Disclaimer: I do not own High School DxD, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Harry Potter, Naruto, and Rifts

Major AU: Do not expect this story to strictly follow canon for High School DxD.

Key: "Talking" 'Thought' [Sacred Gear] (Pailamancy or Telepathy) *Technique*

Friends, Familiars, and Fiancés

It had taken Xander a few days to fully acclimate to his new eye and the fact that it had augmented his natural one as well. Having true depth perception and peripheral vision was a literal dream come true. There were slight ups and downs as well. Far too often Xander focused on things much too far away or triggered the microscopic features. He really hadn't wanted to know what dust mites actually looked like. There was also the matter that the illusion that covered his eye wasn't perfect, while it looked like his natural eye there was just something off about it. The less said of how odd he looked without the illusion the better. So he was still stuck wearing the patch in most social situations, which robbed him of the benefits of two eyes… at least for a while.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Xander had just stepped into the ORC Clubroom and was shocked by what he saw. He had seen Rias completely nude a number of times. He even knew she was a natural redhead because of her landing strip. So seeing her reading over reports only wearing her glasses was new, but not too shocking. After all, the girl loved reading her novels naked in bed with him. Seeing Akeno delivering tea service completely in the buff was a first. The busty brunette was a flirt and a tease but had managed not to show off too much flesh. Yet Xander could see that she kept herself shaved bare. The image of her bending over with her backside to him was now indelibly imprinted in his brain. Then there was Asia, who Xander would admit combined innocence, cute, and sexy into a wonderful package. There had been a few times he'd seen her in her sleep chemise, but he'd never caught the former nun out completely nude. Though it was to be noted she must have taken grooming lessons from Rias as there was another landing strip on display as the girl was getting a new tome from the shelves. Against his wishes, Xander's eyes lit on Koneko next and damned if he didn't feel like a pedophile. The petite girl was developing rather nicely for her small frame. She really didn't look like a young girl, but more like a petite woman. Tearing his eyes away from that sight before his thoughts wandered to unsafe territory, Xander's final vision was Kiba. That was just the boner killer he needed at the moment. Xander wasn't so insecure in his masculinity to admit his friend was what many girls would consider hot, he just didn't swing that way. Though a small treacherous part of him did note that if Rias wanted to, she could easily open a porn studio where both of her male servants could be stars. "When did we become a club of naturalists?"

"What are you talking about, Xander-kun?" Rias looked up from her reports and despite the confusion in her voice she was smiling. She had been doing a lot of that whenever Xander was around. Something that Akeno had been playfully teasing her about.

"Uhm, the fact that all of you are naked… even Asia!" Xander replied trying his best to not sound judgmental. He really wasn't. He was just surprised. If they wanted to walk around the clubroom naked he'd go with it. It wasn't like he had anything to be embarrassed by, even before the Minotaur incident, "Don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed, I just would have liked to be told."

"Xander-kun, none of us are naked," Asia was the first to speak up, though in her nervousness her voice was very soft. Her sentiment was quickly echoed by the others who all confirmed they were still dressed.

"Then why can I see… oh shit!" Xander groaned as he realized just what was happening, especially as he could see everyone with both eyes while wearing his patch. "I have the distinct feeling a certain Goddess had a hand in this."

In Olympus, Aphrodite just sneezed right as she was about to bring her favorite cat-o'-nine-tails down on her least favorite god. "Damn it, I lost count. Now I have to start all over. One thousand lashes."

"But that was nine hundred twenty seven, Mistress," Ares squeaked out.

"Are you really going to argue with me, Worm?" Aphrodite sneered. "I could choose a much more delicate target than your ass."

"No Mistress, you should start over."

"At least it's you that has X-ray vision, instead of a total pervert," Koneko replied calmly as she reached for another cookie.

"So, you can see through our clothes?" Akeno asked as she barely suppressed a giggle. She then performed a slow spin making sure she was in Xander's line of vision, "How do I compare to Buchou?"

