Satan of Standoff.

I was walking home a little lighter than normal when I noticed another being at Serafall's strength standing at the entrance of my street. I immediately went on guard against the crimson haired man. Probably related to Rias. I simply went to walk past him, ignoring him completely.

"Excuse me." The man said with a polite smile.

I ignored him and continued past.

"Pardon me sir, could I have a moment of your time?" He persisted, half-stepping in front of me, still with that polite smile.

"Sorry, I understand you believe in God, but I'm in a small hurry." I said, not stopping as I stepped around him.

He put his hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"It will only take a few minutes Mr. Mallory." the man said, still politely but with a clear undertone.

"Sirzechs. I have told you, stay away." Serafall appeared out of nowhere behind Sirzechs.

"I need him to save my sister Serafall." Sirzechs calmly stated as they stared at one another before he sighed. "At least let me explain the situation to him."

"I'll listen, but nothing more." I answered "That said." I grabbed his wrist before he could react and twisted hard. I actually had to put effort in this time. His wrist snapped and I pushed him so he stumbled backwards with a broken wrist. "I highly advise that you call off the ten devils you have surrounding my family's home before I kill them all, and then you."

"Impressive." Sirzechs winced at his wrist before momentarily turning into his 'true' form and back, reforming his wrist, a sad expression taking over his face. "My sister is engaged to the devil's whose wrist you broke, the only way out for her is to beat him in a rating game, for which you'd have to be part of her peerage and-"

"I won't help, one it's not my problem, two I won't be joining any peerages. Leave me out of your schemes." I interrupted him, bored.

"You would leave your friend to suffer under that man?" Sirzechs angrily asked.

"Rias isn't my friend." I answered.

"Koneko is, she'll be Riser's too." Sirzechs snarled.

"You don't want to join her peerage? fine, you just have to beat Riser in a one on one duel to show he isn't strong enough to claim her, giving me the right to break off the engagement as he isn't stronger than a human.

"Sirzechs, was it? I might have a soft spot for Koneko, but at the end of the day this isn't my problem. Especially when helping will reveal my existence to the world." I said.

"They are already aware of you. The Satan's know, and a report might have just reached the old Satan faction already. They have a right to know about supernatural in supernatural territory after all." Sirzechs smile was vicious. "Better they know not to mess with you right? what better way than beating a high class devil in a duel?"

"Killing a Satan might just convince them to leave me alone." I said having appeared right behind him, finger on his neck and cutting off all his access to demonic power. He let his guard down, and I had his power under wraps for the next while.

"What did you do?" Sirzechs asked as he jumped away from me.

"I see no reason to explain. Now, why shouldn't I just kill you for the inconvenience you've put my future self and family under? I'm looking forward to the explanation." I answered.

"Serafall - " Sirzechs said, only to see Grayfia and Okita appear next to Serafall with ten frozen devils.

"Oh no Sirzechs, I'm curious too. Why did you come here when I specifically told and warned you not to? Do our words mean so little to you, even after all this time?" Grayfia asked, disappointment and sadness clear in her tone and voice.

"Grayfia, what are you doing here?" Sirzechs asked.

"I'm here to beg Serafall to forgive your idiocy one last time so she doesn't quit being the Satan Leviathan." Grayfia told him, her sadness slowly turning to cold fury.

"We're friends Serafall, why would you choose this human over your friend of over five hundred years?" Sirzechs turned his gaze to Serafall.

"If we were friends Sirzechs, you wouldn't have come here." Serafall sighed, a self-depracating smile on her lips. "How many times have I taken your side? the civil war, the many operations to weaken the old fraction, Akeno, the nekoshou, Kiba, even Gasper had your hands in it. Don't even get me started with you turning a blind eye to the old factions schemes against Cleria just so your sister could govern here... or the fact you pushed Sona as a co-governor because deep down you know Rias couldn't do it alone." Serafall slowly spoke. "The one time I say this person is off limits, you send devils to kidnap his family and force him into your operation... when one of his sisters is protected by Gabriel herself. The Mallory's adopted Asia, you'd know that if you ever did your job."

There was an awkward silence that descended over the devil's, and the realisation of his actions was only just now dawning on the red-haired Satan's face. Now I just felt awkward and bad for Serafall.

"I... I'll just head on home then I guess. Sorry to interrupt whatever, this is." I gestured around with my finger, a little happy Serafall had tried telling people to stay away. It meant a lot coming from a Satan.

"Ronald." Serafall called quickly, "As much as I hate to admit it, beating Riser in the game right now is probably the best shot at not being bothered by the devils... at least for the short term. Otherwise every devil under the sun will be at your door. I know you have no real reason to listen, hell I understand this whole damned situation could be an elaborate plot to get you agree because you have a friendly relationship with Sona, but I can only ask you believe me it isn't.".

