13

I sighed, closing my eyes. "You know, this was not what I had in mind for my sixteenth birthday."

Shirone shifted on my chest, smugly ignoring my protests. "What? I'm giving you a gift, aren't I, Master?"

I grimaced. "I'm not going to let your first time be a birthday gift. If I'm going to take you, I want it to be special. Besides, sixteen or older, remember?"

I could feel her pout. "But Master… I really want to."

I reached into my pajama pocket for the Requip gem I had taken to carrying around. I held it up, activating it and using its' contents to cover my Nekoshou's nude form. I finally opened my eyes again, seeing only an empty room. Shirone was still pouting, her voluptuous form covered by a thin blanket. "Where are the others?" I asked, sliding out from under the sheets.

She sighed, reluctantly leaning down, and… '…I'm looking away, now. Nothing to see here.'

I turned back to her once I stopped hearing the rustling of clothes. She was wearing a loose grey tee-shirt, with her black bra straps clearly visible. (I privately suspected that the shirt was mine.) On her lower half, she was wearing a pair of blue silk shorts. I watched as she tied a dark green jacket around her waist, completing her look.

I sighed, reaching over to pull one of Asia's feathers off of her shirt. "…They sent you in to distract me, didn't they?"

She froze, her ears stiffening. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I nodded. "Of course not. Now, let's go attend the party."

She slumped, her ears flattening on her skull. "…I gave it away, didn't I?"

I smirked. "If you were serious, you would've talked the rest of the girls into joining you."

She frowned at me. "And you still wouldn't touch us."

"I warned you before you even hit puberty that I wouldn't touch any of you in that way until all of you could join in."

She sighed, turning away. "Sometimes I wish you didn't have those age limits of yours."

I mentally snorted. 'I'm engaged to several girls who are less than half my mental age. I'm already toeing the pedo line at sixteen, so I'm not going to push it any further.'

We walked over to the teleportation circle, standing in the center as I activated it. We stepped into a darkened dining room, the windows covered completely. I sighed. '…They forgot about my night-vision, didn't they? I mean, honestly. I can even see their faces!'

A moment later, the lights flicked on, revealing my entire family and our Peerages gathered around the table. "SURPRISE!" They all shouted in unison, before beginning to sing the birthday song. Their voices created an odd harmony, a mix of Rider's booming baritone and Ruby's soft, bell-like tones.

I waited for them to finish, doing my best to act surprised. My mother pulled out a disturbingly long knife and began to cut the cake, before sliding it to the center of the table. "Help yourselves." She called.

I picked up a slice of cake, sitting down and taking a small bite. I felt someone brush against my elbow, and I heard Gil clear her throat. I turned to see her blushing a brilliant scarlet as she held out a piece of her cake for me to eat. I humored her, eating the cake off the fork. She pulled the fork back, her blush intensifying as she mumbled something about an 'indirect kiss'.

Shirone sat next to Gil. "Why are you so excited about that? I've seen you French kiss him multiple times."

Gil glared at the Nekoshou, steam almost visibly flowing from her ears. "Y-you know why." She hissed.

Shirone blinked, glancing around the crowded room. "Ah. Tsundere. Right."

Gil twitched. "I am not a tsundere!"

Shirone just smirked. "Oh?"

I decided to interrupt the argument I suspected was going to end in someone being stabbed. "Do I need to feed Ruby your cake?" I asked, gesturing to the red-haired Dragon next to me, who was already on her fourth slice.

The two glanced at Ruby, back at their plates, and returned to eating.

I took this time to observe the changes in Gil's attire. She wore her usual outfit, with very few changes. Her long blonde hair was undone, stretching down well past her waist. A high-collared cassock with actual gold as lining concealed her curves, and a matching pair of polished black boots adorned her feet. Much to my surprise, I noticed that she had her collar visible.

Shirone shot me a jealous look. I sighed, sending her my memory of the past few seconds to assure her I wasn't perving on Gil.

Her answering sigh was not reassuring. {She's displaying her collar for you, you idiot. It's her way of saying she cares more about what you think of her than she does everyone else. And why the hell would I care if you were perving on Gil? You see her in only underwear almost daily. Besides…} She smirked. {I think that I've perved on her more than you. You don't even know what her kinks are.}

I winced. {Thanks. And yes, I do actually know her kinks. I'm connected to her 24/7, remember? It's not that hard to figure out what turns her on. I'd just rather not open a can of worms I can't close again.} I sighed. {Any idea where the cassock came from? I never did ask her where she got it.}

{Asia suggested it, and you seemed to like it. She certainly looks cute in it. Plus, she noticed one of your memories was a picture of her in something very similar.}

I blinked. '…Huh. I really should've seen that one coming. Did she notice any other fanart in my head?'

I returned to my cake, taking another bite. Ruby pouted at me. "I was going to eat that!"

I smirked, taking a forkful and holding it out to her. She flushed, but accepted the cake. I immediately felt two jealous glares on my back. Ruby smirked. "You might want to pay attention to your subs, now. Otherwise, I think they might hurt you."

I laughed, turning to glance at the two girls. "Nah. I'm not too worried about it. If they hurt me, they won't get any more cuddles."

Shirone froze. "That's not fair."

I grinned. "Oh? I seem to recall you doing something similar whenever you wanted something."

She grimaced. "That was before my Gluttony got worse."

"And what about now? Are you two asking me for something?"

Gil reddened, looking away from my face. "N-no! W-what would I ask you?"

Shirone smirked, walking over and sitting on my lap. She looked at me with adoring eyes. "Master? Can you please feed me?"

I smiled, running my hand through her hair and briefly kissing her. "Of course, love. I'd be happy to."

Gil frowned, watching as I began to feed my Nekoshou. "T-that's not fair—I-I mean, that's not appropriate! We're in public!"

