"Are they still going?"

"How should we know? The room is soundproof. Probably for this reason."

"I'mgladit's going on this long. He's deserved at least a chewing out since day one."

The members of the Sitri peerage gave their newest member unimpressed looks for his comment. "First you weren't even there on day one, Saji. None of us were. Not even Tsubaki," Tsubasa pointed out. "Second, the jealousy routine got old before Miss President made her choice, and it's way past old now."

"I don't remember attending a wedding. She can still change her mind," the only boy present countered. "Especially when that jerk does her wrong! He should be ashamed of himself, treating a lady like Miss President like that!"

Reya gave him a strange look. "What did Mister Lamperouge do?"

"I... Uhh... I mean he–"

Tsubaki rolled her eyes. "First, Tsubasa, Saji isn't jealous."

"Thank you, Miss Vice President!" the boy said with a beaming smile.

"Jealousy is when you feel insecure over what you don't have. If it's about wanting what someone else has, it's envy." Finding what he thought was support was actually just a vocabulary lesson took the wind out of the Pawn's sails. "And I'm not aware of all of the details but Miss President is allowing me to tell you what I know. There was a threat in Kuoh and her fiancé knew about it in advance but failed to inform her."

"See?!" Saji exclaimed with a grateful look at the peerage's Queen, one she didn't especially appreciate as she wasn't trying to support him at all. "That's not nothing! Miss President is in charge of this territory, right?! If he didn't tell her then that means he doesn't trust her to do her job! He doesn't respect her! She should call off the engagement!"

"You'd tell her to call off the engagement if he gave her the wrong kind of tea," Momo groused.

"A mistake I would never make!"

"You made that mistake yesterday," Tsubasa reminded him, smirking. "She gave you a paddling for it."

"Hey!" Saji whined as a room full of girls giggled at his expense. "I don't keep bringing it up when you guys get taken for discipline!"

Tsubaki sighed, knowing the Pawn would find himself being disciplined again sooner rather than later if he kept up the resentful attitude. "Miss President will do what she thinks is best. Our role is to support her decision and assist her in achieving her goals. So, Saji, if respecting Miss President is so important to you, I suggest you start respecting her choices."

Through the door the peerage were watching sat Sona's office. Her private space for private business. Such business in this case being a meeting with her fellow Kings in Kuoh. Her husband-to-be and her sister fiancée.

Rias insisted they call each other that. She very much liked the idea of them being sisters.. In truth, Sona liked that too. They certainly bickered enough for it to be an appropriate label.

However, the issue on the table wasn't something quite so simple or joyful. It was a matter that had come up before, and one she knew would come up again. "How long did you know?" she asked the Bael heir. Keeping her expression cool and judging. It was appropriate in this circumstance, not just an affectation of her natural temperament.

"About which part? The fallen or the exorcists?" he asked. "Wait, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to keep things from you. I'll answer both. In concept I knew about the fallen being in Kuoh since the day of my exhibition rating game."

"Since we all spent the evening at your family estate," Sona reminded him. "When you could have told us at any time."

"That would have been irresponsible," he countered. "As I said, in concept. I had heard it from a single source and had seen no evidence to verify it. It was barely better than a suspicion. No call to involve you in what might have been a wild goose chase."

"Hm," Rias hummed with a tilt of her head. "I would have liked to know regardless, but that isn't an unreasonable stance, Sona."

The Sitri heiress rolled her eyes. Of course Rias would say that. Not only because the redhead would happily be sucking him off in this exact moment if the atmosphere weren't so severe, but also because she managed to snare a valuable Piece thanks to Lelouch's machinations. "Very well. When did it cease to be merely 'in concept'?"

"Three days ago, two before the incident."

"The day you got your new peerage members," Rias nodded in understanding.

He nodded in turn. "I made the offer to them, and asked one, Katase, to act as bait. She succeeded beyond my expectations, allowing me to find the fallen and turn them from their original cause."

"Which you managed by...?"

"I can be very persuasive."

An unsatisfying answer, but he wasn't going to give her a better one. Some capability of his that he had kept hidden, then. It... Wasn't unreasonable for him to keep such things to himself. Even beyond it being common sense to not advertise one's every ability for an enemy to exploit, it was also a common practice due to what the Belial were capable of. "They were no longer a threat?" she checked, and he confirmed it. That... Again, he should have told her. She didn't know how reliable his 'persuasion' was and so far as she was aware neither did he. He left her without the information to do her job! "And the exorcists?"

