"...Eh?" Issei woke up and lifted himself to a sitting position on the cushy bed he found himself in.
He looked around and realized that he was in a luxurious-looking room, which was decorated in gold, orange and yellow colors, though it somehow remained quite dark.
Issei then glanced out of the window, and saw that it was night outside. The sky was dark purple, telling him that he was in the Underworld, so at least a day had passed since the Rating Game.
Therefore-
'Calm down. You are not fully recovered, not yet. We have to be strategic about this.' Ddraig tried to calm Issei before he could run out of the bed, slam the door, and go murder the Yakitori, consequences be damned!
Issei ignored the advice. 'I have no time for laying on the bed or something! That damn Yakitori might be walking Rias down the aisle as we speak!'
He tried to get up… And fell down as his vision swam.
His right arm shot up without his input and caught his fall by grabbing the nightstand before he could faceplant himself on the floor. Instead the motion and the shove of the right arm landed Issei back in the bed, where he flopped on his back as his body felt like jelly. He accidentally brushed some sort of bell on the nightstand which let out a soft chime as he stabilized himself.
'See? I don't mean to discourage you from your rage. In fact I welcome it- Anger and rage are practically the lifeblood of my power. But you aren't killing anything right now, with your body as it is.' Ddraig sounded strangely gentle as she spoke. 'Your body and soul nearly died, you know. Your mind nearly fell into the [Juggernaut Drive] and your body almost self-destructed after unlocking my [Balance Breaker] so early. You truly have potential… Heh.'
Issei thought that Ddraig's small chuckle sounded weird, but he ignored it as he had a difficult time keeping himself conscious after the sudden movement had caused his head to spin.
'...Buchou. No, Rias… I'm sorry. I… I failed you. Dammit! I won't let that damn pervert get away with this!' Issei crawled back to his earlier resting position on the bed and covered his face with his left forearm in despair.
'Heh, pot meets kettle. Moreover I didn't say we were going to give up. Or did you change your mind?' Ddraig noted. 'We'll recover, and we'll go at it again. Moreover, your burst of power at the end might have changed the playing field- Did you not notice that your power caused Riser to change genders, much like you did with the swordsman-boy? It might take some time for the effect to be reversed without our input. We probably have time… for now.'
"Ah." Issei paused while blinking owlishly. '...I'm not sure what exactly happened. I sort of blacked out after that 'scale mail' thing. Uh, and also, what's [Juggernaut Drive]? You've mentioned it a couple of times now-'
'Ohoho, so in other words, what you said and did after that was out of sheer instinct~ Very good. My lessons have not gone wasted then.' Ddraig sounded proud of herself while completely ignoring Issei's question about [Juggernaut Drive]. 'Someone's approaching.'
Issei fell on his back on the bed, pretending to sleep while keeping one eye partially open. 'Ddraig.'
'Got it, partner. You might be able to stomach one [Boost, but let's try to avoid combat if possible.' Ddraig confirmed while Issei's right hand curled to a fist.
It felt strange to Issei how he was simultaneously in control of his right arm and also not. '...This might be a bit awkward… Moreover, I use my right arm to mastur-'
'Is this really the right time to think about things like those?!' Ddraig let out a small groan.
The door to the room opened before the internal conversation could continue, much to Ddraig's relief if the sigh was anything to go by.
"...Red Dragon Emperor-sama?" A female voice came from the doorway and Issei saw a flash of blonde hair that first reminded Issei of Asia, but as he slightly opened his eye he saw that the blonde hair was arranged into two drills, and on even closer retrospection her voice carried a refined, ojou-sama quality that jogged Issei's memory.
'She knows we're awake. No point pretending anymore. How do you want to play this?' Ddraig notified. 'She's stronger than us right now, though. I normally don't say this, but fighting probably isn't the best idea.'
"...You're the cute yakitori." Issei spoke while opening his eyes fully.