"Akeno!" Rias' eyebrow was twitching as her Queen started performing more poses. They weren't anything too immodest while she was still wearing her uniform, but given she was effectively naked to Xander it was a different ballgame.

"What?" Akeno asked with every bit of faux innocence she could muster, "I am just asking for an honest opinion."

'Well at least it's not the most dreaded question any woman could ask of the men in her life,' Xander sighed. He'd once made the mistake of answering that question honestly. He'd been a walking bruise for a week because Buffy couldn't accept the fact that her butt was practically non-existent at that point. Despite the pain he suffered it was interesting to find out that Buffy ascribed to the idea that a girl should have back.

"Is there a reason that I am getting glares from everyone here except you two?" Xander was giving the Perverted Duo the 'Xander Harris Watcher Glare' {patent pending}. All day he'd be on the receiving end of far too many hateful stares from both genders, especially the anti-perverts of the Kendo Club. The anomalies were the Student Council, the ORC, and the Pervert Duo.

"Oh, there is just a bunch of rumors going around that you are blackmailing the girls of the ORC into sexual acts.," Matsuda chuckled darkly as he pushed up his glasses, "As you can see, not many people here are happy with that."

"What?" Xander blurted out. Slumping back in his desk chair, he let out a long frustrated sigh, "I actually miss the days when I was considered a non-threat to any guys wanting to hit on my friends. Hell, one guy even thought I was gay."

"Oh, there is the rumor that you and Kiba are gay for each other," Motohama piped in, "That one was our favorite rumor to spread. The chicks seemed to just eat it up."

"Well, if I was, I could do worse, but neither of us is gay," Xander shook his head with a slight bit of mirth. Years ago he would have leapt to defend his heterosexuality, but he was more comfortable in his skin, "Pretty sure even if Kiba was, I am not his type. So, you two have been spreading rumors about me? Not afraid I might decide to retaliate?"

"You have nothing on either of us that anyone would believe," Matsuda replied, "We're well known perverts who love the female form. We're not afraid to admit that openly. Everyone knows that we peep and watch porn. What could you possibly use as ammunition against us?"

"Aika Kiryuu." Xander replied with a feral grin as he watched the two turn green. "I will get her to spread the rumor of our sizes, except I will pay her ten thousand yen to shave off a few centimeters."

"You wouldn't dare," Matsuda replied with far more confidence than he had, "You'd be a laughing stock as well."

"Hardly," Aika had chosen exactly that moment to approach her classmates. The bespectacled brunette shared one of the same titles as Matsuda, being known as Hentai Glasses in some circles. "Xander doesn't have anything to worry about if I decide to help him with this."

"Why would anyone even believe you?" Motohama sneered. "We'd just deny you'd ever see us naked."

"Oh that's simple," Aika giggled, "Just like Matsuda here can calculate a girl's three sizes with a glance, I can do the same for a guy's equipment. Motohama, you are 16 cm long when hard, 2 cm in diameter, and your balls are 2.5 cm each. You can last fifteen minutes with a refractory time of roughly half an hour. Matsuda, you are 15 cm long when hard, 2.2 cm in diameter, and your balls are 3 cm each. You can last thirteen minutes with a twenty five minute refractory period."

"HER SCOUTING LEVEL IS OVER 9000!" Both perverts cried out in horror.

"So what is this I hear about you and Yuuto-san?" A familiar female voice asked as the owner sat down on Xander's left side at lunch.

Xander turned his head to face the inquisitive student and if his mouth had been full he probably would have performed a spit-take right then. At first glance a casual observer would have thought it was Akeno given the hair and eye color, but there were a number of differences that would clue a more observant person. Akeno wore her hair up in an elegant ponytail that still hung to her ankle. Raynare favored having her down and it only came to her ass. Akeno was extremely curvaceous making even gravure models look under endowed. Raynare wasn't quite as endowed, having a more athletic frame. Then there were the facial differences, the different cheekbones, nose and chin that made them unique from each other.

"A couple of jealous idiots decided to spread some rumors," Xander shrugged.