He shook his head helplessly. "I genuinely learned about them in the same moment Rias did. Had I known they were present in Kuoh before then I would have told you for the sake of your peerages if nothing else. The fallen were only in Kuoh to observe Gasper and Kallen."

Rias' posture tightened up. Ah. Perhaps Lelouch was being entirely honest. Because he just willingly told them something Rias would not appreciate. "They were watching my Gasper?" the redhead asked stiffly.

"Initially it was just Kallen, but once you brought him to Kuoh, yes.." The answer didn't mollify. Lelouch took her hand, gently squeezed the fingers. "He was guarded at all times, Rias, even if it wasn't for this reason. Loup is always with him. And they were watching him for how powerful he is in his own right. I can guarantee you, they weren't a threat to him."

"Even so, none of us knew," she hissed. "We're going to increase our training! No dirty birds will ever get the chance to hurt my cute servants! If they try I'll wring their feather necks!"

Well. That was a response. A good one, despite how unhinged it sounded. Sona made a mental note to do the same. The town had seemed peaceful since they arrived but evidently not as peaceful or safe as they believed. "Lelouch." She stole his attention from Rias, his countenance shifting partway from reassuring back to serious. "What are you involved in?" It was the question at the centre of this. "I've given it due consideration. You can be difficult. You have been condescending, even when being well-meaning. But I don't believe you respect me, us, so little that you would leave us in the dark without there being some part of the picture we're unaware of. Am I wrong?"

"... How secure is this room?"

Her eyes widened behind her glasses. He was going to tell them, just like that? She had planned to drag a promise out of him that he wouldn't keep silent on matters in their town. She would have punished him for his silence, but she would have understood it. "Perfectly soundproof. No digital signals in or out, expertly designed privacy enchantments. Sister insisted and I wasn't about to refuse such an unusually practical precaution from her."

He nodded. And even though those security measures were excessive for anything but the highest levels of governance, he still deemed it not enough. With a flex of demonic power, there was suddenly a single intangible, near invisible bubble surrounding their heads. The echoing of the slightest noise told them exactly what he was doing. It was a bubble from which no sound could escape. And even then, he covered his mouth before he spoke. "There is something significant going on."

The two young women looked at one another. "That's... Vague," Rias observed.

"Initially I was attempting to look into the Old Satan faction," he revealed. Somehow, despite all the precautions, it felt far too casual. "I felt I had a lead. I still do feel that. But instead of the Old Satans, it led me to Asia Argento. To the Fallen operating in Kuoh. From there, to a particularly militant sub-faction of the Grigori and the stray exorcists under their command. Which is to say nothing of what other players seem to be doing in the background that may or may not be linked to it all. Forces are moving, strange alliances are forming, and I can't even guess at objectives yet, let alone plans."

He more fully took Rias' hand, and took Sona's with his other. "I won't downplay my choices. I chose not to tell you once I confirmed the presence of the fallen. I trust you, but that doesn't extend to trusting those you trust. If word got out that I knew what was happening with Asia, my source would die and I'd go back to being blind with whatever is behind all this knowing I'm on to them. That wasn't a risk I was willing to take."

As usual. Lelouch frustrating her for being right but also believing only he had all the answers. "And now you're willing."

"Now that the issue isn't time sensitive, there is no present danger, and there is no uninvolved third party set to get caught in the crossfire. Yes. But that isn't all. There is another factor I can no longer ignore. Kuoh."

"... Kuoh," Rias echoed.

"This plan took place here. The fallen, the exorcists, Asia, their devil allies, all of them decided the plan was to take place here in this devil-controlled town. It was an absurd decision on everyone's part, which makes me believe it wasn't an accident. Someone wanted all of this to happen right under our noses. Someone wanted to dangle a human with impressive powers right in front of a Gremory with an incomplete peerage."

"You're not suggesting Asia is a spy?!" Rias asked. Already defensive over her new servant. Typical.

"I'm suggesting someone wanted us to get involved. I didn't want to keep hiding things from you. But even if I did, I couldn't. Whoever is pulling the strings on this, they quite possibly have plans for this town and, much more likely, have plans for us."

That was also a difficult assertion to refute. There weren't many fallen territories in the human world but they existed. It would have been so much easier to achieve their objectives in one of them, or perhaps even better, a largely unaffiliated region where this whole scheme could have played out unknown and uninterrupted. It was hard to argue against the possibility someone wanted them to act upon this scheme.

