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

8. Unexpected Guests and Problems With Said

Don't own the booby monsters, nor is Rumiko my first name

Okay, so here at last is the next chapter of GDWHOM. It's been a long time coming, since it's never been able to win in the polls before, but it was able to come in second in March, with a total of 1151 votes, with 357 votes coming from fanfic and the rest on Pat R ON. That this allowed me to finally do something with the semi-cliffhanger I left the story on should have had me putting down a flat fifty votes for it right there though I didn't.

However, as I stated in my author's notes in FILFy, my planning for the end of March didn't really match up to the reality. I just had no time to work on any of my stories thanks to a family gathering, and it was only by pulling an all-nighter and all dayer I was able to get FILFy and Horse out on Sunday, a day later than they should have been. And FILFY was about 20,000 words longer than I expected it to be when I outlined it: the segments with Akeno and Kiba had to be written out, and then I had to add bits with Rias, and then there was the need to show Kala and the other Fallen. Then this past week I lost several days' worth of writing time thanks to various RL issues.

So this story is going to take the part of a second small story for April instead. I will be posting one SW crossover chapter, the winner of my Pat R on only poll, the next chapter of Making Waves - Fairy Tail/Ranma crossover Pat R on only for now, and one further small story, the poll for which should be on my profile.

ON ATP: As a lot of people have asked me via PM (thank you for not asking about it in reviews, I find it rude to mention one story in a review for another) I will state now that I am once more in communication with Mordreek. He has been going through a rough RL patch since before December basically, and just hasn't had time to work on what I sent him. And since Hela, the Asgardians and the Asatru portions are all his bailiwick - especially since Hela is now a main character - I couldn't get out the next chapter without his looking at it. However he is back and we will be talking this month and next to get the next chapter out sometime in May.

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Chapter 8: Unexpected Guests and Problems With Said

While his trio of late night visitors sat across from him at the kitchen table sipping their tea Ranma leaned back, thinking hard about what Rias had just told him about their circumstances, his hand working a large steel ball like a stress ball. The fact it was being warped and twisted, the metal emitting very tiny squeals had grabbed Akeno and Kiba's attention more than once. Despite that, the sight of it and Ranma's dark angry blue eyes as he heard how Rias's family had screwed her over was reassuring.

"Okay, I'll admit I was pretty much able to follow all that despite not liking magic at all and politics even less. This whole pureblood crap sounds just stupid in my opinion. So you came here to hide or to ask for protection?"

"My parents won't act directly against us even if they felt Akeno and me breaking the spells they had placed on us." Having had some time to think about this, Rias had decided what she would have to do in the future and what her parents would do in response. "They can't be seen to act precipitously against me not for this given our family's stance about the importance of family and freedom. They would lose massive amounts of face if they did."

Rias sighed, pinching her nose. "What they did to us wouldn't be illegal considering they are family and my father is the head of the family anything he does to us is legal in terms of the demon realm. But that's only legally. Politically and in terms of public opinion is another matter. My family has always been popular with the lower ranked demons, those who don't belong to one of the 72 pillars. The idea they would do this to one of their own whatever the reason will strike at that popularity even with those who believe in the pureblood rhetoric. And despite what you or I think, that belief is felt by the majority of demons. So they will have to be circumspect in how they respond."

"So no direct confrontation, darn, those're sort of my specialty," Ranma quipped, hoping to lighten the mood at least a little. This worked as he received eye-rolls from the other three, and he went on. "Still, if they're going to move against you obliquely, what will they do?"

"Attack us via a proxy, move up the wedding date between Riser and I, possibly attempt to start discrediting me in the public eye back in Hell, but I doubt that," Rias replied promptly, her voice ringing with all the surety of a king. "The Gremory clan is popular and rich, but we've never had a spy force or owned a broadcasting company that could let them do that last. No, the best bet would be for them to let Riser do their dirty work for them. He's been chomping at the bit to get his, his fucking vile hands on me since I turned 16, it wouldn't take much to get him to act."

When she cursed it looked as if Rias was either going to blow up the house, her hands flickering with red energies, or spit acid. Ranma would have been unwilling to bet on it either way.

He did however smirk back at her holding up the steel stress ball and clenching it so hard the metal actually bulged out from either side of his fist, the center of it flattened into a thin wire. "If he does, let me handle him. You can use my interference to figure out a real plan for the future." At Rias's look he sighed, gesturing around them. "You said it yourself Rias, you're here because you couldn't stay in a house your family was paying for. That's one way they'll move against you, taking away your money and freedom to live alone."

"Ara, we can do something about that at least," Akeno said. She had fallen silent for a time after helping to explain the spells she and Rias had found on themselves, but spoke up once more now. "We have much of our money in a bank which the Gremory family owns shares of. If we act quickly tomorrow, we can drain any and all funds we can get our hands on…"

"Hah, that would hit the family where it counts if not where it hurts given how little of the family's money I'm allowed to touch. Still, it's a thought. The other is to see if I can discreetly get my brother a message without the family knowing."

"I'd guess this is a tough question, but how likely is it that they realize you know it was your father who put these spells on you in the first place?" Ranma asked. "'cause if they aren't sure about that, wouldn't they be unwilling to do anything against you besides the whole letting lose the flaming fucktard? Maybe removing your money like that would tip them off, and they'd have to come personally."

Rias and the others cracked up at the name Ranma had come up with on the fly for Riser, but then Rias nodded seriously. "That's true, but I think it's' worth it to make certain we retain some of our resources at least. As for my parents coming here personally, that's not likely. If they did that, I could force this issue to come to light to at least Sona. While I don't think she'd be able to intercede on my behalf, she would surely get the word out about what they did, and the Gremory clan's image would crumble. That in turn would get my brother involved…"

At that all three of the devils at the table shuddered in unison, though Akeno's was tinged with a blush and her legs pressing together under the table. "Ara, that would be very bad~. Mmmmm… just imagining it is enough to set my pulse to racing."

Having heard that Rias's brother was both one of the most powerful devils in existence and also a siscon, Ranma understood where they were coming from, but also had to ask, "But as a Maou would he really be free to act as he wants to?"

"I doubt his title would stop him for an instant if he had any idea of the way Father had shackled my ability to think and act." Rias said promptly. "Though I doubt the idea of him getting involved won't occur to them for a while."

"It sounds as if this problem, while fascinating, is not one liable to bite us on the rear tonight," said a voice from the doorway into the kitchen. They all turned then to see Saeko and Kasumi standing there, the first looking sleepily stern, while the other looked serene but firm. "I think we should all head to bed. You all can continue this discussion and fill in the rest of us as to the purpose of your arrival tomorrow. You're just running in circles right now.

"She's right," Ranma said, standing up and moving towards the doorway, apologizing for the noise before going on. "Come on; let's get you three settled down for the night. Kiba, you'll sleep down here on the floor with me. Akeno, we'll move you into the room Kasumi and Asia-chan shares, I doubt any of us want to wake up my mom at this point. Saeko-chan, is it alright if Rias bunks with you?"

Nodding the swordswoman looped her arm around the redheaded devil girl's shoulders, leading her up the flight of steps. But Rias paused looking back over at Ranma. "When you're done settling everyone else Ranma, could you stop by the room and talk to me some more? I have one more thing I need to tell you."

Shrugging Ranma agreed to that.

A few minutes later Akeno, with Kasumi's help had silently entered the room Kasumi shared with Asia, who continued to sleep soundly. Ranma split up his blankets with Kiba and the knight moved to sleep right by the doorway into the living room. "Just in case." He said, nodding through the doorway to the front door visible in the small hallway beyond.

Ranma didn't say anything to that, though he thought Heh, I'd have thought devils would be used to the idea that walls really don't matter all that much, but meh, maybe he's used to a politer type of enemy than me.

Heading upstairs Ranma knocked on the door to Saeko's room, entering when given permission. He stopped however as he stared at the blushing and thoroughly exasperated looking Saeko, who had a hand to her face. Rias in turn was simply shrugging her shoulders her hands on the hem of her shirt. Both of them were standing by the large futon at the moment, the covers pulled back. Evidently they had decided to share the bed, though by the look on Saeko's face Ranma thought she might be having second thoughts.

Before Ranma could say anything (he wasn't about to ask what was going on, there lay madness) Rias had turned in his direction, smiling wanly. "Ranma, I just wanted to thank you for letting us stay here. It won't be long, we won't want to bring more trouble your way, but I just couldn't think of anywhere else we could go last night, so thank you."

With that final thank you Rias moved forward, hugging Ranma tightly. Ranma smiled and blushed at the same time, feeling Rias's considerable chest pressing into his own, but he still put his arms around her, hugging her back. "No problem, Rias-chan, ya can stay here as long as ya like. I'd actually like ya ta stay here as long as you need, since I'd like ta be around when yer parent's try anything. Want ta give 'em a piece of my mind y'know?"

Shaking her head Rias didn't say anything. If Ranma could start to consciously use his connection to Jusenkyou he would be on the level of her parents, though not as strong as her brother, or she didn't think so anyway. If he couldn't… well, she knew enough about Ranma's history at this point to know he thrived against enemies who should be well beyond him so wouldn't want to say it was impossible for Ranma to help her, but it was unlikely. "Still, I'd be repaying you poorly if I brought my trouble down on your family's heads."

Rolling his eyes Ranma let one hand pull lightly at her long crimson hair. "Ain't that what friends are for? Besides it isn't like I haven't brought a lot of trouble your way anyway."

Rias backed away at that point smiling wetly at Ranma before moving over to the bed.

Still standing by the bed Saeko had been watching this with narrowed eyes, and she barely held back a glare at Rias. She then moved forward, taking her own opportunity to hug Ranma. Despite being surprised by the hug Ranma returned it readily, then blushed as Saeko whispered goodnight into his ear, her lips tickling his ear. She turned away quickly afterward, moving back over to the bed with a swing in her hips and smirk for Rias which Ranma couldn't see.

Shaking her head at how weird girls could be sometimes Ranma turned and left the form. Neither he nor the other two ladies noticed a small white and purple cat sitting outside under a tiny umbrella propped up between two branches. Watching events play out inside the room, the cat snarled, barring her fangs before she grabbed her umbrella around the handle with her mouth, leaping away.

For a moment the two girls inside the room the cat had just been watching were silent while Rias moved around the bed to the other side. When she stopped, the two of them locked eyes over the bed. Their gazes weren't quite glares but it was close. "Just to thank him, was it?" Saeko asked archly.

"Hmmf, what about you whispering in his ear like that?" Rias asked, smiling thinly.

The two of them fell silent, then sighed and looked away as one. "Let's not do this right now," Rias said, shaking her head. "It's not like I should even be thinking about such things until this whole mess with my family is resolved."

