Harem Hero

by DeadWriterShin

Chapter 2: Appendix - Harem, Cards and Forms/Powers

Shatterpoint Forms/Powers

The Advanced Interdimensional Support and Protection Module - Herarmor-Kun

The first iteration of the Herarmor system created by Mitsuru and Lala Deviluke. This protective suit provides resistence to gunfire, physical attacks, fire, chemical weaponry and more. The internal joints provide additional strength and speed, up to human limits, for the wearer.

Sledgehammer

The Sledgehammer is a unique combination of weapon and tool, capable of shattering the fabric of reality and bringing forth induviduals from other universes and timelines. Cards are inserted into the break-action section of the Sledgehammer and used to summon assistance from other worlds.

Card Collection/Harem

These cards are actually complex data structures used by the Sledgehammer to summon people from different worlds and universes. The portable stabiliser contained within the Sledgehammer can only summon a handful of them at a time. Time dilation means that very little time passes in their home worlds while occupied in ours.

High School DxD

    

Street Fighter

Ghost in the Shell

To-Love Ru

DC Comics

Dragon Ball

Azur Lane

Notes:

How do I get my obscure ass anime wife in your story? You post them in the comments on this chapter. Here are a few pointers that I consider when selecting them.

- Make sure they're prominent enough to have information about them online. I appreciate your love for an obscure hentai character from a RPGmaker game, but I can't really write around them.
- I don't include genderswaps or OCs.
- Worlds of magic or technology, it doesn't matter. I'll come up with an excuse for them to read manga no matter what it takes.
- Please restrain yourself to 10 selections a comment.

Go nuts, throw some names at me in the comments. I can't dedicate the time to respond to every comment, sorry! I do check these for ideas on a regular basis. So rest assured that your submission has been noted.

Chapter 3: Prologue

You have one true friend.

A lot of people would consider that a few too many, but when it’s a girl as troublesome as her – one is enough. Her name is Mitsuru, and you’ve been friends since your early childhood.

She's a short girl with a bowl cut and big, round glasses. She is rarely seen without her white lab coat, which she often brought to your school without permission. Years of lectures from various teachers did not cause her to waver in her cause. She’s no poser, the girl is a certified genius. When you were in fifth grade she was doing advanced calculus and reading university papers about astrophysics. By comparison you’re as dumb as a brick.

You formed an unconventional friendship – although more often it feels like you’re just being the straight man to whatever bizarre scheme or plan she’s concocted while you weren’t looking. She has no common sense. You feel a small amount of responsibility to make sure such a gifted mind doesn’t die after failing to look both ways before crossing the street. You stuck by her side through both of your respective educations, and now live on a subsidised income earned from her various patents and discoveries as her only employee.

It started out like any other day, you didn’t have anything to do and she needed a willing test subject slash lab assistant to help out at her lab. So after receiving an urgent text message from her you headed over. The lab was located in a large courtyard where several other businesses made their home, mostly garages and other storage facilities that could use the space. The building used to be a garage itself, used for fixing cars and the like. Mitsuru had bought the place at a bargain price and turned it into a makeshift laboratory.

She could have easily found a better location, but Mitsuru refused to be chained down by ‘the man’ or the ‘intellectual establishment,’ her desire to work unconstrained by ethics or direction culminated in her creating her own laboratory and working from it. You duck under the still open garage door and walk into the main floor, where the previous equipment for lifting and fixing cars still remains.

Mitsuru is in her usual place, standing at the back of the lab near her workbench. The back wall has been covered from top to bottom in whiteboards found online and covered with hundreds of incomprehensible squiggles and diagrams. Only she knows the real meaning of them. You note with some humour that the very top of the boards remain untouched, as she’s not gifted in the stature department as is her brain. She hasn’t grown an inch in ten years.

She turns to face you and smiles, “Good morning Assistant one, I have some wonderful news!”

Your heart sinks at the words ‘wonderful news,’ “What is it? Did the feds finally catch on to you?”

“Pah, those two-bit savages couldn’t tie their own shoes properly, never mind discover my location… That’s not what I mean, I’ve finally completed my latest and greatest invention yet!” With no sense of theatricality, she dashes off to one side and wheels over a small cart once used to carry various tools used by the garage. On top of it is a strange gun-like device, white in colour, and a single playing card placed next to it.

“I call it the Sledgehammer, patent pending.”

“Why is it called the Sledgehammer? And isn’t this kind of illegal?”

“It’s not illegal, assistant. It doesn’t fire ammunition! It’s totally harmless!”

“If you say so.”

“As for why it’s called the Sledgehammer – this device is capable of a damn sight more than merely firing a projectile at high speed. It uses highly energised anti-matter to punch a hole in the fabric of our reality, it’s really rather simple.”

“…Mitsuru, that sounds even more illegal than it just being a gun! Not to mention a million times more dangerous!”

Mitsuru waves away your concerns, “When have my inventions ever caused you harm?”

“Do you really want me to list every single one?”

Mitsuru is quick to change the subject, “On this I can assure you, the Sledgehammer, name pending further development, is entirely safe to use.”

You hesitantly approach the cart and lean in for a closer look. The device is strange, it’s shaped like a rifle if it ate a little too much. There’s a glass chamber embedded in the middle, and a large handle hanging off one side for you to hold on to. It looks like the front assembly can twist upside down. Next to it is the card, which at first didn’t attract your interest, but now that you’re closer…

Rias Gremory? From High School DxD.

You turn to Mitsuru and hold up the card, “What’s this? Did you just drop a trading card in here for dramatic effect?”

“It’s a little more than a trading card,” Mitsuru pouts. In typical Mitsuru fashion she then elects to not explain the significance of said card, snatching it from between your grubby fingers and holding it up to the light. You have to scratch your head. Mitsuru didn’t like that show one bit when you both sat at your old laptop and watched it together while hiding from your parents. Too much fanservice for boys you reckoned. Young you loved it, you felt like such a rebel for watching something with boobs in it that you could ignore the other, less admirable elements.

“So why did you make a gun that can tear a hole in reality anyway?”

“There’s a simple explanation for that, you see..”

Before Mitsuru can explain her intentions, the entire lab shakes. At first you think it’s an earthquake, but it settles down soon after. Mitsuru checks her watch, “Ah crap, they arrived earlier than anticipated.”

“Who?” Mitsuru shoves the gun and the card into your arms and runs as fast as her little legs can carry her through the front door. “Seriously, answer my questions for once!” You duck under the doorway and skid to a halt next to your friend, who is staring down what can best be described as a golem. A shifting mass of rock and stone forced into the shape of a hulking creature. Glowing purple eyes stare down at you, seemingly focused on the gun currently clutched between your shaking arms.

“What the hell is that?”

“No time to explain, we need to use the Sledgehammer now! Put the card in there!”

There’s an open slot for the card that Mitsuru gave you. You flip it over to find a list of statistics including her combat strength, and more strangely the size of her bust. There’s little time to consider the potential implications of using this thing. Mitsuru may lie by omission now and again, but she’s never done anything bad to you on purpose. You slide the strange card into the gun’s chamber and push the lever forward, locking the chamber shut.

“RIAS GREMORY!”

The strange device declares in a robotic voice. “Now twist the front around using the handle!” You follow the rest of Mitsuru’s instructions and twist the handle and the barrel assembly around to the left.

“SHATTERING!”

Mitsuru points at the monster, “Fire!”

You wince and pull the trigger. The gun’s recoil is so powerful that you’re knocked flat on your ass. A large ball of purple energy fires from the muzzle of the cannon and hits an invisible target in front of you. Reality shatters like a broken mirror before your eyes as the shot breaks through the dimensional barrier. The scattered shards reassemble themselves into the form of a woman. Colour fills out the mysterious silhouette from the bottom of her feet to the crimson hair atop her head. The gaping hole in the universe floods back inwards like water, leaving behind the titular demoness.

For a moment she is confused by her new surroundings, but as the monster swings at her, instinct takes over and she leaps into action. She flies over the wild swing with the grace of a ballet dancer, landing firmly on her feet. With a pretty scowl on her face, she holds out her right hand and fires a barrage of red lightning at the enemy beast. Wind blows through your hair as it explodes into a million little pieces, leaving nothing behind but a smoking crater and a glowing purple gem.

The entire thing was over in a moment.

You try to blink the stars out of your eyes, what on earth was that? The girl in front of you blasted that beastie to smithereens like it was nothing but an ant! Mitsuru hurries past you and slides into the crater, she pulls out a small glass tube and places the stone inside of it, before slipping it into the pocket of her lab coat.

You have a lot of questions and no answers, you tug on Mitsuru’s sleeve as she walks by, “What the hell is going on? What is this thing? And why is Rias standing in front of me right now?!”

You want to think that this is merely a trick of the eye being played on you, but the sensations were very much real. Rias Gremory is every bit as beautiful as implied by her appearances in the anime and light novel series, now she stands in front of you – transported into the real world, wearing the same school uniform and wielding the same destructive powers.

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, “I may have discovered some interesting alternate dimensions, and perhaps in a few of those we’re the… main characters in a popular fictional anime series.”

“You’re messing with me.”

“She’s standing right there isn’t she?” she says, motioning to the starstruck she-devil.

“Is she messing with me?” you ask.

Rias shakes her head, “Ah. As remiss as I am to admit my brother used to enjoy it very much, it rubbed off on me. Soon I found myself independently infatuated with your adventures. To be summoned by you just like in the anime is amazing!”

“And furthermore…” Mitsuru continues. Unfortunately, she isn’t able to explain any further before the busty beauty pulls you into a bone-crushing hug.

“Oh, you’re just as handsome as you are in the anime!” she gushes.

While normally you’d enjoy the feeling of a pair of DD breasts against your face - she is applying a worrying amount of force to your neck, “Mitsuru, help!”

“…They also happen to be rather big fans of you in particular, thanks to the way that I calibrated the cards.”

Rias finally releases you, but sticks herself to your left arm like a doting girlfriend, “What does that mean?”

“What do they call it again? Hah! I remember, you’re their husbando.”

Rias is quick to speak over the diminutive scientist, “Oh! I have an idea for how you can repay me! Take me out on a date. You don’t mind, do you?”

 “It’s a rather simple equation. I use my cross-dimensional sledgehammer to bring forth helpful girls, who all happen to be in love with a fictionalised version of yourself. We claim the cross-dimensional material dropped by these creatures and use it to create even more cards and expand your harem. An elegant solution, if I do say so myself.”

Your mind is being overloaded with information right now. Rias wants to date you, you’re a fictional character in another universe, and this crazy girl wants you to start a harem of badass warrior women to fight evil?

“I know I’ve said this so many times before, but I think you’ve really lost it this time.”

For some reason the utterance excites Rias to an incredible degree, “He really said it!” she cries out with the energy of someone having just heard their favourite catchphrase in real life. Mitsuru sighs and cleans off her glasses with a small cloth.

“To keep things simple, an army of interdimensional invaders is here to conquer the Earth. You and I are the only people who can stop it.”

“The Untethered,” Rias nods.

“Well, I’m not sure if they’re really called that, I suppose if we follow the hypothesis that the TV show you speak of is entirely accurate it could be reasonable to assume.”

Your jaw drops as the two exposit back and forth on this series of developments, “How is any of this simple?! And is Rias just stuck here forever now?”

Mitsuru taps her temple, “No, no. Of course not. You merely reverse the steps taken before, and Rias will be whisked away to her original dimension. However, I get the feeling that you may wish to spend some time with your new harem member.”

You object, “Who says it’s a harem?”

“I wouldn’t mind,” Rias smiles, “You’re really cute.”

Your face flushes, you look away and try to not let them see you. “See! He’s such a cute boy! How have you not snatched him up already?” she asks Mitsuru, who is too distracted admiring her newly acquired gem to notice.

“Hm, oh yes, have fun you two!”

Mitsuru hurries back into the lab, leaving you and Rias behind.

Notes:

deadwriteshin.carrd.co

Chapter 4: Sleeping with Rias

Mitsuru was right, you aren’t dreaming!

She’s real, in the flesh, the genuine article. Rias Gremory is following you around like a lost puppy. You left the gun in the lab and decided to ask her a few questions while Mitsuru experimented with that rock she stole from the golem’s body. Rias clamped herself onto your left arm and refuses to let go. The feeling of her large, perfect breasts against your arm is distracting to say the least. You know how liberal Rias can be with her sexuality with someone she likes.

But that begs the question, what about Issei? He’s her primary romantic interest after all. From what you could gather from Mitsuru’s rushed explanation – she’s meant to be in love with you based on your appearances in an anime franchise much like her own. “So, I’m the main character in a TV show?”

Rias nods and smiles, “You and Mitsuru, I loved watching you in the mornings. You’re exactly what I expected! I suppose it makes sense given that you’re the real thing.”

You sigh, “You’re from an anime series too, Rias. That’s why Mitsuru got the idea of summoning you in the first place.”

“Interesting.”

“So in the anime from your world, who do we summon first? I don’t imagine it’s you given that it’d mean you have a doppelganger on TV.”

“The anime is produced by Kadogawa. There are a lot of crossovers with popular franchises that they own! The first girl you summoned was Jane Hellrigel from the manga Kanojo Senki.” You’ve never heard of this character or her manga. You suppose it makes some kind of messed up sense that the fictional world has fictional media to go along with it, although in this case Rias’ world is no less fictional than your own.

“Can’t say I’ve heard of her.”

Rias quirks her brow, “Really? The light novel is very popular at my school…”

“I have another question; do you know an Issei?”

“Hm. Issei-kun? He’s my precious pawn.”

Issei does exist in her world, and he’s a part of her devil family too. Rias doesn’t seem to have any misgivings about getting all cosy with you. Asking the follow-up questions feels just a little too personal for the time being, so you leave things be. You’ll learn more soon enough if you spend enough time with her.

Rias stops in place, pointing to a building, “Oh, let’s go there!”

You follow the outstretched digit until you come across the location of interest, which just so happens to be a love hotel. The seedy signage and the location tells you everything you need to know, you turn back to the girl and scowl, “Uh, Rias, that’s a love hotel.”

She smirks, “I know.”

“Let me get this straight, you want me to go to the love hotel with you, and for reasons I’m not going to speak out loud.”

“Yes.”

“You barely even know me.”

Rias pouts, “I know everything about you! I even read the prequel manga that everyone hates, just so I could get to know you and Mitsuru better! And in the anime you sleep with your summoned harem whenever you get the chance.”

“Rias, this isn’t an anime! And how the hell did they get away with showing that on TV?” Your words betray the immense desire you feel to do exactly what she says at this exact moment. Rias is every bit as smoking hot as she’s implied to be in the anime and novels. Big breasts, sexy thighs, and a flawless face. If you weren’t so hesitant to take advantage of someone else you’d have agreed on the spot.

Rias knows this. Her hand sneaks down and plants itself firmly on the front of your pants, where the suggestion of spending the evening with her in a shitty motel has stirred some life into your dormant friend. “Consider it my payment for helping you,” she winks.

“But again, a dirty love hotel?”

Rias is clearly excited by the idea, “I don’t mind, it’s always been a fantasy of mine for you to take me somewhere less reputable.”

You sigh, “Rias, I don’t think they’ll let us book a room anyway – you’re still wearing your uniform. What kind of message would that send?” Rias tugs on her school blazer with a frown, as if she hadn’t considered it before you pointed it out to her. Her eyes light up with a wicked glint. She holds up one of her hands and snaps her fingers. A red circle appears under your feet and you find yourself whisked away to an unknown destination.

When you finally get your bearings again, you find yourself stood inside of your own crappy apartment. You spend most of your time down at the lab. You’ve never had enough time to decorate the place properly. All you have is some basic furniture, bare walls and a spare potted plant you stole from the lab’s abandoned office space. Rias dances around the space with incredible grace, oo-ing and ah-ing at what is an incredibly mundane space.

“Is it really that exciting?” you ask, tucking your erection under your waistband as Rias bends over and flashes you with a pair of sexy panties.

“I never thought I’d get to come into your home for real,” Rias smiles, “It’s exactly like the anime.”

“That’s how you knew you could teleport us here…”

She winks at you and sticks her tongue out teasingly. Rias whisks you away to your small bedroom. You bought a cheap king-sized bed from a second-hand store. You never once thought that a real flesh and blood girl would want to get in it with you. It’s for that reason that your sheets are still messed up from when you awoke this morning. In fact, the room is a bit of a mess at the moment.

“You have a lot of spare space in here,” Rias ponders, “Maybe this could be a cosy little hideout for all of your harem members. I can recommend some amazing interior decorators…”

“Rias, you saved my ass. I’m not going to ask you to pay out of pocket to decorate the apartment I don’t spend any time in.”

“You don’t spend any time here because it’s like this,” Rias reasons, “Don’t you want to have a place of your own?” Risk flops down onto your bed, giving you another tantalizing view of her thighs and lace covered panties. She notices the direction of your gaze and quickly takes advantage, pulling up her skirt and tilting her hips to the side. You avert your gaze to the wall and try not to let her get to you. Why did Mitsuru have to select such a confident girl to be your first summon? She’s running rings around you.

You wait, and wait – but Rias does not speak to you again until you return your gaze to her, whereupon you discover that she is completely topless. Her shirt, blazer and bra have been nearly piled at the end of your bed. Rias doesn’t seem perturbed by her nudity, but why would she? She’s a shameless exhibitionist.

“You can touch them all you like, cutie,” she assures you. She reaches out and grabs your hands, forcing you to plant them firmly on her breasts. For that brief moment you feel the forbidden door finally opening – a real pair of boobs, and not just any pair of boobs, Rias Gremory’s huge, perfect, perky boobs. The softness knocks you flat. You find yourself squeezing into the flesh for a moment before quickly backing away with a fierce blush on your cheeks.

“Woah! You can’t just spring that on a guy!”

You have to admit that Rias is one of your dream girls. To mirror what Mitsuru said in regard to their relationship to you, she’s pretty good waifu material. That teasing, onee-san personality combined with her blatant disregard for being naked in front of other people is one of her key traits. But you can’t help but feel weird about it regardless. You feel like you’re taking advantage of her, she saved your life, and now she’s trying to sleep with you. You wouldn’t sleep with you if you were paid to do it!

Rias closes her eyes, “Do you have a problem with me wishing to sleep with you? A precious first time from a girl like me is worth a lot of money, you know?”

“I feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”

Rias shrugs, before folding her pale arms under her large breasts, “You’re not taking advantage of me. I could smite you where you stand at a moment’s notice.”

“But we summoned you because you’re in love with me. Doesn’t that feel strange to you?”

“I don’t see why it would be. I’m being presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity, and so are you. I never would have dreamt that I could get to know you, or even be… romantically involved with you… It’s amazing really. Like we were meant for each other.” Rias’ confidence falters for just a moment, betraying her true feelings on the matter. This isn’t her usual trick of teasing people, she genuinely feels something about you.

“For me? Or that fictional version of me?”

“You’re the same, even down to asking this type of question. You’re too considerate sometimes. I guess that’s why so many girls fell in love with you. Now, let’s stop all this worrying and get to the main event!”

Your clothes explode from your body as a powerful magical force tears them stitch from stitch. Suddenly you’re more naked than Rias is, and she’s only wearing her panties. Not for long though, she lifts up her legs and whips them away like a rubber band into the pile at the end of the bed, revealing her perfect slit and a light dusting of vibrant red pubic hair. “Fine, I’ll do this for you, if you really want it,” you concede.

Rias eyes your body with the look of a hungry predator. You aren’t in peak shape - but you do get a lot of physical activity from being forced to run around for Mitsuru. You return the favour and enjoy Rias’ nude body for yourself. She’s all curves from top to bottom. Her well-toned body is tight all over, giving her an idealized appearance especially when combined with her perfect chest and wide hips. She’s every teenager’s horny wet dream, which was probably the point when they designed her.

You clamber over onto the bed and find yourself pressed into the valley between her tits also immediately. She runs her hands through your hair as her warm skin presses against your face. It’s hard to stop yourself from becoming fully engorged as she speaks whispered words of encouragement, “Just relax and let me take care of you. It will feel amazing.”

Rias snaps her fingers again. You feel her hand drift down to your member and stroke it from base to tip with her finger, she then places something over the top and pulls it down. She must have summoned a rubber from thin air, what a way to use her magic. With your little friend safely wrapped up, and Rias free from the risk of any surprise pregnancies, you feel a little more confident in playing with her body.

You reach out and touch her chest again, running over her cute nipples with your thumbs and squeezing the bountiful flesh. Rias blushes and enjoys the feeling of your hands on her body, “Do you like them?”

“How could I not?” You lean down and take one of her nipples into her mouth, sucking on it and attacking it with your tongue.

“Ah!” Rias moans. “I don’t lactate!” she insists, “That will have to wait until our first child.”

“First? Child?”

Rias blushes, “Don’t look at me like that.” To punish you for your crimes, she drags you down onto the bed and clambers over top of you. “You’re so cute,” she gushes. From below you really see just how large her breasts are. Now fulfilling a shared fantasy together – you realize that maybe there’s something to Mitsurus’s statements about their affection for you. Rias wastes little time in positioning your hard member at the entrance to her pussy.

“Are you prepared?”

“No, but go ahead.”

Rias presses the tip of your member against her tightly clasped lips, slowly sliding down until your crotches meet. You feel something block your path for a moment, before pushing forwards as deep as you can go. You give her a moment to adjust to the feeling of your cock inside of her. The faint resistance offered by her hymen – she hadn’t even gone so far as to pleasure herself. Rias is a tough girl, so she airs no complaints, nor does she bleed.

“Ah, you feel amazing,” she gasps. You have to share the sentiment, she’s tight and wet. You have to stop yourself from thrusting up inside of her before she’s ready. You allow Rias to dictate her own pace, she slowly lifts her hips up and falling back down onto your hips. Each rise and fall cause her perfect tits to jiggle and bounce. You reach up and grab them both in the palm of your hands as Rias finds a comfortable rhythm.

The room is soon filled with the sound of flesh meeting flesh. There is no more room for teasing or flirting. You both find comfort in each other’s bodies, intermingling and coming together. Your skin is covered with sweat, you can feel needles poking at your back. The warmth and softness of her body is incredible, you want to hold onto her forever.

Rias’ incredible stamina and strength, enhanced by her devilish nature ensure that she will not tire so easily like your own mortal flesh. Her face is flushed red like her crimson hair. With each push of her body you delve deeper and deeper into her welcoming folds. “Ah, ah! That’s it cutie, just keep hitting me right there!” Despite her words of encouragement, you’re very much along for the ride. Her wild passion inflames your own. Your hands roam her body, groping and exploring as much as you can.

There was never much prospect of you both lasting long, the hot and heavy breeding brought on in a spur of the moment is rapidly bringing you to the edge. Each movement brings you closer and closer to sweet oblivion, and as she begins to speed up again after a short respite you feel yourself cross the point of no return. Your own hips slam upwards as you lose control of your own body, only serving to heighten Rias’ pleasure as you mercilessly pound her sensitive inner-walls. The heat, smell and sounds are too much. Rias’ nails dig into your back as her movements become erratic and haphazard.

You both reach a shared orgasm. You cum into the condom, filling it to the brim in the process. Rias cries out and slams down one last time, reaching a shuddering climax, before leaning down and pulling you into a messy, tongue filled kiss. The high of your first time gives way to a deep sense of intimacy. Rias hugs you, her breasts pushing against your chest as you take a moment to catch your breath. The stench of sex hangs heavy in the air.

You intermingle your fingers with her and enjoy the afterglow on screwed up sheets. Rias closes her eyes and smiles. “I never thought I’d get to do this, thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me? You could have your pick of every man on earth if you wanted.”

“But I wanted you,” she insists again. She reaches out and pokes your nose with the tip of her finger, “We have to do this again. I don’t think that was enough for me.” You notice the blood under her nails and realize that she raked the hell out of your back. The endorphin high you’re experiencing numbs the pain.

Rias rolls out of bed and slips on her t-shirt. The sweat on your body is cooling down now, sending a deep chill through you. “May I use your shower?” she asks.

“Sure.”

Rias disappears into your en-suite bathroom, which sounds much more luxurious than it really is. A second later you hear the sound of running water. As fun as getting in with her would seem, there’s seldom enough space for you on your own, never mind a girl with a gifted chest as well. You still can’t quite believe what just happened. You had your first time with a girl who yesterday was nothing more than the figment of a horny writer’s imagination.

You decide to make yourself somewhat decent before she comes back. You reequip your pants and sit back on the bed while she finished up. Rias emerges ten minutes later, looking all the better for the effort. She smiles at you reassuringly. “I really should be getting back before my club members worry about me,” Rias explains, “But how?” She sets about the task of finding her discarded clothes and redressing herself. The shellshock from sleeping with her still hasn’t worn off on you. You pull out your phone and send Mitsuru a message, even though the sun has set you can guarantee she’ll be in the lab still. She replies soon after with an affirmative emoji.

“Mitsuru is going to change the hammer back to normal, that should send you home – and according to this only a few seconds will have passed over there, something about your home being on the edge of the multiverse? I really wish she’d explain this stuff properly.”

Before she disappears back into her trading card prison, Rias bends down and kisses you on the cheek, “Don’t feel so bad, you’re my cute little summoner after all.” Her hands cup your cheeks and run through your hair in an affectionate and sisterly way, much like she did to Issei in their anime. Rias is always eager to shower people with affection and words of reassurance after all.

You nod, “I’ll try not to get worked up about it, but then I think about all the other women Mitsuru is going to force onto me at the same time.”

Rias giggles, “I know you can handle us. Koneko, Asia and Akeno might be interested in joining me.”

“I know for sure I wouldn’t be able to handle that,” you blush, remembering their respective personalities and… interests. Your already drained member twitches slightly at the implication regardless, “I could ask Mitsuru to make a card for them too.”

Before you can converse on the matter any further, Rias’ body starts to glow and break apart into triangular fragments, that float into the air and disappear, “Looks like I’m going home.”

“Thanks again for saving me.”

“It was my pleasure, love you!” Rias blows you a final kiss before fading away fully, leaving you alone with your thoughts and dirtied bedsheets.

“I just banged Rias Gremory,” you state aloud. Even having lived it, it doesn’t feel real. You fall back onto the bed and stare at the ceiling.

What are you going to say to Mitsuru?

Notes:

deadwriteshin.carrd.co

Chapter 5: Considerations

When you eventually returned to the lab, you found Mitsuru knee deep in a new experiment. A pair of huge, circular goggles were strapped to her face as she applied a bright flame to the pilfered stone. “Mitsuru, what are you doing with that thing?”

“Thing? I’ll have you know that this is primo, grade-A, genuine, cross-dimensional matter!”

“I don’t know what that is.”

Mitsuru grumbles to herself and halts the torch, removing her goggles and turning back to face you, “What do I even teach you these things for? Have you not been listening for the past three years?”

“Yes, and I can guarantee that you’ve never talked about cross-dimensional whatever before now.”

“My memory is picture perfect!”

“Bullshit. You don’t even remember what you had for lunch yesterday.”

“Science is more important than worthless memories like those. But I suppose I should explain to you fully now that we have more time.” You lean down and look at the stone again. Small cracks release purple light into the surrounding container. “Where to begin…”

“Let’s start with this,” you say, tapping the glass case, “Why is this rock so important?”

“As I said, this is cross-dimensional matter. An element with no formal name, nor precedent in the earthly sciences. I am certain that those fools trying to invade our planet have their own name for it, which I am currently endeavouring to discover for myself. It can be used for a variety of purposes, a power source, or as a signal generator, even the card you used to summon Rias is lined with it. Not to mention the Sledgehammer.”

“Okay, so how did you get your hands on the matter to make that stuff in the first place?”

“A year ago, I found it. There’s nothing more to the tale than that I’m afraid. But now I suspect that our adversaries projected it into our world as a sort of anchor. The rock emits a powerful signal that can be followed easily. It begs to reason that the ‘Untethered’ Rias spoke of use it to find suitable worlds for invasion.”

You eye the Sledgehammer wearily, now perched atop her workbench table, “I see. So, the reason they’re here is because of us?”

“Chicken or the egg, you fool. We found this matter because they sent it here! Regardless of our usage, they would come to us soon enough.”

“And the cards?”

“With a little reverse engineering and some simple astrophysics, I discovered a method of scrying for other worlds that bares a strong resemblance to their own. We can locate other universes parallel to ours, designate a target, and pull them through using it. The cards contain all the necessary data for the Sledgehammer to carry out this task. The infinite expanse of all that exists and ever will exist lays before us.”

“And that way, we can summon people who technically don’t exist.”

“They do exist. They bare strong resemblances to our own cultural media through sheer chance – when you have an infinite number of realities with an infinite number of people living within them, it is not so difficult a task.”

You slip the card out from your pocket and study Rias’ likeness, “Well, I’m relieved that she isn’t trapped in the card or anything. What did I tell you about objectifying women?”

“My experiments to transform people into furniture were not comparable to the male gaze,” she insists, “Please refrain from such unflattering comparisons.”

You sigh and move on, “And how much do we know about these Untethered exactly?”

“Nothing more then what I deducted. They utilize this cross-dimensional matter to launch attacks using autonomous programmes. Ergo, the golem Rias so effortlessly destroyed. Their true purpose is a mystery.”

“And our helpers being in love with me is because?”

“A simple and effective way to earn their compliance,” she states matter of factly.

You need to sign this girl up for a physiatrist.

“Wouldn’t a heroic spirit do just as well? Or the willingness to help others?”

“Pah, meaningless prattle. The end result is the same regardless.” Mitsuru unlocks the case and ferries the stone to her workbench with a pair of metal tongs. She grabs a nearby mallet and shatters it into pieces, revealing the luminous purple crystal inside. “A good haul. With this we can make a few cards, and some upgrades to the hammer.”

“We need to decide who we’re bringing through next.”

“I chose Rias as I knew you held some kind of affection for her, not to mention her incredible power and battle prowess. I will consult with you on any further selections, although if I may – I have a few suggestions.”

“Such as?”

“Being a fighter is all well and good, but the technological warfare we are embarking on cannot be ignored. Despite my expansive intellect, there is much that even I am ignorant to. Consider summoning an equally illuminated individual to assist us with deciphering the mysteries of this material.”

“You want a smart lab assistant because I’m a dumbass.”

“I never implied as such, but I appreciate the self-reflection. I predict we will have enough here for two new cards, alongside the planned upgrades I am making to our equipment. The second choice is yours and yours alone. I am sure that Rias was eager to hoist some of her fellow devils upon you, although we are not forced to concede to her demands as of yet.”

“Anything else we should consider?”

“We are capable of summoning men. Although given your immediate efforts to bed Miss Rias, I highly doubt you will go down that path.”

Your face burns red, “H-Hey, I never said we slept together!”

“That cocksure grin on your face tells me everything I need to know. The moment you got your rocks off, which I had calculated to the precise second beforehand, you contacted me to banish your one-night stand to her home dimension.”

You shake your head in useless denial and sit down on the old couch by the wall, “Believe what you want to believe Mitsuru. I need to think about some smart people. Smart people…”

Notes:

deadwriteshin.carrd.co

Chapter 6: Lab Assistant Lala

You find it surprisingly difficult to think of a smart girl you could summon. There are thousands and thousands of them – but ever so rarely were they featured in a prominent position in their respective stories. Often restricted to being mere devices serving the function of delivering clumsy exposition and delivering various gadgets to the less bright main character. You cast a glance to Mitsuru, and then down at yourself.

You suddenly realize that this is a dangerous train of thought to go down.

Back on track. Makise Kurisu is an obvious choice, but she’s more of a physicist than an inventor. Winry Rockbell, Yuki Nagato, Lucca Ashtear. You feel yourself getting closer and closer as you plumb the depths of your fictional media knowledge. You go all the way back to your shared childhood and uncover something you’ve long since forgotten. Sat in front of the TV with Mitsuru and watching junk-food harem shows together. A flash of pink, an unbidden terror.

Lala Satalin Deviluke.

A brilliant and appropriately eccentric inventor. An alien from another world fleeing a barrage of idiotic suitors. She has the exact same lack of awareness and scruples that Mitsuru does. She’s also quick to fall in love slash has incredibly low standards, so recruiting her assistance may not require a visit to a dingy love hotel for a quick screw.

“Mitsuru, how do we turn this stuff into a card anyway?”

Mitsuru stands up and walks over to a small workstation. A printer-like machine and a pressing device are hooked up to an old computer. “Simply make your request. I will lock onto the target, distribute the needed matter, and transfer the data into the card.” You follow along and look over her shoulder as she begins to type at an incredible speed.

“Lala Satalin Deviluke, from To Love-Ru. You think she’ll be a good fit?”

“Hm. A talented scientist. Yes, a good choice.” Mitsuru wastes no time. It’s impossible for you to follow the process she undertakes to ‘lock on’ to the girl in question. After finishing typing out a heavy block of code, she retrieves a blank card from the drawer and places it into the press. The press clamps down on the card and makes a loud whirring noise. Smoke flows from under the sealed platform before the top lists away and reveals a freshly minted card.

 

“There she is.”

You slip the card from the machine and inspect both sides, the stats listed on the back show a monstrous level of strength and incredible intellect. “Hopefully she won’t mind being tasked with being your assistant.”

“She will not. I ensured that this particular incarnation of Lala is utterly obsessed with you.”

“Gee, thanks,” you groan. You retrieve the hammer (name pending) from the table and slide her into the chamber. You push the handle forward.

“LALA SATALIN DEVILUKE!”

This time you properly brace yourself for the recoil. You twist the barrel around counter clockwise.

“SHATTERING!”

You pull the trigger and rip a hole in reality. Again, the air before you shatters like stained glass before reforming into the shape of the titular Lala Satalin Deviluke. The pink haired girl is confused to say the least. She looks around the laboratory before her eyes land on you, she gasps and rushes over to pull you into a breath stealing hug.

“Oh my goodness, it’s really you!” You pat her on the back to beg for mercy. Mitsuru clears her throat. Lala turns to face your short friend and squeals, before pulling her in for an unwanted hug too. “And Mitsuru-chan! Am I dreaming?”

“I can assure you, this is no dream,” Mitsuru replies, “I suppose you already know why you’re here?”

Lala salutes, “Yes ma’am, Lab Assistant Lala is here to help!”

“Wait, she already knows?”

Lala nods, “Yep! This is from the first volume of Harem Hero, where you and Mitsuru summon a girl to help you build all of your cool weapons and armor! Although it wasn’t me you summoned in the manga,” she shrugs.

“This is starting to hurt my head,” you complain, “So you already know what’s going to happen in the future?”

Mitsuru clarifies, “As I am not aware of our own future, I cannot pinpoint an individual who truly knows what is to come and summon them for information. As I said, any resemblance is merely a coincidence.”

“You say that in the manga too,” Lala adds.

“For example, Lala’s version of events does not feature herself as the second one summoned. Ergo, from here our paths will diverge radically.”

“I think I get it,” you sigh, “I hope we didn’t interrupt anything important.”

“It’s nothing to worry about! I tend to wander off without my Papa knowing anyway!”

You try to scope out what type of Lala you’re speaking with, “Aren’t you living on Earth right now?”

“Uh-huh, I met some really good friends while I was there, and I even got introduced to you!”

Mitsuru cuts in, “While we’re here, have you decided on the second card you wish to forge?”

You nod, “Since we already have Rias on the books, it only makes sense to get some help from her right-hand woman. Akeno Himejima.” Mitsuru does not air any objections. She simply begins the process anew. Lala pays rapt attention as she works at making the requested card a reality. Again, the press is slammed down, and again you are handed a new card. This one bears the smiling face of the serene yet dominant Akeno.

 “Next time we get into a fight we can test it out.”

Mitsuru nods, “You can use multiple cards in the Sledgehammer, but it requires a large amount of power. The current limit before it overloads is three.”

“Enough for Rias, Akeno and Lala.”

Lala snatches the gun from your hands and admires it’s form, “Ooo! Sledgehammer-kun is so cute! I love your work Mitsuru-chan!”

“Thank you. But with your assistance we will create something even greater, I hope I can rely on you.”

“Yes sir! Let’s get to work right away!”

Before the two start some chaos, you decide to establish just what’s going on, “What are you two going to be working on exactly?”

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, “With our weaponry now capable of defeating the enemy, we must protect the operator. We will be creating a defensive system that can protect you from harm.”

Lala slams her fist into the palm of her hand, “Just like Peke!” Your eyes drift up to the small broach/creature that rests on top of her large, poofy hat. “Hm. The design you come up with in the manga is super cute,” she cheers, “I hope we can recreate it properly!”

“I much prefer function over form,” Mitsuru says staunchly, “However, if we have time – perhaps aesthetics can be considered as well.”

The two girls hustle over to the whiteboard wall and begin scribbling down a series of schematics and equations that go right over your head. As Mitsuru said, some of it you had picked up over years of knowing her, but at her best she’s completely incomprehensible. She’s on a level above even the university professors you both dealt with when you attended together.

The blueprints start out as a chaotic series of scribbles, a pair of duelling visions for what this armor should look like and how it should function. Eventually a consensus is reached, although you suspect that Lala stepped aside because of her adoration and respect for Mitsuru. The board is wiped clean and the design process begins anew, this time with a clear unity of vision. It’s impressive to see them both work at the same time.

You dip in and out of wakefulness as the two girls work hard on concocting their new invention together. Every time you peel your eyes open from your spot on the couch, they move a step forward. Prototyping and testing turns into physical examples and iterations. They move at such an incredible speed that soon every spare surface is littered with models, parts and experiments. You finally come to when Lala shakes you awake.

“Come look at what we made! It’s amazing!”

You climb up from the couch and walk through to the other side of the garage, where an… interesting suit of armor is hanging from one of the old car lifts. It reminds you of a Power Ranger. There’s a visored helmet, a chest-plate, gauntlets and shoulders, and kneepads and boots. The visor is designed to look like the very shattered fragments of reality that summon the girls who help you, multi-coloured triangles arranged into a dazzling pattern. You notice that a similar design motif has been applied to several other parts of the costume as well, down the sides of the chest and legs, and on other key points like the shoulders and boots. The white and rainbow design screams ‘hero’ to you. No doubt it was Lala’s idea to make it like this, the bold, curved shapes, thick lines and bright colours bare no small resemblance to her own alien attire.

“What do you think?” she asks, swinging on the heels of her feet.

“It looks good, but how protective is it?”

Mitsuru chuckles to herself, “Fufu. How protective? Capable of withstanding the force of a tank shell, completely bulletproof to nearly every calibre of round from up to a distance of five meters, and double layered with protective padding and join support systems to protect your bones. I’d be impressed if you found a way to get a scratch wearing this. Dare I say, it’s our masterpiece.”

“Oh, and this too!” Lala holds out a small bracelet with a pair of black bat wings attached to it, “This device is based on Pyon-Pyon Warp-Kun, I called it Pyon-Pyon Armor-Kun! When you press this button, the armor will be instantly transported to your body, allowing you to use it anytime, anywhere!”

“Wow, that is pretty amazing,” you agree. You take the wrist-mounted device from her and wrap it around your left arm, “What did you decide to name it?”

Mitsuru smiles, “The Advanced Interdimensional Support and Protection Module-“

“-Herarmor-Kun!”

“Her… Armor? As in, Harem and armor?”

“Yep!”

“Not so sure if it’ll roll off the tongue that well.” In response to your criticism, Lala pulls a heart-rending face so powerful that you immediately acquiesce. Quivering bottom lip, watering eyes and all. “Okay. I suppose it’s fine. Not like we’re marketing ourselves at the moment anyway.” Mitsuru casts a shifty glance aside that immediately arouses your suspicions.

With the armor done, Lala attaches herself to your left arm, “Honey! Let’s go out on a date! Can we? Can we?”

“You worked hard. Taking a little time to relax can’t hurt.”

“I’ll do the finish touches, you two go have fun together,” Mitsuru says, waving you out of the lab and onto the courtyard, now if only you had a matching vehicle to go with it to get you places.

Notes:

deadwriteshin.carrd.co

Chapter 7: Lala's Date and Summoning Akeno

Lala’s incredible curiosity would not be sated by walking around town with you. She asked what felt like hundreds of questions about everything and anything she saw during the trip. She’d drag you into a shop that’d catch her interest and peruse nearly every item they had on display. Keeping up with her was exhausting. At least she seemed to know a little something about social norms on Earth, unlike her early appearances in the manga. You have yet to be stripped naked, nor has she gotten naked herself.

You convinced her to take a break at a nearby café. Her strange outfit drew a few stares, but she was happily shrouded in ignorance and slurping away at a milkshake you ordered for her. Based on your previous questioning of Rias, it was easy to draw the conclusion that Lala was not in love with Rito like she was originally. Instead, she was in love with you.

It’s strange that your appearance in a manga and anime could have such a strong effect on them though. There are examples here at home too, of course – everyone loves poking a bit of fun at people who obsessively collect merchandise for their favourite anime character. But love was a different matter. There was a lot more to a real person than what you see in a TV show, a snapshot of their life and personality. Who’s to say that the love they feel won’t translate into reality when faced with the real thing?

Mitsuru is confident that her machine summons women who genuinely love you, and want to be with you, and it worked with Rias. You have no reason to doubt her. If she wanted to pluck a potential wife for you from amongst the multiverse, she’s already proven her capability to do it.

“This is delicious,” Lala smiles. “So – I want to get to know my new fiancé!”

“Fiancé?”

“Yep. My Papa is really impatient, and he keeps setting me up with a bunch of meanies! But now that I have you, I don’t have to worry about them anymore.” You already know this, obviously. Lala is quick to imprint herself on people who show her kindness. The real problem is how she’ll react to finding out that Rias has already staked her claim on you, and all the way down your back.

You rub the back of your head, “I don’t know if I have time to organise a wedding at the moment… I mean! There’s a bunch of aliens trying to invade Earth after all.”

Lala tilts her head, “I guess you’re right. But don’t think you can get away from me forever! I want a big, amazing wedding with all of my friends and family!” Lala continues to elaborate on her future plans for your wedding with little regard for the topic at hand. You sit back and allow her to have her fun for the time being.

Your nice date at the café is not long for this world.

Before Lala can finish explaining how the food will be dispensed by a new gadget she’s inventing, a loud crash from nearby causes panic amongst the other patrons. As the dust clears across from you, you witness the arrival of a strange man with blue skin, long white hair, and wearing eccentric armour that reminds you of a high fantasy RPG. He points at you, “Evildoer! Prepare to be smited by my sword!” Suddenly dozens and dozens of foot soldiers pour from the alleyways and leap from the rooftops, surrounding him and forming a defensive formation. They wear chrome masks that hide their true identities and wild various melee weapons.

You and Lala stand from your seats and face down the new threat. “I take it that you’re one of those untethered assholes who’s trying to take over our planet?”

Lala nods, “That’s them! Wow, they even look like they did in the manga…”

The enemy general flicks his fringe away from his eyes, “You are the man who destroyed our scout? We shall see your true strength with our own eyes!” He draws his sword and points it at you, “Now, draw arms and face us! We will decide the fate of your star!”

“Looks like your armour is getting its first test run Lala.”

“Roger!”

“Advanced Interdimensional Support and Protection Module Herarmor-Kun! Let’s go!” You press the button on the bracelet and feel a jolt of energy run through your body. A glowing blue light envelops your body, when it dissipates a few seconds later you’re wearing the armour! A futuristic heads up display highlights your enemies in red for you, and displays your body’s condition in the top right corner of your vision.

You don’t have time to admire the user interface, one of the blank faced mooks charges at you, his club held high in the air. He swings down hard as you hold up your arm to defend yourself. You feel the impact of the weapon hitting your arm, but no pain. You open your eyes to witness it shatter into pieces on contact! If that had hit you without the armour, who knows what would have happened!

The blue skinned man smirks, “I suppose you aren’t such a pushover after all. An impressive suit of armour.”

You ball up your fist and swing wildly at your attacker. You are not a trained fighter, the odds of even hitting them are low. The edge of your knuckles brush past their face, barely making contact. The mook tumbles head over heels and through the brick wall to your left, crashing through it in a pile of dust and stone. A glancing blow just blasted him across the street! What kind of satanic thing have Lala and Mitsuru invented?!

His smug smile twitches slightly as one of his men is blown to kingdom come, “G-Gah, I-I underestimated you!” he blusters.

“Woohoo!” Lala cheers, “That’s my fiancé!” One of the soldiers attempts to fight her, but she similarly blasts him across the road with a single flail of her devilish tail. “Oh, I’m sorry!” She dashes over to the KO’d henchman and bows her head apologetically.

“Lala, they’re trying to kill us.”

“Oh! You’re right! Mitsuru told me you can summon Sledgehammer-kun by pressing the red button!” You quickly follow her directions and press the other button on the bracelet, reality shatters in front of you, and the Sledgehammer drops from above into your outstretched hands. It’s much lighter now that you’re wearing the super armour.

A thug tries to take advantage and charges at you. You swing the gun around and point it at his stomach, before pulling the trigger. Without a card inserted it acts as a powerful blaster. A purple ball of fire engulfs him and sends him flying back to his waiting comrades. The enemy commander is infuriated, “That’s it! I was going easy on you before, but it seems that my caution was misplaced. Attack!”

Thinking quickly, you open the gun’s chamber and eject Rias’ card into your hand. “RIAS GREMORY! SHATTERING!” it declares as you slide her card inside and lock it shut. You fire the Sledgehammer again, summoning your red-haired lover from her own dimension. This time she’s wearing a casual outfit instead of her school uniform. She deftly dodges a strike from one of the soldiers before blasting him away with a burst of magic.

She turns to face you, tilting her head at the sight of your new armour, “Is that you in there, my cute little boyfriend?”

You bow your head, “Sorry Rias! Looks like we’re going to need a hand here.” You turn to the left and punch out another of his men, sending him collapsing onto the floor with a thud.

“I should have known that my boyfriend would be popular,” she comments jokingly, “Hand off, he’s mine!” She summons a blast of crimson lightning and strikes down several foes at the same time, thinning out the numbers significantly. Lala has done her own part and created a veritable pile of defeated bodies at her feet, her tail swipes at them with deadly precision, occasionally firing a laser beam at those too afraid to approach.

“Hey, Rias – how would you feel about me inviting one of your friends to the party?” You pull out Akeno’s card and show her.

“Ah! You decided to take my advice? Fufu, the more the merrier, as they say.”

You don’t hesitate any further, “AKENO HIMEJIMA! SHATTERING!”

Reality is torn asunder, and through the gap emerges a tall, beautiful girl with a long black ponytail and a chest that puts Rias’ to shame. Like her leader, she’s also wearing casual clothes – the two must have been out somewhere together. What a coincidence.

She whips her head around in confusion, “Ara? President! So this is where you went.”

“Akeno, assist me in dispatching these fools.”

“Gladly.” Akeno glows with a blinding light and transforms into her fetching shrine maiden outfit. Black wings sprout from her back as she flies above the battlefield and holds up one of her arms, “Fufu, this is the end for all of you.” You see a glimmer of malice in her purple eyes as she summons a biblical lightning storm to wreak havoc on the area. You barely manage to grab Lala and duck behind a nearby car before you’re hit by it.

The noise is deafening. A thick layer of smoke covers the street. You peer from over your vehicular saviour and witness the devastation wrought by Akeno’s single attack. All of the remaining soldiers lay in a smoking heap. The commander’s jaw is agape, his entire platoon destroyed in moments by a set of four strangers.

“W-What in blue blazes was that?” he demands, “I didn’t know they had such strong fighters here! I’m totally underhanded!” A purple portal opens behind him. He steps back and escapes before you can grab him and slap him silly for his bullshit. The rest of the soldiers disappear in a similar manner as some type of automated system recovers their unconscious bodies.

With the threat defeated, you disable the armour and return to your normal clothes. Rias can’t help herself from walking over and dragging you into a deep kiss, right in front of Lala and Akeno. You stare deep into her eyes, your heart hammering in your chest, before you realise that you have an audience. You back away and clear your throat, “Uh, sorry Lala.”

Lala tilts her head, “Why would you be sorry?”

“This is Rias Gremory, I guess you could say she’s my girlfriend.”

“Charmed,” Rias smiles.

“I should have told you before,” you explain. Lala was so insistent that you were her fiancé, and here you are eating another girl’s face right in front of her. Akeno, Rias and Lala all seem collectively confused about why you’re so embarrassed.

“So?” Lala continues.

“Well, aren’t I a two-timing jerk for leading two girls on at the same time?” you roll on.

“Two-timer?” Rias ponders, “What does that mean?”

“Are you okay honey?” Lala says, placing her hand on your head, “You don’t have a fever…”

Your phone rings. You answer it in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation, “Mitsuru?”

You hear her place a tool down on the table in the background, “By the way, all of the girls we’re summoning come from universes where polygamy is normal. Have fun.”

She hangs up.

Gee, thanks Mitsuru.

You turn back to the three girls. “Wait, so none of you have a problem with me dating multiple girls?”

“Why would we?” Lala shrugs.

“My father had two dozen wives before he passed away,” Rias explains, “Of course, only my mother was graced with children - as the lady of the house.” Akeno sees fit to elaborate no further with her own… family circumstances.

You clutch your head and sigh, “Looks like I have some explaining to do. Oh, and I need to introduce myself to Akeno!”

The tall girl giggles at you, “The President has already told me much about you. You seem like a fine man.”

You pull Lala aside and present her to the devil twosome, “This is Lala. She’s responsible for creating that armour you just saw.”

“Nice to meet you!”

“A pleasure. I take it that she is one of your new wives?” Rias inquires. You blush and try to deny it, but there’s no helping it now. Lala had already made her intentions clear to you earlier. You just nod mutely. Rias smiles and turns to Akeno, “Akeno, how would you feel about being his third wife?”

She puts her hands together and smiles, “Ara, a splendid idea President. I would be honoured to share him with you!”

“I feel like a lot of big decisions are being made without me right now.”

Rias giggles, “Oh please, as if you would say no to us. A man overflowing with desire is the natural state of things, is it not?”

“Yep! Our fiancé is really manly!” Lala declares, “He was super cool! He fought off all those guys like they were nothing!”

You look back to the vandalised street and freeze, “Uh, maybe we should continue this talk somewhere else before the police show up.” The three girls quickly agree and follow you down one of the alleyways to safety.

Notes:

deadwriteshin.carrd.co

Chapter 8: Devilish Foursome

You eventually decided to hide out in your apartment while the heat died down. No doubt there’d be a few police officers sniffing around to try and find out what caused all of that property damage. Inviting three utter bombshells into your crappy, sparse home was not the brightest idea. Your anxiety has gone into overdrive. Rias was quick to claim a position on the couch, with Akeno standing behind her like a dedicated attendant. Lala joined her. You grabbed one of the chairs from your small kitchenette and sat down across from them.

“What a mess, is everyone okay?”

“Wow! Is this your house, it’s tiny… You know, I could make it a LOT bigger by using some of my technology,” Lala says.

“Uh, not much need to make it any bigger at the moment,” you assure her, “But if we start using the place more, I guess you could sneak one of those pocket dimensions of yours in here just for some extra space.”

“Or a bigger bedroom,” Rias teases you, “How many wives do you think you can fit in that bed of yours?”

Lala’s mind kicks into gear, “Oh! Yeah! We need a super-huge bed for all of your girlfriends and wives! Or maybe a room where the entire floor is one big mattress, wouldn’t that be amazing?” Before you can stop her, Lala pulls out a piece of paper and begins scribbling down plans for this upcoming renovation project.

Again, you insist, “I can only summon three people at a time right now, that’s you, Lala and Akeno. My old bedroom is good enough – if you three even want to share that bed at the same time and all. I need to send you back home now and again too.”

Rias turned to her friend, “As you can see, he summoned us here to assist him in this battle.”

“Not too dissimilar to what we do as devils,” Akeno pondered, “Though, you have not formed a contract with him?”

“Is there much reason to?” Rias reasoned, “Words of our deeds here will not reach home. For the moment, I am doing so out of the goodness of my heart.”

“Ara, as you say President.”

“President? Does that mean you’re super important and powerful!?” Lala asks, hopping up onto Rias’ lap in the process.

“She’s the president of their school club, not the president of a country,” you explain.

Rias pats Lala’s head, “Yes, I am the president of the Occult Research Club, and Akeno is my Vice-President. That being said, my status is of more import in the underworld than it is the human world. I am the daughter of a very influential family.” Lala’s tail wags like a dog as Rias really digs her fingers into her scalp. You’re surprised to see such contrasting personalities getting along like this. Rias is the patient type for certain.

“Akeno, you haven’t said much yet,” you ask, “Do you have anything to say about this… situation?”

Akeno’s eyes open, “Hm. I can see why the President likes you. You’re a very cute boy. I’d love to see that face screwed up. Fufufu.”

“Uh, so you know that we’re all based on fictional stories?”

Akeno nods, “Of course. The President always ensures that the latest chapters of your adventures are recorded or consumed in a hasty manner. Through my closeness to her I have no small amount of knowledge about this world and you.”

“Oh, so you’re not a fan?”

“I find it charming enough on occasion, though I have not yet found myself purchasing a dakimakura-“

Rias nearly leaps from the couch, “Akeno!” The raven-haired beauty snaps her mouth shut. You have a good idea of what she was about to spill. The image of Rias clutching a body pillow of you, presumably in some kind of appealing pose – perhaps with your shirt unbuttoned or just butt naked, is both mind-bending and hilarious.

“My apologies President.”

“I was just asking, since you seemed so eager to go along with what Rias wanted. You don’t know anything about me and you just agreed on the spot to marry me or whatever.” Akeno left Rias’ side and approached you, slipping out of sight and wrapping her arms around your head. You feel the softness of her immense chest push against the back of your skull as she hugs you.

“Ara, concerned that I don’t love you?” She leans down and whispers into your ear, “Bed me and the President, and I’ll show you just how serious I really am.” Your face flushes as her hot breath splays out across your cheek.

 Lala pouts and hops over the coffee table between you, attacking you from the front. “No fair! You can’t just have hubby all to yourself!” You feel very hot under the collar as two beautiful girls latch onto you and insist on taking you to bed, Rias just watches with a pleased grin on her face. Akeno’s hands travel south and begin to unbutton your shirt from top to bottom, exposing your chest to Lala and Rias, who give deeply entranced stares in return.

“Hm, such a nice body,” Akeno shudders breathlessly. Her left hand plants itself on your chest and presses against your pec muscle, “A strong, virile man, worthy of bedding two powerful devils and claiming them.”

Before you can protest, she swings around to your front and grabs your right arm. Lala is quick to play along and grabs your left. They drag you to your feet and through the threshold into the bedroom, Rias following behind you. The door slams shut. You gulp. You don’t know if you have the stamina to survive this. Rias nearly turned you into a zombified husk. You are attacked on all sides by their hands, tugging and pulling on your clothes until you’re left in nothing but your boxers. Akeno pushes you down onto the bed and wriggles in front of you, “Ara, I’m starting to get excited.”

Rias decides to join the fray, she grasps Akeno’s cheeks and pulls her into a sensual kiss. You nearly pass out just from seeing the two beautiful demons make out in front of you. Their hands roam and grope each other’s bountiful bodies through their casual clothes. Lala plants her head on your shoulder and watches along, “Wow! They really like each other!” Her eyes drift down to your erect shaft, standing proud through the fabric of your pants.

“Can I see it?” she asks. Before you can respond she reaches down and pulls it over the top of your stiff cock. Now exposed, Lala's usual excitable nature takes a backseat. A gust of wind from behind you, and she is also naked. Her body isn’t as absurd as Rias’ and Akeno’s, but she’s perfectly proportioned, with a pair of perky breasts and flowing hips. She turns your head to face her soft lips and pulls you into a deep kiss.

Rias and Akeno move on from their little show and both kneel in front of you, “Fufu. He’s so hard for us already.”

“Of course. Inflaming his passions is an easy task.”

Rias and Akeno attack at the same time, planting their mouths on the tip of your shaft and kissing it. They suckle and lick you, covering you in a thin layer of their shared saliva. You try desperately to think unsexy thoughts to prolong the fun, but even your Grandma’s stuffy house can overpower the sensation of Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima giving you a double blowjob with Lala pressing her perfect tits into your back.

“I feel funny,” Lala gasps hotly, “It feels really good.” She spread her plump thighs apart, revealing her perfectly clean slit and labia. Her legs are already damp with wetness, aroused by her first experience with three other people. You reach over and press against her lips with your fingers, earning an appreciative moan in response. Teasing at her out lips, you slide your index finger inside of her. Lala is incredibly tight, even tighter than Rias was yesterday.

Rias and Akeno aren’t to be outdone by the pink haired princess. Sensing that they’re about to lose your sole attention, they redouble their efforts to lavish your cock with their mouths. The tension is ratcheted even higher as Rias snaps her fingers and magics away both of their clothes, leaving them in their underwear and exposing their bountiful chests to you. You screw your eyes shut and try to hold on for just a little longer. Their lips are soft and welcoming, and attack you in all of your most sensitive places.

There is no prospect of you prolonging this any further. You lean back and gasp as Rias and Akeno force a powerful ejaculation from the tip of your shaft. Your cum spurts across their faces, landing on their mouths, cheeks and foreheads. Before the last of your seed can escape, Akeno clamps her mouth around your head and attacks it with her tongue, forcing every last little dreg out in the process.

The two devils finally back away and admire their handiwork as your cock loses its firmness. Akeno opens her mouth wide and displays the load stored on her tongue, before slamming it shut again and swallowing deeply. “Ara, look at the mess you made!” she teases you, cleaning off her own face and swallowing down what was left from her fingers. Rias soon joined in, wiping away the excess and sticking an exploratory finger into her mouth.

“It tastes… strong, and bitter,” she concludes.

Akeno is quick to begin the dirty talk anew, “Hm. Surely a man like this could impregnate even a devil. That is no small feat.”

“Girls, seriously, if you keep this up I’m not going to last the night,” you explain, “I’m just a normal guy.”