"Ahe… R-Red Dragon Emperor-sama! I have a name too, I'm Ravel Phenix!" The blonde girl seemed to be both offended and glad at the same time.
"...I have a name too. Issei Hyoudou." Issei ground out. "...You're Yakitori's sister."
"Y-yes! I heard that Red Dra- I-Issei-sama has awoken, so I brought you soup!" Ravel blushed a bit. "Moreover! Calling us 'yakitori' is rude! I'd like to ask Issei-sama to stop!"
The girl showed a tray that had a bowl of some sort of smooth soup and a few different drinks.
"Where's Rias? Where am I? Where's Yakitori? He and I have some unfinished business!" Issei asked while trying to keep his tone under control.
'...The food doesn't smell poisoned. You should accept the hospitality and eat first and then ask the questions later. I'm not sure if we're guests or captives yet.' Ddraig noted. 'I had to take a small nap after the ritual was finished, but since we were left to 'friendly' territory I was certain we'd be safe. However I do not recognize this area.'
Ravel gained a blush and she shook a bit after hearing Issei's words. "U-um… I-Issei-sama is so forward…"
Issei's stomach rumbled as he sent a glare at the cute yakitori and she seemingly figured out the question that Issei felt too awkward to ask, considering his earlier hostile attitude, and she hurried forward with the soup tray. 'Uugh… The soup smells tasty… B-but if I accept what the Yakitori's are offering, then I'm… I'm practically submitting to them…!'
'You know, now that you put it like that, you are right. A Dragon never submits to- hey! Hey! Stop eating that! You just said-'
"Sho goodh…!" Issei shoveled soup to his mouth-hole while crying small tears. All the while Ddraig growled inside his head.
"U-um! If Issei-sama wants seconds then I bought a full cauldron, just in case? I wasn't sure how much a dragon eats normally s-so I figured… I- It's also something I made for Red Dragon Emperor-sama, personally, so…" Ravel stammered a bit while trying to keep the earlier, refined ojou-sama like attitude. She had her hands on her lap while standing a bit to the side in an elegant posture, but not quite out of Issei's reach if he lunged for her and took her hostage, or something.
It looked as if Ravel read his thoughts from his face as she blushed quite a bit more as Issei contemplated the 'lunging at her' part, but judging from her posture and slow inching forwards she… didn't seem to be against the idea?
'Just eat the damn soup.' Ddraig growled. 'Why is it that you turn into battle-maniac now of all times, when you're too weak to wrestle down a kitten?'
.
.
.
Ravel-o-vision ('I can fix her' ver.)
The Red Dragon Emperor laid on the guest bed like he owned the whole estate. His posture radiated calm confidence and his aura was glowing. As Ravel expected, something as minor as death itself proved no obstacle for the Emperor's desires. His upper body was unclothed, displaying his toned yet not too over muscled body, and skin that was unmarred by scars, displaying his fighting prowess, as there would be no enemy capable of wounding him.
Ravel had heard Him call the servant's bell, and she responded, even though she felt that it was below her rank as the only daughter of Phenix… Though maybe if she thought of herself as the Red Dragon Emperor's personal 'maid' then… kyaah!
"You're the cute girl from before. Heh. Cute yakitori." The Red Dragon Emperor growled in a manly tone, causing Ravel's knees to feel weak. However, she had to show her displeasure from being addressed as a piece of tasty food… a-although the implications… Ravel realized she'd turn to mush if she kept getting dominated by the Red Dragon Emperor like that! She had to go on the counter-offensive!
"Ahe… R-Red Dragon Emperor-sama! I have a name too, I'm Ravel Phenix!" Ravel blushed up a storm as she stammered. The Dragon introduced himself as well, and Ravel tried to defend her brother… sister by commenting on them being referred to as snacks.
She tried to keep up the strong front as the Red Dragon Emperor glared at her defiance. A deep, manly growl came from deep within the man, full of unsoothed rage and unreleased passion, shaking her to her very core. Ravel wondered if he'd punish her for the defiance, perhaps take her by her hips again and bend her over the-
Ravel quickly put the food down so that it wouldn't get knocked up. Knocked over, she clarified in her mind.
