20 -||

Surprisingly, the wedding was a smashing success. Asia decloaked as soon as there were enough guests to hide her, and spent the entire wedding holding my hand and dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. I smugly ignored the jealous and lustful gazes pointed in our direction.

The groom and his groomsmen stood in a line at the front, my father proudly taking the position of best man and Falibum standing in as the only other male. The bride and her beautiful bridesmaids strode down the aisle while music plays. Medea's gown was made of woven moonbeams, the same material I made my girls' gloves out of. The gown was stunning, and it featured gems of every color, size, and hue. There were many gasps as she strode down the aisle, and Adonai on her arm as he proudly escorted her up the staircase to the balcony.

Ajuka's face visibly paled as he noticed Medea's 'father'.

Adonai allowed her to stand in front of the nervous groom, and stood just behind the two. Then, the ceremony began. Adonai, to his credit, managed to deliver a positively stunning display, congratulating the two and joining them together after the two exchanged their wedding vows.

Gil will deny it to her grave, but even she cried at that part.

I pointedly did not notice my mother doing the same. It's easier that way.

The bride and groom, now husband and wife, walked down the staircase together to exit the room, followed by the wedding party of bridesmaids and groomsmen. They formed a greeting line for the guests to move along near the doors to the ballroom, where the reception was located, providing the guests an opportunity to greet and congratulate the couple. Of course, seeing as most of the people attending were just there to show political support or try for brownie points, it was far less personal than it should've been, but it's the thought that counts.

Asia sniffled, wiping her eyes. "T-that was beautiful…" She sobbed.

Beside her, the original Lucifer was doing the same. "I always cry at weddings." She sniffled, dabbing delicately at her eyes so as to not smudge her eyeliner. "I did it at Adam and Eve's wedding, too."

The rest of the original Maou were either asleep or fighting back manly tears of their own.

I merely sat and reflected on my life choices.

Eventually, Shirone made her way over to where I sat. She looked positively resplendent in her reception wear: a light kimono with purple flowers embroidered on it. All white silk and thin lace, it accentuated her large chest and thin figure, as well as her muscular frame. A quick glance revealed that the greeting line had disappeared, and all that was left were guests entering the reception hall or chatting amongst themselves. I assumed that the rest of the girls had changed into their reception gowns, as well, and realized that the reception must have already started. Shirone confirmed as much with an excited bounce. "Master! The banquet's about to start, and then there's dancing!"

Asia faltered, and her smile slipped from her face. "A-ah… I see." She forced a wide smile. "Well you all have fun, then! I'll just be—"

"With me!" Lucifer interrupted, a sly smirk on her face. "See, I have plenty of advice for a potential Fallen, and if another girl can benefit from my experience, well…"

I winced, glancing at Asia. "Are you…?"

"Yes!" Asia exclaimed, clenching her fists in excitement. "Please do, Glory-chan!"

I faltered. 'She… has no clue who she's talking to, does she?'

Lucifer gave me a wide smile. "Well, I'll be borrowing her, then! I'll have her back by the time you get back to my mansion!"

And in a flash, they were gone. The remaining Maou simply dissolved into various elements, effectively disappearing from view.

I blinked, turning to Shirone and opening my mouth. Before I could say anything, however, I felt her slam into my chest and wrap her arms around me. "Masteeer~" She murmured, her voice a low moan. "You smell amazing…" She looked up at me, her eyes slightly glazed. Her pink tongue stuck out slightly as she wet her lips.

I immediately noticed the growing stream of Lust tainting her thoughts, trying to ignore the way her chest pressed against mine. 'Dammit, Lucifer.' I griped, clearing away the artificial emotion with a flick of my thoughts. 'What the hell was that for?'

Her eyes cleared, but she continued to inhale deeply. "Master? C-can you please stroke my ears?" She asked softly, and I could suddenly feel a more natural stream of Lust coming from my Nekoshou.

I sighed. "Love, if we start something now, we won't get to eat or dance." I reminded her gently.

She tightened her grip. "Don't care. Pet me."

I blinked, checking more thoroughly this time. I quickly found the source of the problem—an inhibition-lowering field around the area. I smiled. Fortunately, I had plenty of experience dealing with a needy Shirone. "Shirone, if we move to the ballroom, you can sit on my lap." My smile widened, and I leaned in to whisper into her ear. "And I'll even feed you~"

She stiffened, my breath tickling her sensitive ear. "O-okay." She squeaked, grabbing me by the hand. "L-let's go, then!"

I chuckled, allowing her to drag me into the ballroom. The room was similarly decorated, lit by four-petaled configurations and decorated with lurid colors. And copious amounts of glitter. The tablecloths and curtains were made entirely of glitterdust fabric, and with all the conflicting colors and loud noises, I found myself slightly disoriented.

Dragon senses aren't always a blessing.

Shirone, however, had no problem navigating the room. She excitedly tugged me to the table at the front, a long rectangle with enough chairs to accommodate the wedding party of bridesmaids and groomsmen. The newlywed couple sat at the center of the table, talking with the other Maou and laughing. I noticed an empty seat next to my father, and assumed it was meant for me.

Shirone finally reached a chair between Ruby and Gil on the bridesmaids' end of the table, and paused. I took the obvious hint and sat down, and a self-satisfied cat promptly took residence on my lap. I chuckled, wrapped an arm around her waist, and began to stroke her head. She purred loudly, a content look on her face.

Ruby giggled, reaching out and ruffling my hair. "Someone's spoiling her. What happened to 'no cuddles at the wedding'?"

"The original Lucifer cast a Lust spell on her and lowered inhibitions field on the area around us." I replied flatly. "Either I appeased her, or she would've kidnapped me."

Ruby blinked. Twice. "I'm… going to pretend I never heard that."