There’s no escaping it. As much as you wish you enjoyed the supernatural vitality and refractory period of a genuine fictional character, you do not. You are a mere mortal. A normal guy who can go two or three times at best before crossing the threshold into a kind of torture. Rias and Akeno are enough to get you going again, but now that you’ve spent your first shot on their faces, the prospect of pleasing all three girls is a scant one. Rias would probably agree to give Akeno her spot since she slept with you yesterday, but that feels more than a little unfair.

“I know!” Lala perks up from the bottom of the bed, “Let’s just use this!” She procures a small bottle of… something from somewhere, despite not having any pockets to store it in. The bottle is uncorked and forced into your open mouth. The cold liquid slides down your throat like an acidic cough medicine. You swallow on accident and gently push her away. Akeno and Rias watch on from their kneeling position beneath you.

“Lala, what was that?”

The entire world spins. You feel the heat in your chest grow more intense by the moment. Your little friend, who moments ago had given up the ghost after his third orgasm in twenty minutes, stirs back to life under some kind of supernatural force.

“Oh, it’s just a little something to help you perk up again! Don’t worry about it! I modified one of my other inventions to be an easily digestible drink, that allows you to-”

Lala’s explanations are too late for you now. Rational thought flies through the window as the only thing you can think about now is sex. So fixated is your mind, that the entire population of a mid-puberty high-school could not possibly compare to the sheer quantity and quality of horny thoughts attacking the vulnerable neurons in your brain.

“Oh, looks like it’s working, Wah!”

Lala doesn’t have time to study her invention’s effects. You turn around leap onto her like a rabid wolf, pinning her to the bed and taking one of her pretty pink nipples into your mouth. Your erection is engorged, red and angry. It grows and grows to the very fullest extent of its size, your body pumping itself to the limit.

“Oh dear, it appears that our husband is on the attack,” Akeno laughs. The troublesome twosome hops up onto the bed and attacks you from behind, smothering your face with their gigantic tits. All three women could easily restrain you, but why would they? All they want is for you to ravage them and leave them in a very satisfied heap. You’re surrounded on every side by softness and warmth. It only serves to inflame your passions further.

Foreplay is firmly out of the window. You line up your raging erection against Lala’s perfect pink slit and push yourself inside, “Wah!” she cries as she’s penetrated for the very first time. “Hubby, slow down for a sec!” she asks.

“Fufu, hoisted by your own petard,” Akeno giggled.

“Indeed,” Rias concurred.

Your mind is blank as you begin to swing your hips with no small amount of force. Lala’s perfect breasts bounce with each meeting of your hips. Her inner walls are tight and wet, coaxing more and more from your pleasure-addled brain. Knowing now that her words will fall on deaf ears, she lays back and enjoys the feeling of your shaft thrusting into her precious place. She leans up and kisses you, although you aren’t in the right mind to return the affectionate gesture. All you desire is to release yourself inside of her, and you don’t care how long it takes to do it.

“It feels good!” Lala pants, looking at the two older girls with tear filled eyes, “Ah! He’s so hard!”

Rias felt her fingers dipping deep into her own honeypot as she watched her husband claim another beautiful woman. She gasped as her finely pedicured nails brush against her throbbing clit. Akeno snuck up beside her and pulled away her hands, “Allow me, President.” Akeno took her place, tugging on the outside of her labia and forcing her fingers in and out of Rias’ vagina.

The bed creaks under the strain of your vigorous lovemaking. Lala wraps her arms and legs around you as you pound her down into the mattress again and again. So intent on breeding her that you continue on, even as you feel your end approaching. You pull on her tail and push yourself as deep as you can go as your next climax ripples through your body. You gasp, it feels like hundreds of needles are being pushed into your skin as a cold sweat rolls down your back. You pump your hips with each spurt of your seed, desperately attempting to force it even deeper.

Lala moans at the feeling of your warm essence filling her womb. One, two, three, four. The waves of your ejaculation keep coming, only when you feel that your entire body is drained of its energy do you collapse on top of her and take a moment to catch your breath. “I love you, I love you…” Lala whispers into your ear, “Let’s be together forever, okay?”

“Ara, what a display,” Akeno smiles as Rias shudders in her arms. The bed is wetted even further as her orgasm splashes outwards onto the sheets below. “President, would you be so kind as to grant me the next round?”

Having already slept with you once before Rias agrees, “Of course. It’s only fair.”

You slowly and carefully pull out from Lala’s sodden cunt, your shaft covered in a sticky combination of both of your juices. Akeno has no intention of letting the chance pass her by. She leaps onto your back and wraps her arms around your neck, her prodigious chest pressing against you. “Fufu. I hope you fuck a baby into me too.”

Akeno knows full well what her words are about to unleash. You turn on her, eyes filled with lust and pin her down to the bed, “Ara!” she cries out in mock surprise. She could easily break every bone in your body by tossing you away, but she very much intends to experience your member for herself. Letting you take control for a moment was a small sacrifice to make, and though she was remiss to admit it to her friends she did enjoy being on the bottom every now and then – variety was the spice of life after all.

Akeno’s body truly defies reason. Wide hips, a lithe waist and stomach, and a pair of chest boulders that splay out to either side of her chest thanks to their sheer volume and weight. Your eager hands reach out and pull them back to the centre, pinching and pulling on her large nipples, each surrounded by a patch of light pink areola. Akeno reaches down under your body and pulls apart her lower lips, giving you an inviting look with her purple eyes.

You don’t hesitate. You happily enter her lower reaches with your still-hard cock until your hits meet. With your hands on her breasts, you begin to find a frantic yet pleasurable rhythm. Your body cries out to be rid of the supernatural hormone Lala has injected you with, supercharging your libido and your refractory period. Akeno isn’t complaining, she closes her eyes and enjoys the feeling of you becoming one with her.

Akeno is much more plentiful than Lala, in more ways than one, her body has a softness to it that is quite unlike hers or Rias’. You feel your arms sinking into her flesh as you hug her close and pull her up into a sitting position. You bury your face into her breasts and plant your hands on her behind. Akeno begins to bounce up and down on top of you, burying your cock even deeper inside of her.

Rias watches on with a satisfied smile. She was glad that Akeno was having fun, and sharing a husband with her closest friend was something she had always hoped they could enjoy together. For Rias such an idea was not strange, in her reality such marriages were common, even for humans. She understood your own hesitation though, all you needed was a small push.

“Fufu, that’s it, good boy, keep going,” Akeno pants, feeling her own orgasm approach. Her wonderful, sexy body quakes on top of your lap, an outflowing of wetness onto your thighs signalling her climax. The thought of bringing such a perfect woman to orgasm only hastens your own. With a few final thrusts you resolve to finish what you started, for the second time tonight, you recklessly release yourself into a willing womb. Akeno basks in the feeling of her new husband breeding her, the warmth of your seed splashing against her womanly core. She strokes your hair affectionately, “Go on husband, let it all out inside of me.”

Your climax continues for nearly a minute as the last dregs of your seed enter Akeno. She pulls you into a sweaty, tongue filled kiss and rubs her breasts all over you, “Thank you for the gift, darling.” You fall back onto the bed and gasp, exhausted. Akeno unmounts you, a sliver of your cum escaping from her reddened lower lips as she does so. Your cock has been thoroughly beaten into submission now. Akeno rode you like a bronco!

But, there’s still one more girl to go. Rias stalks over you like a vulture picking apart the bones of a deceased animal, “I hope you didn’t forget me, hubby.” You shake your head, your mind finally returning to you.

“N-No, it’s just… I don’t know if I can go again.”

Rias paws at your flaccid friend with a pout, “A shame. What fun I could show you, if only you could get hard again…” her eyes flash with malicious affection, “Although, I have a few ideas of how to get you into the mood again.” She pulls Akeno back to her side and kisses her, groping her tits and spanking her ass.

God have mercy on your soul, and your penis.

---

After another hip snapping round with the red-haired seductress, you all finally collapse into an exhausted, sweaty pile. The two devils take their places on each arm, while Lala settles into a resting position on your thighs. All three girls’ privates have been creamed, to put it into blunt terms. Rias had been so emboldened by proceedings that a rubber never crossed her mind. It stinks in here.

“I think our husband is tired out from all of that,” Rias smiles, snuggling closer.

“Fufu. It was fun while it lasted.”

“Hm. I’ll need more Berserker Potion-kun, especially if more girls are going to join in!”

You don’t even have the energy to speak back. You settle in for a brief rest as the three girls have pillow-talk without you. You’re too out of it to make much of what they’re saying, but you catch a few key words that make your poor little downstairs buddy tremble in fear. Maybe three girls are enough for the time being.

Notes:

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Chapter 9: Hideout

“Hey, hey, I have something cool to show you!” Lala declared, shaking you awake from a restful slumber between the arms of two beautiful ladies. Your bleary eyes came into focus to see her smiling face hovering above the bed, she was back in her usual, strange outfit. Rias and Akeno had not gone to such length and were still totally nude. You extracted yourself from between them, grabbed some pants, and finally allowed Lala to show you what was so exciting.

Lala throws open the doors to what used to be your wardrobe and reveals a room, a huge room that is easily three times the size of your entire apartment on its own. There’s nothing in the room as of this moment, but you can easily imagine decorating it and using it for various purposes. The blank walls are only adorned with a pair of double doors, which you have to assume is where your real wardrobe went when Lala decided to make this pocket dimension.

“Isn’t it cool? We can use it as an awesome secret base! Oh, and if we need even more space in the future, we can add more pocket dimensions inside here – and just keep going and going…” It looks like Lala has taken matters into her own hands and constructed a new room without you knowing. “I didn’t do much with it yet because I wanted to study what Earthling homes look like!”

Rias and Akeno (still both naked) enter behind you and study the room for themselves, “Hm. What a large space,” Rias comments, “If you have need of some furniture, the family storehouse is stuffed to overflowing with things my parents didn’t want to get rid of.”

You nod, “Thanks, but I think we need a more cohesive vision before we start getting things together… There’s enough space here to have a kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom already.”

“How about we start there? I’ll pull some strings and come back with some extra money next time,” Rias proposes, “You don’t realise how much freedom more living space gives you until you experience it for yourself. Our clubroom is larger than this so-called home.”

“Thanks for rubbing it in, Rias.”

“You’re welcome!”

You sigh, “Alright, alright. I’ll have a good think about what we can do with the room. It’s about time we sent you three home. Make sure you get dressed, Mitsuru says it drops you right where you were snatched from, down to the millisecond.”

“Indeed, no time at all had passed even though I spent the entire day here,” Rias explains.

The three girls tended to themselves and said their goodbyes, “Call me again soon hubby!” Lala cheered.

“Ara, don’t hesitate to summon me for whatever you desire.”

Rias settles for a kiss, before giving you a small wave as they fade away to their home worlds. You lay the gun down on your bed and sigh. That was hard work, but it was a lot of fun. How many hot-blooded males could say they slept with three women at the same time? Not many, you’re one of the chosen few.

You pull out your phone and contact Mitsuru, she is quick to pick up, “Hello?”

“Hey Mitsuru, that armour of yours is incredible.”

“I know. I was observing the battle from the laboratory; the helmet has a camera built in. With that said, your fighting prowess could do with some work. The armour is strong, but you cannot count on every enemy being a pushover.”

You shrug to an audience of none, “Maybe you should have considered that before choosing me to do it.”

“If I allowed someone else to sleep with a gaggle of beautiful women, I’d never hear the end of it from you.”

“I guess.”

“I would like you to make considerations for someone to train you in the martial arts, weapon or no weapon. I visited the scene after you left and retrieved enough trans-dimensional material from their broken weapons and armour to press a new card.”

“Someone to train me? That’s a tough one.”

“Please contact me with your decision as soon as possible. The enemy will not wait for us to prepare ourselves, especially now that they know our true strength.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll try and think of someone.” Mitsuru hangs up without saying goodbye as she is liable to do. You stare at the wall for a moment and try to come up with someone who could teach you how to fight. A fighting game character perhaps? Or maybe someone from an anime with incredible karate skills?

Your eyes drift to the bed, and your heart freezes – good lord the MESS. Your sheets will never be the same again. You hurry over and quickly set about the arduous task of removing the offending linens before they soak through, as if you didn't have enough to worry about…

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Chapter 10: Chun-Li

After you finish forcing the dirty sheets into one of the washing machines downstairs next to the building’s lobby, you sit back on the whirring machine and have a good long think about Mitsuru’s proposal. The question eventually comes down to one factor, what type of fighter do you want to be? There’s a strong chance in the near future that Mitsuru retrieves enough magic stones to make another card, so would it serve you best to summon someone who specialises in unarmed combat? The suit turns your entire body into a weapon after all. Or could you prod Mitsuru into making a cool signature weapon that isn’t the Sledgehammer?

Tifa, Chun-Li, Erza, Yang, Kendo… those are just a few. There are hundreds and hundreds of female fighting game characters with their own styles and designs. With an entire universe of people to pick from, it’s no wonder that you’re left agonising over the choice until the machine finally finishes saving your poor, poor bedsheets. You open the door and stuff them back into the basket.

At a time like this, it helps to be decisive. Which is why you pull out your phone, find a randomizer website, and put in the aforementioned names before spinning the wheel. You watch with bated breath as the wheel spins around and around, slowing and finally settling on…

Chun-Li.

A classic. Attractive, powerful, those thighs! The poster-woman for the most influential fighting game franchise in history. Most importantly she’s a talented martial artist with a unique style. You decisively type out her name in a message to Mitsuru and send it away. You have some errands to run that don’t involve the lab, so you set about your routine while Mitsuru works on the card.

---

The next day you make your scheduled visit to the laboratory. The first thing you notice is that the lab is much, much messier than usual. It’s obvious that Mitsuru has continued to experiment with some of the prototypes that Lala designed during her visit. What’s new are several weapons with a similar design to that of the Sledgehammer. Swords, axes and lances hang from the back wall in various stages of completion.

Before you can even call out to Mitsuru, she appears beside you and thrusts a new card into your chest. You grab it and hold it out for inspection.

“Miss Li is awaiting your summons,” she comments dryly.

“Thanks.”

Mitsuru rolls her eyes and returns to her workbench, “That is to say, you should consider summoning her and starting. It will take a long time for you to learn even the basics.”

You stare at the card with a deep frown, “Now that I think about it, couldn’t we find someone with a really weird ability – like transferring knowledge directly into our brains?”

“Without a known example, it would take me a long time to find such a person.”

Content with Mitsurus’s explanation, you slide the card into the Sledgehammer and fire it.

“SHATTERING! CHUN-LI!”

Reality is broached once more, and out of the other side appears the woman of the hour, Chun-Li, wearing her classic blue and gold dress. She’s slightly shorter than you, boosted somewhat by a pair of boots with heels, and she is every bit as beautiful as you expected her to be. And wow, those thighs live up to the hype. They’re nearly as thick as your damn torso. You can only imagine the incredible kicking power they must provide. Chun adopts a fighting stance, expecting some kind of ambush, but when the only activity around her (Mitsuru banging a piece of sheet metal with a wooden mallet) becomes evident, she relaxes and turns to face you.

“Oh!”

“Uh, hi. Chun-Li?”

Chun studies your face and body for a moment, before bowing her head respectfully, “I can’t believe it, you’re real!”

“You already know us! That’s great, it’s nice to meet you.” She gives you a firm handshake. “We were hoping that you could help us.”

“I don’t see any enemies here.”

“No, we’re not fighting right now. I was hoping that you could teach me some martial arts. Mitsuru’s inventions are amazing and all, but I can’t use them to their full potential if I don’t know how to fight properly.”

Chun considers it for a moment before nodding, “A friend of justice just as I expected. Very well, I’ll help you fight.”

Mitsuru peels away her ear coverings and points to one of the seldom used doors on the other side of the building, “Lala built a training space for us through there.”

“Thanks, let’s go check it out.”

You unlock the door and walk into another reality bending chamber. How did Lala find the time to build this too? It’s a futuristic gym, complete with a boxing ring, punching bags, and various pieces of exercise equipment. A long mirror covers the left wall and reflects the entire room back on itself. Chun seems impressed with the space, and doesn’t elect to ask any questions about how such an improbable room works – she’s seen weirder things in her time.

“So, how do you know us?” you ask as Chun inspects the punching bag.

“A popular television series, but I never expected you to be real.”

You shrug and lean against the red leather bag, “Well, that’s kind of the same way that I feel. You know how much of a celebrity you are around here?”

“I see. So I am one of those ‘fictional characters’ summoned by you?”

“Not fiction per se, but yeah, there’s a fighting game character who is basically you. Just like how I’m a character in your media back home.”

Chun nods, her white ribbons fluttering, “You want to learn how to fight?”

“I know it’s not going to be that easy, but if I’m learning from the best… maybe I have a chance.”

Chun raises one of her legs into a raised position and holds it there, almost giving you a tantalising look at what lies below the dress. “It took me many years of non-stop training to get to where I stand now. This will not be a journey you can complete overnight.”

You nod, “Put me through my paces. I need to be able to save the world on my own.”

Chun smirks, “Get in the ring.”

---

You tumble out through the gym door, your legs jelly, your heart pounding, and your body covered in a thick layer of cold sweat. Chun-Li steps over your prone body and bows to Mitsuru, who is deriving a significant level of enjoyment from seeing you in such a terrible condition. Chun-Li did not hold back. After teaching you a basic stance that could be used in any combat situation, she forced you to perform a series of intense strength and stamina exercises.

And then she forced you to learn more.

And then more exercises.

Your mouth is filled with bile and you can barely breathe. This is what you’re going to have to put up with to save the world, so whipping your fat, pasty ass into shape is the least of your worries. Your arms and legs lose their purchase on the ground as Chun picks you up by the collar with one hand and carries you to the couch, allowing you to sit down and rest.

“I see your training went well,” Mitsuru observes, “Miss Li, what is your estimate for our friend to be combat ready?”

“Without these weapons? A few months at least.” Chun takes the other seat beside you. Even when relaxing on the couch she sits in an upright position with her hands in her lap. Chun didn’t even break a sweat when copying everything you just did. What kind of cardio monster had she turned herself into?

You grab a towel from the table and dry off your face. “Jeeze, that was killer.”

“You did well, you have the perseverance of a warrior. Actions and stances can be taught, but to have the correct will and attitude is much more difficult.” She casts a glance down at your prone form, “You require a shower. Properly cleansing your body after training will improve your condition greatly.”

“Good idea, shower, need one of those.”

“If you need assistance, I can also join you. Showering with another person instils a strong sense of comradery and community spirit.” The thought of those thighs naked is a little too stimulating for your bruised body at the moment, so as exciting of an idea as it is you try to keep yourself calm. Mitsuru pulls out her phone and shakes her head.

“Apologies you two, but it appears that they are attacking again.”

“Seriously? I’m totally wiped out!”

Chun stands from the couch with a determined look on her face, “Even so, I wish to see these evildoers with my own eyes. You need not fight in my place.”

You flop over and grab the Sledgehammer from the table, “Just in case we need some help.”

Mitsuru pockets her phone once more and points to the door, “They’re on fifth street and they have a drone with them. This is a chance to obtain a significant amount of material. Do not let them escape.”

Your legs cry out for mercy as you follow Chun. Hopefully she can handle this one herself.

Notes:

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Chapter 11: Wreckage

You and Chun-li follow a worrying trail of carnage through the town until you finally arrive at the location of the attack. A large robotic soldier is surrounded by several of the weaker mooks you batted away yesterday. You quickly transform into your armour. “Be careful Chun, I don’t know what tricks that thing has up its sleeve.”

“A large opponent to be certain, but my resolve is greater still.” Chun adopts her idle stance and prepares for the enemy to charge. You don’t want to pull any of the other girls out here if you don’t have to. The enemy foot soldiers are quick to turn on you and charge. Luckily for you they haven’t gotten much smarter or more skilled in combat since you last faced them.

Even with your aching body you find it almost trivial to bat them away, though you try to keep some of Chun’s good habits in mind while doing so. You square up your feet and swing your hips, delivering some amateurish blows that knock four of them for a loop. Chun leaps over the head of her first assailant, using his head as a stepping stone to deliver a bone crushing kick to the soldier behind him. She uses a barrage of rapid kicks to hold back a unified attack from two others, each blow lands like a gunshot, sending out a loud impact sound that rings in your ears.

As she turns, she grabs a soldier’s arm as they swing and wrenches it, sending them tumbling onto the floor with a theatrical front flip. She doesn’t take any time to rest, her hands glow with a blue energy, before she flings a fierce fireball that engulfs one of the enemies and sends them flying. With their assault having failed to deter you both, the still conscious soldiers retreat behind the drone that Mitsuru was describing.

The previous drone was merely a pile of compacted dirt driven by the strange power of the glowing purple rocks that now powered your own weapons. This one is visibly more composed. It still glows with the same energy, shining bright through the bolted seams. The internal mechanics can be seen through a hole in its chest.

“Chun, can you handle that thing?”

“I believe so. But rushing in now would be foolish.”

As if to prove her point, a large cannon flips outwards from its arm. You duck for cover as a blast of purple energy erupts from the barrel and flies towards you. Chun deftly backflips away from the attack, flashing her lovely thighs and tight underwear in the process. She closes the gap at an incredible speed and delivers a series of punishing kicks to the robotic giant’s leg. She manages to dent the metal armour, but otherwise doesn’t seem to be capable of damaging it for real.

You lean over the car and fire the sledgehammer, bracing it against the roof. The shots are much more effective than Chun’s kicks, opening gaping holes in the metal plating and sending the monster reeling. Chun changes her plan of attack in response. Her entire body glows with a supernatural energy, and her rapid kicks become even faster. Her body turns into nothing more than a blur as the metal is shredded and torn away, revealing the whirring internals of the mechanical leg.

Chun swings around and delivers one final blow, shattering the circuitry and cogs to pieces and scattering them across the street. The monster, unable to support its own weight, falls down to one knee. Sensing an opportunity, you use your enhanced agility to leap over the car and sprint at it. You hop up onto the bent limb and clamber up over its back. The beast tries to swipe you away with little success. Its red, circular eyes stare at you without emotion as you point your gun down into its exposed chest cavity and pull the trigger.

Sparks and fire explode forth from inside the metal container. You jump away and land next to the still posed Chun-Li. You aren’t cool, so you stand and watch as the giant explodes into a fireball, before falling to the ground defeated. As the noise finally dies down, you notice that the enemy soldiers have already fled.

“What a bunch of cowards,” you gripe, “They ran away!”

Chun remains silent. She returns to a neutral pose and bows to the burning corpse of the former interdimensional invader. You don’t feel the need to pay respects yourself, and neither does Mitsuru, who appears from nowhere like a ghost and begins examining the still flaming wreckage. You detransform and approach the miniature scientist as she dons a pair of heavy gloves and tugs a piece of the machine out from an exposed panel.

“The guy’s still burning and you’re already looting him.”

Mitsuru doesn’t seem to see the inherent danger with poking around in a still flaming machine, she ignores you and continues to pilfer various bits and pieces, tossing them into a pile behind her. Chun-Li approaches you and taps you on the shoulder.

“These are the evildoers?”

“You know as much about them as I do,” you explain. “They teleport in, cause trouble, and then bug out when the going gets tough.”

“I cannot forgive such an attack on innocent people,” Chun declares, her eyes narrowing.

“That’s why we’re here,” you smile. She nods. It’s nice to have someone who takes themselves a little more seriously than the other three who’ve helped you out recently. You turn back to Mitsuru, “Hey, are you nearly done in there? The police are going to show up any time now.”

Mitsuru tumbles back with a metallic chamber clenched between her hands. It glows a tell-tale purple. It must be the power source for the machine. You walk over and help her back onto her feet. She holds up her trophy with sparkling eyes, “Ha! Amazing! This quantity… our weapon development just advanced by two-hundred percent!”

Chun doesn’t seem convinced, “I would advise caution. Weapons made even with noble intent can be dangerous.” Seems reasonable enough but it does raise a question in your mind.

“How much do you know about us, Chun?”

“I know enough to trust both of you, but others, I cannot say.”

You begin walking away from the scene of the crime. “Don’t worry,” Mitsuru replies, “I’ve ensured that the Sledgehammer can only be used by me and our mutual friend here. There are fingerprint sensors on the grip, and a few other surprises for people who try to steal it.” You hear the sound of police sirens behind you. You have to wonder how long you can keep doing this before somebody finds out about it.

“Aren’t you going to reward Miss Li with a visit to your bedroom?” Mitsuru comments dryly.

You sigh, “Do you know how patronising you sound? And I don’t think Chun decided to save those people just to ride the… me express.” You cast a conspiratorial glance at Chun, who is blushing thanks to Mitsuru’s lewd implication.

“Nothing interesting is going to happen at the lab. I’m going to be spending a lot of time refining this stuff, and it isn’t the most stimulating thing in the world.” You just shake your head. Why does Mitsuru always try to push you into these situations? She turns back on you and points in the direction of your apartment, “Go on. Get.”

You turn to Chun-Li, who airs no objections to the idea. “Fine. We’ll see you later. I need a shower anyway.”

---

Chun-Li is not impressed by your apartment.

She carefully plants herself on the couch, trying to avoid contacting it with anything but the bottom of her exposed legs. As you fix yourself and her a cold glass of water, she shouts to you, “How long have you and Mitsuru known each other?”

“Years. Ever since High School. She was a loner back then, still is, but she likes hanging out with me.” You hand her the glass, which she takes and takes a sip from. You sit down beside her and consider your relationship a little more. “I don’t really know how we started getting along so well. She’s abrasive and straightforward to a fault, I’ve had to cover her ass so many times.”

Chun smiles, “I envy you two. You seem very close.”

You lean back and cross your arms, “Not that close though. I mean, in the past week I’ve had three girls declare themselves my fiancés.”

“Really?” Chun asks.

“Yeah. They jumped right in and-“

“No, I mean…” Chun hesitates for a moment, before silencing herself with another swig of water.

“What did you mean?”

She shakes her head adamantly, “No. It’s not my place to say, forget I said anything. Apologies.” That arouses your suspicion in a lot of different ways, but you don’t want to pry. You’re already relying on her to help you defend your world from invaders after all. If it was important, you’re sure that her code of honour would beget her to tell you.

You finish off the last of the water and give your own clothes a smell test. You stink. That elongated workout with Chun and the fight afterwards have made you a very smelly boy. You aren’t so presumptuous as to ask Chun-Li to get into your crappy shower with you, it’d be more of a mood killer than an arousing scenario to share with each other.

“Am I everything you expected?” you ask.

Chun smiles, “You still have a long way to go.”

You rub your eyes and grunt, “I know.”

“But I know what you can become. What you have inside is something that does not come naturally to most. You will become a hero capable of protecting this world from evil, and I’ll help you do it.”

You smile and nod, “Thanks Chun. Do you want to use my shower?”

“Did I not say we should share?” she replies.

“Uh. I don’t think we can both fit in there.”

Chun Li clenches her fist, “I’d be happy to try.”

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Chapter 12: Second Quarter

Chun tried. She really tried to fit both of your bodies into the shower, but as you warned her previously it was just too small to do anything in. Not to mention that her huge, powerful thighs meant that floorspace came at an extreme premium even when she was alone. She backed away and asked you to go first. As the host you’d normally allow the guest to use it before you, but you know that the shower takes a little time to warm up properly, so you agreed. You return fresh as a daisy and crash onto your bed with a sigh.

You hear the shower run again as Chun takes her turn. She really is an amazing fighter. If even a small amount of that skill and experience can be passed on to you through her training, you might just have a shot at saving the world without having to rely on other people. The girls seem perfectly happy to do it, fulfilling some kind of long held fantasy to live out the story from ‘your’ franchise. What kind of merchandise do they have of you and Mitsuru? You think Akeno mentioned that Rias had a body pillow. You snort. Why would anyone want a body pillow of you? Rias, apparently.

The shower stops. You tilt your head down and see Chun leave the on-suite bathroom wearing nothing except a pair of black, hip-riding panties. She gives you a shy smile and climbs onto the bed, laying down next to you. She’s so sexy that you feel like your nose is about to start bleeding. Just being this close to her feels overly intimate.

“This is a change,” you note, “I thought you were all business.”

She pouts, “I’m allowed to have fun.” She reaches out and pulls you into a hug, “So, you’ve already bedded a few different women?”

“Ah, yeah,” you admit sheepishly, “Rias, Lala and Akeno are really pushy.”

“Hm. I’d like to be one of them. Would you accept me into your family?”

“O-Of course I would! You’re amazing, and really beautiful.”

“I can’t explain it,” she whispers, “We’ve only known each other for a few hours, but now I don’t want to let you go. I want to be with you forever, even if it means leaving my old world behind.”

“You don’t have to,” you assure her, “Seeing you and the others is as easy as snapping my fingers.”

“It’s silly. We’re all head over heels for someone we know from a manga…”

“I’m the real thing,” you chuckle, “And I could say the same for you. Finding out that all of these places and people are real – it really puts into perspective how little I know. It’s chance that these stories lined up with another world beyond this one. But it’s because of that chance that we’re here right now.”

Chun leans in and runs a hand through your hair, “I remember that Mitsuru has a particular way of choosing her cards… picking women who’ll fall for you so easily. I should be upset – but lying here with you is everything I ever wanted or imagined. I love you. I’ll never not love you.” She punctuates her declaration by pulling you into a deep kiss.

Your restless hands slip down her back and land on her firm cheeks. You knead the soft flesh, eliciting an excited moan from deep in her chest. You finally separate for a moment to catch your breath. Chun winks at you, “I’ll love you even when all those other girls are crawling all over you.”

“I’m trying to keep it under control, but knowing Mitsuru…”

“Do you want to know how many women you marry in my version of the story?”

“I’m going to regret asking, but sure.”

“Two-hundred-fifty-six,” she declares, “On average, a new wife was added every six chapters.”

“Shit, how long did this manga run for?”

Chun laughs, “A very long time.”

“I guess that makes you number four.”

Chun blushes, “Is that a proposal?”

“Eh. This isn’t the best place to do it.”

She smiles and closes her eyes, “I’ll be waiting.”

As much as you find Chun very titillating in nothing but her underwear, you are totally wiped from a day of training and fighting. The two of you quickly find yourselves drifting off to sleep, still intertwined in each other’s arms.

---

You kiss Chun goodbye the next morning and send her back home. Before you could consider going about your usual chores, your phone rumbled in your pocket. Mitsuru wanted to see you the first chance you got. Mitsuru usually had something important to say when that happened, so you decided to put off doing your weekly shop and head down to the lab first thing.

When you enter she’s hard at work on something. You creep up and peer over her shoulder. Her busy hands are tinkering with a small, plastic replica of the Sledgehammer.

“Uh, Mitsuru?”

She puts the mini-hammer down onto the table, “Good morning hero.”

“What are you working on?”

“DX toy.”

“…A toy?”

“You don’t think that this place’s rent is free, do you?”

For one thing, Mitsuru’s research grants pay the rent, not to mention the significant income she makes from her work being referenced and discussed in academic contexts. Secondly, this garage’s rent is cheap, really cheap – this is a dying industrial estate in the middle of nowhere. They’d take literally anyone willing to pay for it.

“Who are you even going to sell this to? Nobody knows what we’re doing.”

“You’d be wrong on that count. I’ve already publicised footage from your battles on Twitter, and we’ve accumulated a rather significant following.”

You feel your blood pressure going up already, “And that’s going to keep our identities secret?”

Mitsuru rolls her eyes, “I used a VPN. What kind of fool do you take me for?”

Your gaze drifts over to some of the other items splayed out on the workbench. These include copyright-infringing replicas of the cards you use, a five-inch action figure of your armour, and a full body poster. “Is this the reason you called me to the lab?” you ask.

“No, of course not! I wanted to tell you that we have enough intra-dimensional contraband to make five new cards.”

“Five?” Chun-Li wasn’t lying about the rapid accumulation of wives…

“And that’s after the upgrades I have planned for the Sledgehammer.”

You place the gun down onto the table next to its toyetic counterpart, “What kind of upgrades?”

“I’m going to improve the time dilation mechanism even further, the less discrepancy the better. Improved firepower to punch through heavy armour. I’m also considering adding capacity for another summon, so you can have four girls assisting you at once.”

“Sounds good.” Your eyes drift to the gym door. Chun asked you to keep up the routine even when she wasn’t around. This is the perfect chance for Mitsuru to tinker with it, while you get your workout in for the day. Mitsuru rummages around in her pocket and withdraws a phone, handing it to you.

“One more thing. I realised that summoning the girls when they have their own responsibilities is rude. I bought these second-hand phones and modified them to work cross-dimension, with end to end encryption using a custom OS I coded. They can set themselves to ready at any time so we know who’s available. When I’m done working on the Sledgehammer, we can hand the other four to the girls.”

“That’s considerate of you.”

Mitsuru smiles, a rare sight indeed. It doesn’t last long, she’s back into business mode a moment later, “I want you to think about some new haremettes while you’re in there.”

You laugh, “Is that what we’re calling them now?”

“Remember, we have five more cards. I think we have our bases well covered already, but more of a certain type won’t hurt. People to help fight, train you, and improve our technology. I won’t say no to any of your choices either way, I know you’re reasonable enough to make the right selections.”

“Five more girls, I’m spoilt for choice.” You grab a towel and head into the gym. Who could you pick? Getting the rest of the occult research club on board is a potentially good move, they’re all very strong and work well with Akeno and Rias. Maybe someone who’s good with guns? They could teach you how to properly work with the Sledgehammer’s offensive functions. It really is true that having no restrictions just makes things harder. Your mind is completely blank at the moment.

You finish another round of press-ups and collapse to the floor in exhaustion. You have to choose at least one new girl, since Mitsuru is being so insistent about it. But the question is, who?

 

Notes:

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Chapter 13: Call Me

After a lot of training and thinking, you settle on a stop-gap solution for the time being. Saving a few cards for later could prove fruitful should you need a specific skill or ability to counter the enemy.

Firstly, the matter of learning to use a gun. No character you can think of fits the bill better than Kusanagi Mokoto, aka the Major. Not only is she highly trained in urban combat and the use of weaponry, but she’s also an expert on hacking and counter-terrorism operations. You can’t think of a woman with a better skillset than that.

For the next two, you decide to play it safe and fill out the rest of your High School DxD team by picking up the last two of the original four girls, Koneko and Asia. Koneko is a good fighter, but Asia’s ability to heal injuries using her sacred gear is invaluable. You won’t have to stay out of the fight long with her around to help. You return to the lab and find Mitsuru tinkering with the Sledgehammer.

“I got my picks. Mokoto Kusanagi, Koneko, and Asia.”

She adjusts her glasses, “Mokoto? I didn’t think of her.”

“Hopefully she doesn’t need to charge…”

“No. She does not.” Ghost in the Shell is something that Mitsuru actually likes even to this day, unlike her sour on and off relationship with High School DxD. She puts down her tools and hustles over to the computer, entering three blank cards into the press and presenting you with the faces of three new heroines.

 

“Now that you’re done, we can hand out our new communication devices to the girls. I just finished tweaking the Sledgehammer.” She returns to the workbench and places it into your open palms, “We can summon four people at once.”

You draw your deck of cards, inserting Rias, Akeno, Lala and Chun-Li into the chamber. A second later all four girls are standing in front of you. While the other three are fully clothed, Rias is wearing nothing but a towel and is covered in water having clearly just stepped out of the shower. She doesn’t seem to be perturbed about her public nudity, instead running over and pulling you into a kiss.

“Hello husband.”

“Hi Rias, sorry about the sudden call but…”

Mitsuru clears her throat, “Before you all leap on top of my friend there, I want to give you these.” She hands out one of the phones to each girl, “To prevent any further mishaps – I’ve given these phones the capability to communicate between worlds. We can message each other, and you can set yourself as available to summon at any time.”

“I’m always available for our cute husband,” Akeno giggles.

“While that’s very romantic, you’re actually not,” Mitsuru grunts, “Rias just stepped out of the shower. I can imagine several situations where you would prefer to not be interrupted. While time dilation for short trips makes it quick, people standing next to you might see you change position or appearance suddenly.”

“Wow, this is super amazing!” Lala gushes, “As I expected from Mitsuru-senpai!”

“No monsters to fight today, thankfully,” you explain, “We can send you back as soon as you like.”

Rias laughs, “While I’d love to stay, I’m afraid I don’t have any clothes on hand.” She snaps her fingers, eliciting a purple flame. Unlike in the series, her clothes do not appear out of thin air. Perhaps being disconnected to her original universe prevents her from using the spell correctly.

“I also have an engagement to attend,” Akeno explains sadly.

 “Same,” Chun nods.

“I can stay for a while,” Lala smiles. You unlock the chamber and withdraw Lala’s card, leaving the remaining three inside.

You give Akeno and Chun a kiss to make up for it, “Alright, I’ll see you girls later.”

“Bye!” the three wave in unison, before dissolving back into their own worlds.

“Now I get hubby all to myself!” Lala declares, hugging your left arm and nuzzling her cheek into you.

“Nice to see you too, Lala.”

She peers around you and spots the new cards in your hand, “Oh? New girls to join the fun!”

You blush, “Yeah. Two of them are friends of Rias, and Motoko is a special forces officer. Serious kind of woman.” You aren’t sure if she’ll get along well with a girl like Lala. Even though she’s a powerful alien princess with a genius mind, she’s also a naïve high school girl filled with energy.

“Our little family is getting bigger!”

“…We’re already pretty big. Chun told me that I have something crazy like five-hundred wives in her version of this story.”

Her eyes light up, “Wow! Will he have enough time to write chapters for all of them?”

“Huh?”

Lala ignores your pointed question and hugs Mitsuru from behind, “What are you working on boss?”

“I was improving some of our equipment, but now that I’m done, nothing.”

Lala looks around the garage for a moment, “Is there anything you’d like to build? I brought some extra rooms.” Lala pulls several small devices out of her pocket and holds them out to Mitsuru, the same devices she used to expand your apartment.

“I may have an idea or two for how to use these.”

---

Mitsuru and Lala had run off to do whatever they were planning, and that was when you noticed that the mini-fridge you kept in the garage was running dangerously low on unhealthy drinks. You grabbed some cash and decided to walk down to the nearby store to get some while you have nothing better to do.

The route happens to take you past the location of the fight you had yesterday. As you approach, you notice a fairly large gathering of people gawking at the damage and taking pictures. The road is torn to shreds and several of the surrounding buildings have shattered windows and broken brick walls. You really did a number on it; you need to learn how to contain the damage better in future.

The area itself is under heavy construction, with workers removing the damaged road surface and sweeping up the shattered glass. The strange thing is the shrine that’s been built against the temporary railing. There are several images of you in your stupid hero outfit ripped from Mitsuru’s promotional campaign. Dozens and dozens of signs and sticky notes declare their support for you or gush about how cool it is that there’s a ‘real life’ superhero.

Almost makes you tear up a little.

With that said, Mitsuru is taking a big risk by making this public. She’s a genius, she probably can get away with all of her plans without getting touched, but you never know – a lot of people are about to be very interested in this technology you’re using. What’s to say that some crazy government official isn’t already trying to reverse engineer it and make an evil version of you?

That’d be cool.

On your return trip from the shop, even more people are waiting there. Are they expecting you to show up and sign autographs or something? You shake your head and push past the crowd, with little intent of stopping and speaking with any of them, until…

Bump.

You back away from the stranger. Did he seriously just walk right into you? “Oh, sorry pal,” he smiles, “Wasn’t paying attention.”

“No problem.”

“Everyone’s getting really excited about this superhero stuff, huh? Can’t move for them.”

You stare a hole through the man standing before you, blocking the one open path past the large group of spectators. He pats his own chest boastfully, “Can I let you in on a little secret? They’re looking for me.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Yep. Came down here and beat those baddies good, didn’t I?”

You step to his left and successfully evade his grip, “Listen, you’re gonna’ have to find someone more gullible to pull this scam on.”

“It’s not a scam dude!”

You walk away but he follows you down the street, “Why the hell are you even telling me this? Someone’s going to get the wrong idea and drag you to the cops.”

“Why would they do that?”

You stop and turn back on him. “I don’t know, millions of dollars of property damage? Vigilante justice? Illegal possession of a firearm?” Each successive offence causes his shoulders to dip lower and lower until he’s practically cowering underneath you.

“Okay, maybe you’re right.”

You shake your head and finally manage to get away from the strange man. People are willing to do anything to become famous these days. What’s the point? You keep your face hidden when you fight anyway!

Unbeknownst to you, an observer had witnessed the entire thing. He reclines back on the rooftop above and snickers to himself; “A fake, huh? That’s a pretty nice idea!”

Notes:

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Chapter 14: Seeing Double - Part 1

Inside the dark heart of the invaders ship was a room.

Inside that room was a long table crafted from black marble. Around it sat three individuals, the commanders of the invasion fleet, the ones given the responsibility of conquering the Earth for their overlord.

The first of them had already seen a bitter defeat at the hands of humanity’s latest weapon. A preening buffoon in an idiotic white and rainbow coloured costume. If only the other two knew of their strength, he muttered to himself bitterly, then the mockery would seem ever so foolish. He would prove them wrong in due time; with a plan so devilish that even he was shocked at its brilliance.

Behind him, a stolen television had been plugged into the wall, displaying a 24/7 news channel that he had become obsessed with watching. This planet had a huge number of people living on it, so much so that it could no longer support them. “Destroying this planet is a simple matter for a genius such as I!” he boasted, “Your suggestion, Sundar, sent my brain into overdrive.”

Sat beside him was a handsome young man, “Hoh, sounds interesting,”

“Nothing Faust does is interesting,” the final commander sighed, a pretty woman with long purple hair.

“Sundar, Mary, I understand your scepticism, but if you’ll allow me to explain. Our great leader has granted me the privilege of using our new model of android for this operation. With its increased intelligence and strategy making ability, our enemy will no longer be able to defeat us with brute strength alone.”

“Get on with it,” Sundar sighed, “What’s the plan, man?”

“Using the power of my new android soldier, I will duplicate the humans en masse – stretching their already waning resources even further! Food and water will become scarce, the climate will change to destroy them with violent storms, society will break down, and then they will come to us begging for salvation!”

Faust stepped aside to reveal his new weapon of war. While still larger than a human, this second version of the technology was much more streamlined. It had a large, hunched appearance. A pair of robotic faces pointed outwards in the façade of sock and buskin. Attached to its left arm was a cannon that fizzled with green energy.

“…For real?” Sundar rolled his eyes and kicked back on his chair, “That’s gonna’ take forever!”

“Just watch and see, Sundar, this world will be ours within a matter of moments.”

“Fine. I’ll watch. But don’t expect any help.”

---

There is one immediate effect from Mitsuru deciding to give all of your team members an interdimensional phone.

Selfies. Lots and lots of selfies.

Nude selfies, selfies when bathing, or in lingerie. The moment that Rias and Akeno got back home, you received no less than fifteen different images from them, alongside cutesy captions like ‘missing you,’ or ‘want to join me?’ It’s been ten or so hours since you first handed them out. You don’t know how much time has passed in their own dimensions, but you assume without the time dilation effect it’s similar to here. Lala and Chun-li have as of yet refrained from sending you anything; but should that pair of lascivious demons sink their claws into them, you might not have any space left in your inbox come the next day.

Also, you’ve come to realise that while they are sexy – seeing them in person is much better. As cynical as it is to admit, there’s little need to… take care of yourself anymore. You enjoy the images greatly regardless. Rias and Akeno are so beautiful that you could stare at them all day, not that you’d stare at something this explicit in public.

Mitsuru is continuing to work on her toy line. You wander over and take another look at the miniaturised versions of your gadgets, complete with lights and sounds. “I ran into a guy earlier who was claiming to be me. Are you sure we aren’t going to cause any unintended consequences with all of this stuff?”

Mitsuru has a confident smirk on her face, “There’s no need to worry. I’ve taken every possible measure to ensure the secrecy of our operations. Combined with some of the amazing technology that Lala gave us, we’re more secure than ever! Proxies, face masking, information control – the moment anybody thinks they have one over on us, zap! It’ll be gone!”

“That’s not really what I meant. What if some people start trying to imitate us, or steal our equipment?”

“Like I said before – the Sledgehammer is equipped with an advanced biometric identification system. Only you and I can fire it. And isn’t this imitation talk just a rehash of the popularly discredited idea that media consumption causes violent behaviour?”

“…But we’re real. And when people see a chance to make a quick buck off our hard work-“

Mitsuru holds out an action figure - cutting you off, “Who would ever want to make a ‘quick buck’ off of us?”

…

“You.”

Mitsuru slams the prototype toy back down on the table and opens her mouth to retaliate, but no words emerge. It’s a rare occurrence, you’ve confounded her. She looks down at the sea of cheap, disposable plastic and dismantled electronics with a profound sense of self-reflection.

“Well, It’s my intellectual property. I can do whatever I want with it!”

A true capitalist to the end.

You return to the couch and turn on the old TV in the corner. You watch for a moment, curious as to the current subject of the news report currently airing. Mentions of identical clones send your alarm bells ringing anew. Something is up. Mitsuru reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone, “What the- we have invaders downtown!”

“Ugh, I should have known they’d have something to do with this. I’m heading out to take care of it.”

You quickly transform into your armour and run as fast as your mechanically enhanced legs can carry you, arriving on the scene of the crime within minutes. The enemy leader stands between rows of his foot soldiers, and a curious looking robot with a pair of weeping masks attached to its face.

Several dozen identical pairs of people stand on the sidewalks. Contrary to the usual type of attack you see from these assholes, this clone outbreak doesn’t seem to have caused much carnage at all. In fact, the duplicates seem to be just as confused as the originals. They aren’t fighting nor is there a crazed panic amongst the populace.

“So good to see you again my heroic friend, but I’m afraid that this will be the last time we meet. Soon enough this world will come to an end, and we will be crowned its rightful rulers!”

This is the first time you’ve stopped and looked at the lanky man properly. He’s very pale, with slicked back black hair and a long black leather coat with a high collar. He looks like a reject from the Matrix. People start to notice your presence and begin snapping pictures with their phones. Your distorted voice is projected across the street, “What the hell are you up to now?”

“Hahaha! This is my masterstroke. The entirety of this pathetic planet shall quake at the mere mention of the name Faust! By duplicating these people, your resource starved Earth will begin to die even faster than before!”

“…Is that it?”

“What do you mean is that it?!” he cries.

You shrug, “It’s just that people are born naturally, way faster than you ever could do artificially using that thing.”

The cogs in his head turn, “S-Sundar, you fool! You tricked me again!” He looks up to the roof of a nearby building, where a man your age, wearing a black dress shirt and slacks reclines against a fire escape. He laughs loudly at his compatriot.

“It’s your fault for taking me so literally. I only suggested the duplication, you filled in the rest yourself.”

You’ve had enough of this stupid comedy routine. You pick two cards from your HUD and feel the automated feeder system in your gauntlet eject them your open hand. Both of them are on call and ready to fight.

“RIAS GREMORY!”

“AKENO HIMEJIMA!”

“SHATTERING!”

Reality warps, and the two seductive devils are summoned to your side. “Hello husband,” Rias smirks, “I don’t suppose our little pictures had the intended effect.” She motions to the army of enemy soldiers standing in front of you.

“Sorry Rias, this guy is keeping me busy today.”

Akeno covers her mouth in mock sadness, “Ara, president, we can’t stand for that, can we?”

Rias shakes her head, “Indeed. Let’s dispatch these interlopers and claim our reward!”

“N-Not if I can help it,” Faust blusters. He points at you, “Copydroid, attack!” The mechanical beast lumbers to the front of the queue and points its gun at you. You dodge out of the way. Akeno and Rias sprout their demonic wings and try to do the same, but the energy emitted from the strange weapon curves in mid-air and strikes both of them!

“Akeno, Rias!”

The two girls fall back to the ground. And then… they begin to glitch, subtly at first, but eventually they alternate between two positions seemingly at random. The faint outline of a copy appears, and then with a burst of electrical energy, they are cloned. Two copies of Akeno and Two Rias’ kneel on the ground in front of you.

“What the hell?”

“Hahaha!” Faust cackles, “There’s no escaping Copyroid’s sight. Exactly as I planned!”

The girls look at their clones with some confusion, but then a menacing grin that sends a shiver down your spine. They help each other to their feet and return to their fighting stances. Both Rias’ speak in perfect tandem, “Hm. Doesn’t this just mean that now there are four of us to defeat you?”

“President, shall we punish this foolish man?”

Faust’s face drops like a rock. The idiot hadn’t considered the fact that he just boosted your numbers. He made two identical clones of people who are on your side! Both Rias’ dive into the battle and use their magic to quickly destroy several of the enemy foot soldiers. Meanwhile, the dual Akenos take to the air and transform into their shrine maiden outfits, delivering a double-sized thunderstorm to the grouped enemies.

“T-This isn’t fair!” Faust screams, “You aren’t meant to work together!”

Sundar finds the situation hilarious, his face has turned red from the pressure, “You really are an idiot. Hahaha!”

Faust snaps his fingers and summons a dark portal behind him, “We’ll be back, and next time, we’ll be the victors!” He and the Copyroid make their escape while you and the girls are distracted. You pummel a pair of mooks with a kick to the head, tossing them onto a pile made by Akeno and Rias, and Akeno and Rias…

With the weaklings taken care of, and the enemy having fled, there isn’t much left for you to do.

“Rias, take us back to base.”

“Okay!” The left Rias snaps her fingers and summons a magic circle under your feet, whisking you away to the garage.

Mitsuru runs over as soon as you arrive. “I just saw it on the news. To think they had such incredible cloning technology.” Rias and Akeno seem rather pleased with their new doppelgangers, taking the time to investigate them fully and make sure that they’re perfect down to the last detail. After a few minutes of tomfoolery, Rias one and two look at you and smile.

“How would you feel-“

“-about a foursome with us?”

They both laugh as your face turns red, “We have to fix this before they kill me.”

“I thought you’d say that,” Mitsuru sighs.

Chapter 15: Seeing Double - Part 2

Notes:

This chapter is just porn.

I mean, this is meant to be a porn story - but it really is just porn this time.

Mitsuru has to find out where the drone has gone into hiding. She’d already captured a snapshot of the electromagnetic signal emitted by it when it used its powers just in case. She hopped onto her computer and started scanning the city for them. You aren’t any use when it comes to technical work like this, despite your long and enduring partnership. Mitsuru tends to neglect eating, cleaning or bathing; so most of the time you feel more like her Mother than an assistant. She waves you away with a firm assurance that she’ll call you when the robot is located so that you can destroy it, leaving you with four of the horniest women ever created.

Before you know it, Rias snaps her fingers again and brings you back to your shitty apartment. You can barely get a word in before Akeno and… the other Akeno start stripping each other down to their underwear, commenting about how similar they are the whole way.

“Is this the best time?” you ask. Not to sound ungrateful about experiencing this, but there’s a group of mad aliens on the loose with a cloning machine.

Rias 1 laughs it off, “If Mitsuru finds our target, we can simply stop and finish our business later.”

You doubt that.

“Ara, I thought you’d be excited to get your hands on all four of us…” Akeno’s copy nods along, both placing a hand on their cheek and titling their hips like they always do, in perfect unison. Not only are they alike in appearance, but also body language. They both reacted the exact same way to her statement.

You put your hands together as Rias finishes stealing your underwear, the gaggle of girls all get a good eyeful of your junk. You see one key issue with this, “As an aside, Lala isn’t here to spike me with that aphrodisiac stuff again.”

The girls’ wide-eyed lust is stemmed for just a moment. They all turn to look at each other, an unspoken discussion occurring between them. When that’s done, Rias two steps out of the group, “I suppose we should make each shot count then! With the right… motivation, I’m sure that our amazing husband can satisfy all of us at least once. I don’t want to see that seed spilled anywhere but inside us.”

You should have known that it wasn’t enough to ward them off. The twin Rias’ grab your arms and drag you across the floor to your bed. It takes a moment for the four girls to agree on how to position themselves around you. But when they do…

Akeno and Akeno slip in behind you and kneel down, placing your head between their left and right thighs in a double lap-pillow. The soft and squishy flesh of their beautiful legs is rivalled by the sight looming over you. Four huge, pendulous breasts threaten to smother your face. So large in volume that they are, you can no longer see their faces from below.

Rias and Rias both attach themselves to your legs, smothering your little buddy between their E-cup chests and applying a perfect amount of pressure using their arms. The sight of two identical copies of the drop-dead gorgeous redhead is nearly enough to push you over the edge already. They seem vigilant of that fact, and continue to carefully control the pace of their double-titjob with a teasing smile on their faces.

“Such a greedy husband we’ve chosen,” Akeno teases.

“It’s exciting to have a man like this,” her counterpart responds, “I wonder how many servile and dedicated wives he’ll gather in the end?”

“Hm. He’s so handsome, strong and kind, that I can see any woman falling for him!”

Akeno runs her hand through your hair, scratching at your scalp like a dog. “Fufu. But we’ll always have a special place in his heart, won’t we? A personal Occult Research Club harem, his to play with whenever he desires.”

“Several of the most powerful women in the underworld, dedicated to making him a papa!”

You grip the sheets and try to hold on, “Ah! You know I love all of you…”

Rias giggles, “Naturally. You have a big heart, if you’re anything like the you I know from the manga…”

“…then you’ll always be here for us – no matter how many girls declare their affections for you,” the other concludes. Rias speeds up her ministrations, eagerly pulling you towards a messy climax between their breasts. You gasp out and pump your hips as the first of your orgasms ejects a thick helping of your seed all over them, totally covering the pliant flesh of their chests.

“Ara, it looks like he wasted some…”

“I-I think I can go a few more times,” you admit. The situation is so intense that you can’t imagine going soft anytime soon. Rias giggles and rests your flagging member between their valleys for a little longer until you feel like returning to it. Her twin quickly closes in and licks some of the refuse from her copy.

“Hey! That’s mine!” she scolds playfully, returning the favour and swallowing some more. The fight quickly escalates out of hand, with Rias tackling her clone to the bed and stealing as much of your cum as she can. They’re a tangle of limbs as the playfight takes them across the mattress and away from your legs. Though the ‘fight’ quickly devolves into the two women groping and kissing each other, intentionally putting on a show to provoke you.

“So forward, president!” Akeno shifts you across to the other Akeno’s lap and rounds you. She reaches out and strokes your member with a motherly smile. “Allow me to steal the next round.”

You feel your pillow shuffle in place, “Go ahead, me.”

“Fufu. I hope you knock me up this time,” she says with a devilish glint in her eye. Sometimes you forget how crazy Akeno can be. She mounts your hips and slowly slides her tight, wet pussy over your cock. You groan and lean back, only to find your face covered by Akeno’s chest. She happily smushes your face into her cleavage as her copy rides you silly just a metre away. Being completely smothered by their bodies has you on cloud nine.

“I think our husband likes it,” Akeno teases.

“I can feel him twitching inside me,” the other adds.

“He must really like the idea of us carrying his baby…”

“Ah! That’s right, he wants to turn all of these powerful devils into his brides! Asia, Koneko, Xenovia… they’ll fall to you too.”

Akeno swings her hips up and down with little regard for keeping you going. There’s only one goal on her mind, and that’s relieving you of more semen as quickly as humanly possible. Her breathy expressions of pleasure with each dive of her hips sink you deeper into the breeding frenzy she and her counterparts have created. You wrap your arms around her waist and hold on for dear life as she jackhammers your pelvis into dust using her well-toned body.

It doesn’t last. One of the Rias’ grabs your left hand and shoves your digits into her soaked cunt. The other likes the idea and copies it with your right. All sides of your body are taken up by Rias and Akeno, you can’t move, see or even think. The sounds and smells of sex begin to take precedence over rational thought. You begin to think like Akeno, maybe blasting her womb point blank is the best way to claim her for yourself.

“I’m close!”

“Ah, that’s it darling, impregnate your second wife!”

With one last slam, Akeno takes your entire length deep into her core and wails as a powerful orgasm rips through her body. You push yourself even deeper as the tingling in your crotch turns into a deluge of sperm. Each thick rope increasing the odds that Akeno will walk away with a child in her stomach…

The girls give you a moment to collect yourself. Akeno keeps herself steady and unmounts you as you are finally permitted to see again. Her body is covered in sweat, and you can see your seed dribbling from her used pussy. She tilts her head and licks her lips sadistically, “Good boy.”

Her copy leans down and blows hot air into your ear, “Did it feel good husband? Recklessly invading our womb with your seed? I can see them racing to claim our egg right now…”

Okay, maybe Akeno has gone a little baby-crazy.

But the words have their intended effect. You already feel yourself filling with blood again. You sit up and stretch out your sore body. There’re still three girls left to please! The spent Akeno decides to sit out while the other three have their turns with you. One of the Rias’ lies on her back and extends her arms. You crawl to her and slide your slick erection into her. She gasps and wraps herself around your neck, planting a kiss on your cheek.

“Hm. I was waiting to feel this again.”

“Heh, you girls are going to suck me dry.”

Rias smiles, “That’s our duty as your wives, is it not?”

You feel a pair of gigantic tits pressing into your back as Akeno hops onto you from behind, “I get excited when our stud of a husband claims another woman in front of us. Boys are always so competitive.”

Rias’ copy latched onto your arm, “Indeed. I should be upset at our cheating hubby, but it’d be such a shame to let all of those girls live without feeling his love for themselves.”

Their words and actions are making your head slowly inflate with a fresh dose of ego. That’s how Akeno and Rias work though – they’ve been talking you up since the first time you met them. “I love you, all of you. I don’t deserve to have this.”

Rias places her finger on your lips and shakes her head, “Now, I don’t want to hear any of that coming from you. We chose this, we chose you. To share this is a fantasy I thought I would never get to live.”

“Fufu, she means that we all love you too, hubby.”

“Even the clones,” Rias Two smirks.