"...Good." The Red Dragon Emperor approved of the food that she had made as he devoured it in a ravenous frenzy, while sending a hungry, desire-filled look at Ravel. She felt goosebumps as she knew that the 'yakitori' would be the Red Dragon Emperor's chosen dessert…
.
.
.
"Issei-kun?"
Issei's head shot up and instantly homed in on the doorway and on the familiar female voice.
"Rias-buchou!" Issei's voice came out as a broken, desperate whisper as he looked at the redhead at the door.
Rias's smile softened and she took a few quick steps to the bed, put the soup aside, and hugged Issei.
Issei returned the hug with almost desperate fervor, hugging the girl close as if she could disappear at any moment. "Rias… I was so worried… I thought…"
"Hush, those are my lines, my cute Ise-kun~" Rias booped him on the nose with her forefinger. The girl's ears were blood-red, causing Issei to worry and he reached to touch one of them. "I felt that you woke up, so I came as fast I could… I was so worried… I'm so glad that the ritual worked… Don't ever leave me again, Ise-kun…"
Issei stroked one of Rias's red and black mauled-looking ears.
"Eep!" Rias pulled back as if the touch stung. "Owie… S-sorry, Ise-kun. I was just lectured a bit so my ears are sensitive… Don't worry, I'm alright."
"That damn yakitori… I'll murder him…" Issei's insides roiled with cold rage as he could tell who had manhandler his precious Rias that way. "Even if it means I'll go Stray, I'll-!"
"Shush, um, no. I- it was my mother, actually, but… I'm not sure how I should feel about what you said just now, mou." Rias looked conflicted. "I'm happy that you'd go so far for me, but sheesh… If you keep being that manly I'll fall for you all over again, Ise-kun."
"E-eh?" Issei blinked.
"Um, I'm still here?" Ravel piped up with a strange voice. "Issei-sama?"
Issei and Rias ignored Ravel's quiet objection as they were too busy staring at one another on the bed.
"Issei, I…" Rias was caressing Issei's cheek while her lips opened just slightly and a blush spread on her cheeks.
"Rias, I…" Issei felt as if his chest had started to hammer, and a feeling of instinctive worry, a sensation of being trapped spread through his body… But he now recognized what it was.
The sight within the [Boosted Gear, the mockery of the Fallen Angels, or rather, the memories of Raynare's assassination of Issei, had all become clear to him after Ddraig had pointed it out, and after the Ritual had shown him the truth.
Issei pushed aside the instinctive rejection, the panicked want to escape as Rias closed towards him.
He reached to caress Rias's cheek just as she caressed his, their faces mere inches apart and a blush on both of their faces.
"Mouuuu! Rias-samaaaa! Thieffff! It should have been meeee!" Ravel sprinted off while crying! Issei glanced to the side and saw that the blonde girl was scurrying off while blushing hard and crying and muttering something incomprehensible!
The door opened as Ravel fled out… Or at least, she tried to flee.
Instead she bumped head-first into a blonde woman who had opened the door.
"Ara? Ravel-chan? Is something the matter?" The blonde woman looked at the girl who had buried herself into the woman's huge bust, mostly by accident.
Issei found himself staring at said bust. 'Holy cow part two! W-what's with these busts! That blonde's boobs are bigger than her head! Did I die and go to boob-heaven?! I don't want to leave! I want to bury my head in those boobs too!'
'...Haah. Well, you're back to normal. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.' Ddraig's grumble shook Issei from his thoughts.
"Um, Rias-buchou, who is she?" Issei whispered to Rias as she too broke out of the earlier moment and focused on the doorway.