"Very well," Saeko replied, before looking away, her flush from earlier coming back for a moment. "Were you serious about sleeping naked?"

"I can't sleep very well when I'm wearing cloths so yes. I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable." Rias replied apologetically.

"And um, your need to cuddle with someone?" Saeko asked, still flushing.

"That too." Rias suddenly smiled, then pulled off her shirt, tossing it to the side without further ado. "Why, are you embarrassed?" Rias posed for a moment, one hand on her hip, one hand behind her head as she thrust out her chest, eagerly grasping on this moment of levity to lighten her own mood. "Or, given you've shown no issues with Ranma's female form, afraid you'll see something you like a little too much?"

Looking down at the bed deliberately not answering Rias's question or looking at her Saeko got into bed. Saeko had come to realize during her time around Ranma that she was bisexual and the sight of Rias was both amazing on its own and also reminded Saeko a little too much of Ranma's female form. "Let's just get to bed."

Giggling Rias got into bed beside the swordsman, moving to hug Saeko to her while she tried her best to force her mind to sleep despite all the questions still running through it. Saeko stiffened at first, then sighed as she felt the tension in the other girl, and put her arms around her, then closed her eyes as she too sought sleep once more.

OOOOOOO

"What the heck are my parents thinking?!" Sirzechs, the Maou Lucifer ranted as he marched around his office, flapping around him with a piece of thin parchment one which a few lines of writing could be seen, though not enough to make them out thanks to his rapid waving. Why the heck have they decided to let Riser go to visit Rias-chan now? They know she hates him don't they?"

"I of course could not tell you what your parents might be thinking, but I believe it could be a sign that they hope Riser has changed, or that Rias-sama has done something that makes them think she will repudiate the agreement somehow." A silver haired woman in a maid's uniform said from where she stood like a stature nearby. Then her eyes narrowed and the temperature in the room dropped noticeably. "And it is beneath your dignity as a Maou to be pacing and ranting like this."

"Guh, so mean Grayfia-chan." Sirzechs replied, though he still stopped, plopping down into the chair on the other side of the desk, his hands planted on the wooden top. "Still, this isn't good for Rias-chan. I wish to the Morning Star himself that my parents would change their minds on this whole marriage farce. I know they think that both Riser and Rias-chan will mature once they are married but I can't see it or Rias ever mattering to him more than, than some kind of…"

Sirzechs paused as he felt his anger getting the best of him, but it was too late. A tiny pulse of red energy came from his hands and half the desk in front of him having just… vanished leaving nothing, not even smoke. "Ooops."

Rolling her eyes at her king and husband's actions Grayfia opened the door to send a runner for another desk. It wasn't the first one Sirzechs had destroyed. "While I understand your point, there is little to be done. Your father is still the head of the family since you had to give up that tittle to claim the title of Lucifer. And there is a point to be made on their side of things. The alliance between the Phenex and Gremory clans could be very strong in the future. And there is also a need to make certain that pureblood demon-kind is not bred out of existence."

"Bah! My parents should care more about my sister's happiness than all that bunk and furthermore take her words about Riser at face value: that she hates Riser and all those like him." Sirzechs groused before picking up the top of the paper he had been raiding earlier. Having been caught slightly in the blast there was only the topmost bit remaining, but that was enough for now.

"It says here that Riser will be leaving for the human realm sometime tomorrow. Can you get away from your duties to go and observe Grayfia-chan?"

"I am afraid not Sirzechs-sama, I have numerous meetings tomorrow. I can go there to observe the next day but…"

"In that case I'll send one of the others, Enku I think, but I won't send him with Riser, that would just be stupid. I'll send him to arrive something like fifteen minutes or so after. That way if Riser has tried something we'll catch him in the act, and Enku will be more than enough to help Rias-chan deal with the buffoon."

"That just leaves the minor matter of Leviathan-sama still missing," Grayfia went on, ignoring how Sirzechs's head was now initiating a woodpecker against the remains of the top of his desk.

OOOOOOO

The next day Rias and Saeko were woken up by the sound of the wall next to them exploding inwards toward them, nevermind the fact they were on the second floor. This was followed quickly by a now sadly familiar and rather irritating voice shouting in pidgin Japanese. "You redhead slut! You I kill!"

Though still half-asleep Rias rolled out of the way of the incoming pieces of wall then stood up on the floor. Unmindful of the fact she was naked as the day she was born Rias gathered her powers, lashing out at the debris still coming towards them smacked by Shampoo's large maces. "Just try it you crazy bitch! I'll burn you to ash!"

Saeko too had woken up swiftly at the crash from Shampoo's entrance. She rolled off of the bed on the other side from Rias but she landed nowhere near as well as the devil girl had, her legs unfortunately having become tangled with the sheets. But even so, she grabbed her sword when she had kept underneath her bed and whirled, slicing several pieces of debris coming towards her, cutting them in half and sending the cut pieces away to either side. An instant later she lunged forward towards Shampoo.

"I no have quarrel with you today!" Shampoo shouted, trying to bat Saeko's sword to one side and get past her rather than fight.

But Saeko quickly regained control of her weapon, and brought it back around almost slicing Shampoo across the chest. "Then you shouldn't have attacked my home!"

She jumped back quickly enough to avoid that blow, and then had to leap to the side as a beam of red energy went through the space she had just occupied. "At least sword girl know how to fight honorable. But you, you always fight with magic! Is stupid cheating!" Shampoo shouted, blocking a blow from Saeko with one mace while she pointed the other at Rias. Below them Saeko could hear the sounds of running feet, and knew her time was slowly running out unless she wanted to have another confrontation with her Airen.

"Hah, you're the last one I want to hear that from!" Rias scoffed as she moved around the room away from Saeko, hoping to get a clear shot at Shampoo without the other girl getting in the way and hoping to force Shampoo to choose which of them to concentrate on. "You ambush, you attack defenseless opponents, and from what I've heard, you have a penchant for using magical items to get your way!"

Two other people burst out of the room's one door, with Ranma in the lead and Kiba on his heels, skidding to a halt as Ranma glared at Shampoo. "Shampoo! This ain't Nerima! Do you know how much it'll take ta buy the material so I can repair that hole!? And what would've happened if ya hurt Asia, Kasumi or mom in this stunt?"

He stalked forward, glaring so hard at Shampoo that she actually took a step backwards. She had never seen her husband glaring at her like that before, not even when she had threatened Akane a few times.

Shampoo however refused to back down. She instead whirled angrily pointing at Rias. "You let redheaded bimbo hug you, then return it! You never return Shampoo's hugs! You even let her into home! At least sword girl have some honor, this one she just be devil succubus! Ranma be showing he just like all other men in letting devil slut into house! It no Shampoo's fault she try to help save Airen from himself!"

At that point Ranma made the mistake of glancing over at Rias, only to stare before turning away with w bright red blush, not having realized she was naked before this. She stood as tall as he did in his male body, her large firm breasts bounced just slightly along with her long crimson hair which seemed to almost have a life of its own thanks to her bed head, sticking out at all angels and shaking and shimmering thanks to how long it was. Ranma was bemused to note that her nipples were distinctly reddish too, though nowhere near as red as her hair. Her pubic hair was also slightly darker than the rest, a neat little tuft of it grabbing the eye, bringing attention to that part of her.

At the sight, Ranma began to blush so brightly he could've been used as a nightlight.

Because of that Rias replied before he could say anything. "Oh please, don't blame me for your own failings! Just because your attempts to literally rub your body into Ranma's face failed has nothing to do with me! And I am sick and tired of you calling me a slut. You think you're so much better than me, prove it!"

Behind Ranma, Kiba blinked as did Akeno behind him. "Ara, doesn't that sound like Rias just challenged her?" Akeno asked the swordsman.

Kiba simply nodded at that while Shampoo glared back at Ranma. "You challenge me?"

"If it gets you off my back, then yes!" Rias shot back. It should be noted at this point that the redhead wasn't exactly in the most logical frame of mind at this point. She was never the best of morning people for one thing even if she had a full night's sleep and being roused from sleep to direct combat like this had done nothing to aid that. For another thing of course had been the emotional and mental turmoil of the night before. And Rias had always hated phrases like slut and other things of a similar nature, which Shampoo was continually throwing her way.

"Fine! Shampoo said hopping back towards the opening she had created, smirking triumphantly now. "Shampoo will see you at your school at four this afternoon. It will be martial arts competition, hand to hand, no weapons and no magic. Try not to run away redhead slut! Bye-bye Airen, Shampoo see you soon."

For a moment Ranma and the others simply stared at the place Shampoo had been standing then Nodoka spoke up, from behind Akeno and Kiba in the hallway. Kasumi and Asia stood looking at what was going on rubbing their eyes sleepily, it being about an hour before even Kasumi and Nodoka would wake up normally. "She is going to at least pay for the damage she caused is she not?"

"I rather doubt it Nodoka-san," Akeno replied, not looking back at the older woman as she looked at the wrecked room, cocking her head thoughtfully. On the one hand I want to tease Rias-chan about being naked in front of Ranma, after what happened last night a bit of levity would be nice. Yet I also don't like the fact Shampoo attacked her like that. Really, are all these martial artists loose cannons or do you have to remove your common sense to become as strong as they are as a human?

Slowly Ranma shook his head, still not looking at Rias, her nakedness a major distraction. "You do know you just played into her hands right? As the challenged party, she did have the right to decide the terms of the fight."

"I know!" Rias groaned, grabbing at some of the sheets and tying them around her like a toga. "But look at it this way, if I win, Shampoo will have to stop coming after me. If she doesn't then she proves herself as dishonorable as I called her."

"That is nice my dear," Nodoka said, moving up to stand beside her son while clanging at Akeno at the same time. Her eyes also tracked over to Kiba, before looking back at Rias. "Can I ask why you three are here?"

After at a clock set to one side of the bed Ranma sighed. "That's a long story and it should wait until we're sitting down. We might as well get up everybody. It's only about forty minutes now before we'd have to get up to start breakfast anyway." he said then quickly turned, leaping over Akeno and the others heads he headed deeper into the house. "I call first bath!"

"Not fair," Asia pouted, stamping one of her feet while Kasumi giggled, leading her towards Nodoka's room, which had its own bathroom.

Later, as everyone was ready for start their day, they all met in the living room and kitchen. Needing to feed eight people they couldn't set them all at the kitchen table, so Kasumi and Nodoka set breakfast out on the table and at and told everyone they could eat wherever they wanted.

While they had been cooking, Nodoka had listened to Rias's tale. Setting down the last plate of simple rice balls and tamagoyaki they had prepared for breakfast she then looked at Rias seriously. "At the moment there is little we can do to help you my dear other than give you a place to sleep. However, I can give you some advice in the long term. Tell me, what are your goals? Besides learning about the human realm and anime that is. What do you want to do in the future?"