I smirked, turning to face her. "Is there a problem with it? Everyone here knows she's mine."

She flushed, glancing away. "S-so am I…" She murmured to herself.

I smiled. "Then ask."

She squeaked, turning bright red. "W-what? Y-you heard that?"

I nodded. I could almost see steam billow from her ears. "A-ah. I see."

I raised an eyebrow, feeding a purring Shirone another piece of cake. "Well?"

She shyly brushed her hair out of her face. "C-can you please feed me, Millicas-sama?"

I smiled, taking a forkful of cake and feeding it to Gil. She meekly accepted it. "There, was that so hard?"

She shook her head. "N-no, Millicas-sama."

I smirked, reaching over to ruffle her hair. "Good girl."

From across the table, Ajuka cleared his throat. "Millicas? I have a job for you tomorrow, if you're free."

I turned to face him, glancing briefly in my father's direction to make sure he wasn't paying attention. "Job stuff?"

"Job stuff." He confirmed.

I sighed. "All right. I'll be there. Just let me spend the day with my girls."

He nodded. "It's not urgent. Take all the time you need."

I smiled, returning to the task of petting Shirone. She continued purring, burying her face in my chest. I sighed, turning to Ruby. "Would you mind holding her while I open my gifts?"

She smiled. "I'd be happy to."

I gently lifted the adorable girl off my lap and onto Ruby's. She barely seemed to notice, instead simply turning and burying her face in Ruby's large chest.

I stood, Gil rising as well. "I shall attend you." She declared pompously. "It would not do for one such as I to leave you alone."

I sighed. "All right, then. Let's go."

After the party was over, my girls and I returned to my room. Shirone was blearily blinking back to awareness from Ruby's back. She yawned. "That felt good… usually I have to get up after a while. How long was I out?"

I shrugged, mentally calculating the approximate time. "I'd say… two hours?"

Ruby nodded, setting Shirone down on the bed. "About that."

I checked the time, noting that it was almost lunch. "Asia said that she's free today. Want to go out to eat?"

Ruby shrugged. "I'm game."

Gil fiddled with the sleeve of her black cassock. "T-this is permissible, so long as there are French fries."

Shirone yawned. "Asia snuggles make everything better."

I sighed, standing and beginning to form a Gate. "Why is the exotic ancient Dragon the one that always sounds the most normal?"

"Blame the idiot with the Reality Marble." Shirone replied, smirking.

I winced. "Well played, kitten. Well played."

I stepped through the Gate, my girls a step behind me.

We exited into a small bedroom, one that barely fit the four of us. I flicked on my camouflage, Shirone pulled out her SEP gem, Gil reached into the Gate of Babylon to pull out a small golden ring, and Ruby pulled her hood over her head and cast a high-level illusion spell. I raised an eyebrow at Gil as we began walking down the hall. "What does the ring do? I've never seen you use it before."

She smirked. "I used it in order to appear as human when I was Gilgamesh. You would be surprised what you can learn about the gods just by asking a demon for information."

I blinked. "In exchange for what?"

Her smirk turned a tad more arrogant. "The fools asked for small trifles, to find magic items not even worthy of my treasury. I simply laughed at them and gave what they asked."

I sighed. "Like what?"

"Oh, one wanted a blade that could turn blood to ice, another wanted a goblet of infinite wine. The blade was pitifully weak and fragile, while the goblet only used cheap wine. I would have tossed them aside if not for their trading value."

'…Somehow, I'm not surprised. I seem to recall something about her tossing aside a key to unlock any door, simply because no one would dare lock a door before a King.'

We reached a large archway, which I knew was the entrance to the main body of the church. Asia came around a nearby corner, bouncing happily. In some places, literally bouncing. Despite not seeing either, I could tell exactly where Shirone and Ruby were looking. I sighed, turning to Gil. "Have they ever done that to you?"

She flushed. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

I turned back to Asia, just in time to have her throw her arms around me. She looked up to me with shining green eyes. "Cas! You made it!"

I smiled down at her. "I did indeed. I take it you sensed us coming?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did! How did you know?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You just came running up to meet us."

Her eyes widened. "O-oh. I didn't think of that. Sorry."

I sighed, wrapping my arms around her and kissing her on the forehead. "Asia… you have to stop apologizing like that. You didn't do anything wrong."

She blushed, nuzzling into my chest. "O-okay." She whispered.

I smiled. "Good. Now, where would you like to eat?"

She tilted her head. "Um… pizza?"

{Pizza sounds good.} Shirone agreed absently, eying Asia's shapely rear.

{Pizza.} Ruby agreed, drooling. {Thick, cheesy pizza.}

{I know a good restaurant in France.} I suggested, temporarily ignoring Shirone. No one bothered to ask how I found said restaurant.

Gil sighed. "You could just speak out loud, you know. We're all right here."

I gestured towards where Ruby was. "And speak to thin air?"

She blinked. "A-ah. I see."

I chuckled, reaching out and pulling her into the hug. "Don't be so serious. We're on our day off!"

She squeaked, but didn't protest. Asia giggled, moving over so that Gil could have room. "Good morning, Gil. Have you done what I asked you to, yet?"

Gil flushed, sending a private message over the link. I didn't try to hear it, knowing that it wasn't for me.

Asia giggled again, leaning over and kissing Gil on the cheek. "Good girl."

Gil just turned brighter red.

The two blondes had become closer than sisters over the past three years, to no one's surprise. Asia had the Virtue of Kindness, which meshed perfectly with Gil's unique kind of Pride. Gil acted as the childish younger sister, and Asia was the patient and kind older sister. To my amusement, I even found Gil unknowingly wearing a pair of Asia's underwear on more than one occasion.

I sighed. "So… pizza?"

"Pizza." Gil agreed, still blushing bright red.

I released my hold, weaving a Gate into existence a brief distance away. "All right, then. Pizza."