Gil sighed. "Glory can be a bit… exuberant, at times. In her mind, she was helping you."

I abruptly remembered that Gilgamesh had spent years in my Marble. "I know. That's why I'm not mad about it."

Ruby raised a hand. "Does this mean the cuddle ban is lifted?"

I chuckled. "Sure, why not. You can take turns on my lap."

"Not your lap." Shirone growled, tail lashing. "Mine. They can fuck off for all I care."

I sighed. "…After the inhibition field wears off." I finished, scratching her behind the ear.

Ruby smirked. "I don't know, I think it'd be pretty funny for her to claw someone's face off for getting too close to you."

Gil scowled. "Ruby! We're at a wedding! Don't plot against the other guests!"

Ruby pouted. "Fiiiine…" She grumbled. Then, under her breath, "Spoilsport."

I rolled my eyes. "Are there menus or something for ordering?"

Gil nodded. "I took the liberty of ordering a dish for you. You wish for the 'hamburger', yes?"

I nodded. "Yep. I don't really trust any other food here. Too fancy."

She rolled her eyes with a forlorn sigh. "Millicas-sama, you are the only one I know who would complain that something is 'too fancy'."

I shrugged modestly. "I'm a scientist, not a politician. I can play the game, but I prefer to pitch curveballs from afar."

"You stopped petting me." Shirone informed me irritably.

I sighed and returned to stroking her head. "I see you're wearing your armor." I began, glancing back over to Gil. "Any particular reason?"

She wore an odd cross between a gown and a suit of armor. Her top half was covered by thin golden plating, and her shoulders had golden pauldrons with tasseled cloth peeking out from underneath. It was extremely well-fitting, and revealed her form quite nicely. She had golden plate armor covering her feet and legs, as well, but only up to her thighs. Draping down from an ornately carved golden rim around her hips, a long stretch of tasseled red cloth woven with Mesopotamian designs reached her ankles and served as a kind of skirt. There was a slit in the front of the cloth, allowing her crossed legs to be seen. The ballroom gloves I had given her were still on her arms, as well as several bangles.

Disturbingly enough, the handles of Enki's blade form were visible behind her shoulders.

She glanced down at the armored gown. "Ah, it's something that I-" She coughed, flushing slightly. "Gilgamesh wore during her days in court. I was told to dress comfortably, yet nicely enough to be respectful, so I chose this. Enki is merely a… deterrent."

I blinked, glancing over the rest of my girls. Ruby wore a simple red gown with a low v-neck, and Sera wore a black cocktail dress trimmed with blue. "I…see."

She flushed. "I-it's comfortable, all right?"

I laughed softly, shaking my head. "It's fine, Gil. I much prefer you wear something that doubles as defense than something paper-thin. I don't think anyone would dare attack a wedding attended by two Super Devils and more Ultimate-Class Devils than I can count, but it's still good to be on the safe side." I gestured to Shirone's ball gloves. "Why do you think I gave you these?"

Ruby sighed, drawing my attention. "Millicas, it really was sweet of you to make us these. But since Sera has a pair, too, it might—"

There was the sound of metal on crystal as someone tapped their knife against their glass. Conversation died down as people turned to see Ajuka with his glass raised. He cleared his throat, and began. "Thank you all for coming tonight. It is my great honor to have you here. However, I'm sure that many of you who are more… politically minded, are wondering how this marriage is even possible? The Accords don't cover the marriage of a Maou. What rights are the wives to have? What rights do their children get?"

Soft whispers were exchanged by the audience, apparently noticing this issue for the first time. Ajuka continued, ignoring the audience. "Sirzechs managed to skirt the Accords by making his fiancé his personal maid, and having an open affair with her. While they do have a marriage contract, it was signed under the name Sirzechs Gremory rather than Sirzechs Lucifer, meaning his son's name was Gremory, as well. I think we can all agree, that's far too many loopholes for a couple to have to go through just to get hitched."

Laughter rippled through the audience.

"So instead, a close colleague of mine, who despises fame more than he hates Light, went through and wrote an entire Addendum to the Accords governing the rules and regulations about marriage. He passed it to Sirzechs, who called together the council, and it was signed within the day."

Impressed murmurs followed, the guests knowing full well how difficult it was to navigate the social-political minefield surrounding the legislative system.

"He is currently working on an Addendum concerning children of Maou, to be released soon. The Addendum concerning marriage was released to the public this morning, and has been inscribed into the Accords Tablets in Lilith. Are there any questions?"

A male stood, dressed sharply in a charcoal suit. His hair was blonde with a slight hint of light green, and he had a pair of odd pink eyes. "Lord Beelzebub, if I may, is this elusive 'colleague' of yours the same one that aided you with the Balthazar Attribution theory?"

Ajuka smiled faintly. "He is, at that."

The man smiled back, and gestured towards the light fixtures. "And those, as well, I assume?"

Ajuka chuckled. "Indeed. However, if you wish to talk theory, please wait until after the meal. Some of us are hungry."

Laughter rippled through the audience once more. The man nodded once. "Very well, I shall not waste time, then. There is a rumor going around that said colleague is, in fact, in a relationship with you. Your wife has entered the scientific world under her own name, so it is obviously not her. So, then, are you courting a second wife?"

I snorted, and a collection of giggles came from the rest of my girls, sans Gil, who just sighed.

{Millicas? Is there something you want to tell us? Have you been dating Ajuka in secret?} Ruby sent in mock horror.

I sighed melodramatically. {Indeed, you've caught me. I would've let you know, but the world would not approve of our love.}

Gil rolled her eyes. {Hush, you two. You're attracting attention.}

Ajuka seemed momentarily taken aback. "No, it is not. While the Addendum does allow for a Maou to marry multiple spouses, I do not intend to ever use that clause. And besides, if I were attracted to males, I think I would have already proposed to Sirzechs." He glanced down at the man beside him. "No offense, but I prefer my wives to be female."