Rias sighed shaking her head. "I wanted to, at least I thought I wanted to, become the head of my family, to bring the Gremory Clan to new heights. But now… now I'm not so certain. Not just because of what they did to me, but because I'm wondering if that thought was my own, or something I unconsciously decided on given the whole Riser thing and the spells placed on me. It's something I seriously need to think about the future. But before that, I have to make certain that I am still free."

While Asia and Kasumi were both trying to get their minds around what Rias had described, Saeko had listened intently, having only heard a small portion of this before. Despite that, she felt the need to make certain that Rias went through with one thing she had heard about the evening before. "Remember Rias that you need to head to the bank and removed all the money you can. That will open a lot of doors in the near future. You might also think about traveling the world, or simply transferring to another school."

"If it comes to it then I might. Or I could figure out a way to alter my I.D, show that I'm of an age to go to college at the least…" Rias mused then shook her head. "But that all supposes I could get away from my family cleanly. That might be wishful thinking, still a nice dream though."

At that point Kasumi, Asia and Saeko all pledged to help Rias as best they could, as Ranma had done last night. Rias thanked them then all of them fell silent, digging into their food, their breakfast was interrupted by the front door bell ringing.

Ranma scowled, but shook his head as Rias and Akeno both stood up, followed quickly by Kiba, who had to place his foot down before doing so. In his hands there suddenly gleamed a sword, which Ranma noted interestedly. The sword was a simply looking European longsword, which was all Ranma could tell about it by just looking. But it wasn't' the sword itself which caught Ranma's attention. Kiba didn't pull that from a ki space he just used. It's like he just created that sword somehow.

"I'll get it," Ranma said, holding up a hand to forestall his mother, who had just set her meal down. "I doubt the Gremorys or whoever they could send this fast to look into your breaking those spell would be the type to knock on the front door anyway."

That comment made Rias calm down somewhat and she nodded at the other two to put their hands down.

"No, I will get it Ranma-nii," Asia said, having been the closest to the door. "You still haven't finished your meal after all."

Ranma however simply patted her on the head and moved around her into the hallway facing the front door. Opening it he found three girls standing there on the other side of the room. Or rather, he amended one woman and two girls. The two girls wore jeans and loose blouses, but didn't look all that comfortable in them. They were pretty much of a size, being slightly shorter than Ranma's male body but two or three inches taller than his female form, he estimated. One had blue hair, the other chestnut colored hair in long twin tails. They looked somewhat normal, save for their eyes, a violet color for the chestnut-haired girl, and yellowish for the blue-haired girl.

But the two of them faded into insignificance in the present of the woman in the lead. She was taller than either of them by several inches. Her golden, almost sun kissed hair flowed down bouncing curls along her back and chest, a chest that was so perfectly proportioned to the rest of her it was like the woman's body was a statue. Her was just slightly paler than normal, but gorgeous. There was a beaming smile on her beautiful face under light blue eyes that shown with a gentle light, something like a mix of Asia and Kasumi's normal expressions.

Shaking his head a few times to keep from staring, Ranma asked hesitantly, "Um, can, can I help you?" No way can this gal be one of Rias's family members, not with blonde hair like that, that expression or the feeling she gives off.

"Ah, you would be Ranma." The woman replied, her voice a lilting almost musical alto. "My, so your eyes are blue too, I could never tell. I apologize for coming here so early, but I understand that school starts in the early mornings, and unfortunately we have other errands in the area we will have to see to in the afternoon." She paused then, looking down bashfully. "Would it be alright if I speak to Asia Argento please?"

Behind the blonde, the other two girls stiffened at that, looking at one another in shock. The blue-haired girl's expression in particular became almost condemning, and her lips pressed together hard to present a thin frown while the other just looked confused.

"Ano, I'm Asia," Asia said, moving to one side so she could be seen by the blonde woman. "But um, what do you want with me?"

Instead of replying verbally, the blonde's smile simply widened and she moved towards Asia, with Ranma stepping backwards to let her enter. It wasn't a conscious thing on his part, but partly because if he hadn't the woman would have simply run into him chest to chest and partly because the woman's aura told him that she was no threat.

Between one second and the next, the girl had bent down to Asia's height and lifted her in a hug and beginning to twirl around with her, laughing. "Oh, it is so good to see you in person Asia! I've been longing to talk to you in person for years now, but my duties always made that impossible. But now here we are, \God truly does provide."

Surprised and somewhat overwhelmed by both the hug and the aura the woman put off, Asia simply hugged back. She was unable to do anything else seeing how she was slowly being suffocated by the taller woman's breasts.

The others in the kitchen looked out from the doorway at this odd tableau, while Ranma looked on, equally bemused. Huh, so does that mean that angel guy at Jusenkyou was wrong, that God is still alive somehow? Or does it mean that someone else has somehow stepped into his spot?

He set that aside for now, noticing that the two girls following the blonde were now looking even more confused and incensed. Their eyes flicked over the people in the doorway and they both seemed to stiffen. Those two are ready to run away and all the blonde wants to do is hug Asia. What the heck is going on here?

The devils and Saeko had also noticed the tension in the two younger visitors, and with Saeko leading the way moved out from the kitchen into the hallway. There didn't seem to be any sense of violence in the offing, but they all wanted to be ready just in case these two could overcome the power of Kasumi's still-unnamed Sacred Gear.

This did not go unnoticed by the two wary newcomers, who glared at them all, moving forward to once more stand behind the blonde but making no further aggressive moves. Indeed, as they stepped towards Kasumi their expressions seemed to soften. They still didn't look happy, and were glaring at Rias and her peerage enough that Ranma knew they could tell what the devils were, but Kasumi's aura was doing its job to make certain they weren't going to start anything. The blonde too noticed them all now, looking up from where she had been smiling happily down at Asia to blink in shock at the sight of Rias and her peerage in particular. "Ah, I had known you all had become friends, but I didn't think I would find any of you here Gremory-san."

"I'm sorry," Rias said rather tartly looking between the golden-haired woman and the other two. She could sense something off about them, though obviously they weren't actual enemies judging by the way that the blonde woman was hugging Asia. "But isn't it polite to tell us of your names before you barge in like this?"

"What would a devil know about manners," scoffed the blue-haired girl.

At that all of the household members stiffened slightly, but it was the blonde who answered, looking over at the two behind her in mild reproof. "That kind of attitude is unnecessary here Xenovia-chan, we're not here to fight."

"But u, um excuse me," Asia said, flushing slightly and looking up from where she had lifted her head out of the blonde woman's amazingly soft chest. "Rias-sama is right, I'm sorry but if I'm supposed to recognize you I don't. Please forgive me!"

"There's nothing to forgive my dear, as we have never met in person. Nor was there anything to forgive when the church exiled you the blonde thought. "As to whom I am…" She thought, before smiling slightly. When she spoke next, the entire house reverberated with her power.

"I Am The Waters Which Wipe Away All Sins."

When he or she spoke an incantation like this an Angel's voice had certain properties even if they didn't finish the incantation. Their voice could uplift the faithful or cause pain in devils the more sinful they were, the worse the pain. Of course training and magical power could let devils overcome this ability no matter how sinful the individual but that took both experience and time.

Among the Seraphim, Gabriel was the easily the most skilled in this technique, given her role as Herald of God. She hadn't put a lot of power in her voice right now, just enough to show the devils who she was without any prevarication yet also without the need to drop her human disguise. After all, if she did that, anyone with a smidgeon of spiritual power would be able to tell she was there.

Despite that, her words did not have nearly as much of an effect as she thought. Akeno had the worst reaction, flinching away slightly and staring at Gabriel in shock. Kiba came next, having no response whatsoever beyond the simple tightening of the eyes. But the most telling response came from Rias, who raised a hand to her temple and frowned, but did not collapse.

"That, that tells me what you are, but Rias said then paused and stared at the blonde as the look of her and the words she had just said registered. "Gabriel," Rias said, her eyes going wide. "Archangel Gabriel?"

"I am," she said smiling while inside she was rather chortling. A pureblood devil of one of the 72 pillars who only feels a minor bit of pain from my voice? Curiouser and curiouser! And I thought Leviathan was an aberration, perhaps not. And if devils can rise above their tainted origins, can overcome their natures, then perhaps Father's belief in what the future might hold is achievable despite his absence.

"Gabriel?" Asia whispered, stepping back and staring up at her, no longer in shock but adoration and devotion.

"Indeed," Gabriel said, setting aside her musings and reaching down to ruffle Asia's hair. "I am Gabriel, and I have long wanted to meet you Asia. Your clear, powerful prayers and wishes for peace have always brightened my day. And since the church foolishly kicked you out, I have been following your adventures as close I could. Ooh, let me tell you a time or two I was sorely tempted to step in, but then your surrogate big brother here has been doing a magnificent job in protecting you."

While Asia seemed to almost fall down into a fugue at the idea that an archangel had been listening to her prayers, Ranma rubbed at the back of his head self-consciously, flushing slightly at the look of unvarnished approval in the older woman's eyes. Or should that be Archangel? How old is she anyway? She looks like she's in her twenties or so, but isn't she a veteran of their Great War?

"Lady Gabriel! What are you saying! Asia Argento is a cursed witch who was kicked out of the church for deceiving people into believing her power came from god! Why are you being so kind to her when we should be expunging the dishonor of this filth ever being part of the church in the first place?" the girl named Xenovia said angrily pointing at Asia.

While Ranma bristled along with the others at Xenovia's tone, Gabriel replied calmly, her tone that of someone simply stating facts, which seemed to shock Xenovia and the still unnamed second girl just as much as her words. "Because the fault never lied with Asia. it lies with the individuals who are so closed minded they decided that they could speak for God in saying what his creations could and could not do, in this case that Asia should not have healed someone who later turned out to be a devil. Free will is a gift from God to you humans whose power cannot be understated. If that was not the case, why would you even be allowed to think otherwise?"

"But she healed a devil! How can a Sacred Gear from God be used to…"

"Even devils were spawned by one of God's children, the Morningstar Lucifer." Gabriel interrupted easily. "Therefore, even devils can find the light sometimes. Further, Asia had no way of knowing at the time the man she healed was a devil. All Asia knew," She said looking down at Asia, bestowing the girl a smile of approval that set Asia to flushing and looking down. "Is that she had found an injured person who needed her help. She offered it, and is that not the heart of God's teachings, to aid those around you without thought of recompense?"

