly came into focus on him, as if she was just now realizing the extent of her actions.

"Issei..." She said, voice barely audible. "You're right, I-"

Light shone in the dark room once again as another magic circle lit the floor, this one a more gray color.

"Really, Rias, I knew you were desperate, but not this much." A new voice said.

Rias shook her head. "I was too late."

The two teens were joined by a beautiful gray haired woman. She stepped forward, and Issei was surprised to see she was wearing a maid outfit.

The woman paid him no attention. She was busy staring at Rias with a disappointed look.

"Sirzechs will be disappointed in you." The new woman noted, voice matching her face; completely void of emotion.

Who is that?

"I don't care what he thinks." Rias shot back. "I am free to do what I please. You know this, Grayfia, yet you still came here to interrupt me.

"I came here to prevent you from making a mistake."

"I'm not making one."

"Could you guys keep it down?" Issei asked in a hushed tone. His eyes frantically looked over to the door.

Grayfia looked at him for the first time. out of the corner of her eye It was only for a moment, but Issei had to fight not shiver.

She said nothing to him, and turned her attention back to Rias.

"Duly noted." She bent over to pick up Rias's discarded skirt and took another few steps to the heiress, handing it to her. Rias snatched it out of her hands. "Still though, for it to be with him… You are the next head of the House of Gremory. Try to have some respect for yourself."

Grayfia turned to Issei and addressed him. "My apologies for the intrusion. My name is Grayfia, I am in service of the Gremory family. We will be leaving shortly."

Didn't she just insult me? What's with the formal introduction...

Grayfia went back to ignoring Issei, either not expecting or not caring for a response.

Rias, now fully clothed again, turned back to her newest servant.

"I'm so sorry for this, Issei. I haven't been in my right mind today."

"Issei?" Grayfia now looked at the brunette devil with a hint of interest on her features. "The one who possesses the Boosted Gear is this boy?"

Back to the thinly veiled insults. If he wasn't so overwhelmed, Issei would've been slightly upset.

"Yes, this is my new pawn. We will talk further at the clubroom."

They both disappeared into a magic circle, leaving a very confused Issei behind.

He wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.

It took Asia entering Issei's room three times to get him up the next day.

After a quick breakfast, an obligatory scolding from his mother (which was hard for her, as she couldn't be happier with the current Asia situation), and Asia assuring her it was no issue, the two devils took off for school.

On the way there, Issei barely paid attention to what Asia was saying, he was too busy wondering how Rias would act after what happened.

Rias had seemingly decided that pretending last night didn't happen was the right way to go, which only made the awkwardness that much worse.

Everyone else in the club noticed the differences, but none of them said anything. Out of kindness or not having a clue about what was different, Issei didn't know. He was thankful nonetheless.

He was about to ask if he could leave when he saw magic circle appear out of the corner of his eye.

A moment later, it felt like the entire room was filled with flames.

"I've returned, my dear Rias." A voice rang out.

Issei didn't know what to think, to be honest.

He was still in the Occult Research Club room, but he was now joined by several others, all not a part of the club.

He was standing by most of the other club members, all of whom - except Asia, who was just as confused as him - were sending totally-not-glares at the new people.

Namely Riser Phoenix, third heir to the Phoenix clan, one of the few Pillar families left.

More importantly, Rias's fiancé.

Judging by the look that had been on his Kings face since he arrived, she wasn't a willing participant in the engagement.

Riser had immediately sat down next to her, and was busy running his hands through her hair, up and down her arm, her leg, basically wherever he could grab.

Behind Riser and Rias, on the other side of the room, were Riser's own set of evil pieces. Fourteen of them, all female, all insanely cute.

They were all giving mocking smiles to Issei and the rest of the club. It was starting to get on the brunette devil's nerves.

"What are you doing here Riser? I thought that Sirzechs told you to stop 'visiting' me." She finally asked, face still looked like she was about to vomit at any moment.

"He merely said that I couldn't show up without telling you and him. Which I did do, in case you forgot." He said, motioning over to Grayfia, who stood silently off to the side.

Issei had barely noticed when she arrived slightly after Riser.