“Now go ahead and give the President the baby she’s waiting for.”

“How are you going to fight if you’re pregnant?” you ask, pumping your hips regardless of the answer.

Rias speaks with a shudder as she feels you exploring her inner walls, “I’m sure you’ll find ways to compensate… Ah! Mitsuru told us that you’ve already minted a few new girls to add to your harem.”

“She’s always telling on me,” you grunt.

To be truthful, getting someone pregnant isn’t that easy. But there’s an ever-present chance that it might happen. Not that anyone could see outward concern from you at the moment, because the dirty talk combined with being surrounded on all sides by gorgeous women, has thrown it out of the window. You just can’t find the will to care at the moment.

The other two back away as you pull Rias up into your lap and stare into her eyes, as a romantic round of lovemaking begins with kisses and gropes, and stroking her ruby hair. You pump your hips desperately, feeling each clench of her walls as she reaches her own peaks of pleasure. Her scent is thick in the air, the smell of her hair and sweat coming to fruition as you both grow more and more exhausted.

“Here it comes Rias…”

“Ah, that’s it. Inside me!”

You feel her nails dig into your back. You hold her as tight as you can as you unleash your third orgasm in twenty minutes. You breathe heavily and try to reset your mind after another explosive ejaculation. Rias kisses you everywhere she can reach, your forehead, your cheeks, and your lips.

Rias leans in and plants her nose into the crook of your neck, it’s even more intimate than when you were alone together. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me Rias, after all – I am your ‘hubby.’”

Akeno, like a devil on your shoulder, returns to the scene with a haughty grin on her mouth, “Fufu. But he still has two more girls to go…”

The already creampied copy joins in, “Ara, it wouldn’t be fair on our new friends if they left empty handed.”

You remove your poor, abused member from Rias’ hole and survey the damage. Three times is already pushing your upper limits, but five? You aren’t sure you’ll last. Sensing your hesitation - Akeno and Akeno hug each other, pressing their chests together and sharing a selfcestual kiss. Watching their hands groping and kneading whatever they can find is a sight you’ll never forget.

And your treacherous dick rises to the occasion.

“Looks like our husband likes the show!”

“Now come over here and share the love.”

Chapter 16: Seeing Double - Part 3

The man that walks from the bedroom several hours later is not the same man who entered.

Nothing will ever be the same again after that experience. Rias and Akeno were already ruthless lovers, but to double their number is tantamount to madness. By the end, you were ejaculating dust. It was only when you visibly started to turn into a complete zombified husk that they decided it was time to call it quits and show you some mercy.

The four girls lounge around your apartment. One Rias is on the couch, another is still in your bed cuddling with Akeno, and the other Akeno is now occupying your shower. You are battered, you are bruised, and your dick kind of hurts. That’s not the only thing swelling right now – because your ego is reaching dangerously high levels. You just got to bang four girls at once. You’re kind of the coolest guy in the world right now.

In short, completely and totally worth it.

You pat down your pants to try and fight the dull ache going on down below. Sorry little buddy; this experience will hopefully allow you to come back stronger next time. Your phone vibrates, and before you can even swipe the green button and answer the call Mitsuru’s voice blares through it – did she install an override on this thing?

“I’ve located the drone. It’s hiding inside of the industrial area south of downtown.” A map appears on screen and a green line stretches from your apartment to the target location. “Get down there and smash it before they cause any more trouble.”

“Alright, looks like we’re moving out.” You hop up from the couch like a king, but you actually fall flat on your face instead. Your legs are fucked. It’s a good thing your living room is carpeted. Couch-Rias leans down and pulls you back to a standing position with a giggle.

“I didn’t realise we wore you out so much.”

“Really?” you say sarcastically, “Come on. We’re going!”         

Kitchen-Akeno stomps her foot, “But I was just about to make dinner…”

“No buts unless they’re on my face!”

---

After wrangling all of the girls, you hustle on down to the industrial area of the city to try and find the culprit behind all of this tomfoolery. Activity here has died down significantly since the nineties. It used to be the working heart of the entire surrounding area. Service industries had come in to fill the gaps. As a result of that and a lack of interest in re-developing the area for a new purpose, half of the district is now abandoned factories and warehouses. The most airtime this place gets on the local news is when one of them burns down thanks to a lack of maintenance or some kids screwing around.

Rusted steel, shattered glass windows and pipes running everywhere. Not the ideal place to bring two of your wives. You can hear a stray dog barking in the distance, along with the occasional bang or clang from one of the surviving businesses. It’s a good place to hide – if you’re so inclined.

“You’re nearly at the target location. May I suggest transforming into your armour before the fight begins?”

Good idea Mitsuru. You press the button on Lala’s bracelet and don the armour. Akeno and Rias and Akeno and Rias swoon over the sight of you in your noble dress, though you can’t help but wonder why they find it so exciting when Issei can essentially do the same thing. Maybe they find the ‘white and stained glass’ aesthetic more appealing, or maybe they’re just trying to massage your already bloated ego.

“This is the place,” you say, looking up to a pair of open red barn doors. Inside is a completely empty warehouse space. Large metal struts run from the ceiling to the dirt-covered ground. A row of lights hangs limply from the rafters. You step inside expecting an enemy ambush of some kind, what you find instead is much stranger.

In the centre of the gigantic space is a set of old, red furniture. A couch, an armchair, even a small matching coffee table. Atop the seats are the men of the hour. Faust and his duplication monster are watching the news on an old CRT TV. With the volume pumped up to max, it echoes through the cavernous complex and reaches your ears unbidden.

“Another attack today has forced a response from the Governor. He condemned the unknown force responsible for the damage caused, and attempted to dispel rumours of a ‘superhero’ arriving to save the day.”

The image switched from the studio to a live feed of him making a statement, “We’re already working to improve the security of our city. The police and national guard are on high alert, and are ready to respond to any further attacks by this unknown force.”

“What about the superhero?” asks an unseen reporter.

The governor scoffs, “It’ll take more than some internet hearsay to convince me of something like that. I can only ask people to apply some scepticism to what is clearly doctored and edited footage.”

You sigh, “Why can’t an honest guy get some credit for his hard work these days?”

Faust scrambles to grab the TV remote and switch it off. He turns back to face you with a look of shock on his face, “You, how did you find us?!”

“That stupid tin-can of yours is broadcasting a signal we can see from a mile away. Maybe you should turn it off next time you want to hide somewhere.”

“Grr. All of this is your fault! If you hadn't interfered, we would have destroyed this planet through overpopulation already!”

“Uh. I’m not so sure about that.” Far short of the mass anarchy that Faust had expected, it seems that people are getting along swimmingly with their identical copies. There is no panic, nor any suggestion that the city will soon be experiencing a shortage of food and resources.

Faust pauses, “How many people are on this stupid planet?!”

“…Eight billion, give or take a few.”

“E-E-Eight billion!” he screams, “I can’t clone eight billion people! I’ll die of old age!”

Another body makes their presence known, sat above the party on one of the metal struts. Sundar sighs and covers his face, “You didn’t even know that?”

“He has a point,” Rias agrees.

“Why are you taking their side Sundar? If you aren’t going to help me destroy these fools, don’t pester me with your irritating presence!”

Sundar shrugs, “If that’s what you want. I’ll just sit back and watch as this guy kicks your ass.” He crosses his legs over each other and leans back in a relaxed pose.

You’ve heard enough, “How about we stop this circus and settle this the simple way?”

“Fine! Copyroid, destroy that fool! Without cloning him this time!”

The mechanical man takes a fighting stance and charges at you. You hold out your arms and put a stop to its bull charge. You deliver a metal denting knee to its midsection and hoist it over your head, slamming it back down onto the ground and stunning it. Meanwhile, the DxD foursome decide to teach Faust a lesson using their magic.

There was never a realistic prospect of him winning this fight. In reality it’s even more pathetic than you first imagined. Rias and Rias swoop in using their devil wings and pummel him with a flurry of glancing blows, while Akeno and Akeno strike at him from afar using their incredibly dangerous lightning. He can’t even move due to the barrage raining down on him from above. And true to his word, Sundar doesn’t lift a finger to intervene on his compatriot’s behalf.

“This… isn’t… fair!” he yelps.

“It’s not meant to be fair,” Rias teases him, “This is love and war.”

He is struck by another bolt from above, “Ara, if you have such a problem handling four girls at once…”

And another from behind, “Maybe you shouldn’t have cloned us in the first place!”

Meanwhile, you’re putting your best foot forward against the mechanised man trying to beat your head in using its cannon as a blunt weapon. Chun-Li’s training has already had an effect on your fighting ability. Your stance is much stronger, your blows using more of your body’s natural power. Even as you take a stray hit from its other hand, you stand firm and strike back with just as much ferocity.

Each clang of fist meeting metal spurs you on even further. Nuts and bolts fly free from their housings as it begins to fall to pieces right in front of you. You polish off your left-right combo with a flying kick, sending it tumbling down into the dirt.

Your communicator beeps, “It’s time for the finishing move!”

“Finishing move? The thing can barely even stand up!”

“I thought you knew better than that! Every good hero has a finishing move, the most powerful, flashy attack that they only unleash when the foe has already been defeated to the point of no longer being a threat. Seriously now.”

Isn’t that all totally ass backwards?

“You never told me anything about a finishing move before.”

“It’s easy. Just do what you did already but give it a silly name, the suit will trigger it automatically.”

A silly name? She’s really putting you on the spot now.

“Fuck it.”

You charge at the monster. The meters inside your helmet begin to go haywire as power is rerouted from your usual subsystems into your left arm. The panels there open outwards and begin to spark with condensed energy. Your mind quickly queues together a series of words lifted from other TV series and anime you’ve watched.

“Super-Electron Harem Punch!”

The clumsily glued together statement works a treat. You jump into the air and come back down again, planting your strike dead-centre on the android’s chest. A second later your vision blanks out as a gigantic explosion engulfs both you and the robot. When the dust settles, little remains of it except a spattering of spare parts and mostly intact limbs.

But the catchphrase, cringe. That was cringe. That thing you just said? Cringe.

You crouch down and clutch your ringing head with your hands. You’re such an asshole. You should have come up with something better than that.

As if to punctuate the immense dread you feel - Mitsuru chirps back through your headphones, “Perfect! That’s some great footage!”

“…Footage? Hey, Mitsuru – did you just close the call? Mitsuru!”

You glance up just in time to see Faust retreat from his fight with the four DxD girls. When he does, the copies begin to flicker in and out of existence like static on an old television. Then they are pulled together and merge back into one, complete person. It looks like destroying his android undid the cloning process.

A gust of wind sweeps past you, snatching away the intact cannon that it had once used. Sundar smirks cockily from atop his hiding place with it clutched under his right arm. “That was pretty entertaining. But that idiot Faust isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Next time – I’ll give you a real challenge. See you later!”

And just like that, he’s gone too.

You sigh and detransform. Akeno and Rias glide back down to you and kiss you on both cheeks.

“We did it guys; we defended the empty warehouse from their evil ways.”

---

A few minutes later, back at the lab - Mitsuru claps her hands together; “Well done everyone. Another interdimensional scheme foiled with peak efficiency.”

“Hubby was very impressive today. That training is paying off,” Rias smiles.

“Ara, I like a dependable man,” Akeno giggles, “Please show me more of that side in the future!”

“Gap-moe?” Mitsuru ponders.

“That implies I’m not usually dependable,” you object. You slouch down on the couch and try to rest your body after a long day of… sex. It was mostly just sex. The fight lasted no longer than four minutes of carefully segmented and produced screen time. Mitsuru busies herself on her laptop with something, it’s only when she turns up the audio and you hear your own voice under the slickly produced musical score that you realise what she’s doing. “Mitsuru, you didn’t just record that to make a toy commercial, did you?”

She freezes with a tense smile, “Ah. Didn’t I tell you? I’m… recording these fights for… research purposes so I thought that it’d be helpful to turn them into DX toy ads.”

“Mitsuru…” you repeat with a grave tone of voice, there isn’t much else that needs to be said. She ignores you and keeps editing anyway. You’re going to have to get back at her somehow.

Chapter 17: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 1

A few days later Mitsuru and Lala pull you aside with the intent of showing you something they’d been working on for a while. What that thing was? An elevator, hidden in one of the doors that used to lead to the backrooms. Lala had been liberally using her pocket space technology to work with Mitsuru on several projects.

“We’ve been working really hard to expand your base!”

“My base? Mitsuru pays the rent.”

She continues undeterred, “We’ve added several new, useful rooms underground!”

“-Without breaking any pipes or wires,” Mitsuru qualifies. She presses the down arrow on the control pad and the doors slide open. The interior is actually much nicer than any elevator you’ve ever used. It’s deceptively large and It even comes with a padded bench against the back side. There are dozens of buttons on the internal panel, but only three or four of them have been given numbers.

“Going down!” Lala cheers, pressing the button for the second underground floor.

The elevator whirs to life and jolts down. You feel your stomach rising in your chest as you descend deeper into the earth. “Why did you add this bench anyway?” you ask, “It’s not like the trip lasts long enough to need to sit down.”

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, “Future proofing. In case we ever decide to build a hotel down here…”

Lala hugs Mitsuru, “Oh! That sounds like fun! Can I work at the reception?”

The elevator slides to a stop and the doors open with a loud ding. You step out onto an elevated walkway that looks out over a huge underground chamber. To the left is a long empty space with several paper targets lined up against the wall, and on the right is a collection of wooden walls and doorways configured into a set of buildings. It’s a kill house.

Mitsuru escorts you down the stairs and to the range. They didn’t skimp on the details, everything you could ever need for some target practice is here. A set of mechanical rails are hanging from the ceiling, allowing the targets to move and make things more difficult. Mitsuru gives you the sales pitch, “Since the Major is visiting and teaching you how to shoot, we decided that some new training facilities were in order. A fully functioning range and urban combat training area.”

“This is pretty impressive. What else did you build down here?”

Mitsuru shakes her head, “I’m not spoiling all of our surprises just yet.”

“So why are we down here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The next tool in your fight against evil. You’ve avoided using the direct fire function of the Sledgehammer until now, but a ranged attack will be invaluable as our enemies become ready to fight back against us. It’s time to learn from the best.”

Mitsuru reaches into the pocket of her lab coat and hands you one of the cards. You load it into the chamber and pull the trigger.

“SHATTERING! MOTOKO KUSANAGI!”

There is a small sense of childish glee that fills you whenever you do this. Soon enough the woman of the hour is standing before you in her full glory. The Major, Motoko Kusanagi.

She cuts an imposing figure, even if she is shorter than you. Her short purple hair, red-brown eyes and strange sense of fashion are just as striking as her muscular arms and thighs. She’s wearing one of her most iconic outfits. The lilac one-piece. Complete with black leather jacket and matching thigh high boots. It was always strange seeing her wearing something like this surrounded by the other, more down to earth characters. Fashion in the future must be pretty wild.

Her eyes widen at the sight of you. And contrary to your expectations she doesn’t charge to put you into an arm-bar, to try and pry answers out of you or Mitsuru. She quickly assesses the situation and decides that such a hostile action is entirely unnecessary. Though she does have something to say.

“This is… strange.”

“You’re telling me…” you mutter.

She puts her arms on her hips and turns to Mitsuru, “Do you mean to tell me that this is real? Or has someone hacked into my cyberbrain? I’m not detecting any interference with my optical and sensory systems…”

Ever the lore-nerd, Mitsuru is quick to shoot down her idea. “A military grade piece of equipment like that isn’t so open to primitive prying attempts. This is the real deal.”

She is not convinced, “I find that hard to believe. This kind of childish prank is exactly what I’d expected from an average two-bit hacker. A piece of custom-made software to entrap an individual inside of a virtual recreation of a popular television series.”

Her words are pointed and precise – she’s feeling around for the right answer. Her rationality takes precedence over what her cybernetic sensors are telling her. If you were in the same position, you’d find it hard to believe too.

“Couldn’t you find a more… accepting version of the Major? We’re not exactly masters of rhetoric, are we?”

Mitsuru adjusts her fish-bowl glasses, “There is no such thing as a gullible Motoko Kusanagi. There may be infinite possibilities out there, but the people we recruit still have to bear some resemblance to the person in question. What good would a trusting Major be?”

Motoko’s eyes narrowed, “A sophisticated, procedurally generated response.”

“We were hoping that you could teach our friend here how to shoot. He has no idea what he’s doing.”

“Hey!”

“I’m only being truthful,” Mitsuru shrugs.

“And if I do, you'll send me home?’ What if I say no?”

You grimace, “Uh. We’ll send you back anyway. I’m not picking a fight with you.”

“This isn’t a very effective way of getting me to do what you want.”

“Do you know who we are?”

Mitsuru cuts in, “Of course she does.”

“I know you two, but not her,” Motoko responds, pointing to Lala.

“I’m Lala, nice to meet you Major!”

Motoko only then notices the long, black tail sprouting from the base of her spine. She is very confused. “Wait a second – is this a chatroom?”

You shake your head, “No.”

“Is it a body modification?”

“No. It’s real. Lala is from another planet.”

“Yep! I’m from outer space!”

Motoko pinches her nose between her fingers and tries to pick a course of action. Mitsuru snaps her fingers, “I think we’ll leave you two to it. Come on Lala.” The two girls quickly turn tail and flee to the elevator, shutting the door behind them. Traitors! The both of them!

“Uh, I can just send you back home if you don’t feel like showing me anything.”

“I don’t know what this is. My systems aren’t picking up on any outside interference, so unless this is the most sophisticated malware program ever coded, or I entered a chat room and was too drunk to remember…”

“It’s real,” you repeat, “I’m really me, and you’re really Motoko Kusanagi. We summoned you here from another world.”

“But that’s impossible.”

You shrug, “I can’t do anything to convince you. The choice is yours in the end.”

Motoko is a woman of intuition. She’s a special forces soldier and internal security expert. The fact that Mitsuru found a version of her who knows who you are, and presumably has strong romantic feelings towards you is already stretching your own belief of the situation. Convincing her that this is reality and not a malware simulation playing out in her brain is something you just can’t do.

She sighs, “Mitsuru was right, the security packages inside my cyberbrain are better than military grade. It would take a world-class expert hundreds of hours with a direct connection and a lot of luck to break that encryption protocol. A scheme like this would be unfeasible.” She points down to the gun in your left hand, “That thing really works?”

“I could send you back and re-summon you, if that would help.”

She nods, “Do it. And give me one minute.”

You untwist the barrel and watch as she dissipates back into the void beyond. You look down at your watch and count the seconds. A minute on the dot later you pull the trigger again and bring her back to your side. When she returns, her leather jacket is missing. She looks down at her own hands.

“Physical continuity and my GPS tracker is broken, this is the real deal.”

“Continuity?”

She looks to you with a smirk, “Virtual realities operate on a similar principle to a dream. There are ways to discern a simulation from reality. When you sent me back, I activated my GPS emitter and software manager to keep track of what was happening. They’re still running right now. I also removed my jacket to test the boundaries of the simulation.”

“All that confirms this is real?”

“To an extent.”

“And you’d be happy to give me some pointers?”

Motoko seems remiss to admit that much, she dodges the question and walks past you to look at the firing range. She quickly locates the control panel and begins pressing buttons to figure out how it works. You walk into one of the booths and look downrange. Firing this thing in your armour is easy enough in close quarters, but it kicks like a mule. You don’t trust yourself to use it in a bind when other people are around.

Motoko returns and pats you on the back. “Always assume the gun is loaded and ready to fire, and never point it at anyone you don’t plan on harming.”

You’ve heard this gun safety spiel before, “I understand that kind of stuff.”

“I’m just making sure. You’d be surprised at how many people don’t,” she comments scornfully.

Motoko’s hands are all over your body, adjusting your stance and pressing the stock of the Sledgehammer into the right location against your shoulder. When she’s satisfied that you won’t fall over after pulling the trigger and steps back and appraises you.

“I usually do this with power armour on.”

She is quick to rebuke you. “You can’t always rely on everything working the way you want. Learning things the hard way will pay off when you find yourself without every tool you need.”

Though the point you were trying to make is that the Sledgehammer kicks more than a real gun. This is something that Mitsuru designed with little consideration for user comfort. Motoko walks over to the control panel and brings one of the targets closer to you.

“Start by getting used to the recoil.”

You lean in as much as you can and pull the trigger. The force of the shot is almost like getting hit in the shoulder by a hammer. You stumble back and nearly fall over. “Holy shit!” You forgot how crazy powerful this thing is.

Motoko doesn’t comment, “Again.”

You follow her orders down to the letter and run through a series of simple trials for her. Sustained fire, accuracy, weapon safety – all of the things that she probably takes for granted with so many years of combat experience. And then a drill where she tasks you with shooting as many targets as you can while they pop up and down; the speed at which they do makes it extremely difficult. You score around fifty percent.

“…Decent accuracy. But slow. Section Nine expects more from our operatives.”

 “Uh, Major, I don’t have a cyberbrain. I don’t think I can react any faster than this.”

She quirks her brow, “Really?”

“Yeah. That’s not a technology that’s been discovered here just yet. Didn’t you watch our show?”

She sighs, “I see. I suppose if the enemy has the same restriction, we can move on to the next step.”

You crack your bruised shoulder to try and regain some feeling in it. Motoko leads you over to the entrance of the kill house. “Using a ranged weapon often involves tight quarters and predicting enemy ambushes. Being able to clear a room is one of the most important skills for any soldier or public security specialist.”

“Right.”

“I’m going to put you through your paces. By the time you leave this room, you’re going to be so proficient that you could make a Navy SEAL cry.”

The way she says that is kind of hot.

“Yes Ma’am.”

Chapter 18: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 2

Motoko certainly put you through your paces.

You must have run the simulation two dozen times. Every time you messed up, she sent you back to the beginning with a harsh lecture on what you did wrong and how it might affect the people around you. You tried your best to take everything in, but it’s a lot. Motoko maintains her frosty, business-minded demeanour the entire time.

After another failed attempt at clearing the course you groan and lean back against the wall. It’s a good thing you’ve been training your body recently, or you’d be completely wiped out already. Motoko walks back down from the metal walkway that criss-crosses the training space for observers to use.

“You’re getting better.”

“I don’t feel like I’m getting better.”

“Hm. That’s the right attitude to have. People who think that they’ve learnt everything tend to get discharged for misconduct after a few months on the job.”

You fiddle with your hands to try and limber them up again. Motoko watching a harem anime is a deeply humorous image to you, so you try to break the ice and learn a little more; “I guess even a serious person like you enjoys something silly from time to time.”

She glares at you, “Silly?” The chill in the air makes you shiver. There was such a strong implication of threat in the way that she said that. It feels like there’s already a gun being held to your head.

You roll your hands over each other, “…You know, the anime we’re from.”

Motoko allows the tense silence to hang for eight seconds exactly – before her mouth can no longer hold back, “Actually, Harem Hero is a critically acclaimed exploration of societies attitudes towards sex and romance-“

Motoko stops herself and covers her eyes with her forearm. She just exposed her power level to you, big time.

“Uh, Major?”

“I know what you’re trying to do, but I’m not going to be coaxed into bed that easily – playboy.”

“I was just making conversation.”

“You don’t have time to make conversation. There are real lives at stake, and it’s your responsibility to go out there and make sure that nobody gets hurt, or at least to contain the damage they cause. The last thing you need to be worrying about is getting us into bed, even if that is the central conceit of the story.”

It was frostier of a welcome than you’d received from the others. That was very much in line with what you expected though. Motoko had a warmer side, but it usually only showed itself when business had been taken care of. If you want to progress this relationship, you’re going to have to show her that you can handle yourself in a fight.

“I get it. No funny business.”

To belabour the point she continues, “And don’t mistake my consumption of the series as a doe-eyed declaration of love for you. I don’t know if you’re half of the person that you were in that.”

“Hopefully I’ll prove that I’m… 100 percent of that version of me!”

That sounded a lot better in your head.

“Okay, enough small-talk, there’s still more to learn. Let’s clear some corners and avoid shooting the civilians this time.”

“Alright.”

Several more hours passed until Motoko was finally happy that you were competent enough to fire the gun without killing a score of innocent bystanders in the process. But competent and proficient were very far apart in her own words. She wasn’t impressed, it was the bare minimum.

After criticising your ability to fight and shoot, Motoko turned her eye to the construction and function of your equipment. When you returned to the garage after hours and hours of intense spec-ops training she immediately sought out Lala and Mitsuru.

“What kind of armour design is this? It offers no camouflage, and there are no anchor points for extra equipment or climbing harnesses.”

The answer being that Lala’s technology allows you to instantly teleport anything to your location on demand. Motoko accepted that, but her harness comment was much more insistent. Urban combat sometimes demanded fighting vertically on very tall structures. Being able to rappel down the side of a building was something that Section 9 operators did on a regular basis.

“You can get the drop on the enemy and neutralize them before they harm a bystander.” Motoko points down at the computer screen where a schematic of your suit is display, “If you attached mounting points here and here, the suit could be used in conjunction with rappelling equipment to scale buildings.”

For everything else the pair tried their hardest to defend their personal pet project from her scathing insights, but there was little chance of success. They had to admit that she had some good points. Mitsuru’s particular insistence that the armour was designed to be marketable elicited a less than pleased response from Motoko.

The spirited debate ended with Mitsuru promising that she’d implement some of her ideas to make the Herarmor better. For you, it was just the first part of a long day of training. Chun-Li’s routine still demanded your attention. You grabbed a towel and headed into the gym while the girls talked.

---

“Doctor, Doctor!”

Sundar called out into a cavernous laboratory. He had travelled deep into the bowels of their ship to try and locate the ever-elusive Doctor Gael; clutched in his hands was the clone cannon used by Faust’s previous android warrior. The room was so large that his voice echoed through the darkness, beyond the light coming through the still-open door.

Doctor Gael was the man responsible for much of their technology. A foremost expert in the field of robotics, warfare and interdimensional materials. You wouldn’t know him unless you found him because he rarely if ever left his laboratory space. A majority of the interdimensional empire didn’t even know who he was, despite his position as the chosen heir to their wormhole technology and a trusted advisor to their supreme leader.

Pieces of twisted metal piled high surrounded him on all sides. Occasionally through the mayhem there was a workbench of clear space visible. How did he live like this? Sundar wondered. These were all the carcasses of old androids and abandoned military projects. For every idea that went into production, a hundred more were killed off before getting anywhere.

Sundar didn’t like Doctor Gael, but he needed him to enact the next steps of his plan.

His calls were finally answered as a short man burst outwards from a pile of scrap metal. He had a huge, bushy moustache and a pair of thick welding goggles covering his eyes. He had pale skin and green hair, which almost made him look like a clown.

“Yes, yes! I’m here you damnable pest!”

He waddled over to one of the workbenches and hopped up onto a stool to peer over it. Sundar slammed the decapitated robot-limb onto the bench in front of him. There was only one part he was truthfully interested in though. He pointed to the gun. “I want you to modify this thing so that I can use it.”

Gael adjusted his glasses, “Why? The report I received from Faust stated that it was not effective in combat – the scaling required to make it useful is beyond our means.”

“That’s because Faust is a moron,” Sundar growled, “If he suffers from such a lack of imagination that he can’t find a use for a cloning gun, that’s his problem. I need it, because I have a plan.”

Gael pulled it across the table and studied what was left, “Hm. It’ll need a new power source… a trigger mechanism. I can finish it fast enough. Anything else?”

“An android, one who’s good at long range combat.”

“Ah! Now that won’t need any extra effort. Talented snipers are my forte, if you will.” Gael reached into his pocket and retrieved a small tablet. With the press of a button, a pair of red eyes glared from one of the scrap piles. Then the android burst outwards, revealing a very… unique design.

“…It’s a cowboy.”

The facile of a ten-gallon hat, leather boots and tassel on its arms and legs. There was no doubt in his mind that the android was a cowboy. “Yes, good eye! When I was designing it – I took some inspiration from the great sharpshooters of their history. Allegedly, these ‘cowboys’ were notorious gunslingers and criminals.”

Sundar ignored the long-winded explanation. He already knew what a cowboy was. He’d been scouting the Earth for years. Still, the android did have a very dangerous looking gun attached to its left arm.

“It’s equipped with the most advanced predictive targeting module I could find, from an old fighter craft. It can shoot an insect in flight from miles away, and it comes with a sophisticated ballistics and tactics package that allows it to fight independently without user control.”

“It’s almost like you read my mind,” Sundar smirked. It was everything he needed and more.

“But what is this plan of yours? I can’t sign off on anything without an explanation.”

Sundar smirked and leaned in, this was his masterpiece.

Chapter 19: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 3

BEEP!

A loud alarm blares through the underground kill house as you finally reach across the red line. You collapse down onto your hands and knees, sweat dripping down onto the floor below. You finally did it. You managed to clear the entire course in time without killing anything you weren’t supposed to!

Motoko was bursting at the seams with praise as usual, “Hm. You’re a pretty quick study when you want to be.”

“But?”

She rolls her eyes, “You’re good enough to be a cop, but not in Section 9.”

“If that’s the standard we’re using, I don’t think I’m ever going to get there,” you pat your chest, “I’m all flesh. No cyberbrain here.”

Motoko checks her sports watch, “That’s enough for today. I have to get back-“

But before Motoko can make plans to return home, your bracelet rings out.

Mitsuru’s voice is emitted from the internal speaker, “Hey, you two – the invaders are attacking a local area. It looks pretty bad.”

You grunt, “Damn it.”

Motoko flashes the pistol held in the holster against her left side, “I’ll give you a hand with this one.”

You hurry back to the elevator and ascend back onto the main floor of the garage, Lala and Mitsuru are watching the news with a worried look on their faces. “Of all the days to do this,” Mitsuru complains, “We were just about to finish it too.”

You stop by the couch and ask, “Finish what?”

“I’ll show you later. Get down there and destroy that drone.”

You press the button on your bracelet and summon the armour, “Alright. Let’s go kick some ass.”

---

When you and Motoko finally arrive on the scene (by foot) it’s clear that all hell has broken loose beyond the police cordon. A huge crowd of people have gathered and are trying to push and shove to get a look at what’s happening beyond. Looks like you aren’t getting through that way. Motoko pulls you into a nearby alleyway and leaps up the fire escape. You do the same using the hydraulic system in your legs.

You continue to climb up the rooftops of several other buildings until you pass the police blockade and get a clear view of the area below. It’s a public park. The green space is protected on all sides by tall stone walls. A new type of enemy soldier guards the main gate – a mechanical biped body wielding a gun and utilizing body armour. They have strange, thin rectangle shaped heads and a red visor running down the front.

Motoko peers through a pair of collapsible binoculars and scouts the area, “Robotic soldiers, and they’re armed. I’m counting twelve and that’s only what I can see from here. We should assume that they have three or four times that number to cover this area.”

“What’s the plan?”

Motoko doesn’t answer right away, she continues to observe the area. You press a button on the side of your helmet and zoom in using the built-in telescopic visor. In the tree in one corner of the park, an unseen family of four cowers away from the gunmen.

“Hostages.”

“That’s right. They’ve brought the fight to a populated area to make things more difficult for us – it shows a callous disregard for their lives.” Motoko’s mind is working at its maximum capacity to come up with a plan, she points to the two gunmen by the front gates. “Those two are likely on watch, if we destroy them, they’ll know we’re here.”

“And everyone will come running.”

“From unpredictable positions,” she explains, “We can easily scale the walls without any additional equipment. It would be better for us to enter the park without destroying them first, there’s only one angle they can come at us from afterwards.”

“So by leaving them, we make them more predictable?”

“Yes. The rest will have to be instinct. We don’t have command, control or intelligence. We can split the park in half and take one each. We need to move quickly and eliminate as many threats as possible. Hopefully that armour holds up under enemy fire.”

You tap the composite panel running across your chest with your thumb, “It will. Mitsuru made it.”

“Let’s move.”

Motoko leaps from the roof down to the street below, out of sight of the two drones by the front gate. You follow after her. You sneak over to the wall that surrounds the park and look up, there’s nothing atop the wall to stop people from clambering over it. With another mighty leap, you clear it in one bound and find yourself on the other side behind enemy lines.

There’s a long path that winds through this side of the park. There’s an intersection in front of you that splits into multiple directions. Your vision is blocked by the sudden appearance of an overhead map in the HUD. Three dozen red dots appear in various locations. “If you need intelligence, all you need to do is ask,” Mitsuru titters. You look up above and spy a pair of commercial, four rotor drones sweeping the park. “I’m patching this to the Major too.”

You really wish Mitsuru would tell you about these things right away…

Motoko doesn’t complain, “This is good. You take the back half of the park – it looks like the easier of the two to clear. I’ll worry about this side.”

With something that can roughly be described as a plan decided, you split up and creep towards the back-left corner of the park’s area. You dip behind a bush as a pair of robotic soldiers watch for outside interference. They clunk and whir, their heads turning at sharp, abrupt angles to try and catch people off guard.

You hear a gunshot in the distance.

The two soldiers turn to face the disturbance, which you take as your chance to get rid of them. You square your feet and march forwards with the sledgehammer held in a proper two-handed shooting stance. Take your time, take a deep breath, the first shot is the most important. You make sure that your crosshair is locked on and let loose with two shots. The thumping bass of the gun’s mechanism firing fills your ears as one of the robots explodes into a fiery shower of sparks and metal, before collapsing onto the ground.

The other tries to react, but you’re too quick. You adjust slightly to the right and unleash a precise shot into its chest, ripping a hole clean through the body armour and felling it in one go. Aiming for the main body of the target makes things easier. No time to celebrate, you move the overhead map into the corner of your HUD and move on to the next group. The red dots on Motoko’s side are disappearing at a frankly frightening rate. She lives up to her reputation, that’s for sure.

You methodically move through the twisting bends and looming treelines of the nature trail, eliminating any single robots that you come across. Motoko’s kill house training still rings fresh in your mind, so you check every corner methodically and carefully. There could be foes lurking in wait not detected by Mitsuru’s surveillance.

The red dots begin to move eventually in reaction to the attack, grouping up and moving towards both of you. You press the brakes and find a position behind an abandoned café. Several more robots emerge through the path opposite you and begin to sweep the area. You steady your arms again and fire, blowing one head clean off.

This time they display more than a small amount of intelligence. Three of them run to cover and begin using suppressive fire to keep you pinned behind the brick wall. The other peel away to the left, out of your line of sight. “Mitsuru, need some help here!” you call. The drone moves away and begins flying overhead, giving you a more precise map of where they’re moving.

They’ve split up into groups of three, one team going around the left side and the other the right. You’re being pincered from two directions. Time to be decisive. You rush to the left flank and flip around the corner, unleashing a full burst from the sledgehammer before the three robots can react. You don’t stop firing until you’re damn sure that they’re all dead. By moving to flank you, they left the field of view of the suppressing gunmen. Their loss, your gain.

You know it’s coming before the shot is even fired, you fall back as a bullet whizzes past your visor and shatters one of the bricks into pieces. The air leaves your lungs as your back meets the floor, you roll over and fire back, using the suit’s targeting computer to make quick and messy hits. It’s an impressive stunt, though Motoko would probably have a very dim view of your Matrix-like theatrics.

There’s something immensely gratifying about blowing a robot to pieces. Shards of metal and sparks fly everywhere as you rip them apart with each shot. You get back onto your feet and leap up onto the roof of the café. Not expecting the change in verticality, they’re sitting ducks as you rain down a series of accurate blows.

Your heart is pounding really bad right now.

But your side of the park is clear. You open the comms channel, “Major, there’s only one group of enemies remaining. That must be where the leader is.”

“Meet me there, we’ll attack from two angles and trap them.”

You make sure that none of the people have stayed behind like the family you spotted before first. It seems that everyone has fled now that the robots have been dealt with. What it means for the area the enemy still controls is a mystery. You suspect that there are more civilians trapped over there too.

You dash through the park to reach the rendezvous point. When you arrive, Motoko is taking care of a pair of final stragglers. Even though Motoko is proficient in guns, she doesn’t hesitate to get her hands dirty. One of the androids rushes up and attempts to swing at her, but she deftly ducks under the blow and wraps her arms around its neck.

With a mighty heave, she rips the rounded dome clean off the body, wires and pistons hanging free from the decapitated skull. She draws her gun and uses the decapitated corpse to deflect several bullets from the other, before returning fire and blowing it away.

Note to self, do not mess with the Major.

The area that the enemy commander has parked itself up in is the park’s natural history museum slash botanical garden. It’s a popular tourist attraction. “There must be hundreds of people inside,” you conclude. Motoko bites her lip.

“Hmph.”

Mitsuru returns with another reveal, “There’s no need to guess. I’ve updated your operating system with a new helmet function, and calibrated it to match the heat signatures being emitted by the robots. Look towards the building, if you’d please.”

From her remote location back at the garage, Mitsuru enables the thermal scope on your visor. The world turns black, blue and orange as the bodies inside become visible through the walls. “If I combine this thermal imaging with the audio and wavelength data being released by the enemy, I can do this!”

Suddenly, the blobby figures come into sharp focus. A wave passes over the screen – as it travels each individual body is tagged red or blue. Did Mitsuru manage to automatically detect the layout of every person in the building with nothing but that?!

“And compiling this with the floorplan of the building, we can do this!”

A three-dimensional model of the museum appears in your HUD, once again displaying the precise locations of every hostage and enemy robot. One figure stands alone in the middle of the main lobby area, guarded on all sides by four gunmen. Dozens of hostages are being kept under his watchful eye, huddled together at the bottom of the stairs.

You grunt, “That must be our man. And look at how many people he has!”

The other hostages are spread throughout the building, placed in prominent locations. Motoko isn’t pleased, “He’s placed the hostages in locations where they’ll be easy to hit with a stray bullet. He’s trying to tie our hands down.”

“So what do we do?”

“We have to dismantle his little game, bit by bit. I’ve already got a plan, so listen closely and follow my orders…”

Chapter 20: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 4

Motoko laid out how things were going to go down. It was tough cramming so much information into your brain on such short notice, but you managed. Many people's lives depended on you pulling this off.

You relocated to the roof of the building where a large glass roof looks down into the lobby. You can hear them talking to each other through the glass. Sundar is there with two dozen hostages, surrounded on all sides by gun-toting robots. Sundar is relishing the moment to torment his hostages, "If that detestable superhero you're all so in love with doesn't rescue you, well, it just goes to show how pathetic he really is."

He laughs at his own joke. This guy sucks.

You also notice that Sundar is wielding a new weapon on his left arm, which is being powered by a large backpack. You do not want to get hit by anything this guy comes up with. He has his head screwed on correctly, unlike his compatriot.

Mitsuru didn't have time to make all of the adjustments that Motoko asked for, so you can't do the cool thing and rappel through the window, shooting the whole way down. You stand away from the edge to prevent a shadow being cast into the building and mark every enemy you can see. The targeting computer inside your suit begins to work overtime. In fact, it's working so hard that you can feel it heating up at the base of your spine.

"On your mark, Major."

"Copy. Going in three."

You prepare yourself for the fight.

"Two, one. Go!"

You kick the glass pane in front of you and shatter it into pieces. You drop down through the hole and land on the balcony that runs around the second floor. As you roll to a stop, you draw your weapon and blow two of the robots to hell with accurate hip fire. There's no time to think about what Sundar is doing. You swing back and aim over the stone bannister, the robots surrounding the hostages don't move to harm them – Sundar points his finger firmly at you.

Now you get it, he captured them to lure you here!

Before they can return fire, you blast three more of them by stabilising your aim on the railing. You duck back down as a hail of bullets tear the stone to shreds. You roll out of the way before any of them can hit you. Gunfire breaks out in another part of the building as Motoko begins running interference on the others.

"Hostages don't seem like your style!" you taunt.

"I don't care much for them really – I just needed an excuse to draw you and your big mouth out of hiding!"

The robots have destroyed the closest piece of cover already. You move to the right and blow another away with some quick gunslinging. Then you find your face meeting the floor as a strong impact knocks you over from behind, you roll over and find another leering down at you from your blind spot.

"Asshole!" You fire three shots through his chest and watch him explode from inside-out. You stand back up and feel your back protest in pain, that's going to leave a mark. Finding a safe angle, you see that Sundar hasn't moved an inch since the firefight started.

"You think these small fries are the only thing I brought?" Sundar titters, "Say hello to Billy the Gundroid." He points to his left, where a strange looking robot with a ten-gallon hat and revolver style arm stands menacingly.

"It's a cowboy."

"I know it's a freaking cowboy!" Sundar scowls, "There's no way you can outshoot this thing. It has a targeting computer from a fighter craft."

"Oh yeah? This targeting computer was coded by Mitsuru," you reply. You severely doubt the efficacy of the retrofitted robot. Popping out of cover, you find yourself proven wrong as the cowboy's arm snaps into position and blasts you in the chest from long range. You slide across the floor and slam into the wall behind you.

Shit, that hurts! A smoking scorch mark on your left pectoral has ruined the all-white design of the Herarmor. It's a good thing they packed so much protective padding under there, or you'd be a red smear right now. Sundar cackles gleefully.

"See what I mean? This amateur hour crap isn't going to last for a second versus this thing!" Sundar doesn't move to finish you off though, he marches up the staircase towards you, pressing several buttons on the side of his new arm-cannon. "I had the Doctor whip me up something special. Now that you're stuck here and can't move, I have the perfect chance to use it."

It begins to crackle with blue energy, but instead of pointing it at your head or chest, he aims it down at your right hand – the one holding the Sledgehammer.

Oh no you don't!

You will your body to move and slide across the floor just as he fires. The blast hits the ground and your hand, but it doesn't hurt. In fact – the shot does no damage to your body at all. Sundar's eyes follow the weapon as it escapes, and that's all the distraction you need to kick him in the chest and send him flying back down the stairs.

Motoko bursts through the door next to you and begins to shut down the remaining robots. She disappears like a blur, using her cybernetic body to move at incredible speeds and contort her body in a way that a normal human can't. You get your second wind. You recover the Sledgehammer and hop down the steps.

"Get out of here!" you say to the hostages. They scream and run for the exit as all hell breaks loose once again. You do your bit and shoot the remaining stragglers. The cowboy dives for cover behind the counter. Sundar must have taken a blow to the head, because he looks out of it.

"Nice work," Motoko says as she lands next to you, "I rescued the others. Now all that's left is to eliminate these two."

"Don't think I'm so easy to get rid of!" Sundar spits. You're forced to roll away as the Gundroid unleashes several shots in your direction. As you twist and turn, you notice a small girl hiding behind one of the pillars. She didn't get out with everybody else!

Sundar, sensing that he's about to take a major L on his debut outing, he points his finger at the terrified girl and fires a blast of purple energy. Everything slows down to a crawl as you watch the flaming projectile fly towards the cowering girl.

There's only one thing to do.

You don't hesitate for a second. You leap over in front of the young girl and sweep her up in your arms, spinning around and taking the brunt of the attack for her. It hurts pretty bad, but you manage to steady yourself. When you put her back down on the ground and turn to face Sundar and his drone, you discover that both of them have already fled – leaving nothing more than a shower of sparks from their teleportation.

"Coward," you mutter. You place the girl back down on her feet, and she runs over and hugs your leg.

"Thank you!"

You kneel down and pat her on the back, "Don't worry about it. That's what I'm here for."

Your display of heroics receives a polite round of applause from the rescued crowd as they filter back into the room. Her parents arrive shortly after and thank you for protecting their daughter. Some of them take pictures of your armoured figure or ask for autographs. Motoko is not amused. You humour them for a brief time before Mitsuru begins chirping in your ear.

"I'm not detecting any more interdimensional signals. It seems that their attack is over."

Motoko taps your shoulder, "We better get out of here before the police show up."

You hustle your way out of the park the way you came in, over the fence and back down the road. You de-transform out of sight of any nearby cameras and lean back against the wall behind you. That was a pretty hairy situation. If these guys are going to start attacking civilian targets just to get to you...

"Debrief me," Motoko demands, "What do you think of what happened?"

The tone of her voice puts you on edge, and you immediately feel like you've done something wrong. Recalling her combat training, you check it against every instance where you fired your weapon or cleared a room. You think it went pretty well. There's only one thing that stands out.

"Is this about Sundar and the kid?"

Motoko nods, "I want to ask you why you jumped in front of her."

It's a question with an obvious answer. So obvious that you wonder why she's even asking it of you. "My first job is to protect people. I wasn't going to let a kid get blown to hell just so I could get another hit in against them."

Motoko continues unabated, "But now they might do this all over again. In exchange for one life, you may have endangered dozens more. You could have taken him down here and now, and saved them."

"I'm not here to save hypothetical victims. I would have done the same even if it injured me more seriously. A hero who picks and chooses who's worth saving isn't a hero at all."

Contrary to how you thought she'd react, Motoko cracks a slight smile.

"Good. I don't need a soldier who second guesses himself. Doing everything you can now is more important."

"Ugh, another test?"

Of course it was.

"That doesn't mean I'm happy with how this went down. We could have captured the target if we'd done things differently. And don't start throwing yourself in front of every damn bullet and on top of every damn grenade – bravery and stupidity are very much alike. You're only one man."

You get her point. Motoko comes from a military background where rational action is core to everything she does. In that world you can't stop a bullet with special interdimensional armour. Doing that without the tools and protection that you do would be a serious risk, you could die.

But you have some more takeaways than just that; "Now that we know what his game plan is, next time won't be so easy for him. And anyway – it's not just you and me out here." You eject them into your hand and hold up a hand of cards, "We've got backup to spare."

"Hm. That we do."

Chapter 21: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 5

Motoko reclines on the dirty couch and inspects her handgun. It saw a lot of use in that last firefight. Sundar and his droid had fled before they could really fight you – and he was targeting the Sledgehammer too. Was he trying to destroy it? It’s a pretty sound strategy if he is.

You sit down next to Motoko and clutch the bruise on your chest where the droid’s shot hit you.

“Shit that hurts.”

“That’s what you have to deal with in this business,” Motoko smirks, “Don’t expect a kiss from me. You’re going to have to work a lot harder to earn something like that.”

It’s weird how some of these women are harder to please than others, though you suppose it’s an expression of their personality in a lot of ways. Motoko isn’t so easy to sway, while Rias is a huge fan of yours and is eager to do whatever you want.

“I wasn’t asking for one.” It’s not a huge loss anyway, Rias and Akeno would be happy to monopolise you for themselves.

“Why don’t you summon Asia and ask her to heal you?” Mitsuru suggests from behind the workbench.

“That’s a good idea.”

You lean over and grab the gun from the table. Motoko checks her watch, “I should be getting back. The next time he shows, call me.”

“Sure. You’re the first woman on my mind.”

Mitsuru hurries over and hands an inter-dimensional phone to her, “Use this to mark yourself as ready. We don’t want to pull you away in the middle of something important.”

Motoko inspects the old phone and nods, “Thanks. See you both.”

She disappears back to her home dimension as you unload the chamber, swapping her card for Rias and Asia’s. You check your phone and notice that Rias is good to go, this should make explaining things a lot easier. This is going to be the first time you’ve summoned her, hopefully she doesn’t mind doing you a favour on such short notice.

“ASIA AREGENTO! SHATTERING!”

“RIAS GREMORY! SHATTERING!”

The stern police officer is replaced by a pair of much more jovial devils. Rias doesn’t hesitate to leap on top of you and pepper your cheek with kisses. The blonde ex-nun stands back with a blush on her face. Rias has completely ignored her presence… and her hand in putting pressure onto your left pectoral muscle. Ouch.

“Rias, Rias, that kinda’ hurts!”

You push the devil away and down onto the couch. She pouts, “Aw, what’s wrong hubby?”

“We had a big fight and I got injured a little. I was hoping that Asia could use Twilight Healing on me.”

Rias doesn’t wait for permission. Her hands shoot out and tear the front of your shirt open, revealing the angry purple and red splotch that covers one side of your chest.

Asia hurries over and kneels down in front of you, “Oh dear! Let me fix it right away.”

“Nice to meet you too,” you sigh. What a state you’re in right now.

Asia smiles gently, “Don’t worry – Rias already told me that she’s set her sights on you. She asked me to watch the anime with her and… I became something of a fan myself.”

“How good is that anime anyway?” you ask as Asia prepares to heal you using her power. If a traditional girl like Asia enjoys it, it must be very compelling.

Rias’ chest puffs up, “Fufu. It’s only the most popular anime series in the industry. A lot of fans don’t even watch other series, I know I don’t. That crossover appeal means that it transcends the boundaries of what the ‘audience’ should be. It attracts the best and brightest animators too! All of the key moments are rendered in incredible detail.”

Is she talking about it or trying to advertise it? Asia holds out her palms against your chest and the rings on her fingers glow with green energy. Seconds later you watch as the injury begins to recede back into your body as if it was never there.

“Hm. It is mostly just bruising,” Asia explains, “It shouldn’t take much of my power to repair the damage.”

“Thanks Asia, I owe you one.”

She shakes her head, “There’s no need to do anything in return. I’m always happy to help people in need.”

What an angel this girl is. How could her own church reject someone with such a good heart? In under two minutes the injuries to your front and back are completely gone. You feel like a new man! Though it does mean that you need to find time to do Chun-Li’s routine again now that your excuse is gone. Maybe you’ll summon her to help out.

With that done, you button up your shirt and consider what you want to do next. Rias seems to be interested in properly introducing Asia to you. She places her hands on the shy girl’s shoulders and presents her to you, “This is my Bishop, Asia Argento. I’m sure you know much about her already, but I hope that the two of you will get along.”

“T-Thank you President.”

“And by get along, I mean that hubby here claims you and adds you to the harem!”

“Rias, stop teasing me!” Asia squeals.

“I’m not teasing you,” Rias says earnestly, “After all, Koneko-chan is going to be joining us soon too. I’d feel terrible if you were left out. Didn’t you tell me that you have a crush on him?” Asia is stunned into silence as Rias airs her dirty laundry right in front of you.

“H-Having a crush on a character isn’t the same as a real person,” Asia replies. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before anyway. I have to retain my purity for God – ow!” Asia visibly recoils in pain as the word leaves her mouth.

“Jeez Asia, you aren’t a nun anymore, remember? And I’m sure that Hubby would love to have a cute, helpful girl like you! Right?” Rias isn’t content with just dragging Asia into this, now she’s trying to embarrass you too. You don’t want to insult Asia on your first meeting, so you just nod along mutely.

Asia blushes the same red as Rias’ hair. It seems that Rias has derailed your first meeting in record time; “I’m sorry about the President, she can be very zealous when it comes to her peerage.”

Rias rolls her eyes, “Why wouldn’t I want my peerage to marry a good man?”

You decide to try and defuse things by taking Asia’s side, “I think you’re getting ahead of yourself a little Rias. Not everyone is going to jump in headfirst like you and Akeno.”

“I guess you’re right,” she sighs, “But you better make plans soon Asia, or he might have another dozen girls to look after before you. Women should be decisive in matters of love!”

Asia chuckles nervously. She turns her attention to the garage, “This is amazing – it’s just like it is in the anime.” She waddles around the main floor, inspecting some of Mitsuru’s prototypes and equipment.

“The universes are aligned so that the anime is very similar to our world,” Mitsuru explains as the tinkers with some type of gadget, “It makes it easier for our summons to jump right in and start fighting.”

“That was in the anime too!” Asia smiles. This is getting way too meta for your liking.

“How much did you tell Asia and Koneko?”

Rias looks away from you, “A little.”

“She never stops talking about you,” Asia reveals, “We have had a step by step recollection of every visit she’s made!” Every visit? You certainly hope not – that fivesome wasn’t something to be spoken of in polite company. Rias hisses at her for revealing her secrets.

“I’m not surprised, Rias. You always seem so excited to come over here.”

She hugs you tight all over again, “Why wouldn’t I be excited to be with my future husband? It’s so nice to take a quick break from everything going on back home.”

“How much time passes between you leaving there and going back again?”

“I’m not sure exactly, but it’s so short that not a single second passes!”

“That’s by design,” Mitsuru chimes in again, “I’ve been tightening it even more recently. I want to leave as little disruption as possible.”

Asia wanders back to the couch and stands in front of you, hands folded timidly into her lap. You reach down and take her hands into your own, “I hope that you’ll keep me healthy from now on, Asia.” Even that small amount of physical contact is enough to make steam come out of her ears, she squeaks and nods – so unfamiliar with contact with the opposite sex.

If Rias wants you to make Asia another one of your wives – you’re going to need to do a lot of groundwork…

Chapter 22: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 6

Asia and Rias said their goodbyes a few hours later. It was starting to get late, and you hadn't even completed your daily training for Chun-Li! It had been a long time since you last saw the master martial artist, so you decided to summon her for a joint training session. You messaged her with an explanation, and she asked for a second to change into something sporty.

"Ready to sweat?" she jokes. Chun has swapped out her classic outfit for something new. A long, one-piece tracksuit with a gold and blue vest that only covers the top half of her torso. The white ribbons in her hair were swapped for thinner, yellow replacements – which matched the yellow banded sneakers she was wearing on her feet. You believe this outfit comes from Street Fighter Alpha.

"You look amazing," you reply as you lead her into the space-time defying gym.

"Thank you. I have not worn this for some time! But it's very good for training. Let us begin with some stretches."

Chun-Li leads you through the full warm-up sequence again to refresh your memory. Stretches, light exercises, and short rounds of repetitive stances. The first time you did this it nearly wiped you out right away, but now it fulfils the intended purpose. There's a profound sense of satisfaction to be felt from advancing your body so much. You've started to fill out with muscles and your old fat is being burned away day by day.

"I see you have not been neglecting your training," she smiles, "You've made a lot of progress since the first time we met."

You think about the ways that the enemy are adjusting to your strategies, "I can't just rely on Mitsuru and the rest of you to bail me out of tough situations. One day my own skills are going to be the deciding factor." And what kind of superhero doesn't train a little? It'd be an insult to the title to stay a couch potato.

"And there we are – now it is time to begin."

We wipe the sweat from your brow and adopt a striking stance. Chun-Li emphasised the importance of repetition training, being able to do the fundamentals so well that they become second nature. The drill sergeant in her comes out as she barks the next order, "Give me one-hundred strikes, remember your form!"

Chun stands opposite you and demonstrates the pace you need to keep. One-hundred is more than you usually manage on top of everything else, but this is a milestone day. Chun wants you to break through those limits and show your strength.

"One, two, three, four!"

Your arms, back and sides begin to burn as you use your entire body to deliver the force needed.

"Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two!"

You keep your eyes focused on the goal. One day you'll be able to do some of the amazing things that she can, kicking, slicing, leaping, all without the aid of the suit.

"Fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two!"

To be the best man you can be. To show all of the women who love you unconditionally that you appreciate every bit of it and more.

"Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one-hundred! That's good!"

You got so into it that you didn't even notice how quick you completed the set. Your arms feel like a pair of noodles already. Chun-Li approaches you and wipes down your chest with her own towel, it's strangely intimate. You note that she hasn't even broken a sweat yet. She's on another level to you.

"Well done. A dedicated mind creates an unbeatable body. To continue with my instructions even without my presence is a great feat in itself."

"Why? Do people not?"

Chun-Li laughs, "It's easy to become distracted or demotivated without guidance. Many people have responsibilities that become more important to them than becoming strong through martial arts."

"This is my responsibility, I don't have a job to worry about. I kept telling myself that I may as well do my best with the free time that I have between battles, or looking after Mitsuru when she forgets to eat…"

"You two are very close. You should never forget the value of such a dear friend."

You shrug, "It is kinda' her fault that all of this stuff happened in the first place. We're on this ride until the Untethered are dealt with. I try to make her more sociable but she's a tough nut to crack." You have dozens of stories about trying to get Mitsuru into social situations or to make other friends – and all of them end in disaster.

Chun processes your words for a moment before snapping back into business mode, she claps her hands and ushers you towards the padded area, "That is enough rest. Let's continue." More repetitive exercises, more strikes, stretches, kicks and punches. Afterwards she digs out a pair of pads and asks you to strike them while she blocks and moves.

"That's it, a little more effort!"

"I can't breathe!"

After an hour of non-stop action, Chun-Li decides that you've done enough for the day. It's getting late, and you're totally exhausted! Your body is soaked through with sweat. Chun walks over to one of the walls and presses a previously unseen panel. The wall opens outwards and reveals a sizable shower room. You don't remember that being there the last time…

She smiles, "I may have contacted Mitsuru and Lala and asked them to add some more features to the gym. A shower room was the least they could do." You're not stupid – Chun-Li is angling for something more than just a shower here. To be honest you did feel pretty bad about her being the one who missed out… being intimate with you. She seemed eager to join Rias, Lala and Akeno in those hallowed halls.

"Sure, let's get cleaned up."

You enter the room and lock the door shut behind you using a touch-screen keypad. Straight ahead are three spacious shower booths, each covered by a full body door. A strange choice given that you're the only one who uses the gym regularly – but you guess it can't hurt to future proof these things.

Lala and Mitsuru even went to the effort of including a changing area before the tiles start. There's a long wooden bench running down the middle of the floor, as well as a set of wooden shelves on the left that contain a set of wicker baskets.

"It's just like home," Chun observes. She takes one of the baskets down and steps out of her sneakers. She looks at you from the corner of her eye and unzips the back of her vest, placing it into one of the baskets. This is happening now. No backing out. You take off your own tracksuit jacket and throw it into a different hamper.

Chun peels off the tracksuit and pools it around her feet, kicking it off her foot and placing it into her basket. She was never shy about displaying her powerful body before, thanks to her skin-tight outfits, now you can admire her thighs in their full, muscular glory. Her hips and thighs are abnormally wide for someone with such a slim upper body.

Not that you're complaining. Damn.

Chun is relishing the attention, pushing her feet up to make her ass look even bigger from the side.

"I think this is a good chance for me to monitor your progress more closely," she jokes. Her thumbs reach under the sports bra she's wearing and pull it up over her head, revealing a pair of perky breasts and brown nipples. You stare for a second before blinking away your shock and returning the favour, removing your shirt and pants.