The blonde man waited to for the laughter to die down. "Is this colleague of yours courting any of the other Maou, then?" He asked politely.

Ajuka nodded. "He is."

The man smiled, and returned to his seat. Ajuka addressed the guests once more. "Are there any other questions? Rumors you wish me to debunk or confirm?"

A woman in a violet dress stood, her long blue hair cascading down her back. She seemed to be sitting at a table empty of everyone save her and another woman with black hair. "On the subject of homosexuality, what is the Maou's stance on such matters?"

Ajuka smiled politely at her. "The Addendum was deliberately worded with gender-neutral connotations so as to give room for same-sex marriages to take place. As the title of Maou is not hereditary, it doesn't particularly matter if one has children or not. If it did, Falibum would probably have been forced into a marriage of his own, by now."

The woman nodded, and her companion smiled slightly. "If I may, are any of the current Maou inclined to use this loophole to their advantage?"

Ajuka's smile flickered slightly. "Ma'am, I'm afraid I can't speak for the other Maou in this—"

"Yes!" Sera called, standing and curtseying. She wore a wide smile. "I am!"

The blonde woman blinked in surprise. "L-Lady Leviathan?" She smiled slightly. "I see. And, if I may… is your partner, or partners, here tonight?"

Sera's smile brightened. "They are!" She gestured down the table, to where I sat alongside Ruby and Gil. "They're my precious family!"

I blinked. 'Please tell me she didn't just…'

The attention of the room shifted to me. I groaned silently, waving and plastering on a fake smile. {She'd better have a good reason for this.} I grumbled.

{She does.} Ruby sent, putting on a far more natural smile. {She's defusing a loaded question so it doesn't get more attention. It both reveals that the Maou are tolerant of same-sex relationships and prevents rumors from spreading about the other Maou. If she had said nothing, it would've ended up looking bad, seeing as neither Ajuka or Sirzechs can do anything but give empty platitudes. And then the questions would get worse, leading to closer inquiries. Nobody likes those.}

{…A GOOD reason.} I repeated. {It's not a loaded question if there's no political fallout. She did just kind of blurt it out.}

{Falibum is gay.} Ruby replied bluntly. {And Sera always blurts things out. It's what she does. Anyway, Devils tend to find homosexuals a waste of space, especially ones as powerful as he is. Part of the whole, 'endangered species' thing. And even though it required her to reveal that she's bisexual, the impact was lessened both by your presence guaranteeing an heir and the fact that guys think bisexual girls are hot.}

{I will shamelessly admit to that.} I sent, smirking. {There is nothing quite like seeing two of your girlfriends kiss.} I paused for a moment. {…I'm pretty sure every guy in the room is currently calling me a lucky bastard.}

A middle-aged looking man with black hair and peaceful violet eyes rose to his feet, making the crowd hush instantly. He wore attire, and seemed to exude an aura of dignity. "So, I see you've finally decided on a partner, then, Serafall." His gaze shifted to me. "And the 'failure' of the Gremory, no less. Honestly, Sirzechs, isn't proclaiming him the teacher of those two bright young men a bit poor in taste?"

I gritted my teeth. Zekram Bael, the very first Head of the House of Bael. He has more influence than even the current Maou, but holds none of the responsibility involved in ruling the Underworld. To have him against me would be political suicide. And he had just laid a trap that gave me no choice but to reveal my true abilities. In a single sentence, he challenged Sera's authority, my father's integrity, and my validity as an heir. If I said nothing, it would make me, and therefore my father and Sera, weak. If I challenged someone and lost, I would make my father appear to be a liar.

'I fucking hate politics. Too damn many Xanatos Gambits.' I grumbled, activating Thought Acceleration. 'Obviously I'm not going to dance to this asshole's tune, so what can I do?'

I considered every option available, ignored the smart decision of simply playing along, and did something stupid, instead. I rose to my feet, my face falling into a far more natural smirk. "My apologies, Lord Bael, but I do believe you just called me weak." My face twisted, my smirk turning feral. My elongated canines gleamed in the violet light. "As if a refusal to bow to the demands of others and dance like a trained monkey makes me weak."

I turned to Ajuka, mentally apologizing for roping him into my plan. "Ajuka, if I may, I have a suggestion for tonight's entertainment. Since Lord Bael clearly feels that my father is a liar, and that I am weak, why shouldn't he be the one to test his theory?" Shock flashed across Ajuka's face, a reaction mirrored by the crowd. I smiled mockingly. "Nothing too serious, mind you. Wouldn't want to break any bones. I do know of the perils of age, after all."

A complete reversal of the attack, if entirely dependent on whether or not I could back up my words.

Zekram smiled politely. "My apologies, young man, but I fear that my defeat of you would prove nothing. Perhaps if you were to choose someone closer to your own age—"

"My apologies, Lord Bael." I interrupted, my eyes flickering with contained Wrath. Bottling up one's Sin only works for so long, and he was presenting me with the perfect target. "I do believe that you've misunderstood something. They did not call me weak, nor rudely question my girlfriend's life choices. You did that. And if you are unwilling to back up your own words, perhaps it's time for you to consider moving into retirement."

The entire room was utterly silent. Zekram tried once more. "My boy, the difference in our power is too large. Not to mention, our skill sets are completely different."

I smiled coldly. "All the better to fight you with, then. If our skills were the same, then how would one of us trump the other?"

One last time, he tried to escape. "I have been training my Power of Destruction for centuries, in live combat, no less."