"Ah, that's… well, it's…" Rias looked awkward, resigned and angry at equal measure, but Issei felt as if the anger wasn't directed at him. "Things have… changed somewhat. And, well… Mother and father, they… ahem… About the engagement with Riser…"
"Mhm, mhm." The blonde woman at the doorway kept nodding as Ravel babbled something, and then reached to stroke the girl's head a bit. "Alright. Run along now, Ravel. I'll have a word with Sekiryuutei-san now."
"Ah- Y-yes, of course. I'll see how Riser-neesama is doing." Ravel curtsied a bit and then scurried away while looking extremely embarrassed.
Issei made to stand up so that he could get between Rias and the approaching boob-yakitori, but before he could get up (or attempt to do so, as though soup had helped him regain his strength somewhat, he was still weak as a noodle), Rias put her hand on his chest to stall him.
"Ahem. I am Ravel's and Riser's mother, and the Lady of Phenix family." The woman smiled at Issei. "This would be the first time we've met. I hope we all get along."
Rias preemptively put her hand over Issei's mouth, preventing him from imparting some choice words.
'Calm down, partner. She appears to be a big fish in this small lake you've found yourself in. At least listen to her before we put our fists up. Remember that you're not yet recovered.' Ddraig advised while she was narrowing her eyes inside Issei's mind, though the expression was not directed at him but rather, at the blonde women in front of him.
"Um…" The woman stared at Rias's gesture for a bit and then shook it off. "Ahem. Anyway. Something seemed to have happened during the Rating Game which resulted in my Riser becoming a girl. My husband contacted Beelzbub-sama and asked if the effect could be reversed, but it appears it's permanent."
Issei thought about how he had undone Yuuto's transformation and almost pointed out that the Boob-Yakitori was wrong, but Rias's grip on his mouth was white-knuckled and steel-hard, and tightened even further as if she realized what Issei was about to say.
"Seeing how it is, and with the contract between Gremory and Phenix families being for the purposes of generating pure-blooded devils, which wouldn't work between two women, and so forth…" Lady Phenix didn't seem all too concerned with the fine details as she handwaved them. "Well, and in addition to some excellent points made by Lady Gremory, we've decided to break the engagement between Riser Phenix and Rias Gremory."
Issei's eyes widened in surprise. Rias's expression was strange as she turned to look at Issei. It was as if she knew already but rather than being glad, she looked resigned. The expression confused Issei and he didn't even try to comment to interrupt the blonde lady, not that he could do so as Rias was holding her hand over his mouth.
"However, as the Rating Game ended in Phenix victory, the breaking of the contract nonetheless left Gremory House in debt. As such we discussed the potential of transferring Sekiryuutei-sama, who is Gremory Pawn, to Riser's Peerage to strengthen our family's martial prowess…" Lady Phenix spoke, causing Issei to instantly protest loudly even if the voice was muffled by Rias's hand. "However, due to the number of Pawn pieces, as well as the fact all of them had Mutated during the Rating Game as per the doctor's analysis, this sort of trade seemed unreasonable even in light of the debt."
Issei calmed down and let out a sigh of relief.
"However, a solution presented itself as Ravel came forward regarding Sekiryuutei-sama's opinion during the Rating Game." Lady Phenix continued while she reached to the side and produced a scroll of parchment from seemingly thin air. "Even though my dear husband objected quite vocally, considering that Sekiryuutei-san is a reincarnated devil instead of pure-blooded devil, the strength displayed by Sekiryuutei-san helped persuade my husband to the possibility of something like this. Heh, he's still old-fashioned like that, don't pay much mind to him. He'll come around eventually."
The woman seemed to realize that she was rambling so she coughed to her fingers in a cute manner, which clashed quite spectacularly with her milf-tier curves.
'Focus on her words. This sounds like it's important. You can perv on her later. Probably.' Ddraig advised while she was also paying attention.
"Ahem. So, to conclude, ta-dah!" Lady Phenix showed the paper. "We've come to a conclusion that we'll tie our families via a marriage between Riser Phenix and Issei Hyoudou, the Sekiryuutei."
