Ranma 1/2, High School DxD, Darkstalkers and the rest are owned by their respective owners. I own nothing.

If only I did.

The next arc is here!

Dance With the Devil

Shinto Arc

Prologue

"So..." Cologne looked at the letters Ranma put on the table. "You're going to be heading to Earth then?"

Ranma nodded and looked around the large table. "For a couple of days, maybe a week, depending on what happens. Shouldn't be bad, but I want to meet up with our friends and see my family in Kuoh and Kyoto."

Bulleta snorted as she leaned back in her chair. "No offense, I'd rather stay here. I've got no reason to go to Earth for a few days." She waved her hand and looked up at the ceiling. "Besides, I'm going to go put some zombies down in the Pulgaria region."

"I'll go with you." Yohko said. "The two of us haven't worked together much."

"Looking to become a bounty hunter?" Bulleta asked and Yohko shrugged. "Or is there something else?"

"Well, I figure that eventually we'll have to go and deal with various rogue problems in the world," Yohko told her and looked at Ranma, "you were saying we can do that for a living?"

"It should be possible." Ranma told her. "It'll probably take about five years before things get set up fully, but I'll teach you teleportation magic before that and there's natural portals between Makai and Earth on top of it."

Bulleta grinned and got up from the table. "Alright, we'll see ya all later. You said a week, right?" Her grin became savage when Ranma nodded. "Just remember to bring me back something neat then."

Yohko just shook her head. "Are we sure she's getting better?" She asked as she left the table.

"I'm going with you." Lilith said from her spot next to Ranma with her arms crossed under her breasts and her eyes closed. "I need to meet up with Nabiki anyway, we've been working on something for the past few months and I think it's finally ready to work."

Ranma raised an eyebrow and nodded. "You'll be coming to Kyoto as well then. I haven't seen my wife in a long time." He pursed his lips as Lilith shivered like a chill went through her body. "You need to..."

"I know, I know..." She sighed as she tried to calm down. "Even now, I'm terrified of that woman." Lilith hung her head in dismay. "Is this what trauma is like?"

Ranma smiled and patted her back. "If it makes you feel better, she should be about five or six months pregnant right now, she probably can't use any magical power."

Lilith perked up. "Speaking of which, master... Now that things are starting to calm down here, I want your kids too."

Ravel smiled and shook her head. "I'd love to go with, but with La Fey moving in this afternoon, I figure someone besides Kuroka should be here for her." She looked to her side to see the pregnant form of Kuroka, who was dressed in a large gray shirt and was looking miserable. "You knew that morning sickness was a possibility, silly kitty."

Kuroka gave her an annoyed look. "I'd love to go see Shirone, but even jumping gives me nausea. Can't even begin to imagine what teleportation will do to me." She raised her arms above her head and stretched before reaching down and rubbing her large and still growing belly. "Five months along." She sighed in annoyance at the fact that she was still a bit away from giving birth.

Cologne stood up from the table, chuckling. "Well then, I think I'll stay behind as well." She winked and walked away from them. "Someone has to keep this place clean for when the master returns."

Ranma sweat-dropped as Cologne dusted her outfit off. "...Why are you wearing a maid outfit?"

The lavender-haired woman chuckled and winked at Ranma while holding up a finger. "No one expects a maid to be able to kick their ass, so I'm having fun. Besides, with the kids I expect you to be having, you'll need someone with experience in raising lots of brats to help out. Plus that Miko Mido girl feels better when I'm wearing it."

Ranma sweat-dropped heavily. "That's true, I suppose."

"Besides, I heard about that Grayfia woman being a maid to the current Lucifer's family, I thought it sounded fun." Cologne giggled and walked off.

"She's enjoying being young again way too much." Ranma muttered, though he supposed that he couldn't blame her. He finally turned to the last person at the table. "What about you, Lillie? Do you want to come to Earth with me and Lilith or stay here?"

The pony-tailed girl pursed her lips and thought about it. "...Leonardo? Kunou?"

"Yeah, we're going to go see them too." Lilith smiled at the small Dragon, who perked up. "I guess you're going with us, then?"

"Yes." Lillie said with a big smile on her face. "That will be fun."

"Just keep your clothes on." Ranma reminded her. "You run around here naked almost all the time, you can't do that on Earth."

Lilith grinned and poked Ranma's cheek. "Master likes looking at her little naked butt all the time."

Ranma gave her a flat stare. "Careful or I'll say my wife's name."

Lilith stiffened up and nodded, sweating heavily. "I'm a good girl."

Suddenly Ranma chuckled and rubbed her head. "Yes, yes you are." He looked at Lillie. "You should know that we're also heading to Kyoto on this trip, you'll meet my wife there." Lillie nodded. "Besides, I miss Nabiki, Kunou and Atsuko."

"I'm sure that they miss you too." Lilith grinned at him. "That's the reason for the week, huh?"

"Sort of." Ranma smirked at her. "Anyway, let's go to Earth." He'd say to pack some clothes, but neither he nor the two girls needed to pack clothes as they could use magic to create clean clothing.

Idly, Ranma wondered just what the letters were really all about. "Oh well, I'll find out when we get to Earth." He grinned as he created a transport gate that sent the three through and to Earth.

Meanwhile, Cologne was walking down the hallway to the main entrance. "Well, he's gone..." She smiled as she entered the greeting area and saw a merfolk, a zombie and a Minotaur walking through the front doors. "Ah, the master is out. I know that he offered anyone the chance to rule Makai if they could beat him, but since he's not here..."

"Feh, just a worthless maid." The Minotaur scoffed, his shoulders slumping. "And I was hoping to have a good time."

Cologne's eyes shined as she heard that. "Ara ara... I almost wish I wore glasses so I could push them up my face. How about we step outside? I hate cleaning blood off the floors."

The three monsters were glad to step outside to face what they thought was a weak maid.

Their screams quickly filled the air as Cologne demonstrated that she was far more than a simple maid.

"You're all three hundred years too early to beat me." Cologne chuckled as she winked over her shoulder at the defeated trio while holding up her right index finger and curling her left leg backwards. "Hmm, maybe I should put my hair into a ponytail?" She mused as some of her hair got in the way of her eyes. It was too bad that Miko had went to visit her family, but Cologne supposed it was for the best, the girl needed more time to fully assimilate to being a maid after all.

End Prologue