The two church goers looked as if they had just bitten into lemons for a second. Though the one who hadn't spoken up until this point seemed to get over it quickly, beginning to smile and nod in agreement. The other one still looked conflicted, but Ranma felt that might be more because she wasn't very flexible mentally than she honestly disagreed with what Gabriel was saying."

"As nice as this all is, might I ask what brings you to my territory Gabriel-sama? Surely seeing Asia would not be enough of a reason for you to come into a devil's territory." Rias asked c politely towards the Archangel who she knew was the most powerful woman in all of heaven. Indeed, she was one of the three most powerful women in all the factions. Rias wasn't certain where Grayfia would stack up against Gabriel, though she suspected that Leviathan at least was her equal in power.

Although, that might be only a second reason to explain why Leviathan has declared Gabriel her rival, Rias thought, staring at the Angel and feeling slightly jealous of another woman's good looks for the first time ever. The way she can curl her hair like that and how lustrous it is… I wonder if she uses any hair products. Doubtful, I bet that's all natural curse it.

Ranma agreed with Rias there, or what she had said aloud anyway. "I agree with Rias. As nice as ya seem, I can't see you coming all this way just to talk to Asia. No offense Asia-chan, but I'd guess that archangels are something important right, so you can't just wander off like this."

"'Something important?'" said the one who hadn't spoken up before this, giggling. "Oh that's funny, hehehe."

Xenovia however didn't seem to like the way Ranma was talking to Gabriel without any sense of reverence or reserve as was the case with Rias. "You are an insolent heathen. Speak respectfully to Gabriel-sama or do not speak at all."

"And if I don't?" Ranma asked, smirking at the blue-haired girl.

Suddenly the girl pulled a sword out from nowhere pointing it directly at Ranma despite Kasumi's Sacred Gear. "Then I will make you!"

Kiba made himself known at this point, moving forward quickly. "If you're going to start a fight, can I buy in?" He asked his eyes narrowed slits of barely repressed rage as held the same sword from before.

Not responding to that Ranma simply grabbed the point of Xenovia's sword and wrenched it out of her grip with ease, tossing it up and down for a moment. You know the problem with weapons? They can so easily be taken from you." He handed the blade not back to the girl, but to Gabriel, who had released Asia from another hug at that point.

"Xenovia-san, I told you we are not here to fight! I have also warned you not to call Easterners heathens. They might not have chosen to come to God's light, but that does not make them wrong in their beliefs. Save your hatred for those who know of God and consciously reject his words or only see that which they wish to see."

Turning to the others Gabriel sighed. "I do wish to spend some time with Asia, I have often loved watching your life dear one, the good you were able to do with the Lord's gift of Twilight Healing, your humility, and your respect and adherence to the true tenets of the faith have been inspiring.

Asia begun to blush even more hotly then before, waving her hands as if to say she was unworthy of such praise. But Gabriel continued, going on quickly, her voice becoming stern and serious. Gone was the airy, kind angel, replaced by the Archangel Gabriel, veteran of the Great War. "But you are correct, even seeing Asia would not have been enough to let me come to Japan.

"Unfortunately, the church is dealing with a bit of an issue at the moment: Three of the sacred swords made from the shards of Excalibur have been stolen. We have been following the trail of the thief and he is somewhere in Japan. The trail went cold yesterday, and I decided to make a side trip here, both to see Asia and to warn you of this event."

Gabriel looked down at Asia, resting a hand on her head before looking at Saeko smiling slightly. "I said I have been listening to Asia's prayers, and one of them showed her praying for herself and her friend to get away from a force of excommunicate exorcists, a group large enough that someone must have brought them together for a reason. Because of that, and the fact it happened so close to the time the sword was stolen, I believe that this could be the opening act of someone wishing to cause trouble between the factions."

Rias nodded, showing no shock at the way Gabriel had gone from bubbly and happy to serious. After all as the Herald of God, Gabriel had often been sent as a diplomat to talk to the Four Maou in the past, and Rias had even seen her from afar at one point. "In chaos comes opportunity," she concurred. "So you think that they could be hiding somewhere here? To make it seem as if the thieves were devils or had our backing?"

"Not yet. I knew where your territory was of course, and you and Sitri-san are the only two Pillar heirs on Earth at present, let alone in Japan. This of course means that you are both accessible and targets which can be used to spark conflict between the factions." Gabriel said.

Nodding, Rias internally groaned. What's that English saying, when it rains it pours? First my family issues, then Shampoo and her brand of crazy, and now this!

Keeping her inner musings off her face, she stepped forward, curtseying gracefully to Gabriel. "In that case, might I suggest that you sit down with myself and Sona later today to go over the details of those incidents? We also have a prisoner from that incident: the excommunicate exorcists were working with two Fallen Angels. I received word from Maou Lucifer that…"

"You mean your brother?" Gabriel interjected, giggling slightly. "I remember having a formal meeting with him and the other Maou at one point and he brought out baby pictures of you Rias."

At that Kiba blinked while Ranma chuckled having heard about Sirzechs's sis-con attitude before this. Rias however let lose a groan at that point, while Kasumi Nodoka both laughed from where they had been watching the discussion, not having any input to offer. For their part Xenovia seemed about to have a heart attack while the other looked as if she didn't know whether to join Xenovia in that reaction or to

"Hmm, I don't suppose you have any copies of those do you?" Saeko asked, sharing a smirk with Akeno. "Baby pictures of Rias would be both adorable and useful in so many ways."

Rias whirled around, glaring at the others. "FOCUS!" Pasting a smile on her face she turned back around. "Ahem, yes, well, staying on topic, I received word that they had been declared rogues. However there is also news that might indicate there is a power struggle going on among the Fallen. I am willing to share that news with you, if you can do the same.

"Agreed. I will give you all the details we have," Gabriel said, smiling at Rias. But then her eyes slid to Kasumi, who smiled back. "And this will allow me to get to know this young lady with the barely awakened Sacred Gear. I believe it could be the one called Heaven's Calm, though I could be wrong of course."

While Kasumi nodded at that, Ranma shrugged. He certainly wasn't getting the impression that Gabriel was a danger to any of them, so had no problem with her being around Kasumi without him there. And if she spends any time at all around Kasumi, that Xenovia chick might lose that huge chip on her shoulder.

Kiba spoke up then, staring at the two exorcists still angrily. "Buchou, are you sure we can trust the church to keep their word? Given the despicable things the church has allowed in the past I am uncertain of the intelligence of trusting them to not stab us in the back."

"Kiba I understand your concerns and where they are coming from. However, think of it this way," Rias said turning to her knight. "At least this way we can demand to aid them in going after the thief if they do try to hide in our territory."

Gritting his teeth Kiba seemed to bite back his first reply but nodded slightly. His eyes however were not on the two exorcists, but the sword that Gabriel was holding.

Both Saeko and Ranma noticed the tension in the swordsman's body. Saeko in particular did not like what she was seeing there. Kiba-kun is always so controlled and calm, this is not a good sign at all. I wonder, does he have some sort of past with the church, exorcists, or perhaps something against holy swords?

Gabriel addressed what Rias had just said, looking at Kiba sadly. She did not know why he was so angry, but it had something to do with the sword she had just taken from Xenovia, the Excalibur fragment called Destruction, which was said to contain the original's destructive power. "I will agree to that request so long as the thief is indeed here in your territory."

"Very well. Then as co-owner of this territory, I agree to let the Seraphim Gabriel remain in my territory. Let a desire for peace stay our hands," Rias said the words and tones formal, then she smiled at Gabriel. "But can I request that you agree to meet with myself and my fellow co-owner Sona Sitri this evening? I'm afraid I have a… prior engagement directly after school. But I will warn her you're in the area."

"I, Gabriel of heaven, Archangel of the Message, thank Rias of the house of Gremory for her welcome. My blade will remain in its sheathe under her roof," Gabriel replied, just as seriously as Rias had spoken. Then she too smiled, holding out a hand to Rias, who shook it firmly. "And yes, I have no problem with meeting with Sitri-san later today. Shall we say around sevenish?"

"Ara, in that case you might make it a dinner. Myself and Shinra-sama will have to get together to cook for you all." Akeno said, speaking up for the first time. She seemed somewhat leery of Akeno at first, though she hadn't even paid the two exorcists with her any mind at all. Now that leeriness seemed to have faded and she smiled as she stood forward to join her king.

"That's nice and all, but you lot need to get going if you're going to be at school on time." Ranma said. He looked over at Asia, who was pouting big time at that, and sighed. "Maybe you can talk to Asia after school?"

"Certainly!" Gabriel said, clapping her hands together. "I would dearly like the opportunity to talk to Asia more. It seems as if other things have gotten in our way now, which is all too often the case when diplomatic matters rear their heads."

"Then you can walk with me to work and we can get to know one another. Then you can spend the rest of the day resting or looking for a place to stay." Kasumi decided, while everyone but Asia began to scramble around, grabbing their things for school or racing up to the second floor to do the same thing. "I think I speak for all of us when we say we would offer you a place here, but we are rather overfull already."

"Oh, we would not like to be a bother in any event," Gabriel said Nodoka, Saeko and Ranma all nodded agreement with Kasumi's statement. The idea they would welcome her into her home despite knowing her for so short a time, and them not being followers of God, made Gabriel smile.

She knelt down next to Asia, pulling the girl into a hug, which Asia reciprocated quickly. "We will talk more later my dear, I promise."

Asia nodded happily, her head moving against Gabriel's bosom for a moment before she stood back, put her hands together and bowed. Then she quickly ran up the staircase to her room to prepare for school.

"I take it by the way you have a meeting with the police once more my son?" Nodoka asked watching as the three visitors walked outside to wait for Kasumi. Saeko too looked at Ranma interestedly.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so. They left a message on my cellphone last night that they wanted to talk to me this morning. I'd guess they have another occult-type job for me or information of that type anyway."

Nodoka scowled at her son's blasé attitude towards education, but sighed, knowing they still needed the money his job with the police brought in. At least for now. "Very well, but I expect you to put more effort into your studies to offset this."

Rolling his eyes, Ranma agreed half-heartedly to that, then waved off Rias, Saeko and the others heading to Kuoh before heading off.

Kasumi took a few more minutes to get ready, but eventually she joined Gabriel and the other two outside. Gabriel smiled at her then her eyes strayed upwards, staring just around the corner of the house. "I had many questions for you Kasumi, but I am afraid my curiosity on another issue has overrode those at the moment. Tell me, why is there a large hole in the side of your house?"

OOOOOOO

Despite what his mother, and though she hadn't said anything, Saeko, had thought, Ranma did actually have a meeting with the police that day. Although, it wasn't just with the local police captain and Kento, the governmental suit was there once more, looking far more harried than he had before.