"Wonderful." I brought my hands together in a slow, sarcastic clap. "Amazing. Now, tell me—" I leaned forward, placing my palms flat on the table. "How long has it been since that 'live combat' you're so proud of? How many centuries did you actually fight… and how many did you sit on your ass for?"

I paused, tilting my head and looking him square in the eye. "I'm beginning to wonder if you've been pulling the wool over our eyes this entire time, my lord. Perhaps Zekram Bael was too cowardly for the battlefield. Instead, he bravely ran away to the back of the legion and sent his poor soldiers to their doom." I tilted my head. "And if it's a matter of Power that's holding your oh-so-noble hand back…"

I held up a finger, pointing towards the ceiling. A black orb crackled into existence, shedding red lightning as it began to grow. But that wasn't enough, not nearly enough. I began to spin it in multiple directions at once, increasing the volume and density of the power I fed it. The ball, now larger than my entire body, spun and shrieked at an ear-shattering pitch as it churned the air around us. I chuckled, the wind whipping my hair into all directions. Then, as a final touch, I held the orb above my head, opened my mouth wide, and inhaled. The entire mass of magic was drawn into my mouth, whirling and shifting, until none of it was left. I burped loudly, smacking my clenched fist against my chest several times.

And I did it all… without wasting a single drop of mana. The storm was obviously powerful, and couldn't have possibly been an illusion with the sheer gale force it generated, yet not even an accomplished sensor could feel the attack being formed. All in all, a perfect demonstration.

I looked Zekram in the eye once more, tilted my head, and smirked. "I can respect my elders just fine, when they're not insulting my family. But here's a bit of advice, old man. From the younger generation to the elder. Don't write a check with your mouth that your ass can't cash."

He narrowed his eyes at me, knowing I'd won. "Very well." He murmured, his eyes glinting with irritation. "I have given you every opportunity to back out with your pride and skin intact. Ajuka?" He turned his gaze to the newlywed man, his eyes flashing. "Would you happen to have any arenas handy? It would appear I must teach my unruly descendant a lesson."

Ajuka smiled, unfazed by my display. "Certainly, Lord Bael. I would be happy to. After all, there's nothing like some nice after-meal entertainment." He turned to the shell-shocked crowd. "If no one has any objections, I'd like to begin lunch, now."

There was no objection.

Ajuka nodded and clapped his hands once. Out of a side door, a stream of servants carried out a seemingly endless stream of platters. Our table was served first, much to my amusement. Shirone got a large arrangement of various fish, I got my hamburger, and Gil got something that looked too fancy to pronounce. I glanced over to Ruby… and saw her eating a spoonful of a banana split.

I blinked.

Nope, still a banana split.

I sighed, reaching over and grabbing the dish. Ruby squawked in protest as I moved it away, setting it next to Gil. I pushed Shirone's large fish platter in-between her and Ruby, turning an exasperated look on the sheepish Dragon. "Ruby, how many times have I told you that the dessert goes after the meal?"

"…But, bananas." She protested weakly. "And ice cream."

I sighed, shaking my head in wry amusement. I tapped the platter with my free hand. "Shirone won't eat this much, so you can have half. Once you've actually eaten lunch, you can have dessert."

She pouted, but still picked up her fork and skewered a piece of fish.

"…Are you sure it's wise to challenge Zekram Bael to a fight?" Gil asked worriedly. "He's no pushover."

I snorted. "I was doing the only thing I could to avoid marking myself as a potential pawn. If I acted like a brash moron and agreed to whatever challenge he gave me, he would immediately start thinking of me as a potential asset. After all, Wraths with more brawn than brains can be taunted into doing practically anything. By setting the rules of the game, I give myself a higher chance of winning. And by making him play the game using the expectations of the audience, he's trapped. Either he proves his superiority over someone he, himself, claimed was useless, or he proves himself incompetent."

"…But if you lose, you make your father a liar." She pointed out.

I nodded grimly. "And that's the hard part. If I win, I save face, but he loses some of his power and thus holds a grudge. If I lose, I lose any chance of ever being seen as powerful, and I jeopardize Sera and Dad's reputations as well."

"So what are you going to do?" A voice asked from behind me. I jumped slightly, my surprise mirrored by Ruby and Gil. I relaxed upon noticing who it was. "Sera, pro tip. Don't startle two Dragons and a King unless you want your ashes skewered by infinite weapons." I advised drily, turning back to my food. "But yes. It's a quandary. Even if it's a complete draw, if I don't make it appear as if I would've won anyway, it would still be easy for Zekram to call the draw an act of mercy. And to do that, I'm going to have to fight precisely on his level for the majority of the fight, and then make it look like I was just playing with him all along."

"That sounds too complicated." Shirone grumbled, poking me in the arm with her fork. "Feed me."

I sighed, taking the fork and feeding her a bite of the fish. She hummed happily, ears and tail twitching. "It is. And to prevent Zekram from claiming that he was just playing with me, not the other way around, I'll have to make it perfectly clear how disadvantageous his position is, and then make sure that he's the one to suggest a draw."

"You have everything handled, though, right?" Sera checked, sounding concerned.

I sighed, nodding. "To be honest, with my Abilities, he doesn't stand a chance when I get serious. But if I show my full power, everyone and their brother will start looking into Dragon-Slaying weapons."

"…But you're immune to those." Ruby pointed out.

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, yes, but you're not. I tried to convince you to try it, but you refused point-blank. And I'd really rather not have to fight Ascalon, because even without its' Dragon-Slaying properties, or its' Light element, it's still a sword. And I do die when impaled with swords."

"Then you don't need any help?" Sera asked, steering the conversation back on track.

I shook my head. "I could probably tie with Ophis right now, if pressed, but that would burn out my Core for at least a month. I should be fine."