"So it isn't true? That's a shame. It would be insanely hot to watch." Raynare chuckled as she opened her bento revealing the lunch that Grayfia had packed for her.

"You're not the only one to tell me that, Muryama and Katase both said the same thing," Xander sighed heavily, "At least the other rumors are being ignored now. Koneko had a very violent reaction to someone offering to protect her from my 'blackmail' attempts."

"Yeah, I heard that one, too." Raynare chuckled before popping a strawberry filled rice ball in her mouth. Savoring the treat she chewed slowly.

"Of course you did," Xander shook his head as he turned back to his lunch which Rias and Asia had made for him. While he couldn't exactly take rare beef in his bento, they still loaded him down with a lot of meat considering his new carnivore tendencies. "So you finally caught up with the other third years?"

"Yeah, that was a pain," Raynare muttered, "It's been almost hundred years since I did anything resembling school work and even that was elementary in America during the Depression."

"If you are trying to shock me with your age, you are forgetting I was engaged to a woman who was born before Leif Erikson found a new continent," Xander chuckled before he tried some of Asia's orange beef. 'Maou, between Rias, Akeno, Asia, and Mom's cooking I might just end up gaining a spare tire again.'

"Oh, I know. It's nice to talk to a guy who isn't freaked out that I am reaching fourteen hundred years old," Raynare chuckled, "So I hear you have been directing everyone's training, even the Princess."

"Well, I was a Watcher for three years, so it's not like it's new territory," Xander chuckled a bit. Akeno had recently asked for some refresher courses on her taijutsu and Rias had joined those. Both girls were far too quick to study of Krav Maga and merging it with their Tai Chi. "Are you interested in training?"

"Might as well, I've been through Grigori boot camp, but that's it." Raynare sighed, "I was relegated to the Seduction Corps because of my fall."

"Let me, guess you fell in love with a human?" Xander asked seeing her flinch he shook his head, "Seems odd that you'd fall because of love."

"It wasn't the love or even the sex," Raynare corrected the misconception, "It's because I… started holding him to be more important than Father."

"Oh…" Xander wasn't quite sure what to say to that.

"It started out as just a game we played alone. I'd call him Master, he'd punish me for some little mistake, and then the sex…" Raynare trailed off as she was reminiscing. Shaking herself out of the pleasant memory she continued, "Well, it evolved from there until I was calling him Master all the time and following all of his orders. Father can forgive a lot, but his jealous side still comes out when it comes to that kind of thing. It wasn't long after I fell that my lover died and I was left with nothing." Raynare's voice sounded so hollow and dead as she finished her tale.

"Oh Maou!" Xander blurted out, "Why did you tell me all that? Am I the designated counselor or something?"

Raynare looked devastated for a moment, before she just broke out laughing. "I-I'm sorry. I just had to prank you." She continued to laugh for a few minutes before calming down, "Oh, I haven't pulled a fun prank like that in years."

Xander's eyebrow twitched as the raven haired Fallen Angel laughed. 'Note to Self: prank Raynare until she begs for mercy.' Deciding to ignore the antics of the girl he continued eating his lunch.

"Oh don't be like that, Xander-kun, I wasn't exactly lying," Raynare pleaded as she saw the annoyed look on his face, "The reason he died is because I found out he had been using me all along. It didn't come out until I had fallen and he was angry that his experiment failed." She paused for a moment to take a sip of her soda, "It's kinda funny is retrospect. Uncle Zazz warned me about him, but since he was a Fallen and I was still in Grace I just ignored the warnings."

"And you're tell me all this…why?" Xander asked. 'Is she trying to warn me off of someone?'

"Because I was a fan of the show and know more about your life than a really should as a stranger," Raynare shrugged as she went back to her lunch, "I figured to be a good friend I should tell you something my real friends would know. That's all."

'She's been honest this whole time, but I think that's the first time she hasn't had even a slight hidden agenda,' Xander mused as he continued to mull over her words, "Well… I am not in the habit of turning down a chance to make friends."

