Gods and Devils and Wild Horses, Oh My

by Vimesenthusiast

Ranma leaves after the events with Saffron to find a cure. Thinking he might have he heads to Rome and instead winds up adopting Asia, and getting introduced to the world of the Threeway War. Being his usual self Ranma befriends Asia and fights off the Fallen. Ranma and a few new friends will enter this conflict and make their mark. Paring: Ranma/Rias/Saeko-hotd/Gabriel

5. The Cat Came Back

I don't own Ranma or Saeko or Highschool DxD.

This work came in second on my monthly poll, and I have to say I had a surprising amount of fun writing it. So it will probably appear in next month's poll as well. If you like it, check out the poll on my profile page. On the other hand, my Sekirei muse has also revived, so for you pervs out there it might be a choice between two ecchis...

This has been betaed by ultimaflare0 but as DNS is still giving me conniptions I have no doubt there will be some mistakes here and there. As always, if you notice any and tell me via PM or review, I will go back and correct them when i can.

As always hope you all enjoy!

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Chapter 5 The Cat Came Back…

The next day Ranma debated whether or not to pass on to Rias that there was a Fallen Angel in the area. In the end he decided to wait and see if the girl took his advice about leaving town before doing so. After all, he didn't want his alerting Rias to her presence to start some sort of official conflict between the two factions.

Ranma went to school that day in the morning, going through the motions while still thinking about the murders, Raynare, and whether he should tell Rias about her. He was so out of it he barely nodded to Rias and Akeno when he joined their class for Advanced English in second period. It was the only class he had with them given his grades prior to coming to Kuoh, and this was also the first time he'd actually been here for the class.

His inattention ended abruptly when he heard a sound he'd come to dread almost as much as the sounds of a furry-devil-from-hell: the sound of a bike bell coming closer. "Oh no," he muttered, looking around wildly.

Sitting next to him Akeno and Rias both looked at him in question. "Can you hear that? He asked, cocking an ear, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from, outside or down the hallway.

The two Devil girls were about to shake their heads no when the sound got louder. They couldn't place it at first, then two people actually looked out the window. "What the…"

Before anyone else could turn and see what the people by the windows had seen the outer wall was smashed into pieces and Shampoo appeared on her bike, landing on the rubble easily, one hand holding the handlebar, the other the mace she'd just used to smash open the wall. "Found you Airen!"

"Shampoo," Ranma groaned, banging his head against his desk in a staccato rhythm making a sound like a woodpecker attacking a tree branch.

The rest of the class gaped in shock at the light purple-haired girl wearing a Chinese dress who had just smashed through the outer wall on an old-fashioned bike. None of the onlookers could quite believe what they were seeing despite having watched Ranma and Saeko do so many incredible things since they had shown up. Most of them anyway.

"You know you're going to have to pay for that?" Rias scowled, staring at the girl and the hole she'd just made. She could already hear Sona shouting about this, wanting the school to go back to normal. Turning to Ranma she shook her head. "You know, I didn't really believe your tales of getting attacked at your actual school. I understood that Furinkan had a bad reputation, but allowing something like this is something else entirely."

"Welcome to the crazy side, we have cookies." Ranma replied in a deadpan tone, causing Rias and Akeno to laugh.

At that point Shampoo had enough of being ignored by Ranma and launched herself off the bike to stand between Ranma and the two girls he was joking around with. Ignoring Ranma for now she glared at both Devil girls. She sized them up in an instant as being possibly strong, something was off about their ki even her limited senses could tell that. But more importantly they were both very pretty and big breasted.

Even when comparing herself to Ukyo, who she had always thought was her main rival for Ranma's affection, Shampoo's chest size had always placed her, at least in her mind, ahead of the game. These two girls… Dumb bimbos must have implants, being that large not natural!

And stupid Airen being typical male for once, ugh! Stupid panda, should have made rug long time ago. If Airen had libido back in Nerima, Shampoo would've won him over too, too fast!

Nonetheless, Shampoo was an Amazon, and she'd been taught from the cradle how to deal with obstacles. "Big tit girls better stay away from husband, else Shampoo show you your place! Amazon know how deal with your sort!"

Akeno laughed, thrusting her chest out forgetting for once that they had an audience while Rias stiffened, her eyes narrowing angrily. "Oh my, was that envy I hear?"

Before any of them could say anything further however the teacher finally got over his own surprise. He moved to grab Shampoo, astonished and appalled at what was going on but not scared of the strength the new girl had already shown. That part hadn't registered just yet. "What the hell are youAH!" he shouted as he suddenly found himself being propelled out of the hole that Shampoo had made when she entered.

"Strange male not touch Shampoo, only husband can touch!"

"Oh crap!" Quickly looking at Rias, who shook her head mouthing the world word 'normal' at him Ranma was out of his chair and jumping over Shampoo before Shampoo could react. Tapping down lightly on the edge of the hole she'd made he then leaped down and after the teacher.

While Ranma was dealing with that, Rias cast a short spell on the rest of the class to put them all to sleep for a moment. With that done, and before the new girl could realize what she had done, Rias turned back to Shampoo, a glint of something dangerous in her eyes. "Our sort? What exactly is 'our sort' supposed to be?"

Hearing that tone and in her friend's voice Akeno's eyebrows rose in surprise, a small atavistic thrill going through her. Oh my, something seems to have awoken Rias' sadistic side!

"Hah!" Shampoo said waving her hand airily. "With body like that, only could be sluts yes? You, what Japanese phrase, turn ticks? Not know why you after husband butT!"

That was as far as Shampoo got before she had to dodge a beam of red energy that shot from Rias' finger. It was small and tightly controlled, but it was still the Power of Destruction which had made her family one of their most feared Devilic clans among the Pillars. Rias laughed coldly her Devilic aura flaring around her so much her hair started to stand on end. "Would you care to repeat that, dead girl walking?"

Rias was proud of her body, and was happy to be desired by those around her. But the very idea of being compared to someone who sold her body for money hit far too close to home considering her current issues with her family and their demands that she marry Rizer.

Shampoo scowled at her, reaching into her weapons space and pulling out a large scimitar, only to watch as a red beam took the blade off right above her grip, seemingly immolating it into nothing. She tried to jump forward, only to dodge backwards from another burst of the Power of Destruction, which nearly took off her legs. For the next few seconds it was all Shampoo could do to dodge the blasts, she couldn't even rearm herself.

While this was going on Ranma had caught up with the teacher somewhere below the second floor. Grabbing him in midair Ranma rolled, landing easily on his feet with the teacher held in a bridal carry before Ranma dropped him unceremoniously to the ground. "Sorry teach, but your attempt at normality is superseded by Shampoo's… Shampoo-ness."

"I don't think that's a word…" the teacher said slowly, staring from his savior up to where he'd been thrown. Then both of them gaped as the red beam of power passed through the window.

Leaving the teacher there Ranma leapt upwards, alighting next but not in front of the entrance Shampoo had made, clinging there for a moment as more red beams of magical power blasted out. Dodging around them, Shampoo made a hasty retreat, passing by Ranma, not even noticing him there, which told Ranma something about her 'love' for him, if he'd ever thought it was real at all. "I leave for now witch girl, but I be back to deal with big tits girls and uppity sword girl later!" With that Shampoo raced off on her bike, landing easily by the teacher and zooming off on her bike faster than most cars could get off the line.

The moment Shampoo was out of sight, Rias turned to Ranma, pointing a shaking finger at him then towards Shampoo. "Do you know what she just called me!?"

"I did hear some of that before I left…" Ranma said, holding up his hands placatingly. "I didn't say it Rias, calm down, and also, look around you."

Rias counted to 10 then did so, noticing her friend flushing as she stared at her, and the rest of the class as well, woken up once again thanks to the sound of her attacks, staring in shock between her, Ranma and the hole in the outer wall. "Oh, Maou damn it!"

About 15 minutes later, the entirety of the Student Council, the Occult Research Club, Ranma and Saeko were all sitting within the student council's meeting room while Ranma explained about Shampoo and her obsession with him to those who hadn't heard about it before. Through it all the Student Council and the Occult Research Club had looked astonished, appalled, and just aghast, with Sona surprisingly being the most obvious about it. Her glasses were currently pushed up onto her forehead as she rubbed at her nose.

Despite Ranma's protest, ten of those minutes had been spent erasing everyone else's memories of the event. Ranma had not agreed with that saying that it wouldn't be the last time they had to cover for Shampoo, and the school might as well get used to it, but the Devils have been adamant about at least doing it this once. Overruled, Ranma had joined in, repairing the outer wall with Koneko's help. The room looked just like new, and there were spells in place now covering all of their absences while class continued as normal.

Though she was sympathetic with the devils wish to have as normal a school life as possible, Saeko welcomed Shampoo's arrival, and she had actually beaten the rest of the devils to the classroom. Saeko had been training since the last time they had met, and was eager to put the Chinese girl in her place again. But even that didn't mean she was blind to the issues Shampoo could cause. "Is Shampoo going to be a threat to anyone nearby? Today she threw that teacher out the classroom, is she likely to do that sort of thing again?"

"I doubt it," Ranma said shaking his head. "Shampoo's never exactly been careful, but she also's never really crossed that line. She won't attack bystanders, not unless they show they're a threat. For example, if those teammates of yours try to get in her way Shampoo'll smack them down but leave them alive. That teacher was a one-time thing… I think."

"Mousse is a different matter entirely. Not because he's less careful, he isn't, but he's blind as a bat!" Ranma shook his head. "I'm serious, that guy cannot see a foot in front of his face without his glasses on. And if his glasses come off he's liable to attack any blur that he sees thinking it's me."

"Is he the one that turns into a duck?" Rias said, frowning lightly while Akeno brightened up at the name remembering what Ranma had said about him. The mass conversion of the curses still bothered Rias a lot, as did the fact that anything about Jusenkyou was under Maou's Seal just like Nerima, but they couldn't do anything about that.

"Yep." Ranma nodded.

Sona spoke for the first time since they'd gathered, pushing her glasses back down to glare at Ranma. "How likely is it this ditz will come back? I would think that Rias did a good job scaring her off after all."