I walked through, my girls a step behind me. I arrived in a small pizza parlor with an excellent view of the Eiffel Tower. I undid my camouflage, the others doing the same. I walked up to the register, smiling politely. "Hello. I would like four pieces of cheese, please."

"Three sausage!" Ruby called.

Shirone eyed the menu. "Got any anchovies?"

Gil, still slightly flushed, turned to Asia. "Do you want to split a piece?"

Asia smiled brightly. "Sure! I'd be happy to."

Gil turned back to the counter. "Three mushroom, then."

The 'man' nodded, entering our orders into the register. "That will be twenty pounds, please. And for future reference, teleporting is discouraged within the premises."

I paid the man, and he handed us our plates of pizza. We walked over to a nearby booth. As we began eating, I decided to make light conversation. "So Asia, how are things going with the Church?" I asked, taking a bite.

Asia paused, then sighed. "W-well… to tell the truth… I'm really disappointed in how its' been run, lately."

I blinked, taking another bite of my food. "I see. I take it you've realized how corrupt the Church has become?"

She nodded. "Yes. I've been trying to help, but no one seems to want help." She sighed. "At least half of the Cardinals are embezzling, and God himself only knows how many priests are blackmailing people with their own Confessions."

I sighed, setting down my pizza. "Do you want out?"

She hesitated. "…Yes. I do. There may be many good people inside the Church, but there are plenty more outside, as well. And I never did get the chance to live a normal life."

"All right, then." I smirked, turning to Gil. "Got anything in your treasury that can hurt me?"

Shirone froze. "No. She doesn't."

Gil frowned, ignoring the Nekoshou. "Why would you need something like that?"

I gestured to Asia. "The Church is corrupt. As such, they need to remain as impeccable as they can to avoid suspicion. A 'Holy Maiden' healing a Devil would definitely get her a ticket out."

'Plus, there's no way in HELL I'm letting Diodora anywhere near Asia. I'd rather tie him to a rock and toss him into the Sea of Red. God only knows he deserves it, the little fucker. He probably already has plans in motion.'

Shirone shook her head. "No. You're not getting hurt. Ever."

I sighed. "Shirone, I can heal anything short of death. I think I'll be fine."

She glowered at me. "If she can hurt you, then other people will know how to, as well."

I snorted. "If anyone has the firepower necessary to re-create a high-level Divine Weapon or, God forbid, Ea, then they deserve a free shot at me. Nowadays, I have enough mana to sustain ))Avatar(( indefinitely, not to mention my Race Abilities. Heck, I regenerate mana twice as fast as the spell burns it, not even counting a possible Reality Marble discount."

She shook her head. "No. It's not worth it. I'm a Devil, too, so you can use me."

I thought that over for a moment. No, not her offer, but the chances of another Devil working as a substitute. Riser, maybe? "How about Riser? If he disguises himself, he can pass unnoticed. And if something goes wrong, he can regenerate."

Gil's eyes became unfocused for a moment. "That will suffice, so long as you distract one named 'Xenovia' with another task. For some reason, it would appear that everything is set up for her downfall already."

'Fucking Diodora. Little asshole was planning on using Asia's Distortion against her.'

'…Well, not that he knows that she's Distorted, but whatever.'

Shirone huffed, glaring at me. "Good. Now think of that first, next time, you overly-noble idiot."

Ruby finally polished off her last slice of pizza, and glanced over at my plate. "You didn't order all that for yourself, did you?"

I slid over my fourth slice of pizza. "You always take less than you plan to eat."

She flushed. "I-if I order more than you do, then I look like a pig!"

I smirked. "Why do you think I ordered four, then? I only ever eat three."

She thought for a moment, then groaned. "Damn it, Cas! I hate doing math on the weekend!"

I laughed, the rest of the table joining in. Once I had finished laughing, and eaten my last slice of pizza, I stood. "All right, then. Let me call up Riser, and I'll tell him the plan. Later tonight, we can enact it. But for now, let's go have some fun."

Asia perked up. "Can we visit Adonai's place for dessert?"

I coughed. "Uh… yes?"

She frowned, glaring at me. It was far too adorable to be considered even remotely threatening. "Mou… I wish you would tell me what your secret about him is. You do trust me, don't you?"

I winced. "You'll have to ask him yourself. It's not my place to say. You know I'd trust you with my life."

She sighed. "All right…"

I grinned, standing and weaving a Gate. "Let's go, then."

We stepped through into a busy subway station, following the crowds into the streets of London. These kinds of places were excellent for staying hidden, because the crowds never even noticed a few extra people shouldering past them that simply weren't there before.

I had given Adonai a human form some time ago, as he had no objections to walking the earth once more. He wished to help his people in any way he could. Instead of creating some flashy miracle, however, he elected to open a bar. When I questioned him, he merely laughed and said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. The strong don't need my aid as much as the weak. I wish to open a bar, with the hope of one day going bankrupt."

And so, I helped him open The Prodigal Son.

We opened the wooden door, stepping into the bar. Immediately, Adonai noticed our presence and beckoned us over to the bar. "What brings you here?" He asked, smiling kindly and looking at us over his half-moon glasses.

Rather than his previous form, he had opted for an older form, looking closer to 40 than his previous 21. He was wearing a typical bartender's uniform, complete with white gloves and a pair of slightly dusty glasses. His kindly personality filled the bar with a comforting atmosphere, and the regulars took care of any rowdy guests out of respect for his work.

I took a seat at the bar, Shirone walking over and sitting on my lap. I sighed. "Shirone, sitting on my lap while I'm on a bar stool isn't the safest thing in the world."

"Neither is deliberately getting hurt." She retorted icily.

I grimaced. 'Aaaand, I'm not going to be forgetting that anytime soon.'

Asia sat down next to me. "Good afternoon, Mister Adonai. How are you today?"