"And I don't see what the issue is. I'm just making sure that this place is good enough for my fiancée. While I do detest that you would come to live here, the least I could do is make sure it isn't as horrid as most of the Overworld."

"Please," Rias snorted. "If you want to keep tabs on me, at least come up with a better excuse."

Riser chuckled, not responding to her question.

"You." He looked over to Akeno, who was standing over by Rias instead of by the rest of her pieces. "Bring me some tea, will you? I've been dying to try some."

The arrogance radiated off of every word.

Akeno gave him a half glare, but still went to the kitchen area.

Scratch that, Issei knew what to think now. He really didn't like this guy.

When Akeno returned with the tea, she left it on the table in front of Riser. Moving away from him as quickly as a proper walk would allow her to.

He took a sip.

"Delicious" He smirked. "As expected of my Rias's Queen."

This was really starting to piss him-

"Issei," Asia whispered.

The brunette devil looked over to see the rest of the club were all looking at him with worry.

And a bit of fear.

He had almost forgotten what that was like.

"What?"

"Your effect, it's back." Kiba responded. "Can you stop it?"

What…. How is it back?

[I imagine it is because your emotions are flaring up. Control yourself, Hyoudou. The bird is far too powerful for you to beat right now.]

Almost on cue, the target of his ire turned his head to look at him. "Hm, this one is new. Are you trying to intimidate me with that aura, boy?"

Issei said nothing. He couldn't even hide his glare now.

Riser chuckled again. "You really should keep your servants under control, Rias, before someone not as forgiving as I am puts them down."

"Enough!" Rias exclaimed. She stood up and took a step away from her fiancée. "What part of 'I have no intention to marry you' do you not understand?"

"My darling," He drawled, smirk not leaving his face. "You're still at this? It's been a few years now, don't you think you should accept it already? We are still trying to repopulate purebreds from the Great War, my family especially."

Issei saw Rias's eyes flick to him for a second when Riser said that.

"Besides," he continued. "I don't believe your family is in any condition to decline this marriage. They cannot afford for you to be so selfish."

"Don't bring my family into this. Their hastiness got us into this predicament anyway. Besides," Rias said, smirking for the first time since Riser arrived. "I think I can do better than a third heir, don't you?"

The ever-present smirk on Riser's face was wiped off in an instant. He shot up to his feet, glaring at Rias. "How dare-"

"There is no reason for this to get hostile." Grayfia suddenly stepped in. "I am here by order of Sirzechs. He told me to ensure this stayed peaceful."

Riser looked at her, then back at Rias. "Tch, whatever."

Despite what he said, it was obvious he was shaken by what Grayfia said.

"Lord Sirzechs anticipated this would not go smoothly. He said that should communications break down and Rias stay adamant on not marrying Riser, that you two would settle it in a Rating Game."

The entire room looked shocked at this.

"Really?" Riser said, as if he was trying not to outright laugh. "I have already won three Games, while Rias has never even qualified. She is a 'Rating Game Virgin', so to speak." He said, ignoring Rias's angry expression.

He looked back over at the teenage devils. "Are these all of your servants, Rias?"

"And if they are?"

Riser couldn't hold back a chuckle this time. "Than this will be an easy victory."

"Don't underestimate us, Riser. We will annihilate you."

He smirked. "I look forward to it."

Riser joined his peerage, and after a few seconds, they were gone. Leaving flames behind them.

Grayfia told Rias she would have a few weeks to prepare for the Game before leaving to inform Sirzechs of what happened.

Nobody else, save for Rias, stayed much longer.

The next time Issei was in the clubroom was about a week later when Rias called for her entire peerage.

The crimson hair devil's had no trace of the usual friendliness on her face. It was complete seriousness when she addressed them all.

"Be prepared to leave soon. We will begin training for the Rating Game against Riser."

Just in case I mention it later in this story, I envision Riser as slightly younger, maybe only two or three years older than Rias, mostly because it doesn't make sense when it was implied Rias was engaged to him for a while. Even if he is only that much older, it certainly didn't come off that way, to me anyway. Granted, I never saw him given a concrete age and devils age oddly in DxD, but I assumed he was in his mid twenties. Not a big change, but it's something I suppose.