"Shampoo didn't lose any limbs, so it's certain she'll come back." Ranma sighed. "If she's here chasing me at all, she's ignoring her grandmother's orders. Shampoo thinks the only way she can go back to her village is by bringing me back, and she knows better than to think that she can beat me straight up. She might try to scare off any girl close to me first given how she and Saeko had a set to in Nerima to before she starts simply chasing me. I'd expect her ta start usin' dirty tricks soon after a bit of that."

"Don't look at me like that." he said noting the look Tsubaki was giving him, which was somewhere between amusement and condescension. "I don't think like that, I just know she does okay!?"

"Barbarians." Tsubaki shook her head. That actually hadn't been the reason why she was staring at Ranma, though it made for good cover. Every time Tsubaki saw him she swore she'd met Ranma somewhere, sometime when she still lived with her family. She'd put off sending a message to them ever since Ranma had shown up, but she sighed, knowing that she could no longer do so.

"While I would eagerly accept any honorable challenge Shampoo issues, simply attacking us at school is a bit beyond the pale." Saeko said. If only because it disrupts class time.

"I'm concerned about the long-term effects if we have to keep on erasing people's memories. Humans can only take so much of that kind of thing before the effect becomes permanent after all," Sona said sighing.

"You can't do it every time she shows up." Ranma said shaking his head. "Besides, Shampoo's the first, she won't be the last. I am shivering in fear, seriously, thinking about what'll happen if Happy shows up looking for me."

"The master of your martial Art's school?" Rias asked, nodding as Ranma did. "Yes I'm not happy about that possibility either. Did you know that his name is mentioned in the Devil-net?" she asked looking between Ranma and Sona.

Both of them shook their heads, though Ranma didn't look all that shocked.

"He first apparently appeared on our radar a little over 1000 years ago, and is known as a dangerous and wily, but that's all that's known about him except for the phrase 'extreme pervert, no female should get near him'." She shook her head chuckling lightly. "They actually put seventeen exclamation marks next to that phrase, which, considering how normal Devils sometimes act is a very bad sign."

"I doubt many Devils can do what he can. Remember, I told ya Happy can drain energy from good looking girls."

"Focus!" Sona growled, shaking her head at Rias and Ranma. "Is there any way to keep Shampoo away from the school? Anything she's scared of, could we use a barrier to keep her out?"

Saeko and Ranma both shook their heads. "Unless ya can find and convince a ghost called Mao-Mao Lin ta show up…" Ranma sighed as no one else seemed to get the joke, though inwardly he was also grateful about not having to deal with that damn ghost again himself. "Shampoo was able to break one of those in Nerima, they don't seem to really work on the strong-minded, and martial artists regardless of how we act sometimes her all strong-minded."

"That's not all that unusual, there are a few humans already here that those don't work on after all." When Ranma made an interrogative noise Sona waved him off. "You'll meet them eventually, most of them are teachers, but two of them are students. So, you can't think of any way to keep her away?"

"Only by keeping away myself." Ranma shrugged. "If you're willing to explain why I'm not going to school to my mom we can do it, but otherwise…" he shrugged.

"Coward." Saeko murmured, elbowing him in the side.

"Prudent," Ranma countered with a laugh, elbowing her in turn. The sight of the two transfer students paling around like that caused Rias to frown slightly, though she didn't know why.

Koneko spoke out for the first time in this meeting, indeed most of the ORC and SC had been silent, letting their kings and queens do the talking. Even speaking up now was somewhat out of character for Koneko, but there was a mystery she wanted to solve. "Why did I smell cat in the classroom she entered?"

More than one person noticed Ranma flinch at that word but it was Saeko who replied. "Shampoo is cursed like Mousse and Ranma but she transforms into a cat. I've seen pictures, she's actually quite cute in that form. No doubt some of the smell carries over."

Koneko blinked at that then nodded, looking rather interested. Next to her Kiba, Akeno and the student council members all shook their heads while Tomoe spoke up. "So basically we need to be on the lookout for a cat or a duck that're acting smarter than they should or simply in some unusual way? That shouldn't be tough. We could all take turns patrolling the school, that'd be easy enough."

Just then the bell for lunch rang and hearing that, Ranma shrugged his shoulders, more interested in food than more talking. "I'm gonna go find Asia and tell her about Shampoo being here. So I'll let you guys to it. Don't be surprised though when Shampoo or Mousse discover ways of getting around yer patrols. But hey, maybe we'll be lucky and Ryoga and Kuno won't find some way ta find me here. I'd recommend ya get some hazard insurance for the school whatever ya do, ya'll need it trust me."

Sona groaned, lowering her head into her hands, glaring at Ranma through them. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I'm not doing anything, I'm just here." Ranma said with a chuckle. "If you're going to blame anyone for the chaos that follows me, ya should blame the one who talked the school into letting me come here in the first place," he went on, looking at Rias who blanched.

Before Sona could say anything else Ranma was out the door, causing her eyebrows to begin twitching dangerously. She was about to turn to Rias, but Rias had followed Ranma quickly exiting along with a giggling Saeko. This left Akeno and the rest of the OCR standing there for a moment, before they too bowed their way out of the room while Sona's eyebrow twitching became more pronounced.

Sona stared after them, then slowly reached down to the letter opener she had already hurled at Ranma once already, before crushing it slowly between her hands. "Tsubaki, is it fair to rate Ranma higher on the Serafall Scale if we include all of the idiots that come with him?"

"I don't think so Sona-sama, they would need to be rated on the scale based on their own merits."

"Pity."

OOOOOOO

Thankfully for Sona's sanity the rest of that day passed uneventfully. Shampoo did not show up again, nor did anyone else from Nerima follow on her heels as Ranma had thought they might. All in all Ranma was torn, he knew that his mother thought school was important, but it was so damn boring he found himself missing Shampoo's attacks and everything else. He knew that protecting Asia would eventually bring more some more excitement, but right now he was simply wishing that something would happen.

Luckily for Ranma as the head of the kendo club Saeko had permission to use the gym after school and the two of them had quickly agreed to have daily matches there. This became something of an event to the rest of the student body. In particular many of the Devils at the school made a point of showing up. The knights and Koneko knew they could learn a lot just by watching the two martial artists, not enough to make up the difference in skill, but it was still fun.

Surprisingly Rias too watched, sitting next to Akeno. Looking at her friend closely she smiled, elbowing her friend lightly. "I understand the attraction this show has for the others, but why you Rias? You've never been interested in martial arts, except of course martial arts anime." Akeno laughed. "Though I have to admit, given Ranma and Saeko's skills, it does look like one of your anime shows doesn't it?"

Rias rolled her eyes at her oldest friend's gentle poke at her favorite hobby, something that the other girl had done for years. "No it's not that, it's just something about Saeko, her drive to catch up to Ranma." She waved Akeno's sudden interest off. "Oh, there's nothing supernatural about it don't worry, I don't think she has a Sacred Gear or anything of that nature. It's just her drive reminds me of, of something…"

Akeno paused, frowning lightly at that. "That's strange, I don't recall any of your brother or parents' peerages being into martial arts after all."

"No, it's nothing like that, it's just something, I don't know. But what I do know is, I'm definitely going to join them. Maybe I can find something to help bribe Ranma into training me despite what he said about wanting to wait to take on more students."

"What? Why?" Akeno asked blinking in shock.

"Well for one thing, it's a way to improve myself. Being able to handle myself in hand to hand could surprise our opponents if they think my Power of Destruction is all they have to fear. Or we're fighting in places where I can't use it for some reason. And let's face it, any trick or skill I can learn can only help in the long term. And remember what else he said, that combat was 50% mental. I'd like to think that our chess matches can help us strategize, but it certainly can't help us think tactically."

Akeno frowned turning her head entirely now to regard her friend. Rias had become someone who took the most… intellectual way forward after she had filled out most of her peerage. She wasn't lazy by any means, but Akeno had to admit that she and all of the others of Rias' peerage had sort of fallen into Rias' lap. She hadn't ever had to go out of her way to recruit them beyond simply being herself, showering them with affection and treating them like family. But with Rizer and that issue coming up keeping to that attitude was strange, now that Akeno thought about it.

Further Akeno could remember a time when Rias was motivated, always training herself with the Power of Destruction, even trying out a few of the strange training regimens she had seen in different anime to train her body. Then it had changed somewhere along the line after Koneko had joined them. This was a welcome change frankly, and the sadist had to agree with her reasoning. So Akeno smiled, taking her friend's hand in hers and squeezing it lightly. "In that case, I think I might ask them for training as well."

They were interrupted by a voice from below and behind them, underneath the bleachers that had been set up for the audience in point of fact. "Oh my God, the two of them are holding hands, hah, hah, could, could the Two Great Ladies have that kind of relationship?! SO HOT!"

"Nonsense, even if they did, it would only be a passing fling until the meet the manliness that is me!"

"I may be a moe lover, but even I have to take a moment and burn that image into my brain."

Both Akeno and Rias turned looking underneath their seats for a moment to see the Pervert Trio hiding under the bleachers snapping pictures of the girls above them. Issei, the one Rias was interested in possibly recruiting, noticed them looking and shrieked in a rather unmanly way, smacking Mahotama in the shoulder. "You fools they heard you, we're blown! Evacuation plan C!"

"Every man for himself!" shouted Matsuda.

More girls in the audience realized that they were there at that point, shrieking and glaring under them. Before anyone could stop them, the trio raced towards the exit.

Ranma sighed, shaking his head as he disengaged from Saeko before turning and leaping to land in front of where the trio were trying to escape, grabbing two of them and kicking out lightly to trip the third before tossing his two captives down on him. "When're you three going to learn?"

"Oh shut up pretty boy! You've already got Saeko-chan, the two Great Ladies and two moe-lolis interested in you! How can you know what we feel?" Mahotama shouted angrily, trying to push off Issei and lift Matsuda off him at the same time.

"Hey don't talk to Ranma-sama like that!" shouted a few of the kendo club girls who had come up behind them. The others had already moved to talk to Saeko., knowing that Ranma and their fellows could handle this. "Don't try to figure out their perversions Ranma-sama, you might catch something!"

"Shut up or I will rape you with my mind!" Said Matsuda, as he tried to extricate himself from his two friends, having limited success.

A second after he finished speaking, Ranma clamped his hand around the boy's neck, lifting him up to eye level to glare at him. Despite his expression, which was causing all three of the perverts to nearly piss themselves, Ranma's voice was calm and matter-of-fact. "If you mention that word in my presence again, or even hint at something of that nature, I will roast your balls on a slow fire and make you eat them. Do you understand me? Just nod."