He smiled at her. "I am very well, Child. And you?"

She smiled back. "I'm quitting my job so that I can spend more time with my family."

My heart warmed at her words. {I'm glad you think of us that way.}

Her cheeks pinked slightly, but she gave no other reaction. Truly, her time with Shirone's perversion served her well for keeping a poker face.

Adonai chuckled, sliding a plate of various baked sweets onto the counter. "I see. What was the issue?"

Asia began a detailed account of every wrong the Church had ever committed, down to the things she had only read about in dusty old files. Adonai patiently listened, occasionally pausing to fill a glass or greet a regular. Once her rant was finished, he sighed. "I see. Well, I certainly can't begrudge you your decision, then. I do hope that you find a better job, next time."

She nodded. "Thank you."

Ruby finished her chocolate chip cookie. "You know, this stuff is really good. What's the secret?"

He winked. "If I told you, you wouldn't keep coming back."

She pouted at him. He turned away, serving the newest customer. I stood up, setting Shirone on her feet. I took out my wallet, pulling out eighty Pounds and setting the bills on the counter. "Thanks, bye!"

I turned and fled before he could stop me. My girls followed me, knowing that the man would refuse the sum if we stayed. I glanced about the city, looking for some way to burn time. "Anyone want to go sight-seeing?"

We ate dinner at a nice sit-down restaurant with cloth napkins. Gil insisted that I not be forced to pay for dinner on my own birthday, so I reluctantly allowed her to do so. Thankfully, Mother had managed to teach Gil the concept of 'currency', so she wasn't just dumping a pile of gold on the table.

After we had done some last-minute shopping, we returned to my room. I called up Riser, explaining Asia's situation. Thankfully, he had no problem with lending a hand.

I waited for him to arrive, before opening a Gate to roughly where I figured Diadora had been 'found' by Asia in Canon. Riser smirked. "So, what, do I just rip off my arm or something?"

I shrugged. "Sure. Want me to numb the pain?"

He shook his head. "Nah, that'll make the performance look fake. I'll be fine."

I smiled. "Well then, good luck. I'll be waiting for the news. You have one of my seals, so you can call me instantly if need be."

Riser nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

He stepped through the Gate. I turned to Asia, mentally changing the location of the Gate to her room. "Be safe, all right?"

She nodded. "Okay. I will."

I smiled, reaching out and wrapping my arms around her. "I love you."

"I love you too." She murmured, returning my embrace. "I'll see you later."

I released her, allowing her to step through the Gate. I sighed, and closed the Gate. I turned to the rest of my girls. "So… poker?"

Shirone smirked. "Only if it's strip poker."

Ruby glanced at Gil. "Only if we ban omnipotence."

Gil huffed. "Oh, fine. But I really don't see the issue."

I raised an eyebrow. "…Okay, then."

An hour later, I was trying not to notice Shirone's scantily clad form on my lap. It would be really awkward if mini-me woke up. I laid down my cards. "Fold."

Ruby smirked. She wore only her cloak over her underwear. "Raise."

Gil huffed, glaring at me. She was wearing only red lace panties, and hiding her naked breasts under her arm. "I swear you must be cheating."

I smiled innocently. "Who, me?"

"Yes, you! You've only lost once!"

Shirone leaned against me, her bra straps pressing into my bare chest. She hummed happily. "I am totally fine with that."

Gil sighed. "What I'm trying to say is—"

"You're blocking the view." Ruby interrupted.

Gil nodded. "Exactly. You're blocking the—wait! That's not what I was going to say!"

I chuckled. "Well, I'm certainly enjoying the view I'm getting."

She huffed. "Cheating is still not allowed."

"Then why isn't omnipotence against the rules?"

Gil scoffed. "Rules? I obey no rules, I am the rules!"

Ruby snorted. "Well, maybe you should-"

{U-um, guys?} Asia sent timidly. {It worked.}

{Are you hurt?} I sent back immediately.

She giggled. {No, Cas, I'm fine. Just a bit uncomfortable from all of the people who were staring at me.}

{Good. Are you going to be able to make it, tonight?}

{I don't think so. Sorry. I should be back by tomorrow night, though.}

I sighed. "You girls get that?"

They nodded. Shirone yawned. "No Asia cuddles, then? Shame."

Gil frowned. "You have at least three other willing candidates for snuggling, one of whom you are snuggling now."

Shirone smirked. "Oh? You're willing?"

Flushing slightly, she coughed into her hand. "Ahem. I am unwilling to indulge you while we have an audience. What a King does in their bedchambers, however, is no one's business but their own."

Shirone yawned again, standing and crossing the room to sit sideways on Gil's lap. Gil allowed her to sit, moving her arm to allow the Nekoshou to rest her head. Shirone smirked, running a finger over Gil's collar. "Good girl."

Gil squeaked and turned bright red. Shirone laughed, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek.

I turned to Ruby. "Am I missing something?"

She snorted. "They get lonely whenever you're gone for too long, so they had to entertain themselves. Gil's willing to do pretty much anything to please us, so long as it stays private." She paused. "On second thought, I seem to remember Gil being forced to wear a maid outfit once. I'm still not sure what happened there."

Shirone smirked. "Well, see, Gil wanted to know exactly how far she could be pushed out of her comfort zone and still enjoy it. So I made her act as a maid for a day, with an illusion over her face."

I raised an eyebrow. "I… see. Should I be worried about you humiliating her?"

She shook her head. "No. The only way I could make her do anything too bad is if I used a Command. And you made us all promise not to use it in that way."

I nodded. "Good." I glanced at Gil, who was staring off into space with flaming red cheeks. "Do I want to know?"

She shrugged. "I'm allowing her to feel my Gluttony. How do you think I managed to get her this far? Normally, tsunderes are impossible to convince. But this way, she's more than happy to ask me for a kiss. Aren't you, Gil?"