The topless Chun-Li wanders over to your side of the changing room and presses her palm against your chest to see how much was hiding underneath, "You've changed a lot since I asked you to start training." She looks up at you with a smile that betrays her excitement.

Chun-Li isn't a blushing schoolgirl, you believe that she's the oldest member of the harem by a long shot. She doesn't look a day over thirty, but It'd be exceedingly rude to ask. On the other hand, confident women like her still put you on the back foot.

"Uh, thanks."

"We can share a shower. Would you like to?"

"You seriously think I'm going to say no to you?"

You pull Chun close and kiss her. Before things can get too heated she pushes you back again, "Let's get these off." Chun grabs the edge of her matching panties and pulls them down to reveal her flower. You follow suit and do the same, removing your own boxers and revealing your half-erect member.

There's an awkward silence as you stand naked in front of each other. All you can think to say is 'wow.' Chun-Li is incredibly pretty, and her thighs are to die for. You can't wait to get your hands on them. Chun seems to agree, as she grabs your arm and drags you into the showers proper, settling on the middle booth to share with you.

It's a lot, lot bigger than your crappy shower back home. There's enough space for four or five people, but it's still a very intimate scenario to share with someone else. Chun twizzles one of the nozzles on the wall and rinses you down with a spray of hot water. The force of the output takes you both by surprise – she scrambles to turn it down to a more manageable level.

"That's strong!" you comment. Chun, who now looks like a dog caught outside in the rain, laughs along with you. But there's one thing you know, both of you are going to end up getting dirty before you get clean…

Chapter 23: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 7

The façade doesn’t last for very long, especially not when you can feel yourself becoming erect just from beholding her naked body next to you. You don’t jump right in, Chun has some other ideas to explore first. You can’t stop your eyes from drooping south and admiring her below the waist. She notices.

“Do you like my legs?” she smirks. She puts one leg in front of the other, subtly emphasising the thickness of her thighs and the width of her hips. How is it even fair for such a beautiful woman to have such an amazing lower body?

“Did the sun rise this morning?” Chun reaches out and guides your hands to her outstretched right leg, allowing you to feel the corded muscle underneath. They’re still soft to the touch despite her long history of intense training.

“I get upset when men make passing comments about them, but for you, I will make an exception.”

You bow, “Thank you very much.” This is a rare chance for you to feel Chun-Li’s actual, real thighs, and it’s a chance that you aren’t going to pass up on. You explore her legs while her other hand reaches out and slowly begins to stroke your shaft. Her entire body is so powerful – there isn’t an ounce of misplaced fat on her. Perhaps her hard schedule is the reason she maintains such a youthful appearance?

Reaching around and planting your hands on the firm globes of her ass, you pull her back in for another kiss, sandwiching your cock between her thighs. Sensing that she has another chance to tease you, she tenses her legs and applies a surprising amount of pressure onto it. Her lower slit is already wet.

“I hope you don’t think I’m too easy.”

You chuckle, “I’m the one who should be saying that, Rias and Akeno are ruthless.”

She stares deep into your eyes and positions the tip of your cock against her labia. With her permission, you slowly slide yourself inside of her until you can’t go any deeper. She releases a wonderful, breathy moan into your ear as you do. The water runs over both of your intertwined bodies as things start to heat up for real.

Looking down at her from a few inches above, her abdominal muscles clench and reveal themselves. Her entire body is twisted in ecstasy as you slowly begin to pump your hips and find a pleasurable rhythm. You don’t know how long you’re going to last! She’s really tight!

“That’s it, make me feel good.”

Having Chun-Li in your arms like this is like a dream. You attack her with short, sharp thrusts, earning more moans and grunts from her mouth. “Let me pick you up,” you say. You reach under her thighs and pull her up, holding her using your newly trained strength. You lean her back against the tiled wall to add more leverage to each of your thrusts. She’s enjoying it, and so are you.

“Right there! Right there!” she repeats.

The sound of running water isn’t enough to drown out her whines of pleasure, or the sound of flesh meeting flesh. This isn’t a carefully choreographed dance on the surface of your bed – it’s a sudden and intimate meeting with no defined start or end. But the first apex approaches quickly and without mercy.

“It’s coming,” Chun gasps into your ear.

“Me too.”

The frenzied pace you carried a moment before slows to a crawl as you grind yourself as deep as possible and let loose. Her nails drag down your back as she feels your seed begging for entry to her womb. You kiss her neck and keep going, her body tensing up in your arms as her own climax rolls through and makes her go weak in the knees.

You feel like you’re going to melt together into one. The heat and softness of her body against yours, and the pleasurable afterglow that causes your vision to fog over. You want to stay here with Chun forever, but as your rational mind returns you know that it isn’t a possibility.

“That felt amazing,” she sighs. You continue embracing her for several minutes before finally backing away. She looks down at her slit and the trail of semen travelling down her left leg. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you’re trying to get me pregnant.”

“Ah, that’d be kinda’ bad for training.”

She speaks forlornly, “Though, you have a very small chance of succeeding. I’m afraid that my younger years are firmly behind me.”

“If you ever… if you ever want to have a child – I’m sure we could figure something out. Mitsuru could probably come up with some crazy way to guarantee it and everything, no matter how old you get.”

“You would?”

“Are you kidding me? If it’s something that you want, I’m willing to do anything to make it happen.”

She kisses you again, unwrapping her legs from around your waist and standing under her own power. You stand back and admire her again. It’s so amazing to you that she’s real, in the flesh, and that you got to share this moment with her. Her almond shaped eyes, wonderful curves and muscular body – she’s one of a kind.

“I have to admit – I was rather disappointed that I didn’t get the chance to do this with you the last time I visited.”

“The feeling’s mutual.”

“Now, how about we get clean for real?”

You have to agree. While you have enough stamina to go again, you want to leave things on a high note. You don’t think you’ve ever cum that hard before, not even when Rias and Akeno dragged you into their clone fivesome. You successfully bathe with only minor distractions from then on. Afterwards you shut the water off and head back into the changing room. Re-dressed and rosy-cheeked, you and Chun sit down on the bench and relax for a moment.

“Part of me still cannot believe that this is real,” she admits, “And to think that I would be lucky enough to experience it.”

“I know it’s a weird question to ask, but did you hope that this would happen?”

She’s embarrassed to say, “I always worried that I needed to start acting my age and leave your story behind. But even as the years stretched on I could never pull myself away from your adventures. You represented something I admired. A selfless person fighting alongside so many others. I… did dream once or twice of being one of your companions.”

Even a stern and disciplined woman like Chun-Li has daydreams too, huh?

“It’s been a big adjustment for me too – I feel like I’m being really greedy by relying on all of you to help me, not to mention being romantically involved with you.”

“You don’t need to feel so sad. I’m sure everyone is happy to do this with you as well.”

“Motoko might have a thing or two to say about that.”

“But you know that she really loves you underneath,” Chun reasons, “You just need to prove to her that you’re the… real deal.”

Motoko did warm up a little after you saved all those people. But how much effort is it going to be to take things to the next level? Motoko is interesting – she’s one of the few characters you can think of who have an active sex life depicted within their show. Rias and Akeno are such bundles of boundless lust that they slept with you the first chance they got, even though in their series they don’t really act that way. At least not until the later volumes.

“Anyway, you don’t need to be so reserved about spending time with me. This is a two-way relationship, remember? If you want to see me, just send me a message and I can summon you.” Chun is very different from Akeno, Rias and Lala. She doesn’t send you sexy selfies every waking hour of the day, for one thing. You really want to spend more time with her so that she can get comfortable with things.

“I will try! It can be difficult to find the time when I am running my own dojo.”

“You don’t do police work anymore?”

Chun finally gets to her feet and starts to dress herself, “No. I retired a few years ago. A lot of things changed and I no longer felt the need to work as an officer. But it seems that evil never rests.”

You sigh, “Not if you include the entire multiverse, it doesn’t.”

“I’m sure that you will be able to fight them off.”

“Heh, I don’t need a pep-talk. I’ve survived this long.”

Fully dressed, you head out back into the gym and then through into the garage. Mitsuru is working on the computer, hammering the keys at an incredible speed as lines of code fly by. She must be refining some of her projects, though you’re too much of a dummy to figure out which just from a single glance, or even a prolonged look.

“Good morning Chun-Li, I hope that he isn’t grating on your nerves too badly.”

Chun-Li bows, “No. He has been a diligent student as always.”

Everything’s calm right now, so you come up with an idea; “The rest of the day is free. How about we spend some time together?”

She smiles, “I’d love to.”

Chapter 24: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 8

It’s just another boring day in the lab.

You thought that Sundar would be chomping at the bit to attack again, but so far there’s been nothing from him or the other invaders. It’s summer – and that means the city is gridlocked thanks to various sports events and festivals. Mitsuru was never one for social events, so you’ve spent most of your time up till now waiting around in the garage for something to happen.

After some early morning training in the gym, Mitsuru calls you into the garage and sits down at the computer. She’s turned the monitor and the printer on. The UI on screen is much different to the raw stats and empty command windows that you’re used to. It looks like any modern computer application, with a graphic interface and everything.

“I decided to make things easier for both of us. Since I can’t always be around to mint new cards for you, the program has been updated and improved with a functional user interface that allows even you to find and press new cards with little effort!”

“Even me?”

“Yes. Since I decided to further develop my tracking algorithm and calculation system, it’s now feasible for you to do everything without my guidance.”

Mitsuru doesn’t notice how insulting she can be sometimes, “Okay. So how does it work?”

She demonstrates for you - typing out the name ‘Rebecca Lee’ and pressing enter. A moment later a profile page for Revy from Black Lagoon appears. “All you need to know is the name. My new system will automatically calculate the time-dilation factor and logistics needed to summon them. You just press this button and it’ll mint the card so long as there’s enough material in the printing tray.”

“…Okay. I can just summon who I want?”

“Yes, I’m not your Mother. But I strongly suggest that you restrain yourself and leave a few spares,” Mitsuru explains, “It’d be bad if we were caught on the back foot without the means to summon a counter to whatever the Untethered are planning.”

“Ah, I get it.”

Mitsuru empties the search box and locks the computer again, handing you a small USB stick; “Security function. Plug this in and the computer will unlock again. Don’t need people sticking their hands and fingers where they don’t belong!”

You take the device and put it into your jacket pocket.

“I’ve been working on some other gadgets that we can use to fight, including the ‘adjustments’ that the Major kindly suggested to us.”

Mitsuru waddles to the car lift, which hasn’t been used since you moved in. You did notice something lurking under a blanket over there – but you knew that Mitsuru wanted to give you a dramatic reveal. She tugs the tarpaulin away, revealing a dirt bike, painted white to match your armour. Aside from that there don’t seem to be many actual modifications.

“Since running to each attack location is such a pain, I decided to purchase an old motorbike and tune it up.”

She’s a grease monkey too now? She must have flipped through a manual and learned everything using her near photographic memory. You get closer and inspect it for yourself, “Couldn’t you just build a teleporter or something?”

“Not unless you have an infinite supply of inter-dimensional anomalous material. We’d need some of it to teleport that precisely. Do you know how to ride?”

“…I’ll figure it out.”

“I am planning on making more changes, but it’ll have to do for now. I did have time to include an automatic ignition system that triggers when it detects you wearing your armour. Just jump on and it’ll handle the rest.”

“Anything else you need to tell me about?”

Mitsuru snaps her fingers, “No. That’s all for now. Unless you’re interested in some of the new rooms Lala and I have been building.”

“New rooms?”

“Nothing that you’d be interested in. A larger workshop space downstairs, some new laboratories and equipment for testing purposes, that kind of thing.”

No hotel? You are kind of interested in what they look like – but you’ll probably get to see them eventually anyway. “I’m good for now. I better go downstairs and run some kill house drills before the Major chews me out.”

“Nice to see that you’re taking it seriously.”

“Why wouldn’t I? These guys are seriously messed up. If I’m the only guy who can stop them, I’m going to do everything I can. Just a shame my wage is so bad.”

Mitsuru frowns, “It’s the minimum legal requirement, and I may have some news for you on that in a few days.”

“What, on the money?”

“Yes! Now shoo, I have work to do.”

---

The computer lies there in wait. It’s been several hours since she revealed the new system to you, Mitsuru has vacated the garage to do testing in the ‘materials lab,’ so you decided that now was the time to test it out for yourself and let your fantasies run wild.

There’s only one problem. Mitsuru claimed that you have enough rocks for eight new cards, but you can’t think of a single person you need right now. Without Mitsuru’s admonishment hanging over you the baser part of your brain demands that you pick someone merely for your own enjoyment; but that seems a little off when the fate of the world is in the balance.

So even after Mitsuru made a big show of making it easy enough for a dummy like you to use, you find yourself shying away from the decision. The pile of unused material lays in the drawer below, beckoning you to make a choice. This is the problem with having the entire multiverse laid out before you.

You decide to distract yourself by spending some time with Rias, as she’s marked herself as available on your cross-dimensional phone. As soon as she emerges from the other-worldly portal, she leaps on top of you and drags you to the floor in a tight hug. She’s not wearing her uniform for once. You pat her on the back.

“Jeeze, that’s a way to say hello.”

She sticks her tongue out at you, “Sorry. I just can’t contain myself when my handsome husband needs my attention.” She kisses you and then drags you back to your feet. You left the computer unlocked, and Rias notices the strange visuals of wobbling 3D shapes and graphs that Mitsuru uses to locate harem members.

“What’s this?”

“That? Oh, Mitsuru decided to make a fool proof version of her ‘harem location program,’ you just type out a name and it does all the hard work for you.”

You sit down in the chair and demonstrate the process for her, rapping out the first name that pops into your head. Erza Scarlet. You press enter and the computer whirs for a moment, spitting out a short profile about her, a full body image and some other, more technical details about her home dimension and the time-dilation factor. After confirming you have the right person a big green button attempts to entice any would-be summoners by asking you to “PRESS” her.

But you aren’t summoning anyone at the moment so you back out of the menu. Rias is clearly interested, “Mitsuru is very intelligent, isn’t she?”

“That’s the understatement of the year. She’s on a totally different level to everyone else.”

“So, what’s the issue?”

You chuckle, “When you have infinite possibilities in front of you – it’s kind of hard to choose, you know? I feel like it’d be better if we just saved up our space rocks and used them to counter whatever the enemy comes up with.”

Rias has a contemplative look on her face, “I feel like the wives you have now can handle whatever comes your way. After all, you have the lovely daughter of the Gremory clan and her peerage on your side.”

Koneko and Asia aren’t really in wife territory just yet.

“I guess you’re right.” Suddenly, you feel the urge to go to the toilet, “I’m going to the bathroom, back in a sec.”

“Okay!”

You wander to the other side of the lab and head into the small restroom attached to the former office. After emptying the tank, you wash your hands and shake them off because Mitsuru forgot to buy more hand towels again. A commotion coming from the other room catches your ear.

You come back into the lab and see Rias hovering over the computer and printer.

You approach and realise that both machines have been turned on and used. When you finally notice what Rias has actually done, she looks like a kid caught with her hand in a cookie jar. Rias used the printer while you were away. The card laying in the output chute isn’t of any of the girls you have considered recently, but rather one of her brown haired, big breasted mother - Venelana Gremory.

There’s only one question on your mind, “Why your mother of all people?”

You’ve never seen Rias look like this before. Her usual confidence and teasing manner are nowhere to be seen. The devil bashfully twirls a lock of her hair with her finger, “Well, it’s just that my mother has been very lonely since father passed away – so I thought that it’d be nice for you to take her on as a new harem member.”

You sigh and take the newly pressed card from inside the machine. There’s so much wrong about this that you can’t even begin to put it into order. Rias is trying to set you up with her Mom for goodness’ sake!

“I already told her all about you,” Rias continues, “I think she’d be very happy to join with you.”

“And you don’t think that’s weird?”

Rias is genuinely confused that you’re even asking, “What about it? Why wouldn’t I desire my mother to marry a fine man like you?”

You like MILFs as much as the next guy – but you weren’t planning on summoning anyone’s mother who’s already in the harem. You were afraid that they’d take it the wrong way, or the right way, because it was crazy weird to think about.

“People don’t really do that here,” you explain, “In fact, polygamy is very unusual too. I can only imagine what people would think if someone married a mother and daughter at the same time.”

“You can be such a prude sometimes,” Rias giggles, “There’s nothing wrong with my mother being with you. Devils do it all the time!”

Curious. You wonder if the ‘universe’ that Mitsuru pulled Rias from has the same rules applied to the humans and angels as well. Though to be honest, there aren’t many human characters in DxD to begin with. It seems that Rias is trying to arrange a meeting between you, for the sake of getting her some dick or earning her approval is yet to be determined.

“Well, it’s just us in the lab today, so I guess we can summon her and say hello at least…”

Rias smiles brightly. You’re such a pushover sometimes. “Ah, just a word of warning – mother can be rather strict when it comes to matters of love. She’s been bothering me incessantly about the date of our ‘inevitable’ wedding. I told her that this might happen.”

She’s been planning this the whole time - this is scarier than fighting a robot to be sure. You swallow your pride and slide her new card into the Sledgehammer, twisting it around and pulling the trigger.

“VENELANA GREMORY! SHATTERING!”

Even though you’ve done this nearly one-hundred times before, this is the most nerve-wrecking summoning yet, it’s even worse than the first time you ever used it. The glass shatters into a spectrum of rainbow colours, before filling up the void again – the fragments quickly assemble themselves into the form of an older woman; Rias’ mother, Venelana. She has brown hair, purple eyes and is wearing a frilly white dress that struggles to contain her bulging chest.

She blinks and then turns on you so fast that you’re certain she had her first line prepared beforehand. Her naturally seductive eyes sharpen as she settles her sights on you, “So this is the young man who’s taken my darling Rias’ heart?” You feel a chill run through your entire body.

Rias latches herself onto your arm and hugs you close, “Yes mother!”

God help you with these devils…

Chapter 25: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 9

Venelana cuts an imposing figure, even though she's nearly a foot shorter than you. This is a forbidden power that only the mother of one of your girlfriends can possess. Venelana quickly turned her attention to the run-down garage that she finds herself in, "And what do you call this? These squalid conditions…"

"I call it Mitsuru cheaping out on the rent," you snipe – even though she isn't here to hear it.

"He doesn't live here mother," Rias explains, "It's simply a place where they design and manufacture their weapons."

That seems to stem her fury for the moment, "I see. Then I suppose the quality of the accommodations don't matter."

You lean over and whisper to Rias, "How much does she know about me?"

"She used to sit in the living room and watch the anime with us. I've also been telling her about what's happening on this side."

You hope the anime isn't as perverted as your version of events is. At least having a harem of wives and girlfriends isn't odd in their world, you seem to recall. That said, Venelana strikes you as a stern type of woman. She isn't going to approve something like this so easily.

She claps her hands together and smiles, "So, when's the wedding?"

The tension that built up in your body is released like a coiled spring, to be replaced by a flood of barely withheld confusion. That was the first question she wanted to ask about your relationship? "Uhm. Don't you have any other questions before that one?" you venture.

Venelana giggles in a way that is very alike to her daughter; "I trust Rias' judgement. I've never seen her so convinced of anything in her life. I do have a few misgivings about her indulging in such a fantasy though. Not everything in life can go the way you want it to."

"I understand, mother. Meeting him was a singular occurrence, I'm not so naïve to think that good luck will always be on my side."

Venelana reaches over and clasps your hands in hers. Her hands are very soft and warm. "From what she tells me you're a fine man. So, take good care of my daughter, please."

You nod, "You have my word."

Rias steps in and grabs her mother's arm, "Mother, aren't you forgetting something?" Venelana closes her eyes and sighs. Rias must be wearing on her patience a little with something, has she been pushing for her to… to become a member of your harem like she said before? The bravery of this girl to bring that kind of thing up with her.

"Rias dear, while I appreciate your concern for your mother – I highly doubt that your fiancé would be receptive to taking on an old, widowed woman like me. Especially not with children, some men are very possessive after all."

Your jaw drops through the floor as Venelana not only suggests that the idea is acceptable, but that men from her universe wouldn't want that exact combination of things in a potential partner. She's drop dead gorgeous, with a naturally mature air that doesn't need crow's feet to speak of her age. You've done a few good deeds already, but what the hell did you do to deserve the chance at this mother-daughter combo?

Despite the overflowing desire you feel, it's so, so hard to get the words out of your mouth. Flirting with your fiancé's mother in front of her is just something that people don't do. But for Rias and Venelana it is very much something people do. Rias gives you a knowing look that piles on even more pressure. You're doing this for her too – this is something you're doing to make her happy. You repeat that mantra in your head over and over as you finally find the words to say.

Rias releases your arm, leaving you connected to Venelana again; "I wouldn't mind. I think you're a very beautiful woman, Venelana."

She's flustered, but resists regardless. "You're just saying that to flatter me."

So you lay it on thick to try and break through, "Flattery doesn't have to be untrue. It'd be my greatest honour to court both of the Gremory ladies." Rias smirks – knowing that a corny line like that would strike at her mother's traditional heart. Venelana studies your expression for any sign of dishonesty. You keep a stiff upper lip and resist the urge to cringe yourself into oblivion.

"Hmph, and my body having borne two children is not an impediment to your affections?"

You clench your teeth and stay your tongue from calling her a smoking hot MILF, "I find your motherly manner very charming." Nice and diplomatic. It seems that her resistance is rooted in devil societal norms, rather than a distaste for you as a potential partner. Perhaps marrying a woman who has already given birth creates messy succession problems for the big families.

Rias eggs her on, "Mother – he is being entirely honest. Don't you think it's about time you found a new partner? I'd be more than happy to invite you into the harem."

Venelana takes a long time to decide on her final answer.

"…Very well. I am willing to give you a chance. I hope that you meet the expectations that Rias has set with her tales of your exploits." Rias cheers and pulls her mother into a loving embrace. You try desperately not to look at their sizable chests squishing together as she does so. "However, I would like to take things slow. It has been a very long time since I've enjoyed the company of a man who is interested in me."

"He's a gentleman at heart, mother. He'll do whatever it takes to make you comfortable."

You nod, "She's right – if there's ever anything that makes you worried or uneasy, please tell me."

Venelana scolds you both, "I've lived longer than the two of you, don't start treating me like a blushing maiden."

"But mother, you are blushing!"

"Keep teasing me and I'll cut your inheritance."

Rias bows in deference to the head of the family, "Apologies."

She finally removes her hands from yours, "But before we worry about courtship, I'd like to get to know you as my future son-in-law first and foremost."

You chuckle, "I think Rias told you everything there is to know."

You decide that having such a serious discussion in the dirty, run-down garage is a little too much. So you head out and down the block to where a small café is located. It's surprisingly classy given that it's in a former industrial area. You take a seat out front, thankful that the former road that ran down here has been turned into a pedestrian only zone.

You start off by explaining how the two of you met, and Mitsuru's invention of the device that allowed it to happen.

"Interesting, so this Mitsuru is what you could call a genius?"

"I don't think that's unfair to say. She skipped grades, has a doctorate in just about every subject you can think of. Big companies are clamouring for her to sign on and work for them but she wants to keep her independence. I think she feels that she can change the world easier that way."

"What do you mean?" Venelana asks, sipping her tea.

"Well, Mitsuru doesn't just work on armour and weapons for me. She's been working on a lot of different collaborative projects to enhance food security, access to clean water, things like that. Mentioning that kind of thing to her will set off a long rant about corporations holding her down. She's working on a… product line all on her own."

"Going into business? My, if she wishes for some advice, she should speak with me."

"Mother…"

"Sorry dear, you know I can't resist the chance to get involved with a new venture like that."

"She loves micromanaging things back home," Rias explains. "Sometimes I can barely pull her away from bookkeeping to look after the house. She would fall asleep at her desk if not for our servants tucking her into bed."

Now it's Venelana's turn to be on the back foot, "I never!"

It turns out that these two are a lot of fun to be around. Given that Rias comes from such a high-class family, it's strange to see her having such an equal report with her own mother. But you suppose that Rias is the leader of the gang for a reason, she's very confident in her own abilities.

Venelana gets things back on track, "So, tell me about yourself."

You spend the next hour going through your entire life up to this point. Your family, where you grew up, meeting and going to school with Mitsuru, moving out here to help her with her science. It's a long and generally mundane story – with Mitsuru's many brushes with the law being the only real points of notable excitement.

"A humble background for a humble man," she concludes. "I can't say that I was expecting Rias to settle on someone like you."

"You wanted me to marry Riser Phenex," Rias comments disparagingly.

"That is how things work between the families, Rias. When you spend much of your time in their company, the chances of marrying into them become higher." There's a world of difference between meeting someone at your job or in your social circle and an arranged marriage though, and Rias seems to think so too. "But if you truly desire someone else, there is little I can do to change your mind. It would be extremely unfair of me to forbid you from courting who you please after what your brother did."

Okay, that sounds like some very personal family drama, an emotional scab that you don't want to pick open again. It does elicit one other question from you, "If you're concerned with my status, why did you agree to join my harem?"

She crosses her arms, "Unfortunately, while many widowed devils find themselves swept away by aspiring rulers – I have some things working against me. For one, I'm from an influential family; accumulating the goodwill and power needed to wed me is beyond most. Secondly, I've already given birth to two children. Devils are possessive and greedy in equal measure, and most would baulk at the prospect of becoming a surrogate father."

That isn't much of a reason to say yes. You're sure she could still find someone more appealing than you. "Those are reasons why other people wouldn't want to claim you – but why are you okay with me?"

She sighs, "Rias is much like me when I was her age. That sounds natural for a mother and daughter, but the true extent of the resemblance is stronger than you would think. This may sound egotistical, but I consider Rias' opinions to be an extension of my own. If she is enraptured with you such that she demands that an arranged marriage be cancelled, then I can only suspect that I will soon feel the same way."

"I get it."

Rias isn't offended by the comparison, "My, you must have been a very wild child…"

Venelana titters, "Shush you."

You laugh and settle in for another hour of family time.

Chapter 26: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 10

Venelana was actually a joy to speak with, even when she was drilling you for every little nitty-gritty detail on what you've been doing with her daughter for the past few months. You managed to navigate your way out of the jam without airing any of your bedroom escapades with her, though you can only assume that she knows that Rias has done something with you. After all, she did claim that Rias is much like her when she was younger.

That statement comes with an implicit meaning that Venelana is not going to jump right into sleeping with you or declaring you her new husband. She needs time to get a feel for things; she's been a widow for a good few years now and her self-worth has been lowered by the way that devil society works. As you think about it more with both women away, you find yourself coming around to the idea. You just need to get over it and show her a good time. If Rias doesn't have a problem with it, and she considers it normal, then there's nothing you can say that'll convince her otherwise.

With the first of what you fear will be many daughter-parent meetings over, you refocus on refining your skills with the Sledgehammer. You need to be faster, more accurate, and less reliant on the targeting system that Mitsuru built into the suit. Motoko also stressed the importance of decision making. There was nothing worse than firing and hitting a civilian because you didn't consider your angle carefully – everything she taught you was in service of avoiding that outcome from the start.

You'd come to the garage in the morning, run dozens of drills in the kill house until you were happy with your time, and then head into the gym to continue following Chun-Li's training regimen. Every day you went back to your apartment with no energy left – the only thing you could do was flop down onto your bed and pass out.

Faster, stronger, longer.

You repeated those three words in your head again and again. They were what drove you for the four days after you met Venelana. Things were taking so long that you hoped Sundar had thought better of messing with you, that turned out to be untrue. Mitsuru burst into the gym while you worked one of the bags.

"We've got an attack report."

"Seriously? Where?"

"The local stadium. They've attacked one of the games and taken hostages again."

You pull out your phone and check everyone's status. You've got a flush of all four original occult research club members and the Major on hand. Looks like you have everyone you need to catch Sundar out this time. Heading back into the garage, the TV shows a helicopter circling the baseball stadium where the trouble is happening. Sundar is waving to the camera from the middle of the grounds. A row of drones point their weapons at a petrified audience.

Not this again!

You load the gun with the cards of Rias, Akeno, Koneko and Motoko. The three devils will provide you with good fighting power and more crucially, magical defence ability. Motoko is going to need to be here for this urban environment and to direct things using her leadership skills. You send her a quick message so she can get ready.

"AKENO HIMEJIMA! SHATTERING!"

"RIAS GREMORY! SHATTERING!"

"KONEKO TOUJOU! SHATTERING!"

"MOTOKO KUSANAGI! SHATTERING!"

It's a very noisy and visually messy summoning. The three devils (this time wearing casual summer outfits) and the Major (who by contrast is already wearing her body armour and toting a rifle) stand before you in a line. Koneko would be confused about her new environment if she didn't have the personality of a stone-cold killer – this must be a version of her that hasn't opened up to other people just yet. If Issei from their universe isn't their primary love interest, that task might fall onto your shoulders someday.

"Sorry for the trouble – but it looks like Sundar finally decided to make his move."

"It's fine," Motoko nods, "This time I managed to switch into my operational body before you summoned me."

"You were using a civilian spec body last time?" Mitsuru queries. You shudder to think how much of a nightmare she is for the enemy when she has the full plethora of weapons and abilities.

Motoko cracks a rare joke, "If you were hoping to have some fun with me, I'm afraid that this one doesn't come with functioning genitalia."

"Trust me, that's the last thing I'm worried about right now." You point her to the TV – where the news helicopter continues to circle the stadium. Motoko's face hardens as she takes the situation in. Rias and Akeno are also taking things seriously, but the missing link is Koneko, who has now been summoned for the very first time. If she has any objections to it, she doesn't air them. She remains silent.

Rias puts her hand on your shoulder, "Don't worry hubby, we already told Koneko about you and what you do here. She's willing to help."

"That's great. We need her defensive powers to stop people from getting hurt."

She finally speaks, "If that is what the president desires."

"Before we go, we need a plan," Motoko says.

Mitsuru seems to have anticipated this – she reaches over and retrieves a tablet from the table. She unlocks the screen and reveals a full floor-plan of the stadium, which she must have stolen from somewhere. "I can't mark the location of the enemy forces without more data, but I can estimate what angles they're holding."

Several red cones appear, displaying the range of vision and fire for the drones she's seen on the TV. The threat of them opening fire on a crowd of innocent people feels real. They could cause a hell of a lot of damage if they wanted to.

"Rias, Koneko and Akeno can stop the gunfire by using their magic. Or Akeno can use her lightning to strike them from afar."

"Fufu, a nice idea," Akeno smiles.

Motoko agrees, "We need to strike a balance between attack and defence. Reducing enemy numbers will make things more manageable. I believe that we can quickly eliminate the enemy targets in front of the stands, but we don't know what else is waiting for us in there."

You continue her train of thought, "And as powerful as the Occult Research Club is – none of them have had the same close combat training that I have."

"They should focus on clearing the field then," Motoko concludes, "You and I can enter from the front entrance and eliminate any surprises he's keeping inside."

"Remember that we can fly," Rias says, flaring out her devil wings to belay the point, "We could enter through the open roof of the stadium and have the first attack."

Motoko assents to the idea, "That's a good plan. If we clear the guns pointing at the stands – then we have much more room to manoeuvre. Okay. Let's get to it."

"Oh, I'll re-summon you when we're outside the arena. Make sure you're ready to fight."

"Okay."

You unload the gun and send the four women back to their respective universes for the time being. You use Lala's bracelet and summon your armour, running over to the dirt bike that Mitsuru tuned up for you. This can't be too hard to use, right? You mount it and feel the engine rumble to life as it recognizes the signal being emitted by the suit.

"Let's go!"

You punch the throttle and shoot out of the open garage door. You wind through the narrow roadways of the industrial area and out onto the main avenue through the city. Weaving between cars and running red lights runs a large risk, but you can't afford to waste any time and let Sundar hurt those people. A mark on your licence is preferable to being arrested for illegally owning a firearm anyway.

After a few brushes with death, you finally arrive in the utterly gigantic parking lot outside the arena. A police line is already being formed, much to your chagrin. You dismount out of sight and summon the four warriors back to this world. That's going to be a problem. You need a way to get through the line.

"We can fly over them," Rias smirks, "Maybe we could carry you?"

Motoko shakes her head, "This body is too heavy. And we need to clear the main interior of the building, it'd be easier for us to run through."

But Rias is a devil, she must have some kind of superhuman strength. You know that Koneko does. Still, your job is to clear the entry to the arena, the other three girls can worry about rescuing the crowd without you.

You clap your hands together, "Alright, let's stop talking and do it. Good luck to you three."

"Don't worry, I won't lose in front of my future husband," Rias boasts.

"Fufu, see you later darling!"

The three devils sprout wings and fly off into the sky. Meanwhile, you and Motoko dash to a gap in the police line and leap over the parked car. It happens so quickly that the armed officers don't even have time to react before you're breaking through the glass door and spilling out into the ticketing area. Two drones turn on you, but are put down by a pair of synchronised gunshots from you and the Major.

"Get me a bead on those robots," Motoko asks.

"Looks like they didn't learn anything from last time," Mitsuru chuckles, "I'm marking them now."

Thirty red silhouettes appear through the walls of the main building. Sundar really pumped up the numbers after his last defeat. Motoko smirks and releases the safety on her rifle, "Alright. Show me what you've learned."

Challenge accepted.

Chapter 27: The Quick and the Cloned - Part 11

The building that leads into the arena space is huge. It connects to all of the stand entrances, and contains several shops and services designed to keep the people comfortable during a long game. Most of the people in this part of the building successfully escaped before being taken hostage, but Mitsuru's HUD marked several left-over civilians being held by the enemy.

Motoko is a consummate professional, leading the way as you cover her from the rear; and what a wonderful, perky looking rear it is, clad in military grade skin-tight pleather. People in the future are lucky to have butts like this mass-produced. You stick close to her back and cover her blind spots, you know you can tank a few hits from these smaller guns without a problem.

Motoko is a joy to watch at work. Her aim is precise and quick. You crest the top of the escalator leading to the food court and watch as she drops two of them with quick, lightning fast bursts from the futuristic rifle. You swivel around and look up to the bannister above where another robot is attempting to ambush you – you blow its cybernetic brains out with a single blast from the Sledgehammer.

"I should ask your scientist friend to make me one of those," she quips, checking her ammo count.

"She probably will if you do."

Motoko finally steps off the top step and beckons you to follow her with a quick hand signal. Even with her in front of you, you still feel hopelessly out of your depth when it comes to these military style movements and operations. At least you have the benefits of Mitsuru's wallhack, which helpfully marks the locations of the noise that the androids emit.

The cat and mouse game begins. Motoko kills another, and another. You steady your aim against one of the eatery tables and strike down two more. "Nice shooting," Motoko praises you, "You've been practising."

You chuckle, "You said I needed to make a Navy SEAL cry. All I need now is the SEAL."

You can hear her sigh from across the food court, "Don't get ahead of yourself."

She continues to lead the way as you shoot your way through offices, corridors and utility rooms. You blast one of the soldiers through a glass wall, shattering it into a spectacular shower of glass shards and robot parts. Rias speaks to you through the radio channel.

"We took care of the small fries, but this Gundroid is giving us trouble!" Rias explains.

"We'll be right there."

There are only a few left. Motoko gives you the signal to split off, "Go help them. I'll mop up the last of them."

"On it."

You turn on your heel and run down the corridor to the nearest crowd entrance. Sunlight burns your eyes as you emerge out onto one of the upper decks of the stadium. The crowds at the top of the seating areas have already escaped – but the people on the bottom deck were in the line of fire and couldn't do the same.

The ORC is standing firm, utilising magical circles to absorb the fire from the two remaining invaders. Sundar and his Gundroid. They are struggling; the long-distance fire of the gundroid is keeping them pinned down. The magic being emitted from their hands is used to shield the trapped onlookers behind them. You take aim with your gun and fire, hitting the cowboy dead in the left arm and sending it tumbling in a plume of sparks and smoke.

The devils are quick to react. They usher people to the exits while keeping an eye on the robot for any further attacks. The entire place empties out in a matter of seconds, leaving you in an empty baseball stadium with Sundar. "What the hell is your problem?" you demand from atop your vantage point.

"You really piss me off," Sundar growls, "Always being so self-righteous, even when you use other people to fight your battles." He's still armed with the strange weapon from your last fight, the one he tried to use on your Sledgehammer.

"I'm not forcing them to do anything. Unlike you, they're good people at heart. If that's your argument, wouldn't you say that you're forcing all of us to fight by doing this? You're an invader, hurting and terrorizing innocent people for no purpose."

His face hardens, "Pft. The reasons are beyond a simple mind like yours. You're not a man willing to make sacrifices to benefit the majority."

"I fail to see how attacking these people benefits anyone."

He lets out a bitter laugh, "Why not? It brought you here. Didn't you know? Eliminating you and that scientist friend of yours is now our number one objective."

"You lay a finger on Mitsuru and you'll be eating out of a tube for the rest of your life, asshole."

"Big words from a small man. Why don't you come down here and put your money where your mouth is?"

You accept the challenge, leaping from atop the third floor and down onto the grassy pitch below. Sundar tries to take advantage and fires some speculative shots at you with his arm-gun, but both miss as you roll out of the way. You fire back, but he teleports to the side leaving the bullets to hit nothing but the ground.

So absorbed by the gun duel, you fail to notice an interloper taking aim.

"Gundroid! Do it!"

A flash from afar, and your hand cries out in agony as an accurate shot smashes against the back of your armoured plate. Your fingers freeze up and drop the Sledgehammer to the dirt. Sundar moves as swiftly as the wind, swiping it from under you and kicking you away. You stop yourself short of falling down the stairs and into the team dugouts.

Your heart pounds at the prospect of having your number one weapon taken away. "You can't use that," you grunt, "It's biometrically coded."

Sundar laughs menacingly, "We already know. That Doctor isn't a dullard. But… you never figured out what this thing is." He held out the gun attached to his arm with a self-satisfied smirk, "Recognize this? You already destroyed the original version."

Suddenly it clicks into place, "That's… the cloning gun!"

"Wow! You aren't dumb as bricks after all! I asked a friend of mine to make some modifications, and now…"

He charges up a bolt of blue energy and dangles the captive firearm over the barrel, unleashing a vivid flood of energy that engulfs it completely. One silhouette turns into two, and then it drops at his feet. Another Sledgehammer. He throws the original back at you like a piece of garbage. You reach out and take it. He leans down and picks up his new pirated copy in exchange.

"The old version cloned everything – but I only need the non-organic materials to do this. I just needed to get you into the right position, and use the Gundroid's targeting computer to shoot it out of your hand. How do you like that?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"That's for me to know, and for you and your shitty harem to find out."

The war of words is interrupted by the return of the ORC and the Major. He only just avoids being fried by Rias' destructive magic; Motoko takes aim using her rifle and shoots at him. Sundar raises his arm and uses the cannon as a shield, shattering it into pieces. Despite the destruction of the cloning canon, the second Sledgehammer remains in existence. There must be a backup keeping it separate!

He scowls, "Whatever. I got what I wanted – you losers can play with this pile of junk!" He snaps his fingers and falls backwards through a portal that appears on the ground behind him. It closes so quickly that you can't even try to stop him.

He got you. This whole thing was a set-up so he could steal the Sledgehammer.

You're so angry that you snap your sights onto the Gundroid like a man possessed. You pull the trigger and blow a hole clean through its chest, then its arms, then its legs. You shred it, tearing away pieces until it's nothing more than a metal frame covered in hanging wires and dangling motherboards. You don't stop firing – gunning down the maddened gunman like you're in a gangster flick.

You stutter to a halt in front of the scrap pile and sigh. Mitsuru is going to kill you. Whatever she saw through the feed in your helmet, she doesn't comment. You feel a hand on your back, it's the Major and the others. You climb back to your feet and nod to them, "Thanks everyone. At least nobody got hurt."

Rias smiles, "It's no problem hubby!"

"Ara, I'm always happy to punish evildoers with you," Akeno shivers with sadistic intent.

"Perverts," Koneko comments derisively.

"Aw, don't be so cold Koneko-chan, I'm sure you'll learn to love him just like we did!" Akeno declares, shoving the stern girl's face into her bosom. The two begin to struggle with each other as you try to collect your thoughts.

"What's your assessment Major?"

"It was mostly a success, though your theatrics do seem to cause trouble." Motoko closes her eyes and nearly cracks a smile, "I suppose that 'heroic' part of you isn't so bad. Everyone needs a little bit of romance in their lives, being rescued by a police officer doesn't have the excitement as a superhero."

"Trust me – you're pretty special. I mean you're the only cybernetic person on Earth right now."

"You can't tell just from looking at me," she responds, "Unless you strip me naked."

You clutch your helmet covered head in despair, "While I'm sure I'd enjoy having every bone in my body broken for trying, Mitsuru is going to kill me first."

"That's right!" she cries through the comms, "I'm going to wring that muscular neck of yours!"

Chapter 28: High Roller

Notes:

This is two chapters combined into one.

The rescue at the baseball stadium had driven the media frenzy surrounding you to new heights. It was the only thing that anyone could talk about across the nation. Who was the mysterious masked hero? What was the deal with the alien invaders? And how was he getting away with such blatant copyright infringement? You try to drown out the noise and focus on doing what you do best. Lounging around the garage and training.

Mitsuru didn't actually have much to say about the enemy copying her weapon. She shrugged it off – they already have the ability to travel through infinite dimensions, and that isn't going to change with them making a replica Sledgehammer. You're more concerned about the underlying technology giving them a leg up, but if Mitsuru isn't worried, you're not worried.

Two mostly calm days after the stadium incident, Mitsuru calls you over to the computer. "What's up?"

"We spoke about the money a few days ago – and I said that I'd have something substantive for you in a few days."

"Oh, right. So, am I getting a raise or something?"

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, "That is to say, we received our first royalty payment for the merchandising line. With the manufacturer and retailer fees, we are left with a big portion of the proceeds. I've given you your thirty percent cut after routing it through some privacy conscious foreign banks."

Well, that sounds dubious!

"And how much did we make?"

"The videos of you fighting and summoning girls have blown up now that people know it's real, you were the number one trend in the world a few days ago. Since we planned ahead and had merchandise, toys and write ups already prepared – we were perfectly positioned to take advantage of the phenomenon. They flew off the shelves, and in total you took away fifty million dollars."

"…"

"…"

"F-Fifty?"

"Yes."

"Million?"

"Yes."

"Fifty million freaking dollars?!"

Mitsuru is too slow to plug her ears. She winces and hurriedly shoves a small plastic card into your hand, "Give or take. In fact, here you go! A new bank account with that money in it. Now, I couldn't move the lump sum into there without arousing unneeded suspicion, so you've been promoted to the COO of our company. You're earning one-hundred thousand dollars a month. You can finally move out of the crap shack you call an apartment. Or pay child support for your five hundred wives."

Do banks even insure this much cash at once?

"A-Anything else I should know?"

"No, that's it. Keep doing what you've been doing, and I'll keep working on our equipment. Oh, by the way, the leftovers from the Gundroid have been put into the printer. You have enough for ten cards now."

"I'll hold off on making any new ones right now."

"I saw an interesting selection in the logs actually, I didn't take you for that kind of person."

You hold up your hands in defence, "I stepped away for a moment and Rias did it."

"How convenient."

Mitsuru is not convinced.

It's not like you need her approval or anything! You walk away and begin to think about all of the amazing things you can do with your newly earned money. Mitsuru's right, you would like a private space to call your own that can handle more than two people at a time. You'll have to wait a while to accumulate the funds to buy a big penthouse outright. At least the property prices in this city aren't as insane as they can be elsewhere.

You're pulled out of your careful considerations by your phone vibrating. You swipe left before checking the caller ID and are surprised to discover that it's Rias. "Hello hubby, how are you doing?"

"Fine, thanks. What's the occasion?"

"I just wanted to have a chat with you, that's all."

"Okay – has anything interesting happened on your end for the past few days?"

"There's always something. The fallen angels make sure of that. We also got to meet Issei's girlfriend!"

That explains a lot, actually. "Oh, Issei has a girlfriend?"

"I was rather surprised myself. He always seemed so adamant that he was going to form a harem and all, but it seems that she's domesticated him, so to speak." Rias giggles at her own joke, "She's a girl from Kuoh Academy."

And probably someone you've never heard of. Mitsuru's griping about things being convenient rings a little hollow when she digs out universes like this one where the horniest man in existence can settle down like that. It makes it much easier for you to claim every girl from the ORC, and the other devil's peerages too. A world filled with singletons, divorcees and widows. It's kind of sad now that you think about it. Part of you would like to meet Issei, but you'd probably have to press a card to make that happen. Maybe in a pinch.

"She sounds nice. Mitsuru just got finished talking to me about the income from her stupid merchandising idea. I'm getting paid one-hundred-thousand dollars a month now as the COO. I don't even know what to do with that kind of money."

Rias hums, "To be truthful, I don't either. Everything has always been provided to me by my mother and father. The Gremory clan is very affluent, yet I find myself without the need for anything expensive. Recently I have started to fill my wardrobe with some cute outfits for our dates."

"Cute cute, or sexy cute?"

"Both!"

That tracks. "I'd like to move out of the 'love nest' and into somewhere bigger and nicer. Also, it's way too hot in the summer. But what else could I even spend it on?"

"A sports car?"

"Heh, that might be fun. Getting to feel like a big shot for once in my life."

"Fufu, you'll need a pair of beautiful women for those lonesome arms as well. Akeno would love to strut her stuff while hanging off of you."

Images of Rias and Akeno wearing sexy evening dresses and escorting you to a high-class restaurant flood into your head. Oh yeah, you definitely want to try that – even if it's just once and never again.

You shift topics, "How's your mother been?"

Rias giggles, "You can call her by her name, hubby. She's my mother, and your future wife. Perhaps you'd like to take us both to the bedchamber at the same time?"

You flush red. It always gets to you when Rias teases you like that; "I think I'd need to work up some serious courage to propose that."

"There's nothing strange about it," Rias insists, "We're devils after all. You should stop thinking like a human when you're dealing with us."

You shrug to an audience of none, "I don't know how a devil thinks."

"Aggressive, greedy, foolhardy. I would say that you are nearly there – laying claim to a mother and her daughter is exactly what I'd expect from a high-level devil."

"Hey, that was your idea."

"You could have said no."

"I don't think I can say no to you."

"Aww. You're too sweet."

Speaking of girls from Rias' world, "What did Asia and Koneko think of being brought through?"

"I did warn them, so they were ready for it. Asia was very eager to help anyone in need. Koneko isn't one to be open with her feelings, but she does stay in the room when the ORC fanclub watches the show. She pretends that she doesn't know anything about you."

Curling up on the couch and enjoying your adventures huh? Even so, you're going to need to break the ice with her if you want to add her to your burgeoning harem. Asia seems more open to the idea, even though the chaste nun hasn't had her first lewd thought yet.

"The rest of the club's members are hoping to meet you soon too!"

"Sure. I'll try and get more cards for you guys soon. Xenovia's probably interested, right?"

"Yep!"

She'll probably try to make a baby with you as soon as she steps through to your side…

"I'll make sure she gets an invite to the party then. I'll summon you and Akeno soon so we can hang out. I have a few errands to run today."

"Okay hubby! Message me any time. Bye! Love you!"

"Love you too."

She hangs up. During the discussion you ended up wandering into the gym to get a little privacy. May as well run your routine while you're here, unfortunately Chun-Li is occupied at the moment. No in-person training and shower fun this time. Your body has changed radically even after just a month or two of work. You used to be a pretty normal looking person – but now you can see your biceps and pecs growing by the day.

Unless you do some serious weight training, it's unlikely you'll get any bigger than this. That's just fine by you. You don't need to be a bodybuilder to fight evil, and you don't want to look like a character from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Not unless you have to. You slap your cheeks and stop your mind from drifting any further. It's time to get serious. Chun-Li will be angry if you miss out on your daily training.

And you do not want to make Chun-Li angry.

---

Motoko messaged you using one of Mitsuru's phones and asked to drop by for another training session. She stepped through the interdimensional rift wearing another one of her rather distinct outfits. A pair of thick, blocky black sunglasses, a tight grey bodysuit, and a long black trench coat. She looks like she just stepped out of a cyberpunk movie, which she technically did.

"Let's train."

And just like that, you were sent spiralling back into the depths of hell. Motoko isn't giving you any slack today. It seems the better you get, the harsher she is with her criticism. Her biting sarcasm and perfectionist mindset forces you to run the course a dozen plus times before she's finally happy. And that's before she demands co-operative drills where you need to properly use squad tactics with her.

After finally coming to a stop and resting, you notice that she's moving a little slower than last time.

"You feeling okay?"

Motoko waves you off, "This is a civilian grade body, since we aren't doing anything special today."

You laugh, "I didn't know you had the ability to turn off from business mode. What's the difference between this and a military body?"

Motoko cocks her hips to the side, "Lighter, the joints and muscular system are less robust, there's no armour, and it also comes with all of the comfort features. Like eating, defecating, anatomical accuracy."

"Oh, you did say that your 'combat' body didn't come with nipples."

"They don't. No need for things like that on something you're only meant to use occasionally. If you're going about your everyday business - people like to be reminded that they're still human. Missing out on functions like those can lead to depression and dissociation, where the mind rejects the body."

You listen attentively and quickly come up with another question; "I don't mean to bring up something personal but you've been in a cyborg body for a long time, right? Do you still feel that way?"

Motoko's face shifts to a dissatisfied look, "I've been in a mechanical body for as long as I can remember. It's something that you can never get used to. The human brain is wired to think a certain way. I have a collection of spare bodies in my apartment. Some for work, some for leisure."

"That's wild. Is it really that easy to swap between them?"

Motoko nods. "If there was someone out there who'd be willing to transfer themselves into a 'non-human' body for good, I could only conclude that there's something wrong with them."

"I guess. Hey, are you planning on doing something else while you're here?"

She shakes her head.

"Not interested in seeing the world before cyberbrains became a thing?"

Motoko doesn't seem interested, "This world isn't so different to mine, even though the technology is less advanced." Figures. She seems like a hard woman to entertain and interest. Speaking of entertainment…

"Mitsuru told me that everyone we summon already knows the score – I forgot to ask you last time. Are you familiar with us?"

That confident smirk falters for just a second. "Ah. Are you trying to ask me if I'm a big 'fan' of yours?"

"Sure. Let's go with that."

She sighs, "It's no good dancing around this one is it? I am."

"What's our story like in your world? How similar is it to this universe?"

"The core elements are the same. You and Mitsuru fighting alien invaders, summoning characters from other media franchises, set in a quaint retro-future city before the invention of most modern technology. All of that is mixed in with a large amount of sexual comedy and meta commentary. It's a very guilty pleasure. Don't start trying to make fun of me-"

"I won't," you cut her off, "In fact, it's flattering that someone like you would enjoy 'our' adventures that much."

"Hmf. I started reading it on a whim when I was younger and still in the military. Some of my platoon mates handed me their leftover copies just to kill some time. When I returned to Japan and joined section nine, I kept up with it. I got invested. I didn't know most of the crossover characters who were introduced, so I had to enjoy the original content as it was."

"Oh, so you don't know any of the Occult Research Club."

"No. There are similar characters, but not identical."

It seems that in all universes, anime and manga are horny. You are not surprised to learn this. You badly want to broach the subject of her affection for you – but Motoko will probably crush your balls if you try anything like that on her. She's going to reveal the truth on her own terms, you're just going to have to wait.

"Coming here does make for a good change of pace from my usual routine. I can relax for a few hours without having to worry about the world falling apart."

"Your idea of relaxing is more training?"

She titters, "Of course. Shooting dummies and targets is my 'happy place.'"

You can only hope that you aren't counter amongst their number, because you are a dummy.

"How do you feel about this whole harem thing anyway? I still haven't gotten used to it."

Motoko folds her glasses and slips them into her pocket, revealing her red eyes. "As impractical and improbable as the function of a relationship like that is – I can't feel surprised with it. I've seen a lot of strange things in my time. People modding their bodies to extremes that I couldn't have imagined before, choosing to live inside of a cyberbrain in their own closed-off world… so a romance with multiple partners is almost tame in comparison."

"Improbable, that sounds right to me."

"But not impossible," she emphasises, "If there are infinite worlds with infinite personalities, I'm sure that amongst those possibilities are a group of people willing to give it a try."

"Are you one of them?" You cringe internally as the real thrust of your questioning slips out, every bit as bare faced and brazen as you were trying to avoid.

Motoko doesn't reach out and crush your balls with her robotic grip, instead she smirks and leans into your personal space, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

You sigh and close your eyes, "We both know how this works. But I'm not going to insist that you have to do anything. Like you said, improbable and impractical. I'm waiting for the moment where one of you starts thinking that I can't divide my attention in enough ways."

You don't know what you expect her reaction to be. Motoko is such a mixed bag of emotions and moods. Deathly serious, teasing, mature or even childish. She can be all of those things and more. What she doesn't do is take advantage of your position to sneak in a kiss. She puts her hands on your chest and pushes you back a touch.

"Then you'll have to do your best to make sure that doesn't happen. It might hurt if someone spurns you, but would you prefer to keep them with you even if they weren't enjoying it?" She speaks with a firm conviction that fills you with a sudden burst of confidence. She's right. You just need to do what you can and see how things play out.

"Alright. I get it."

But Motoko can't resist the chance to jab at you with another comment, "And if you want me to join this little 'harem' of yours – you're going to have to impress me." Impress her? How the hell are you going to impress a woman who rips tanks apart with her bare hands? You get the sense that she's more interested than she lets on.

"Easier said than done…"

You finish up the last few rounds of firearms training with Motoko. She can't stick around for long, so after you're finished you send her back home so she can take on some real threats instead of ones that Mitsuru and Lala built. You towel off the sweat and clean up the mess, resetting the training system to its normal settings.

But speak of the Deviluke and she shall appear. As you move to leave the elevator doors open and the violent bundle of pink alien energy dashes you, pulling you into a tight hug, "Mitsuru and I finally finished what we were working on! So now we can spend a bunch of time together!

"Hey Lala, did Mitsuru summon you again?"

"Yep! Come with me, there's something I want to show you!"

You follow the peppy girl into the elevator. The elevator begins to shift and move for only a short distance, coming to a stop two floors below. How many floors did they build down here? And how did they avoid hitting any pipes in the process? Lala presses several buttons, seemingly entering a password that only she knows.

The doors open again to reveal a strange room. There's a wooden platform that runs along the entryway of the chamber, but the rest of the floor is seemingly made from one gigantic mattress, complete with sheets and pillows. It's large enough to comfortably bed several dozen people. White curtains hang from each wall, giving it an almost heavenly appearance.

"So… what's this room?"

"This is Lala's personal chamber! Mitsuru said I can do whatever I want in here! So I decided to turn it into a super awesome harem bedroom for all of us! We can all snuggle up together and maybe do something lewd too…"

Your eyes drift to the left, where a single standing whiteboard is perched atop the thin strip of solid ground. Leaving your shoes in the provided rack, you walk around and get a proper view of what's contained on it. To put it bluntly, it's a crazy ass conspiracy theory chart, with images of all of your present harem members connected with pieces of coloured string. "HAREM PLAN," is scribbled across the top in red marker.

"Harem Plan?"

Lala trots over with a smile, "Oh, Momo heard about me being added to a harem and she was super excited about it! We made this together. The red string connects girls who are already in love with you, and the yellow string is for girls who haven't realised how much they want you just yet!"

Some of the other interpersonal relationships have also been connected with blue string. Rias, her mother and her peerage are all strung up with each other. The candid images of Akeno and Rias lying seductively on crumpled white sheets make it immediately obvious that they're both in on the joke. By contrast Koneko and Asia have normal profile shots of their faces. Xenovia is also hovering around the bundle of devilish ladies, but she isn't connected to you yet – presumably because you haven't met her yet.

"This way, we can make sure that we plan carefully and capture their hearts in one go!"

You were just kinda' winging it until now. How helpful could this chart really be?

"It's interesting, but aren't you going to run out of space eventually?"

Lala hums, her tail wagging in the air behind her. "We can worry about that when we get there! Oh, maybe we could get one of those super cool touchscreens and make a really big digital version! But there's something so fun about having a physical board here…"

You chuckle and pat her on the back, "Okay, okay. We'll do the board for now."

Chapter 29: The Harem Plan and the Bedchamber

Lala's harem bed-chamber and harem plan seem to indicate that she has a vested interest in the whole polygamous relationship thing. And her sister? Did she mean Momo? It's been a long time since you last read To Love-Ru…

Lala kicks off her shoes and dives onto the ginormous bed, bouncing up and down on it like a trampoline. Well, there's no need to overheat your brain thinking about it. You do the same and leave your shoes behind, stepping onto the surface of this alien bed planet that Lala has constructed.

"Where did you even find a mattress this big?" you ask as Lala finally falls flat onto her back.

"They make extra big mattresses for extra big aliens," she explains matter-of-factly. "Okay! Let's have some fun again!" Lala rolls over and clambers into your lap. Her long black tail wraps around your waist and holds you tight to her back as she settles in. "Mitsuru can be a meanie sometimes. She always has something for me to do."

"Sorry. She's rather blunt, isn't she?"

"Uh-huh. But I like that about her. She reminds me of my little sister, or Yami-chan."

Lala reaches up and presses down on Peke, transforming her alien outfit in a puff of smoke. When it clears a moment later you discover that she's wearing a thin nightie and a pair of matching lacy panties. Your hands don't have anything stopping them from touching the skin on her belly, she begins to giggle and squirm in your lap.

"Hehehe, that tickles!"

"Why did you bring me down here?" you ask.

She turns back and pecks you on the lips with a quick kiss, "I just wanted to spend some time cuddling with my fiancé, that's all. All of the other girls have gotten to spend so much time with you recently."

"I know. It's really tough to make everyone's schedules line up, isn't it?"