The former jock nodded frantically and Ranma released him, wiping his hand as if he'd just touched something foul. He knew the boy probably hadn't meant it, it was just a phrase he used to get under the girl's skin, but even as a joke that kind of thing got to Ranma. "Now, what to do with you three?"

"First smash their cameras of course," said one of the girls, as all three of the boys were pulled to their feet and searched quickly. The girls doing the searching cringed as they went about it making the whole thing even more humiliating for the three. "And we'll simply have to beat them up again I suppose."

"Yeah but that doesn't seem ta actually stop 'em, we need something to actually force them to realize the error of their ways." If only I had some of that instant water also but no that probably wouldn't work given how perverted they are. Unless of course I could figure out how to make their girl sides be on their period at the same time… nah even for these three that would be too cruel.

Ranma looked at Akeno who was walking towards them, and suddenly remembered what Rias had said about her as well as Saeko's comments. "Yo Akeno, you got any suggestions?"

Akeno raised one hand to her cheek, looking away. "Ara, why ever are you asking me about something like that Ranma-san?" She looked back after a moment her eyes lighting up slightly as she leaned in to whisper into Ranma's ear. "Though I do have some suggestions…"

For some reason a shiver of atavistic terror went down all three of the perverts spines. At the same time something inside Issei once again awoke to the fear of its container, before slowly drifting back into an uneasy sleep.

A little ways away from that bit of drama Saeko smiled as she moved around the practicing kendo girls, nodding her head in approval at the improvement in their forms before dismissing them from the brief practice. They had all incorporated two of the stances Saeko had used at the beginning of her spar, which was something she had told them to notice.

With that dealt with, she turned to Rias who had waited patiently beside the training mat to speak to her. Moving over to her new friend she smiled at the redhead. "Is there something you wanted?"

"I wanted to hear more about Shampoo, her abilities and who else might be following on her heels. I was also hopping to convince Ranma to train me, or if not that at least join your spars in the future" Rias said, after making certain her voice wouldn't carry to any of the nearby students. She did after all have an image to maintain. "I realized watching you two, that I have never really trained my body much, and I think it's a blind spot I need to correct."

"Why don't you join us for dinner then?" Saeko asked. "I'm interested to learn what the Underworld is really like. And I bet even if you can't convince him to help you train, Ranma will be willing to share more of his adventures with all of us over dinner."

"I'll take you up on that, what he's shared already has been fascinating." Rias replied with a smile. "Should I bring anything over?"

"Normally I'd say no, but with Ranma's stomach, I doubt any food you bring over would go to waste." Saeko laughed, and Rias chuckled, having seen Ranma put away an astonishing amount of food at every lunch. "Still, don't bother for the first time over, Auntie might take it poorly."

At that point Akeno and Ranma joined them, and after Saeko explained things, Ranma frowned. "I'm fine with you coming over tonight, I'll just call ahead ta let mom and Kasumi know. As for training though, I'v'e thought about it, and I'd like some help from you in turn, but we can talk about that over dinner."

Koneko had followed Akeno and Ranma over to the Three Perverts before, and now she tugged at Ranma's sleeve, looking at him soulfully. "Me too senpai?"

"Er, I don't know…" Ranma began, then wilted under the combination of Koneko's eyes and his still present nervousness around the young girl. "Gah…"

To everyone's surprise Asia came to his aide, actually glaring lightly at the girl getting between him and Ranma as she grabbed one of his arms. "Koneko-san, we can't have that many people over at once, and Auntie doesn't prepare anything sweet for dinner." Watching Koneko droop somewhat Asia softened her stance slightly, but didn't move from her position between the other young girl and her big brother. "If you want to, you can come over tomorrow morning and try Kasumi-nee's pancakes. I guarantee that you'll like them."

Koneko brightened up at that, nodding quickly before looking back up at Ranma. "And training?"

"L-let's wait until this weekend to decide that Koneko-chan, by that point we might have our backyard set up, which'll give us more options, and me and Rias'll have agreed ta terms." Ranma said quickly, trying desperately not to cave completely to Koneko's soulful look.

"…Hai." Koneko nodded then fell silent as Ranma left the gym to call home, staring at Asia, who stared right back, their eyes narrowing noticeably. To one side Rias and Akeno exchanged a look of amused confusion, wondering what was going on wither their littlest family member, but highly amused at what they could understand of it already.

OOOOOOO

"What do you mean they aren't coming!?" Raynare shrieked, stopping her Light Spear exercises so abruptly she almost overbalanced. It'd taken hours to get out of the embarrassing position that human had left her in, and ever since returning to base Raynare had thrown herself into her training. NO way was she going to let Ranma get one over her again, no matter how scary he had been at the time.

"I mean they're they aren't coming, they're dead, are you deaf as well as dumb?!" Mittelt shouted back, scowling angrily as she flounced into a wooden pew. "Dohnaseek, that slut Kalawarner and even old man Grimaldi are all dead!"

Mittelt scowled looking away from Raynare angrily. If it had been up to her she would have simply gone back to headquarters after the disaster in Kyoto, but her orders were non-discretionary, she had to meet up with Raynare and help her hunt down her target, or else she might well be executed for returning empty-handed.

She still worried about those orders, but given her humiliation in Sapporo and her allies' deaths, Mittelt knew she needed something to prove her worth to the higher ups. Their faction's lack of numbers wouldn't stop Kokabiel from killing her as an example to others.

"How did they die?" Raynare asked, no calmer, but at least somewhat more composed now that she'd gotten her initial response out of the way.

"We met up all together in Kyoto, and nearly stumbled over a Sacred Gear user, the one called the Holy Maiden." Mittelt scowled. "We thought she might have just escaped Macca-no-nuts somehow. But it turned out she'd found herself a bodyguard and a damn good one too…"

Raynare listened for a few moments as the woeful tale unfolded, then shook her head in shock, recognizing the human male described as the one who had humiliated her yesterday, not having made the connection between Ranma's words and her reinforcements being late. And further, that the Holy Maiden was one of the two new Sacred Gear users that had moved into the area recently. "What the fuck!? That little bitch Asia and the two you tangled with, all three of them are here!"

For a moment Mittelt blistered the air around her with curses, stamping her feet down angrily as she stood and paced around. Raynare let her to it, staring off into the dark of the dilapidated church she had made her base of operations. It had amused her immensely to further desecrate holy ground like that, and the fact that none of the locals cared about the old ruin made it even better.

After a moment she interrupted Mittelt's ongoing curse-fest. "This can't be coincidence, can it? This Ranma character shows up out of the blue, saves Argento from us, happens to be in the same city where you and the others are, and then moves here? That shit in Kyoto sounds too much like a trap to me." Though why would he just fucking humiliate me like that rather than kill me? Does he not think I'm worth killing?

That thought jarred Mittelt out of her anger, but after a moment she nodded. "Now that you put it together, I can't believe it's a coincidence either. Him saving Argento, even his turning our attack around could be coincidence. But not being here, where you're supposed to go after another Sacred Gear user. Three times is enemy action. But who would be the enemy? The Devils?"

Raynare frowned for a moment then shook her head. "I don't think so, he and the Gremory bitch seem to be friendly enough at school, but he's no Devil himself, nor is the other one, Busujima." She went on after a moment. "It could be some purely human faction maybe…"

Both of them fell silent at that, thinking through the implications, letting their paranoia, honed through centuries of back-biting, infighting and double-crossing, go to work for a moment. But eventually Raynare shook her head. "We can't just do nothing, I refuse to let humans get one over on us like this, even if he's part of some new faction!"

"Agreed," Mittelt said, rather more resigned than angry. "We can't go back empty-handed whatever we do. Kokabeil-sama is in charge of this operation, and he's not one to let failure go."

Raynare shuddered, wishing whimsically that Azazel-sama was in charge of this mission, but he had handed it off to Kokabeil, who was an entirely different kettle of fish. Nonetheless, Raynare felt they could come out of this somehow, Ranma might have gotten the better of her once, but that was when she wasn't prepared for him, and while beating Grimaldi was no small feat, the other two weren't much. Raynare nodded as those thoughts went through her head, the sin of pride which had led to her fall once more pushing her forward.

"Right, I'm going to continue observing my target. You, keep a low profile all of your energy sealed and change your looks too! Dye your hair or something, I don't want Ranma or anyone else to recognize you. Other than that, go around town as far away from the school as possible, memorize the layout of it for now."

Mittelt nodded, though inwardly she was still thinking if they should cut their losses now, but knew that Raynare's pride wouldn't let her. "And long term?"

"You lot were only supposed to be the first wave of reinforcements, we've got some excommunicated exorcists arriving soon." Both Fallen scowled angrily, shaking their heads at the idea of working with that trash. But even trash could serve a purpose. "They should be here in a few days, so we'll sit tight for now. If nothing else they'll serve as a good distraction while we move on the main target."

OOOOOOO

Walking home with Ranma and the others was an interesting experience for both Akeno and Rias. They were used to trying at least to seem human, but you couldn't be normal and jump from one rooftop to another as easily as if you were skipping over a line in the sidewalk. It was fun, but a strange experience for both of them, simply acting out like this without caring what the people walking or driving down below thought. That they erased their presence from everyone's senses only added to the fun, since they had to keep doing it and concentrate on keeping up with the two humans, multitasking at a level that almost made it a game.

The discussion with Asia, who was being carried in the traditional princess position by Ranma, was also fun. She hadn't yet chosen a club wavering between the Sweet Shop and the Japanese Society Research Club that Rias had suggested, which made Rias rather jealous. This might've been why it fell to Saeko to stop Akeno teasing the poor girl about being carried like that by her 'beloved onichan'.

But it was as they jumped from the last rooftop down to the street in front of Ranma's house where they first realized something else was going on here. A feeling of peace and tranquility settled over them, noticeable to their senses since they were using their magic to keep from being noticed by the normal people all around them, but so diffused both girls realized they wouldn't have noticed without that. They looked at one another in shock for a moment, frowning.

Landing next to them and placing Asia on her feet Ranma noticed this and cocked an eyebrow. "What's up?"