Her intent to double her peerage's training increased to triple. It would help them survive if there were greater dangers to come. And if nothing else, it would get Saji to stop mooning over her if she made him suffer for his own good.

Hopefully.

... A terrible thought occurred. "You'll be talking to my sister about this, won't you." It wasn't a question. It was a dreaded but inescapable outcome.

And Lelouch confirmed that dread. "I have a meeting with her just after midnight."

She sighed. Nodded. "Very well." Waving a hand through the sound bubble, she got to her feet, dragging Lelouch up with her by the hand. "It's time to administer your punishment."

"Sona." Ah, there it was. That slight quaver of uncertainty in his voice at talk of punishment. She appreciated that sound. Her usually so superior fiancé being made to submit. It was a pleasant way for her to regain some control, some dominance in the relationship. "I have to meet with Serafall about this. She's in charge of foreign affairs. It's her job to know about it."

"Oh no, I understand," the Sitri heiress assured him with perfect calm. "This isn't about that. You admitted your wrongdoing. You outlined your reasons for the actions you took. And I would have been perfectly willing to forgive you for them as in principle I agreed with your reasoning. I would have been happy to do that... If you had apologised."

"... Ah. I... Didn't do that."

"No you did not."

"Would it help if I apologised now?"

"Now that I suspect you would only be doing so for the sake of getting out of your well deserved punishment?" Sona asked with the patient demeanour of an experienced disciplinarian. "No. No it would not."

"Go easy on him, Sona," Rias said as she got comfortable, waiting for the show to begin. "You know Lulu-nii is just like that."

"I do." Taking hold of the rim of her glasses, the Sitri removed them. And with a flourish and a twirl, her uniform was gone, replaced by an inky blackness that covered her entire body that then receded to a latex-like black leotard, gloves and heeled boots. As well as a riding crop with which she struck the desk to make an attention-grabbing crack. "Time for your punishment, Lelouch. Drop your pants and bend over the desk."

"... I'm not getting out of this, am–?" CRACK! "Understood."

"Wow, Sona! That was an amazing transformation! I thought it was sexy when you stepped through your clothes that one time but you just looked like a real dark magical g–! Gh!" The redhead, the foolish redhead, she tried to stop herself. But only far too late. The air of the room chilled. Frost misted the windows behind the curtains. The half-finished drinks on the desk froze in their cups.

"Rias...!" Lelouch whispered in perplexity. "Why?" She had made it worse for both of them.

"I'm sorry, Lulu-nii!"

"Rias," the disciplinarian said with deceptive calm. "You too. Over the desk. To start."

"Yes, ma'am!" Rias whimpered as she dropped her panties.

It would be a long while before the door to the office would open again and two high-class devils would walk out with pained and awkward gaits.

A blond member of the Sitri peerage would smile smugly at what he believed to be a just punishment delivered. Unbeknownst to him, this satisfaction would see him called in for his own punishment.

-(-)-

"Our Father who art in Heaven.

We speak Thy name in joyous supplication.

For it is only in humility and grace

That we may receive Thy blessing

May we deliver the faithful to Your waiting arms

May we deliver the evil to their just ends

May we seek the warmth of Thy bounty

May we sing our gratitude for Thy beneficence"

"My friends!" the preacher exclaimed with vigour and fervour. "I speak to you now not as a man of the cloth! I speak to you as just another humble man, made in His image! Shaped by His design to enact His plan! And I know, I know that I, and you, and you, and you and each and every one of you, we walk that same path! And as we walk that path, our Lord and Saviour walks beside us as He always has and as He always will! My people! We are not blessed by God for our praise of Him! We are blessed by God for no greater reason than His mercy and wisdom to bestow upon us His grace! Are we not all witness to His glory?"

A murmur of agreement swept through the pews.

"I said! Are we not all witness to His glory?!"

More raucous agreement, even cheers as the parishioners were swept up in the preacher's energy.

"People! We see it every day! We see it from our very first days on this Earth! He knew the majesty of what he had created, for He chose to experience it as we, His humble children, had experienced it! He chose to live His life as a man! Declared by the Lady Gabriel that He would be born to Mary, the Virgin Mother chosen to bring Him into this world, to comfort and feed Him from her nurturing breast! My people, consider the beauty of that! From those humble beginnings, He experienced them just as we did! Those days of helplessness, seeking the comfort and succour of a mother's milk! The shelter of her bosoms as we first bear witness to all He has given us! He saw it all as we saw it and He saw that it was good!"