Lala's body is really warm and soft. She doesn't have the same insane curves that Rias and Akeno do. She's lithe, and rather thin. That isn't a problem! It's nice to have such a beautiful girl who isn't all boobs and butts. Some people would probably demand all of those things at once, but can you really talk? It's not like Rias and Akeno aren't pretty and sexy as well.

Feeling mischievous, you reach out and wrap your hand around the spaded tail dangling to your left. Lala immediately stiffens up at your touch as a shiver runs through her body, "Wah! Don't attack my tail like that, meanie!" The blush on her face is exciting. You just wanted to touch it since you forgot to the last time you slept together.

"I just thought of a problem with this room."

"Huh, what is it?"

"I can only summon four people at a time. There's no way we can fill all of this space unless Mitsuru upgrades the Sledgehammer even more."

Lala is outraged by the revelation, puffing out her cheek and slapping her hands on the soft floor below. "Grr. That just means we need to improve our technology! What kind of King doesn't sleep with all of his concubines at once!?" You can't help but find it really amusing that she finds that problematic. You distract her by leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on the nape of her neck.

"Four girls are enough to wear me out already."

Lala giggles, "Don't worry! Momo and I are already working on creating an even better stamina producing item for you to consume! She's getting all of her plant friends to help."

Memories of your wild foursome with her, Akeno and Rias are still fresh in your mind. You'd also be remiss to forget the extreme crotch and groin pain that resulted from having three different women ride you like a bucking bronco for hours on end. "That was a crazy night, even with the basic version."

She blushes, "That was the first time I've ever done something lewd before. It felt really amazing. Akeno and Rias were really beautiful too!"

"I seem to recall Akeno having a lot of fun with you, you didn't mind?"

"Of course not. It's only natural that your wives work together to prepare you for more."

If that was their intent it worked for sure. Seeing Akeno thrusting three fingers into Lala's pussy and causing her to squirt everywhere was an unforgettable moment. Well, what little you could see of it while Rias was grinding you into the mattress.

She takes your hands into hers; "I hope that you consider inviting Momo and Nana too. Then all of us can be your happy harem wives!" Nana doesn't seem like the type of girl to take to anyone, especially not someone like you. Momo is clearly into it though. "It'll be nice to sleep in here with everyone at the same time."

You think she brought you down here for another reason though. It's hard to not get excited when such a cute girl is wiggling on top of your lap in nothing but her underwear. You reach up with both hands and gently place them on her breasts, eliciting an excited inhalation from the pink-haired princess. They're really soft and squishy.

"How about we break this place in? Just to see if it works…"

Lala nods and removes Peke from her head, leaving them on the mattress to the side. Her clothes disappear into another cloud of smoke, revealing her nude form once more. She escapes from your lap and twizzles around to face you. Needy hands reach out and slip themselves under the hem of your shirt. A few moments later you're left completely naked from head to toe, just like her.

"Your snake is happy to see me!" She cheers.

"My snake?"

"What would you like to do?" She flutters her eyes in a mockingly seductive manner. Your response is simple, you pull her back over and into your lap, this time face to face. Your erect member slips into her eager and welcoming folds, her tail shoots straight out as the pleasurable sensation runs through her body.

"How about we take it slow and enjoy each other?"

Lala's eyes widen as she realises what you have planned. She leans in and places her chin against your shoulder, her body shuddering and chest heaving as the gentle lovemaking begins to affect her for real. There's no need to wildly pump your hips – she's so tight and wet that it feels amazing even when you aren't moving at full speed.

You decide that some romantic talk will please her even more. She flinches as the hot breath spills from your mouth and over her sensitive ears, "I love you Lala. I'm so happy that I got to meet you."

"Ah! Ha… ha… I love you too. I love you soooooo much!"

Lala's needy body presses closer to yours as her own hips begin to move. The cherry-like scent of her hair and a little bit of feminine sweat fill your nostrils as you bury yourself into her nape and kiss at her neck. "One day you'll be the Queen, and I'll be the King – and we can have a big wedding with all of the harem members. Rias, Akeno, Asia, Koneko, Motoko, Venelana, Chun-Li, and whoever else."

She shivers as a deeply held desire slips from between her plush lips, "…M-Momo and Nana."

"And your sisters too. One big happy family."

"T-That's right. The King of the galaxy needs to have a bunch of super amazing concubines and wives. Who all love you as much as I do! Who can pamper you and sleep with you, and have your babies and… Ah!" You feel a sudden gush of fluids splash against your crotch as the lewd fantasy drags Lala to the first of many upcoming orgasms.

It's slow and sensual, completely unlike the pelvis shattering fuckfest that her, Akeno and Rias unleashed unto you a few weeks earlier. Lala never once lets go of your body, hugging you tight and pressing her cute breasts into you. Legs tangled, hearts connected – you don't feel the need to pick up the pace and make it any more intense. This is a moment for you and her, something to share and remember. Lala's been neglected versus some of the others. You want to make up for it.

She giggles deliriously, "Queen… I was always so afraid of becoming Queen because my father set me up with some weird people. But if it's with you, I'm really excited." You kiss as you feel the first of your orgasms approach. You groan into her mouth as a thick flow of seed flows into her unprotected pussy. This might turn into a shotgun wedding if you aren't careful.

"Did you enjoy that?" she asks.

"Of course I did, but we aren't done just yet."

You lean forward and push her down onto the bed beneath you, repeating the process all over again. A slow, simmering intercourse that leaves your body flushed and pricked with invisible needles. It's fun and sexy. Lala's flower feels so good around your shaft that you never want to be pulled apart, even though you know you have things to do outside of this little world she's created.

Time fades away from your mind as you do your best to make Lala feel every little bit of your love. You kiss every part of her body that you can reach, pushing her hips upwards with slow, methodical insertions. Lala enjoys every second of it, feeling you searching out and pounding against her most sensitive spots. Just you and her, together, in a sea of white sheets and lace curtains.

You cum several more times until her vagina is overflowing, never once considering pulling out. Your stamina isn't limitless, and Lala hasn't spiked you with a weird viagra drug this time. You finally put an end to things and extract yourself from her body, collapsing down onto the soft floor and pulling her into a normal embrace that doesn't involve mashing your privates together. There's an incredible mess from where you've repeatedly soiled her insides with your sperm.

You gasp and try to catch your breath after such an intense and intimate meeting. Lala smiles and cups your cheeks in her palms, exploring the features of your face like a curious child, committing each and every detail to memory.

"Thank you, husband." Her skin, marred pink and red through the shared heat and her beaming smile are almost enough to knock you flat. How can a woman like this look even more beautiful after two hours of sex?! "I think Momo and Nana will love to be your wives as well."

"Well, we do have a lot of cards ready to use. Momo, Nana and Xenovia are on my shortlist."

"Oh! Rias already sent me a picture of Xenovia so I can put her onto the chart."

You noticed earlier back at the board. Pretty much every woman in Rias' orbit was included – where the hell did she get some of those from?

"You girls are talking to each other a lot?"

She nods, "It makes sense doesn't it? All of your future wives need to be in close contact so we can coordinate dates, future concubines, and other things like that!"

"Why did I pick so many presumptuous girls so early? We need to leave some girls for the rest of the guys out there," you laugh. Though you have learned that Issei has a nondescript girlfriend of his own, so maybe it's not really stealing from the respective main characters of each franchise.

"There's no need to slow down now," Lala insists, "Let's conquer the multiverse and all of the amazing women inside of it! For the sake of our future harem!"

This is going to be troublesome.

Chapter 30: Home Buyer's Guide

Things have settled down in terms of monster attacks. A few days have gone by since Lala's introduction to the 'harem chamber' that she snuck in under the foundations of your garage HQ. Though in other ways things have gotten increasingly chaotic and out of hand. Your baseball stadium rescue has resulted in a media tumult – with hundreds of journalists descending on the city to try and find the identity of the mysterious superhero.

There are TV specials, round the clock talk show speculation, and people painting murals of you onto the side of local apartment blocks to celebrate your actions in rescuing the people at the game. There's a veritable Harem Hero frenzy ongoing. And Mitsuru is more than happy to stoke the flames of that frenzy.

She summoned Venelana Gremory using the Sledgehammer (without your knowledge) and attained her assistance in spreading the word about her new toy line, released to coincide with the trend. She didn't just want to conquer the store shelves, she wanted to conquer the multi-media landscape! You've started to overhear her speaking with producers and licensors about new products, comic book tie-ins and potential lawsuits from the people whose intellectual property you are now plucking characters and concepts from.

There's just one problem with that – Mitsuru has not only hidden her identity, but also the location, registration and finances of your new 'company.' It's a black box from which no information can leak or escape. The government doesn't even know who you work for. Plus, the rather tenuous legalise theory that you aren't really selling other people's ideas. Mitsuru had quietly shelved the replica cards and replaced them with non-copyright infringing alternatives. Some of them are more obvious than others.

The first one-hundred-thousand-dollar cheque slid into your bank account with little fanfare, after bounding between various proxy accounts intended to protect your identity. It's even more than Mitsuru initially suggested, pushing upwards into the one-hundred-seventies. Suddenly you don't need to worry about rent or your expenses anymore. It's both liberating and constricting. What are you going to do with so much cash? Rias had some good ideas. Why not live it up a little with a flash car and a new, larger apartment?

And thus, the apartment search begins. You know that Lala has the ability to add compressed space rooms to any building – so space may not be such an important factor. You're just looking for something more liveable, and maybe a little impressive so you can feel like a big shot. With such a huge amount of liquid cash on hand, you can pay the down payment for pretty much any available apartment in the city. Sans the ones constructed to launder dirty money in the downtown district – doomed to never be lived in.

You created a shortlist of several that catch your eye, all of them offering premium perks like an underground parking space, a private elevator, and panorama views of the district they're located in. Many of them have been built in speculative locations close to the garage and by the waterside. The attempted gentrification of the former industrial and shipping area hasn't been doing so hot – so there are plenty of bargains to be found.

Having sent a message of interest to one of the estate agents involved, you received a response from them promptly. They couldn't show you around in person, but they would leave a spare key under one of the potted plants in the outside hallway for you to use. If nothing else it should provide a fun diversion to see how the 'other side' lives. You walk through the abandoned warehouses and industrial yards to an area that has been flattened and landscaped into a new high-end business and residential area.

The building you seek towers above the others. A reflective monolith of glass and steel – an overcompensating construction that seeks to be the tallest around. You walk through the repaved courtyard slash park and into the cold embrace of an empty skyscraper lobby. There isn't a soul to be seen, but the lights are on and the doors still open so…

Screw it. You ignore the potential for this to turn into an avant-garde horror flick and swagger to the elevator. The agent said the double-layered apartment was on the thirtieth and thirty-first floor, and inhabited half of the building's footprint in the process. You can't imagine the size of the place until you see it with your own eyes.

Up and up you go. A sassy saxophone melody plays over the elevator speakers during the trip. The reflective steel doors slide open and reveal a beige hallway. On either side of you are two black doors, with numbers printed onto them. You're looking for 312. A pair of vases stand guard on either side of the wooden laminate door, under the left is the key you were promised.

"Alright, no axe murderer just yet."

The door unlocks with a satisfying clunk, swinging open to reveal a fairly lavish entry hallway into what is a truly gigantic luxury apartment. These are the real high roller suites, mainly designed for investors to buy and sit on for a stupid length of time without ever once opening the front door and using them for their practical purpose.

On the immediate right is a cloak room to store coats, umbrellas and a veritable landslide of outside shoes. You kick off your own dirty beaters and leave them by the front door so you don't spoil the lovely white-marble floor. You're spoilt for choice on where to start your inspection, but a rumbling from your pocket momentarily distracts your attention.

It's Akeno, wondering if you're free to spend a little time with her. As usual, this simple request is accompanied by an image of her posing in a full-body mirror with no clothes on. Does she think she needs to pay you in nudes or something? You fire off a message asking her to get dressed. What's the harm? You summon the Sledgehammer using your bracelet and summon Akeno from her world. The busty sadist appears wearing a flattering white blouse, jumper and long black skirt. She looks very mature in this new casual outfit.

"Hello Akeno."

"Fufu, hello husband!" Akeno leans up and plants a friendly kiss on your lips. Her eyes are immediately drawn to the apartment you're in. "Hm. Is my dear husband seeking a new home?"

You and the girls already talked about the money situation. "Kind of. I got curious about how far my new-found wealth can go. This is the first place I've checked out."

"Ara, it is rather bare, isn't it?" Akeno comments, craning her head upwards to look at the tall glass windows that look out over the water.

"All of these modern buildings look like this. They need something… more personable."

Akeno nods, "I much prefer the way that Rias styled our clubhouse. It's very comfortable and warm. These big bald windows need some lovely crimson curtains, don't you think?" The gothic stylings of DxD's clubhouse do have a certain appeal. You're going to have to redecorate no matter which building you choose in the end.

The main living area is huge – featuring a built-in kitchen area, dining table and depressed seating area with an equally large flat-screen TV built into the shape of the indentation. Huge roof to floor windows give a semi-impressive view over the bay of the city. Heck, you can see the baseball stadium from here. You and Akeno wander around the place, providing commentary and ideas for what you'd like to do with it. The room that is most exciting to her is the master bedroom, which takes up a large chunk of the second floor. A half-wall allows you to see through the very same windows.

"What a wonderful love nest," she giggles, "I can just imagine us lavishing you with affection on a big, emperor size mattress while we watch the sun set."

A what? You don't even know if they make beds that big.

There are several other mostly empty rooms intended for whatever use a rich man can think of. It's so sprawling that you're already running low on practical ideas for what to use them for. Akeno does her level best to try and make up for it. "Fufu, this would make a wonderful dungeon. We can punish the naughty girls in your harem, and have a little fun together." She trails her pedicured nails down one of the empty walls and flutters her eyebrows, essentially begging you to ascent to the concept.

You don't know where to start with something like that. "Uh, I think I'll leave the dungeon design to you then – Akeno." She responds by planting another kiss on your cheek and hugging your arm like a doting housewife. She can be a real sweetheart when she tries. She also manages to restrain herself from asking for a quickie with you. And by 'quickie' you mean three hours of marathon sex like what always seems to happen.

"How many places did you look up?"

"A few, more apartments like this and some bigger houses out in the suburbs."

"I'd love to come with you. Shall we?"

You smile and shepherd her back towards the entry hall, "Of course, whatever you want." There are a few more places you're planning on visiting today – so having Akeno for company sounds like a great idea. Otherwise it's going to be very dry and boring, oohing and awing at whatever absurd architecture the rich and powerful have decided to construct in an affront to good taste.

Maybe a gothic twist is just what one of these breezy, oversized homes need.

---

House hunting with Akeno is rather tame by her lofty-debauched standards. She may have teased you and made crude comments about 'punishing' you a few times, but otherwise she manages to keep it in her pants for the entire trip. As for the apartments themselves, you quickly come to realize that all of them are essentially identical. A large open plan living room connected to a lavish modern kitchen and a bunch of afterthought doom chambers designed to be turned into displays of excess.

Sure, the elevators and underground parking makes you feel like a high-roller, but you can get much more bang for your ill-gotten buck by heading slightly out of town and into one of the high-class suburban areas. Consisting entirely of large, elaborate modern palaces with tall perimeter walls and garages big enough for twenty cars. Plus, they come with a garden, you can make as much noise as you like, and people won't look at you like a psychopath for using it for something other than money laundering.

The city had once believed that expensive developments like this would help kickstart the economy – years later they still sit empty and unused, at severely reduced prices. Akeno coos in awe as you step through the front gate and into the garden. It's an 'open day,' but you're the only people in the entire lot.

The reason you chose this particular house over all of the others is because it's built in a much more appealing classical style. A red brick façade, white Victorian style-windows, a big front balcony and a fairly lush front garden to help it blend into the environment. It isn't a jumbled mess of unneeded edges and extensions like the usual McMansion, and it isn't a towering white monolith that makes you feel like you're living in a bad science fiction movie.

"I like this one," Akeno comments, "It reminds me of the clubhouse."

The clubhouse doesn't not have a separate garage area, with three automatic doors and enough space to fit twelve vehicles though. A laid-brick roadway flows down from the mouth of the second building like a river. No tarmac here. You scan your phone at the front door using a weird app the estate agent told you to install, which unlocks the door and leads into a rather lavish front reception room, with a pair of staircases reaching out to embrace you from the front.

The house is totally empty. None of the walls are painted or papered, and there's no furniture. According to the description on the site you found it on – the house was left unfinished inside after the previous owner went bankrupt. That means that it's a mostly clean slate for the buyer to do whatever they please with it.

To put it bluntly – it's a rather boring place to explore. There's nothing to see, but a lot of things to consider. Maybe this is the blank canvas you're looking for? Akeno eagerly takes pictures of the rooms using her phone for later use.

"You could ask Rias for some monetary assistance, as her future husband."

"No need. I can afford the down payment for this, and the repayments. I'm getting kicked 150k every month now, and it might go up depending on what Mitsuru does."

Akeno stares at one of the bedrooms with a sly smile, "Fufu. I can imagine you and your wives reclining on a lovely bed in here."

"That includes you, you realize."

Akeno giggles and pecks you on the cheek, "Oh? So forward! I expect a lovely, debauched wedding in a satanic chapel. I really want you to see me in a dress…"

Right, the devils can't enter holy buildings. You almost forgot.

"I think Rias would like to get her hands on this building," Akeno explains, "She has something of a hobby for interior design."

"Oh, is that so?"

"She was the one who directed the reconstruction of the clubhouse. She'll turn this empty shell into a lovely place to make love and raise children." Akeno's face flushes and her eyes glaze over as a lewd fantasy spills into her headspace. "I can't wait to meet all of your lovely mistresses."

The utterly bonkers amount of money you now have is enough to convince you. What's the harm? If it doesn't work out you can just use it for something else. That does mean you have to go through a fairly lengthy process to purchase the place and get it up to a liveable standard first. There isn't even a fully completed kitchen or bathroom.

"I think this is the place," you declare. Akeno puts her hands together and tilts her head to the side. She always looks so patient and calm, even when you know there's a sadistic streak running through her. You lean in and wrap your arm around her waist, "How about we head back to my apartment for a little while? Say one last goodbye together."

Her eyes sharpen and she licks her lips seductively, "Fufu. Of course, husband."

---

It took less than a second from crossing the threshold of your front door to Akeno pushing you up against the wall and claiming your mouth for her tongue. You wrap your arms tight around her body and cup her heart-shaped buttocks with your hands, forcing a needy moan through her otherwise occupied throat. The heat on her face is clear, she backs away and pants with need.

"Husband, I need you to take care of me," she teases in a sing-song voice.

Take care of her you will. Clothes are thrown to the wayside as you both struggle for supremacy and collapse onto the crappy mattress in your bedroom. Akeno's body is insane. Her breasts are huge, and her hips and thighs are equally plush. There's little room or will for foreplay, Akeno spreads her legs wide and reveals her wet lower lips with lidded eyes and a beckoning hand gesture.

A lyrical moan escapes from her chest as you plunge deep into her wetness, grinding the tip of your erection as deep as it can go. Her arms pull you closer and her legs wrap around your waist to stop you from pulling out. She wants every last drop of your essence to be consumed by her hungry womb, playing with fire and running the risk of a demonic pregnancy.

As you thrust into her again and again, she recaptures your lips in an intimate and tongue-filled kiss. The soft and warm flesh wiggles against your own, vying for dominance from below. Your back burns as she runs her nails down you, leaving red marks in their wake. "I'm cumming! I'm cumming!" she chants wordlessly, her muscles tensing and her pussy spasming around your cock. You grunt and bury yourself even deeper – pressing the tip against her core and unleashing thick, steaming strands of seed into her womb.

"Such a beast, fufu."

That was never going to be enough to please Akeno. Before you knew it, the positions are switched, with her bouncing on top of you and grinding her hips. Her huge breasts dangle freely, allowing you to knead and play with them – pinching at her hard nipples and suckling on them in a desperate frenzy.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" The sweet sounds of ecstasy coming from Akeno drag you even further into the lustful inferno. Before long, you follow up your previous creampie with a second, even stronger one. As your shaft slips from her sodden sex, she licks her lips again and her face flashes with sadistic fervour.

"That's a good little hubby. But I'm not satisfied just yet."

Two hours later you lay on your back with Akeno upside down at your side, trying to cool down after such a hardcore round of sex with the black-haired beauty. She dragged you to several more orgasms before you finally tapped out. She eagerly cleans off your soiled cock with her mouth, vacuuming up whatever is left inside of your shaft with oral skills that defy her inexperience with men.

Pop.

You shudder as the cold hair buffets your saliva covered member. Akeno scrambles back up into place and pulls your arms over her. Akeno rolls over to face you and squeezes her breasts together, "I heard from the president that you're trying to add her mother to your harem."

"She was the one who made the card," you reply, "Turns out that Rias is a bit of a mother's girl."

Akeno laughs. "It's exciting, our handsome hubby claiming the hand of one of the largest and most influential devil houses. There are many other lonesome noble women who could use our help in seeing the light."

Being alone with Akeno really makes you think. How does she feel about you independent of Rias' influence? You know that she's willing to do anything for her – but does that extend to being with her boyfriend too?

"How do you feel about me, Akeno? You were very excited to jump into all of this."

Akeno's face softens for once. "I like what I like. Don't tell the president, but I've also had fantasies of being with you. My, it's embarrassing to say! But now that I know you're real and not just a character…"

"I get it. Rias and you are the same. You're very… popular with a certain type of man."

"Fufu, bottoms?"

"Not just bottoms," you groan. "People who'd like a beautiful, powerful devil girl with a sexy body and a mean edge. That's something you can't get without advanced dimension hopping technology."

"I'm happy to fulfil whatever fantasies you have, hubby. Make sure to summon lots and lots of pretty girls that I can punish!"

"Punish?"

Akeno drops the act for just a moment; "Sexually, not painfully."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it."

Chapter 31: Four of a Kind

"Doctor, Doctor!"

"I'm here you damn brat. No need to shout!"

Sundar pushed his way through the scrapheap jungle that Doctor Gael called an 'office.' In one of the few open spaces he worked dutifully – the Sledgehammer that Sundar had copied was dismantled into hundreds of pieces. The copy gun glowed dimly from the back of the room, the stabilisation device needed to remain powered for the copy to continue existing.

The Sledgehammer was a fiendishly complex piece of machinery. Gael, in his years of experience, he'd never seen anything like it. A hyper-intelligent brain struggled to comprehend. Voldaz were meant to be the rulers of the interdimensional space. Yet here was a random earthling creating a weapon unlike anything they could make themselves.

Sundar paced around the workbench and picked through the dozens and dozens of schematics that Gael had drawn by hand. The Doctor had been working on picking it apart for weeks now, and progress was painfully slow. He had hoped that his next plan would have had a faster return on investment. The entire thing had been kept quiet, at the Doctor's insistence. He was terrified when Sundar returned with the white weapon clutched between his claws. What had frightened him so? Now that it was nothing more than a pile of electronics the mystique was gone.

Gael ignored his irritating gaze and continued to tinker with his current obsession, a sophisticated time-space dilation device that the human scientist had included into the device. He could already feel his own mind being enriched with a bevy of new ideas. If only he could work with the woman in question, instead of being tasked with such inane nonsense as building attack droids.

He grunted, "If you're so bored, why don't you go attack the humans?"

Sundar waved his hands dismissively, "Mary and Faust are already doing it. Not like they'll get anywhere with it. Those two don't have a brain cell to share. That guy who's been fighting us is a real asshole – summons a bunch of people from other dimensions to fight for him."

"If it works, it works," Gael sighed. "There's no need to begrudge a winning strategy."

"There is when it beats me. I would have preferred to destroy him then and there – but we need something to even the playing field a little."

"It shouldn't take too long now. I'll have what you want soon enough."

"I hope so, Doctor."

---

Gathered around the TV in the garage are you, Rias, Koneko and Asia. A news report displays your heroism in defeating the Gundroid and saving lives. Followed by a panel where the interviewer is speaking with the city's police chief – Andrew Spalding.

The interviewer goes for the jugular, "There are some that would say that the police aren't taking enough of a proactive approach to this unknown threat. What is the feeling at your department?"

The chief sputters for a moment, "I-I'd just like to say that we shouldn't leap to any judgements about the work that my officers do. We follow a strict process to ensure that we do everything we can to resolve the situation at hand. We know that these attackers are using advanced weapons to take hostages and cause large amounts of damage to public infrastructure…"

"Have you made an assessment on what their goal is?"

"No. But we're working with all the relevant government agencies to track down the people responsible, and to get a stronger lead on where they might strike next."

"And what of the people who did enter the stadium?"

"While public bravery is appreciated, and very noble – it should be said that in delicate hostage situations such as this that it should be left to the police. We have the training and the team to successfully resolve the situation. Vigilantism can result in more harm than good."

"Thank you for your time, Mister Spalding."

"Thank you."

The report ends and moves on to a boring public interest story about a local school. You mute the TV and turn to a starry-eyed Asia, "You were very cool! So this is the power of Rias' husband…"

"Uh, thanks Asia."

The original intent of this get-together was for Rias to introduce you properly to Koneko and Asia. Though things quickly veered off course as the news turned to your previous actions. Koneko has remained almost completely silent since she arrived. Unless you do something perverted, it's unlikely to stir any substantial reaction from her right now.

The ex-nun continues to sing your praises. "I really admire you for protecting all of those people. It would have been simply dreadful had something happened to them."

"Hopefully we can stop anyone from getting hurt. I don't know how long it's going to take to beat these guys for good though."

Rias giggles, "You haven't accumulated enough wives just yet. Try asking again after you have a few hundred more."

Asia blushes, "Oh! Are you sure that's okay Rias? Normally marriage is between two people…"

Rias leans over the back of her chair and pulls Asia's head between her huge boobs, "We're devils Asia, and so are you. We don't need to follow the word of the almighty. What's wrong with sharing your love with other people?"

"Well… it's just that they might get jealous, and start fighting each other! That doesn't sound like a happy marriage to me."

Rias ponders the quandary before coming up with a typically 'Rias' solution. "Why don't you try it out? I can lend hubby here to you for a while." The words are spoken with full teasing intent. Asia turns an even deeper shade of red as your eyes meet her.

"I-I-I can't do that! He's your fiancé!"

Rias leans down and blows a puff of hot air into her ear, "He's Akeno's, Lala's and Chun-Li's fiancé too. And they're all perfectly okay with how things are."

"Pervert," Koneko snipes. You don't know if it's aimed at you for having multiple potential wives or Rias for trying to whore you out to her servants. Having teased Asia enough, Rias wanders back over to where you're sitting and plants her thick thighs on your lap, wrapping her arms around your neck in a half-embrace. Asia looks like she's about to melt, you didn't even know people could get this red in the face.

"Live a little!" Rias concludes. She leans in and kisses you on the cheek.

"I-I'm not sure I could," Asia protests. "I've never even kissed a boy before."

With how thirsty she is in the show, you're not sure that's true. At the least she must have seen something sexual during her life so far. Koneko is giving you a glare that could cut like a knife. She doesn't like it when Rias gets all affectionate with you. Which is perhaps why Rias drags Asia away to meet with Mitsuru about something. A trickle of sweat slips down your neck as the pressure of her yellow orbs begins to bore into your body.

"Is there something wrong, Koneko?"

She looks away to not give you the satisfaction of rumbling her; "I do not understand why the President is in love with you. Is it simply because of her enjoyment of your anime?"

"Have you seen it?" Rias already indicated as much before.

"It is difficult not to when the President drags the television into the meeting room. The rest of the club has a strange fixation on it. Even Issei."

"It's popular, right? I bet a lot of people their age are the same way."

Koneko continues, "Issei admires the series because you, the lead character, have an impractically large harem of women who love you unconditionally. According to him – you are the goal and ideal of every hot-blooded man on the planet, a 'harem king,' which is both crude and reductive."

You snicker at the moniker – something that their Issei has abandoned with the discovery of a girlfriend of his own. You decide to ask Koneko about it, "Rias told me he has a girlfriend. Has he given up on it?"

"Thankfully, yes. He no longer makes passes at me, Rias or Asia. He has 'grown up' thanks to her guiding hand. Yet here you are, doing the exact thing that I believed impossible."

Is it really impossible though? Everyone else seems to have such confidence that they'll keep loving you, even if they're one of hundreds. It's been a running doubt in your mind since this whole thing started. How do you know they're telling the truth? Do they even know how they'll feel about it if it comes to that?

"Well, if they get sick of it – there's nothing I can do to stop them from breaking up with me," you shrug. "We're all making a choice to be a part of this. That's one thing I know now for sure."

"I only helped you because the President asked," the cat girl insists, "Don't think that I'm in love with you just because I assisted you in battle."

She's being extremely tsundere. You shake your head, "I never did. There's a big gap between coming and helping me fight and deciding to go out with me."

That's good enough for Koneko. "Good. I will seek to understand the President better."

"And Akeno?"

"I already know why she's with you. She does as Rias asks."

"Because they trust each other."

Koneko blinks and reconsiders her words, "Apologies. I didn't mean to imply that Akeno is being forced into this."

"No, I get it. Akeno gave me a shot because she likes the President, right?"

Koneko bristles, "I do not understand why the President's mother is involved too."

You chuckle nervously, "Uh, that was Rias' idea. She doesn't like her mother being unwed, apparently."

"But as a male you will not complain. Bedding a mother and daughter is the type of lecherous fantasy that I should expect from you."

Talking with Koneko is tricky, but it's also pretty great. Getting to interact with characters you love (platonically for now) is an amazing experience. You're going to need to earn her trust somehow. The conversation is ended suddenly with the return of Rias and Asia.

"My, you didn't claw his eyes out Koneko-chan!" Rias giggles.

"Would you like me to?" she scowls. Rias is going to get you into trouble with comments like that…

Chapter 32: Hard Edge

The peace and quiet could never last for long. It was early in the morning, right as the rush hour traffic peaked when the news trickled through to your sophisticated surveillance system; aka watching the internet and news. But much to your surprise, the person responsible for this attack isn't Sundar.

It's Faust.

You arrive armoured up and ready to fight. He stands atop a pile of burning rubble with a smug smirk on his face. You scowl at the braggadocious buffoon, "What the hell are you up to now?"

"I will not repeat my previous humiliation. I have come to rid the world of you, opening the path for our glorious conquest of your people!"

"Yeah, whatever you say."

He points his finger down at you, summoning several armoured goons from nowhere to try and take you down. The problem for them being that you've been training hardcore for weeks now, and combined with the power of the Herarmor you can now easily blast through enemies like these without even needing to summon someone to assist you.

You clobber one with a right hook, before swinging your hips around and roundhouse kicking another. Chun-Li has taught you a few of her moves, though you're nowhere near good enough to put them into action in a real fight. The speed and the way that she contorts her body is beyond you. The bodies of the robotic drones hit the floor in their dozens, as you intersperse the hand to hand combat with a shot or two from the sledgehammer.

Faust stands and stews in frustration as his pack of nobodies struggle to beat you, a man who's already destroyed several of their more advanced robotic soldiers. You grip one by the neck and throw it down to the ground – splitting it clean in two. Another tries to hit you from behind with a metal club, but it glances off of your armour harmlessly. You punch through its stomach and disembowel it, ripping cords and components free like a gore-seeking maniac.

On the periphery of the fight, you notice several people recording it using their phones. They really ought to have heeded the police's warnings and stayed away from this! You step between the enemy force and them, blocking their way with several warning shots. Your HUD flashes with markers for your current card collection.

"Alright, come give me a hand Motoko."

The voice activation system responds and ejects her card into your hand.

"MOTOKO KUSANAGI! SHATTERING!" The purple haired cyborg appears in a flash of colour. She takes a second to get her bearings.

You motion back to the assembled audience, "Major, I need a hand evacuating these civilians."

"Leave it to me."

She sprints away at an inhuman speed and begins corralling the onlookers away from the battlefield. Motoko knows how to scare people into line, and that allows you to worry about taking care of Faust's attack force. Another leaps at you from above, you put your hands up and stop it mid-flight, bringing it down over your knee and severing its mechanical spine. You almost feel bad for the poor thing.

"Enough! I'll take you on myself!" Faust descends from his hiding place and draws his blade. In the link of an eye he dashes towards you and swings down, you hold up your arms and block the blow – but it hurts. Guh! This guy is surprisingly strong for such a moron! You keep him away by sweeping at his legs with one of Chun's low kicks.

"If you're such a tough guy, why are you wasting my time with these piles of junk?"

You clash again, trying to overpower one another using raw strength. He grits his sharp teeth and scowls, "It would be unbecoming for the likes of me to duel an unworthy cretin like you!"

"Oh? I guess I'm worth the time suddenly!"

You pull back and headbutt him, knocking him off balance and allowing you to blow him back into the side of a nearby car with a jumping kick. Spittle flies from his mouth as his feet leave the ground. Crash! The windows shatter and the metal bends beneath his body. It isn't enough to put him down though – he leaps right back to his feet and rushes in for another round.

The edge of his blade glows with blue energy. You sense incoming danger and dodge back just in time for the blade to cut through the front panel on your chest. The HUD lights up with red warning signals as critical systems start receiving damage. A huge gash runs left to right, potentially exposing you to fatal attack.

"You're pathetic!" you yell. "You're just a lazy asshole!"

"I trained for years in the art of swordsmanship!"

"And now you kick back and let other people do the hard work for you!"

He growls in anger and swings down at you again, you dodge to the left as the blade slices through the tarmac below like a knife through butter. This is too dangerous – you can't risk getting hit by whatever kind of energy weapon he's using! You open a gap between you and fire ranged attacks, but he easily bats them aside using the blunt edge. His reaction speed is crazy.

"You aren't so strong without that armour," he concludes, "I can tear it apart, piece by piece, and see the soft flesh that cowers inside."

"Who's cowering exactly?"

Faust laughs, "I can see it in the way that you move. Now that you know my blade is capable of cutting through that primitive armour, you've lost all of that misplaced confidence. Why don't you go ahead and summon some of those slaves of yours? I would be more than happy to send them to the other side."

Man, you really want to shut this guy up. His eyes widen and he leaps away, blocking several gunshots that were aimed squarely at his chest.

Motoko is back, and she's very pissed off.

"Slave? I'd like you to repeat that to my face."

You smirk inside of your helmet, "Here's your chance Faust. You feel like sending the Major to hell?" His stance loosens. He was just running his mouth. He doesn't want to fight you while Motoko is keeping him busy with incredibly accurate covering fire like that.

"Gr. I'll see you both again soon enough."

He disappears through a black portal.

You sigh and relax. What a mess! The entire street has been torn to shit, and there are dead robot bodies everywhere you look. Motoko leaps down from her vantage point and inspects the damage for herself. Her eyes focus on the big cut running across your chest. It didn't go deep enough to cause major damage to your body or the second layer of internal plating.

"Thanks Major."

She crosses her arms, "You can call me Motoko if you want."

Not even her last name? "Feels a bit disrespectful."

"I've spent a lot of time overseas," she explains, "Motoko is fine."

"Alright. Thanks Motoko."

She smiles and pats you on the back. Sometimes you forget that she has a more casual side. She follows you back to your motorcycle and hops on the back as you rev the engine, "Oh, you want to come along for the ride?"

"While I'm here."

She clenches the side of the bike using her robotic thighs. No arms around your waist on this occasion. You slip down an alleyway and out onto the opposite street where the police haven't established a full cordon just yet. You accelerate and easily slip between two of the parked vehicles. The police shout and yell to try and get you to stop. You're already out of sight by the time they get back into the driver's seat.

"You okay back there?"

"No problem! I noticed that Mitsuru made some of those modifications I suggested!" She reaches out and pokes her finger through one of the ring loops that now hang from your ribcage. Small enough to not be noticed, but large enough for super tough fibre or rope to slip through.

"She's been experimenting with some new traversal systems for tall buildings," you explain over the noise of the engine. "Mitsuru doesn't say it, but she takes any criticism of her work as a serious challenge!"

The tall offices soon switch over into industrial wasteland as you approach the garage. You circle the block a few times to make sure that nobody has followed you back. When you're sure it's safe – you drift over to a blind spot where there are no surveillance cameras in operation and disable your armour. From there it's a two-minute journey back. Pulling up to the dilapidated old building when you're making so much money feels wrong.

What Mitsuru had spent a huge portion of the money on was purchasing all of the land surrounding it. There are several empty buildings that used to house businesses here, and those that stuck around have moved out into new digs thanks to her generous offer of cash. The entire block is yours to play with – not that the rusty shacks and rolling iron doors instil much in the way of inspiration. You slot the bike into its usual hiding spot and cover it up with the white sheet. Motoko stretches out, as if she has muscles to consider in that body of hers…

Mitsuru isn't here. You check the status screen and find that Venelana has been summoned recently – they must be off making money somewhere without you. Motoko has an unusual look on her face that only grows more disconcerting the longer it endures.

You sit down on one of the plush chairs and try to relax, "What's up?"

Motoko looks away like a classic tsundere, "Nothing."

You stare at her in defiance. One idea comes to mind. Getting to live out a fantasy, fighting with you and spending time with you – Mitsuru did say that all of the people you summon are in love with you, or will fall in love with you in time. Whether they're willing to fulfil that fantasy and join the harem right away is perhaps dependent on their individual personalities.

What is she thinking about right now? Is she embarrassed about 'breaking character' and just going with the flow? It's not like she knows anyone in this world to make fun of her for deciding to start a full-on relationship. She could keep it a total secret.

"You see right through me, don't you?" she sighs.

"A little; I think. You usually keep your cards close to your chest."

"You have to in my line of work."

"But out here you aren't in Section 9."

"Do I look like the type of woman who engages in flights of fancy?"

"No."

Motoko chews on her own tongue, "Fine. I'll tell you. I've started to come around to this whole… situation. Until now I was just denying how much I was enjoying it. I'm still stuck in a place where I have to hide this hobby from other people."

"There's nothing wrong with that. Everyone has a secret or two."

She glances back down at you, "I don't do romance. I don't have the time. I've slept with friends, just for fun, but never committed myself to anything serious."

"So are you willing to give it a try now?"

Her eyes narrow. She grunts, "Seeing those other girls climb all over you may have made me feel a slight pang of jealousy. You're here in front of me – so consider this your final warning. I'm going to make you mine."

You smile, "Please take care of me, Motoko."

Chapter 33: The Fix

The armour hangs loose from a pair of metal forks against the back wall of the garage. A deep gash, surrounded by black charring, makes it clear that you had a pretty nasty brush with danger just a few moments earlier. Faust could be serious, it seems. Lala hangs from the front plate like a mischievous animal, poking at the hole with her finger.

"That's a big hole," she concludes.

"I noticed. Faust cut right through the plate using some kind of energy sword."

Mitsuru taps away at her touchscreen tablet, bringing up sheets of numbers and graphs; "Hm. I took readings of it, and our sensors managed to recover some data about the weapon he used. Hot, high energy, and lightweight too. I'm afraid the conclusion is fairly simple. We don't have the technology on earth to construct a usable material that can resist these forces."

"It's lucky that I managed to get out of the way then," you sigh.

"I feared that this would be the case. The fact of the matter is that for all of my immense genius, there are many things that cannot be done alone. Creating a new alloy would required billions of dollars in research and manufactories."

This is coming from the mouth of a girl that made a dimension hopping gun. Does she mean to imply that the cross-dimensional material was all she needed? The rest of the mechanism must be built from components that she can purchase on Earth.

"So, what can we do?"

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, "Then we must merely change our battlefield strategy. We must do everything we can to tilt the odds in our favour when brute force will not suffice. I've already started working on something new, a module that allows us to modify the composition and function of the armour. Increasing attack, mobility or defence as and when the situation demands. If combined with a diverse group of harem members - we can handle any threat."

Lala jumps up and down on the balls of her feet, "Oh, oh! Form change!"

"Form change?" you repeat.

"Every good superhero changes form!" Lala explains, "At least they do in Japan…"

"According to my research and discussions with our summonees, our fictional, parallel selves created several 'power ups' that took inspiration from the media they crossed over with. I've already drafted some designs in line with that practice. It will provide a very profitab- I mean, powerful selection of alternate forms for you to use."

Mitsuru's intentions are incredibly transparent.

You give a world-weary sigh, "If that's what you think we need to win."

"Lala, can you patch this up for me?"

Lala salutes to Mitsuru, "Roger boss!" She dives into a nearby box of junk and begins digging through them to find what she needs to fix the huge slash running across the front plate. You hope that Mitsuru isn't working the poor girl too hard in the lab when you're away.

"By the way Mitsuru, have you been taking advice from Venelana?"

She smirks, "Of course – why would I not take advantage of such a brilliant mind for business? She's the one who helped me launder- I mean procure the money we earned from the merchandising line, all without leaving a messy paper trail."

"You've been spending more time with her than I have…"

"She is the leader of a gigantic noble family. She's a busy woman. Though that doesn't stop her from asking about you."

"Really?"

"Yes. I would suggest fulfilling your earlier promise of a fine dining date soon, lest you incur her wrath."

You shudder. Okay, juggling all of these different people is starting to get difficult. It would help if Mitsuru could increase the number of summons available again – but if she could she would. There's no sign of another capacity upgrade on the horizon at the moment. A date with Venelana huh? That means you need to buy yourself a nice suit – a really nice custom-made suit, that actually fits properly. Finding a nice restaurant won't be so hard, there are fifty million of them in town that nobody ever visits.

Chun-Li said five-hundred wives though. Perhaps their fiction is still fiction for a reason.

You take a seat at the workbench and watch the pair work their magic. You were so deep into that discussion that you failed to notice Motoko hovering around the place and taking a closer look at everything. "It's certainly an effective piece of urban camouflage," she concludes, sitting next to you on the other stool, "Though if it comes under attack you may be in trouble."

"Those alien losers can't even tie their own shoes correctly – they aren't going to find my lab," Mitsuru says in defence.

Motoko shrugs it off, "Don't say I didn't warn you when they do."

A question springs to mind; "Do you use powered armour in Section 9?"

She shakes her head, "Some units used to, a long time ago. But the prevalence of cybernetic bodies made most of their functions redundant. They're heavy, power hungry and reduce mobility. You could use one for someone who isn't enhanced, but the maintenance and costs are often seen as prohibitive."

"What I wouldn't give to get my hands on some of that technology," Mitsuru sighs.

"I'm not going to steal anything for you," Motoko says sternly. You have to agree with her. Snatching things from other worlds is going to drum up a whole heap of trouble for you in the future. Mitsuru wouldn't be able to resist reverse engineering them and shooting Earth's technology ahead by two hundred plus years.

Mitsuru pouts, "You're no fun."

---

Lala finished off fixing the armour, and both her and Motoko went home without further incident. Motoko is a hard woman to converse with – since so much of her time and mind-space is dedicated solely to her job. Speaking with you about your own TV and manga series is probably out of the question.

You decided to use one of your blank cards while Mitsuru dipped out to do something. Rias had been very insistent on introducing Xenovia to the harem – and considering the sudden focus on swordplay that has occurred in your fight against the invaders, now seems as good a time as any. You type her name into the computer and watch a reticle move across a map covered in thousands of tiny dots, before it locks onto one of them and turns red.

"Here goes nothing…"

You press the enter key and watch as the text log on the left spits out a spew of numbers and processes, calculating the needed data and inputting it into the body of the blank card. The printer whirs to life and rattles the desk, this process only takes a few seconds. It settles down and releases a gush of steam as it rapidly cools down.

The tray opens and reveals a newly inked card, featuring the serious and dedicated Xenovia Quarta. Now that you look at her with fresh eyes, you realise she kind of reminds you of Ryuko Matoi from Kill la Kill, thanks to their similar brash personalities and single bundle of off-colour hair. Maybe Ryuko would make a good choice in future too – though having a version of her without Senketsu would be problematic. Mitsuru's guiding hand will be needed to find a universe where she does.

You send a courtesy message to Rias explaining that you picked her up.

Rias responds with a heart eye emoji and nothing else. Thanks a lot…

Dropping the card with the rest of your collection, you consider what to do with the rest of your day. Training is an easy way to kill a couple hours, but what then? Maybe Mitsuru will have a dumb errand for you to complete. You grab a towel and some clean clothes from the office locker and head into the gym. You'll have to think about it.

---

Now is the moment of truth.

The day after making Xenovia's card, you decided to put your plan into action. Venelana has made it clear to Rias that she'd like to have a one-on-one with you. After agreeing to a time (with some mathematical assistance from Mitsuru to make sure the dates line up,) you begin the long and difficult preparation phase. With a bank account swelling with over one hundred thousand dollars, you intend to make this one a night to remember.

You inspected a handful of luxury restaurants around town and eventually came to realise that most of them are very similar to each other. Modern decorations, soft jazz, and tables covered with white cloth. The owners and bookers responded to some of your inquiries about the best place for two people to sit, and eventually found a nice elevated booth that should provide a little privacy for you.

With a reservation secured, which wasn't hard given their struggling business, you then set about improving your appearance. You've never visited a store that specialises in suits and formal clothing before – you got a crash course in just how much a properly crafted suit really cost. A few thousand dollars gone in an instant. But you have to say, you think you'll look pretty good in it. You also get an expensive haircut, though you find that an expensive haircut isn't much better than a cheap one.

You considered hiring a car and valet to take you to the venue – but you realised that without a good place to depart from or return to, it would be a waste of time. All you had to do after was steel your nerves and practice talking into the gym's mirror so that you don't make a total ass of yourself in front of such an intimidating woman.

The suit was delivered to your crappy apartment, and you tried it on exactly once to make sure that everything was in order. The changes in your body measurements since you started working out were shocking to say the least. Then you watched the clock tick over until your pre-arranged time. Rias texted you with encouraging words.

You sneak around the back of the restaurant and take up a position next to an overly large pickup truck in the small parking lot. There's no way anybody can see you behind here. You take a deep breath and summon the sledgehammer, sliding Venelana's card into the magazine and pulling the trigger.

Venelana appears from the other side in a wonderful red and black dress, with matching crimson jewels dangling from a necklace. A side effect of that is that your eye is immediately drawn to her cleavage, which peers dangerously from the straight cut of fabric that tries in vain to cover them. The dress is tightly wrapped around her mature body, making sure that every inch of her amazing figure is on clear display.

Okay, that's enough slobbering over her appearance. You step out from behind the truck and take her fingers into your hand, leaning down and kissing the back of her hand. Venelana smiles pleasantly and greets you in kind, "Hello, suitor mine."

"Good evening Lady Gremory. You look amazing."

"Why thank you, shall we?"

Venelana does not ring you up for summoning her into a dirty car park round the back, mercifully. When you finally get a house with a parking space you'll summon them from inside there instead to save the embarrassment. She loops her arm through yours and follows you to the front door, the greeter recognizes you immediately and motions to escort you to your table.

The brief, thirty second walk from the front of the house to the back is the single most emotionally challenging thing you've ever faced. First – holy crap everyone is looking at you. They're glaring daggers at you for daring to bring such a beautiful woman on a date. Secondly, you feel like you're on top of the world. Hell yes. That's right, you DID bring this beautiful woman on a date, and you're going to pay the bill without shedding tears of financial distress.

The table is contained on an elevated platform at the back corner of the establishment, with artificial hedges and small fences placed between each section to provide every couple with some privacy. The table is smaller than the others – intended to create a more intimate dining experience. It isn't left wanting for elaborate and needless excess despite the size. The edges of the table cloth are nearly folded into a rippling polygonal pattern.

Manners, manners, manners. You quickly hurry to Venelana's side of the table and pull her chair out. She gracefully accepts the invitation. When you finally get around to sitting down yourself, you can already feel a cold sweat breaking out under your expensive suit. Venelana tries to assure you by smiling again, but that reminds you of a wolf stalking its prey more than anything else.

"I'm very happy that you decided to do this for me. I was worried that you were leading this old lady on."

You clench your teeth and stammer out a half-apology, "Oh no, of course not! It's not that I'm avoiding you – we've just been rather busy with people trying to… invade the world and all that."

"Hm. And how has that been going?"

"Just fine. We've fended off all of their attacks so far. Mitsuru got a new idea into her head yesterday, so she'll be out of my hair until it's finished like always." The noise of the patrons means that you can speak about these things without worrying about being overheard.

"Rias is rather taken with you, and she says that destroying your enemies is an effective form of training for her and her peerage."

"Really?"

She supports her head with her left head, leaning into the table and deepening the already profound view of her cleavage; "Oh yes. Rias is very much my daughter, always diving headfirst into what she desires with little concern for convention or precedent. She's already planning for a wedding with you and her peerage involved."

"A-Already?"

"Don't worry. She says that the rest of the girls need to come around to you first, before she decides to do that." Venelana doesn't seem to find the idea so absurd, especially if she's willing to speak so openly about it.

"I bet you had a thing or two to say about those plans."

She laughs, "As the first lady of the house – I was also responsible for keeping my fellow wives and concubines in line under my departed husband. Some of them were rather… rowdy."

"No doubt that was something you were good at."

Venelana shakes her head, "Not at first, actually. It was a role I had to learn. You seldom find yourself in the position to manage a gaggle of wives before you marry. Would you like me to take leadership of your own harem?"

"Right now, I can't summon more than four of you at the same time…"

The smirk she gives you sends a shiver down your spine, "Regardless, there are matters to be discussed even when we aren't together in person. Though the convention on birthing heirs that devil families subscribe to made things easier."

"What's that?"

Venelana takes a sip of her wine before explaining further, "Devils have a very low birth rate and the advent of the evil pieces meant that we no longer had to rely on natural births to increase our numbers. Even before that though, it was expected that the first lady of the house was to be the only one to bear children."

"The only one?"

She sighs, "That was the idea. Some took it a different way, instead insisting that the first lady was to have the first pregnancy, and that the others were permitted afterwards. It was a rather messy and boring procedural affair. The original intent was to prevent complicated and destructive succession crises."

You nod, "Oh, I see. What about now?"

"It's a matter of choice for the remaining families. However – the succession of the Gremory clan has been firmly established. Rias is the heir, as my eldest daughter and the only eligible selection. Upon her marriage, or when I step aside from the position, she will take on the responsibility. Waiting for a devil to die from old age is a frivolous task."

Her husband must have died somehow, it'd be a big mood killer to ask about that though. The title wasn't passed down to Rias like it should have been. Perhaps he asked Venelana to take custody of the family until she was ready. Or maybe Rias had rejected the title as she wasn't confident in taking it on just yet.

Venelana smiles and winks at you, "I assure you, any potential children borne from our romance will not interfere with the good order of our clan."

Gulp.

Wouldn't that mean that any hypothetical child between you and Rias will also take the title of family head someday? You realise now that Venelana is giggling at your shell-shocked expression.

"I haven't really thought about children at all. I guess I'm too focused on fighting off these invaders."

"It's nothing to concern yourself with as of yet," she replies, "You will not sire a child with a devil that easily. And I have to hope that Rias is using contraceptive magic responsibly." You're more worried about your other wives, like Chun-Li and Lala, who don't have that ability. "And an older woman like me… I don't like your chances."

"To be honest, you don't look a day over thirty."

She pouts, "Flattery like that won't work on me. By devil standards I am of an increasingly advanced age."

You sigh and sip your own drink, "I heard that you and Mitsuru have been up to no good again."

"That girl has her head in the right place," Venelana chuckles, "With a small amount of guidance, she started to come up with ideas and strategies that even impressed me."

"That's how Mitsuru has always been. She races ahead of everyone else with just a small amount of information or teaching. Doctorates in every subject I can think of, and some I can't. No doubt she'll be a multi-billionaire thanks to you in time."

Venelana finds Mitsuru interesting for that fact. You've spent more time on this date talking about other people than each other, but just as you try to think of a way to learn more about the drop-dead sexy woman sitting across from you, the food you ordered earlier arrives.

"Thank you dear," Venelana says to the blushing waiter. This woman is deadly and she isn't even trying. Questions about herself can wait until after, you don't want to let the food get cold. In contrast to most stereotypes about this kind of joint, the food is well portioned and looks delicious.

"This looks great."

"Indeed. Let us indulge in the best this city has to offer."

Chapter 34: Venelana's Date

Eating in a suit this expensive is liable to make you paranoid permanently. The last thing you want to do is splash sauce onto the white shirt underneath, or the incredibly high-quality fabric they used for your jacket. Venelana devours her meal with an efficient confidence that leaves you yearning to learn some of her etiquette skills for yourself. You navigate this dilemma and finish second.

Venelana muses on the taste, "That was… adequate. I cannot say I expected more from an individual who has not worked as my personal chef for a hundred years."

"I thought it was great. But I should pay attention to what these places serve and figure out which is the best for future reference."

"Hm, not one for taking fair ladies for an evening of fine dining?"

You laugh nervously; "Not really."

Venelana stands from her chair and walks over to your side of the table, gripping your arm and pulling you to the back of the booth. In the corner is a small couch that runs along the wall, intended for diners to sit down and drink to keep the party going even after the food is served. You sit down beside her, only for Venelana to shuffle even closer and press her large, perfect breasts into your arm.

Is this really happening?

"You're very cute when you're flustered," she laughs. "Don't be afraid to put your hands on me, I am your woman after all." You do as she commands and slip your left arm around her waist, leaving it to rest on her opposite thigh. It's plain to see that Venelana is enjoying the close contact. She must have been out of the game for a long time.

"Do you like being wanted?" you ask.

"What woman doesn't? I always thought it was silly that most devils reject women like me because of my 'age' or how many children I'd had. You certainly don't have any objections, do you?"

"I'd be privileged to welcome you to this family of ours. I have to say, you're one of the most gorgeous women I've ever seen."

"Be careful – words like that may bequest a visit to the nearest hotel so we can get to know each other a little better." The way she intones the statement is scalding hot, laced with seductive intent and a gentle purr from her throat. Her hand slips down onto your thigh and inches ever closer to where your buddy is hiding.

This is a woman who was married for hundreds of years? "You haven't missed a step."

"I have a very good memory. I seem to recall my darling daughter declaring that you, me and her were going to enjoy what she coined 'oyakodon' at some point in the near future."

You keep your lips zipped shut, trying desperately not to laugh. Why the hell would Rias say that to her own mother? Devils really are on a different level to mortals. As much as you'd love to be in that situation – knowing that Rias said it is funnier than it is arousing.

"Having a man in the house again will be a great boon. Satan knows, we need that after so much instability over the past decade."

You decide to try and steer the conversation to something more focused on Venelana rather than the family she heads, "What do you like to do when you're not busy running things?"

Venelana sighs, "I'm never not busy these days. Though perhaps it's because I don't have a strapping husband to distract me from worrying over the needless little details."

"Am I strapping enough to distract you?"

"Hm. You're on your way."

You reach out for your second drink of the night and start to feel a confident buzz as the alcohol gets to you. Everything's fine. She just complimented you! Stay the course and the night will be a good one, you hope.

"As a high-level devil, I do have a peerage. If you'd like I can give you one of my remaining evil pieces. Being a devil isn't so bad, as long as you don't pray to… you know who. It would also make you much stronger. And when you come to dominate many women and sire children with them, you will also gain the right to your own peerage."

You already considered that when you met Rias for the first time. Though you had concluded at the time that you want to let things settle down before making such rash decisions. Becoming a devil would mean flight, magical powers, and effective immortality. Sure – all of that is cool, but it's a big change to undergo when you've lived as a squishy human for so long.

"Sorry, Venelana. I haven't decided on that just yet."

"I understand. I suppose you must continue to exist in this world regardless of whom you meet and beguile. Regardless, any children borne of our tryst will be proud members of the Gremory family."

"Already thinking of the future?"

"I like to be three steps ahead," she states, "In fact – I asked Mitsuru for one of those phones of yours the last time I was here. I also opened an account of my own at the local banking establishment…" You don't know where this is going. You can see her fingers dancing as she uses her free arm to tap away at the screen. She smiles and slips it back into her bag, "…I booked a hotel room for us. Tonight."

Her statement hangs in the air with seductive intent. Your face is bright red now – this bombshell MILF seemingly inviting you to spend an evening in bed with her. Rias was right, her mother is very much into the same things that she is. She twists the knife, slipping the tips of her gloved fingers into your shirt and rubbing them against your chest. "I hope that won't be an issue."

This is your shot. You lucky son of a bitch.

You grab the invasive hand and smile, "I'll arrange the cab."

The moment you step out of the lobby and into the elevator, Venelana is all over you. She pushes you into the wall and locks her lips with your own, needy hands grabbing and feeling your back. You return the kiss, batting away her tongue with your own and planting your hands on the firm globes of her motherly behind.

The dress is practically bursting from her body. You push her back out as the doors open and hurry to the door to your room. Card in, wooden barrier opened. You sweep her up into your arms and kick it closed behind you. Venelana breaths heavily as you lay her down onto the huge bed. The suite is luxurious and well maintained, but the only thing on your mind right now is making love to an utterly gorgeous woman who's been neglected for far too long.

Venelana smirks and tugs down on the front of her shiny red dress, releasing her breasts into the world for you to see and enjoy. They jiggle slightly before settling into place. You've seen the gates of heaven, and they're on the chest of a very lovely devil.

Venelana's bodacious tits are one of the most striking things about her. There's an air of familiarity to them. Rias certainly got all of her mother's charm points in being her daughter. This is what Rias might look like in a few years if you end up having a child together. Big, round, without a hint of sag to them whatsoever thanks to her demonic youth. The only hint that she's even had children are the larger than normal areola and nipples that adorn the apex of each. Those devils from her home world are insane for turning her down when she looks like this.

"Show me that you are a lover worthy of my daughter."

Shit, where do you even start? Venelana decides for you, snapping her fingers and summoning a magical circle above your head. As it descends down and passes through your body, your suit disappears into thin air. Seconds later you are naked from head to toe. Venelana eyes you like a piece of meat.

"Uh, I hope you didn't destroy that."

She laughs, "No, no. I teleported it into the closet. Come here."