"We're feeling… a sense of peace, or something similar…" Rias frowned pulling at her red hair for a moment, twirling the end of her hair round one finger as she tried to analyze the feeling. It was very faint, barely discernible to their senses even as the two of them began to concentrate on it, but powerful. Rias' lingering irritation and anger towards Shampoo had faded instantly, and she noticed that Akeno was looking actually serene now, her own darkness somehow mitigated.

"That'd probably be Kasumi." Ranma said with a nod. "I don't know how she does it, but she's got this weird aura around her, you just don't want to fight or anything in front of her, even sparring around her is sometimes difficult."

"Too true." Saeko murmured. "We tried to get in a spar last night after dinner, but neither of us could work up enough interest after she pouted at us. It might be some sort of Sacred Gear, that Devil that attacked us seemed to think so. But if it is, it hasn't manifested yet like Twilight Healing is for Asia."

"That's interesting," Rias said frowning thoughtfully and smiling at the young blond girl who smiled back, moving toward the house in front of them. If it's a Sacred Gear it's very odd one, I can't see any kind of combat functions for that kind of thing. Stopping combat yes but unless it will become far more powerful once it's physical manifestation appears, I don't see a purpose to it. Still, it could be useful if…

She shook her head quickly. That's not what I'm here for, and besides if this is the same Kasumi that Ranma has mentioned before I'd have to fight him to even offer her a chance to join my peerage. Not worth it, seriously not worth it.

By this point Asia and Saeko had moved to the ring the doorbell, neither of them having keys like Ranma.

Nodoka opened the door, smiling happily. "Hello Asia-chan, did you have a good day?" she asked, leaning down to give the young girl a peck on the cheek. "And this is?" She asked straitening up and looking past Asia and Saeko, who had taken Asia's bag and headed inside.

"These are our friends, Akeno Himejima and Rias Gremory. Rias-san is the one that apparently helped Ranma get into Kuoh," Saeko replied over her shoulder.

"Then I doubly welcome you my dear." Nodoka said with a laugh, holding out her hand to Akeno and Rias in turn.

Both girls shook her hand, while Rias studied the older woman before turning back to Ranma her lips quirked into a smirk. "So, your other form isn't actually determined by the body of the girl who fell in the spring. I can definitely see the resemblance between your mother and your female form."

Both Ranma and his mother winced slightly at that, neither liking to be reminded of the fact that they hadn't actually noticed that resemblance when they had first seen one another after Genma had taken Ranma way on his training trip. Or rather Nodoka hadn't, Ranma had but had been so busy trying to hide his curse from his mother that it hadn't really registered.

After a moment Nodoka laughed shaking her head. "I suppose it is obvious that Ranma takes after me especially in the chest area Rias-san. You would not believe the amount of flak I got from other girls when I began to blossom early." She shook her head reminiscently. "It was the second reason why I took up martial arts when my father and mother realized they could not have another child."

"Oh, what was the first?" Akeno asked politely.

"Getting in shape enough to keep from getting backaches and shoulder pains," Nodoka replied bluntly. "A few months of hard work to get into shape when I was fourteen and two hours every day since and I've never felt shoulder or back pain again."

"Shoulder pains?" Ranma asked cocking his head while Saeko nodded in agreement and Asia pouted, wishing she had that issue to worry about. "What've shoulder pains got to do with anything?"

For a moment Akeno and Rias simply stared at one another. Despite being Devils, their breasts often did make their shoulders and backs sore, especially if they were on their feet all day. Rias quickly turned to Ranma. "I really want to join the two of you now, please?" She said pleadingly, with Akeno nodding her head quickly behind her.

Ranma laughed saying she'd have to meet his price, and Saeko smiled gently, her eyes gleaming eagerly. Fighting Ranma was all well and good, and she learned a lot from him, but more sparring partners was both fun and a learning experience. "I look forward to seeing your abilities." She said earnestly. "Ranma has told me about your game of tag, it will be interesting to face off against another supernaturally gifted opponent."

"Enough of that for now." Kasumi said from the doorway into the kitchen. "I put the place out Auntie, I assume that the two of you are staying for dinner?"

Ranma smiled at his big sister figure, going over to put an arm around her shoulders. "Kasumi, this is Rias and Akeno. Like Saeko said, Rias with the one who apparently helped me get into the school, and Akeno is her best friend. They're also both Devils like I mentioned before."

Kasumi smiled politely. "I've always been the sort to take people as I find them, so I'm not going to hold the fact that your Devils against you, and Ranma's vouching for you is equally important." Then she frowned horribly, nudging Ranma in the ribs. "But if you don't have good table manners, I might reconsider. I had enough of that with this walking stomach and his panda father."

Both girls laughed, moving over to shake hands with Kasumi and then entering the kitchen, which also doubled as the dining room. It was small, far smaller than either were used to and somewhat crowded with two more places added to the table, but homey, and very welcoming.

As Nodoka served them chicken teriyaki and daikon radish with rice, Rias followed up on the opening Ranma's introduction had given her, explained the different types of Devil. When she was finished she asked Kasumi and Asia about the Devil that they had encountered in Nerima.

When Kasumi gave the Devil's name and described his peerage Rias smiled faintly, exchanging a glance with Akeno who nodded. "Arconig is, or rather was known as a sort of bottom feeder. The Etevas house isn't entirely unknown, but they're definitely not among the movers and shakers, and they're looked down upon for not having any kind of morals when it comes to contracts or adding to their peerages, harkening back to the bad old days and not wise enough to know those old days will never come back. Most of us have learned to move with the times. After all eating souls is so passé." she finished dryly.

That drew a laugh, even Asia giggled a little before Rias went on. "But you mentioned earlier that you and the Amazons were able to break through the barrier he set up? That barrier spell is one of the most basic of all the factions even Fallen Angels and Angels use it to create an area of space wherein anything that goes on inside it becomes magically sealed away from reality. To break through it is worrisome."

"By the grace of God we were saved." Asia said, clapping her hands together and bowing her head, closing her eyes for a second as she began a prayer for the food.

She didn't notice Rias and Akeno wincing but Ranma did, and he tapped Akeno on the shoulder lightly. "What's wrong?" he asked softly so as to not disturb Asia's prayer. He didn't believe in God, nor did any of the others in the household follow the Catholic religion. Religion was a personal choice, and Asia followed her religion with a fervor and quiet certitude that all of them respected.

"The use of… that word… hurts us Devils." Rias explained for her friend, who was looking even more pained than she was. That had more to do with her past than the actual physical pain of hearing the word 'god' though.

Asia finished her prayer quickly enough to hear that and looked apologetic but Rias shook her head. "Don't, it has nothing to do with what you do, and nothing I did either, it's just a thing that's all. Don't worry about it."

Asia nodded, but still looked a little guilty until Rias ruffled her hair playfully. "Don't worry about it," she repeated. "Why don't you tell us about this group Ranma protected you from in Rome? I hadn't realized that you had run into Fallen Angels inside the actual holy city. That is…" Rias paused, thinking of the word.

"Manifestly Impossible?" Akeno supplied. "Acting in the heart of your enemy's stronghold like that? And so flagrantly?

"Don't know if it was flagrant or not, but it was very stupid, and arrogant." Ranma said shaking his head.

"Something you'd know all about my son," Nodoka cut in dryly, causing the rest of them to laugh, but Ranma simply shrugged. He had an ego, sue him.

With Asia's help Ranma described the meeting between them and the Fallen Angel and the group of exorcists that had accompanied him, which was surprising for both girls. Rias promised to look into it, since it was very odd to hear about exorcists even excommunicated ones working with the Fallen. "They should be like oil and water, working together like that would take someone very charismatic or powerful to keep them all in line and pointed in the same direction."

"Enough about that," Kasumi said mildly, wanting to steer the conversation into a less serious discussion. "Tell me, what is it like living here in the mortal world in comparison to the Underworld, and is that even the proper name for where Devils live? What do you most like about living here, in particular in Japan?"

The conversation continued from there, with Asia and Rias bonding over manga, Japanese foods, and Saeko bonding with Rias over anime. Akeno on the other hand found a kindred spirit in many ways with Nodoka, being a fan of traditional Japanese clothing and arts. Ranma had never heard of Kinbaku before, but it must have been an art given how the two of them talked about it, something to do with the body maybe?

Ranma didn't really pay attention to that conversation, having become engrossed in a conversation with Rias about Shampoo and some of his other rivals at the same time Akeno broached the subject with Nodoka. Ryoga in particular grabbed Rias' interest, given his physical strength and the apparent curse of misdirection that his family suffered from. Asia and Kasumi joined in this conversation after talking to Saeko about her helping Asia with a history project, but none of them could offer any ideas on how to keep Shampoo away from the school, which was Rias' main worry.

Throughout the meal, Rias noticed something which, when she realized it, brought a smile to her face that lit up her normally beautiful features even more. Not once in the entire conversation had any of her hosts seemed to hold her being a Devil against her, and further, none of them had called her Gremory-san or -sama. It might've been the first time she had been around people who simply didn't care about her family name or reputation. They simply knew her as Rias, and didn't care about her being heir to her family, even though she had mentioned both what they were famous for and their status in the Devil World, something that warmed her heart tremendously.

The meal was almost finished when Rias brought up the idea of training her and Akeno to Ranma again. "You mentioned wanting something in return, what was it?"

"Well, at first I'd thought maybe ya could teach me those attacks of yours, but you said those are family techniques, so I won't ask. My second idea was…" Ranma paused, pulling at his pigtail. "I'm used ta my curse, and I know enough about Jusenkyou to doubt there's any real cure, even with your magical knowledge."

Rias nodded at that, having thought along a similar line when she was researching Jusenkyou. At the time she had thought to barter a cure into getting Ranma to join her peerage. But what limited information she could find out about the place said that adding any more magic, even in an attempt to cure the curse, was a vary bad idea with, as the information said, often unforeseen and uncontrolled consequences.

"But I wondered, if there's no way to cure the curse, could there be a way to control it? Like be able to change genders when I want, rather than whenever I'm splashed by cold water?"

"That… could be possible yes. I would have to examine the actual change very closely, and it would almost certainly involve mediation on your part to figure out how to manipulate the magical trigger, but it could be possible. I doubt you'd ever be free of the whole change when wet part though." Rias cautioned. That this would also let her figure out why there was so little magical splash when he changed forms was a bonus.

"That's fine, I'd just like ta be able to change under my own will. It could be a major help." Ranma enthused. "If ya can help me with that, I'm fine with helping train ya after my spars with Saeko."