Sera nodded, and after giving me a quick peck on the cheek, walked back to her chair. I smirked to myself, before a certain cat poked me again. I chuckled to myself, feeding her another piece of fish. "You can feed yourself, you know."

She frowned, swallowing her food and turning to look at me. "Of course I can. But I love having Master feed me, so why shouldn't I?"

I sighed, glancing over at Gil, who was flushed a deep red and kept stealing glances towards us. "Well, yes, but you're making Gil jealous."

She seemed to radiate smugness. "It's only natural that Master's pet be fed from on his lap. His servant can eat on the floor."

I frowned. "Shirone…"

Gil broke in, her face aglow. "Isn't that where the pet is supposed to sleep, though? And even a slave sleeps above an animal."

"Of course not." Shirone answered blithely. "Master's cat always sleeps with her Master. Did your blondeness finally get to your head, or have you finally lost it?"

Gil twitched, Bab-ilu briefly flickering into sight behind her. "Why, you—"

"Enough." I interrupted, sending a flicker of thought through the Bond. The mental equivalent of a slap upside the head. "We're here for a wedding, you two. Stop fighting. The only reason that I agreed to feed Shirone was because it snapped her out of a spell Lucifer used to mess with me. If you want, I can feed you next meal, Gil. But leave the fighting for the training rooms."

They both ceased squabbling and ducked their heads, sufficiently cowed. I sighed, picking up the fork and stabbing another piece of fish. I glanced over to Ruby, who was diligently chipping away at her half of the platter. "Do you want a turn, too?"

She looked up. "Hm? Oh, no. I'm good. Asia will, though. I don't know about Sera." She turned, tapping the chattering Maou next to her on the shoulder. Sera turned, the endless stream of conversation coming to a halt. Much to my mother's visible relief. "Sera, Cas is offering to hand-feed you at some point in the future to help prevent favoritism. Do you want a turn?"

Sera blinked, and a slow blush spread over her face. "H-hand… feed?" She squeaked, eyes widening. "Like… on his lap… being fed?"

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "No, I mean him feeding you his actual hand." She deadpanned. "Of course that's what I mean."

Sera nodded emphatically, unconcerned by Ruby's snark. "Oh, yes please!"

Ruby turned back to me. "You got that?"

I gave her a thumbs-up with my free hand. "Yep. All clear. You sure you don't want a turn?"

Ruby opened her mouth, the beginnings of a rejection clear in her face… before she paused, noticing her untouched dessert, and a spark of mischief danced in her eyes. "Actually, I'll take you up on that. Will tomorrow at breakfast work?" She asked, as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

I blinked. "…Sure." I replied cautiously. "No problem. Then Gil will have lunch, and Asia will have dinner, right?"

She gave me a sugar-sweet smile. "Oh, yes, that's perfectly fine with me. Now." She gestured to the empty half of the platter. "I do believe you owe me something."

I rolled my eyes, handing her her half-melted ice cream. "All right, here. Just make sure to eat actual food first, next time."

She smiled again, this one more genuine, before digging into the sweet dessert.

END OF PART ONE

Omake: Shirone meets Koneko (Requested by Ace)

I yawned, stretching and glancing around. I was in the mansion's extensive library, and I could sense Ruby a few shelves down from where I was curled against a shelf. I smiled to myself, noticing the thin blanket tucked around my small form. For all that Ruby acts tough, she really is sweet.

I glanced beside me and wrinkled my nose in distaste at all the books left on the stack. I've always hated studying, but Master would be disappointed if my grades dropped. I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders, rubbing my eyes and ignoring the stack of unread books. I stood, yawning widely, and took a few stumbling steps forward. My tail waved lazily, and my ears picked up only soft breathing and the rustling of pages from where I sensed Ruby was. I considered trying to continue my nap on her lap, but decided that I should really be doing something besides sleeping. Even if Ruby hates studying as much as I do, she still has to study for the same test as me.

'I wish I could just Forget the damn test.' I grumbled to myself, yawning once more. 'But reality doesn't like big changes, so I would only be making myself Forget it, not the rest of the world.'

These days, my Marble is mostly complete. My Distortion is easily at Master's level, and I don't even suffer any effects from merging with his mind anymore. Even if it doesn't affect my Gluttony, I'm still practically addicted to the feeling of his Greed. The way it makes me feel like I'm his is just so…

Mmm…

I giggled to myself, my tail waving energetically. The feeling was indescribable, but still so amazing that I can barely live without it anymore. I definitely can't live without him anymore. A dark part of my mind idly wondered what life would be like if he had never taken me in, but I shoved the thought to the back of my mind. Master is here, and he always will be. I touched a finger to my collar in reassurance, smiling at its' comforting weight. My ball gloves were in my pocket, neatly folded and tucked inside a subspace pocket.

I'll never give up Master, just like I'll never give up anything he's given me. And even if I can't use the Reality Marble he gave me yet, I can still use my Talent.

I blinked, considering my nebulous Talent. Master once told Sera that I might be able to mimic his Talent with mine by Forgetting where I was. I smiled. 'If I can get Lost like him, maybe I can be closer to him! Having this useless Talent of mine become something that can bring me closer to Master… Yes! I'll do it!' My smile widened. 'Now, if I can juuuust… there!'

I tugged the mental thread that led to my Talent, and it woke with a sleepy jolt. I pushed the concept of 'location' to the forefront of my mind, waiting for the hungry beast to devour it. A fog covered it briefly, a few tendrils seeping into the rest of my mind, and it slowly vanished.

A moment later, it reformed. I blinked, looking over my new surroundings with a cautious eye. I was in what looked like a small apartment, the thin blanket still wrapped around my shoulders. I heard a whooshing noise, and I absently caught a punch aimed at my face. I turned to see the owner of the apartment… and blinked. I looked into the golden eyes of a short, white-haired girl in a school uniform. She had hair cut in a short, spiky do, and a black cat-shaped barrette held a strand of hair in place.