"Really? Yes!" Raynare nearly shouted in glee as she hugged Xander from the side, "Sorry, I just always wanted to be one of Xander's Girls. I promise I will be the best big sister ever."

"I'm sure you will be." Xander chuckled at the girl's antics. Then his face paled considerably as her words sunk in, "Wait! What?"

"You can't be serious, Buchou-chan!" Xander was pinching the bridge of his nose as he processed just what his Mistress told him. 'It never rains, but it pours.' He couldn't help the uncharitable thought. Since Asia had moved in his new parents seemed to adore the very ground she walked on. Rias was almost literally on the same level of worship from his parents. The difference was they treated Asia as a favored daughter, and Rias as a daughter-in-law. Why they did that he hadn't one clue. Now Raynare would be moving in as a cousin that they were adopting. "Do you know how hard it is to get time to take care of things with you and Asia there? Not that I don't love having you both living with me."

"I am rather aware," Rias sighed as she thought of the times she had to have privacy for similar reasons. She also wasn't too happy with Raynare moving into the Hyoudou household, however it was under the orders of all four Satans, "We'll just have to make do."

"Couldn't we move her into your apartment?" Xander asked hopefully.

"I actually stayed with Akeno at the shrine," Rias admitted sheepishly, "Putting those two in the same house together would be a bad idea."

"What kind of bad idea?"

"Property Destruction and Mutilation are likely," Rias responded, "Akeno has some history with the Fallen."

"Move her in with Kiba?"

"Kiba lives in a singles unit as does Koneko."

"I hope my parents are being paid at least some rent for all this," Xander sighed as he was forced to relent, "Well as long as she behaves herself and refrains from trying to sleep with me, I will manage."

"She will not be allowed in our bed!" Rias' eyes flashed in anger at the possibility.

Xander Harris stepped out of the summoning circle to find himself on the back porch of a family home. In the yard he could see a man struggling to assemble a playground set and cursing up a storm about useless instructions. 'This is an emergency construction project?' he briefly thought to himself. It was then that he noticed that his summoner was an older Japanese woman who could have been any age from fifty to hundred.

"You are the Gremory Devil skilled in construction?" the woman asked doubtfully.

"Yes, that's me." Xander said as he bowed in greeting, "I am Xander Hyoudou. Please take care of me."

"Ahhhh, you have manners," the woman smiled widely, "I am Biwako and that is my son Asuma. Please forgive the crass language."

"Asuma-san hasn't said anything I have heard before," Xander chuckled, "What seems to be the issue?"

"My son is a member of the JSDF and he is not home often, Xander-san," Biwako started to explain, "His little girl Mirai is turning five next week and wants a playground set. My son had planned to spend the week building it, but his leave is being cancelled and he has to return tomorrow night."

"Say no more, Biwako-san," Xander said with a smile, "I'll have it ready in a few hours." Stepping off the porch he headed out to help the floundering man.

"And this is Xanrai!" Asia presented the small blue sprite dragon to Xander, cradling him like a baby as she did so. "Xanrai, this is your Uncle Xander."

"You are just adorable," Xander reached out to stroke under the little dragon's chin.

"Wait, Xander-kun, Sprite Dragons are very… territorial?" Akeno's warning tone changed quickly to one of of astonishment.

Everyone stared in amazement as Xanrai was cooing as Xander stroked under his chin. The little Sprite Dragon had electrocuted the Familiar Master twice when he got too close to Asia. Kiba had not gotten out of being shocked either. It was well known that young Sprite Dragons were misandrist, hating most males no matter the species. So the fact that Xander was not on the floor twitching from being electrocuted was a practical miracle. That Xanrai was cooing while a male was touching him was just unheard of. It was even more shocking as Xander began playing with Xanrai, daring the little dragon to bite his fingers. The dragon played along, snapping at the fingertips, but once catching them there was no real force in the nip.

"H-how are you doing that?" Rias stuttered out, "Young Sprite Dragons loath men and won't allow one to come near them."