Next to Rias Akeno wiped her lips briefly with a napkin before smiling happily at Nodoka, having enjoyed both the conversation and the meal, though slightly sad that none of the others at the table had evinced any reaction to it, which really was half the fun for her. "This was wonderful Nodoka-san, you simply have to give me that recipe for the teriyaki chicken, the sauce was excellent the best I've had. And some of your ideas for different types of bonds was also inspired, I will simply have to try them out myself."

"Allow an old woman her secrets my dear," Nodoka said laughing lightly. All in all she had greatly enjoyed this meal, and getting to know her son's friends. The two young women were intelligent, graceful, and able to put up with the weirdness that came from knowing Ranma. Exactly the sort that she wanted Ranma to meet.

The fact that both of them and Saeko had promised to keep Ranma studying in school was a definite bonus, and it was rather amusing that both of them were Devils, given how, gentle-seeming they were. She could tell that Akeno had a darker side to her, the faint smiles she saw in the younger girl's face during their discussion showed that, but Rias was another matter entirely.

Ranma rolled his eyes, putting an arm around his mom and squeezing her shoulders gently. "Old's a matter of perspective mom and you're nowhere near old enough to use that line." The other women at the table however, even Asia, simply shook their heads, knowing that had been a trap to elicit just that response.

"But you know," Akeno mused, looking between Ranma and Rias speculatively. No one had reacted to the topic of shibari, so she was more than willing to try a different tack to illicit the responses she wanted. "While I've seen your female form Ranma, you weren't dressed up to look like Rias-chan. I have to wonder how alike you can really look. Do you think you could fool someone who knows Rias personally?"

"That sounds like an interesting experiment actually," Nodoka said nodding. "And really Ranma you should pay Rias back somehow for the pranks you pulled using that idea. Imagine getting even with her for doing you the favor of getting you into Kuoh."

Kasumi nodded too, and Ranma realized he was trapped. He tried to get up quickly heading for the doorway to the living room only for Saeko of all people to trip him as he pushed away from the table. "Come now Ranma," she said laughing lightly. "This could be fun."

"Yeah for you!" he said, but he was unable to break her grip before his mother smiled at him. Once he saw that smile he knew that resistance was futile. Even Asia betrayed him, giggling as she poured a glass of cold water over his head.

"Stand up Rias-chan, let's see what we can do here…" Akeno said, moving to stand next to Ranma. "You wouldn't happen to have a spare Kuoh uniform would you Saeko-san?"

With Asia and Saeko and even Akeno helping, Ranma was soon primped up as much as she could be to look like Rias, barring his-now-her underwear, where Ranma drew the line. Saeko and Akeno in particular got into it, laughing lightly as they forced Ranma and Rias to move this way and that treating them like let living dolls to compare their expressions and bodies.

Soon Ranma was dressed in the Kuoh girls uniform, standing, for some reason, back to back with Rias as the others moved around them, changing his hair slightly, adding the bits of red hair lengtheners (taken originally from a joke shop) Ranma had used during his prank. Saeko sighed, brushing at Rias' red hair with a brush. "My word, you need to tell me what shampoo you use."

"It's a Devil brand," Rias replied, humming slightly in pleasure at the brushing, thankful that Koneko wasn't hear or else she would be pouting up a storm at being left out of the pampering. "I'll bring a bottle to school tomorrow."

"Ara, for a boy Ranma-san has decent hair too. Do you do anything to it?"

"You have ta make certain there's no newts in the water." Ranma replied grumpily, twitching as she felt her rear pushed back into Rias' for a moment.

Akeno chuckled then looked over at Kasumi, who was watching all this with a smile even as she absent-mindedly did the dishes with Nodoka. "You wouldn't happen to have any eyeliner somewhere?"

Ranma blanched but didn't protest as Akeno and Nodoka went to work on 'her' makeup, with Rias standing cheek to cheek with Ranma for reference. Once that was done, Akeno pulled Ranma around until he was chest to chest with Rias, ostensibly to compare their heights and shoulders, but really just to see the boy-turned-girl blush.

Which Ranma proceeded to do, blushing so red she almost matched her hair. The feel of the other girls breasts against her upper chest and neck even through several layers of clothing was enough to drive Ranma to distraction. The fact he could barely not look at her cleavage was not helping, nor was Rias' smile, which frankly made her already pretty features damn near gorgeous. God dammit, why the hell am I a breast man!

Akeno laughed 'Hohoho' at this sight while Rias giggled and Asia asked Ranma if she was feeling alright, not understanding what was going on. Saeko did however and leaned in whispering into Ranma's ear, making a point to press her own breasts into the shorter girl's back. "Put up with it for now Ranma, and I might give you a reward later…"

Hearing that Ranma gulped, but began to get her blush under control, while Rias frowned for some reason she didn't quite understand, moving away slightly and halfheartedly berating Akeno for taking her teasing too far. But Akeno simply waved her off, shaking her head. "Hmm, so Rias is a bit taller, and her face is just a little bit older looking but the makeup makes up for that. From a distance even I'd have trouble with telling the difference between you two if he, she that is hoho, padded her chest a bit."

Believing that to be the end of things Ranma breathed a sigh of relief, taking a step back from Rias, who turned to her friend shaking her head in an 'I told you so; gesture. Then Asia said, "You know who they both remind me of, some of those magical girls on TV! I wonder what they'd look like if they were dressed up like Fate or one of the others from Lyrical Natalie. Oh, Saeko-san, you could be Benigata-chan!"

Nodoka, Kasumi and Akeno all cocked their heads, staring at the two redheads for a moment, or rather the one redhead and Saeko. Ranma had quickly made his escape, leaving Rias alone. The girls took one look at the empty space then began to laugh.

None of the people in the house noticed the small white cat with purple ears and paws sitting outside on a nearby windowsill staring into the house via the kitchen window. The cat's tail twitched angrily, its eyes locked on each of the new women in Ranma's life in turn. New girls need learn their place, Shampoo make certain they do!

Luckily for all concerned, Shampoo decided to call it a night after Rias and Akeno left. Because true to her word Saeko decided to reward Ranma for putting up with the girls' teasing. He came out of the bathroom having had a shower to change back into his male body to find Saeko beckoning him to follow to her room. "Tell me Ranma, have you ever had a neck rub?"

Ranma paused, cocking his head this way and that for a moment. "Um, no… but my neck isn't hurting or anything Sae-chan." Now that they were alone, Ranma felt comfortable enough to add the affectionate address to Saeko's name, where he didn't in public.

"Don't worry about that Ranma, trust me, you'll feel far better afterward regardless." Smiling mysteriously, Saeko gestured for him to sit down in front of her on her futon. When he did so, Saeko placed her hands at the juncture of his neck and shoulders and began to gently knead the skin there.

Closing his eyes Ranma unconsciously leaned back into Saeko's hands slightly, cocking his head to the side to allow her better access. Saeko's hands danced up his shoulders and neck into his hair and back, kneading, caressing. Then after a moment, Ranma felt the futon shift slightly, then Saeko leaned against him, her breasts pressing into his back, resting on her haunches, her legs to either side of his body. Ranma's body tried to stiffen up as blood rushed to his face and elsewhere. But Saeko simply continued her ministrations, doing nothing else, and slowly the tension left Ranma's body and he murmured, "Feels good Sae-chan…"

"I'm glad Ranma…" Saeko said, loosing herself a bit in the feel of Ranma's muscles and skin, under her hands, a certain sensual thrill filling her at both the touch and the way Ranma trusted himself into her hands like this.

She smiled when she felt Ranma's hands , which had been in his lap, move, landing on her thighs, where they began to knead the muscles there in the same manner Saeko was doing to his neck. For several moments the two of them were silent, simply enjoying this close connection, neither willing to take the next step or step back.

Eventually however Saeko's legs began to feel cramped, and she stopped her ministrations, pulling reluctantly back from Ranma's back. "Done." She murmured.

Ranma turned around, facing Saeko now, taking in her features avidly for a moment before leaning in, kissing her quickly on the check right next to her mouth. "Thanks Sae-chan, that felt amazing. I promise I'll pay ya back sometime."

"No need Ranma" Saeko replied, putting her arms around him in a hug, smiling as she felt Ranma's arms go around her in turn. They held the hug for a moment, then pulled back slowly, staring at one another again, before Ranma reluctantly broke away, leaving the room quietly while Saeko fell back onto her futon, a small, but very warm smile on her face. Progress!

OOOOOOO

The next morning, Asia knelt by her bed for her daily morning prayer looking up as she heard the front doorbell. Sighing she got up, but resolutely decided not to try to get out of it. I cannot let my protectiveness over my little sister position force me to keep acting so spoiled, that isn't what God would want, even if there isn't any commandment that directly addresses the issue. I need to make some sort of peace with Koneko-chan, after all despite our conflict over Ranma-nii's attention, she's really quite a nice girl, and we have a lot in common too. I won't let her take my place with Ranma-nii, but I won't stop her from making her own place either.

So thinking she left her room and went downstairs greeting her semi-friend as Kasumi let her in. "Hello Koneko-chan, you're just in time!"

"Asia-chan told me last night that we'd be having company this morning, so I prepared extra pancakes this morning." Kasumi acknowledged, watching the strangely calm girl before her noticeably perk up at the word 'pancake'. For some reason the girl reminded her of a cat, but she would be hard-pressed to explain why other than her name.

Koneko left her shoes by the entrance, moving into the house and looking around appreciatively. The house was far smaller than the place she shared with the rest of the Gremory peerage, but, and despite the fact she knew Ranma and the others hadn't lived here long, it still felt warm and welcoming.

Entering the kitchen behind Asia, Koneko frowned lightly. "Ranma-sempai?"

"Unfortunately my son was called in early this morning, so early the sun wasn't up yet, by the police. There is apparently some sort of scene they want his opinion on in a nearby town." Nodoka supplied, shaking her head and holding up a note Ranma had left on the fridge. "I have no idea why, but I hope it won't take all day. I do want him to concentrate on his education after all."

Hearing that Koneko frowned and was about to glare at Asia, but Asia squeezed her hand lightly, pulling her down to sit by her. When Koneko looked at her, Asia shook her head, indicating she had no idea Ranma would be absent that morning. Asia went on to serve Koneko first, asking, "Do you like strawberry or apple syrup on your pancakes Koneko-chan?" After that, the hatchet between them was well and truly buried. For now anyway.