I took a step back, letting go of her fist, and observed who was most definitely me.

I was just putting away a bag of pocky when I sensed a presence behind me. I whirled, reflexively aiming a punch at the intruder's head. If the intruder was someone I knew, they wouldn't have much problem dodging this, but if they were some creep? Lights out.

Instead of knocking the intruder senseless, my fist was caught by an almost lazy block. I finally saw who the intruder was… and blinked. She was undoubtedly a beauty, even with her clothes rumpled and a thin blanket around her shoulders. She was an inch or so taller than me and had long, white hair that reached her waist. A pair of white ears poked out of her head, and the bottom of the blanket moved as a white tail twitched. Her eyes, like mine, were a deep gold and were tinged with curiosity. I finally registered her face, and my thoughts ground to a halt. Her cheeks were a rosier pink, her features more pronounced and beautiful, but hers' was unmistakably the same one that looked back at me from every mirror I saw.

I immediately began cataloguing the differences. Her hair was longer, and she unabashedly wore her ears and tail in the open. She had something that looked disturbingly like a pet collar around her neck, fastened with a solid gold clasp and studded with gems. Her figure is…

I glanced down at my own flat chest, then back at her mountains.

'Dammit.' I grumbled, self-consciously covering my mosquito bites. 'She's at least six letters down the alphabet from me.'

Her entire figure was hourglass-shaped, a perfect ten in every way. She wasn't as big as Buchou, but her small figure wore its' assets better than Buchou ever could. She wore a loose grey tee-shirt, with her black bra straps clearly visible from where the neckline sagged. A pair of simple short shorts was covered partially by the dark green jacket tied around her waist.

She let go of my fist, stepping away and looking me up and down. A smile grew across her face, and I was abruptly tackled into the couch behind me. Not-me's arms locked me in a tight embrace as she pulled me close. Thankfully, since we were the same height, my face wasn't buried in marshmallow hell.

I get that enough from Buchou, thank you very much.

"You're so cute!" She squealed, her grip tightening. "It's like you're a mini-me!"

Her voice was soft and relaxing, and held a sleepy quality to it that spoke of a recent nap. Even her squeal was low-pitched enough that my ears didn't ache. I grunted, straining against her grip. "Get… off… me!"

She frowned at me, her face inches from mine. "What? Why? Cuddles are amazing! Can't you feel how wonderful they make you feel?" She giggled, ears twitching. "Oh, who am I kidding? Master probably cuddles you all the time, right?"

I frowned. "Master? What master? Is he the one who sent you here?"

She shook her head, looking slightly concerned. "No, he doesn't know I'm here… what do you mean, 'what Master'? We only have one." She paused. "Well, more than one, but the rest of them are Master's mates, so I still have to respect them. But only if they feed me."

I blinked. Obviously this girl is more than a little deranged. "I don't know you. Get off of me."

She tilted her head, a look of horror dawning in her eyes. "You're me. And you don't know who Master is." Pity replaced the horror. "How have you survived?! She whispered intently, concern lacing her tone.

I just stared at her. "Get. Off. Me."

She shook her head, and if anything, tightened her grip. "No. If there's no Master, then you're cuddle deficient. I need to give you more."

"I don't need cuddles." I spat through gritted teeth. "Now get off, or I'll make you."

She wore a faint smirk "Please. If you've never met Master, then you're probably as weak as a kitten."

I growled, and poured all of my )Rook( strength into escaping her hold. She just giggled, not even budging an inch as I strained and struggled. "See? Look at you. You aren't even using Touki. Poor thing, you never had Master to teach you."

With nothing else to do, I headbutted her. I only succeeded in bruising my forehead with her surprisingly hard nose. I winced, speaking once more. "Who even is this 'Master' of yours?"

She smiled, ignoring my attempted headbutt as a dreamy, far-off look entered her eyes. "Oh, Master Millicas is the most wonderful man in existence. He saved me from these nasty people who were about to kill me, and took me into his home. He Claimed me as his, and now I'm never sad or lonely." She giggled, and I felt a bit nervous as my instincts warned me of danger. "I would do anything for him. Anything." Her eyes refocused, and she leaned forward. "I don't know what kind of hell you've been living through, but don't worry. I have you now."

I glared at her. "I'm not living through any kind of hell. Buchou is the one who made me a part of her family, not whoever the hell 'Millicas' is."

"Buchou?" She frowned, before horror dawned in her eyes. "Rias? You had Rias as your )King(?"

"Yes." I hissed. "You got a problem with that, bitch?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "No, no. It's just… don't you have needs? You are fifteen, right?"

I frowned. "I'm not a pervert."

She froze. "What."

"I said I'm not a pervert."

"I-I know what you said." She said incredulously, "But the words just didn't register. How are you not a pervert!? The school has a uniform with dress skirts short enough to see all the girls' panties! In the shower, you can see their smooth skin and supple—"

"Stop!" I yelled, my cheeks flushed. "I'm not a pervert!"

Noticing my now-flushed cheeks, she smirked knowingly. "Of course not." I felt something warm brush my stomach, and I stiffened as she stuck her hand down my skirt. "So let me help you out a little. Okay, me?" She leaned in and kissed me on the mouth.

She finally released me, not that it helped. I was panting for air, my ears and tail out for the world to see. She giggled, her tail twitching happily, and made a show of licking my juices off her fingers. "Mmmm… creamy." She hummed, holding it out for me to lick.