"The Hatchling knows who the Alpha is between the two of us." Xander said confidently as he palmed Xanrai's head and began gently moving it around which caused the little dragon to let a playful growl that sounded nothing like the one he let when other males came near Asia, "Don't you Xanrai? You're a smart hatchling!"

Xander was performing one of his favorite duties. After a week of avoiding sharing a bath with him, Rias was back to allowing him to wash her hair. 'It's really sad that the highlight of my day is washing the hair of a girl who is someone else's fiancé.' Shaking off the bit of melancholy that idea brought, Xander concentrated on continuing to bathe his Mistress. 'Though it is nice I can be this close to her.'

"Oooohhh Maou! I missed this so much," Rias moaned out in post orgasmic bliss. After her last meeting with her family she had been avoiding intimate contact with Xander. There were a number of reasons, but the worst was that the Gremory family would not help her break the contract with Riser. As much as her brother wanted to help, he couldn't as there was nothing illegal in the contract. So she started to try to break up with Xander, even going so far as to not sleep in his bed for the last week. Unfortunately each day it went on she was increasingly angry with everyone but Xander. It had taken actually snapping at Asia for her to realize what was going on. 'I was such a bitch and all Asia told me to do was to start spending time with Xander.'

"I did as well, Buchou-chan," Xander smiled as he began rinsing her hair, "I have no idea what I did to anger you, but I am sorry."

'Great, now I feel like a heel!' Rias hung her head in shame as that thought rattled around in her head. "You didn't do anything to upset me, Xander-kun. None of you have." Rias' voice came out as barely a whisper but she knew Xander heard her earlier. His hearing was nearly as good as Koneko's, the Rook had a slight edge but not by much. "Riser is putting more pressure on my family and he's gathered some political backing from a few prominent families. Only the Sitri, Bael, and Astaroth families are backing my side of this. My brother would back me, but he's The Lucifer and can't take sides."

"Hmmm, and you were trying to distance yourself from me, hoping that Riser will not see me as a threat to the marriage," Xander nodded as he noted some of the names mentioned. 'This is really tearing her apart.' "My offer to kill him is still open. You know I wouldn't even lose any sleep over it."

'That's an understatement.' Rias nearly shuddered. The night after he'd killed Caleb, Xander hadn't so much tossed in his sleep one bit. "Why wouldn't you lose sleep? Aside from his philandering, Riser is not a monster. He might not like humans much, but he hunts Strays that prey on them. Wouldn't that make him one of the White Hats in your book?"

"Nope." Xander shook his head before resting his chin on her shoulder, "He's forcing one of my girls to marry him and is planning to take three others as mistresses. Really, the only thing staying my hand is you."

"There are a few reasons for that, Xander-kun," Rias reached up and cupped his cheek reveling in the intimate contact even as she went to explain everything, "The Phenex Family is one of the original 72 Pillars. Just killing one of them would paint a target on your back for that alone." She took a deep breath, "That's without factoring in how insanely hard they are to kill. Since the ceasefire there hasn't been a single Phenex to die of violence. Like the bird of legend they have the power of regeneration from their flames. If you actually managed to kill Riser you would be considered too valuable to Hell to be killed and conversely to dangerous allow any freedom. They'd imprison you. It wouldn't look like one, but that is what it would be. You'd be trained relentlessly and brainwashed to be one of Hell's ultimate weapons." Rias was barely keeping the tears in check, "You don't deserve that kind of life."

"I'd put up with it for any of my girls," Xander whispered.

"I know, but allow me to be selfish and not let you be taken away from me," Rias pleaded, "Besides, there is a way I could escape the marriage. I'd just have to get pregnant." She paused for a moment to gather a bit of courage and to adopt a sinfully seductive tone. "You could help me that way."