And instead of letting the police chief start the discussion he spoke up as soon as Ranma had sat down. "I told you last time we met that there had been a string of grisly murders, beyond those you were called in to look at. We were able to trace the, the individual responsible and… and…"

Kento stepped forward as the man seemed to sag, unable to either believe what he was saying or unwilling to go on because he did, and the implications scared him. The Nerima native simply held out a series of photos. "Take a look at these."

Flipping through the pictures, Ranma scowled. "Okay, so we've got some weir snake lady… I'd guess she acted alone right? And… probably ate her victims."

"How did you figure that out?" The police chief asked.

"Some of the pictures have the background in place, including what looks like a charnel pit to one side." Ranma said scowling as he continued to examine the photos taken by the survivors of the SAT had taken. "Huh, so she was able to be killed by guns? That's pretty good work." He looked up then fixing the man in the suit with a stern glare. "Have to tell you though a lot of these bastards are going to sneer at bullets of any type. Maybe a tank round could hurt them, or navy guns? But it's doubtful that they could put some of the stronger types out there down."

While Kento merely nodded in agreement, the other two demanded proof. "Well, ya could grab a gun and try to shoot me, would that work? Any gun you could lug around I'd be pretty much immune to. Oh, ya could ring my bell with a sniper round at high enough speed, and if you could hit me in my open mouth that could do some damage, but other than that…"

Ranma shrugged, showing an insouciant disdain for the idea of guns that shocked the police chief, who had always thought guns were dangerous weapons that should only be used in the most dire of circumstances. The governmental man looked somewhat worried, but he also turned to Kento who simply nodded again. "Sir, I've seen with my own eyes Ranma and his chief rival in Nerima, Ryoga Hibiki. Be hit by shrapnel or rubble moving faster than any bullet from a handgun."

"So you're saying that there is no way a normal person could fight these things?" the police chief asked, gesturing angrily down at the photos Ranma had just set down on his desk. "These pictures seem to disagree with you!"

"They would, if the snake bitch was at all considered powerful in terms of the supernatural. And how many men did she kill during this fight?" Ranma asked, shaking his head. "I ain't saying you had any choice but to send 'em in since I don't know where this happened let alone how long it'd take me ta get there or if you have any other martial artists on the payroll. But could you sustain a fight against someone even stronger, smarter, tougher and faster than this gal?"

"No we could not. However that is not to say that a team of highly trained individuals couldn't come up with other ways to make a difference." The governmental man said, taking control of the discussion once more, staring the police chief into silence. Then he looked at Ranma thoughtfully, before asking, "If we are able to put together a team of martial artists, SAT, and others to somehow handle supernatural or super-normal issues, would you be willing to be on it?"

"Sure, but my participation would be based on what you'd have us doing. Hunting down a murderer like this, sure, trying to get involved in a fight between the Three Factions I've told you about, or trying to shut down Nerima's craziness? Trying to arrest martial artists who do property damage?" Ranma laughed. "That last would make me too much a hypocrite and I prefer not to try and fill in a hole in the ocean."

"You won't have anything to do with the special districts, the concept behind those places might be old, but they still work as they should. Your remit would be very clear: defend the citizens of Japan from the occult at need. If we have citizens willingly dabbling in the supernatural that's one thing. If a fight breaks out that is in danger of taking civilian lives, that's another."

Pulling at his pigtail thoughtfully, Ranma scowled. "That I'd be willing to do, but ya gotta realize that there's going to be a limit to what we can do. For one thing, I doubt we'd be able to travel from one area to another of Japan fast enough to stop something like that. As for stopping any such fights, that'll depend on how strong the individuals involved are."

And how good we, the team I mean, can get at breaking through the illusions the three factions all use. Not so much the rest of the occult world thankfully, Ranma thought.

"In that case I'll put you down as a tentative. We have a few other martial artists we'd like to bring in, but you're easily the best of them. What would you think about recruiting others from Nerima or a similar skill set?"

"I'd say don't do it. Ryoga can't be trusted to travel in a straight line let alone work with me. Kuno's crazy, his sister's not strong enough and is equally crazy, if brave for all of that. The oldsters are too set in their ways. If you could get Ryu Kumon to agree that'd be a good idea, but he's a bit of an asshole, and this is me saying it! Or maybe a few of the Chinese, though again, working with others isn't any of our strong points. Sorry." Ranma replied, shrugging. "If you could get Ryoga to let go of his hate for me, or better yet pair him with Akari at all times, that'd probably be the best bet. Other than that, recruit from the other side of things, find youkai or others who want to help protect humans for their own reasons."

"Hmm… there are ways to offset a directionless curse technologically, though how those would react if his cruse activates…" the man mused but eventually nodded. "And would you be willing to take orders from a SAT specialist?"

"In the field, hell no! Anywhere else, meh," Ranma said, shrugging expressively.

"In that case we're done here. We might want you to speak to the survivors of the SAT team in a week or so. We are moving them around constantly at this point, just to make certain that no one attempts to come in after the fact and erase their memories. We're also keeping computerized records on multiple systems and written forms. We do not want a sudden bout of forgetfulness after all." The man said, though he was frowning even as he gave that news. Ranma supposed there must have already been a few attempts by the various occult groups to erase the evidence of the SAT/Devil fight.

"Okay. But on that kind of topic, I'm going to head off for the day to meditate someplace. If my mother calls, ya sent me out to investigate something, okay?"

Kento laughed while the other two men shook their heads, unused to the idea of having to worry about someone's mother in such a manner. "And why in the world should we cover for you like that? Despite what you might think, education is important."

"More important than maybe getting me a weapon that could possibly let me stand up to the big boys out there?" Ranma asked his tone sardonic but his eyes serious. "I think I've found a magical source I can use and manipulate. I could tell ya more if ya want?"

"NO, No," all three men said as one, the governmental official going on. "We already know too much about the supernatural as it is, I would much rather you not burden us further with particulars at this time."

"Good," Ranma grunted, then headed for the door. He had a date with the highest place in the town. If Rias was right about how strong the magic of Jusenkyou was, Ranma wanted to figure out how to use it as fast as possible.

OOOOOOO

Despite the extremely jarring start of the day, Rias was relieved to be able to fall into her normal daily routine for a time. It was a balm to her wounded mind, sore and scattered from the revelations of the night before and the oddities starting to pile up on her that morning. At lunch of course she had to tell Sona about them, and Koneko that morning about what was going on.

Koneko thankfully took it at face value, believing her king and queen about what they had found. She, like Kiba, didn't have any spells on her to stunt their ability to think outside the box in terms of getting Rias out of her marriage. This made sense given the timeline that Rias and Akeno had worked out for when the spells had been placed on them. This did nothing to negate the nekomata's anger at what had been done to Rias and Akeno however.

As for the meeting with Sona, Rias didn't tell her friend anything about her concerns about what had been done to her and Akeno. As the head of the Sitri clan, she could not get involved in what was an internal Gremory clan matter. Even if that changed, her neutrality would be in doubt to most third parties given her friendship with Rias.

Instead Rias told Sona about how she had been 'having a sleepover' at Ranma's and been attacked by Shampoo and had been tricked into challenging the Chinese Amazon to a martial arts match. Both of these points only earned a raised eyebrow from the stoic Sona. But that stoicism evaporated like steam on a hot day when Rias went on. "But that wasn't the strangest thing that happened this morning. No, that had to deal with a group of visitors that showed up during breakfast."

"Oh, and who might that be? Someone else from Saotome's past? Another jilted lover, a rival, or no, the rest of the Amazons?" Sona asked, taking a sip from her afternoon tea, the remnants of her lunch having been pushed to one side.

"Actually no. the Guest was there to speak to Asia, and was in fact the Archangel Gabriel. I…."

At that point Rias stopped and stared as Sona, calm, always in control Sona Sitri, spat out her tea and began to cough, dropping her tea glass to her desk as she thumped her chest hard. When she recovered and Tsubaki had hurried over to help clean up after her king's spittake, Sona stared at Rias incredulously. "What!? What is the strongest woman of Heaven doing on Earth!? What does she have to do with young Asia!?"

"Gabriel was here to simply talk to Asia-chan, she has apparently been following Asia via her prayers before this, and wanted to check up on her after a series of very sad prayers she heard from the girl. Though of course that isn't her only reason, though I got the impression that if Gabriel had her way it would have been. She told us that three of the Excalibur fragments have been stolen by the church. Barely a few days before the attack on Issei. Strange timing don't you think? And where is your newest peerage member?"

"Hyoudou-san is spending lunchtime with a few of my other peerage members who are trying to bring up his grades. And yes, that is most suspicious timing. I take it you officially welcomed her into the territory?"

"I did, on the condition that she meets with both of us later today at around 7. Akeno is already planning to make it a dinner meeting," Rias said with a smile for her queen, who smiled back at her, though her eyes were still glinting with barely hidden pleasure at the sight of Sona being so surprised. "That gives her time to spend with Asia this afternoon. Until then she and her two helpers, two female exorcists, are free to do what they wish, though I think they'll spend that time looking for someplace to house themselves."

"Not that it will be tough for them," Akeno interjected, sighing. "I am not a vain woman but…" she was interrupted by all three of the other women there blowing raspberries at that, even Sona unwilling to let that lie pass. "Alright fine, I am a vain woman, but one who is not often jealous of another's looks. But Gabriel, she is most definitely an exception. She has a truly angelic beauty."

From her tone of voice her listeners couldn't quite say if Akeno was admiring Gabriel with that line, or deriding her subtly. "I have no doubt she'll have anyone trying to sell them a hotel room or apartment bending over backwards to please her, just as any of us could do only without the aid of spellwork."

Sona groaned, rubbing her head. "Saotome and Busujima, those Chinese idiots, Fallen Angels, exorcists, a perverted pawn and now a Archangel stopping by to talk to Asia and follow up on a theft of a holy object. What the hells has happened to my normal, calm life!?"

The thought cry me a river you lucky bitch, at least your family didn't actively sabotage you after setting you up with a lecherous bastard who only sees you as a fucking trophy, ran through Rias's mind, but she womanfully refrained from letting it out. From the scowl on Akeno's face she was having trouble from doing the same thing.

Then Sona suddenly groaned, removed her glasses very deliberately and proceeded to bang her head very deliberately down on her desk three times before letting it remain there. "Maou curse it!"

"What now?" Rias asked, frowning and staring at her friend.

"The rival! The rival my family said my older sister was going to chase after. It's Gabriel! And that means that Serafall really is going to come here."

While Sona seemed to sink deeper into a depression, Rias brightened. A Maou whose presence is random and who isn't related to me? Oh by the rings of hell yes! "Oh really?" she said with a forced nonchalance. "Would you care to wager on how fast it would take her to get here?"