I found my tongue licking the juices off before I could stop myself. My body was moving of its' own accord, just as it had ever since she awakened my Gluttony beyond simple snacks. By the time she released me, I was leaning into her fingers and panting recklessly, my eyes glazed with lust.

She watched with satisfaction as I finished cleaning her hand, before she handed me a tissue. "Good girl. Now clean yourself up, we're going out."

I nodded obediently, shivers still racing through my body. While I cleaned myself, she began rummaging through her pockets as if looking for something. She found what she wanted, pulling out a small, glimmering gem the color of the sunset. I watched as she reached out and tapped me on the head with it. In a flash, I felt my body become clad in something soft and warm. I glanced down, finding myself in an outfit much like hers'. She nodded once, helping me to my feet. "See that shirt?" I nodded obediently, looking down at it. "It bears the scent of your new Master. Okay?"

I immediately pulled a handful of material towards my face, inhaling deeply. It was a slightly smoky scent, one that was tinged with magic and a bit of lemon. I released the shirt, and returned my attention to her. She smiled. "All right, then. Let me teach you a little spell that you can use to get to your Master's side faster."

She held up a hand, a magic circle glowing to life over her palm. I paid close attention as she began to explain the mechanics of the spell, and once she was done, I hesitantly copied her. A wobbly circle of my own flickered to life, and she smiled. "Good. Now, let's go."

I nodded, no longer voicing any complaints. She had promised me many things during my pleasurable torture, most of them about my new Master. She told me he was a kind Master, fair in everything he did, and that he would happily give me all the Attention I wanted. I had been reduced to a barely-coherent mess by then, so I had believed her wholeheartedly. Now I just split between the hope that Buchou would rescue me… and the silent wish that she never would.

She noticed my longing expression, and giggled. "Well, you're a good girl, so you'll be fine."

Good girl. The words were like a drug, making me shiver in pure delight whenever they were used. I felt a wave of disgust at myself, for being so easily trained by this girl. This was outweighed by the desperate desire to continue fulfilling my new addiction, the one she had given me in exchange for swearing fealty to Master.

She nodded once, pushing power into the circle and forming a circle large enough to walk through. I followed as she strode through, tail waving in contained excitement. As soon as I was on the other side, I found myself in a large broom closet. She simply sighed, walking towards the door. She paused, pulling another gem out of her pocket, and tossed it to me. On it, were inscribed the words 'SEP MK III'. "That's my old gem." She explained simply. "I have a better one, now, so that one's yours. I removed the teleportation bit, but it can still hide you. Just put a little mana into it, and follow me."

I nodded, silently following her instructions as she opened the door and walked down the hall of an ornate mansion. She seemed to know exactly where she was going, to my slight surprise, and we were soon in front of a large door. I nervously followed, and found myself outside, at the beginning of a path into a large garden. There, a vaguely familiar boy that looked to be a year younger than me sat working at a small flowerbed.

She smiled, turning to face me. "All right, do you know how to turn into a cat?"

I shook my head. She sighed, and concentrated for a moment. I suddenly felt as if I were looking up at a grand queen, nobility and grace exuding from her. A force brushed against my mind, and I suddenly knew how to use my Senjutsu to transform into a real cat. Then, the force was gone, and I was looking at my own face once more. She smirked. "Now. Go out there as a cat, and just brush against him."

I nervously began pulling on the natural energy in the air, guided by the knowledge in my head, and I felt myself shrink to ankle-height. She smiled, and knelt to speak to me. "That spell preserves clothes. If you ever want to transform to get out of bonds or clothes, just switch off the third degree to the left. Got it?"

I meowed once, deciding not to question. Her smile widened. "Good. Now, make sure to get a bit dirty before you meet him, and within a month of him letting you sleep in his bed, transform back into a girl while he sleeps. When he asks, a teleport spell went wrong, and you got lost. Oh, and if you want these," She gestured to her large assets, "Then drink plenty of milk. 'Kay?"

I meowed once more, and she stood. "Good. Now, go."

I began my walk down the garden path, and when I looked back at her, she was gone. I hesitantly rolled in a patch of loose dirt, getting a dried leaf stuck to me for good measure, and approached the red-haired boy. He looked up at my silent approach, looking slightly surprised. "It's a cat." He mumbled to himself, setting down the spade he held. "A little one. A kitten?" He reached out to me, and I shied back, as if I were a real cat. He smiled at me. "Don't worry about me, little cat, I won't hurt you. See?" He held out a hand, as if to allow me to inspect him.

I shook off the force of his angelic smile, leaning over and sniffing the proffered hand. It was buried under the scent of dirt and plants, but the smoky scent of my new Master was there. I leaned into it, hoping not-me was right.

The boy laughed, stroking my soft fur, and I felt the pleasure that She had taught me begin to surface. I began purring loudly, something the boy seemed to love. He scooted closer, picking me up and holding me close to his chest. I hesitantly butted my head against his chin, and he laughed. "Stop that, Shiro!"

I froze. He smiled to himself. "Yeah, Shiro! That's what your name is, right?"

I didn't bother answering.

His angelic smile dimmed, and he sighed. "Ah, well. You can't really understand me." It brightened once more, and he stood. "But that doesn't mean you can't be my friend, right? I don't have many of those. You can play out here while I'm learning, and you can come into the house for dinner every night. How does that sound, Shiro?"

I meowed once. He laughed. "Great! But first, let's get you a nice collar, okay?"

I didn't respond, and he began walking towards the mansion.

After he fed me a saucer of milk, which I quickly drank all of, he ran off somewhere. I waited by the saucer, licking the last few drops off my whiskers. The boy returned a moment later, an exasperated-looking silver-haired maid at his heels. I froze. Grayfia. She didn't appear to recognize me, and the boy, M-something? Millicas, pointed to me with a wide smile. "See? That's Shiro!"