"Wh-whaha? GHGHHHHH! YYYAHIIIITOORIIII" Issei screamed his protest to Rias's hand while Rias bowed her head in apology and shame. "Mhgh!"
"Oh, and don't worry about the paperwork. Even though Sekiryuutei-san isn't part of Gremory by blood, he's part of the clan by being part of Rias-chan's Peerage, therefore the clan lord, Zeoticus Gremory, can sign official agreements in your name. So all that's left is the ceremony, hm~!" Lady Phenix hummed happily as she rolled up the contract, and then slid it down between her breasts where it disappeared without a trace. "I thought my preparations for a marriage ceremony would have gone to waste, but this way everyone's happy~ Moreover Bael family shot down the proposed fiancee contract between their scion and Ravel some ten years ago or so, and we have little desire to approach Glasya-Labolas, so she's free anyway~ I thusly also added a clause for Ravel-chan once she's old enough, as she seems fond of you as well. Though I added it with a caveat that she can end your engagement if she wants. "
"MGHHHH!" Issei let out a muted scream against Rias's hand while Rias sent a murderous glare at Lady Phenix, which the latter either didn't notice or chose to ignore.
"Anyway, I'm off to let Riser-chan know as well." Lady Phenix clapped her hands together beside her head while smiling radiantly. "You can refer to me as 'mom', if you want, Sekiryuutei-san! Rias-chan, can I trust you to explain the rest? Very good, in that case I'll see you at the ceremony later today!"
"MGHHUUUUUUU!" Issei's protesting scream was muted once again, and it looked like the blonde boob-yakitori either misinterpreted Issei's protest or chose to misinterpret it as she just turned and walked away while humming happily under her breath.
"Issei, I…" Rias sounded guilty and frustrated by anger at the same time as she removed her hand from on top of Issei's mouth. "I tried to stop her, stop them, but they had already made up their mind. The next alternative would have been, as she said, to force me to Trade you to Riser's Peerage. After all… In the end… Riser won."
"H-how can this be?! I refuse to give my virginity to that… that.. BL switch! Bi-curious fatty chicken! Twink reject!" Issei screamed bloody murder. "My butthole is not for sale!"
"...Yeah. Issei, I… Well…" Rias had a resigned expression. "I… I know. This isn't a good situation. Although erm… It's not like Riser would be doing the… you know, penetrating part. He's a she now, remember?"
"Yeah but he used to be a man! It's like wanking to a picture of a trap! There's all sorts of things wrong there!" Issei refused heatedly. "Motohama might be all into that sort of things but I'm not into BL!"
"Well… There's… one more option left still." Rias bit her lip while she seemed to be fighting with herself mentally. She seemed to win the battle and gulped and closed her eyes. "You know… The 'Yuuto-chan' option."
"What do you mean, Rias-buchou?" Issei blinked confused.
'She's being subtle. The walls have ears. We might be getting eavesdropped, but remember how you turned that blonde guy, Yuuto, back into a male form?' Ddraig noted and Issei's eyes opened wide in realization. 'Oi. Don't go blurting out anything stupid now. Situation's teetering on a knife's edge here.'
"You mean… that sort of thing?" Issei leaned closer to Rias, causing her to blush very slightly but her expression remained otherwise unchanged.
"Yes, and your and Riser's situation would no doubt be broken up… But… I still lost, so, instead of you, we'd be back to previous situation." Rias gave Issei a fragile smile and took his hands in hers. "But… If it's for my cute Ise-kun… I… I can do it. As long as you… as long as you're here for me afterwards. As long as you don't look at me differently, like I'd be soiled or… something like that."
'She means that if you undo Riser's gender-swap and he returns to being a boy, the family heads will no doubt just backpedal to earlier situation and have Rias marry Riser, and since Riser's already 'won', it's a done deal.' Ddraig clarified, just in case, though Issei had mostly figured out what Rias had meant.
"You… You'd… for me…" Issei held Rias's hands in his.