"Two days at the most. If she had an idea of the direction Gabriel was taking she'll either be following her or decide to take a side trip from hunting her down to come by and bother me." Sona said morosely. "And thank you for positively ruining my day Rias. At least Gabriel alone isn't the type to go looking for trouble."

In fact Gabriel was far and away the least antagonistic of the archangels despite being one of their deadliest warriors, more inclined to sit and talk or just go and watch a play or take in the sights than look for a fight. Sona briefly wondered if maybe that was because of her role as God's Herald had called for her to be diplomatic at times even before the Great War, or if she was as rumor had said a bit of a ditz. I don't know what Gabriel makes of it, but my sister takes her rivalry with Gabriel seriously.

"Still let's talk about something else for a moment. "Are you sure about this whole martial arts challenge with Shampoo? You're not going to be able to use your powers of destruction you know. I'm pretty certain I would be against the rules," she finished dryly.

Rias nodded. "I'm certain. I might have walked into it, but I believe that what I can win will be useful enough to offset the bruises I'll no doubt accumulate."

Narrowing her eyes behind her glasses Sona looked at her friend closely. "Why is it so important that Ranma's house become a safe zone as you put it? Wouldn't it be more important to make your own house safe?"

"If I was intending to live there any longer yes, but I'm not," he said bluntly. "I can't tell you why," she went on holding up a hand as Sona made speak. It's an internal Gremory matter, and if I told you, you would probably take sides, which would just make trouble for you." Your sister on the other hand, she could help quite a lot.

"And that doesn't sound ominous at all…" Sona drawled shaking your head.

"Indeed," Rias said with a shrug. "Anyway, I'll see you later. I am going to be leaving campus for a time and I might be getting back a little later so I could be missing my Social studies and physics courses."

"That's unusual," Sona said, "but I won't ask."

"Good."

Despite her pessimism Rias returned with enough time to get to her physics class, even if she hadn't had time to stop by her locker for her books. Nodoka had foreseen her need and had volunteered her services, meeting Rias at the bank where the money Rias had been given by her family had been kept. With her help Nodoka had taken out all the money they had, created a new account at another bank and transferred it in before she had to return to school.

In her next class, which was Japanese literature, she covered herself and Akeno with an illusion spell so they could talk without anyone noticing. "Alright, the money's been transferred. Were you able to touch base with Kiba again at lunch? With everything else going on, the last thing we need is for him to fly off the handle."

"Saeko and I talked to him about it, but he is still angry about those Holy Swords being here. It isn't so much the exorcists as the swords themselves." Rias nodded at that understanding where that was coming from and Akeno went on. "I was able to get him to agree to wait for now, but I think that it will take time for him to get used to the idea."

"IN that case it might be best to just keep him away from the church trio as much as possible. As kind and diplomatic as Gabriel was this morning it's obvious those two are about as diplomatic as a hammer." Rias said.

"Keep Ranma around, he'll attract their ire like a lightning rod," Akeno said with a laugh. "It seems to be one of his specialties."

"Not a bad idea, especially since I intend to keep him and Saeko both around anyway," Rias said, pushing her friend's shoulder lightly. They were not talking about the elephant in the room, the major issue facing them both: her family. But with no direct way to prove their involvement, short of running away they had done everything they could at this point. "Still, I'll talk to him after school."

Unfortunately she barely had time to exchange a few words with Kiba as they walked toward the gym when Shampoo showed up for their match. Announcing her presence vi a sound like a bell in the distance, the two of them turned to watch Shampoo hop from one of the nearby rooftops down onto the outer wall and then further to the ground while riding a bike of all things. It was a very girly bike too, multicolored and with a small basket at the front.

Rias blinked at the site, for a moment forgetting the thunderous expression on Kiba's face even as the swordsman himself also seemed simply looked at the site in front of them, his angered dissipating at the sheer impossibility of what he was seeing. "How do you use a bike on the rooftops?"

"It not easy," Shampoo said with a shrug. "But it teach good dexterity, body control and also imbue object with ki." She laughed, pulling up her extremely short skirt for a moment and slapping one side. "It also to too too good for leg muscles!"

Rias nodded, looking at the powerful legs Shampoo was so proud of. "Sona is setting up the gym for our match, I'm going to go get changed. Kiba here will show you the way if you were have forgotten it."

"Shampoo not forget, but still follow guide," Shampoo said huffily, before turning away and racing over towards the form of Ranma as he too came over the rooftops from a different direction then Shampoo had taken.

For his part Ranma paused after hitting the ground, turning slightly to the side having seen Gabriel and the two with her walking toward the school. He watched as the trio entered the school, whereupon Gabriel so spotted him and move towards him smiling happily.

Many of the students leaving school were stopping and staring as Gabriel and the two exorcists moved through the crowd. "Hello Ranma, is Asia not with you?"

"She is meeting with her club friends. Schools like this have after school clubs that you're encouraged to be a part of, and she joined one to learn about portions of Japanese culture," Ranma said not certain how to explain anime and graphic novels to someone who was so unused to the human world as Gabriel seemed to be.

"Who is she?!" whispered Issei from next to him.

How the perv had teleported there from where he had been hiding from Ranma's wrath for siccing his two friends on him Ranma didn't know. I'll just put it down to the odd powers of the perverted, like that old bastard Happy. And I still have to figure out how to get back at him for those two assholes ruining my walk with Saeko-chan. Who knows when we'll next have a romantic moment with all the crap going on?

Ranma found himself somewhat angry as he thought about that, but instead of dealing with Issei as he wished, decided to head off the tirade he could see building behind Shampoo's eyes. "Shampoo, this is Gabriel, a representative of the Catholic church here to check up on Asia. She is in no way another fiancé or anything to do with me."

Her mouth clicking shut Shampoo nodded at that, internally grateful this older woman wasn't a threat. While she looked as kindly as Kasumi id, the way she moved and the muscles that Shampoo could see below that soft exterior warned her that his was a woman she shouldn't cross anytime soon. "Is good meet you then," Shampoo said, bowing formally to who she perceived as a blooded warrior.

"And you," Gabriel said politely, though she had only the vaguest idea of who Shampoo was really. She could tell the girl was a warrior, possibly as good as or better than her two companions, but other than that, she didn't know anything else about the Chinese girl.

Issei only barely heard this introduction too busy drooling at the sight of Gabriel's chest. It was slightly smaller than Akeno's, but was if anything slightly softer looking and her overall body was even better than Akeno's. Her hair was not so much blonde as a golden wave cascading down her shoulders and back and her legs were even longer then Shampoo's, and much more toned.

He wasn't the only one drooling of course. Half the boys in the crowd couldn't take their eyes off the beyond beautiful blonde, while the other two Perverts couldn't look away if their lives depended on it. Their higher functions had simply frozen and refused to reboot as they took in the sight before them, not just of Gabriel but of the two new beauties with her, Shampoo, Saeko and others. Unfortunately for Issei, he was the only one who had come close enough to be targeted in turn.

"You there!" said a very cold voice, and Issei turned only now noticing the two women that it followed the vision of cute blonde beauty onto the campus. The speaker was the blue haired girl, while the other one was looking at him her face pouting at something he didn't understand. "Stop looking at Gabriel-sama like that! You are unworthy to look upon her with such unclean eyes!"

"It's a free country I can look at whoever I want!" Said Issei, glaring at the woman. "Who the heck are you to anyway?

"These are two are exorcists from the church, real ones apparently not like those ex-exorcists that we were forced to deal with this past weekend. I imagine they think they're somewhat better than most of that rabble, though I haven't seen anything to prove it yet." Saeko replied, laying one hand on Ranma's shoulder as she looked at the two other women.

"Personally, I think they're a little naïve to be let out without minders, but I suppose that's what Gabriel is no offense, at least not to you Gabriel." Ranma cut in, smirking the same sort of smirk that would drive Ryoga or his other rivals back in Nerima to attacking him as he looked at the two exorcists.

Neither martial artist had taken kindly to Xenovia's aborted attempts to threaten Asia that morning, and wanted a bit of a way to dissuade them from doing so again. Ranma felt that if he could convince them to attack him, not only could he put off Shampoo and Rias's match, but he could beat the two of them down, making certain that they understood not to come near his adopted little sister in the future.

"Just because you might've gotten lucky against a few low level Fallen doesn't mean you can talk to true representatives of the church like that!" Xenovia shot back, one hand falling to her side.

"I'll talk to you however I damn well please!" Ranma said growling a little but subsiding as Gabriel looked at him shaking her head

She in turn looked over at her two friends. "I asked you to remember to be diplomatic; this is not being diplomatic on anyone's part. Must I say it again? We are not here to start fights, we are here to either gain information or aid, as well as keep to our part of the agreement which allows us to stay and perhaps later act while in devil territory."

"The fact that we have to churns my stomach Gabriel-sama," Xenovia shouted, shaking her head. "I don't understand how you can be so blasé about it!"

Gabriel would have responded, but she turned instead to look at Rias and Sona who had moved towards them through the crowd, followed by their peerages. She smiled happily at Rias, and then smiled even more happily as she saw Asia running up, coming towards her with a smile.

The two blondes hugged again, and then Gabriel looked at Sona. She could feel the power of the girl, and smiled happily. "You would be Sona Sitri correct? Good Afternoon. I must say you look exactly as your sister described you."

Ranma blinked, looking around them then over at Tsubaki. "That was very neat," he complimented her. "I almost didn't notice it when you put that illusion screen up."

She smiled smugly at him, and Issei frowned looking around. "What happened?"

"Tsubaki-san here threw up an illusion screen around us, so that the rest of the school's population would only see something else. What did you use?" Saeko asked.

"I've introduced Gabriel as Asia's aunt, who had been searching for a while. She's happy with your taking care of her, but wanted to meet Rias and Sona for some other reasons, as well as discussing pay for a trip for Asia's club and representatives of the student counsel to come and visit her in Italy." Tsubaki replied, pushing her glasses up her nose with one hand.

"That's good thinking for something you came up with on-the-fly." Rias praised, while Sona beamed clasping her queen's hand and squeezing it in approval.

"Indeed," Gabriel said smiling and patting Asia's head where the younger girl had remained by her side. "I rather like the idea of playing Asia's aunt for a time." She then looked up at Rias and Ranma. "I realize you might have a prior engagement, but may I take Asia with us for now?"

"Sure." Ranma said, knowing that question had been sent his way. "We talked about that this morning, and I doubt you have any interest in seeing a martial arts match anyway."

Gabriel nodded at that, though Xenovia looked more interested for a moment. The as yet unintroduced girl however hadn't looked away from Issei since she had arrived, and now spoke up. "Mou, Issei-kun, don't you recognize me?"