'Oh Sweet Merciful Twinkie give me strength!' Xander prayed as he tried to his best to think unsexy thoughts. Unfortunately, he had learned that was impossible around any of the girls of the ORC, even Raynare who he really wasn't attracted to in that way. Not so little Xander spent a lot of time at half mast and currently he at definitive full mast. "You don't know how tempting that is, but neither of us is really ready for a child Rias." He breathed out, fully aware that someone was shredding his man card as he spoke, "And do you really want to have a child just out of desperation to escape Riser?"

"No… no I wouldn't." Rias admitted softly. She stared at the water's surface for a while before she spoke again, "But I do want to love the father of my children…"

"Something that is pretty much impossible with Riser," Xander concluded for her. "Rias, I swear I will get you out of marrying him… and I am sure the rest of the ORC feels the same."

"…Thank you, Xander-kun." Rias wasn't quite sure if the tears on her tears were from relief or rejection.

'I want Xander to rip his head off.' This thought was coming from virtually every member of the ORC at once. Only Xander and Asia weren't having that thought as they witnessed the scene that was happening. Asia because she was far too nice and Xander because he was wondering how someone could have an ego more massive than Zaphod Beeblebrox's.

Riser Phenex had made an appearance in the ORC Clubroom and was currently sitting beside Rias Gremory despite the fact that the redhead had motioned to the other couch when she offered him a seat. As if that was not enough he had scooted close enough he had to wrap his arm around her shoulder so as not to keep elbowing her. His right hand was playing with her hair as if he was her intimate lover. His left was holding a cup of tea that Akeno had served him a few moments prior.

"Ah, the tea that Rias' Queen serves is excellent, as always." Riser extended a genuine compliment to the young woman. He might be a douche, but he appreciated talent of all sorts. "Riser hopes that you would teach Riser's Maid Pawns how you make it."

"You are most kind, Riser-dono," Akeno hid all of her hostility toward Riser under the Nadeshiko Yamato façade. "I would be happy to share my knowledge with Burent and Marion."

"Riser thanks you," the blonde dandy took another sip of tea before setting it down, "Now Rias-chan, why don't you learn from the example of your Queen and just submit to the inevitable?"

"Riser-san, we are here to negotiate the dissolution of the marriage contract," Rias was barely keeping her composure. She wanted nothing more to smack Riser for taking liberties with her. 'Xander's the only man I let play with my hair!'

Xander for his part was going through every single last anger management exercise he knew of. From Riser's first appearance where he complained about the filthy air of the human world, Xander had to restrain himself from teaching Devil about personal pronouns by beating him with a dictionary. His condescending attitude to nearly everyone was not helping matters either. 'Just let Rias handle this. My version of Diplomacy will not help matters here.'

"And why would Riser agree to dissolve the contract?" Riser asked in a haughty tone as he put his cup down. "There is nothing for Riser to gain by not marrying Rias Gremory."

"Maybe the continued use of your endoskeleton," Xander muttered under his breath.

Koneko barely heard the whispered threat and allowed a small smile to reach her face. 'That's a good one Xander-sempai.'

"I can't imagine what you think you will gain from marrying me, Riser-san," Rias soldiered through her growing discomfort. While she didn't lash out anyone looking at her could tell she was disgusted just having Riser near her. "You would not be Head of the House of Gremory. You won't gain any of my affections. In fact I would go so far as to choose not to bed you. The child required by the contract would have to be produced by artificial insemination."

"Riser will not be denied his rights as husband," Riser's voice now took on a slight tinge of anger. "You will share your body with Riser in time." As he spoke he reached with his other hand and attempted to stroke along the backside of Rias' thigh.

"You will be denied because I will not marry you, Riser-san," Rias had deftly avoided allowing Riser the chance to grope her by standing up, "Now end this farce of a contract and go find a willing wife."

"Riser is sure you will be willing," Riser rose to his feet and cupped Rias' chin rather forcefully. Gone was his affable yet arrogant demeanor. "In fact Riser guarantees it. If you do not willingly submit to Riser the consequences will be dire." As he spoke great wings of fire erupted from his back. "Riser will have no choice but to burn your servants with Phenex Fire."