Gil nodded. Shirone sighed, leaning over and murmuring, "Speak up, love. I want them to hear you."

Gil turned an even brighter red and whispered, "Y-yes, mistress."

I raised an eyebrow. "…Gil? Are you all right, there? You look like you're about to pass out."

She nodded furiously. "I-I'm fine."

I checked the bond to confirm, but quickly tried to ignore the rush of feelings. "Gil, we're waiting until she's sixteen, remember?"

She sighed. "Well, if she weren't teasing me, it wouldn't be a problem!"

Shirone just smugly rested her head on Gil's chest. "Nope. Not happening. You're too adorable to not tease."

Gil sighed again. "Are we even playing poker anymore?"

I shrugged, moving over to Ruby. "I don't know. But I'm pretty sure it's become a cuddle-fest."

I set Ruby on my lap, wrapping my arms around her. "See? Cuddles."

Shirone sighed. "It's a pity I can't join the cuddle-fest without moving."

I raised an eyebrow, running my fingers through Ruby's hair. "And what's the problem with moving?"

She shrugged, closing her eyes. "I'm too lazy. No other reason, really."

I laughed. "All right. Suit yourself."

We sat there for a time, simply enjoying each others' company. I continued petting my Dragon, and I'm pretty sure she fell asleep. I could hear Shirone purring from where Gil was lavishing attention on her. I noted with amusement that no one had actually put their clothes back on since we stopped playing poker, meaning that everyone but me was still in their underwear.

I considered letting them be, but realized that they would be getting cold soon. I sighed. "If the game is over, then we should put back on our clothes."

Gil froze, glancing down. She squeaked, reddening. "D-don't look, then!"

Shirone glanced up, her eyes slightly glazed from indulging her Sin. "Hmm? What?"

"You're in your underwear." I reminded her.

She flushed slightly, but didn't move. "So? I've shown you more than this, but you still turned me down."

I sighed. "So you have, but I'm more worried about you getting cold than I am you being naked."

She frowned. "Fine."

I allowed Ruby to stand up, inadvertently catching an eyeful of her black lace panties. I stood as well, picking up my Nekoshou and setting her on the bed. I looked her dead in the eye, and kissed her. Once I broke the kiss, I spoke. "Shirone, I have no problem with you. I'd just rather wait until you're old enough, first."

Her cheeks slowly faded from their post-kiss glow. "S-so, it's not because of my body?" She asked timidly, watching Gil hook on her bra.

I shook my head. "You've seen how little I care about that. I fell in love with you before we even went through puberty. Why would that change now?"

She flushed slightly. "And, if I were a year older?"

I chuckled. "I would've already ravished you. You look extremely sexy like that."

She smirked, her blush fading. "I do, don't I?"

I nodded, leaning down to kiss her again. "Cas." Ruby called from across the room. I glanced up. "If you keep going, she's not going to be able to stop herself. She already practically OD'ed after your first kiss, especially with all the attention she just got from Gil."

I noticed the glazed look in Shirone's eyes as she tried to finish our kiss. Sighing, I kissed her lightly on the forehead before drawing away. "Not now, love. Wait until the high wears off."

She whimpered, visibly trembling as she stopped herself from moving closer. "But…"

"You remember the last time you OD'ed." I reminded her.

She shuddered. "R-right."

She shuddered again. "P-please, I have to… Master, I…"

I could feel the emptiness of her comedown beginning to flow through the link. I resisted the urge to embrace her, knowing that it would only make it worse. "If you can resist it until it goes back to normal, I'll kiss you again." I promised her.

Her eyes widened, and I could feel a spark of desperate longing through the link. "Please, can't you just give it to me now?"

I shook my head. "You have to fight it, or you won't be able to go back."

She nodded, before taking a deep breath. The gnawing emptiness continued to fill her, and I could feel her longing to be held, to be told that it would be all right in the end. I watched miserably as she continued to take deep, shuddering breaths, tears rolling down her face. Once it was finally over, she broke down into tears. The terrible emptiness was still there, staining her thoughts and making her feel like hell.

I picked her up and set her on my lap, murmuring comforting words into her ears. She clung to my shirt, sobbing. When she finally calmed, I brushed her bangs off of her forehead. "Do you think that you could handle me kissing you?"

She shivered. "I… I want to. So badly. But, not right now. Just… just hold me."

I obliged, Gil walking over and wrapping her arms around us both. "I'm sorry, mistress." She murmured. "I should have realized…"

Shirone sighed, burying her face in my chest. "It's fine, Gil. You didn't know how close to the limit I was getting."

Ruby walked over, tapping Shirone on the head with a Requip gem. In a flash, her normal clothes were back on. "Come on, you. Let's go do something. Just sitting here won't help any, it'll just make you feel worse."

She nodded, before pulling her face away from my chest and looking at me. "Before we go… can you let me feel your Greed again?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I just… want to be reminded why you love me."

I turned to the other two. "Is that okay with you two?"

They nodded, flushing slightly. I sighed, and opened the link to its' fullest extent. My Greed rumbled to life as I wrapped my arms around MY girl. She mewled and buried her face in my chest again, her face blazing red. I poured my find memories of her through the link, showing her everything I loved about her.

Gil, flushing bright red, coughed into her hand. "I-isn't t-this…"

Shirone shook her head, humming happily. "My Gluttony can't feed on anyone else's Sin. If it could, I would've snapped within the first week of being Claimed. We couldn't always control the bond this well, and no one could so much as breathe without everyone else knowing. Just think, how much would I feel when he Claimed you?"

Gil nodded. "I-I see."

Ruby sighed. "As nice as this is, we really should find something to do."

I shrugged, glancing at the weapon she was holding behind her back. "I don't know. Want to go spar?"