Looking at her Issei shook his head, filing her body's proportions away for more in depth perusal later. "Um… no should I?"

Pouting even harder she sighed. "We used to play as kids before my dad's job took us to Italy. "I'm Irina."

"EHhh!?" Issei shouted, making everyone turn to him. "Irina, but, but I thought you were a guy!?"

"Well, we were young at the time so I suppose that makes sense…" Irina replied, though she continued to pout at that. Even though she had barely been in elementary school when her family moved to Italy it stung her pride that her best fr4iend thought she had been a boy. Then she brightened. "But still, could you maybe show us around? That'll give us time to get to know one another again."

Xenovia scoffed at that, but Gabriel merely nodded. "Since Asia hasn't been here that long a local guide could be of some help. I must admit we did not make much progress in finding a place to stay as we might have."

"That was because this ditz thought she had found a true painting of a saint." Xenovia said, lightly cuffing Irina's head. "Thank goodness Gabriel-sama was able to spot it as a fake."

While the two exorcists fell to arguing and Asia and Gabriel talked in low tones about what Asia had seen of the town already, Issei looked over at Sona, who nodded firmly, gesturing him to go with them.

With the pervert moving off with what Ranma immediately labelled Team Church, Ranma jerked his head toward the gym. "Let's get this show on the road, okay?"

"Is too too good idea Airen. I finish redhead slut quickly and you take Shampoo on date, yes?" Shampoo asked, moving to loop her arm with Ranma's.

"Um, how about no?" Ranma stated, quickly ducking away, putting Saeko between them as well as another member of Sona's privilege he hadn't been introduced to. That worth y scoffed when he looked at Ranma then looked away, but Ranma decided not to follow up on that just yet. I already rub Sona the wrong way too often to go around kicking her peerage's teeth in.

While Shampoo glared at the two obstructions, the others all either moved off to join their own clubs in many cases in the case of the majority of the student council or formed up around their kings, moving with them to the football field where the match would take place. The gym was of course occupied with the Kendo Club and others.

"So Do you have any advice for me?" Rias asked while staring across the field at Shampoo, who had strode out proudly at the head of the rather large group.

"Don't get caught in a grip or chokehold of any kind," Ranma said promptly. "Realize you are going to take massive pounding from Shampoo whatever happens. You're not strong enough or fast enough to avoid everything she'll throw at you. Dodge what you can, but try to tank the blows you can't, and if you care throw off her stance often. Keep moving, don't get pinned, and hit her as often as you can in turn. Her endurance is decent, but she's never gone through the Amiguriken Toughness training, so she won't be able to take as much punishment as you can given your high Devil status."

Rias grimaced. "Great, so I'm about to take a physical pounding to go with the emotional one I took last night. Fantastic."

"Yeah, but look at it this way: at least if you win this problem will go away, and hey, you can at least vent some frustrations this way." He smirked as Rias visibly brightened at that, putting a tiny bit more spring in her step as they moved forward onto the field.

With her peerage (minus one) Sona put the others all around the field just in case while Rias and her peerage took one side of the field. Saeko stood with them, while Ranma stood to one side of them, ostensibly neutral in this contest just like Sona and her peerage.

Sona stood forward, looking first one way and then the other. She also got nods from both Tsubaki and Akeno, who waved her hands to either side, then up and around before clapping her hands, sending a pulse of magic power out. It wasn't nearly as neat or subtle as Tsubaki's power, but that made sense, as Akeno added a lot more power than Tsubaki had in her initial illusion. At present Akeno simply added her power to Tsubaki's work, letting Tsubaki create the illusion but making it far sturdier than it had been.

"Alright, let us get this over with. The rules of this match are simple: hand to hand fight only, no weapons or magic allowed. Rias Gremory has declared that she will agree to leave Ranma Saotome alone, keeping a distance from him. Shampoo of the Jotoketsu has offered to no longer bother Ranma or anyone else at his home." She shook her head, sighing irritably as she ran one hand through her short black hair. "I honestly don't see the appeal, and this is all really getting rather tiresome frankly, but regardless, do you both agree to both the rules and the wagers as I have explained them?"

"Shampoo do," Shampoo replied, smirking eagerly and cracking her knuckles. "Shampoo going to enjoy this."

"I agree, though I doubt I'll enjoy this anywhere near as much," Rias said, shaking her head. She had taken the time to change into her exercise uniform, and Koneko had loaned her a pair of her gloves. She also had tied her hair into a braid falling down her back.

Seeing all this Ranma blinked. "How the hell did you get your hair braided and change that quickly?"

"I'm a Devil, of course there are spells to help that kind of thing," Rias replied evasively.

"Then the match may commence," Sona said, before things could get sidetracked again.

Shampoo raced forward, leaping into the air with a loud "Kiyaah!" and launching a straight kick towards Rias.

Rias dodged desperately, her Devil given speed barley equal to the Amazons. But she was somewhat used to that given her training with Ranma. So she lashed out at where Shampoo was putting done, catching Shampoo in her kicking leg with a blow to the side right below her knee.

In reply Shampoo moved with the blow flipping slightly and bringing her leg down in a crescent kick which again made Rias dodge to the side desperately. She followed up too fast for Rias to try to attack her again, her blows coming in fast and controlled. No longer was she trying to overawe Rias, having seen that wouldn't work after the first exchange.

For her part Rias kept backpedaling trying desperately to redirect Shampoo's blows. Her forearms quickly began to sting then actually hurt. She was forced to user her knees and lower legs to block a few of Shampoo's kicks, but Shampoo seemed content to keep at her using her fists for the most part. Taking advantage of this Rias pushed off one blow that would have taken her in the chest, pushing back and away and launching a kick of her own.

But Shampoo simply ducked under the kick, grabbing Rias's foot as it past, halting the kick and then hurling Rias to the ground. The Redhead gasped as she slammed into the ground back first then had to defender herself from the blows of Shampoo. "Shampoo knew she enjoy this!"

"That at least makes one of us. I prefer to fight much more elegantly than this you barbarian!" Kicking the leg Shampoo had caught down onto the ground, Rias smashed Shampoo's fingers strongly enough against the ground to break her grip for a second, which she used to roll to the side.

Flipping back upright, she desperately dodged the next few dozen punches, Shampoo hurling them forward as fast as she could while in the background Ranma muttered, "Oy, I resemble that remark."

"Too, too right! That why we compatible. Airen and Shampoo, we true warriors, not like you devil sluts!" Shampoos shouted, laying into Rias.

"Ara, someone seems to be begging for some electric shock therapy." Akeno mused while the other devils present all glared angrily.

"Oh, is that what this is about!?" Ranma grunted, seeing an opening now. "Was I right this morning? That you're just jealous?" She grunted as a punch got through, hammering into her gut, but she moved with the blow, shooting back with her own.

"Bah that just stupid panda's fault! If Airen have access to hormones he and Shampoo be back in China making babies long since!" Shampoo replied.

"Oh?" Rias grunted again as another punch got through, smashing her jaw. "Is, is that what you really think? I think you're still insecure, because you know Saeko has become a lot closer to Ranma than you did in a short amount of time! Because you know I'm actually friends with him, not a stalker like urgh!"

Another blow got through and Shampoo growled, digging her fist into Rias's gut. "Shampoo think Redhead Skank talk too much."

Rias gripped Shampoo's outstretched fist by the wrist then slammed a blow into the side of her arm on the side of the elbow. Shampoo winced as she felt the blow land, and was completely unprepared for the headbutt that Rias used to hurl her backward.

While Shampoo stumbled backwards seeing stars Rias only shook her head once, her High level Devil endurance serving her in good stead. She raced forward, grabbing Shampoo's arm once more and pulling her into another blow to the chest, landing three more in quick succession before Shampoo had recovered from the headbutt. "Hit a sore point did I?" Rias said, allowing a smirk to twist her lips, eagerly piling on the trash talk to try and keep Shampoo angry and off-balance. "You know you can never win Ranma's soul with all the crap you've pulled and now all that's left is you trying to beat up or scare anyone else who shows the slightest interest in him!"

"Redhead Skank shut mouth!" Shampoo roared, punching out toward Rias's head.

But she telegraphed the punch so much and was further slowed by Rias having hold of her arm that Rias was in turn able to dodge under it. Using that same hold she flipped Shampoo over her shoulder to slam down onto the ground. Before Shampoo could right herself Rias was behind her, locking in a chokehold. Shampoo tried to get away, But Rias was behind her now, with her legs around Shampoo's waist holding her in place.

"Huh, I don't think I ever taught her that?" Ranma mused then smirked. "Mind you, her adaptation of the Saotome School technique of Make 'em Mad, Make 'em Stupid was masterful. If a little meaner and a hell of al to more below the belt than I would've ever done."

"True, but I think that it was also something Shampoo needed to hear. Maybe knowing that she's burnt all her bridges with you will allow her to finally move on." Saeko said, shaking her head.

"Yeah… I'll believe that when I see it." Ranma said, shaking her head. Still, did Rias say all that as a friend, but because she's interested in me too? I mean, a lot of the things she did in her clubhouse the other day could be taken to mean that too… Ugh… why the hell is my love life as complicated as the rest of my life?

Shampoo attempted to throw Rias off, but despite being stronger than Rias, she was in no position to make use of that strength. And despite how good a warrior she was, Shampoo still needed to breath. But she didn't tap out. She kept fighting growling out words that only Rias could here now. "Why!? Why you and… stupid Sword Girl… why not… Shampoo…"

"There are so many reasons I couldn't begin to list them all. Mostly to do with your personality and his I think, though maybe if you hadn't been trying to kill him, er her for months and hadn't used so many weird magical items on him you might stand a chance. Have you even thought about apologizing for all that? Honestly," Rias grumbled as Shampoo passed out, not having had breath answer her questions. She held the lock in place for another full minute, making sure then sighed and released her hold.

Standing up on weary legs, Rias grumbled as she felt all her bruises. Damn it but Shampoo did a number on me. Rias's entire upper body was a mass of black and blue marks with the worst being on her arms. They were throbbing now that the adrenaline (which effected Devils just as it did humans) was beginning to fade.

"Winner Riaak!" Sona said, having moved to toward the two combatants to single the end of the fight only to be bowled out of the way by Mousse, who had just arrived on the scene.

Rias barely had the time to gasp before she found herself being squeezed by the optically challenged master of Hidden Weapons. "Shampoo my love! Oh well done beating that harlot, I saw the whole thing, you were magnificent! Now come my love, let us leave this place and head back to China!" His hands began to knead Rias's chest. "My word, you've grown again haven't you?"

Watching this Akeno shook her head commiserating. "Ara that does look familiar. How often did this kind of thing happen in Nerima Ranma?"