Grayfia sighed, nodding once. "All right, yes. You can keep her. Just so long as she hunts for herself and stays outside most of the time. I don't want her shredding my drapes, you hear me?"

Millicas nodded happily. "No problem, right Shiro?"

I made a point to lick off another whisker before meowing. Millicas smiled widely. "Great! Now all we need is a collar for her!"

I stiffened slightly, remembering what She had told me about the importance of given items for Nekoshou. Neither of them noticed, and Millicas began chattering about plans to go into town later this week. His mother held up a hand, smiling softly. "Millicas, I'm actually going into town right now. We're running low on some spices, and if you want to get 'Shiro' a collar, then you can come with. Just make sure you and she behave themselves."

Millicas nodded, his bright smile still on his face. "Yeah! Thanks, mom!"

She sighed, shaking her head and summoning a magic circle that I recognized as the Gremory circle. "Millicas, what have I told you about calling me mother while I'm on duty?"

"Sorry, mom!" He chirped, scooping me into his arms.

After a quick stop to the market, we passed by the window of the pet store and walked through the glass door. After a bit of searching, Millicas found a simple red leather collar and grabbed it, a wide smile on his face. "Got it! Now, let's go!"

Grayfia paid for the collar, and Millicas fastened it around my neck. As soon as it was pulled tight, the now familiar burn of my Gluttony raced through my veins and nearly made me collapse. Heedless of my mental breakdown, Millicas—no, Master, waved goodbye to the store clerk and happily exited the store. In a red flash, we were back in the mansion's kitchen, and Master began walking towards the door to the gardens. He opened the door and set me just outside, smiling down at me. "I'll see you tomorrow, Shiro!"

I nodded absently, stumbling away. As soon as I was out of view, I cast the spell She had taught me, and found myself back in my apartment. An incredible feeling of loss spread through me as I stumbled back to my couch and blurred back into human form. I slumped into the cushions, the weight of my red leather pet collar suddenly enormous. I found myself reaching for the beautiful thing, and I released a heated breath. My other hand crept towards my skirt, and I closed my eyes. 'This is just to relieve the pressure.' I told myself, my hand sliding along my stomach on its' way down. 'Nothing wrong with it.'

The next morning, I woke to a refreshing feeling rushing through my body. I groaned, stumbling to my feet, realizing how many times 'just once' had turned into. 'She's corrupted me.' I realized faintly. 'I'm a pervert now.' A small giggle made its' way from my throat, and I clutched at my new collar. 'Oh, well. It feels too amazing to be anything else, now. Sorry, everyone, but I'm with Issei on this one.'

I froze. 'Issei. Right. Issei, Rias, Akeno, Kiba. My Peerage. How could I forget?' I shivered, suddenly realizing my lower half was bare. 'But really…' My fingers rose… 'I don't care, anymore.' A wide smile crossed my face, and I sank back onto the couch. 'Sorry, Rias, but I'm broken, now.' A mad giggle pierced the silence, and I closed my eyes and tugged on my collar. 'I have a Master, now~'

I watched my smaller counterpart begin to play with herself once more, heedless of the damage she was doing to her mind. I giggled to myself, watching as she gasped and came. 'Her Gluttony has evolved too far, now. She's his for life!'

I hummed to myself, watching the show for a while longer, before closing my eyes. 'Time to go home.'

I slowly let myself go, and I opened my eyes to see the library once more. I turned, and was immediately tackled by a worried Ruby. "Shirone!" She fussed, looking me over for wounds. "Where were you! You've been gone for ten hours, now!"

I smiled, still humming to myself. "Oh, I was just helping someone out."

She frowned. "Help out? You never help out. You prefer watching others work while you sit on your 'Master's' lap."

I nodded. "Oh, yes. But this is the best kind of help."

She eyed me suspiciously. "…What do you mean?"

My smile widened. "I helped another me find Master!"

She stared at me. "…Shirone? What did you do?"

I just shook my head. "Don't worry. She's his, now." I giggled, picturing the way she would eventually live for his sake alone. "All his, and no one else's."

A/N:

 I really couldn't see an unsupervised meeting between Shirone and Canon Koneko going any other way. Shirone is horrified that Koneko doesn't have a Millicas, or a Master for that matter, and takes it upon herself to 'fix' the 'problem'. A Talent is a dangerous thing, especially one that's so simple to control. Shirone just made her Forget everything holding her back, activated her drug-like Gluttony, and gave her the Glutton equivalent of a lifetime supply of heroin. The way she sees it, she was just doing Koneko a favor by getting her addicted.

…Then again, there are more problems than I can count that stem from Shirone's 'help', but Shirone was never really known for her planning ahead. She's as much of a cat as she can be, and cats don't tend to think things through too well. Ah, whatever. The Omake wasn't Canon, so it was really just a thought experiment.

Anyway.

I figured you guys should have another fight scene to tide you over while I start the next arc. The chapters after this are going to be mostly dialogue, with maybe one very short fight scene with Xenovia. So enjoy next chapter's fight while you can.

To clarify, as several people have asked, Millicas does have weaknesses. Like all Dragons, he's vulnerable to other Dragons' magic. That's basically what Dragon Slayer magic is, anyway. Dragonslaying and Holy weapons won't do anything, and Ascalon will be utterly useless against him, but the Great Red or Ophis can still crush him without much effort.

Also, I will now be making it more clear who the person is when shifting POV. I won't be adding names, because that tends to get annoying after a bit, but I will make it easier to realize when it shifts.

I blinked, watching as Asia cheerfully rambled on about broiling lobsters to Sera. Sera was chattering back about a completely different subject… piñatas? Piranhas? Hell if I know.

Like that. I won't be posting names, but I will let you know when POV shifts.