Ruby smiled, exposing her sharp teeth. "I thought you'd never ask."

I opened the Door, stepping into the Nature world. Issei was there, humming and bobbing his head to a tune on his headphones as he sat on a tree root and scribbled in his notebook. He glanced up as I entered. "Hey, Sensei. What's up?"

I shrugged. "Ruby wanted to fight, so I figured you'd like to join in."

He grinned, leaping to his feet. "Hell yeah, I would!"

I smirked. "What, is your homework not important, or something?"

He sighed, glancing at the notebook on the ground. "I only have, like, four problems left in math. Besides, if I knew you guys were sparring without inviting me, I wouldn't be able to concentrate on my work."

I nodded in mock seriousness. "Well, we can't have that. Let's go have our spar, so you can concentrate again."

He grinned. "Hell. Yes." He turned and ran in a random direction, seemingly where he had left his Door.

I turned and walked back out my Door, chuckling. "Issei's on board." I told Ruby.

Shirone grinned, fist-pumping. "Yes!"

I chuckled, removing the knob and turning it 180 degrees. "All right, then. Is everyone fighting?"

My girls all nodded. I twisted the knob, stepping through the Door and into the Gravity world. "Let's go, then."

Now, I know what you're thinking. Millicas, if you're so protective of your girls, then why would you spar with them?

Simple. I would rather hurt them a little bit now in the name of training, then have some bastard hurt them later, or worse, use them against me.

If anyone does hurt them, (-I will stab them in the back, pull out their tongue with a pair of pliers, nail their limbs to the floor with their own ribs (which I had previously removed by cutting open their abdomen and cracking them open like a clam shell), gouge out each individual vertebrae of their spine with a butter-knife, shoving them up their ass along with burning charcoal. Then, only after they have bled out for a while, will I finally decapitate them with a rusty axe. It will hopefully take multiple swings.-) I will be very annoyed.

I cheerfully walked towards where Issei was standing, my girls following after me. Issei slowly backed away from me, looking slightly nervous. "Ah… Sensei? You have that expression on, again."

I sighed, forcing my face into a more natural smile. "Better?"

He nodded, slipping back into his natural smirk. "Much. Now, whose ass am I kicking?"

Shirone matched his smirk. "Oh? Is someone feeling cocky after the beatdown I gave you last time?"

He laughed. "Oh, no. I'm not cocky, I'm confident. I'm gonna wipe that smirk off of your face, this time."

I twitched slightly. 'No. I can't kill him. He's my friend. It's just trash talk, nothing serious.'

I spoke up. "Who will be fighting who?"

Issei grinned, smashing his fist into his open palm. "I'm fighting Kitty over there."

Shirone nodded, Requipping into a short white kimono. "He's going down."

I sighed, turning to Ruby and Gil. "I take it I will be fighting you two, then?"

They nodded. Issei and Shirone glanced at each other, then leaped away, bounding away out of sight.

I glanced between the two of them. "Would you like me to hold back?"

"If you do not at full strength, it will be a disgrace to me as a warrior." Gil replied seriously.

Ruby smirked. "I am your Queen, and I cannot stand beside you if I cannot fight at your level."

I sighed again. "All right, then. We'll fight until the first hit, and no killing attacks. Just remember, you both got really mad last time I took you seriously."

They both twitched slightly. "Fuck FEAR tactics." Ruby muttered.

I shrugged. "Hey, it works, doesn't it?"

They both grumbled, but acquiesced. I stepped back, readying my cloak's seals and pulling a few Hiraishin gems out. "Ready?"

Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose, moving into her stance. Gil activated the Gate of Babylon, pulling out Enki. I raised my arm, before dropping it and shouting, "GO!"

Both girls exploded into motion, one on my right and one on my left. I grinned.

)Mirage(

Both girls who were charging me passed right through, colliding in the middle. I used their momentary confusion to toss out a few dozen Traced Hiraishin gems. They didn't have to last, only stay for long enough to save my hide.

Ruby swiveled, the blade of her scythe glowing with white runes. "))Kusanagi no Tsurugi (The Blade that Slices Heaven and Earth): Great Blade of Virtue and Valor(!"

I sighed. This wasn't going to end well. ))Avatar((.

As Ruby swung her scythe, sharp wind bisected my Avatar. I blinked as the Avatar reformed. "Is that it? I'm kind of—"

I stopped abruptly as I noticed the Gate of Babylon opening behind Gil. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

I decided to get the hell outta dodge, Flashing to one of my gems. Weapons flew through the air I had just occupied, thankfully all missing me. "Really?" I asked rhetorically.

I decided to go for the basics, creating a large fireball above their heads and bringing it down. They didn't even flinch, Gil summoning a shield that covered both of them. I reached over and pulled out a random broadsword, holding it in one hand. In the other, I held a crackling ball of electricity.

Ruby sighed. "Aren't you going to use any of your usual spells?"

I shook my head. "Those would kill you."

She grimaced, remembering how Nightmare had dismantled her defenses in under a second. "Fair enough."

Gil sighed, dispersing the Gate and causing my broadsword to disappear. "If you are not going to fight seriously like you did last time, then there is no point in fighting."

I considered this. "Look, I'll tell you what. You two can both hit me with your largest attack, and I'll do nothing. If either of you put a scratch on me, it's your win."

"Very well." She smirked, pulling out a familiar cylindrical sword. "Wake up, Ea!"

Ruby smirked. ")BOOST(."

I spread my wings and flew upwards, watching as they charged their largest attacks. When they finally fired, I sighed.

See, I may have previously mentioned that my evolution was the 'Dreams' of illusions. The Great Red focused on the 'Illusions' of dreams, allowing him to bend reality and blur the line between illusion and reality. He actualized the 'Illusions' of dreams, making whatever he dreamed a part of reality. He could beat Ophis simply by imagining his power to be greater than infinity.