You slip onto the bed and feel her hop on over to your lap. Taking the hint, you reach around and grab each of her breasts in your hands. They're so soft! You can't help but squeeze and fondle them, playing with her nipples using your fingers. She moans softly and hikes up the skirt on her dress, slipping your erect shaft between her stocking covered thighs.

"An impressive weapon. I hope you know how to handle it."

Deep breaths, you've got this. You hope.

Seeing Venelana with her breasts and crotch exposed, with a tight strip of red fabric around her stomach and hips is very sexy in its own right. You try your level best to forget the pertinent fact that this is Venelana Gremory, the mature and demanding mother of one of your other lovers. You climb up onto the pristine white sheets, only for her to strike like a coiled viper and force you down onto your back.

"Let the lady of the house take care of you." She trails her hands down your chest and abdomen, finally coming to a stop as her palms meet the shaft of your erect cock. Though a handjob doesn't seem to be on the cards for this first round of foreplay. Venelana sweeps her hair back behind her shoulders and leans down to get a closer look. You twitch as an outpouring of scalding hot breath washes over your penis.

"It's been a long time since I had the chance to enjoy a male body in my bedchamber." The casual confidence and seductive body language she wields so expertly makes it obvious she hasn't lost her step during that time. Venelana inspects you from all angles, before settling on a plan of attack.

"Really? I can't tell."

She opens her mouth wide and slides the full length of your member into her throat in one go. It takes all of your power to not swear. What in the devil's name?! There isn't a trace of discomfort or shock to be found on her face. Venelana just swallowed the whole damn thing in one go without even blinking. Venelana proceeds to bob her head up and down, delivering what can only be described as a 'god-tier blowjob.' She takes it so easily and confidently, not even gagging as it touches the back of her throat. Just how much experience does this woman really have? Her husband must have been a very happy man with skills like these!

You run your fingers through Venelana's hair and push her on, gently pushing on the back of her head and willing her to go even harder. She isn't interested in taking things slow. Every time her nose meets your crotch she can feel herself getting wetter and more aroused. Her mind was set on making sure that her daughter's potential husband could handle a Gremory woman properly. Though she had to admit to herself that it had been a long time since she last slept with another man. Her departed husband lost interest in sex a few years before his untimely death.

Her first impressions: big, hard, and a decent level of stamina. Venelana had intentionally dived in and unleashed her most dangerous fellatio techniques from the off to test you. She indulged in the feeling of a hard cock blocking her airway, something she hadn't experienced in a long time. She always enjoyed doing this to her ex-husband, if not for the reaction of the man on the receiving end. Rias could do with a few lessons on how to drive her man wild.

She has no intention of letting things end here though. She wraps her lips in a tight ring and pulls back, gathering up the saliva and pre-cum that has gathered along your length. It slips free from her mouth with a loud pop. Venelana swallows it down without a single sign of contrition.

"Holy crap."

Venelana titters and wags her finger at you, "There's nothing holy about me. Now, let's move on to the next stage." She pushes you back down onto the bed and swings her leg over you, pressing the tip of your cock against her spread lips with a vicious smile. Without asking if you're ready, or even to prepare herself, Venelana slides your prick into her sopping wet hole until you hit the very back of her internal canal.

"Oh! That feels very nice," she coos. The feeling is entirely mutual. Her velveteen insides may just be the best you've felt amongst all of the women you've bedded so far. She bites her lip as she feels your full girth exploring and pushing back against her sensitive inner walls. Venelana is happy to take charge again, pulling the bottom half of her body up and slamming it back down again with a loud slap. Her breasts and thighs jiggle with each movement.

"Ah, that's amazing!" you groan. It feels so good that it's hard to even describe it.

Venelana giggles, "Oh yes – praise me more, dear."

You reach up and sink your restless hands into her bountiful bosom. Devils are lucky to have a body that doesn't age like a human. Venelana's breasts have all the weight and softness of a mother, with none of the sag. She moans happily as you knead the soft flesh with her fingers and palms while her hips bounce up and down on top of you.

"Do you like them?"

"They're perfect, just like the rest of you…"

"No need to flatter this old lady, dear."

"It's not flattery, it's the truth. You're gorgeous."

The kind words seem to arouse her more than the sex. Her body shakes happily as the first of hopefully many orgasms rocks her body. Venelana doesn't stop jumping up and down on your crotch, but her movement falters slightly as post-orgasm fatigue sets in. You slow her down and swap over, putting her onto her back and moving into a missionary position.

"I think I may be… out of touch with how this feels. I don't usually climax this easily," she insists.

"It's fine. Just enjoy it."

Pleasant noises come from her mouth as you take your turn with her body, thrusting in and out of her clenching cunt with a strong and consistent pace. All of your training really makes this much easier than it used to be! Your muscles are strong enough to go for much longer now. Venelana's hands are all over you, groping muscles and leaving red trails down your back to go with the others.

"That's it, right there dear! Ah!"

Venelana clenches her eyes tight as her over-sensitive pussy is pounded into submission. You suck and lick on her nipples while pulling her hips up into you by lifting her from below. She cries out again and clutches the back of her head as her entire body loses control. You feel another gush of fluids escape from her slit – soaking your thighs and crotch. She's a squirter…

Seeing this sexy MILF splayed out, dressed mussed up, hair ruined, sweat covering her body. It's an image that you're never going to forget for as long as you live. The only way this could get better is if Rias did join in for this meeting. A smoking hot mother and daughter combo for the new 'man of the house.'

You grunt as you feel your own end approach. You've managed to please her twice already, so you power on and try to reach your own climax as quickly as possible. Venelana pulls you close as your thrusts become shorter and more frantic. She purrs into your ear, "If you knock me up, we might have to… expedite the wedding."

Her words push you over the edge. Everything goes white for a split second as you slam yourself deep into her pussy one last time and let loose with a thick, steaming load of seed. The elder Gremory wraps her legs around your back and pulls you in even deeper, demanding that you meet her cervix and fill her womb with as much baby batter as humanly possible. She moans and writhes beneath you, before being silenced with a final, sloppy kiss.

Venelana's body prickles with orgasmic bliss – the heat of your meeting finally reaching her senses. She's covered in sweat, as are you. You pull out and flop over to the side of her, her gaping hole allowing a small river of excess cum to escape. She's quick to roll onto her side and pull your arm into her body for a post-coital embrace. You can still feel the dress bundled up around her stomach.

"That was rather good, I must say. I can see why Rias likes you so much."

"…I hope it's more than just the sex."

"The great sex is a bonus dear, not the main course."

You both lay in silence for several minutes before she speaks up again.

"Don't worry about impregnating me. Devils are notoriously infertile at the best of times."

"I… I wasn't really worried about it. Rias already told me what it's like over there."

"Oh? And not because you like the idea of seeing me barefoot and gravid, weighed down with your child? And suppose that Rias' peerage will become your lovers too – I know that young men enjoy 'harem play,' perhaps we could organise something special for our future husband."

Venelana speaks in full knowledge that such a dirty (and kinda' wholesome) image will do to your libido. She reaches down and strokes your cock back to hardness with a cheeky wink that reminds you a lot of when Rias does that exact thing.

"Round two?"

"Gladly."

You don't get much sleep.

Chapter 35: Changing Tides

The day after, you made an offer on the mansion that you saw out in the sticks. It was accepted almost on the spot thanks to some clever financing that Venelana had performed after your evening date together. The estate agent was desperate to get rid of it – and even accepted a lower offer than the market price that was originally listed. Nobody wanted anything to do with it until you came along.

“I heard about your date with my mother, husband.”

You groan and cover your face as Rias leers over you at the front step of your new home; “Why is that the first thing you have to mention?”

“Because it’s relevant to me!” Rias responds smugly, “She was a very happy woman when she came back. The kind of look that one sports after a good night of-“

“I get it! I get it,” you shout. The eagerness with which she discusses you sleeping with her damn mother throws you for a total loop, and it isn’t even the first time she has done so in front of you. Most people would be extremely weirded out by the whole affair – but for Rias it’s just a natural part of devil life. 

The real reason you invited her was to take a look at your new purchase. After studying some different ideas for designs, you decided that a splash of the gothic would fit the building well. It’d make things feel a little cosier too. You’ve seen enough giant, empty mansions with big open plan living rooms and overly featured kitchens for one lifetime. You need a little colour in here.

Rias’ head cranes upwards to the ceiling as you walk into the main lobby.

“It’s very… large.”

“Right? Whoever designed this place went totally overboard. I have no idea what to put in here.”

Rias is already making plans in her head, “A good carpet would spruce up this tiled floor. Though it would have to be big to make much of an impact. Some silk curtains around the door should make things feel more personable, and we can put a sitting area over here, even if nobody plans on using it.”

“We could also change the layout a little – since the place isn’t finished just yet.”

Rias smiles, “Please allow me to take the floorplan to the building back with me. I can consult with my mother more closely on what we should do.”

You forget that Rias and her family have a construction company under their control sometimes. Hopefully they don’t go quite as overboard as they did when they ‘upgraded’ Issei’s house in the TV show. It’s more than big enough already. Venelana and Mitsuru have probably already pulled some strings and purchased a construction company or something along those lines…

You follow her through into the main living room in the left wing of the house. Rias gives an approving hum as she wanders over to the windows and studies the frames. “Red curtains would suit this place rather well, but I don’t want to impose any particular style onto you.”

You laugh it off and approach her from behind, “You know more about this than me, that’s why I invited you.”

“But wouldn’t it be nice to differentiate this manor from the clubhouse? I think a different colour scheme would be a good place to start.”

You picture the heavy, expensive curtains and the metal railing in your mind; “What about blue?”

Indeed – a deep royal blue would allow Rias to use her usual stylistic choices, while also serving to give the manor its own identity. You step back into the middle of the room and imagine a large television hanging from the wall, surrounded on both sides by heavy oak bookcases. Wooden floors with a matching rug and ornate furniture. The spacing would be crucial to making a comfortable and well-designed living area out of such a huge, empty room.

Rias scours every nook and cranny of the mansion for ideas, sketching out future plans in her mind. This is going to be your designated hangout spot in the near future after all – a private place away from Mitsuru, or just a better place to come back to after a long day of doing hero stuff. The master bedroom is of particular interest to Rias, who immediately begins scoping out the location of your future bed.

“Hm. We may have to get a proper bed-frame custom made. I found the offerings available in this human world to be very lacklustre,” she comments. No matter the size she thinks is appropriate, there’s more than enough floor space for it. Your immediate reaction is that the bedroom is too big. There’s simply no way you can think of enough uses to fill it out without designing yet another sitting area, or filling it with wardrobes and shelves.

Some big heavy curtains on the overly large back windows, a big rug, and some other touches might make it feel homelier than it is isolating. You never liked the way that Issei’s house turned out in the show. It was huge, but most of the rooms were empty of anything that required so much space – aside from the absurdly huge beds they used.

“I trust your judgement on that front.”

Rias smiles, “Good. I need to make sure that there is enough space for all of your wives, after all.”

This is a very generous version of Rias Gremory. You have to pinch yourself every time one of them makes a statement like this. It’s culture shock. Their media must be filled with relationships like this, and they talk about them so openly. Not a hint of jealousy to be seen – though you suspect Rias enjoys living vicariously by having her ‘husband’ be successful in love.

“Lala’s time-space… things can be used to expand different rooms and even add new ones. We should never hurt for space.”

“That’s right,” Rias recalls, “That technology is amazing. Mother would be beside herself trying to get her hands on it if she knew. Speaking of my mother…”

You nearly fall to your knees and beg with her, “Rias, please.”

But she isn’t going to stop this time – the smirk on her face is filled with malicious intentions. She knows full-well how embarrassing you find this to discuss with her, this isn’t something that you should ever bring up with your girlfriend, under any circumstance.

“We must have these kinds of honest discussions,” Rias insists. “The proper functioning of a devil’s harem is based on open communication and trust. Mother and I have already spoken on some of the issues that were brought up during your dinner together.”

It takes all of your nerve to even ask, “Such as?”

“Inheritance. As the current heir apparent to the family, I’ll soon be tasked with taking on the responsibilities of running our house. It’s been a very expedited learning process, ever since my older brother chose to become a Satan and passed the title down to me.”

That seems simple enough, “Okay.”

“Put simply – our first child will become the next head of the Gremory family, unless something unusual occurs as it did with my brother. Mother was concerned that baring another child for herself would cause issues with succession in the future. Though the process I described is the common convention, many exceptions have taken place, usually through infighting between family branches.”

“I hope that any of my children won’t be so recklessly ambitious.” You don’t know what can be done about that. You’ll just have to nudge them in the right direction in twenty years or so, when you might actually have some children to worry about.

Rias turns to face the windows and decides that now is the time to twist the knife; “She also said that the sex was fantas-“

“Okay, I’m stepping out for a second,” you squeak, turning around and striding out of the room as fast as your legs can carry you.

---

Mitsuru stared at the gigantic pile of components and failed prototype devices in abject despair. Despite her almost supernatural genius, Mitsuru savoured challenges like this. The apex of her own knowledge was knowing that she had limits. Mitsuru had well and truly set herself a momentous challenge by trying to create an alternate form system for the Herarmor. Never mind the eventual functionality of each individual configuration, Mitsuru had stumbled at the first hurdle. 

Switching out parts on the fly, during combat.

The Sledgehammer was a precise tool indeed, capable of teleporting people at great distances into her world. Yet it still utilised a little number fudging to make it happen. As long as they didn’t teleport into a solid object, it didn’t really matter so much as to their precise arrival location. There came the issue – Mitsurus’s teleportation algorithm and calculation system wasn’t accurate enough to switch components within a mechanised armour shell!

No matter how much she twisted and turned her own logic back on itself, she never found herself getting closer to her goal. The code which she had worked so hard on had blinded her to its myriad faults. She needed a fresh pair of eyes to point out where she had gone wrong. She sighed and tossed away another failed device. Dozens of similar designs littered the laboratory space. It was always the seemingly simple problems that turned out to be the most difficult. Nothing less than divine intervention would be enough to help her now. It wasn’t like an expert on the subject was going to fall out of the sky.

Mitsuru stared at the ceiling vacantly. 

“What on Earth are you doing?” she chastised herself, “Why would something that convenient happen?”

Mitsuru decided that a quick break and some fresh air would do her wonders. She placed her glasses back down onto the table and headed out through the front door. She really needed to spruce the industrial yard up a little – she was the singular owner of the property now. She didn’t want to enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of an abandoned industrial unit on the edge of the city. There was a dog barking in the distance.

And a dustbin falling over.

Mitsuru’s ear perked up. Someone was sneaking around the lot, was it someone trying to take advantage and strip the empty buildings for materials again? Mitsuru considered confronting the person responsible, but quickly realised that she was so filthy rich that it didn’t matter. She didn’t need any of the other buildings anyway.

After clearing her head, she turned and headed back inside. Everything was just as she left it, except for a stack of white paper on her workbench. That wasn’t there before.

“Hm?” Mitsuru didn’t hesitate to head over and investigate further. It appeared to be some kind of research paper, but the title and names of the authors had been redacted with a black marker. In fact – any identifying details on who authored the booklet was removed in a similar manner. Most of the pages had also been removed from the binder. Mitsuru found that extremely curious. This wasn’t hers. Someone had… left it here for her.

As she moved on to the content of the paper itself, her breath was stolen and her hands started to shake. This was… this was her algorithm! But, it was so much more advanced than anything she had created before. 

“What the hell is this?”

This was no mere plagiarism. The explanations and details were written in a familiar style and tone. These were her own words. All of the quirks of her original interpretation had been retained, with several changes made to increase the accuracy of the teleportation. 

Divine intervention? 

Mitsuru wanted to reject the assistance out of principle. She didn’t know who had created it, or what their motivation for leaving it behind in her laboratory was. Maybe it was all an elaborate trick by the enemy to destroy them. But Mitsuru couldn’t easily eject what she had already seen from her memory. All of the changes in the paper made perfect sense. They’d do exactly what she wanted them to do, it would allow her to begin making her form change system.

But first…

Mitsuru wheeled over to her computer and quickly opened her security system’s recording folder. She had installed cameras in every sensitive part of the garage and underground complex, except Lala’s Sex Chamber – which needed no further explanation. She scrolled back the moment she left the building. And right on cue, the moment she stepped through the door, something strange happened. A red magic circle appeared on the left side of the garage by the car lift.

“Rias?” Mitsuru pondered aloud. A cloaked figure rose from the teleportation spell and immediately made a b-line for the workshop. As they drew closer to the camera, Mitsuru realised that it wasn’t Rias at all. It was a stranger. A man with a youthful face and red hair. With practised ease and firm intent, he removed the document from his pocket and laid it in its final resting position.

Then, as if to prove a point, he tilted his head upwards and looked directly into the camera. Wise guy, huh? So why didn’t he bother to wipe the footage or destroy it before he entered the building? Mitsuru took a screenshot of the culprit and hid it inside of a private folder for later. She’d need to investigate who it was later. Instead of leaving through the same magic circle, he snapped his fingers and dismissed it, choosing to leave through the back door. He must have run into the dustbin that Mitsuru had placed back there.

“Long gone by now,” Mitsuru muttered, “Who are you?” She flipped through the paper once more for good measure and frowned. 

A devil – he was a devil. She rewound the footage again and zoomed in. The details of the magic circle were obscured by the low quality of the footage. Mitsuru knew every woman who her dear friend had summoned, and this fellow wasn’t on the list. So how had he crossed over into their world? The only answer she could muster was the evil empire trying to conquer their world. They had access to similar technology. 

“Why can’t anything be simple?”

Chapter 36: Successors

Mitsuru has been working up a storm for the past few hours. You were concerned about her since she hadn't contacted you today, but when you arrived in the lab you found her deeply immersed in the creation of her new form change system. Though the amount of effort being put into the creation of the system is not matched with real results. Mitsuru is getting increasingly frustrated as she stares at the complicated calculations of her teleportation system.

"Why on earth can't I get this to work!" she rages, "I'm supposed to be smarter than this!"

"Want me to summon someone to help?"

She sighs and waves you away, "No. I'm afraid this is something only I can really comprehend. Training another person to understand the ins and outs of my code would take even longer than simply doing it myself."

You scratch your chin, "So why not summon another copy of yourself?"

She is unusually hesitant about your idea, "I wouldn't like that. Just leave it to me. I'll make a breakthrough soon, and then those alien invaders won't know what hit them." Perhaps some kind of unknown calamity will happen if too many Mitsuru's gather in one place, she certainly looks shaken enough to make you believe that.

Your phone starts vibrating – one of the custom alerts that you and Mitsuru set to watch the news has been pinged. There's an attack ongoing a short distance from here. "We can talk more later, looks like it's time to fight again."

Mitsuru nods, "Don't hesitate to call for help. Remember, I gave you that thing for a reason."

You hurry over to the bike and kick the engine to life, it's time to dispense some justice.

---

When you arrive at the scene, there's nobody around to lead into another hostage situation. A few burning cars lay on either side of the street. Aside from some property damage there isn't much to concern yourself with; it doesn't seem like a lot of people were here when the attack started. Waiting in the middle of the chaos is Sundar, perched atop a pile of rubble like a makeshift throne. The smell of smoke chokes your senses.

You groan, "Why are you back? I was enjoying not seeing you again after that last fight."

The prideful commander smirks and slicks back his hair; "Ah, still upset about your previous loss, huh? Must have hurt your feelings to be so thoroughly outsmarted like that."

"Outsmarted? I seem to recall things a little differently. With you running like a beaten dog."

"Only because I got what I wanted. Those other morons in the officer's cadre don't have a brain cell to share between them. I realised early on that fighting you on uneven footing was a waste of time. I've seen enough of Faust flailing around and coming home with no results. So I'm changing the game."

You press the button on your bracelet, summoning Herarmor-kun around your body and get ready for a fight, "And how are you gonna' do that?"

Sundar was waiting for you to ask. He snaps his fingers, bringing forth another of his spark spewing portals. Your throat runs dry. A single black boot emerged from the gaping maw, and then another – you quickly discover exactly what Sundar meant, and why he had stolen a copy of the Sledgehammer from you in the first place. A black and purple imitator, wearing modified armour similar to yours, and wielding a weapon of matching décor.

They are… much shorter than you.

"Copyright infringement! I'll see you in court!" Mitsuru yells through your radio.

That aside, Sundar is hopping from foot to foot in excitement, "Oh, I wish I could see that tortured face of yours! I'll have to ask my new soldier here to tear that pathetic helmet from your head and allow me to see your despair properly."

You're not scared. "Who says I'm going to lose against your third-rate knockoff?"

"Misplaced confidence is a deadly mistake. I asked a comrade of mine to reverse engineer that precious dimension shattering technology of yours, and fielded a number of different candidates to take on the mantle. Now, allow them to give you a demonstration of their power." A breeze rolls through the street. The copycat remains completely still. Sundar turns to her and barks the same order, "That's your cue to do something! Idiot!"

The person inside of the armour is panicking. They clumsily retrieve a card from one of the armour's pouches and slide it into the dark-Sledgehammer. The mechanism of the barrel is slightly different to yours, but they've obviously taken liberties in copying Mitsuru's design.

"VALI LUCIFER! SUNDERING!"

"Vali?"

The trigger is pulled, and reality is shattered in front of you. Emerging from the gap in space and time is the one and only Vali Lucifer, the white dragon emperor. He seems extremely confused about where he is and why whatever he was doing was just interrupted. He twists around and notices the black armoured stranger behind him – who is now prostrating themselves on their knees and bowing to them like they're some kind of medieval king.

"…This was the best candidate you could find?"

Sundar's voice nearly cracks, "She's the only one who knew anything about your odious media!"

She? That explains why she summoned a guy, you guess, and why they don't fill out that armour as well as you do.

"What the hell is this?" You point at Vali and his summoner, "He doesn't even know what's going on!"

Vali smirks and wags his finger at you, "That's where you'd be incorrect, Hero."

Oh great.

"I may not look the part, but I'm a rather big fan of your television series – and especially of your main rival. After all, I can empathise with a woman who must face down someone who is too high on their own righteousness to admit they are outmatched."

Sundar smiles again, "Oh, the doctor did calibrate it correctly. Thank you very much."

Vali reaches down and pulls the copy back to her feet, "There is no need to bow to me, my dear lady." You nearly gag as the slimy bastard starts sweet talking her right in front of you. The squee of joy that escapes from inside of her helmet means that she's totally eating it up. Vali snaps his fingers and is engulfed in the white armour of the dragon; "Allow me to dispatch this pest." He turns and starts to march towards you.

You draw your gun and fire multiple shots at him, but he holds up his gauntlet and musters the power of the white dragon emperor. "Divide!" No matter the volume of your fire, the shots are quickly divided in half and bounce harmlessly from his plated hide. He stops in front of you and shrugs, "That little toy can't hope to damage the Vanishing Dragon."

Suddenly you feel your entire body lose all contact with the ground below. Vali kicks you with the full force of his power and sends you flying backwards into the nearest building. Your entire body rattles from the impact as you crash through the wall and through several office cubicles. That really, really hurts! It takes all of your strength just to keep hold of the Sledgehammer.

This is bad, like, super bad. You scramble into cover before he can fly through the hole and see you again. Your UI comes up with several names, but can any of them even hope to stand up to someone as stupid overpowered as Vali Lucifer? You should have done something like this earlier, but now you're away from the computer and unable to press someone to counter him. To your chagrin, you can only conclude that you'll just get one of them hurt.

"God damn it," you mutter. You should have pressed those cards while you had the chance.

Before you can gather your thoughts and concoct a new strategy, a draconic claw grabs the back of your collar and sends you flying back through the same hole that you came in using. Vali is hot in pursuit, unleashing half-hearted blows against you in mid-flight that threatens to snap you in two. The pain is intense, you can't handle him like this. At the end of the day you're just a guy in a mechanised suit of armour.

You come crashing down against the top of a wrecked car. Happy that you can't resist any more, he lands next to you and drags you to Sundar and the woman, dumping you in a broken pile in front of them. The HUD of the armour is blaring just about every warning it can at you. There's critical damage to every system, and your fleshy insides aren't faring any better.

Sundar is eager to gloat, "Easy. That's one pest dealt with, not so fun to be on the other end, right?"

You pant, "The next time… won't be so easy…"

"There won't be a next time. Finish him off."

The armoured girl next to him stiffens up in place, "F-Finish him?"

Sundar scowls, "Yeah, kill him."

Her voice is soft and wavering, "You never said I had to kill anybody."

"What do you think this was about? I gave you a gun!"

She backs away meekly and says nothing. Sundar didn't vet these people as much as he wanted to let on. She seems completely unwilling to kill another human being. Sundar turns to Vali and points his finger, "Fine. You do it."

Vali cracks his neck, "I don't follow your orders. I only did this because my lady asked."

"You didn't seem to have much of a problem putting him on death's door. Put him out of his misery!"

Vali looks back to his 'lady' for affirmation, but she simply averts her gaze and stares a hole through the floor. Before the argument can continue any further, a boom explodes from behind you – and a wave of black and red lighting knocks all three foes back away from your prone body. A winged figure descends from the sky, wearing a black coat and red pants. He holds out his left hand and brings forth a bustling tangle of chains to ensnare them in place.

"This magic…" Vali gasps.

Whatever it is, it's seriously powerful! Not even the Vanishing Dragon can seem to break through the ethereal chains that hold him. He tugs and pulls on them to no avail. His helmet disappears into silver sparkles – he isn't happy.

"You're a Gremory."

You double-take, the vibrant red hair and powerful magic, that seems to line up. But you don't recall any Gremory who looks like this. He's too old to be Rias' brother, and too young to be one of the eldest.

He speaks with confidence, "Sorry to break the bad news, but this fight is over. Go home, old man."

That touched a nerve. "O-Old man?" Vali sputters, "You don't look any older than I do!"

"Explain yourself," Sundar demands.

"You killing him here would be seriously problematic for me, so – I'm just gonna' cut in here and put a stop to that, okay?"

"No, that is not okay-"

Before Sundar can finish his sentence, a magical circle appears beneath you both and drags you under the ground. The magic he weaved worked so quickly that neither of them had time to stop him. You emerge back inside of the garage, where a surprised Mitsuru hurries over to your battered corpse.

"Shit, that hurts," you cough. What a humiliating defeat it is.

Mitsuru is worried, "Don't disable the armour. It's built to keep any broken bones in place. Vali did this in just two attacks?" She reaches down and presses the override on your gauntlet, ejecting Asia's card into her palm. Her healing is going to be badly needed now.

The stranger sighs, "That's Vali for you. First time I've seen him in action myself. I've heard a lot of stories from Issei but…"

"Who are you again?" Mitsuru says witheringly, "I don't appreciate strangers breaking into my laboratory."

"Oh, right. I guess a few introductions are in order while you get him fixed up." He smiles and bows with a flourish of his coattails, "My name is Zandias Gremory, the heir of the clan in waiting, and first son of Rias Gremory and her beloved husband."

You cough out a question, it hurts really bad; "Husband? But Rias isn't married."

He nods, "Yes, not yet she isn't."

Everything falls into place, the red hair, his strange resemblance to you. You gawk at him, "You're screwing with me."

He rubs the back of his head sheepishly, "Man. You look a lot different like this. I mean, I knew it was coming, but it gives a totally different impression in person versus just hearing about it. Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Dad."

Chapter 37: The Future, Now

"It's nice to meet you, Dad."

Everything falls into place, the red hair, his resemblance to you. This guy is supposed to be your son? Inevitably, there are a lot of holes in this story that ignite an immediate scepticism within you. "Wait a second, what do you mean 'Dad?' I'm not even married to Rias – and I'd sure as hell know if I got her pregnant somehow. I wouldn't hear the end of it!"

"You're right. Devils don't grow any faster than a human does, so how do you think a twenty-something year old version of your son is running around?"

"…Time travel?"

He snaps his fingers, "Bingo, got it in one. Sorry for showing up unannounced and all, but I needed to make a dramatic entrance to save your skin back there."

You frown, "I don't need your help."

"Prideful as always. I know, everyone is in good hands with the 'Incandescent Devil-Emperor' here. Even though this is an… early version of yourself – before a lot of important things happens to you. But you don't have a way to beat Vali at the moment."

You double take, "I'm called what?"

"Devils really love elaborate nicknames," he laughs, "For example, in the future you're regarded under several different titles. Aside from the Incandescent Devil-Emperor, you're also known as the Ruin King, the Mirror-Holder, the Shatterer…"

"Okay, we get it," Mitsuru interrupts before he can reel off any more of them. She seems to be taking this news a lot better than you are at the moment. You're a devil AND a father. "You were the one who broke into the lab a few days ago. Why?"

He shrugs, "Good old Dad here told me to leave that paper with you."

"I did?" you repeat, "You mean 'me' from the future?"

"Correct. Utilizing advanced technology and some devilish magic, we're capable of sending people through time. It was essential that I came back here, to this specific time, to give you this information."

"The form change system," Mitsuru continues, "You want me to complete it."

It's true that his assistance has resulted in the development of a new weapon. But the arrival of this imitator doesn't bode too well for your chances. She can summon equally powerful foes to try and take you down, if she can get over her personality quirks for long enough to realise that anyway.

He continues; "Time travel isn't a get out of jail free card. When you go rampaging through the past, it doesn't actually change the future. Everything that is happening now, happened before the time travel technique was even discovered in the first place. No matter what I do here, things are already set in stone to happen in that specific way."

Mitsuru closes her eyes, "An infinite loop."

"Sure, let's go with that. You both made it very clear to me that I needed to come here and give you this information. You've been preparing and researching how to do so for decades. In essence, the 'you' from the future is cheating, and giving you some of the answers now to set things into motion. From here, you'll both develop the technology and magic based on your own discoveries and repeat the process all over again by sending another version of me into the past."

"That still doesn't answer why you need to be here," Mitsuru contests, "Are you saying that I couldn't discover the way to make my system work? If I couldn't do that – how did this future version of me get this thesis paper?"

Zandias grits his teeth; "That's the tricky part, we don't know. The real source of that information is a complete mystery. If this really is an infinite loop there's no way for us to find out. We can only guess that one copy of Mitsuru set this into motion by constructing the very first time machine."

"This might not even be my work," Mitsuru sulks.

"It has your fingerprints all over it, Mitsuru," he assures her. "Nobody understands interdimensional travel like you do."

He seems to know things that support his assertions of his real identity. But isn't this problematic? Why would he so willingly reveal the future to you like this? You pull him away from Mitsuru, "I don't assume you're going to tell me everything that's coming up in my life."

Zandias shakes his head, "Sorry. You told me to keep things simple for your past self. The only thing he wanted to say was that everything will work out in the end, you just need to keep doing what you're doing and trust your own judgement. I can tell you a few things though…"

"Like how I'm a devil?"

"Heh, pretty easy to figure that one out. You're one of the powerful, high-class devils in the underworld. Pretty obvious when you consider that you're married into one of the biggest clans around. I don't know how Mother convinced you to become a devil yourself though, maybe it provided an advantage in battle that was too much to ignore."

Him suggesting this to you may well be the reason that it even happens in the first place. You want to proclaim that you're above outside influence in making a heavy decision like that – but you're just a person like everyone else. It'll fester in the back of your mind for a long time, always there, waiting for the moment you crack and go ahead with it.

"And what a clan it is!" he laughs, "Some people call you a dirty geezer, but they don't know the family like I do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You have a lot of wives, and a lot of kids to match. The Gremory clan went from a dozen or so devils to one of the biggest forces in underworld politics. It helps that a lot of my brothers and sisters are blessed with skills and abilities from other worlds."

Your face goes white at the implication. That is going to be a lot of work to manage. "Oh, I see."

Zandias finds your reaction amusing, but he moves to reassure you that it isn't so bad. "Don't worry too much about it. It's second nature to you in the future, and all of your wives are very supportive of you and each other."

"Chun-Li did tell me I'd have hundreds of them… I thought she was exaggerating." His face twitches slightly at the mention of her name. He's not very good at hiding his own feelings. Another question springs to mind; "So all of these wives are devils too?"

He wavers from side to side, "Eh. A lot of them. But some of them didn't 'need' the power of the evil pieces. Still, it's a big, tangled web of peerages with wives on top of wives on top of wives. I don't know how you even remember who's under who sometimes. I'll tell you something – a lot of traditionalists got themselves into a furore when they found out how many high-level devils you'd created."

"And there were people who were happy with that?"

"Ever since the triple war ended, a lot of devil leaders wondered why the clans were being so restrained with expanding their number. The underworld has more than enough space, and we were being left behind by the angels! Making sure that the big clans survive through reproduction is a practical concern for them. Some clan leaders took your example and had many children too, though there are concerns about internal conflicts over inheritance breaking out."

"You said you were the next in line?"

"Sure am. I'm the first-born son of the new Gremory line! Though, in actuality it'll take a very long time for me to be put into your position. Devils live for a very long time, and… hold up, I'm not gonna' say any more on that subject just yet. You'll have to wait a few decades and see for yourself."

You still have a hard time accepting that this is real. Who knows what kind of deceptive tactics the invaders are trying to use to get a leg up on you? He could be some kind of weird android designed to lead you down a darker path, or destroy you when you least expect it. You turn back to Mitsuru, who is again reading through the documents that her future self allegedly sent.

"So, do you think this is legit?"

She sighs, "I believe so. He's correct – this dissertation is exactly the kind of thing that I would write. I can't help but notice which details have been selectively removed as well. They're trying to prevent too much information from getting out. Anything that I create from beyond this point will be my work and my work alone."

Zandias smirks, "I could spill some personal details if you'd like…"

"No, we're good," you cut him off. "You can use that to complete the form change system?"

"Yes. I can," Mitsuru grunts, "As frustrating as it is to admit. I have been bested by my future self. These adjustments are minor, yet significant. I would not have been able to pinpoint them on my own."

"Don't think that it's going to be easy to finish it," Zandias responds, "You have a lot more work to do before it becomes usable. Not to mention designing the form change itself."

"And you're not going to give us any more hints."

"No. As I said, everything will work out in time. Victory is inevitable – you just need the confidence to go out and grab it."

You touch the bruise on your chest, "Easier said than done when Vali is running riot. Speaking of which, weren't you going to summon Asia?"

"Oh, right," Mitsuru says.

Zandias snaps back to reality, "I better make myself scarce then. Trying to keep this whole mess on the down low, can't do with letting Auntie see me."

"Auntie?"

He freezes up, "Ah, crap. Shouldn't have said that."

You don't know why that's such a problem. Obviously, Rias' peerage would have a close relationship with her children. You usher him away with a wave of your hand, "Alright McFly, get out of here before you do anything weird to the future."

He smiles, "Don't worry about a thing. You'll take a few beatings in this line of work. I better let Asia do her thing."

A magic circle appears under his feet and he sinks into the ground, disappearing from sight again. You have to wonder where he's staying during his trip to the past. A moment later Asia nearly falls on top of you as you lie back on the couch and try to avoid aggravating your injuries any further. You'd gotten so wrapped up in the time-travel shenanigans that you didn't notice how much you're hurting right now.

"What happened?!" Asia cries.

"Had a run in with the white dragon emperor. I'd really appreciate some help, Asia."

"O-Of course! You needn't ask!"

Asia summons her rings and begins to cast Twilight Healing on your body. It's going to take a while for you to heal properly, even with her assistance. Asia is visibly worried, "The white dragon emperor? How did he get here?"

Mitsuru is hopping mad, "I'll tell you how, those freaking invaders have been stealing my patented technology without paying royalties! I'm going to make them pay!"

"…If Vali is here, then not even the President would be capable of defeating him in battle. The only person who can stand up to him is-"

You finish her statement, "Issei."

"That's right."

"Say, Asia, you don't mind carrying a message across to him, do you?"

"Anything you want," Asia smiles. She really does have the face of an angel – an angel turned into a devil.

---

At some point during the lengthy healing process, you must have passed out.

When you awaken again a few hours later – you find yourself in the vast cottony expanse of Lala’s harem chamber. Not only that, but there are two pairs of very soft and large breasts pressing against your arms. On the left is Rias, who is wearing nothing but a pair of small black panties, and to your right is Asia, who is in a similar state of nudeness.

“Uh, what?” you whisper. Both women have fallen asleep next to you, but the stirring of your body brings them back to wakefulness. Rias gives you a dazzling smile and pressed herself closer to you.

“Are you okay, hubby?”

“Now that Asia’s had a look at me, yeah,” you chuckle nervously. The blonde-haired healer yawns and stretches out, before her eyes flutter open to meet yours again. She squeaks and covers her chest with her forearms. If anything, seeing her perky C-cups pressed against her only makes them more arousing.

“Uhm. Good evening…”

Rias is quick to step in and explain, “Asia asked for me to be here while she healed you. You fell unconscious a few minutes after she started.”

“I’m not going to complain about having such a beautiful girl in bed with me, but why is she naked?”

Asia blushes, “The President said that it would make you happy.”

You jump slightly as Rias paws at the front of your pants; “He is very happy Asia.” But the flirtatious stare quickly turns into one of concern; “When I heard from Asia that Vali Lucifer was here… I didn’t know what to think. As strong as you are, Vali has the power of the white dragon, not to mention his demonic heritage. It seems that I was right to be worried.”

You have to agree, “Sundar arranged all of this. It isn’t just Vali that I’m going to have to worry about. They can summon other fighters too.”

“I told her about your plan,” Asia says.

Rias nods, “It’s a good idea. When you face a power like his divine dividing, the only counter is-“

“Boosted Gear. You’re right, I need Issei here. Those two are rivals for a reason.”

“I asked Issei-kun, and of course he accepted. He’s always willing to show Vali up.”

Asia giggles, “He’s also a big fan of yours!”

You can imagine. Asia leans into your body and hugs you tight. You feel a little estranged by the way Rias convinced her to strip for you. “Anyway, you don’t need to get naked just to make me feel better. Your healing is already more than enough for me.”

Asia blushes, “But making sure that your mind is sound is just as important as your body.”

“Let me guess, Rias told you that.”

Rias just giggles into your ear as Asia nods with an innocent expression on her face. She really is a bad influence on girls like her, it seems.

“I really appreciate you healing me, naked or not.”

“Thank you,” Asia smiles. “After all, you are attempting to protect innocent people! A virtuous person like that is someone I want to support with all of my power.” Gah. She’s so sweet that you’re going to get diabetes just looking at her.

Rias leans in to her, “You can support him in other ways too, Asia…”

“Really President?”

“That’s right. In fact – it appears that there’s some swelling down here that hasn’t gone down just yet!”

You slap Rias’ hand away from your crotch, but it’s hard not to laugh when she does an obvious play for some sex like this. “Alright, alright. Let’s not show Asia anything she isn’t ready for.” The nun is clearly confused about what Rias is getting at. She glances down at your pants and tilts her head to the side.

“Did… did I miss a spot?”

“No Asia, I’m fine. In fact – it feels like I didn’t get hit at all!” You try to climb back up onto your feet, but you spoke too soon. A strong feeling of fatigue rolls over your body and forces you back down onto your ass. It’s lucky that the entire room is covered with a huge mattress that can cushion your fall. “Okay, maybe I’m still feeling it a little,” you admit humbly.

“After being healed using my Twilight Healing – your body will still need some time to rest and recover.”

Rias leers over you and licks her kissable lips hungrily, “That’s right, husband. So lay back and allow us to take care of you.”

Before you can object, she pushes you down onto your back and steals your breath for a tongue-filled smooch. Asia squeaks and hides between her fingers as the President takes liberties with your mouth. Rias’ panty-clad butt wiggles in the air like a playful feline. She’s so insistent that you have to submit and let her have her fun. You fight back with your own tongue and duel with her. It’s heavy and extremely lewd. This isn’t helping the ‘swelling’ go down at all.

A string of drool connects your mouths as Rias finally pulls back to breathe. Having such a beautiful and sexy woman hovering over you, chest bared and cheeks flushed, is enough to make any man go a little crazy. Asia is staring at the both of you in awe.

Her voice is as soft as a feather, “So this is what it’s like.”

“That’s right, Asia. I’ve already bared my body for him, as has Akeno. He is the one who will be the next man of the house.” Rias smiles again with self-confidence that hefts some great expectations onto your shoulders. She believes in you. If only she knew how right she is. You and her are the next Gremory heads – and it seems that her peerage is involved too.

“And you’d like us to be his wives too?” Asia queries.

Rias flicks her hair back in that characteristic way and smiles, “Of course. As my future husband – he is also likely to claim the members of my peerage as mistresses and wives as well. Akeno is already positioning herself to join me.”

“A-And Koneko-chan?”

“Uh, that one is a strong maybe,” you chuckle. Koneko’s tsun exterior is going to take some work to crack.

Rias plants her hands on Asia’s shoulders and stares into her green eyes, “I understand that you are not familiar with how marriage between devils works – nor the complexities of our family trees, but there is a simple way to appreciate it. To fulfil your heart’s desire and dive headfirst into the passion of love.”

Asia responds like it’s a mission being given to her; “Y-Yes, President! I’ll do my best!”

Rias pulls her close and hugs her, “I won’t ask you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with. What do you think of my future husband here?”

Asia glances at you and blushes, “He is… very handsome, and brave.”

“Do you think you’d like to stand by his side, come what may?”

Asia takes a moment to consider the commitment needed to give an answer, “I believe so.”

She really doesn’t know what Rias is getting at here. She’s a chaste girl, raised in a church to do one thing for them, to heal the needy and the injured and to gather devout followers. Her naivete made it easy for her to fall in line and start doing sexual acts with Issei in the original series. She was surrounded by people who acted like it wasn’t a big deal, after all. This is only going to end one way.

Mitsuru made it very clear – these girls are all head over heels for you, whether they ‘realize’ it yet or not. Asia had been there in the club room when Rias, Akeno and the other indulged in ‘your’ television series. She had seen a version of you struggle to do the very same thing that you are doing now, with a personality and appearance that resembles you down to each individual personality quirk and minor blemish on your skin. She admires you for doing what you do, and would be willing to do anything for Rias.

The redhead turns to you with a smirk and presents Asia to you, “There you have it, husband. Another member of my peerage for you to conquer.”

“You don’t need to make it sound so aggressive,” you sigh.

“A man who sleeps with so many women can be nothing but aggressive,” she titters, “As I said – you must be a man who is willing to take what he desires with no hesitation. Greed is a devil’s virtue.” Asia, who doesn’t really understand what’s going on, nods along with her words like an eager puppy.

But you still don’t really know if Asia wants to do anything like this. You haven’t gotten to spend much time with her like the other girls. With that in mind, you placate Rias by planning for the future.

“How about I spend some time with Asia and you, maybe even in a few days?”

“Hm?”

“Well, Asia hasn’t been around me much. I want to make sure that she’s… interested before we do anything more extreme.”

Rias pouts, but relents; “Very well. It will be a good chance for me to show Asia how to court a man.”

“Court?” Asia repeats.

Rias jumps to her feet and strikes a boastful pose, “That’s right! By the time I’m done teaching you, he’ll be eating out of the palm of your hand and kissing your feet!”

Again – this is her boyfriend/husband she’s talking about. Asia provides some polite applause, but is still completely lost as to what she means. Hopefully, Rias starts her on the easy stuff. She didn’t wait long to get Asia naked and in bed with you, but the girl doesn’t know the first thing about romantic relationships. For the time being, you want to get to know her, Koneko and Xenovia.

Rias snaps her fingers and their clothes flash back into existence. Both girls are wearing casual outfits instead of their uniforms. “Guess I’ll need to think of a great place to take both of you. I’ll message you later.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Asia smiles.

“Don’t be a stranger, husband!”

---

Mitsuru was at her wit’s end. Even though the man who claimed to be her best friend’s son from the future had given her what she needed, there was still something missing. There was a material element that the paper indicated she needed, yet the details of it were redacted completely! None of her tricks could reveal further detail – the text hadn’t been drawn over with a marker. They had manually edited the document and removed the contents, before printing it out again.

She growled and tossed another failed prototype over the table, knocking over several other half-finished devices in the process. It was on the tip of her tongue, the answer to the problem that she was looking for. She wasn’t getting anywhere and she knew it. If only the cocky asshole had stuck around for a little longer and told her the details.

He was probably withholding them on purpose, she realised. He had an ulterior motive, one that he wasn’t going to reveal come hell or high water. She didn’t trust him one bit. The invaders had shown a capacity for strategic thinking and adaptation. A deception like this wasn’t beyond their abilities. If she could confirm the magic signature coming from his circle with Rias, perhaps they could confirm if he was telling the truth. He made himself sparse quickly when he heard that one of the ORC was coming.

A loud whirring from behind her drew her attention away from the problematic wrist-mounted device. You were standing over the printer with a solemn look on your face. She snuck up on you and peered under your armpit, catching a glimpse of the card you had printed.

Now, that was very interesting.

Chapter 38: Special Guest

Taking your mind off the recent drama seems like a great idea, and what better way to do it than a date with Rias and Asia? Though taking two women out at the same time is daunting, it can't be any worse than Sundar randomly revealing that you have an evil doppelganger now. You make a small itinerary of ideas for things to do and put on your Sunday best in preparation.

After sending some messages back and forth with Rias, you settle on a time and place to make some merriment together. Away from prying eyes you summon the Sledgehammer and negligently tear another hole in the universe. The two girls are ready and raring to go.

Rias is going casual mode with a pair of extremely tight, black jean shorts that show off her legs and a white tank top that can do nothing to hide her large chest. The burgeoning sports bra underneath is weeping under the strain of her bouncing boobage. A matching black baseball cap and aviator sunglasses conceal her identity from curious onlookers.

Asia has taken the date concept more literally, with a lime green sundress and reaches below her knees. The only part of her body that's really exposed is her arms. She holds a small purse in her left hand to keep her valuables in. She looks beautiful, though it's becoming something of a cliché to tell yourself that when all of the women you've summoned are completely breathtaking.

Rias giggles and starts the teasing early, "See, he can't keep his eyes off of us."

You laugh it off and move in closer, "You both look fantastic. I never expected you to have such a sporty wardrobe, Rias."

"I asked for some pointers from a classmate," she reveals, "I'm rather… out of touch with modern street fashion." That unnamed classmate has your eternal thanks. This combo of hiked jeans and tight top showcase all of her best curves in excruciatingly sexy detail. Her skin is already glistening slightly from the heat beating down on you from above.

Asia is flattered and tries to hide between her hands. Rias isn't having any of that shy business today, she pulls her arm back down and drags her over to you. "Come along Asia. Today it's our job to make him feel like the luckiest man on Earth."

You sigh, "I already am. You don't need to do anything special for me."

Your pleas fall on deaf ears as both girls take their place on each side of you. You decided to go with something simple for Asia's first day out, and selected a local restaurant positioned on the bank of one of the city's rivers. This tourist trap boardwalk has become a very popular destination as of late – with dozens of eating and drinking establishments opening in rows down either side.

The jealous glares are back again. Rias looks like a supermodel on holiday and Asia is too damn cute for people to not stare. You grab a table outside so you can enjoy the weather. The tall buildings provide some cover from the sun's gaze. A tray of drinks is soon delivered and you all settle in for an afternoon meal together.

"What do you think about all of this summoning stuff?" you ask. Asia hasn't really aired her feelings on things to you just yet.

"It is rather strange," Asia muses, "Even stranger than becoming a devil."

"Isn't that normal where you come from? We don't have devils or angels here."

Rias is contemplative, "There are a great many things that even the most powerful devils are unaware of. While many of them believe themselves to be the apex predators, the truth is much more terrifying. In comparison to the infinite expanse of the multiverse we may be nothing more than prey for greater beings still."

"I don't think anything that terrifying can survive on this planet," you say wishfully. Everyone you've summoned thus far has been human in form. A small part of you fears what may happen if you summon someone or something you cannot control. The conversation turns away from doom and gloom and onto more mundane subjects, like the kind of things that a devil has to handle.

After you've eaten your meal though, Rias decides to heat things up a little with some probing questions to Asia.

"So, Asia. I'm considering your application to join the harem…"

"A-Application?"

Rias adjusts her glasses like a stern accountant, "I'd like to ask you a few more questions before I approve it. For starters, how many children are you planning on having with my husband?"

Asia is caught completely flat-footed by this playful change of tack from Rias. Her face is bright red and her hands are flailing in every direction as she scrambles to come up with a good answer. "Uh, I don't know. Hm. How about… three. I think three is a good number!" She clearly just came up with it now on the spot. You don't imagine that Asia has given any consideration to having children with a man she barely knows.

Rias nods and continues the charade, "Three? How do you work with others? Would you be okay with sharing hubby with hundreds of other women?"

"Uh. I think so…"

"And where do you see yourself in the harem structure?"

"S-Structure?"

"What are you talking about?" you add with a matching sense of confusion.

Rias can't hold it in any more and starts to giggle at you both; "Apologies. I shouldn't start talking about devil business without informing you of how it works. While devils will greedily lay claim to as many spouses as they can, that also comes with a great level of responsibility. The head wife, who is the highest ranking woman, is usually in charge of maintaining good order in the household. Her children also inherit the leadership of the house."

"Oh, Venelana mentioned something like that," you recall.

"Some of those houses decide to build a 'structure' out of the harem. The higher-ranking women have the command over the newer ones. Though I get the feeling that you don't like the idea of assigning differing levels of importance to your partners."

True. That seems more than a little callous. You shake your head, "Not really, no."

Rias shrugs it off, "Don't worry. My mother is a deft harem wrangler. Seniority or no, she'll make sure that everything runs smoothly."

"I really must learn more about being a devil," Asia mutters.

"Me too. You always say stuff that surprises me Rias," you sigh.

"You two are so cute when you get like this," she smirks. Akeno's sadistic side is rubbing off on her.

"I-I only became a devil recently!" Asia cries.

"Hm, and what about you hubby?"

You shrug, "You don't exactly sit down and explain this kind of thing in the TV series."

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to give you both a very thorough education. I'll wear a tight black skirt and glasses, just for you."

That'll be a sight to see.

Asia finally breaks through the noise and asks you a question of her own, "You don't mind me?"

"Of course not. But I just want to make it clear that you don't have to go out with me just because Rias is asking you to. I know that it's a pretty big leap to go from knowing nothing about me to doing all of this couple stuff."

"That's okay. I'd like to get to know you better." Asia gives you an angelic smile that could make the coldest, most miserable man melt into a puddle. She's a lot different from the constant teasing and confident sexuality of Akeno and Rias. It makes for a nice change from being surrounded by women who have the libido of a freshly minted teenage boy discovering internet porn.

"How about we pay the bill and walk around town?"

The three-way date continues as you visit several other local attractions with Asia and Rias. Rias tones down the teasing a lot and allows Asia to enjoy herself. Asia brings a sense of innocent wonder to even mundane activities, presumably due to her extensive duties in her previous position as a sister in the church.

You endeavour to try and show Asia the 'real' you. The fact of the matter is that Mitsuru can't exactly vet each and every universe for total accuracy within the TV adaptation of your life. You tell her stories, some of the things you enjoy doing in your free time, and how you came to meet some of the other people in your harem.

But all good things had to come to an end eventually.

As you are strolling further into town to try and find something new to do together, the one and only Vali Lucifer exits a shop right in front of you! He's just as surprised to see you as you are him. Judging from the twin bags of groceries in his hands, he wasn't expecting to fight anybody at all.

"Vali!" Rias scowls.

"If it isn't Rias Gremory," he smirks as his gaze turns to you, "I suppose what they told me about you was true."

"What are you doing here?"

He holds the bags aloft, "The good lady has asked me to perform a few chores, as a gracious guest I had no choice but to accept."

…

You snap your fingers, "Whipped."

His face drops, "W-Wha…"

Rias nods, "Very."

Asia holds a hand over her mouth, "You poor thing."

"I am NOT whipped!" he declares.

"What kind of guest does the hosts' chores?" you respond, "I didn't realise the white dragon emperor was a house maid."

"I'll make you regret those words."

This time? Not likely. You look down the alleyway to your left, "If we're doing this, we're doing it out of sight."

"Fine by me."

Vali follows you down the pathway and into a backlot parking area. Mitsuru made sure that the surveillance systems within the city would never capture your likeness. She led you to believe that there's a jamming system within the Sledgehammer that activates whenever you summon it. You press Lala's bracelet and summon it from the void. Vali finds a place to leave his bags and dusts off his hands.

"This battle will only end like the first, with your convincing defeat. The power of the white dragon emperor is absolute."

"What should we do?" Asia asks.

You glance back at your dates and shake your head, "No need to get involved, you'll ruin those amazing outfits. Anyway – we're going to use that plan."

Rias nods, "I see. Very well. Let's stay out of the way, Asia."

"Y-Yes President!"

Rias and Asia retreat to the entrance of the lot. You transform into your armour and stare down Vali, who doesn't even see the need to don his own. Before you can even react, he disappears from sight and materialises next to you, swinging around and striking you with a kick. You barely notice it in time to raise your arm and block it. The force of the hit is enough to send you flying across the yard and into the door of a parked car. Metal bends, glass shatters, and the alarm blares.

"Pathetic. You aren't even fit to shine my shoes."

This guy is seriously pissing you off. You struggle back to your feet and check your HUD, there's a special someone lying in wait for just this occasion. The system reacts and ejects the card into your palm. You quickly slide it into the chamber and twist it.

"ISSEI HYOUDOU, SHATTERING!"

"W-What?!"

You smirk and pull the trigger. Reality warps in front of you, shattering into pieces and filling out the silhouette of your special guest. Spiky brown hair, red t-shirt and school uniform all in place. He's confused about the sudden summoning, but it doesn't take him long to realise the situation.

He stepped forth and clenched his fist in anticipation, "Yosha! The red dragon emperor is here!"

You did summon him from Rias' universe, so hopefully this taken man isn't in love with you. He turns to face you, his eyes lighting up in fanboyish reverence, "Oh man! It's the real deal! You're here, in the flesh! This suit is totally awesome!" He couldn't stop himself from circling you and taking it in from every angle.

"Hey, Issei. Gush later – Vali needs to be taught a lesson."

He chuckles and rubs the back of his head sheepishly, "Sorry. But I'm always happy to give that cocky bastard a beatdown! Leave it to me." His hand glows green and his trademark red armour begins to appear around his body. He poses pridefully next to you, soaking in the chance to be next to one of his favourite 'fictional characters.' You glance to your left and admire the detail on his draconic suit.

"You know what, we do look really cool together."

"I know, right?"

Chapter 39: Fated Rivals

Vali is furious, "They told me that you only summon women, you cheating bastard!"

You shrug it off and laugh, "I never said anything like that. I think it's perfectly fair to summon someone who's much stronger than you. Looks like your divine dividing isn't going to be so useful after all."

Issei points to himself, "Leave him to me. That power is something that only the red dragon can defeat..."

Vali shakes his head, "I'm not going to lose to you again, Issei."

"Well that's too bad. Because I'm gonna' beat the hell out of you!"

Before you can get started, enemy mooks pour into the parking lot from every angle and surround you. Damn it – they must have been waiting for you to appear. You grab Issei's shoulder, "You take care of Vali. I'll handle these small fries."

"Got it!"

Issei disappears in a flash of red light, moving so quickly that your human eyes can't even perceive him properly. He rematerializes a second later with Vali clutched between his clawed hands. Both dragons tumble and fly through the air, crashing through the side of the nearest building and out of sight. A bolt of red lightning cuts its way through the herd of mooks as Rias runs over to you.

"Where did these fools come from?" she scoffs. Asia is shaking like a leaf behind her.

"We've gotta' take care of them. This shouldn't be too tough!"

You leap into the fray and punch a robot's head clean from its body, sending it tumbling across the tarmac like a morbid football. Rias claims some skulls of her own as she unleashes a blast of red lightning at the approaching mooks, frying several of them into piles of scrap and wiring. Asia doesn't seem too enthused to fight back herself, hiding behind a magical barrier being emitted from the palms of her hands.

You use some fancy gunmanship and blast more of them with rapid trigger pulls. There's nothing the robots can do to protect themselves from such powerful blasts. They just charge forward and try to overwhelm you with sheer numbers. Vali and Issei soon reappear, tussling and wrestling for control over the other. Their heavily armoured bodies crash down and plough through dozens of the enemy soldiers, destroying them instantly and leaving a huge crater in their wake.

The fight is so intense and destructive that Vali is quickly doing even more damage to the enemy troops than you are. He has little regard for the safety of his so-called allies, presumably as his loyalty lies with the mysterious person who Sundar has recruited to be your rival. They send bolts of energy at each other, delivering kicks and punches that are powerful enough to pulverise a mortal man like yourself.

"Why are you doing this man's dirty work? You're an insult to the lineage of the Red Dragon!"

"Because he's a real man, the one I look up to! And I'll always take the chance to beat some humility into you!" Issei punctuates his declaration with a haymaker of a punch, that sends Vali flying into the brick wall behind him. Vali retaliates by firing blue energy from both of his wings.

"DIVIDE!"

Issei just barely avoids the attack, but Vali is even faster. He dashes onto him and wrestles him back down to the ground.

"DIVIDE!"

There's nowhere for Issei to run now, the power of his sacred gear is drained before your eyes, weakening his abilities and giving Vali the upper hand. You quickly charge your Sledgehammer and take a pot-shot at him. The blast hits his helmet, smashing it into pieces and revealing his face once more. He glances up at you with murderous intent.

"Stay out of the way, you damned nuisance!"

Vali dismounts Issei and marches towards you with intent. This time you manage to put your arms up and block some of the punch that comes your way. You fly off of your feet and into the air, only to land between Rias' breasts as she flies up and catches you. You both fall back down onto the ground with a heavy thud.

"Gah! Are you okay, Rias?"

"I'm fine. Worry about yourself!"

Vali smirks, "She's right, you know. That weak mortal body of yours can't stand up to much punishment, can it? Maybe you should know your betters and quit while you still have the chance."