"And so I say now to you good people! You who have been told time and time again, shame! Shame for your bodies! Shame for your bosoms! Shame shame shame! I say no! I defy! The Lord himself crafted these holy peaks, from Eve to all those who followed her to the Virgin Mary and beyond right down to the wonderful, beautiful, blessed women in this room! I say God has blessed you all! Who are we to cry shame for His creations, for His gifts?! We are but children, stumbling in the dark, desperate to seek out His guidance! And so he created her! Beautiful, bountiful Gabriel, our guiding light, our guiding love, that we may all find the comfort of her breast! And through them, find our way to Paradise!"

"Let us pray."

Far to the back of the church, two girls listened to the proclamations of the preacher, their hands clasped in prayer. "He's gotten so much better! Don't you think he's amazing?" one asked the other. "It's inspiring, the amount of faith he has!"

"He certainly has a way with words..." the other replied, not quite as positive about the sermon as her partner. "It would be nice if he spent more time talking about things other than boobs."

"Xenovia! We have been blessed!" the first insisted. "Just like Archangel Gabriel! We should cherish them so that we may provide comfort and joy to those around us like she does!"

"Irina, if you want to flaunt your boobs, you can."

"I intend to!"

The two girls prayed, then listened to the further preaching. Just as before, a great deal of the sermon was on the subject of how beautiful breasts were, and how grateful he was for God bestowing them upon women. Including a retelling of The Good Samaritan wherein the titular Samaritan was somehow a blonde woman with enormous breasts, justified by calling it the image of the Archangel Gabriel, who they should all emulate by providing comfort to the needy.

Irina was a little less certain of that particular sermon but... It wasn't not analogous to the version in the bible? So it was probably fine. He could just get carried away sometimes.

Once it was over, the two girls approached the pulpit, waiting patiently as a number of women with prominent cleavage complimented the priest on his sermon. Each made sure to hug him close, pressing his chest or face into their breasts depending on the height difference. Irina had to get in on that. The very moment he was free, she moved to give him the same treatment, even pulled him down by the shoulders to mash his face between her breasts. "Issei!"

"Irina," her partner hissed.

"I mean, Father Hyoudou!" the chestnut-haired girl corrected as she let him go. "It's so good to see you again!"

"And you, Sister Irina!" the priest answered in kind with a smile. "I see the Lord has blessed you with an extra few inches! How wonderful!"

A series of awkward coughs that sounded oddly like "Push-up bra," came from her partner.

"Xenovia!"

"Irina," Father Hyoudou said kindly, "There's no need to make them seem bigger. All breasts are a blessing from the Lord, from the plumpest K to the humblest A. Your breasts are magnificent just as they are, to give comfort to others and nourish both body and soul."

"You're so wise," Irina breathed.

"It is only the wisdom that our dear Saint Gabriel saw fit to bestow upon me. I would be nothing if not for her guiding light."

"Wait, you're saying you met an archangel?" the blue haired girl asked, before whispering to the other, "Irinia, you never said he was crazy!"

"She came to me in a dream!" Issei declared. "Still just a boy, blind to the truth of the Lord. Scared of losing his only friend. But, in my dreams I was met with a soothing light. So bright, so pure, yet its radiance did not blind me. And from that light she appeared. My beloved angel!" He paid little attention as one of the girls pouted at his phrasing. "She said unto me, 'Don't be afraid, little one. Should God will it, you will find your way to her again'. And as she embraced me, I felt the purest Heaven. The blessed warmth of Gabriel's loving bosom consumed me and I knew nothing but peace. I knew the wonders the Lord had given us and in that moment I knew what I needed to do."

Xenovia stared with her mouth open as she witnessed the crazy priest glowing with his own inner light. "That's what my parents saw when he asked to come with us to England," Irina said. "He has so much faith it's like a force unto itself."

The glow faded as Issei came back to himself. "I'm sorry, I got lost in wonderful memories for a moment. Is this visit on behalf of the church or can I just be happy to see you again?" the young priest asked with a smile that made Irina's knees weak.

Irina looked to her partner, who it seemed had been thoroughly convinced. They nodded at one another. "We have a mission."

"I see. Then may the Lord and Saint Gabriel guide our way."

-(-)-

A/N: This chapter seen very very early on THE GREAT FORBIDDEN P! FEAR THE P! LOVE THE P!