OOOOOOO

Ranma looked around him, breathing through his mouth, one hand over his nose to block out the smell of blood lingering in the apartment. It was a typical single-person apartment, a woman's definitely, that would be obvious even without the Police Inspector rattling of the woman's name and age in his ear. But Ranma had no attention for that, most of his attention was keeping both his stomach down and his rage in check at the grisly scene before him.

The girl hadn't just been killed, she had been dismembered, her blood used to write out what the Inspector said were psalms from the bible, along with one large sign fainted all over one of the apartment's walls, 'Devil Worshipper'.

"This isn't the same perp that's been making people just disappear," Ranma said coldly, interrupting the Inspector and looking over at Kenta. "This is someone with an entirely different set of rules or whatever ya call it. I think we're dealing with either a real, if human, crazy, or maybe some kind of Devil hunter or exorcist someone trained ta deal with the super-natural."

Ranma turned to Kenta shaking his head. "Ya have any clue as ta which?"

Wordlessly the man gestured Ranma into the apartment's bedroom, where Ranma stopped, and stared. The outer wall, concrete, steel and all, had been cut into a perfect square, the new opening leading out onto a fire escape which had originally abutted a window. The bit of wall had been set to one side.

"Whoever did this did it in midday, fast enough and quiet enough to not be noticed by anyone, with a blade sharp enough to cut almost as neatly as an acetylene torch with none of the residue. That and the messages enough for you?"

"Oh yeah." Ranma murmured, reaching down and effortlessly lifting the bit of wall to stare at the edge of it. "Yeah, this bastard is on my official shit list now. Hope ya don't mind, but if I find whoever did this, he won't live ta answer any of your questions."

"Surprisingly, I am totally fine with that." And so were the higher ups, though Kenta wasn't going to mention that. Plans were in motion elsewhere situated around the paranormal world and its interaction with the rest of Japan, that was all even he or his captain knew, and it would do no good for Ranma to hear about them just yet.

OOOOOOO

Saeko came out of the school building at lunch moving to join Asia and her friends by what had quickly become to be called 'The Beautiful Foursome's Tree', smiling as Koneko moved to join her from the school's main entrance. "Hello sempai," the younger girl said in her soft voice. "Where is Ranma-sempai?"

"Still helping out the police I'm afraid." Saeko said, falling into step with the younger girl, glancing around before whispering in very low tone, one that only Koneko could hear thanks to her enhanced senses. "Were you asking for yourself or for Rias Koneko?"

Koneko held up two fingers, indicating both, and Saeko laughed, before rapidly leaping away from her previous position. Rolling and throwing her lunch towards the younger girl Saeko turned angrily to face the bicycle that had just impacted the ground where she'd been standing hard enough to leave a crater, absently noticing the bike's bell had been removed. "Hello Shampoo, are you going to go for a formal challenge this time or simply keep ambushing me like this?"

"You win last time by luck!" The Chinese Amazon shouted, jumping off of the bike quickly and pulling out two twin scimitars. "I say this last time too stupid sword girl, you is not Amazon, you is not strong enough for Airen, back off and live!"

"Oh my God look at how firm those things are!" shouted Issei from nearby shaking his head. "Oppai, glorious Oppai!"

"That they would barely even give under your fingers but feels so soft!" Drooled Mahotama. Even being dropped off in the red light district in BDSM costumes had done nothing to curb their perversions. That had been one of Akeno's whispered suggestions the day before but they had escaped their captors before the plan could get farther than dragging them nearly naked out of the school.

"B34-W32-H37! I have no idea where she came from or what's going on, but I am so grateful I'm alive right now!" The pervert with glasses shouted.

Shampoo turned to stare at the boys, then down at one of her swords thoughtfully, visibly wondering what she could get away with in regards toward the trio. More than one girl nearby got over their shock at her arrival eagerly shouting suggestions at that point. "Kill them!" "No castrate them!"

This momentary hesitation allowed Rias and Akeno along with Sona to arrive on the scene. Sona strode forward angrily, followed by two of her knights. "I don't know why you're here Xian Pu of the Jouketsuku, but this is a civilized school! We do not allow anyone onto school property without reason, nor do we allow anyone to fight anyone else like this on school grounds! You have two minutes to vacate the premises or I'm calling the police!"

Rias and Akeno shared a glance, shaking their heads internally at how Sona wanted to deal with this in the human fashion, which neither girl felt was the right way to go about it. Rias felt an overwhelming show of force would put Shampoo off coming back to Kuoh, while Akeno felt showing up like this was the same thing as Shampoo volunteering to let Akeno test out her kinbaku techniques on her rather than the Pervert Trio.

"Hah as if week pol-ice do anything to Amazon warrior!" Shampoo smirked. "Unless glasses girl want get hurt, Shampoo suggest move out of way, yes?"

"You do not talk to Kaichou like that!" said Tomoe, taking an aggressive step forward along with a blue-haired girl named Tsubasa, who was one of Sona's rooks. Shampoo quickly raised her weapons, taking three steps forward faster than either of them could respond, not having triggered their Devilic powers just yet. Tomoe thought her knight-given speed would allow her to do so when she needed to, and Tsubasa didn't honestly think Shampoo was a threat against a Devil despite having seen what Saeko and Ranma could do.

But Shampoo had trained in the Amazon School of martial arts where speed was everything. She wasn't as fast as Ranma in his male body let alone his female form, but she actually had slightly faster footwork than the two knights, and far more of a willingness to use weapons than Ranma. Before either knight could react she was already in their faces, her Chinses scimitars flashing out to stop within an inch of their necks. "Strange ki girls back off!"

In reply both knights activated their powers quickly, stepping backwards faster than Shampoo could respond to, their own hands now suddenly holding weapons as Sona clicked her fingers. "Now Tsubaki!"

Elsewhere Tsubaki and Sona's two bishops swiftly cast a spell, the same one that Rias had used initially to put the rest of the class to sleep the day before. But this one was much more powerful and had a wider ranger, putting everyone around the entire school not involved in this little drama into a deep sleep. They'd intended for it to knockout Shampoo as well, and Sona was surprised that it didn't work despite Ranma telling them about the girl being able to break through a Devilic illusion.

Feeling something washing over her and noticing all the bystanders falling asleep where they stood or sat, Shampoo, retreated quickly, staring at all of them as well as Kiba, who had joined Rias and the rest of the peerage. His blade was out too, and he stood, his legs crouched, the sword held low to the ground, ready to defend his king in an instant.

Saeko shook her head holding up a hand. "Wait, she's here to challenge me. Why don't we give her what she wants, but add some restrictions? If I fight you again Shampoo, will you agree to not further endanger any bystanders with your chasing after Ranma? Specifically not jumping him or any of us in public like this where others can get in the way?"

"Is honorable idea," Shampoo said with a slow nod, knowing she was outnumbered. "Shampoo agrees."

Sona moved to stand beside Saeko as the others slowly parted allowing Shampoo to march towards the gym. None of them noticed her giving Kiba a once over and even a slight nod of approval. If blond boy strong as he looks, might send back to tribe for other sisters join me here.

"Are you sure about this? I thought you said she was so persistent she'd keep on coming." Sona asked.

"Of course she will that's not in question. Unless you're saying you can permanently erase her memory of Ranma in its entirety?"

Sona frowned at that then shook her head. They could erase short term memories easily, and quickly enough that they wouldn't be around long enough to become long-term. But erasing two years plus of adventures? That was impossible for her. My sister could probably do it, as could any of the other high-level Devils, but I'm not there just yet.

"In that case, if we cannot stop her aggression, we must seek to channel it. I have an idea along those lines, follow me."

Moments later Saeko stood across from Shampoo, holding an actual sword in her hands rather than a bokken. She held it low by her waist, as if she was going for an i-ai, a quick draw slash. "The agreement is thus: we fight, and if you win, you will be allowed to pursue Ranma on school grounds regardless of the time of day or whoever is around. If I win, you have to only show up after school, and you cannot endanger any bystanders when you do. Is this acceptable?"

Shampoo scowled angrily, not enjoying the feeling of being overwhelmed like this. But the power of the magic-using girls was more than she had ever seen before, more than even her own elders or Saffron. Though admittedly, she didn't have the best memories of the whole Phoenix Tribe incident. And it wasn't as if Saeko was simply demanding she stop chasing Ranma or getting in Saeko's way, which Shampoo could not have honorably agreed to.

She didn't like these restrictions, but she could go with them. "Shampoo agrees, but feels sword girl should put up something on her end."

"Like what?"

"Like stop pursuing Ranma yourself." Shampoo said bluntly.

"That is far too much, considering how little I'm asking you." Saeko said promptly. "You want me to do that then you have to agree to the same thing."

Shampoo growled, shaking her head and pulling out her favorite weapon, twin maces, long hefted, and large of head. They looked comical, but considering the fact they were solid steel were anything but. "Let's just start match!"

By this point the Devils had finished putting up a barrier around the gym, and Sona moved to the midpoint between the two combatants her hand raised. Despite her irritation at this whole situation she was the Kaichou and there were certain things she had to do. "The stakes have been agreed upon. This is a no holds barred match. It will end when either participant is unconscious or placed in a life-threatening situation. Maiming however is not allowed, and if I see either of you try to cripple the other in any shape or form I will end this fight immediately. Are we clear?"

Pushing up her glasses so they glinted in the gym's overhead lights Sona glared at each of the combatants. The fact that this seemed to be the only solution didn't mean she had to like it. Under her glare both girls nodded, neither showing enough fear of her glare for Sona's sense of mind, but agreeing at least. "On your marks, ready, fight!" she said with a sigh, lowering her head.

A mere millisecond later the two purple haired martial artists met in the middle of the mat, with the clamor of steel on steel. Saeko swung twice in a blur, smacking Shampoo's maces to either side, but was unable to alter their trajectory enough to open Shampoo for a riposte. Instead she had to back away from a kick, then roll to the side to dodge a mace coming at her faster than she could block.

She replied by nearly taking Shampoos legs out from under her with her own kick coming up into a slashing attack, which Shampoo blocked with one of her weapons, whirling the other at Saeko's head which Saeko barely saw coming. "You is good, but not good enough, I know you tricks now!"