I, on the other hand, went in the opposite direction. I embraced my Marble's effects, allowing my entire existence to be defined as the 'Dreams' of illusions. While Great Red's power was 'making dreams a reality', mine was 'making reality a dream'. I had far from fully mastered it, but I can use it to devastating effect. Think of my Ability as the sneaky bastard child of Kamui and Izanagi. In other words, it's perfect for my fighting style. And much like most other Evolution-granted abilities, it could be used on others to an extent.

When activated, any part of my body that overlaps with another object is temporarily removed from reality, making it appear as if I can phase through solid objects. By overlapping my entire body, I can completely conceal all traces of my existence. This intangibility can be extended to anything I touch at the moment of activation, so long as I maintain contact with it.

The second technique, Delusion, is something that I can use with minimal mana loss, much to my relief. It is also something that can be used on others so long as it is used within a ten-second window.

Although I remain physically real while fighting, this technique is capable of turning any occurrence including injuries and even death inflicted upon me, as long as the technique is active, into mere "illusions." Whenever I receive a fatal injury, I will automatically fade away before returning back to reality; physically real and unscathed. This can be done so long as I have the mana to support it, and I can use it about ten times an hour.

…All right, so I call the techniques Mirage and Delusion. I couldn't come up with any other names for them. So sue me.

Now, if I can use these techniques with little to no consequences, then why don't I use them all the time?

Four reasons.

1. I can use them a lot, but they're not limitless. I'm not a Dragon God yet.

2. Avatar is something of an old favorite of mine. Kind of like how Arturia prefers Caliburn over Excalibur, even though Excalibur is better in every way.

3. I don't want to get used to them, in case I ever need to fight without them. If you expect the spinning death attack to go right through you and react as such, you're screwed if the attack actually hits you.

4. I really don't want those Abilities to be known. It would be a terrible idea to reveal all the cards in my hand.

For these reasons, I choose to set my Abilities aside for emergencies.

Such as when two powerhouses are throwing high-level attacks at me.

)Delusion(

I allowed the colossal waves of energy to hit me… and I disappeared. A few seconds later, I landed on the ground. "See? I've gotten much better since we last fought. If I were to go all out, neither of you would survive."

Gil smirked. "Very well. Shall we ban magic, then?"

"A straight fight?" I shrugged. "Okay. First strike, then."

She stored Ea, drawing out Enki once more. The twin blades clicked into tonfa form, and she took a stance. Ruby took her stance as well. I chuckled, pulling out twin daggers. Then, we all burst into movement once more. I ducked Ruby's scythe, deflecting one of Gil's tonfas with one of my daggers and striking at her torso. I was forced to duck once more, causing my attack to miss as I dodged the sweeping scythe blade.

Ruby smirked, meeting my eyes. "Let's speed up."

I leapt back, the world blurring around me. Gil gave chase, swinging one of her tonfas in an arc, slashing at my exposed chest. I sidestepped, slashing at her back as I dodged. She swiveled on the spot, blocking my knife with a loud clang. The sound echoed over the battlefield. I smirked. "Nice." I took a step to the side, leaning close and pecking her on the cheek. "But I still have another hand free."

I dropped my knife, Tracing a quick katana. It was nothing special, but it would serve my purpose. I swung it in an arc, aiming for her neck. She blocked without a second thought, catching my katana on the blade of her tonfa. The tonfa carved through the flimsy metal like butter, but I didn't let that bother me. I used her momentary weakness to stab forward with the remaining half of the katana, hitting her in the shoulder. It was stopped by her Guardian configuration before it could so much as scratch her, but it was enough to count.

She sighed. "That was a dirty trick."

I shrugged. "My entire fighting style relies on dirty tricks."

I dissolved the broken katana, picking up my other knife and racing towards Ruby. I was quickly alerted to the reason that Ruby had hung back as she began firing a barrage of bullets towards me. I had to weave between them in order to approach the little red reaper. The bullets stopped as I found myself in close quarters, blocking a slash of her scythe.

I grunted slightly under the impact of the heavy weapon, my knife sliding over the outer edge of the scythe. "Why bother with the—oh." I abruptly remembered that the barrel of the gun was located at the end of the shaft… right where my stomach was. "Well played."

She smirked. "Thanks."

I put away my knives, and Ruby re-folded Crescent Rose. Gil walked up behind us, smiling. "Well fought, Ruby."

I pouted. "And I didn't fight well?"

She frowned at me. "You're hard to beat, even when you're holding back. She did well to trick you."

I sighed, but was prevented from answering by a large explosion in the distance and Issei's mad laughter. I could faintly hear the words, "Now that's more like it!"

I grinned. "Sounds like they're having a blast."

Ruby groaned. "That was terrible."

I shrugged. "I regret nothing."

Gil smirked, opening the Gate of Babylon and summoning Vimana. "Shall we watch, then?"

I smiled. "Sure."

She stepped aboard, followed my Ruby and me. I began to move to stand beside the throne, but Gil grabbed my sleeve. "Wait!"

I paused, turning to look at her. She was slowly turning a deep red. "S-since Shirone isn't here, could I… you know…"

I sighed. "Can you what?"

"CanIsitonyourlap?" She squeaked, rushing her words together in her haste to get them out.

I blinked. "…Um, what?"

Ruby sighed. "She wants to sit on your lap."

Gil nodded, her face a vibrant red. I chuckled, reaching over to pull her close. "Absolutely."

I sat on the throne, allowing Gil to sit on my lap. She sat stiffly at first, her cheeks a flaming red. I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her and resting my chin on her head. "Better?"

She nodded, finally relaxing in my hold. She hummed slightly, closing her eyes. Ruby coughed into her hand to get our attention. "Ahem. There's nothing wrong with snuggles, but didn't you want to see the fight?"