Issei's body stirs from behind him. He's taken a lot of hits, but the power of the Red Dragon is going to withstand being divided once or twice without issue. Vali is so engrossed in his war of words that he doesn't even notice as Issei begins to wind up for another attack. Vali eventually follows your gaze to behind him, but by then it is too late to stop Issei.

"BOOST!"

Issei gives out a manly cry as he punches the air and sends a ball of green energy flying towards Vali. He deftly moves to the left and avoids the attack, turning to gloat at him in the aftermath. "That was the best thing you could do? You missed!"

"No, I didn't."

Vali realises too late the mistake he has made. The red energy that flies from his gauntlet was never intended to strike Vali himself, you just so happen to be standing in a perfect position behind him. The power boosting orb hits your body and energises you, but there's only one thing on your mind at this moment – pulling the trigger and blowing Vali away.

You fire, and a huge beam of energy is emitted from the front of the gun. Vali is out of position and was unprepared for you being the one to deliver the fateful attack. His armour shatters into pieces as the beam slams against him and sends him flying into the side of the nearest building. You release the trigger to try and prevent any more collateral damage. A charred and bruised Vali only just manages to use his wings to stop himself from falling and hitting the pavement below.

"Guh! You piece of shit..."

Before he falls to the floor, he summons a magic circle underneath his feet and disappears out of sight – three bags of groceries lighter for the effort. Asia and Rias hurry over to you and Issei as you take a moment to catch your breath after such an intense battle. The damage is severe to the surrounding area, but you managed to teach Vali a lesson at least. If this copycat decides to summon him again, it's going to be a tough battle.

You take a moment to catch your breath as Rias and Asia fuss over you. Bruised and battered again, one punch from that guy was almost enough to put you down for the count...

"Dude, this is so cool," Issei gushes. His armour disappears and he reaches out to shake your hand eagerly, "I never thought I'd get to see the real thing in action, not to mention being summoned by you! I'm a huge fan."

"The feeling's mutual, Issei."

"It's nice to see you getting along so well," Rias giggles.

Issei quickly turns to regard them, "Ah! Pres, Asia!"

"I'm so glad that you're both okay," Asia says.

You chuckle, "No need to worry. Issei's got it covered. You really saved my butt there."

Issei scratches the back of his head with that characteristic goofy smile, "Geeze. But why is Vali even here?"

You sigh, "They cloned the Sledgehammer, so that means-"

"There's an evil version of you, who's like... a girl."

"You already know?"

Rias smiles and crosses her arms, "Of course. That's one of the most popular arcs from the tenth volume. Though some take umbrage with the addition of anime original content that extends it to a full season. I think the importance of a rival character deserves a long, well-told story."

"Uh, what she said," Issei nods, "She didn't summon Vali Lucifer in our world, anyway."

What a messy end to your double date. There are seemingly hundreds of dead robot carcasses all over the place – and several of the surrounding buildings have had holes blown clean through them. Issei pats you on the shoulder, "Hey. I gotta' get back pretty fast. Sumire-chan is going to wonder where I've been."

"Sumire?"

Rias shrugs, "His girlfriend. She's rather possessive. Perhaps a fear of having his manhood separated from his body is why he has put his plans for a harem on ice."

Issei objects to the theory, "Hey, come on Pres! She's just that great that I don't need another girl."

"That's what most people do normally..."

"Sumire is cute, funny, and she hasn't tried to murder me yet like my ex. So what if she gets a little jealous when I go to club meetings with you? She's a joker for sure. Says that if she sees me with Asia or Rias again she's gonna' lock me in a cage." Issei laughs off the ever-present threat to his freedom like it's no big deal.

Why does this guy have such strange luck with women?

---

Unfortunately, there was an imminent threat that Issei's girlfriend was going to castrate him if he left her sight for any longer than thirty minutes, so under recommendation from Rias you decided to send him back to their world before that could happen. Before you left the scene, you spotted a red scale resting inside one of the craters. It must have been knocked off of Issei's armour during the battle. Not wanting the enemy to take anything away from the fight, you retrieved it and put it into your pocket.

With your first date with Asia wrapped up and the invaders repulsed once more, you decide to retire to the garage and see if Mitsuru had made any progress on her form change device. You can hear the whirring of her machinery as you approach the front door. She's hunched over a bench with plastic goggles wrapped firmly around her head. Sparks fly from beneath her.

"It appears that Mitsuru-san is busy..." Asia whispers.

The whirring stops, and Mitsuru places a small tool onto the bench beside her; "Actually. I just finished. Thanks to my own intervention completing the advanced translocator was easy enough that even a dullard could have done it. Though there is still one missing component."

You chuckle, "What? He didn't even tell you how to complete it?"

Mitsuru opened the top of the device and showed the internals to you. A large space had been left behind. It was entirely intentional. The arrangement of the parts that had been hinted to in the paper had made that space on purpose, and several diodes pointed inwards to connect to whatever that missing piece is. As you start at the shape, an idea starts to form in your mind.

You reach into your pocket and place Issei's scale down onto the work desk. What a freakish coincidence. It was almost like your son from the future already knew that this was going to happen. Mitsuru reaches over and holds the scale over the slot, her brow furrowing in irritation.

"Typical. I was getting worked up over nothing." Mitsuru didn't hesitate, sliding the scale into place and pinching each side with a small conductive clip to connect it to the system. The mechanism whirs to life for the first time. Mitsuru does a small jig in celebration; "My future genius knows no bounds."

"Isn't this kinda' cheating?"

"I still discovered it in the end!" she snaps back. Though this time loop does beg the question of who discovered this thing originally. Since Mitsuru is informing herself about how it works, it technically means that nobody has ever come up with this without outside intervention. This is both extremely confusing and not worth the effort to think about – so you discard the problem and just roll with it.

Mitsuru returns to the computer and checks the readings, "That scale contains an incredible amount of power. This is what my future self must have intended."

"So does that mean I can do this form change thing now?"

Mitsuru waves her hand in the air, "Give me a few hours to figure this out. I should be able to use the data from the scale and your previous battle to make something special for you."

"As long as it means I can deal with Vali myself..."

Rias shrugs, "Issei will never object to knocking him down a few pegs."

"Sure. But at what cost?"

"She isn't going to castrate him that badly," Rias smiles.

"I'm sure she's really happy that her boyfriend is in a club filled with nothing but beautiful women."

Rias smirks, "And a beautiful boy."

"Sure. Kiba too."

"I've never been called beautiful before," Asia whispers. Given that she has the face of an angel and pretty blonde hair – you aren't really sure that's the case. Were all of the people at her church blind or what? And while you'll never reveal this out loud, you've seen more than enough of her body naked to know it's no slouch in the curves department; unless you're comparing her to Rias and Akeno. That's an unrealistic standard to attain for most. They both have bodies that a perverted twelve-year-old would scribble down onto a scrap piece of paper for fun.

"I guess that means our date is over with, and Mitsuru finally has what she needs to finish her device so... what now?" you grunt.

Rias jumps at the chance to tease Asia a little; "You could take her down to the special 'chamber' and show her how much fun being your lover can be." Asia squeaks and covers her face all over again.

"I-I don't know anything about that."

"About what?" Rias prods.

"S-Sex!"

Asia shouts it so loud that if anyone were still present on the industrial lot, they would have all have heard it. She stomps her feet on the floor and runs to hide from Rias as she continues to hound her with more sing-song questions about making love and being your girlfriend.

"She can be very mean when she wants to be," Mitsuru comments glibly.

"Eh. I think she likes teasing the members of the club."

"But she was rather jealous in the original, was she not?"

"But you brought her from a world where devils have multiple spouses – of course she's not going to find it upsetting when she's been raised that way from birth. I think being positioned as the head wife is also going to keep her happy."

As you watch Mitsuru hammer out hundreds of lines of code at an inhuman speed, you finally ask something that's been on your mind for a long time now.

"And how do you feel about it? You don't find any of this stuff weird?"

She shrugs, "I was the one who came up with it – and we've both long been immersed in the non-traditional. Every indecisive otaku dreams of having a big old harem from time to time."

But what about your relationship with Mitsuru? It feels like everything she's doing is for your benefit alone. Sure, they help you fight off the aliens, but you're living the high life with a dozen devoted partners while she slaves away to make new weapons for you. You haven't done any of the fun stuff you usually do together for months now.

"Are you worried about our friendship?" she asks pointedly, "It's written all over your face."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

Mitsuru pauses for a moment and turns back to you, "I feel an elevated sense of responsibility to protect this planet. We are the only ones who can do this. The fun and games can wait for later."

"You haven't thought about summoning a few wish fulfilment picks of your own? We have some spare space rocks..."

There's a long pause as your suggestion hangs heavy in the air. Mitsuru blushes and returns to her work in a huff, "Not interested."

"Really? Not a single anime guy you'd like to make into your boyfriend?"

"Not interested," she repeats sternly. It's the kind of reaction that you only ever elicit when you're pushing a button that she doesn't want pushed. She really means it. You can't inquire any further as Rias bursts out from the side office, dragging Asia with her by the collar.

"If you're going to be a member of the harem, you have to get used to that kind of talk! A good wife should help take care of the husband's sexual needs. It's perfectly natural."

"B-But the church never talks about things like this!"

"Then we will simply have to provide you with an effective and detailed sexual education!"

Asia is still trying to wriggle free even as Rias hugs her in mock compassion, "Please, president!"

You step in to break things up, "Come on Rias. I don't want to pressure her into anything she isn't ready for."

Rias pouts and allows Asia to hide behind you, "Very well."

"Did you have fun Asia?" you ask.

Asia smiles, "Y-Yes. Thank you very much for bringing me." She wraps her arms around your waist and hugs you close from behind. She then backs away and bows politely to you, "I would love to do it again."

"That's the spirit," Rias grins, "As long as you endeavour to become a good wife, you will make progress."

"A good wife... I need to do more research to find out what a good wife does."

Rias approaches you and pulls you down into a kiss, "It looks like it's time for us to go. Don't be a stranger, hubby!"

"Of course. I'll pencil something else in again soon."

You say one last goodbye to Asia and send both girls home by resetting the Sledgehammer. Issei is going to have a big story to tell all of his friends about, if they're willing to believe that he was summoned by a 'fictional' character. You mull around the lab for a little longer – coming across a set of plans on one of the tables for renovations to the industrial estate.

"I just bought a big house out in the sticks. Are you sure you don't want to build a secret lab under it?"

"It's easier to do here," Mitsuru explains, "These buildings are already tooled and equipped for the kind of industrial work I'm planning to do. If I moved to your new house, we would need to completely change the surrounding infrastructure to handle power consumption, for one example."

Some of the older, more rundown buildings are going to be demolished and replaced with new ones. The disparate pieces of the industrial estate are going to be connected together into one larger building. The underground sections are also being enlarged with some help from Lala's warp space rooms – though those plans are specifically marked with big red lettering to prevent them from being handed in on accident.

There is also a plethora of features designed to protect the lab from attack or investigation. Machines that won't be used, buildings that are just there for decoration, full security camera footage, motion sensors and alarms, and doors that are impenetrable from the outside. The entire thing is a convincing façade for a local research and development company. The detail involved means that Venelana's fingerprints are all over it.

These expanded spaces would allow Mitsuru to purchase and use much more advanced testing machinery. Right now, she has to make do with whatever she can fit into the garage, which means large devices are mostly out of the question. If she can do this much with such a sub-optimal workspace you shudder to think of what she will create with the proper equipment.

Speaking of renovations, you need to follow up with Rias and Venelana about getting the mansion fixed up so you can use it properly. No doubt the pair have already drawn up detailed floor plans and picked out all of the custom-built furniture they want placed inside. Maybe you can summon a battle maid to help keep the place tidy, because it's way too big for one person to handle.

You can worry about that later. You need to start packing what few notable possessions you have into some boxes and get ready to move in.

Chapter 40: Connecting With the Major

"So, this is your new house?"

Motoko leans against the doorway to the master bedroom, wearing her white pants and leotard top. The way that this woman pulls off these cyberpunk outfits is something of a mystery. Though anything can look good when it's attached to a drop-dead gorgeous woman like her. She leans more into the cocky and confident Motoko from Stand Alone Complex than the ghostly, ephemeral look from the movies.

The bedroom is a sad sight indeed. A huge, plaster white chamber with overly large windows and a single double mattress thrown onto the floor. Most of the fittings in your old apartment belonged to the landlord – this is one of the few things that you purchased with your own money. Not that you want to bring some of that busted old furniture with you into your brand-new mansion.

"I know. It's not a pretty sight."

Motoko laughs under her breath, "It reminds me of my apartment when I first moved in. I wondered what the hell I was going to do with all of the space."

"No suggestions?"

"I still don't know what to do with it."

"Well, Rias and her Mother are going to get their fingers all over this place soon. We have a pack of contractors lined up to get it into shape, and make it less tacky."

"Tacky…"

"It's tacky," you reiterate, "They were going to put a gold-plated bathroom in here or something."

There's a moment of silence as you both investigate the bedroom further. Motoko is right, it's huge! You can't even begin to fathom what you're going to do with all of this space. Even the largest of harem sized beds couldn't hope to justify a bedchamber like this. You could fit three large sitting areas, multiple walk-in wardrobes, and a full entertainment centre easily – with room to spare. That's what you're going to have to do, these white distant walls make it feel like a hospital.

You laugh and flop back down onto your artistically placed bed, "How's work treating you?"

"Work?"

"Well, I assume you didn't come here just to look at this dull house. Even a lady like you needs rest and relaxation sometimes."

"I usually call up a few friends and…" Motoko stops herself before she lets slip anything too personal to you. You already have a good idea of what those friends of hers did when they visited her apartment, even if it was never explicitly shown in SAC. "Never mind," she says, "I can't say anything. It's classified."

"Yeah? I don't live in your world. How could I leak whatever you tell me?"

Motoko sits down next to you, "It's the principle. If I start talking about work with you, I might say something to someone else. The last thing I want to do is mix my professional and personal lives like that." Considering how much of a workaholic she is, that balance is already way out of whack. "I haven't visited in a while. That's all."

You think back to how much time you've spent with the others, particularly the ORC; "Jealous?"

Motoko turned her head to the ceiling defiantly, "I don't get jealous."

"I mean, I don't really get the complexities of having a polyamorous relationship myself. If you want me to spend more time with you – just come out and say it directly. I'm always open to killing a few hours with one of my girlfriends."

"Oh, I'm a girlfriend now?

That puts a chill through you, "We both know how this works by now. You wouldn't put up with me if you didn't like me."

Motoko has to relent, "Ugh. I don't like the word. Everything I've done with other people has been casual."

"It can be casual if you want – you can call this whatever you want it to be."

That seems to settle Motoko's anxiety for the moment. This is a woman who's never had the chance to form a romantic attachment to another person, or at the very least this is much more of a whirlwind relationship than she's used to. It's easy for her to call some 'friends' over to warm her bed for a few hours, it's another thing entirely to open up to you.

Motoko tried to regain control of the conversation, "You're turning green with envy as well. You already know what I meant a second ago, don't you?"

"I don't draw conclusions based on the 'fictional' version of you, but yeah – I get it."

"Hm. Then I suppose we should even the score a little first."

Before you can ask what Motoko means, she begins to undress herself. It is a convoluted and messy process, but soon enough she is left in nothing but a pair of hip riding black panties. This body is just as toned and sexy as the other one, though the additional anatomical detail makes it more appealing in your eyes.

"I am a little curious about your body."

Motoko quirks her brow, "You seemed to know a lot about it when we first met."

"Sure – based on what I saw in your show. But there's a world of difference between watching an animated TV series and seeing the real thing."

Motoko reclines on your crappy mattress – almost completely naked. It makes you wish that you had purchased a proper bed first, but what can you do about it now? Her claims that this body were anatomically correct pass muster. There isn't a seam line to be seen. If you didn't know any better you'd swear that she isn't a cyborg at all.

"Get down here," she demands, patting a spot next to her.

You do as the Major orders and sit down beside her. She pulls your hand over and places it against an extremely toned stomach. The warmth against your hands feels authentic, and there's just the right amount of give that makes it feel like there is muscle and fat below as well.

"That's amazing," you can't help but gawk, "It feels real."

"Correct. A recreational body like this is designed to lessen symptoms of psychological distress for the person occupying it. The joint tolerances, strength and the heat calculation system are all based on real human data."

"What's a 'work' body like?"

"Not so much care is given to the little details, not for a military grade body like I use. You can see the seams where the different parts are connected to increase flexibility. It feels as hard as the alloy they use to make them, and the heat simulation is constrained to the operator's sensory system."

And as she had previously mentioned, no nipples or vagina. At least not ones that operated with the same level of realism as the ones she has now. You crane your head around the back of her neck and see the six ports that rest there. When not in use, they're covered by small, round, skin coloured tops that protect them from dust. It's the only indication that her body isn't real.

"Do you find those interesting?" she chuckles. Of all the things to look at first…

"It's just… you don't see cyborgs in this world, not yet anyway. It's amazing what they can do where you come from. People losing limbs, or even more, capable of surviving and living through this kind of technology."

On their own they aren't that amazing. There are small metallic lines imprinted into the skin that form a flower-like pattern and surround each port. For Motoko it's nothing special. This is something that she uses every day, just like how you use a pair of headphones or connect a piece of machinery. But to see it installed into a living person is another matter.

"There's nothing to interface with here," Motoko says as you move back to a sitting position, "But in Tokyo it's near impossible to find someone without a cyberbrain. It's integral to everyday life."

"Nearly impossible?"

"Some people prefer to stay completely organic, despite the promised increase in mental processing ability and extended life expectancy. It's difficult, but possible."

"If you had the chance, would you have retained more of your body?"

Motoko takes a moment to consider her answer, "That depends. I don't remember a time where I was in my original body. It's convenient for my job, but maintaining the systems that are needed to keep me alive is a long and boring process. It's healthier for me to imagine a near future where I won't require so much preventative care."

"That was a stupid question," you admit.

"I'm used to frank conversations in various states of undress," Motoko says, "Do you want to sleep with me or not?"

You stare at her for a second before nodding mutely.

Motoko smirks, "That's all you needed to say. Now get your clothes off."

You aren't going to refuse an order from the Major. You quickly remove your shoes, socks, shirt and pants – leaving you in a similar state of undress as Motoko. She wraps her arms around your neck and drags you down onto the mattress, moving in and capturing your lips in a confident kiss. Your hands are eager to feel her artificial body, finally coming to a rest on each of her large, plush butt cheeks. Her breasts push into you as you entangle even closer, the heat of her breath spilling out over your face makes you feel dizzy with excitement.

She pulls back with that same confident smile, "I'm going to show you how a real woman does things – those devils have the bodies, but not the experience."

And you're meant to be the jealous one? Although Motoko tries to exude an aura of boundless confidence, when she slips her hand down the front of your body and grabs your erect member, there's a moment of doubt in her eyes. In the show, she was only ever pictured sleeping with women. Assuming this Major is bisexual – that means she might not have as much experience as she's letting on. Teasing her about her lack of knowledge around an erection is liable to see you lose it via an unfortunate accident, so you keep your mouth shut.

"Do I really arouse you this much?" she inquires.

"Don't start talking like that. You know how attractive you are."

Compared to Rias and Akeno, Motoko's body is much more modest in its proportions. Though that's an unfair comparison to make considering both of those girls are designed to be a horny teenagers wet dream. She reaches out and gently strokes the underside of your shaft with her palm, it's hard to believe that this body is artificial. The heat and softness of the skin is real.

You decided to let her take the lead, "What would you like to do?" Falling back onto the mattress, Motoko rests against your left side. She narrows her eyes, before wordlessly swinging one of her legs over your body and mounting you from above. The full length of your erection rests against her pubic area. The perkiness of her chest is only made more apparent as the light frames it from behind.

"Let's take it slow and relax," she concludes, "This is meant to be fun."

Motoko pushes herself up and onto your shaft with an unfamiliar sense of confidence. She doesn't delay for a second as she slams her hips down on top of you all at once. The full weight of her robotic body is significant – much heavier than any of your other harem members. Mercifully she is light enough to protect you from having your head crushed into a pair of craters by her ass. The next thing you notice is how her pussy feels. It's realistic – but there's something about it that is wholly different from any other time you've slept with one of your girls. 

"What's up?" she asks, a light blush on her cheeks as the pleasure nodes in her brain are stimulated by electrical signals, "Too… toy like?"

"No. I was just getting used to it. You're quite heavy."

"That's a terrible thing to say to a lady."

"You're a lady now?"

Motoko frowns and punishes you for your sharp tongue by slamming her hips down again. You groan and wrap your arms around her back to try and regain a little control of the situation. She softens up again and starts to grind herself on your lap. As your bodies grow closer, she leans down and seals your lips in a tongue filled kiss. Motoko does not display any mercy, even when it comes to fighting with your mouths.

The slow and sensual pace is enough to make the depressing room fade away around you. If anyone had been here to look inside, they would have seen a pair of lovers stranded in a sea of empty white space. Kissing, touching, embracing. It's different to the other times you slept with Rias and the others. They're always in a hurry, searching for their next big orgasm with you.

Running your hands down her shoulder blades and back, you enjoy the firmness of her artificial muscles through the skin. Even in this civilian body she could cause a lot of damage. Her legs wrap tighter around you and prevent any hope of escape. Motoko decides to change position, pulling you up and allowing you to sit face to face at the edge of the mattress. You cup her ass with your palms to offer more support as she bounces in your lap.

"That feels nice," she gasps sensually. There's an understated sexiness to everything she says and does. She knows how to wield her seductive wiles just as well as any firearm. She parts her lips slightly and allows her eyes to lose focus. Delving deep into the feeling of having someone else covet her body and being. In the same way you are swept along with the flow. The feeling of tightness around your shaft and the taste of her body on your palette. You plant kisses along her well-defined collarbone and reach up to play with one of her perky breasts.

It's impossible to stop yourself from moving faster. Your thighs start to move with Motoko, intensifying her bouncing and driving yourself even deeper. Motoko is unperturbed, even as she cedes a little bit of control to you for once. Her passionate moans are all the encouragement you need to continue caressing, kissing and groping her body.

"That's it, I'm almost there," she mutters into your ear. Unlike your previous escapades with Rias and Akeno – the final moments of your first round together are much more understated and intimate. Motoko climaxes first, her body tensing up in your arms as a sharp intake of breath stops her from speaking. A few seconds later you join her, groaning in bliss as a gratifying finale leaves your body covered in pins and needles. You freely allow your seed to blast against the back of her artificial womb.

You fall back onto the mattress again, pulling her down with you. Motoko lies her head on your chest. It feels like her body was sweating a little, though still not enough to match a real organic one. Another feature designed to prevent dysphoria from kicking in. For several minutes, the only thing you can hear is the sound of your body desperately inhaling more air. That's one thing that Motoko doesn't have to worry about. Her lungs are cybernetic, and presumably superior to organic ones.

The silence ends suddenly. "That was fine," Motoko concludes. She draws a lazy circle on your chest with the tip of her index finger. "I can have a full report written by the end of the day, so you know where to improve in the future."

"Please – don't turn this into work too."

Motoko laughs, "You sure know how to make a girl feel wanted. I guess that's why the others keep coming back for more."

"Is that a hint at future meetings?"

"Or… we can have a few more rounds before you go away on business again."

It's a little too soon for that. Your buddy is still flaccid after such a strong orgasm. You run your fingers through her purple hair, marvelling at the realistic texture. The hair must be the easiest thing to emulate. You suspect that it is real hair donated or submitted for the purposes of making artificial bodies.

Motoko sighs, "When I said that I don't do relationships, I meant it. This is usually the part where I kick you out of my apartment and tell you to call me again in a few weeks."

"You don't like getting personal."

"Yes. Especially in my line of work – someone may use my personal relationships to try and get leverage against public security." That sounds more like a personal preference than a job requirement. After all, Togusa has a wife and child and he never seemed shy about making that known to the other members of her team.

"Out here you don't have to worry about any of that. Hell, you're the only woman in the world with a cybernetic body. I doubt there's much of anything that could stand up to you in a fight."

Motoko is sceptical, "There are threats here too. You're fighting them."

You shrug, "They don't seem as… intelligent as some of the organizations from your universe."

She smiles, "I suppose not." It is very hard to focus on the conversation now that Motoko is reaching down to play with your dick while she delves deep into her personal life.

"Are you trying to say that you want to give this a chance? A real one."

"Hm. Maybe? Wouldn't you like to find out? Another feather to add to this proverbial cap of yours."

The entire time that Motoko is teasing you, she never stops for a second. Deft digits work their hardest to bring your flagging erection back from the dead. Motoko is even more devilish than Rias is – an understated succubus who knows just how to wrap you around her fingers. This is the kind of thing that an older woman has over a student.

"If you give me a few more orgasms like that, I'll consider it," she smirks. She pushes herself up and swings around onto her hands and knees, leaving you facing her butt and ass. She reaches back with one hand and pulls her cheeks apart, exposing both of her holes to your widening eyes. "From the back, this time."

"Yes Ma'am."

You spend nearly three hours trying to tire Motoko out in every damn position you could think of. Doggy, cowgirl, missionary and more. Just when you think you've had enough she slips your member into her mouth and goes to town. It's a losing battle. There is no way to keep up with her superhuman stamina. On the other hand, you do manage to deliver the climaxes she wanted to badly. By the time it's too late to spend any more time inspecting the mansion, you get the distinct feeling that you passed her test.

Scoring the biggest ice queen in your harem for real is a big ego booster. Perhaps the rest of the ideas bubbling in the back of your head aren't so far-fetched after all. Still, you feel that there are some girls you haven't spent enough time with. Adding even more can wait for later when things have settled down, or for when you badly need a specific ability to counter the enemy. Tomorrow Rias and Venelana will begin the process of making this place liveable. You can hardly wait.

Going poverty mode on a floor-bound mattress is fun, but you don't want to do it forever.

Chapter 41: Renovation

While you initially expected Venelana and Rias to tease you mercilessly, as they both liked to do, it was soon evident that both ladies took their work seriously. Sure – a kiss and a hug from both was nice, but they very quickly started focusing the entirety of their attention on the process of running through your new, hideous mansion and turning it into something more photogenic. A horde of contractors, plumbers and electricians descended upon the place to get it into liveable condition. Some of the rooms were never finished before the previous owner went bust. You're here to fix that. The bank that originally handed out the loan must be very happy that some other sucker came along to take on the burden of such a silly project.

Rias is not waiting for the renovations to be complete. She has already compiled an utterly gigantic notepad filled with measurements for every window, fixture and room in the building. Dozens and dozens of empty spaces that need to be filled with something. Money is no object, and perhaps even the laws of physics considering her access to powerful magic. She also has a selection of curtain and carpet samples, which are liberally thrown onto different surfaces and compared with each other.

"I was thinking that these would be best," Rias explains. In her hands is a magazine page displaying a pair of heavy navy-blue curtains that are rather gothic in design. Several other pieces of scrap paper have been compiled into a folder; containing furniture, light fixtures and various other things like rugs and electronics. She put a hell of a lot of effort into her preparation. Venelana must have had a hand in it too.

"We can fit two couches for four here with matching cushions and fabric, and pair it with an armchair right here," she continues – pacing around the back corner of one of the living rooms. "Then a coffee table, bookshelves, and a decorative globe."

"A globe?"

"When you have this much space to play with, you can decorate it with some more eccentric items, don't you agree?"

"I guess I did give you the green light to turn this place into a real manor. Globe it is!"

Rias smiles like a kid on Christmas morning and turns with a flick of her red hair, "This is very exciting. I finally have the chance to do all of the things I wanted to do with the clubhouse."

"Why? Were you restricted?"

"Yes. Mother asked that I restrain my spending – as we had to include the budget for the renovations into the school's books. Smuggling in the leftover furniture was also a significant challenge, and convincing them to reconnect the shower's plumbing took a lot of effort."

"But you don't have to worry about that here."

"That's right. I can finally implement some of those ideas I had back then, and I don't have to compromise on getting matching furniture!" Her eyes glitter with excitement. It reminds you of the first time you met. It's going to take a lot of creative thinking to find a use for all of this room, but in the future if you somehow manage to have several dozen people wandering around freely, the space would be utilised properly.

Mitsuru will be eagerly working on expanding the scope of her technology as you speak. The day may soon come where you can have many, many more than four girls summoned at once. Hopefully it makes juggling all of them easier, though to them much less time passes in their own world versus this one. You're not really sure how that works – it's like the other universe is put on pause while they're away.

The noise coming from the floor above is getting louder by the second as the contractors get to work fixing up the essentials. Seconds after the sound of drilling and hammering starts, Venelana emerges from the top of the stairs and sashays her way down to you and Rias. Today she has decided to wear something a little more functional than her usual dress. Black business slacks that ride all the way up to her stomach and cling to her curves for dear life, topped with a frilly white blouse that strikes a balance between high-class and casual. Her cleavage can be plainly seen through the slit that runs down the middle, parting towards the collar at the top. You swear that she isn't wearing a bra, though you have been proven wrong before.

"You two really do look lovely together," she smiles, "I can just imagine the family portrait hanging in the hall now."

Rias blushes as her mother starts to wax poetic about the future again; "We're not married yet."

"How do devils even get married?" you ponder.

Venelana explains, "Originally, some of the largest families did it as an affront to the forces of heaven; there were practical benefits to a legal union as well. As the number of converted mortals grew versus full-blooded devils, the practice became more accepted as an amusement and sign of dedication."

"Of course, we cannot deliver vows to their… leader," Rias adds, "The couple is free to speak whatever they please and dress how they wish. Some prefer to skip the ceremony and have a large party to celebrate with their families."

Venelana glows with a smug aura, "I already have a collection of ideas in place for ours, Rias."

"Oh? Is that so? I hope you don't mind some of my own input into matters."

"Of course! A day that important cannot simply be left to myself. The ascendance of a new man of the house deserves a great deal of celebration. Every devil in the underworld will surely turn green with envy as both Gremory women are wedded to the same man."

They're screwing with you again. Or not; they have a bad habit of declaring their intentions out loud like this. Venelana is literally two seconds away from summoning a scrapbook and talking about wedding dresses. Venelana's teasing nature really did rub off on Rias. Part of you still finds it hard to believe that they even agree to share you without fighting like a pair of rabid cats.

Rias holds up her hand, "Oh, we should also anticipate that my peerage will join us."

Venelana nods sagely; "Yes, that is a possibility…"

"Ugh," you groan. Venelana is a calm and motherly figure, but she can be prickly when it comes to things she wants. You had to convince her not to extend the mansion any further. She wanted to build a damn skyscraper in the middle of the neighbourhood again. "How are things going upstairs?"

Venelana finally gets to the point; "Fast. I believe that most of the hard work can be done by the end of the week. Rias is already searching for appropriate items to place within. I also wish to consult you on something else, seeing as you are the future head of the Gremory clan – I want to ensure that this manor has the appropriate iconography."

"As in?"

"I have some wonderful banners that we could hang on the walls over here. Additionally, we always install a centrepiece within any of our major projects that bears the clan's symbol. This empty floor would look perfect with some tilework…."

You shrug, "Sure. Go ahead."

"But we must remember to leave space for family portraits," Rias adds, "I suspect there will be many in the future."

Venelana smiles, "Ah, that is a good observation. I will restrain myself from bringing too many of them."

It's nice to see that they're having fun. Rias has a more pensive expression now. "It's a shame that you cannot yet summon all of your lovers at the same time. I would enjoy bringing forth my entire peerage to meet you."

You haven't actually gotten that far with Koneko, Asia, Xenovia or Rossweisse (if she's even included as of this moment.) Though given how easy it was to snag Akeno and Rias – it probably won't take much effort. Xenovia in particular is presumably down bad enough to leap at you without any further input.

"Once Mitsuru is done finishing the form change system, that'll be the next thing on her list of priorities. I think working on it has given her some new ideas on how to further advance and stabilise the process."

"Wonderful! I look forward to spending time together!" Rias says, placing extra emphasis on the dirtiest part. Venelana gives her the stink eye for implying that sort of thing (in public.) You know in your bones that she's happy to do the same thing when her image isn't on the line.

Venelana straightens out her collar, "Shall we head for something to eat together? There is little need of our presence for the time being."

You grimace, "I hope you aren't expecting anything high class on such short notice."

"I am capable of consuming food that has not been prepared by a dozen members of our house staff," she insists. You're not convinced. Living in the lap of luxury has a way of robbing people of their perspective. But if she's really willing to prove it…

"Fine. I know a good place near here. Ten-minute walk."

---

You round the final corner out of the suburb and onto one of the many commercial streets within the inner city. Call it spiteful, but you decided to pick a place that straddled the line between an acceptable date spot and something intentionally designed to test her patience. Rias hangs off your left arm, separating you from her mother who walks on the far side.

"W-What manner of eatery is this?"

You snicker, "It's just a burger place. They're pretty good."

"I see…"

Rias has already figured out what you're doing, and is eager to join in on the fun. "Come now mother, surely you aren't uncomfortable with such a casual situation?"

You'll never forget the look on her face. Venelana is rattled. You go through the front door and take one of the booths by the window. The entire place is done up like a classic American diner, with black and white squares on the floor and polished metal stools at the bar. Venelana takes in the sights with some interest, "What an interesting floor pattern. When does the waiter take our order?"

"They don't. You have to go to the counter."

Her entire face drops. Venelana looks like you just kicked her dog. Rias is laughing so hard you think she's about to suffocate.

"You're horrible," she concludes with a pout, "Teasing your future wife like this…"

Chapter 42: Catch a Cat by the Tail

"I wonder what discoveries your friend will make in the near future," Rias posits as you recline on the decking at the back of your new mansion. A pair of cheap sun chairs were all you needed to relax and enjoy the nice weather. The sounds of drilling and hammering do put a damper on the experience somewhat.

"It'd be nice if we could expand the capacity of the Sledgehammer, or maybe even design a way for you to come and go as you please into our world."

"Our magic may be able to help. The Underworld is technically a different plane of existence. Transferring ourselves in and out is very important." Rias becomes more impatient by the second as she lays back with her legs crossed. It quickly reaches a boiling point and she shuffles over to the edge, bridging the gap between both chairs and clinging to your side.

"You've been very interested in touching me recently," you note. She immediately put herself between you and Venelana during your walk. Though that wouldn't have happened had she not ceded the position out of respect. It's not a problem per say. You will never complain about having such a gorgeous girl clinging to you.

Rias pouts and looks away, "I may put on a confident demeanour around my precious subordinates, but even an icy girl like myself wants to be held from time to time." You reach out and wrap your arm around her waist, pulling her close onto your chest.

"Speaking of subordinates, how has Asia been?"

"She's adjusting well. She is honestly the last girl I expected to fit into a devil's peerage, but she never lets the changes in her life shake her resolve. She's made many fast friends due to her sacred gear as well. Her bragging about the date we shared has caused some issues..."

"She bragged about that?"

Rias giggles, "Yes, very much so. Akeno, Koneko and Xenovia were very interested to hear how things went."

"Even Koneko?"

Rias set her brow and imitated Koneko's voice, "She 'wanted to make sure that you didn't do anything dirty' to her."

"I don't do anything like that on a first date."

"Oh? I do seem to recall that Akeno and I were granted the privilege of sleeping with you almost immediately."

"Hey, that was only because you two jumped on me like a pair of hungry lionesses. I want to make sure that everyone is comfortable with it before they do anything like that with me."

Rias is enjoying teasing you with that one. You've become acutely aware of the many conflicting interests that come about as a result of her personality. Headstrong and domineering, but needy and romantic; serious and stern but also a tease. That isn't anything special. You feel your own personality shifting when you're around people you are comfortable with. Seeing her in the flesh is enough to stun you into silence. Her vibrant red hair, the subtle gradient of her skin, and of course the immense curves of her body that could only occur as the result of devil magic. It's hard to believe that she's real, in your arms at this moment, and that she loves you unconditionally too.

"I think Asia would be more than happy to take your relationship to the next step," Rias says, "Even Koneko feels the same way."

"Really?"

"I know her better than anyone else. Koneko has always tried to hide her feelings. She thinks she's being smart when she asks us probing questions about you. She never left the room when we watched your television series together."

From your already learned knowledge about Koneko, there's a good reason for that. She doesn't want to cause damage using her immense powers. It's clear from her behaviour and Rias' statements that she has not yet learned to control them. Whether that will happen without your intervention remains to be seen. It's a matter of course that Koneko is also in love with you – Mitsuru dug for a DxD universe where every single woman (aside from Issei's newly created girlfriend, perhaps,) would drop everything just to be with you.

In terms of ambition – you don't want to go too crazy over there. The rest of the Occult Research Club seems like a good stopping point. Perhaps you'll pick up a few others depending on how things develop. As chauvinistic as it feels, you want to make sure that you don't just fill your harem plate exclusively with devils and angels from the DxD universe. There are so many untouched places left to explore!

"And what about you?" you wonder aloud, "How would you feel about the rest of your peerage joining us?"

"As I already said, for devils a greedy husband is entirely natural. I'd be disappointed if you didn't lay a claim to them."

"Not like that. I mean, personally – how would you feel?"

Rias smiles, "I think it would be wonderful. You may not fit the definition of a traditionally in-demand devil, but I believe you are even better. I love my peerage; they're family. Allowing them to enjoy your company in the ways that I have is the least I can do." A surprisingly generous answer. That was what you wanted to hear. Rias just going along with it because that's how 'devil society' operates would have cooled you to the prospect just a little. You feel more confident in doing it for her now.

It might be easier to focus on Asia and Xenovia first. Xenovia is... Xenovia. Her entire thing is demanding sex at the drop of a hat; she has a very odd desire to get pregnant. Asia also has a lot of desire bubbling underneath that calm and kind surface. Then you can worry about worming your way into Koneko's heart. The start of a plan begins to form in your mind. You'll need assistance from Lala to make it happen.

"You're thinking about something dirty, aren't you?"

You shake your head, "No. Not at all."

"Hm. That look on your face..."

"I promise. It's nothing sex related."

"I wouldn't mind if it was," Rias replies, quick as a whip.

"Yeah, well – we aren't going to get much privacy with all of these workmen here."

"I could form a magical seal and hide us from sight."

"Too much effort. Let's just wait until they're gone."

"...Agreed."

Later that evening, after everyone else had cleared out of the mansion and Venelana had gone home, Rias got her wish and spent some time with you on the solitary bachelor mattress that inhabited the bedroom. The novelty was quickly starting to wear off. Bring on the large, gothic harem bed any day.

When all that was said and done, you decided to enact the first step of your plan. There was no work planned for the mansion the next day, and the basement area had already been completed. You stood in the long, winding hallway that split off into a dozen empty, windowless rooms and summoned Lala from the void.

"Hi hubby!"

You are nearly bowled off your feet the instant she appears. You return the embrace and cop a feel of her butt before she backs away. Her tail wiggles happily as she notices that you are starting to become more intimate with her during normal interactions. She can't stop herself from leaning up on her toes for a kiss, which you happily dispense.

"This is our new place," you explain, "I was hoping you could give me a hand with something."

"Anything you need!" she chirps. She reaches into the pocket of her dress and recovers a small handheld device.

"I was hoping we could build a kind of training chamber down here, using the compressed space thing. It needs to be tough enough to survive anything we throw at it." Lala nods and dutifully notes down your requirements into what you discover is a handheld supercomputer. A moment later it pings and spits out a series of numbers and stats for her to intake into her sponge of a brain.

"That should be easy! Our palace has a bunch of secure rooms like that where Dad keeps all of his treasure. You can't get inside without ripping the planet to pieces and digging through the remains."

"Sounds good to me."

"Are you using these doors for anything else? I can copy the garage's bedchamber and bring it here!"

You scratch the back of your head, "Sure. We have room to spare in this place. Just pick a door and go crazy."

Lala hops from door to door, pulling them open and peering inside. Some of the rooms are more habitable than others. One of them is seemingly intended to store a copious amount of expensive alcohol, the others remain a mystery. Why Lala feels the need to inspect all of them before she makes the door lead to a pocket dimension is also unknown. It really doesn't matter which one she uses.

"I'll have to bring some of the materials with me from home, but it shouldn't be hard! I can just store them using one of my cute devices."

"Just send me a message whenever you're ready to go. I can summon you. I'm going to be spending most of my time here making sure everything is getting done."

"Okay!" she cheers. Again, she leaps across the floor and wraps her arms around your neck. You hold her up with one arm and allow her to have her fun. You surprise yourself by displaying the strength needed to carry her like this – as light as she is versus the likes of Motoko.

"You've gotten stronger. I like it!"

Lala likes everything. Unless you happen to be a weird suitor from space, that is.

With your new invincible training chamber, Koneko will have a safe place to test out her powers, but it'll also prove useful for other things too. You can transform and get used to the suit without having to worry about prying eyes or damage to the surrounding area. In the future you could integrate it with the shooting range that Mitsuru had built in the garage.

"Since you're here, why don't I show you around the place?" you suggest. Lala nods happily, but refuses to hop out of your arms. You sigh and turn back to the stairs – it looks like you're going to be princess carrying her everywhere until she gets bored of it...

Chapter 43: On Guard With Thee

Lala was finished two days later. She couldn't stop herself from working day and night on the project. When that was done – you decided it was time to acquaint yourself with Koneko a little more. You've only spent time around her during battle. It's hard to get a read on how she feels about you without speaking directly. Rias gives you permission to summon her alone.

The petite, white-haired girl looks up at you from below, "Is it my turn for you to perv on?"

"Perv?"

"Akeno, Asia and Rias have all spoken with me about their previous experiences with you. I do not understand what they see in a three-timing slug like you." You swallow. It's a good thing she doesn't know about Motoko, Chun, Venelana or Lala. This kind of casual, stone faced scorn is what you were expecting.

"You'll help me fight these invaders, right?"

Koneko turns her head away petulantly, "If the President demands it."

That isn't a 'no.'

"Rias told me that you're a little concerned about releasing your full power," you explain, "So I decided to give you a hand by having Lala build something for you."

You open the door and motion for her to follow you inside. Through an equally sturdy thick glass window is the training chamber Lala has designed for you. She really went above and beyond what you asked for; there's even a control panel that lets you summon different environments using moving pieces inside. Koneko is curious about what it's for.

"How much did she tell you?"

"Nothing more than that, but... you already know what I know."

"Everything."

You shrug, "Pretty much. I didn't want to bring it up without your permission."

Koneko closes her eyes and crosses her arms, "That's considerate of you, but I don't like that you know about that. It's meant to be my burden to carry."

"I'm not ordering you to play along with me. I'm just meddling. This chamber is made of a material you can't even get in this universe. If you want to try and unleash your full power in a safe place, this is it. There's no threat of causing any real damage."

Koneko takes offence to the mere idea of her nekomata powers being resisted by a static object; "I could easily crush this building into dust. Do you honestly think that I'll be contained by a chamber like this?"

"Lala hasn't led me wrong yet. She says you'd have to destroy the entire planet to get around these walls, but she also coated the floor in it – so that wouldn't even be enough."

Koneko steps back, "No. I won't be lured into releasing my strength so easily. You could get hurt."

You quirk your brow, "Concerned for me suddenly?"

She blushes and scowls, "No. If the President's fiancé died, she would be very upset. Rias trusts me to protect her and her peerage from harm."

"But you don't want to hold back if it means that they'll get hurt."

Koneko stops her retreat and sighs. You're right, of course. Koneko is extremely dedicated to Rias – if she asked her to master her nekomata form, she would do so through much personal distress. Rias was not so mean to ask something like that of her. Koneko wants to but is afraid of the consequences. She still believes that Kuroka is a murderer. Adding her sister to your mental list of future summons, you consider finding a way to make them reconcile. Hopefully the plot takes its natural course in the coming months and that tricky work can be left to them.

The first step to making that happen is for Koneko to stop fearing her powers.

"It's your choice. I know that this is a sensitive topic, and we don't even know each other all that well."

"I know you. The President never missed an episode of your show. She has a complete collection of every manga volume in her room. Akeno and I are the only ones who know about it."

"There's a big difference between the person you see in fiction and the real thing."

"No. There isn't. You're exactly as I expected you'd be. Hopeless, nosey, perverted."

To be fair, a lot of your future wives are responsible for the weirdest acts of perversion so far. The tone of her voice leaves you uncertain whether she finds that endearing or enraging. Koneko is covered with ice. It'll take a lot of effort to thaw her out. You are under no illusions that this single act will get you there.

"So what will it be?" you ask again. Koneko sways from side to side before landing back on two feet again. She slips both hands into her pockets and comes out with a pair of black MMA gloves. Wordlessly she walks through the door into the chamber. You lock it behind her and settle in to watch the show.

"I'm going to generate some targets for you," you explain through the intercom system. You press another button and watch as several dummies emerge in a flash of blue holographic light. Koneko decides to test the waters by beating them down using her fists. A flurry of punches and kicks shatter them into pieces, before they're replaced by new ones. Koneko moves past the dummies and up to one of the solid white walls – she pulls her arm back and delivers an intense punch to it.

But there's no sign of the impact. She steps back and inspects the point of contact again. Nothing. Not even a scuff mark. Her next attack uses a little bit of her normal magical power, but again there is no damage to the chamber wall.

"Are you sure about this?" she asks again.

"I trust Lala's know-how. But if you're that worried, you only need to start out small."

Koneko glares daggers at you through the reinforced glass. This is something private and supremely personal to her, and she doesn't even trust you that much yet. Without moving an inch, a pair of white ears sprout from beneath her bangs of hair. A single white tail emerges from her back and sways lazily in the air behind her.

"If you make any cat jokes, I will destroy you."

"What kind of joker do you think I am?"

"You are a louche who cannot contain his worldly desires. You spend most of your waking hours fraternising with different women." You grimace and press the button before she can go any further with her barbed words. A new set of targets appear at the back of the room. Koneko turns to them and gathers her nerves. She never uses her full powers. Learning to utilise them will take more knowledge than what you can provide here.

This is just a jumping off point.

You know that she'll eventually learn to manage her powers properly. For now, the best she can do is alleviate her own concerns about losing control. You sit back and observe as she tries to use Ki to enhance her attacks. Senjutsu is a technique that Koneko will excel with one day – but only with proper tutorship from a skilled combatant.

Koneko remains mostly silent for the next few hours. She occasionally barks an order to you, demanding a change to the play space of the chamber. You witness her immense agility, speed and strength first hand. The full usage of her nekomata powers though, that's not something that she can do just yet.

Eventually she grows tired of the pageantry and walks to the door, knocking on it twice. Your mind immediately thinks of a joke about a cat scratching at the door to be let inside, but her previous threat lingers heavy over your head like a hanging sword. She steps back through into the control room and disguises herself once more.

"See? That wasn't so bad."

Koneko huffs, "Destroying inanimate targets is different to a real battle. Controlling my emotions is not something I can learn here."

You smile, "I'm sure a time will come where you'll have a big opportunity to master yourself. The point of this was to encourage you to take it when it arrives." The white-haired cat stares at you for a moment, her cheeks reddening, lips parted. She turns her head away and tries to hide the star-struck expression she was just making. You do think the lady protests too much. You recognise that look. It has 'I want to join the harem' written all over it.

"Idiot," she snipes, "I didn't ask for your opinion, or your help."

"I know, but I wanted to help anyway – so here we are."

She peeks at you with the corner of her eye, still trying to hide her face from you; "I won't accept Rias' marriage to you until you prove yourself. I don't understand why she loves you. As her Rook, it's my responsibility to make sure that you aren't deceiving her."

You snicker, "Is that a complicated way of saying you want to hang out?"

"I never said that."

You reach into your pocket and hand her a phone, "Sure you didn't. If you ever feel like 'assessing' whether I'm worthy of Rias' hand in marriage, send me a message and I'll summon you."

Koneko snatches it from your palm at an incredible speed. "If there are dirty images on this, I'll kill you."

"I've never even used that phone. It's for you."

"You can never be too cautious around perverts," she responds. You sigh – this girl is tough.

Chapter 44: Honesty

Rias messaged you a few hours later, stating that ‘Koneko locked herself into her bedroom and refuses to come out.’ She clarified a moment later that she meant it in a good way, and that Koneko had suggested that she was interested in mastering her powers properly. That meant they were soon heading to the underworld to train as a team, as there is a rating game coming up.

You don’t know if it’s the same training scheme that they undertook in the anime; the ‘real’ version of DxD is a much more complex place than what can be shown on TV. They don’t skip over huge periods of time between important events to make things convenient. Regardless – you hope that Koneko finally learns that her power isn’t something to be afraid of. Does Kuroka even know how much of a problem she’s caused for her younger sister?

Rias also sent you some images of the rooms in the manor. She used Venelana’s pull to have some mock-ups created for you, and they’re very professionally done. They are highly detailed, transforming empty white rooms into lavish gothic landscapes. Heavy wooden furniture with plush silk cushions and wooden floorboards are the order of the day. As you flip through each one, you start to understand her affection for this kind of décor. It looks very cosy.

Particular attention has been paid to the master bedroom, which contains a monstrously sized bed. Four wooden pillars support an engraved canopy, which itself allows a selection of semi-transparent white curtains to surround it on all sides. It dominates the view with a commanding presence. Surely Rias has been considering just how many women are supposedly going to occupy it in time. You could easily fit twelve people on there with room to spare. It’s a good thing that money is no object for you at the moment.

You are also very happy to see that Venelana has not included any significant changes to the houses’ layout or exterior buildings. Eerily high ceiling crisis averted. Mitsuru speaks to you through a pile of discarded parts on the garage’s workbench, “I’m glad that our alien friends decided to keep away. It’s allowed me some much-needed time to test the form change system.”

“Now that you’ve said it, I’m sure they’ll attack again in a few minutes…”

“Don’t be so superstitious. You’re just subscribing to a form of confirmation bias,” she laughs, “Most of our conversations are on this very subject. It’s merely a matter of chance that significant events occur at the same time.”

“You’re right. We never talk about anything else anymore.”

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, “Is that a problem?”

“Kinda? I feel like we haven’t had the chance to hang out for a while now.”

“Hm. ‘Hanging out’ can wait until the invasion of earth is ended.”

“You know that’s not true. I still find time to hang with… you know, the girls.”

Mitsuru rounds the table and points a wrench at you, “They aren’t the ones designing your equipment and monitoring social media for attacks. I’m a very busy woman. Not to mention managing our new media empire…”

You sigh. Mitsuru used to love shooting the shit about what anime she’d watched lately, or to talk your ears off about an amazing new invention she had come up with. It feels like a lifetime ago now. You both grew up, but it never felt like this before. Everything changed when she thrusted this superhero business onto you. Sometimes you miss the old days. Tucked away inside of your bedroom, watching anime above your age grade with the laptop facing the door.

“Don’t look so sad,” Mitsuru scoffs, “You should be the happiest damn guy on the planet right now. There’ll be plenty of time for us to screw around together when these aliens are dealt with. Keep your eyes on the prize.”

Things come to a sudden halt as an alarm triggers within the garage, a robotic voice calls out over a newly installed intercom system; “Warning! Alien incursion detected on fifth avenue, Wellton.”

“When did you program that?”

“When I almost missed an attack after getting too deep into my work. Get the bike and go, the form change system will automatically transport to you with the armour.”

You do as she commands and hurry over to the sheet-covered motorbike. You whip it away and mount up. Before you go, you trigger the armour bracelet and summon it onto your body. You notice that your left gauntlet bulges out slightly more than it used to, and an additional slot has been added. The engine roars and you slide beneath the still opening door.

Mitsuru crackles to life through your radio, “I’ve already prepared the first card for this system.”

Said card appears in your HUD as you power down the road to your target. A red scale is surrounded by orange flames. A subtitle, MANTLE, is plastered across the top. On the bottom is the name of the card, BOOSTING DRAGON .

“Simply insert that into the new opening and the system will handle the rest.”

“What? No new catchphrases?”

“I decided to program that into the armour. Letting you do it is a terrible idea.”

So why the hell didn’t she do that the first time? You grumble to yourself as you skilfully weave between cars and dodge red lights. Your heart is already pumping a flood of adrenaline into your system. You can hear it pounding behind your ears. The danger is clear and present. You can already see signs of the police trying to cordon off the area where the damage is happening. You easily slip through a gap in one of the roadblocks and continue on your way.

When you finally get to the scene, you find one of the local intersections in a terrible way. Several buildings have been severely damaged, with class, concrete and steel littering the tarmac below. Burned out cars and overturned traffic lights block your way. You dismount the bike and leap up onto one of the wrecks.  A line swipes across your visor, the supercomputer that Mitsuru installed into the suit tries to lock on to any civilians who might have been left behind in the chaos.

“It looks clear. You shouldn’t have to worry about rescuing anyone,” Mitsuru says.

With a preliminary scan completed, you head further into the carnage and stop in the middle of the road. There’s no sign of the foot soldiers. Instead, a wormhole opens in front of you and your imitator steps out with Vali in tow. The black armour has seen some refinement since your first meeting. Vali is immediately beside himself in rage.

“You may have gotten lucky last time, but I will not fall for the same tricks again!”

“I don’t care what you have to say, pretty boy. I want to hear from your lady friend there. Why the hell are you helping these assholes invade our planet?” The lithe figure hidden within the bulging armour shoots up as if she wasn’t expecting to be addressed. She points a finger at herself as if to ask if you mean her. “Yes, I meant you.”

Her voice is heavily distorted as it passed through the microphone, “Uhm. They told me that I could have some of my husbandos. So I agreed to help them out!”

“And you think that’s worth selling out every person on this planet?”

“Y-You’re doing the same thing!”

“Not in exchange for humanity’s freedom. If you told me that I had to pick between them and the Earth, you know what my answer would be.”

“They wouldn’t appreciate that,” she responds.

“No, they’d understand it. Unlike Vali here – they have morals.”

She crosses her arms and looks away, “This is why I prefer villains. Y-You goody-two shoes bums are always talking such a big game! But you’d throw away all of those values at the drop of a hat just to get what you really want! I’m just doing what I want to get what I want; I’m honest, unlike you.”

“I don’t know why you sound so proud of that…”

Vali snaps his fingers, “Insult my lady at your own peril, worm. I’ll soon wipe that smirk off of your face and show you that the power of the white dragon is superior to all.” You stare at him in silence. You know what? Vali isn’t really that evil when you get down to it. He’s the classic rival character. Someone who presents himself as a guy willing to do anything, but always ends up helping Issei in the end anyway.

“You’ve got a big mouth for a man I’ve blown away once already.”

“ You didn’t beat me – the red dragon emperor did.”

“What’s the difference? I could summon him right now and do it all over again.”

“Then go ahead! Like I said, I will not be defeated this time.”

Neither foe moves to stop you as you slide Issei’s card into the Sledgehammer and pull the trigger.

“ISSEI HYOUDOU! SHATTERING!”

“How many times do we have to teach you a lesson, Vali?” he declares the moment he steps through. It seems that he was keeping up with what was happening through your helmet cam. Passions are running high already, these two are itching to start a punch-up. Both dragons summon their armour and square up in the middle between their respective summoners.

“Boost!”

“Divide!”

Wings sprout and the two clash, flying up into the air and out of eyeshot. You stare down your own rival and put your finger on the trigger, “Let’s see how good you really are.”

She throws up her own black repaint of your weapon and fires it at you. Too slow. You dive behind a destroyed car and take cover from her opening salvo. You swing back outwards and return fire – she scrambles back as the shots land near her feet, kicking up tarmac and dust as they rip through the road. It’s immediately clear that she doesn’t have the same training that you do.

“I hope they didn’t just throw you out here with no training!”

She doesn’t respond to your barb. You catch a glimpse of her dashing through the doorway of a nearby storefront. You slide over the car and run after her. The door flies from its hinges as you crash through. Motoko’s intense house-clearing training weighs heavy on your mind. You check the corners and slow things down.

“Mitsuru, get me a read on that armour.”

“Already working on it. It’s spewing noise and heat signatures all over my sensors – clearly, they didn’t spend much time developing it. Whoever said that imitation was a sincere form of flattery was a moron, they’ve butchered my work.”

“Why don’t you head on over and give them some pointers?”

“Hilarious. But no.”

You hold by one of the store’s supporting pillars and wait for her to finish crunching the numbers. The sound of the dragons battling echoes through the broken windows. Mitsuru continues to type furiously, “I’m filtering the noise now. Triggering the overlay.” The visor switches shade as an additional visor slots down over the main camera, revealing the glowing outline of a hidden figure through one of the walls.

“Got them.”

You step out from your cover and aim carefully. With a well-placed round you blast through the plasterboard wall and shoot her in the back. A loud ping rings out through the shop as it ricochets off of her armour in a shower of sparks. She cries out in pain and staggers back out of the nearest door. You make chase once again.

Just as you break out into the alleyway behind the building, you are forced to dodge backwards as a beam of yellow energy shoots past your head. The interloper is someone you don’t initially recognize, with blonde hair, glasses and a well-fitted blue suit; he is quick to correct your ignorance with a boastful introduction.

“Assaulting a lady is poor manners. Arthur Pendragon will correct your insolence.”

You scowl beneath your helmet, should have seen that one coming.

Chapter 45: Mantle

You crash through another wall as Arthur tries to swing at you using his blade.

"Be careful, that sword can cut straight through your armour!"

You didn't need to hear that to know. This is one of the most legendary weapons from the world of DxD. Your mind scrambles for a quick fix to this problem. The copy is getting away, or potentially even planning to attack Issei with Vali before we can get there to back him up. You duck another swing and kick the carcass of a burned car at him, forcing him to cut it in two to avoid being knocked aside. During that moment of opportunity, you are already loading two cards into your gun.

"XENOVIA QUARTA, SHATTERING!"

"KONEKO TOUJO, SHATTERING!"

Arthur's eyes widen in unbidden surprise as Xenovia and Koneko appear from thin air. There's a pause as he tries to recalculate his odds of victory, and as they both try to get their bearings from being summoned so suddenly.

"So this is what Rias meant," Koneko frowns. She must have been updating them on the fight using her phone.