Using all of the speed she had gotten from training against Ranma since their last battle Saeko dodged under the blow. Pushing hard on their joined weapons at the same time she broke Shampoo's balance for a moment, then before Shampoo could swing backwards with her free weapon, pushed that weapon on with her other hand, over balancing Shampoo further. "Then I'll just have to come up with new ones!"

Shampoo rolled with it, disengaging their weapons and nearly taking Saeko's sword out of her hand doing so, coming around with a three blow combo. From there she then segued into a 10 blow combo which used both of her weapons and her legs, before taking to the air. "Sword girl should know better than challenge Amazon!"

Saeko however surprised Shampoo by leaping upwards with her, her weapon close to her side as she blocked one of the blows, coming up and over the head of the maze to slide along the haft of it for a brief second with her blade between her and the weapon, kicking out hard twice. With her other weapon out of position to guard from this attack, Shampoo dropped it raising her hand and pushing and blocking the kicks with her now free hand but couldn't pull back her one remaining mace in time which allowed Saeko to push off and away, swinging her sword up and into another slashing at Shampoo's chest.

Shampoo barely dodged backwards in time, and her shirt suffered for it, gaping open now from a slash straight across the chest. But Saeko couldn't recover fast enough to dodge Shampoo's spinning kick, which launched Saeko across the mat.

Instead of following up immediately Shampoo circled around, picking up her second mace then moving in rapidly from Saeko's side. Saeko winced, pushing to her feet and into the series of blows Shampoo threw her way, blocking them with her sword while kicking and punching out when she could. Shampoo however pressed her hard, and knew she was winning this fight. "Sword girl good, but Shampoo better!"

Saeko grimaced, but then decided to take a chance. Instead of blocking one mace thrust she instead moved backwards just enough to avoid most of its power, using the blows momentum to move backwards out of Shampoo's immediate range. Before Shampoo could follow up, Saeko slashed her sword forward. "Noble Samurai Slash!"

A small but extremely fast blast of air pressure flew out from her sword's edge, smashing into Shampoo from a bare foot away throwing her backwards and knocking the air out of Shampoo's lungs, hitting with such force Shampoo lost her grip on her weapons. Even so, Shampoo rolled with it, coming up and moving to reach for her weapons, only to run straight into another, far slower but still powerful blast of air pressure.

This one caught her in the head, flipping Shampoo head over tail and before she could get to her feet again, Saeko was standing over her, gasping and wincing. But her blade was steady as Saeko held it directly between Shampoo's eyes.

Saeko looked down at her, breathing heavily, wincing as her ribs twitched from where she'd taken that last blow. If she hadn't broken something there she would be immensely surprised. Shampoo certainly wasn't pulling any punches today. "My win, yes?"

Shampoo glared out at her, and looked about to try something, but Sona stepped forward quickly, pulling up her hands. "Enough! Busujima-san has won."

From where she had been watching worriedly Asia made to rush forward, but a sudden shattering sound caused all of them to turn as Ranma entered the gym having broken the illusion spell over the gym. Frowning he looked around and then at Shampoo and Saeko before sighing. "Alright, so this ain't exactly what I thought I'd be running inta, but still…" He shook his head. "Really Shampoo?

Asia finished running forward, and began to heal Saeko first then Shampoo. Surprisingly, Shampoo nodded her head in thanks showing respect for the younger girl. In the Amazon culture healers were greatly respected almost as much as elders were. Asia's powers would've made her a hit regardless of her personality, which Shampoo had learned was nice and pleasant, almost like Kasumi, in her brief stay in Nerima.

"Did you really think that beating Saeko in a match would make me more interested in ya Shampoo?" Ranma asked shaking his head. "We've done this song and dance haven't we?"

Shampoo glared at him, angry at both the fact that he was right and the fact he was thinking the worst of her. Straightening up she quickly pulled out a water bottle from her hidden space. "Airen should know better than make fun of Amazon wife!"

At the sight of that water bottle Ranma began to back away quickly, while Rias and Akeno gasped, leaning forward eagerly. Even Sona looked interested, all three of them stretching out their magical senses to feel what they could from the imminent change. Only Rias and Saeko saw that Ranma looked actually alarmed rather than startled, and wondered what that was about but they didn't think much of it. "Now wait Shampoo, don't do anything rash!"

But it was too late. Shampoo swiftly poured the water over her head, immediately changing into her cursed form. The little cat which pushed out of Shampoo's pile of clothing had white fur covering its body, but the tail, paws and ears were a light purple shade. It also had slightly longer fur on top of its head falling to either side of its face with small bells tied to the ends, just like Shampoo had in her hair.

The little cat leaped forward towards Ranma who scrambled back, his face a rictus of fear now, surprising everyone there. Before the cat could reach him Ranma jumped backwards, escaping the cat just in time but smashing into and through the outer wall of the gym as the cat gave chase. "MROWW!"

Koneko was the first to react chasing after them swiftly, hopping into the trees as Shampoo did the same trying to race after Ranma. She was surprised to see that Ranma hadn't instead simply smashing through any tree in his way, racing away from the cat in a ruler-straight line.

Despite being larger than the cat Koneko couldn't catch up to them until right before Ranma reached the school's outer wall. He jumped up and away over the rooftops but when the cat tried to give chase, leaping with astonishing strength toward the same rooftops, Koneko caught her just as she cleared the outer wall.

She held the cat up eye level, where Shampoo glared at her, sniffing the air for a moment before cocking her head thoughtfully as Koneko did the same, looking at the white-haired girl in confusion. Silently Koneko turned away, moving back through the arrow straight line of destruction sunshine boy had left, still holding the kitten in the air.

While Kiba and Sona's peerage headed out to repair the damage Ranma had just done to the school, Rias and the others gathered around Saeko. "Would you like to explain why Ranma just tore off out of here as if he was a Devil facing a Jehovah's Witness with a clipboard?" Rias asked tartly.

"I honestly have no idea." Saeko replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Remember Ranma and I have known each other a little over a month, he certainly hasn't share all his past adventures with me in that time. My instincts however say it is something to do with his idiot of a father."

Koneko frowned, looking down at the cat she still held in her hands. "He is afraid of cats?" She asked softly, her entire body drooping at the thought. "But…" Koneko paused, looking at her king, then told Rias what she felt from Ranma. "He almost feels like a big alpha cat and a ray of sunshine. Why would he be afraid of cats if he feels like one?"

"I have no idea why he feels like that to you Koneko-chan, you know your senses make even other Devils senses seem limited." Rias replied, frowning thoughtfully. "But that level of reaction speaks of a deep trauma rather than a simple fear."

"Hmm… I wonder if using recordings of cat sounds would let me keep in line. Or at least hold the threat over his head to make him obey the school's rules?" Sona mused.

"That's sooo evil Sona-sama, I love it!" Akeno giggled.

Shuddering at her friend's giggling Rias shook her head, "Right, well if this is going to happen again, particularly if Shampoo can use it against him, we might need to know what caused it, so if you could ask Ranma to explain it when you see him Saeko-san, that would be helpful. For now though, I think we need to cancel the spell on the rest of the school and get on with things."

Sona smirked down at Shampoo-cat, pushing her glasses up her nose so they once again glinteDevilly in the overhead light. "As for you, since you actually agreed to the match and you and Busujima-san didn't do any damage to the school beyond that crater, you can fix that and go. But if you show up outside of lunch or after school, I'll force you to change into your cat form again and keep you in a cage for a few weeks."

The small cat visibly blanched at that in Koneko's grip, but nodded her head agreeing. Weird ki girls be scary ruthless. Maybe they be Amazons of different tribe?

OOOOOOO

Several dozen miles away from Kuoh Ranma finally slowed down, shaking his head and looking around. "Damn it, stupid freaking neko-ken, just because it had been a while since I was near one I feel even more afraid? Stupid Shampoo, stupid furry Devils from hell, stupid Old Man! Well, at least a lost that little purring Devil."

"Purring Devil nya?" said a voice from nearby. "This purring Devil wouldn't happen to be a short young girl with white hair nya?"

Ranma turned then froze, staring at the cat laying out on the side of the roof right by where he'd stopped. It had black fur and was rather large for a stray, not that Ranma was in any position to tell. He slowly shook his head, backing away slowly, "O, oh great, now I'm hallucinating about talking furry Devils, just, just f-fantastic…" With that he turned leaping away leaving the black cat behind as quickly as he could.

The cat stared after the odd boy, shaking her head at the feel of him, a massive amount of what Devils called chakra only different than the normal sort, receded into the distance. "What a strange young man, I wonder what he meant by the neko-ken. And what that odd energy I felt from him was, it felt so powerful and nice, like a big sunbeam, almost like chakra but not quite. Regardless, I just found another reason to check in on little Shirone-chan, nya…"

OOOOOOO

When they arrived home, Asia and Saeko were quick to tell Nodoka and Kasumi about what had happened at school. Nodoka told them about the neko-ken while Kasumi sighed looking away guiltily. She and her sisters had reacted badly to the neko-ken, simply not taking it seriously at all at the time, something she later regretted. She hoped that Saeko and Asia wouldn't follow in their footsteps.

She needn't have worried. Asia, gentle and sheltered girl that she was, nearly collapsed into a sobbing mess at the idea of a young boy being put through what amounted to torture. At the sight of the young girls tearing up Nodoka pulled her into a hug, gently rocking the girl as Asia began to sob quietly. "Shhh lovey, it's not your fault you didn't know, my former husband has much to answer for."

"I, I want to I… God teaches that there is good in all of His creations, but, but why…" Asia sobbed, trying to understand.

"Genma was never willfully cruel Asia-chan, he simply was blind to the pain he caused, the trouble he made for Ranma. Everything he did was for the Art, to make Ranma the best he could be, whatever the cost. I wouldn't call him evil, he has done some good over the years. But ignorance and a lack of empathy can cause you to hurt those around you just as much as if you set out to do it."

Saeko didn't hear the rest of that conversation, having left to find Ranma. as she had thought, he was up on the roof, staring out over the town his back against the chimney. "If you say anything about me being here to tease you, I will toss you off the roof." She warned, before moving forward to sit next to him, her head on his shoulder, and one arm around his shoulders.