Gil nodded sleepily. "A-ah, yes." She yawned, and Vimana lifted into the air. It moved forward, stopping when we could see the fight taking place. Gil yawned again and turned sideways, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her head in the crook of my neck. "Comfy." She murmured, her eyes fluttering shut.

I moved to one side of the throne, allowing Ruby to sit beside me. She smiled, sitting and grabbing my left arm. I tried to ignore the soft cushion of her breasts, focusing on the fight.

Shirone was charging up an honest-to-God Rasengan in one hand, using her other to catch one of Issei's punches. I chuckled. "You know, I was joking when I told her how to make one of those. I didn't think she would take me seriously."

Ruby nodded, leaning her head against my shoulder. She yawned. "I'm going to go to sleep."

I blinked. "Shouldn't you at least wait until you get to bed?"

She shook her head slightly. "Too tired."

"You were fine a second ago. What changed?"

She sighed. "You know how I commented on your aura the first time we met?"

I nodded. "It's what made you trust me, right?"

She made a so-so gesture with her free hand. "It's a subtle thing, and entirely passive in nature. All it really does is make anyone you care for feel completely safe." She shrugged, gesturing around us. "It's everywhere. And ever since you Claimed me, it's been even more intense. Shirone described the feeling as 'coming home after a long day of work'."

I blinked. "That's… good to know. Is that why Gil fell asleep?"

She shrugged again. "I suppose. It's more effective on people who aren't used to safety. From what I've seen, it's one of the only reasons why Shirone doesn't have any psychological scarring over the deaths of her family and friends. She could've been a lot worse."

She paused to yawn. "According to Asia, most people in those kinds of situations have intense survivor's guilt and flinch away from being touched for a couple of months. Shirone only has a few abandonment issues, and she solved those by accepting your Claim." She hesitated for a moment. "Even if it drove her insane."

I sighed. "She's not insane, she's an addict. There's a difference."

She snorted. "Please. You should see the things she's done to anyone who gets in between you and her. She's completely obsessed with you, Cas. At this point, it's not so much that she'll die shortly after you, but that she will guard your grave for the rest of time."

I raised an eyebrow. "And you? What would you do if I died?"

I could feel a spike of raw terror through the link. "It won't happen." She said shortly. "I refuse to consider it."

After a moment of silence as we watched Shirone hurl a Rasengan at Issei, I leaned over to kiss her on the forehead. "I love you." I reminded her. "Always and forever."

She shivered slightly. "T-that's not fair…" She muttered, embarrassment flooding through the link. "At least wait until I can kiss you back."

She yawned, and fell silent. Her breathing evened, and I could feel her mind drifting into unconsciousness. A moment later, Shirone leapt aboard Vimana, holding an unconscious Issei under one arm. She glared at Gil for a moment, muttering something about 'her spot'. I sighed. "You weren't here, and she asked permission."

She nodded grudgingly. "Fine. Let's just go."

I ))Structurally Grasped(( Vimana, trying to figure out how to pilot it. Once I learned how, I turned the craft around and began moving towards our starting point. A quick glance around revealed that Issei's Door was only a short way away from mine. Shirone noticed, leaping off of Vimana and landing close to the Door. She opened it, glancing inside, then walked through. A moment later she returned, leaning over to pick up Ruby. The little red Dragon yawned, blinking confusedly. "Whaa?"

I slid my now freed arm behind Gil's neck, and my other beneath her knees. Once I had landed Vimana, I stood, and stepped off the edge. I landed without jostling my passenger, and began to walk towards my Door. Shirone followed, gently carrying Ruby. I pushed open the Door, stumbling slightly as I let go of the knob. Shirone followed, nudging the Door shut and pulling the knob off of the wall. We set the sleeping girls on the bed, and Ruby immediately latched onto Gil.

I chuckled, turning to Shirone. She was frowning, glaring slightly. "Your lap is mine."

I raised an eyebrow. "…Okay?"

She nodded in satisfaction, before untying her kimono and allowing it to fall to the ground. She was left in only her panties and bra. "We're sleeping like this, tonight." She told me.

"And… why, exactly?" I asked hesitantly.

She frowned. "It's your punishment."

I blinked. "For letting Gil sit on my lap?"

She shook her head. "For asking Gil to hurt you."

My eyes widened as I recalled the event earlier in the day. "Ah. I see."

She huffed. "Well?"

I sighed, pulling off my clothes until I was in my boxers. 'Somehow, I doubt that this is punishment, as much as it is her getting back at Gil for sitting on my lap.'

She nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now, get in bed."

I climbed in bed, idly tagging Gil and Ruby with Requip gems to put them in spare pairs of pajamas. I laid on my back, allowing Shirone to climb onto my chest. She hummed happily, her breasts squishing against my bare chest. Her ears twitched, and her tail brushed against my leg. "All right. Good night."

Within moments, she was asleep, purring softly as I ran my fingers through her hair.

I fell asleep soon afterwards.

A/N: 

(And, for anyone who wishes to know, here's a list of the girls' sizes.)

Ruby Gremory, finished growing. (16 years old, series start)

Height 162 cm (5' 4")

Bust 89, Waist 55, Hips 89

Bra size 70H Japan (Anime size), or 27/28G American

Asia Argento, still growing (16 years old, series start)

Height 155 cm (5' 1")

B78-W55-H81

Bra 28DD American, or 70E Anime

Ravel 'Gil' Phenex, finished growing (16 years old, series start)

Height 153 cm (5' 0")

B85-W59-H84

Bra 28F American, or 72G Anime

Koneko Toujou (original series)

Height 138 cm (4' 6")

B67-W57-H73

Bra 26AA American, 65A Anime

Shirone Gremory, still growing (15 years old, series start)

Height 140 cm (4'7")

B88-W57-H82

Bra 28G American, 70H Anime