"Heh, the only gal he never glomped thinking she was Akane was Kodachi. Now that I'd have paid to see." Ranma said with an evil chuckle.

By this point Rias had reached boiling point and she shrieked slamming one hand back into Mouse's crotch. As he let go of her and backed away, she turned, blasting him away with a beam of magical energy. It wasn't her family's Power of Destruction, the redhead having no interest in simply killing Mousse. The bolt of power more represented a battering ram made of energy than the red ravening beam that was her family's specialty.

It lifted Mousse off his feet and hurled him away to slam into the water heater for the gym and pool. That burst, sending water flying everywhere and drenching Ranma, Saeko and a few of Sona's peerage while also transforming Mousse into his duck form.

"Akeno, Koneko! Don't let him get away!" Rias barked. "Kiba, run and get a cage suitable to keep a duck in."

Blinking Kiba wondered where the heck he'd find one of those but Ranma, grumbling and wringing out her shirt told him to wait. "Hold on a sec. I shouldn't help ya for doing this to me again but I think I wanta see what you'll do to the fowl."

With that Ranma turned, tossing a shirt to Saeko, winking at her. "This is starting to become a theme ain't it?"

"Hmm… face it, Ranma… you just like making me wet," Saeko replied, winking at him and pulling his shirt over her uniform. Then she scowled over at the blonde boy from earlier, growling and pulling her sword from her ki space. "Take your eyes somewhere else or lose them!"

He flinched looking away with a blush as Koneko growled. "Pervert." Many of his own peerage were also looking at the boy askance, though most of them were simply smirking at his discomfort.

Ignoring this byplay and trying to keep a blush from appearing on her face, Ranma moved towards where Shampoo was still slumped unconscious on the ground next to Rias. "Ya see, Shampoo knows how to use weapon's space too, and routinely uses cages to contain Mousse when he bothers her too much."

"Shouldn't that be 'too too much'?" Rias asked archly, watching as Ranma basically frisked Shampoo while Akeno started to see to her injuries. She was tempted to say something about this being the first time Ranma had willingly touched Shampoo's body, but felt that the line would be wasted with Shampoo still unconscious.

The rather unnatural redhead pulled out two cages instead of one, holding one over Shampoo suggestively as she looked up at her natural counterpart. Rias thought for a moment then shook her head. "No, I beat her fair and square. We'll just leave her somewhere for now to stew in that, and use the idea of caging her as a threat for later. As for Mousse however, I have plans for him…"

Smiling evilly Rias looked over at Koneko. "Get him Koneko-chan." She said jerking a thumb towards the wreckage of the boiler, from which Mousse in his duck form could be seen trying to flap away.

"Time to hunt," Koneko said crouching low and racing off. When Mousse took to the air, she followed, demon wings appearing around her as the illusion around them all shattered, revealing the undamaged school grounds beyond

Rolling her eyes, Sona sighed. "This feels remarkably silly, but at least it's over now. I am going to go home, and pretend that people with cruses and crazy martial artist didn't invade my nice, understandable world for a while."

"Says the demon girl from one of the 72 pillars of Hell." Saeko quipped, shaking out her own hair wet hair. "I think I will see what the kendo club is up to. Are you two coming?"

The blonde knight nodded, following after Saeko joined by two of Sona's peerage.

Ranma however shook her head. "Nah, I'm going to head to the clubroom and take a quick shower first, since I didn't have time for one this morning. I'll see you in a few minutes."

"Just don't use up all the hot water," Rias ordered, looking up from where Akeno was using magic to very slowly heal her mistress's arms. The sight of Akeno pressing said forearms between her breasts one at a time her body glowing slightly, was enough to make Ranma blush again, but the process wasn't exactly fast.

"No worries, I'll be quick." Ranma said, turning and racing towards the old schoolhouse.

I suppose I could have used the shower in the gym, but this is more private and nicer Ranma thought, as she stepped into the ORC's small bathroom. And Rias has shampoo and soap, and not the Amazons either. Since Ranma had not had any time to shower that morning, this was not a small consideration. With that Ranma began to pull off her clothing as the water slowly began to heat up.

Outside in the club room, the ORC's teleportation circle activated, glowing a fierce orange and red. This circle had been set up to be an aid for teleportation both around Kuoh and to other realms, such as various places in hell. Sona and Rias had both set it up that way, thinking it was better to have the main teleportation marker in the out of the way ORC room rather than the public student council room.

The image that was held within the outer shell of the circle was not the Gremory's, or even the Sitri crest. Instead it looked to be a bird on fire. From this array appeared a tallish twenty-something young man, with dirty blonde hair a partially opened shirt showing off a deep tan and a sneer on his aristocratic face.

Stepping out of the circle, he looked around, his lips twisting into a frown now as he brought ah and up to scratch at his skin, a few large gold rings flashing in the light coming from the windows as he did. Well, I suppose it was naïve of me to believe that Rias and her peerage would be here for Riser's arrival given the fact it's supposed to be a surprise.

He moved towards the door out into the corridor but paused listening and turning back to the other door. The sound of running water was audible from in there, and he smiled. Ah, could I have gotten lucky despite my first impression? That could be Rias in there, or Akeno, or Koneko. She might be petite, but even so there's a certain kind of appeal even there.

In Riser's mind, he had a three out of four chance of the person in there being a woman. Further, since Rias was going to become his bride, her peerage would become his property just as she did. There can't be any harm in sampling the goods before the deal is done is there?

With that in mind Riser moved towards the door, stealthily opening it to look inside. After all, three out of four chances meant you have a 25% chance to get it wrong. And Riser had no desire whatsoever to see any other man naked.

He poked his head in and saw a red headed girl leaning against the sink, bending over as she pulled off her shirt. A pair of paint already lay out on top of the sink and her rear was aimed towards him, perfectly round and inviting.

The clothing should have given Riser warning. After all, it was well known that Rias was in the human realm to go to school and most schools in Japan had some kind of uniform. The clothing on the ground did not match any kind of uniform.

But Riser didn't care. Instead, he was rather mesmerized by the side of the redhead's cute derrière, thrust out towards him invitingly as she bent over to organize her clothing. He could even see some of her tiny, unused pussy below it winking at him.

Moving forward and reaching down Riser laid a hand on his betrothed's rear, one finger moving down to graze across her cleft ash she stiffened. "Rias my dear, I see you are preparing yourself for my arrival? Is this just merry happenstance, or did someone actually warn you I was coming?"

Ranma froze for a brief instant as she felt someone's hand on her ass, then when his finger grazed his most private female par, Ranma's mind went simply blank at that moment, filled with an all-consuming rage. She turned lashing out with a kick, then as the blonde moved backwards with a laugh, Ranma reached down pushing her hand into her special ki space: this pocket of condensed space held nothing but the two weapons he had taken from the Phoenix tribe.

The Gekkaja practically fell into his hands and he pulled it out slashing it around in a wide arc in the same movement. The wide blade almost howled as it cut through the air of the bathroom.

Riser had barely backed away form the kick in time to avoid getting nailed in the privates. He was about to say something about that feistiness being part of her charm which he could do without before the girl he still thought of as Rias suddenly pulled a sword of out her pants' pocket and turned, bringing it around in a flashing arc towards him. "My dear have you forgotten about the great Phenex regeneration abilitYYY!"

He couldn't complete the sentence before the blade sliced through Riser's still outstretched arm and continued, slicing deep thigh right to one side of his privates. Pain filled Riser at that and he decided that even if it would regenerate he didn't want to find out what else Rias wanted to cut off. With that thought he retreated, backing away rapidly from the angry redhead as he waited for his regeneration power to kick in. He didn't want to return fire yet, since he had no wish to injure his bride to be. Best to wait it out and use his Family's regeneration to prove how hopeless her situation was, so Riser merely waited.

And waited some more, far longer than he should have as he dodged the redhead's attack. So long that Riser had to dodge several more slashes by the barest of margins as he retreated out of the bathroom. As he cleared the doorway Riser stared at his still not regenerating arm, feeling his blood pumping out of the cut into his thigh. "Why isn't it working?!" he screamed.

Stumbling backwards Riser slammed into one of the sofas and then bounced around it barely dodging another slash from the sword which carved through the side of the sofa like a hot knife through butter. The return stroke nearly took Riser's head off but he dodged at the last second, staring into now fear at the redhead and from her down to his arm. "What is happening?! What is that sword?!"

So astonished was he at his ability to heal from any wound not working that Riser had completely forgotten his own offensive powers. And it was debatable that Riser could have conjured up any such. His family's fire spells took a bit of concentration to control after all.

"Die," Ranma said coldly, stepping forward and now thrusting.

At that Riser finally remembered his magic and hastily conjured up a magical shield. Behind it he began to prepare an attack spell. But his shield shattered and the spell, a mass of barely formed searing flame, was dodged as the redhead arched low. It continued, burning through the ceiling then up through the roof like it wasn't even there, warning everyone on campus that something was going on.

The devils immediately sprang into action, Sona and her peerage throwing up a series of powerful spells to both block anyone from noticing and erasing the memory from those who already had. Rias and Akeno ran towards the ORC building followed by Saeko and Kiba. They were just a second slower along with Kiba having only heard the 'Fwoosh' of the flame rather than seen it, but the speedy knight overtook the two ladies quickly.

The attacked had forced Ranma off-balance, but he recovered before Riser could capitalize. He sent another slash at Riser, cutting into his chest slightly.

Now feeling weak from the loss of blood from his thigh and missing arm, Riser fell backwards, shock and fear etched on his face as he fell onto the teleportation circle. "What is that sword?! Why isn't my power working?!"

"I don't know what power you're talking about," Ranma said, the still naked redhead rising Gekkaja above her head for a downward stroke. "But I've put up with more perverts in my lifetime than anyone has a right to. I'll be damned if I let you get away with what you just did!"

Desperately Riser activated the teleportation array, his eyes wide and staring as the sword fell. It cut through the wood where Riser had been a second ago, but he had disappeared from the human realm back to Hell with barely an instant to spare and quite a tale to tell. Once he was treated for blood loss anyway.

Blinking, Ranma fought back her rage now that the man who had tried to fondle her had disappeared from sight. She turned, looking over at the doorway to the clubhouse as it banged open, followed immediately by Kiba racing through it with Saeko, Rias and Akeno right behind him. "Do random blonde assholes try to fondle everyone who uses that shower, or is that just a fucking devil thing multiplied by my being Lady Luck's bitch?"

End Chapter

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I don't think I give Asia or Saeko enough screen time here, but given what I have planned in the future that will change. I also am not happy with the exchange of insults between Rias, Saeko and Shampoo when she smashes into the house. But the rest went about how I wanted it to.