Ranma hesitated for a moment, then his own arm went around her waist, pulling her close to him. "Sorry, guess I'm just used ta people not taking the neko-ken seriously. Heck even Kasumi didn't at first, though eventually she came around. Nabiki and Akane both took a lot longer, and Akane never did seem to really realize how it messed me up."

"While I cannot claim to understand, I will never make fun of you for your fears Ranma." Saeko replied, shaking her head, the movement of her hair against Ranma's neck causing him to noticeably shiver. "I can even understand why you never brought it up before this. Though I should warn you, Asia will probably glomp you something fierce when you come down."

"Heh, that reaction at least I can handle. Thanks, I mean… just thanks, fer y'know." Ranma said squeezing Saeko even tighter against his side. Saeko did the same, and the two remained there for a time, staring out across the town.

OOOOOOO

The next day Saeko and Ranma met up with Akeno and Rias at a café after Saeko dropped Asia at home, Ranma having missed the entire day of school once again with some police work.

Staring at the girls across from her Ranma shook her head. "Before you ask," she said smiling slightly, "I'm in my female form because chocolate tastes way better in this form than as a guy." After explaining that, he looked away for a moment trying to work up the courage to start the first half of this conversation. "Soooo… anything else happen in school?

"No, nothing new happened since you ran off like a sinner faced with Lady Gabriel, Ranma. Now why don't you explain that for us please? Especially considering you literally shattered both a wall and several dozen trees while doing it." Rias said, smiling sweetly despite her tone and words.

"Er, right… well, um… see, it's like this. Think I mentioned that my Oyaji was a moron right? Well, that didn't start with our trip to the Cursed Springs…" From there Ranma went on to describe the neko-ken training and its results, finishing with, "So while in a way my old man was right, I ain't ever met someone my berserk nature couldn't beat, it ain't one I can use on command, or would ever willingly."

Halfway through his story Rias had placed a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide and horrified. Even Akeno, sadist that she was, looked both disturbed and enraged at the idea of using such a training technique on a young child. Now the black-haired Yamato Nadeshiko gripped the edge of the table so hard the wood began to splinter under her hands. "If your father ever shows up around here it will be the last mistake he ever makes! I will make his ending positively biblical!"

For her part Rias shook her head. She agreed with what Akeno had said of course, but she was partly worried about what Koneko's reaction to hearing about the neko-ken would be, as well as where in the Seven Hells such a technique could have come from. But she was also adamant that her new friend realize she would not be made fun of for this. Rias said that aloud, shaking her head angrily. "After being forced to go through something like that who could blame you for being afraid of cats!"

Under the table Saeko gripped Ranma's hand, leaning against the shorter girl for a moment, a wordless 'I told you so' and reassurance in one. Rias saw this, and frowned, feeling once again an odd feeling welling up within her before she shook it off quickly. "Well anyway, as I said, Shampoo didn't show up again today, and now that we know this, Sona and I can figure out a magical spell to keep her away from the school. We'll have to be careful of course, but it might be possible. Possibly a spell to keep cats with purple fur away, or just non-magical cats."

"Wouldn't the curse negate that?" Akeno mused, coming down from her fury slowly.

"Maybe, so the first idea might be better."

"If she's following her regular plan, Shampoo's probably looking for someplace to use as a home base," Ranma said, relieved to have gotten the personal bit over with. "She doesn't have Cologne or Mousse, but she's a damn good cook, can be a good waitress, heh, long as people don't try ta get fresh with her. She won't have any trouble finding a job or someplace to stay I don't think. She sure won't stay on the streets, Shampoo ain't a wilting violet, but she ain't that good at roughing it either."

"So she is going to be a permanent fixture?" Rias said smiling faintly even as she rolled her eyes at Ranma's hick accent, which came and went. "I'm not certain if Sona's sanity is up to that, so that spell is definitely going to be a priority."

Ranma shrugged, and the conversation segued into a topic about school for a moment as the waiter dropped off their sundaes. Once he was gone Ranma cocked an eyebrow at Rias, looking a lot more serious than normal. "Can you do that thing you do when you don't want people to overhear us?"

Looking interested Rias nodded slightly, waving a few of her fingers above the table for a moment. A small splash of magic spread out from them to get to encompass the booth, nearly visible to Ranma who was looking for it, but not quite, more of a feeling, than something seen. "Done. What is it?"

Ranma pulled at her ponytail thoughtfully. "I wasn't actually going to tell you honestly, I was sort of afraid that it would lead back to you Devils, or one of your friends and you'd be sort of obliged trying to protect them."

"If something happened that was so out in the open that it caught the police's attention, we wouldn't cover for them." Rias said very firmly. "This is our territory, mine and Sona's, and if anything is happening within it that we don't know about already, we're going to come down hard on the perpetrator."

"Good ta know." Ranma said. "There are actually two things going on the police know about. One of them is a series of missing person cases, all of them unsolved and all of 'em without any body or anything else showing up. That case was the reason why the police were willing to hire me in the first place. But there is a new one too."

Akeno and Rias shared a glance, and Rias held up a hand, forestalling Ranma from going on. "That sounds like a rogue Devil. Devils go rogue at times, killing their kings or going mad when turned into Devils. Many of them feed on human flesh believing it can make them stronger, but it can't, it simply makes them grow more and more insane, corrupting mind and body beyond it being against our laws now. They can be a severe issue. I'll send a message to Nii-sama. If he knows of who it could be they'll probably have a pattern and we'll get ahead of them and ambush them somewhere."

Ranma shrugged, grimly cracking her knuckles, glad to have gotten confirmation about what the Fallen Angel girl had told him. "That's fine and dandy, but if I run into the bastard you won't have to. I've got no mercy for murderers."

"And the new case?" Saeko asked nodding her head at Ranma's declaration. The same went for her after all.

Ranma grimaced, but described the crime scene he'd been taken to see the day before, and again today. "The scripture and the rest made me think of those ex-exorcists, like the ones I ran into in Rome, only crazy. Ya know if any of them are in the area?"

Akeno grimaced, as did Rias sharing a glance with her queen. "That is definitely an exorcist's work, but normally even an excommunicated exorcist isn't that open about things. Frankly that sounds more like a simple madman to me."

"Whatever it is, if I meet the bastard, he's not going to live through the day." Saeko said grimly. "But you're certain it isn't anything to do with your side of things?"

"No! No upstanding Devil would act like that." Rias replied hotly. "Besides, even writing out… that word… hurts us Devils. Doing so after performing such a murder would make it far worse."

"Although…" Akeno said frowning thoughtfully. "If we take the words left behind at face value, could this be an exorcist targeting our clients?"

"Clients?" Ranma asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Nodding Rias explained the system with which Devils raised their power levels, small bits and pieces of life energy for doing small tasks or otherwise making wishes come true for various people. "Most of its harmless of course. Other bits can be embarrassing at times, but my peerage doesn't go into anything too dramatic, nor does Sona's bunch. Certainly nothing that would attract official church notice. But I'll ask her if one of her clients has gone silent, if one has, then we'll know to be on the lookout for this madman."

Ranma nodded, taking the time to have several scoops of ice cream as she thought for a moment, before deciding to bite the bullet. "What'd be the response of having a Fallen Angel in your territory?"

"So long as they weren't doing anything against us personally, or that would bring in police notice, nothing." Rias said with a shrug. "The truce is still holding after all, and frankly it benefits all three sides if in different ways to make certain it stays that way. Unless they make the first move against us we wouldn't even be able to do more than warn them off."

Ranma shrugged. "And here I thought it would be the cause of violence, oh well. My bad."

Both Devil girls cocked their eyebrows at him and he shrugged. "There's at least one Fallen Angel in the city. She's apparently watching some Sacred Gear user because her higher-ups are afraid they might go out of control. I don't know how she's doing it or what her real target is though. I caught her scoping out Kasumi, and I wasn't really interested in questioning her about the Sacred Gear user, figuring he or she would be able to look after themselves."

Both Devils frowned, a look passing between them that said there was more going on here than Ranma new. Ranma shrugged. "Keep yer secrets then, but I already warned her that if I find out she's here to attack anybody, she's going to run into me."

"Alright." Rias said with a nod. "I would prefer to handle it myself, but if she's really a Fallen Angel, any confrontation between us could be used as a casus belli and I refuse to be part of that."

Ranma nodded, and the conversation shifted from there onto Shampoo, and then to Mousse and how he had first shown up, as well as Ukyo and how Genma was to blame for her showing up. The group broke up about an hour later, with Ranma walking Rias and Akeno home before taking to the rooftops and meeting up with Saeko for some training.

OOOOOOO

At the same time the four young women met up, another young lady had a unwelcome discussion with her estranged family…

"What do you mean he's my fiancé!?"

OOOOOOO

…And another meeting was taking place.

"They're here." Mittelt said, shaking her head in irritation as she led in a long blond haired man, who was at the head of a group of forty other men. All of them were dressed in long cloaks, most of them wearing the hoods up to cover their heads.

The exception to that smiled happily as he spotted Raynare waiting for them by the run-down church's pulpit. "Yo babe, the name's Freed. I hear if we work with you lot we'll get the chance to cut up some real Devils, not just their worshippers. Gotta say, I'm looking forward to it, cutting up bastards and bitches who fall from grace enough to call to Hell for help is nice and fun, but hardly enough to get the blood really pumping. So, who we gonna kill?"

Raynare stared at the man, knowing she was going to regret this somehow. Damn it, any help in a storm I suppose. "Alright, Lord Kokabaiel has sent word that we're supposed to try and steal the Sacred Gear regardless, it will be a major help to our faction when the war begins again."

All the exorcists whispered excitedly among themselves at those words, and Freed's face looked even crazier as he grinned at her. Raynare shivered, but went on doggedly. "But with myself and Mittelt being the only two Fallen among us, we'll have to be much more careful about things. So here's the plan…"

End chapter

---

I realize I didn't cover any real canon events here, but with Shampoo showing up, the discussions and the getting to know you stuff as well as the police bits I felt that was enough. I also realize this chapter had several serious bits, but I think the next chapter will make up for it and equalize the violence quotient too. I also hope to cover more time in future chapters, and certainly won't be going into any training montages or anything of that nature except for an intro.

Still, hope everyone liked this, and the bits of Saeko/Ranma interaction. Next chapter the ecchi is added to the romance, and Issei starts being an actual character rather than comic relief, while other events start moving.