Her hands felt small and delicate, and while her hands were shaking a bit, she retained the determined if pale expression on her face.
"Yeah. For you, I'd… I know how painful it is to marry someone you don't love… heh… So if it's for my Ise-kun, then…" Rias muttered.
"No. Rias is mine, dammit!" Issei took Rias's hands in a tight grip. "I will not allow that to happen! I won't let that damn Yakitori have you, not now, not ever! I'll do it! For Rias! For my Rias, I'll move mountains! If it's for Rias then I'll even force myself to drag that twink down the aisle and shove a ring up his ass or something!"
'Good, good. You're learning.' Ddraig nodded internally while the dragon had been mentally hitting issei in the head with a worn baseball bat every time he had tried to say 'Rias-buchou's boobs!' and forced him to say 'Rias' instead.
Rias had a strange expression… And then she giggled a bit.
"Aha… Ise-kun… He… hehehe… Issei… I love you, you know?" Rias still had the strange expression on her face… Before she lunged forwards and glued her lips on his.
"Mhb!" Issei tried to respond 'I love you two as well, Rias's boobs and thighs', but between the lips that were on his, and Ddraig hitting him repeatedly in the head with the now-broken baseball bat, he could only mutter something lewd to the kiss.
The kiss continued for what felt like eternity and at the end of it Issei had lifted his hands up and had tied them around Rias's waist, and Rias had buried her fingers into Issei's hair and she was pawning at them with desperate fervor.
"I… I'm sorry." Rias pulled back eventually. Her face was flushed and her clothes were crumpled in all sorts of erotic ways which caused Issei to feel all sorts of things. "I… we can't… can't go any further. Not today. Not tonight. I… I can't take you. Y-you can't take me. You have to first spend the night with Riser, and only after that… only after that we can…"
"Rias…" Issei put his hand against Rias's cheek and she closed her eyes while leaning her head against his hand.
"I love you, Issei-kun… I'm sorry."
"It's alright! In that case, tomorrow, Rias's virginity is mine!" Issei's mind was made! His expression was determined! Rias looked guilty but nodded nonetheless.
He'd walk the Yakitori down the aisle, he'd shove the wedding ring up the blonde bastard's ass so far he could use it as a tongue piercing, and then he'd kick his ass so hard he'd be a quivering mess on the floor! What needed to be done at night be damned! He'd rather have his butthole glued shut than let the damn Yakitori get anywhere near it!
'Wow, domestic abuse already?' Ddraig commented while filing her nails inside Issei's head, as one of them had cracked when she had been hitting him in the head with the mental baseball bat. 'Moreover, as Rias and I have said a couple of times already, 'that damn yakitori' is a girl so unless you force yourself to [Scale Mail] and nearly break your brain again with overboosting to undo the genderswap, you don't need to worry about getting your butt diddled. Unless you're into that sort of thing I suppose. In which case warn me first so I can knock myself out with the bat so I don't have to be awake for it.'
'Et tu, Ddraig?!' Issei bled from his eyes internally as he knelt towards the traitorous dragon! 'Wait… Oh yeah. W-well, it's still BL, technically! Rule 63 is only a ecchi thing! It becomes weird if it becomes rule 63 and rule 34 crossover!'
'I have no clue what those rules are, only that they are both stupid as all hell, so I'll take your word for it as the subject matter expert on all those three things.' Ddraig sighed, causing a small gout of fire to come out of her mouth and ruin the nail-polish. 'Darn, I have to re-do that nail… Wait what the fuck why am I dolling up my nails?! I'm the Red Dragon Emperor, dammit! Male dragon! Male! This is just a phase! 'Just a phase'?! Why does that sound both familiar and extremely dangerous?!'
Mental-Issei fell flat on his back with a thrown bottle of nail polish lodged deep in his temple, causing him to put a stopper to the line of thinking by means of lobotomization, and also causing Rias to panic a bit as Issei flopped unconscious on her arms.