It wasn't even a second later that Riser's back was coated with flame suppressant foam from a fire extinguisher in Xander's hands. "Cool your jets, KFC reject, before I decide the trophy case needs another addition." At this Xander motioned to the case in question. Inside was the bronzed skull and spine from Ear/Caleb with a small plaque that proclaimed: First idiot to try to hurt Xander's Girls.

"You have an impertinent servant, Rias. Something Riser will have to correct for you," Riser released Rias and turned to face Xander, glaring at the man with fury in his eyes and all over his face. "Riser would like to know your name before you die."

"Alright, when I am facing something that can kill me, I'll let you know," Xander smirked as he readied the fire extinguisher for another shot.

"ENOUGH!" The ORC was flooded with the feeling of incredible yet carefully restrained power as a Gremory sigil appeared on the floor. A moment later a silver haired maid materialized and despite uniform it was quite clear she was a being of immense power in every sense of the word, "Lord Sirzechs has expressed the desire that this meeting be peaceful. I will not allow you to continue to threaten the Gremory Peerage, Lord Riser. As for you, I commend you for defending your friends and Master, but I must ask you to stand down Harris-sama." While the woman had addressed Riser in a stern commanding nature, she had been kinder to Xander as if she was just politely asking him to behave. "I have been authorized to use whatever methods I deem necessary to maintain the peace."

"Well, when told something so foreboding by someone who is said to be the strongest Queen, even Riser must capitulate," Riser entire demeanor reverted back to what he considered his normal charming self, but there was clear indication that he was fearful of the silver haired maid.

"Well, if the KFC reject is going to behave, I will too," Xander visibly relaxed as he tucked the fire extinguisher away again. Turning to Rias he gave an apology bow, "I am sorry, Buchou-chan, I was unable to follow your order not to start anything."

"Oh don't be silly, Xander-kun, you followed it perfectly," Rias favored Xander with a genuine smile, "I will reward you suitably tonight." She then turned to the maid "It is always nice to see you Grayfia-nee and I am glad that you interfered before there was injury or Maou forbid a fatality."

"A pleasure as always, Rias-sama." Grayfia curtsied to Rias before she continued, "I am happy I could help prevent an incident, especially as death was likely."

"Perhaps it is best that you stepped in before Riser could act against the Pawn." Riser smirked as he sat back down and picked up his cup of tea. "It would be bad form for Riser to kill one of Rias' pawns before we marry."

Grayfia went to respond, but thought better of it. 'What the ponce doesn't know will hurt him and help Rias.' Instead she simply rolled her eyes where only Rias and the ORC could see the response. "Lord Sirzechs has suggested that if your argument cannot be resolved peacefully that a Rating Game could be used as the final arbiter."

"A rating game?" Rias' eyes widened in shock that this option was even available. She didn't have a full peerage nor was she eighteen, so she wasn't supposed to be allowed in rating games.

"Yes, Lord Sirzechs declared that you should be allowed to compete in a rating game in this case," Grayfia supplied in her usual stoicism. "The other Satans and the Phenex Family agreed that this was a viable method. The terms are that should Rias win the Rating Game that Riser will retract his demands for an immediate marriage. If Riser should win, the wedding will be within one week of the Rating Game."

"Ah, it is a wise decision by the Four Satans. Riser agrees to this proposal," Riser declared with a wide smile on his face.

"I would much prefer that Riser be forced to agree to rescind the contract," Rias decided to press for what she really wanted, not just a delay in the nuptials.

Grayfia let out a long sigh, "The Phenex Family decreed that if you want to cancel the contract that if you should lose the male members of your peerage would be purged of their Evil Pieces and executed as threats to your fidelity. Thus Lord Sirzech decreed that wager to be impossible."

Rias was wide eyed in shock as she saw Riser's smile turn sinister. 'He knew about all this, the bastard!' Immediately she had visions of the many ways that she would like to kill Riser, but she set them aside. "I cannot risk them in that manner, I will accept the terms that Lord Sirzechs declared."