Serafall seemed sincere, frustrated, tired, but honestly right now she seemed defeated and depressed. I could feel her raging emotions like I could feel the currents below deceitfully calm waters.

"Is that your professional opinion? Can you promise that information about my family isn't already known?" I asked, gesturing to ten frozen devils and three other devils.

"I will make it known that your family's wellbeing is of direct importance to Gabriel, and that anyone who tries to mess with them will not only bring the wrath of Heaven down on them, but mine as well. As for these frozen devils, they will be the examples." Serafall said without blinking.

"Serafall, they're trusted Gremory-" Sirzechs began.

"Like I said, examples. This way, everyone will know I am serious. Including you." Serafall looked at him emotionlessly, making him cringe back.

"Then fine, but I want more than that... and not from you." My eyes turned to Sirzechs. "He has to honestly tell his sister and her peerage the truth about each of them."

"No!" Sirzechs shouted, as I looked at the pained but resigned expression of the rest of the devil's. Even Serafall's to some extent.

"Oh, you can tell them I forced you to reveal the truth, like I said, I'm not their friend, and this is the price. In fact, do his and Rias's parents know? if not they're to be told at the same time. Oh, it's to occur before the rating game." I said, all our eyes on Sirzechs as he squirmed on the ground.

"It will be done. Now return my demonic powers." Sirzechs resignedly said, likely taking Rias's freedom worth the price.

"It'll return when the energy I put into the block runs out. Maybe two or three days?" I shrugged.

"Could you not return it earlier?" The until then silent swordsman devil asked.

"I could, but I won't. Now, I'm going home. Serafall, let me know what's what." I nodded to her.

"I'll walk you the rest of the way home, Grayfia, take the frozen devils to my home and shove them somewhere. Okita, take your master home and don't let him out of your sight until I show up to take him and his parents to his sister." Serafall commanded, and the two swiftly obeyed.

"Ronald, I. There's little use apologising at this point, isn't there?" Serafall giggled darkly.

"If what you've said is true then you've nothing to apologise for Sera-san. And, maybe it's dumb, but I'm going to choose to believe what you've said is true." I said as we slowly started walking around the block, not down my street. Serafall seemed to lighten fractionally from my words, but it was clear she was still drowning from other things. "You know Sera-san, I chose that punishment for two reasons. The first, it would break Rias's trust in her brother. Second, it will probably end up with Koneko wanting to learn more about her innate powers, something she's scared of, I can teach her and hopefully help her through her fears. She deserved better than to be pushed to be emotionally repressed. Do her parents know? out of curiosity."

"Venellana suspects, but has no evidence. She practically raised them all but Gasper, and even then she welcomed Gasper with open arms. She'll not be happy with what her son's done. Zeoticus, well, he'll be pissed it was brought to light with Rias rather than the fact he'd done them." Serafall chuckled, a strange look in her eyes, and small smile forming on her face. "You're doing this not just for Koneko aren't you? It'll likely force Rias to deal with all the issues in her peerage."

"I have no idea what you mean." I answered.

"I'll come and pick you up in around a week for the duel. I'll have Sona text you when. Again Ronald, I had hoped everything went differently." Serafall sighed for perhaps the hundredth time tonight.

"Sera-san, I can't really empathise with you considering you two must've been friends for a very long time, but if you need anyone to vent or complain to, here." I handed her my phone to type her number in. "I'm only one call away."

"Oh, giving me your number after taking my baby sister on a date are you?" Serafall tried lightening the mood as she typed her number and sent a message before replying to it.

"You were the one that arranged a date with me right before it." I chuckled and took my phone back. "I'm just trying to be a friend when you're probably feeling like pretty bad."

"Thanks Ronald." Serafall smiled "Well, this is you. I'll call you myself then. See you later." Serafall said before walking away, likely to teleport to her home.

I quickly sent off a text and went home.

<Serafall pov>

Today was a rather bad very not good day full of poop and visceral emotions I didn't want to face. Still, I suppose the day had to come at some point. I'd been pretending Sirzechs hadn't changed for too long. Maybe this would wake him up. Still, I didn't realise Ronald was that strong, as strong as Sirzechs, Ajuka, and I. It was a little hot, I wouldn't lie, but I was happier that his punishment might just help the girls a little, he clearly realised they had issues. Not that that would be difficult to figure out.

I teleported to my family's home, I'd have to get to the underworld and start arranging a few things.

"Hey Serafall, can you please sleep with me tonight? I'm feeling a bit lonely. No wandering hands." Sona asked from the top of the stairs at the empty house.

"Of course." I replied, sniffling a little and wiping a tear away.

Shortly afterwards I was holding Sona in my arms gently on her bed. She was a great little spoon. A great little sister. She turned around and brought my head down into her shoulder, her hand rubbing the back of my head gently as I carefully inspected her shoulder for the microscopic evil villains who were making it wet while a localised earthquake assaulted her bed. I'd do anything for my little sister. My great little sister.