Xenovia doesn't care – she's just pumped to pick a fight with Excalibur; "Finally, a battle worthy of Durandal!" A large blue sword appears from a magic circle, which she wields with confidence and skill.

"Sorry – can you two keep this guy occupied? Issei's in trouble."

"Very well," Koneko nods, getting into a fighting stance. Xenovia has already launched herself at Arthur before you can even finish explaining the situation. They clash in a shower of sparks and with the heavy clang of metal meeting metal. Koneko dons her gloves and leaps into the air, coming down with a vicious spinning kick that forces Arthur to reposition and cracks the ground beneath.

You turn tail and run towards where the most noise is being made. A building explodes overhead as a pair of coloured streaks fly through the sky and come back down in the middle of the intersection. Issei kicks Vali up off of his body and forces him back, but it's clear that Vali has gotten the drop on him this time. Issei cannot damage him with his power divided so heavily.

"Just give it up, Red Dragon Emperor. This fight was over before it even began. You can't hope to injure me with your powers weakened like this."

"Damn it!" Issei swears, punching the ground in frustration, "This is so uncool!"

Vali turns to face you as his summoner emerges from the background. "I'm willing to accept your unconditional surrender, and an apology to my dear lady for your boorish behaviour."

You shake your head, "Man. You really are one lame ass-kisser. What happened to that individuality of yours?"

Vali laughs, "I do what I do because I want to do it. My lady is an unparalleled beauty, of whom I would happily take her hand in marriage. Are you not doing this for the same reason?"

"I'm doing this to protect the Earth," you respond. Your UI triggers and the mantle card is ejected into your hand. "This fight isn't over just yet. Not while I'm still breathing, and certainly not while there's still aliens left to beat!"

"Bah, more parlour tricks."

"Don't look away – this one might shock you."

You slide it into the newly added slot on your left arm. A mechanised roller accepts the tip of the card and swallows it whole, as it does, a new touch screen appears on top which displays it for you to see. You slide your fingers up and over to confirm your selection.

"MANTLE! Boosting Dragon!"

An orchestral jingle plays thanks to Mitsuru's touch for the dramatic.

The stained glass that covers your body shatters outwards, exposing the internal systems that lay underneath. The floating shards shift and realign into new shapes, before turning entirely red and slamming back down onto your frame. A wave of excess energy shoots outwards, kicking up a fresh cloud of dust that obscures everyone's vision. When it finally settles an entirely new form of the Herarmor is on show.

An unseen speaker blares a rote catchphrase: "Shattering foes with explosive power!"

Did Mitsuru hire some guy to voice-act for this thing?

You glance to the left and spot your reflection in one of the few remaining shop windows. The previously non-descript features of the armour have changed to more closely resemble Issei's. The white under suit is now interspersed with recoloured glass panels, a deep, vibrant red. Your visor has turned green, and now bears a new silhouette that imitates his own helmet.

Vali is not impressed by the display, "Changing colours isn't going to save you."

"This isn't just a change of clothes," you smirk. The charts on your HUD are going haywire as it tries to calculate and adjust for your new-found strength.

Mitsuru speaks, "While this new Mantle is extremely powerful – I would recommend against fighting Vali directly. He is a god-like being after all. Pushing your body any further than this would tear it to shreds."

You close the circuit so he can't hear you; "So what should I do?"

A new card appears on your screen, one that showcases you throwing out a bolt of green energy against an exploding background. You go along with Mitsuru's plan and eject the card into your hand, only to slide it back into a different but identical slot…

"Isn't this a little redundant?"

"I didn't get the chance to optimise the system yet!" she yells, "Transmitting and reading data are two different jobs you know!"

"Boost!"

Mitsuru explains, "Since your body can't handle more power than this – this card is perfect for buffing your summons."

A burst of green flame engulfs your gauntlet bearing hand, a circular orb slowly starting to form in your palm. Vali just scoffs and holds out his arms to catch it, believing earnestly that he can simply block the attack and be done with. Issei is struggling to climb back to his feet behind him. That confidence is going to be his downfall.

"Take this!"

You wind up and unleash your best throw. The flaming ball flies through the air and approaches Vali at an incredible speed, but at the last second it begins to drop down, flying between Vali's legs and striking Issei instead. He bursts into green flame. Vali turns back and begins to laugh, "Is that it? You just hit your own companion! You damned fool!"

Only for him to be sent flying through the side of a nearby bus a moment later. Issei is back to full power, and now Vali's hard work has been undone. He flies over to you and shakes your hand with so much force that you think he's about to accidentally rip it from your body.

"Thanks!"

"No problem."

Issei looks at your new armour, tilting his head to one side; "I've seen this somewhere before."

"Heh. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and all…"

Issei laughs it off, "Just don't leave me out of the action. I'm always down to beat up some bad guys!"

"Don't worry Issei – your body can handle a lot more than mine. It's going to be hard to replace the genuine article."

The pile of scrap metal and rubble that Vali has been thrown into explodes outwards. He roars in fresh anger. He knows now that the odds are starting to turn against him. You've restarted things, and now Issei has you for backup.

"Cheap tricks! Is this all you have?"

Vali charges at you with blinding speed, but for some reason it feels like you can keep up with him more easily now. What was once a smeared blur of white and blue is now more cognizant to your human eyes. It's a punch! You duck the blow and retaliate with a kick to his left side. It isn't the explosive blow that Issei can deliver on demand, but it knocks him for a loop that you're now capable of defending yourself against him.

Issei is quick to follow up, beating him down into the ground with an overhead punch. The ground cracks and opens up beneath him, leaving a long trail of destruction. When the dust settles, Vali is breathing heavily with a serious crack in his armour. Another explosion rings out, Arthur Pendragon trying to defend himself from both Koneko and Xenovia. You were worried about the difference in strength between them, but it seems your fears were unfounded.

He backs away from them and lands next to the injured Vali, "Apologies. It seems that we've been outmatched on this occasion."

During all of this, your evil copy has been standing there doing nothing. It looks like she is unable to handle the pressure when things get out of her control. "I'm sorry," she mutters. She turns the barrel of her gun and sends her injured servants back to their original dimension. If she wasn't careful, those injuries could become much more permanent. But now she is left with nothing. There's little realistic prospect of her beating Issei without Vali around to divide his power.

"I'll ask you again, why are you doing this?"

She stamps her foot and raises her voice, "Because I want to have a harem of anime boys! Is there something wrong with that?"

"When you're trying to help some alien assholes conquer the Earth, there is something very wrong!"

"Ugh. What difference does that make? What can they do to us that's any worse than the leaders of the world as it is now? Hell – they might just improve this dump by letting us use their advanced technology."

She's trying to wash her hands of the responsibility; "Or we could just steal it and reverse engineer it for ourselves, sounds easier to me."

Issei nods, "Yeah – what he said."

Xenovia and Koneko approach from behind. Man, you really summoned a lot of DxD characters, didn't you? You need to spread the love to some other universes soon.

Koneko is cold-blooded, "I thought that he was the biggest pervert here, but he has more respect for the people living on this planet than you do. You're willing to harm many innocent people just to satisfy your sexual urges."

"I don't want to hear that from you! You summoned DxD characters as well!"

You scoff, "That isn't the point. You can only do the same because they stole that technology from us – and in return they want you to do whatever they demand. When they start telling you to kill people for real, are your excuses gonna' work the same then and there?"

She points at you as if to continue the debate, but the words die in her throat. She knows that there's no defending that position from you. As pretentious as it sounds, you're on the side of justice, while she attacked a major urban area for no good reason. No doubt one of the enemy officers told her to destroy you.

"Next time, I'll win."

A wormhole appears beneath her feet and sucks her into the ground. It looks like that's all from her for today. You detach your armour and let out a weary sight. That took a lot out of you. Xenovia glances at you from the corner of her eye. Issei speaks first, "Uh. Could you send me back? I think my girlfriend might think I'm cheating on her."

What kind of magic did Mitsuru use to find an Issei who's faithful? Or is she really just that scary?

"Sure. Catch you later, Issei."

You insert his card into the Sledgehammer and dismiss him. You turn and start walking away from the scene before the police show up, but Xenovia gets in your way. She's shorter than some of the other girls. The leather outfit she wears shows off all of her amazing curves.

"Before you go, I'd like to bill you for my service."

"Bill me?"

Xenovia closes her eyes and crosses her arms, "Three or four children should suffice, dispensed over the course of two to three years. A paltry sum of payment for my skill in battle, wouldn't you agree?"

Of course that's what she wants…

"Rias might have a thing or two to say about being second place in the baby making contest," you joke.

"Then she is at fault for not starting sooner. A strong male is perfect for producing heirs; she should simply become more proactive if she finds my methods distasteful." The sirens are getting closer and she's arguing with you about who gets what number of babies first.

"Can we have this talk another time? Preferably with your master in the room?"

"Hmph. Be cautious, a significant delay will incur interest payments."

"Interest payments, paid in children?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Pervert," Koneko grunts; not aimed at you for the first time.

"Okay. Good talk, see you girls later."

You hurriedly de-summon them before you get arrested for causing all of this damage. You knew it was coming, but actually experiencing Xenovia's odd fixation on having children is another thing entirely. You don't know how you're going to deal with her in the future. For now, you just need to worry about staying out of jail. You leap onto your bike and take off.

Notes:

I went through every suggestion from the comments and compiled them into a stupid table - 40 or so girls that I picked out from the lot just from AO3 alone. I might just make a new chapter exclusively for people to post their ideas into, plus some info about how I select them.

Chapter 46: Stabilised

Notes:

There's a new appendix/card compendium at the start of the chapter table!

I also went back and reworked the card designs, these are a new iteration with more consistent styling and higher quality images. They might change again in the future to include stats and other fun details, but I'm happy with them for now. You have no idea how hard it is to find good images for some of these harem members, the pain is only just beginning.

Hopefully it makes things easier to keep track of and remember! It's pretty satisfying seeing all of these things lined up in a row, right?

When you return to the garage for a debrief with Mitsuru, you find her standing over her workbench with an action figure in hand. Between you using the new form for the first time and the ten-minute drive back – she has somehow managed to design and 3D print a prototype product to coincide with its debut. She hastily shoves the shameless merchandising into the drawer and snaps up to stare at you as you dismount the bike.

"Good work. I managed to gather some interesting data about the joint tolerances of our armour system."

"Didn't you say I'd snap in two like a twig if I went any harder than that?" you ask. Your whole body feels like it's been put through the wringer, and all you did was deflect one of Vali's attacks.

"Oh yes, that is a concern too. We cannot push the mantle any further without risking damage to your body – though at these output levels, it would be a pulled muscle or dislocated bone, not a full-bore removal of one of your limbs."

"Well, I'd rather not have to experience that regardless."

"Asia can heal you. I think."

"Again, I'd rather not."

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, "Naturally, there are limits to what the human body can withstand. The scale of the threat we face has expanded rapidly beyond our control. Especially considering that our new rival dived right in and summoned Vali Lucifer of all people. This is not a hurdle that can be surpassed with simple training."

"So what could make me stand toe-to-toe with him?"

"Supernatural power? Things that defy the laws of our own physical reality, whether that in itself comes through effort or outside manipulation is ultimately up to us. Rias still has some of her evil pieces, does she not?" Mitsuru is right. It seems that Rias has yet to recruit Rossweisse into her peerage. That means she has a spare rook that could theoretically be used on you.

You scratch the back of your head and sigh, "Feels like a big leap to take."

"The fate of the world is at stake! And what do you lose by becoming a devil anyway? I've never once known you go into a church."

"My humanity!"

Mitsuru shrugs, "Humanity stinks; we don't even get cool magical powers like they do. What's the downside, honestly? You could turn yourself into a devil and not a single soul would know about it unless you told them."

Mitsuru has always had a strained relationship with what most people consider normal. She's an anti-authoritarian at heart. You've seen her get hopping mad whenever you accidentally leave the news on and some politicians says something she doesn't like. She thinks that people should do whatever they want as long as it makes them happy. In this case – ending your life as a mortal human and becoming a devil.

"I don't know – it's just... I've spent my whole life being human. It feels weird to just dive headfirst into not being human when we've done just fine so far. Issei only turned into a devil after he got killed, and having an 'extra life' sounds pretty useful to me."

Mitsuru shakes her head, "Wouldn't it be safer to be strongest now than wait until a hypothetical defeat? What if Rias can't reach you in time? What if something terrible happens to your body and we can't revive you?"

We.

That explains a lot. Mitsuru is honest but never directly. She's not as good at hiding it as she thinks. She's worried that something bad is going to happen to you, but even more then she's letting on with you right now. Lumping herself in with Rias and the others indicates that her feelings are stronger than she acknowledges. Sensing that she had left her heart on her sleeve, Mitsuru clams up and waves her hands; "N-Not like I'm your fiancé or anything! As a friend, I'm worried about you as a friend. And the fate of the world is at stake here! Something as nebulous and meaningless as 'humanity' is a small price to pay to succeed."

You sigh, "But there's more to being a devil than just being given the evil piece. I'd need to form contracts and play rating games to get stronger – which we can't do here."

Mitsuru ponders it for a second before snapping her finger, "If I could find a way to transport you to their world, that wouldn't be a problem. Rather, that's something I've been planning for some time now."

That sounds like a huge leap from where your technology is now, but if she gets the proper tools and resources...

"Are you sure that won't have unintended consequences?"

"I make extra sure that all of my work is fail-safe and fool proofed, after all, the biggest fool I know is walking around with a dimension sundering gun right now."

"Gee, thanks."

Mitsuru unfurls a large blueprint onto the desk, which reveals an elaborate piece of underground machinery connected to a thin, door-frame like device.

"The idea is to create a less mobile version of my interdimensional portal technology that will allow any number of permitted individuals to pass through. Of course, it's significantly more expensive and labour intensive to create – requiring a matching portal device on the other side to allow for the trips to be made."

"Okay, that makes sense."

"But of course, carrying something like that into a fight simply isn't possible. I'll continue to iterate on the original mobile version as well to increase your instant transmission ability. What it will allow us to do is have our allies visit without needing to worry about the existing stability limit."

"You're just doing this so Venelana can come over and help you out without needing the gun," you snipe.

She shrugs, "Guilty as charged."

"And do you have any more plans for mantles?"

"Hm. Not at the moment. Idea generation is the easiest part of the process, Issei's lost scale provides us with a supernatural power that can be applied to other mantle concepts. Defensive and support functions are under consideration to harmonise with Boost's raw power. I suspect that some of your wives may lead us down a path of other 'tribute' acts."

You almost forgot that your 'son' from the future showed up a few days ago. There's so much crazy stuff happening that it doesn't even seem so absurd anymore. Who else could provide inspiration for a new armoured form? You doubt that the Major is going to leak any information about military power armour to you. Girlfriend or not – she takes her job very seriously.

And it does make you wonder about the potential consequences. What if it triggered a serious arms race between governments and militaries to match your own weapons? What if that information got out somehow and caused a sudden jump in military capabilities for one nation? It could very well destabilise the world and cause war to break out. Why the hell are you getting worked up about this again? Mitsuru will come up with something. She always does.

Mitsuru glances back up at you, "You don't need to force yourself into something, by the way. I know I said that the fate of the world is at stake, but I don't expect you to do as I ask just because of that. As we are now, we can beat them – I'm just worried that things might change."

"Yeah, I get it."

She feels like she's gone a step too far in saying all that stuff about being a devil to you. You understand her logic perfectly well, but this isn't a decision rooted in logic. A younger version of yourself would have jumped at the chance to live out a sexually charged DxD fantasy and become a devil, but now you can only worry about the potential consequences. The curse of becoming an adult.

At the very least, you'll need to have a chat with Rias first. She's the one who holds the evil piece you're discussing. She might have something to say on the matter that Mitsuru might not have considered. And what a coincidence, your phone is vibrating with a message from that very same devil; she wants to know if you can meet at the mansion in a few days when the big work is done.

"Oh, and the rest of your paycheque should be coming through soon," Mitsuru reveals, "Venelana helped me make our... distribution scheme more effective."

A sigh escapes your nose as you slump down onto the workbench, "You mean tax evasion?"

"No. Just obscuring where it comes from and who it goes to; it's just money laundering! Tax evasion is a scourge upon civilised society, you know."

Sometimes you struggle to understand where the line is for this woman.

Wherever it's convenient, it seems.

Chapter 47: Family Planning

While a part of you wanted to summon four different DxD girls and see the chaos unfold, you're not really ready to unleash that kind of disaster unto the mortal realm just yet. You settle for a more business focused meeting between you, Rias, Akeno and Xenovia. And where better to hold this 'family' meeting than your newly refurbished mansion! It only took a few days for the veritable army of contractors that Venelana hired to get things in order.

Now you have running water, working electricity, properly insulated rooms and even some of the furniture that Rias has ordered to decorate the place with. A tiled recreation of the Gremory clan's crest has been laid into the lobby floor between the embrace of the twin staircases. It's a classy kind of ostentatious gothic. With polished wooden furniture and heavy splashes of deep colour. You were sceptical about Rias' choices at first, but seeing and experiencing it has made you a firm believer. It's a different vibe to most big, expensive houses around here. They're a touch too boring for your liking, always obsessed with modern furniture and bland colours.

Soon that same kind of renovation will be coming to Mitsuru's newly purchased industrial estate. She wanted to gestate the planning process a little more before giving Venelana the go ahead. You also believe that she's going to be asking for something low-key so that it doesn't attract a bunch of unwanted attention, even though the surrounding area has been undergoing a rather extreme regeneration in the past few years.

"This is better than the clubhouse," Xenovia comments idly as you assemble in the living room. There are still a lot of finishing touches to be made. The bookcases that line the far-side wall haven't actually been filled with décor, tomes or the television just yet. You're sure that those things will come with time and use.

Akeno stands silently behind Rias, who has taken point in the big, single armchair that rests at the end of the coffee table. Rias twirls a lock of her hair, "We had a much higher budget. The work on the clubhouse had to be concealed from the school authorities, after all. The building itself was also left to decay for a very long time."

As for the topic of discussion – Xenovia hadn't kept her peace for very long after your first meeting together. She had immediately waylaid Rias with a sudden request to become one of your wives, and to have children with you. As the thirstiest character in a franchise filled with thirsty characters, you are not surprised by her eagerness. Rias clearly has an issue with that idea. The fact that you even have to consider this kind of thing shows how much of an overly lucky bastard you are. Men would kill to have this kind of 'problem.'

"Shall we get to the point?" you ask.

Rias clears her throat and addresses Xenovia directly, "I understand that you have taken a liking to my fiancé, Xenovia."

She bows her head respectfully, "Yes. I know that it seems sudden and impulsive of me." Two words that fit her perfectly.

"There is no need to apologise. We are the three with the most expressed interest in doing such a thing," Rias explains, "Which is why I have called us here to have a chat."

A thought springs to mind, "Hm. What about Venelana?"

"My Mother said that I must learn to handle these issues myself. As the future lady of the house, it will be my responsibility to ensure a firm and fair regime that allows your wives to enjoy their time with you to its fullest. I suppose you could say it is an extension of my existing peerage duties."

"I see."

Rias smiles, "Do not take her abdication as an indicator of her own desire. She would be more than happy to bear me another brother or sister by your making."

She never lets a chance to fluster you go, does she?

Xenovia is firm and leaps back into the conversation with an incredible demand; "President. Please permit me to practice 'baby-making' with your fiancé. I believe that he is the perfect mate, capable of creating a strong child."

Her melding of 'practice' and actually having a kid if it happens is incredibly obvious. For her, they're the same thing.

"My my..." Akeno mumbles, "How forward." Is Akeno really the person making that kind of statement here? Pretty much every word that comes out of her mouth is drenched in filth, always with the innuendo or flirting. Not that you don't enjoy it. Having such a beautiful woman fawn all over you is flattering.

Xenovia turns to you, "Surely as a good male, he would agree to my proposal."

That isn't your decision to make. "I'm afraid that it isn't that simple," Rias sighs, "Aside from hubby's consent, we have to worry about our children. Devil clans work differently to human royalty. Children born to any spouse, even the concubines, have a claim to the house. To be the first born amongst a harem of devils is to receive a significant level of authority. As the present heir, the position of our future children is not secure through lineage alone. My child could be supplanted as long as the contender is my husband's, and born before them.."

You nod, "And that's why you want Xenovia to wait."

"I am personally unhappy to issue such orders, but I must do so for the sake of the clan. The first-born devil must be mine. Ironically, if Xenovia were still human things would be different. But what's done is done. We must make the best of the situation and tread carefully."

Xenovia has a morose frown on her face, but she isn't going to go against what Rias orders her to do. She bows again, "I understand, President."

Rias tries to perk her up with the promise of future debauchery, "With that said, once our darling marries into the family and blesses me with that child – there will be plenty of opportunities to make up for lost time! I'll try to expedite the process so that you can join in soon, Xenovia."

"Indeed!" Akeno adds with a clap of her hands, "I am certain that he won't rest until every empty room within the Gremory estate is occupied!" You try to calculate how many children that would be in your head, including your son.

You give up and ask directly, "Uh, how many empty rooms does the estate have?"

Rias is quick as a whip, "Three thousand - give or take."

The land values in the underworld are totally fucked up. You recall that the estate presented in the show was extremely large and elaborate, more of a city than a simple manor; consisting of multiple full-sized buildings with a huge footprint. The sheer size of the place combined with multiple floors and buildings makes that number seem more realistic than it first sounds.

Xenovia is salivating at the prospect. You can see the gears turning in her head as she tries to figure out just how many kids she can pump out on short notice. You're going to have to be careful with summoning baby crazy girls from here on out. These devils are absolutely insane. Motoko is a beacon of rationality versus them, though not having a real reproductive system and a dangerous job might have something to do with that. Rias brings things back down to earth, "Additionally, it wouldn't be becoming of us as students to become pregnant. It would attract unneeded attention to our activities as the Occult Research Club."

"Fufu. They can stare all they like – they're just jealous that they don't have a handsome fiance like we do," Akeno smirks.

Rias ignores her, "Until then, magical contraception will have to do."

Didn't she hand you a condom for your first time? Or did she only hit the books and learn how to do that later after you slept with her? That's an easy solution for the devils, but the rest of your harem will need to rely on other methods.Akeno isn't giving up on the game, she titters and holds one of her cheeks mockingly; "Oh, but I may just forget to cast it before we make love..."

"Akeno," Rias says sternly.

Akeno just giggles at her. This reminds you of a certain plotline from the show. Polygamy being normal or not, these two are going to start fighting if you don't say something soon.

"Rias, there was something else I wanted to ask you."

She turns back, "You can ask me anything, dear."

"Do you still have some of your evil pieces?"

Since Koneko is not yet comfortable with using her real form in battle, that means that events in their world haven't advanced as far as you first thought. Rossweisse is not yet a member of Rias' peerage, which means she has a spare Rook available for someone. If only Issei hadn't hogged all eight of her pawn pieces, this kind of compromise wouldn't have to happen.

"Just one," she confirms, "Why?"

"It's nothing really. Mitsuru has been getting on my case about it. She thinks I need to get even stronger to fight properly because she's worried about me. Don't tell her I said that."

"My lips are sealed," Rias replies.

"So she told me that becoming a devil would be an easy way to get there. I wasn't so sure about it though."

Rias crosses her legs and hums to herself, "As someone who has always lived as a devil – it would be very simple of me to claim that being one is nothing but positive. However, there is much to worry about. Maintaining the honour of my family, training in magic, rating games and building peerages. These are all things that are unique to devils."

"That's true."

"But some of the greatest threats to devils do not exist in this world. There are no politics, rating games or Church assassins to worry about."

That last comment rubs you the wrong way, "As far as we know..."

"In a world of rationality such as this, the presence of supernatural entities elicits nothing but scepticism. People are increasingly secular as there is no true evidence of Satan's existence - or the other one. I believe it would be possible to live peacefully here as a devil. Building further power and becoming high class however, that would be impossible. A peerage of your own would require a trip into our world and participation in the system."

She's right. There are less things to worry about in this world. The Church isn't hunting down and killing people for being devils, not anymore anyway. You could take the free power up and get an edge over the aliens. "And what do you think?"

Rias smiles, "We'd be honoured to have you. It's natural that I would like my fiancé to be a devil too. But it is not something to be taken lightly. Do not suppress your hesitation for the sake of us. There is no going back once that decision is made. You will be reborn into a new form, one detached from human mortality."

She's given you a lot of big questions to think about – but she would happily do it if you asked. Rias has always been level headed, so her perspective is very valuable. If you want to have a peerage of your own and lead the Gremory clan, you'll need to go through to their side eventually. And when you do, you will likely have to become a devil to do it.

You exhale and flop back onto the couch, "Heh. It's weird talking about something like this so casually. I'll have to think about it." Rias might imply that you have time to make a decision, but you know that Rossweisse is on the horizon. If push comes to shove, Rias will have to accept the Valkyrie into her peerage as a favour to Odin.

"Take all the time you need."

"Yes. My body is ready at all times of day to receive your life-giving essence," Xenovia declares, with such a straight-forward drive and earnestness that it takes everything not to burst out laughing. Akeno doesn't even try – she just giggles into her hand and tries not to disturb the proceedings.

"If that is all we'd best be away," Rias concludes. "But don't be afraid to spend time with Xenovia, Akeno, Asia or Koneko. Koneko may put on a tough front, but she really likes you."

"Sure. I'll arrange something. Sounds good, Xenovia?"

The blue-haired bombshell nods, "I look forward to it."

Chapter 48: Rias and Mitsuru's Excellent Adventure - Part 1

Mitsuru was surprised to see a message from Rias, of all people, on her interdimensional phone. She was included in the default contact list; but that was mainly just in case they needed her for something. She was not the sociable sort. She had fraternised somewhat with Venelana but they mostly focused on business, even if Venelana had tried to tease her just as much as she did with you. It was a short and simple request to be summoned so they could talk about something. Mitsuru had no reason to decline the request. She reached across the table and inserted rias’ card into the Sledgehammer, summoning her from the other world. She was still wearing her uniform. The look on her face spoke to a sense of shock that it had even worked. Mitsuru has always been so prickly with her.

“This is the first time you’ve ever visited me,” Mitsuru noted. Never once did her eyes drift upwards from her work on the bench.

Rias rounded the table to get a closer look, “I like to think that we’re friends. You were the one who introduced me to my fiancé after all.”

“Hm. How did your ‘meeting’ go? I hope you didn’t kill him.”

Rias blushed, “We didn’t do anything like that. It was a talk between club members. But he did bring something up that I thought was interesting.”

“From the tone of your voice, it sounds like he made you promise not to tell me.”

Rias shrugged, “I had my fingers crossed.”

“Typical devil…”

“He said you were very concerned for his safety, asking him to become a devil.”

Mitsuru sighed, “I thought you would have agreed. Doesn’t he need to be a devil to marry you?”

“Not necessarily. Though the other clans would surely go white in the face at the prospect of a half-devil inheriting our house. He expressed some hesitation in becoming one, and I agreed. To make such a big decision so quickly doesn’t seem right. He will become my Rook if he desires to be one.”

“Just to clarify. I’m always worried about him. I wouldn’t want my best friend to get hurt because I roped him into being a superhero for me.”

Rias smirked, “Oh? But wouldn’t you like to be more than just friends?”

“What are you talking about?”

Rias crossed her arms, “Be honest with yourself. You want to be his girlfriend too, but you feel that you don’t have the confidence or anything to offer him versus girls like me.”

Mitsuru rolled her eyes. Indeed – Rias was the type of girl that only a horny light novel author could invent. Huge, gravity defying honkers that looked fake but weren’t, perfect curves, a big butt, and a pretty face that was completely flawless. Next to her, Mitsuru looked like a pimply teenage boy in glasses. Rias projected a bad self esteem field around her person at all times. As much as Mitsuru wished she was resistant to being envious, she was not.

She knew that it was possible to change these things. The full bounty of the infinite multiverse was on the doorstep – somewhere out there was a method to change her body to be better or more to her liking. Mitsuru didn’t want to change herself in such a way, the real question was what you thought of her as she was.

“Hypothetically, if I were interested in being his girlfriend - that would be extremely embarrassing. I can’t do the things that you do and seduce anyone.”

“It is embarrassing,” Rias insisted. All of her natural confidence and seductive wiles weren’t really natural at all. It was something that had sprouted from years of being the apple of every devil’s eye. She had learned to handle them with condescension, to misdirect their compliments and present herself as aloof. Rias hated going to devil parties and being beset on all sides by men looking for a bride.

“But you make it look easy.”

Rias looked down to the complex electrical component that Mitsuru was soldering while speaking with her; “You make that look easy. But if I said it was impossible to do, you’d disagree.”

 Mitsuru paused. Rias had made a good point. Things that looked impossible to others were simple to some. The only barrier to excellence was time and effort. Still, the image of herself with a body like Rias just seemed wrong. “So? Should I turn myself into a bombshell girl like you? I fail to see how that helps.”

“I’m not saying you should turn into a girl like me – I’m sure he likes you plenty as you are. But a little confidence will go a long way.”

Rias looked Mitsuru up and down, past the long white lab coat and into the core of her being. She was wearing a pair of black shorts, steel-toed boots, and a shirt that was three sizes too big, exposing a large part of her neck and collarbone. A pair of big, round glasses reflected the harsh lighting of the laboratory and obscured her eyes from sight.

“Come here. Let me give you some pointers.”

Mitsuru sighed and turned her soldering tool off. She stepped aside and beneath the taller girl, holding out her arms. Rias reached down and removed the lab coat from her shoulders, revealing a clearer look at her body. Rias understood that humans seldom boasted bodies as nice as hers, but even devils came in all shapes and sizes. Sona Sitri had a body closer to the norm. Sometimes she envied the ease with which she could blend into a crowd. Mitsuru was closer to Sona than her.

“We have to use your natural ‘weapons’ to win this battle. Trying to become someone you’re not will only make things harder, and it’s better to be authentic with someone you care about.”

“I never said I wanted to be his girlfriend,” Mitsuru snarked. It was unconvincing to both of them.

“Really? It seems to me like he’s taken care of you for a long time, and you want to get even closer with him because of that.”

Mitsuru locked her lips tight and refused to speak any further. Rias had already started to coordinate a plan in her head. She removed the large spectacles from her nose and placed them on the bench, seeing her face clearly for the first time. Mitsuru had beautiful brown eyes and naturally pretty lashes. A basic amount of makeup would make her presentable for any kind of occasion, even formal ones.

Rias found even more things to envy. Her complexion was surprisingly clean, in fact, it was flawless. There was not a blemish or spot to be found; which defied reason given the messy conditions she worked in. She was cute to the bone. Cute. Cute. Cute. That meant that she needed to use her ‘cuteness’ to squeeze her crush’s heart into a fine paste!

“You’re very pretty, Mitsuru.”

“You’re just saying that to be nice.”

“I’d never lie to a friend. I think that all you need to do is show hubby your best side. Some new clothes and glasses… you could fire a cupid’s arrow right into his heart!”

“I don’t have time to go shopping for a new wardrobe,” Mitsuru replied.

Rias wasn’t going to back down that easily, “All you need is one afternoon. Once you know what you like and what sizes are appropriate, you can simply order things online and have them delivered.”

“And!” Mitsuru cracked, “I never said that I wanted to look good for him! He’s a big dummy. We’re just childhood friends, that’s all.”

“Childhood friends? That’s a classic romantic comedy starting point,” Rias observed pointedly. “You can deny it all you want – but when you see him smile, or when he does something nice for you, your heart starts dancing in your chest. You’re scared of changing your relationship with him. And…”

“And?”

Rias had tried to avoid mentioning this to her, but there really was no getting around it. Mitsuru was going to find out eventually regardless. She took a deep breath and came out with it, “You two get married in the anime…”

Mitsuru froze perfectly still – as if someone had pressed the pause button on her remote control.

“…I’m not saying that our version of your story perfectly matches this world, I wasn’t there on the TV we watched together. But you were the one who calibrated the cards – you were the one who specified which of those stories we had been influenced by. I spoke with the other girls, and they all told me the same thing. Chun-Li, Motoko, all of them.”

“I… I would never!” Mitsuru grumbled, “Do you have any idea how silly that sounds? If I really cared about him that much, why would I have given him this harem to start with?”

Rias wasn’t sure of how to answer that; “I don’t know. What I do know is that every version of you, from every anime, manga or novel – they’re all similar. Someone with an unflinching dedication to doing the right thing, even at the expense of her own feelings. Maybe you thought that you’d move on if you saw him with someone else, or that the fate of the world was more important than finally getting what you wanted.”

Mitsuru bowed her head and tried to hide the expression on her face. Rias had cut right through her reasoning like a chainsaw. Trying to stick the pieces back together was a waste of time. She’d ploughed ahead with her plan knowing full well that you would find yourself entangled with women who weren’t her. It pained her to do so, but in a perfect world you wouldn’t have to fight in the first place.

Rias placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “I want to do this for you, Mitsuru. You were the one who made the impossible possible. You were the one who turned my silly fantasy into a reality. To meet a man who I’d fallen in love with, and one who was everything that I had hoped he would be. I owe you this. We all do.”

Was it possible to build a future where you could all be happy? That was something that Mitsuru had wrestled with time and time again. This was what she always did. Always pulling you along into her plans, only to think about the consequences after the fact. She knew that you were selfless enough to fight for Earth, even without the incentive of ‘hot anime wives’ waiting on the other side. How long could she take advantage of your friendship before she started asking for too much?

“I… I felt bad,” Rias continued, “Because I knew how long you’d been together. When I learned that polygamy wasn’t accepted on this planet, I realised how much you’d sacrificed to make this happen. The most important thing. The way you felt. Those precious emotions are worth more than gold. So, let me be selfish please. Let me help you.”

Mitsuru released a shuddering breath and met her aqua eyes once more, “I won’t make any promises. But if it’s really that important to you…”

“Thank you, Mitsuru-chan.”

“Chan?”

Rias tilted her head, “Oh, would you prefer Sensei?”

“No. Chan is fine.”

“I’d be honoured to have a fellow wife as brilliant as you, all of us would.”

Mitsuru slapped her hand away, “Okay! Okay! Step back a second there, you damn devil. I never said anything about marriage! We have a world to save first!”

Rias giggled, “I almost forgot! But that means you have to look good doing it!”

Mitsuru checked her watch and considered how much progress she had made. Maintaining a decent work-life balance would improve her efficiency, which she kept meticulous track of using a spreadsheet on her phone. Inputting the ‘progress’ against the time invested, she could see the graph trending downwards. Mitsuru reached out and grabbed her glasses. She couldn’t see anything without them.

“I guess I can spare a few hours. But we’d better make it quick.”

“Thank you so much! I can teleport us there. Much quicker than catching a bus.”

 “Just make sure nobody sees us.” The two women stepped into a glowing magic circle and sunk into the ground, out of sight.

And for the first time in a long time, the garage was empty.

Chapter 49: Meanwhile - Part 1

An opportunity presented itself for you to kill two birds with one stone. Xenovia is looking for her first date, and Chun-Li hasn’t been able to hang with you for a while now. Not wanting anyone to feel neglected, you organise a day of activity with both of them while Mitsuru is busy with something else. Chun-Li arrives wearing a very fetching blue and gold tracksuit with tight bottoms, while Xenovia is wearing black spats and a tight tank top.

“My name is Xenovia, pleased to meet you.”

Chun-Li bows politely, “I am Chun-Li. I take it that Miss Xenovia is another wife in waiting?”

You tug on your collar, “Uh – sure, I guess. She seems to want to join in so…”

“Did you know that sex also burns a large number of calories?” Xenovia explains with all the subtlety of a brick coming through your window. Chun-Li sends a withering look your way that makes you think of an extremely disappointed housewife.

“Uh, yeah. Xenovia is a little over-eager with things like that. Sorry Xenovia, we’re going to be doing normal exercises today.”

“That is also acceptable. We can simply move the baby-making practice to the end as an effective cooldown activity.”

This girl is going to be the death of you.

Chun senses that you aren’t going to get through to her with rhetoric and logic, so she just decides that moving on with the routine is a better option. You have a few different things planned today, including strength training, running, and techniques to increase your flexibility; also known as Chun bending you into a pretzel and calling it good. Hopefully Xenovia is capable of restraining herself from any more sexual comments.

Sure, Chun-Li slept with you. But it’s clear that her attitude is much more traditional. It’s something to be shared in private when the mood is right. Xenovia just seems to want to have a baby as quickly as possible, even when Rias has already made it clear that she has first dibs.

“Don’t forget what Rias told you, Xenovia. “

She clams up and looks away, “I remember.”

“You do? Because she was very adamant that the interests of the Gremory clan come first.”

“Yes. Of course.”

The tomboy turns away and pouts. She really wishes that it weren’t the case, but Rias is the head of the peerage, and what she says goes. She has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders and making things even harder for her isn’t in your playbook. The first kid, supposedly the one who travelled back in time to help you, is going to be the heir to the house. When you marry Rias, you’ll become the other head – and that means any further children will have a claim to the position.

Life sure is complicated with so many lovers.

Chun-Li leads off with some warmup stretches. Xenovia soon proves that her strong body isn’t unearned. She’s just as experienced with this kind of training. As a human fighting supernatural creatures, her own ability was the only thing she could really rely on. She has a barely visible six pack, with thick thighs and defined arms. Like all of the DxD girls you’ve summoned, she’s also hugely stacked in both front and back.

Once the warmup is complete, it’s time to move on to the main section of the regime. Chun-Li is intent on seeing just how much progress you’ve made on your training since the last time you worked together. You still suspect that she’s ahead of you. She’s been doing this for decades, far longer than you have. Though perhaps that age has also forced her to slow down a little. While she’s beautiful enough to pass for being in her mid-20s, you know that she’s the second oldest member of your harem by a long shot, only surpassed by the semi-immortal Venelana; and using devil magic to keep wrinkles away is cheating.

“I’ll set the pace, let’s go!”

You fall in line behind Chun-Li, getting an eyeful of her big butt bouncing up and down every time she takes a step. As you wind your way down through the main road and towards the city’s largest park, Xenovia decides to switch things up by putting herself between you and Chun – if only so that you are forced to look at her ass instead.

This competitive jockeying continues for twenty minutes, where you finally stop for your first break. Xenovia uncorks a bottle of water and chugs it down, purposefully allowing a small amount of it to leak from her lips and onto her chest. Chun-Li isn’t having any of it – quickly dragging your attention away by sitting on the nearby bench and crossing her legs over one another.

It seems that Xenovia brings out her jealous side; which is odd, because both of them come from alternate realities where polyamory is normal. They’ll have to get used to sharing if they want to make this harem thing work.

Chun-Li goes on the attack, “So, Xenovia – what is it that you do for a living?”

“I’m a devil. We fulfil contracts for our clients and become more powerful.”

“A devil? And it doesn’t pay?”

Xenovia shrugs, “Rias’ family is extremely wealthy from their businesses. We’re supported by them. My primary purpose is to protect the President from harm and do as she demands.”

You lean in to explain, “Devils aren’t really evil over there. They just like getting into fights with angels, usually.”

“Hm. Not since they signed the peace treaty,” Xenovia responds, “I’m happy that I won’t have to fight Irina.” That’s right. Xenovia and Issei’s friend Irina is on the side of the angels. It’s lucky that things had developed into a peace between the major factions before anything tragic happened between them.

“Sometimes it’s hard for me to comprehend the scale of this universe,” Chun sighs, “To think, there’s a world out there where angels and devils do battle in such a manner.”

You laugh, “I’m sure Xenovia would find your world a little strange too. And this one as well – not a lot of interesting stuff happening down here.”

“The absence of supernatural forces is strange,” Xenovia states, “Though I believe that this world is… boring? No. Dull. I don’t mean to be insulting.”

“I get it,” you nod. It is dull versus some of the fantastical places your wives come from. No magical powers, no devils and angels, nobody who can train themselves in martial arts to the point where they learn to shoot fireballs from their hands. The strangest thing going on is what you and Mitsuru have done, and that’s only thanks to aliens from another dimension crossing through.

“You two are something special alright.”

Both women turn bright red at the simplistic compliment. All of a sudden that jockeying and arguing seems a little out of place. Since when did you get so good at wooing people? (It helps that they were already in love with you before they arrived, of course.)

Chun clears her throat and stands back up, “L-Let’s continue, shall we?”

The rest of the ‘date’ goes by with a much friendlier atmosphere. Xenovia and Chun get to talking about their respective backgrounds and abilities. It’s nice to see, considering the huge age difference between them. Even people from two different generations can get along with a little interdimensional manipulation. With the last batch of tests completed, Chun-Li brings you back around to the entrance to the park and claps her hands together; “And that’s it! Well done, both of you.” Even Xenovia is looking a little rough around the edges now. Chun-Li is a stamina monster. She didn’t even break a sweat from all of that hard work.

“Glad to see all that training paid off,” you pant.

“Indeed. I’m very impressed with how much progress you’ve made in such a short time. There’s always more to do and room to grow, but as long as you do not grow discouraged when things go wrong, you will be all the better for it.”

Xenovia smiles, “This will also improve your ability in the bedroom.”

She can’t let an opportunity pass, can she?

Xenovia senses your exasperation and elaborates on her point; “That is to say, as a man with several wives and suitors – it will be your responsibility to satisfy them, or provide babies should they be needed. A normal human would struggle to keep up.”

That doesn’t really change anything, but okay. You are going to have to come up with a better way of spending time with your girls. Not having to summon them or adhere to a four-card limit will be a good start. You can turn your mansion into a hangout spot that they can visit at any time. But even with the comparatively small harem you have now, you still end up leaving some out in the cold for a long while. Chun has been a rare sight in your world since you slept together for the first time.

“How about we take this chance and spend some leisure time together?” you propose, turning to Chun and Xenovia.

Chun nods, “That sounds lovely. But I think we’ll need to shower before we do anything like that.”

Xenovia puts her hands on her hips, “I know the perfect place where we can go.”

At that moment, your idiot brain does not see anything wrong with that statement. You follow along like a good dog right until the moment that she comes to an abrupt stop in front of a local hotel. Given that you’re close to the nightlife and red-light districts in the city, there’s a very obvious bias in their clientele. “This is just a love hotel,” you state as you crane your head to look up at the signage.

Xenovia huffs and shakes her head cockily, “It’s nothing so debased as a love hotel. It’s a regular hotel! Normal hotels can be used for this kind of thing too!”

Chun leans in to investigate, “They advertise soundproof rooms by the door.”

“I’m a young and healthy woman in the prime of her life,” Xenovia seethes, “Why are you so hesitant to sleep with me?”

“I’ll sleep with you!” you concede, “But just… tone it down a little, okay? Rias already settled this the other day. We can spend a few hours here, get showered, and then go do something else together.”

Xenovia is not listening. Her entire body is quaking with excitement at finally wearing you down. Chun-Li shares a nervous glance with you, but does not air any problems with the arrangement. You are pulled into the hotel lobby with no further argument.

Just in time for you to avoid crossing paths with Mitsuru and Rias…

Chapter 50: Rias and Mitsuru's Excellent Adventure - Part 2

The first port of call for Rias and Mitsuru was one of the major shopping districts in the city, more specifically an upmarket store that dealt in women’s fashion. Mitsuru had never once in her life worried about her appearance. Old t-shirts, baggy tracksuit pants and frumpy jumpers were her motif of choice. Her short stature and large glasses made the concept feel like a lost cause from the start. Rias did not agree with that assessment. Dressing well was the easiest way to make oneself look more attractive without any real effort. If Mitsuru had a new wardrobe, one she could easily afford thanks to her Mother’s meddling, she had a much better chance of stealing your heart.

“This is enemy territory,” Mitsuru muttered, “The realm of normies…”

Rias rolled her eyes and dragged the nerdy girl down one of the aisles. She already had a fairly good idea of what type of clothes Mitsuru would accept wearing, but she wanted to make extra sure that she was agreeable. Rias presented three different mannequins to Mitsuru and pointed to them; “We can go one of three ways. Sexy, cute, or cool. Which one would you prefer?”

Mitsuru exhaled, “Do I look cute or sexy to you?”

“You’re cute,” Rias replied.

“Am not. Just pick something that isn’t super embarrassing.”

Rias knew that ‘super embarrassing’ meant anything that didn’t already match her chosen aesthetic. This was a situation where the band-aid would need to be ripped off quickly and harshly. Mitsuru needed an injection of confidence and an assurance that you wouldn’t react in a big way to her changing things up. It was very easy for people to get trapped, even should they wish to change. Perceptions were self-reinforcing like that.

The first step was picking something that Mitsuru would find somewhat agreeable. Rias studied the racks and mannequins closely, piecing together several interchangeable outfits that covered a wide gamut from being modest, to cute, to stylish. She also chose some clothes that Mitsuru could use in the laboratory without constricting her movement. She could feel Mitsuru’s eyes digging into her back as she worked.

That sense of unease only grew when they reached the dressing room. Mitsuru was looking less and less enthused by the moment. Rias dumped the pile onto the wooden bench and waved her in, pointing out which pieces go with what.

“Okay, so just pick out any of them and try it on.”

Mitsuru sighed in resignation, “Fine.”

The curtain was drawn shut, and Rias waited outside by tapping her foot on the floor. She hoped that Mitsuru would see the wisdom in her approach after wearing one of them for a little while. Mitsuru took her time making sure that everything was on correctly. A few minutes after entering, the curtain was tugged open by a dour looking scientist. She had chosen one of the ‘safer’ outfits from the offering.

Rias had to admit that she looked really great! The leather black skirt cut at an askew angle, the green jacket and white undershirt – it really brought out her serious side. Mitsuru spun in place so that Rias could see her from every angle.

“I think that looks amazing,” Rias nodded, “What do you think?”

“It’s not the worst. ”

Better than nothing, Rias thought. The fashion show continued for nearly an hour as Mitsuru approved and rejected various options. When all was said and done, things had been narrowed down to a dozen or so different selections. Rias was surprised at how much Mitsuru had taken to the idea in the end, perhaps because she had mentioned impressing you a few times just to encourage her.

“But new glasses? Do you realise how thick these lenses are?”

Rias hummed, “Larger frames are in style, are they not? I’m sure there are many good choices that will allow you to see properly.”

“Large frames are in style for people that don’t need them,” Mitsuru replied, “I withstood enough teasing and ill-mannered words about these to last a lifetime.”

“Ah. So you believe that changing them to something new is giving in?”

“That would be a rather illogical conclusion.”

Mitsuru wasn’t shaken by Rias’ observation. She knew full well just how irritating it had been to see a point of mockery turn into something accepted. That was how the world worked. People made fun of things for being obscure or out of touch, but would soon jump on board given the off-chance that they increased their social standing thanks to a change in trends. Mitsuru doubted that a new pair of glasses, or even new clothes, would be enough to attract your attention when girls like Rias were hanging around.

But Rias saw right through her – she knew that. She’d continue to insist on doing the impossible no matter how humiliating it was. Shattering the barrier between dimensions was child’s play compared to this.

“What’s wrong with just being friends?” she murmured. Rias turned back with a pair of bags hung over her arms.

“You don’t want to be ‘just friends,’ that’s what’s wrong,” her tone was stern and admonishing, “There’s no need to deny what you want for yourself.”

“That’s easy for a beautiful devil to say. I don’t have half of your looks, or half of your greed.”

“Do you really think that he’d feel that way about you?”

“While I’d like to think better of him, he is a man. I presume that being surrounded by sexy anime women is liable to move the goalposts beyond my reach.”

Well… Rias had to admit that it was kind of true. Even the most well-meaning of people could be influenced in ways they didn’t realise. She had taken your attraction to her for granted. In her eyes you were an incredible person – a fictional character made real in the same way that she was for you. Rias had never known a time where she wasn’t the most sought-after girl in the underworld. How could she empathise with Mitsuru?

“I can’t say that his opinions won’t change but I think you should still try, Mitsuru-chan. You’ll never know for sure until you ask.”

Mitsuru sighed, “That’s the hard part. Do I look like the type of woman to be bristling with confidence?”

Rias shrugged, “You were very confident when you were in stressful situations. Like when you first explained how all of this worked to him.”

“There’s a big difference between giving a keynote presentation and asking someone on a date!”

“There is, but you need to manifest that same type of confidence when you ask!” The pitched debate was starting to attract some onlookers. Rias reached up and pulled down on the brim of her baseball cap to cover her face – the last thing she wanted was to spoil the day out by being identified as Rias Gremory.

“Look – I’m not a ‘main girl,’ okay? Do you know how often the childhood friend wins in your average romance manga?”

“Uh.”

“I crunched the numbers myself! Less than twenty percent! It’s unfair, childhood friend discrimination needs to stop!”

Rias nodded along, unsure of what else to say. Mitsuru was talking herself out of doing what she wanted again. Rationalising all of her personal fears and trying to present them as logical decisions made with her own agency. It reminded Rias of herself before she met Issei – before he helped make the Occult Research Club more open with each other.

“A plain, childhood friend such as myself is statistically less likely to have a romance subplot develop than anyone else. The odds are only getting worse as he adds more women to his harem. Ergo, I have focused my efforts in more productive areas of study.”

Rias was going to need more drastic measures in order to break Mitsuru out of her negative way of thinking. It was going to be tough. Everyone she knew was so self-assured and confident. How could she provide the encouragement that Mitsuru needed? She looked down on the mastermind from above, but noticed that her gaze was elsewhere.

“Is something wrong?”

Mitsuru pointed to a man walking on the sidewalk across from them, “Don’t you think that he looks familiar?”

Now that she mentioned it, the lanky man wading his way through the crowd did have an odd air of familiarity. Rias recalled the extensive time she spent split into two identical clones, and the enemy officer responsible for it. He was a bumbling fool. The way he walked and nervously glanced at everyone he passed was identical.

“I don’t remember his name, but he looks like one of the Untethered.”

Mitsuru was already moving to follow him. Rias put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her from stepping out onto the road, “Wouldn’t it be better to contact him first?”

Mitsuru huffed, “I have you! Are you trying to say that the mighty Ruin Princess is afraid of one, itty-bitty fight?”

Rias’ brow twitched at the base insult, “I’m no coward. Very well. Let us observe him for a time and see if your suspicion is correct.” Thinking quickly, Rias ducked into a nearby alleyway and out of sight. She snapped her fingers and summoned a magic circle, teleporting their purchased goods through magical space and into the garage for safekeeping. After that, she hurried over the road with Mitsuru in tow.

Surely, they’d be more than enough to handle this.

Chapter 51: Meanwhile - Part 2

Upon entering the hotel, the receptionist shot you the single dirtiest glare you’ve ever seen. As if to say, ‘how come this guy gets to live it up with two beautiful women and I don’t?’ Well, perhaps he should have made better friends in school. Friends who could have built him an interdimensional portal gun that can summon a harem of anime women.

Handing over some of your money to buy a hotel room is humiliating. You never thought you’d be forced to use one of these places. You head up the stairs and onto the first floor, walking down the corridor and heading to room 105. The key is inserted into the lock and the door is opened. Chun-Li and Xenovia crowd at your back, afraid of getting too far apart from you.

The room is of a particular style and taste. You grit your teeth as you step through the door and allow Chun-Li and Xenovia to see inside as well. The exterior corridor was already sending bad vibes your way, and this ‘love chamber’ is not helping matters any.

The walls are covered in a padded leather material. There’s no window. A large circular bed dominates the back corner, while a single lonely couch is receded into the wall by the entryway. A large TV is mounted on the wall – presumably so that people who don’t find sex exciting enough can watch bad pornography at extortionate prices.

Xenovia immediately pushes past you and leaps onto the bed face first. Her butt jiggles as she lands on the crumpled surface. At least it smells clean. Though you’re sure that a blacklight would reveal many unseen horrors on the walls and floor. “A real dirty love hotel! Amazing!”

You do not share in Xenovia’s enthusiasm. You would have preferred to head back to the garage or the house. It would have been a much longer walk, but you wouldn’t have had to pay for the room. Why she finds a cheap, tacky sex chamber with a miserable décor and rowdy neighbours is beyond your comprehension. You turn and shut the door behind you. The last thing you need is someone hearing Xenovia’s exuberant declarations about how this is the best thing ever.

When you turn back, Xenovia is already lifting her crop top up and over her head, allowing her large breasts to hang free. Chun isn’t sure whether to follow suit or not. “Are you certain we shouldn’t shower first?” she asks.

Xenovia leans over the edge of the bed and grabs her arm, “Don’t you know that smells can increase the fertility of people when they’re having sex? It activates a chemical reaction in the brain. Sleeping together while still covered in sweat will make impregnation easier.” Xenovia speaks it with such an earnestness that it’s clear she really thinks that’s true.

“Remember what Rias said!” you remind her. No baby making until the family and succession situation is settled.

Xenovia frowns and crosses her arms, “Then hurry and impregnate her already! The prime years of my life aren’t going to wait.”

“That isn’t something that I have to worry about…” Chun replies sardonically, even though she doesn’t look a day over thirty-something.

You really don’t know where to start with this – so you decide to follow Xenovia’s way of thinking and do something impulsive. You grab the hem of your pants and underwear and whip them down to your ankles, revealing your full lower body in an instant. You try to put on a brave face, “I guess we’re really doing this.”

Xenovia eyes your prick approvingly, “Very good. An appropriately magnificent member to create a strong child with.”

Chun just covers her eyes and tries to deal with it. Xenovia is a lot. She strips away her own shorts, revealing a hip riding, slit flashing thong that covers almost nothing. Not exactly what you’d consider wearing when going out for a run. Xenovia’s hips are pretty fantastic, but she is seated next to Chun-Li, and Chun-Li is rocking a thigh gap that you could drive a car through. She makes even the widest loads look svelte in comparison.

Xenovia turns to Chun and sets her brow, “Please allow me to have the first round, Senpai!”

“Senpai?” Chun repeats, “I’m old enough to be your mother.”

“That may be true. But you are my Senpai when it comes to being his wife and lover. Please look after me from now on.”

Chun relents, “Okay. It’ll give me time to get undressed. Please go ahead.”

Xenovia beckons you onto the bed using her hands. You clamber over onto the white sheets and sit next to her, unsure of what she wants to do first; “So, how would you like to start?”

“According to the texts that I’ve read on the subject, the first step is foreplay! Your penis must be fully hard to ensure that your semen enters my womb!” You get the feeling that she’s going to recite everything she’s read in the course of this get-together. Dirty-talk wasn’t included in her learning regimen.

You take the time to appreciate Xenovia’s body before things kick off for real. While not rocking the bodacious, horny curves of Rias or Akeno, she’s still packing plenty to get your hands on. She has a large pair of breasts without a hint of sag, and a well-toned body that speaks to her years of training as a warrior. The blue thong she’s wearing really draws attention to her butt, which is equally fantastic.  The ‘punk’ look with the dyed green strip in her hair is very appealing overall.

She sticks the previously mentioned butt in the air and leans down to meet your little buddy face to face, though hesitation starts to leak in as she realises that theory and practice are two very different things; “Don’t push yourself. Take it at your own pace.”

“Are you sure?”

“Listen, we have plenty of opportunities to have fun like this. I want your first time to be great – so just focus on doing what feels right for you.”

“I can do that,” she concludes. She reaches out with her left hand and carefully strokes you to full hardness. Chun is already well on the way to being naked herself, wearing a much more sensible set of sports underwear. She wasn’t anticipating being brought into a three-way by Xenovia.

Xenovia can’t help but comment, “It’s much larger up close.”

Perspective tends to work like that.

Chun-Li is completely naked now. She shuffles over onto the bed and props herself up against the headboard using the other pillow. “I can’t say I’ve ever done anything like this before,” she posits, “Not that I find Xenovia’s body displeasing to look at.”

“I think you are very beautiful as well,” she responds, “Those hips make me jealous. They’re perfect for carrying children.”

Chun sighs, “You sound like a dirty old man.”

“Punch me if I ever flirt with you using a line that bad,” you ask.

Xenovia ignores the veiled insult and accepts you into her mouth. She immediately becomes too eager and tries to work her way down your full length, only to gag herself halfway. She refuses to pull back and admit defeat –causing her eyes to start watering.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Chun asks.

Xenovia finally relents and releases you. She wipes her eyes with her forearm and grunts, “This is nothing! Proper foreplay is necessary to ensure a successful insemination. I’ve endured worse than triggering a mere gag reflex.”

You put your hand of Chun’s thigh and interject, “I think we should let her go at her own pace-”

Before you can finish – Xenovia is pushing herself up onto her hands and knees, roaring so loud that both you and Chun-Li nearly jump off of the bed; “The fiercest battlefields! Battling devils and fallen angels! None of them are as important as this fight! The fight to finally create a new life with this body of mine!”

Again – Rias isn’t going to let her do that without permission. You don’t mean to be harsh, but Xenovia’s oral skills need a lot of polish before they actually have an impact on how you sleep together. The reality is that a lot of these acts are things your harem members don’t have much experience with. Venelana may be the most notable exception, and you’re sure that Akeno is practising using toys or something in private considering how your first night with her went.

You decide to take control of matters. You reach down and pull Xenovia over into your lap, eliciting a warbling cry of defiance. Your erection nestles nearly between her buttcheeks, while your hands trail down her collarbone and begin to lightly knead at her breasts. She smells wonderful. You find yourself burying your nose into her hair and taking it in. Despite her larger than life personality, she slots perfect against your chest.

“H-Hey! I thought I was taking charge!”

“It’s all about giving and taking, I’m going to give a little back.”

Chun joins in on the action, pushing your hand away and latching her own palm onto Xenovia’s other breast. The punk girl cries out and squirms against your body as two people assault her at the same time. You’re surprised to see Chun doing the same as you. A sneaking suspicion is building that Mitsuru may have omitted some additional details about their preferences. Being okay with polygamy is one thing, but liking other women too is another.

Chun-Li smiles, “You have such a lovely pair of breasts, Xenovia. Very sensitive too.”

Xenovia is unwittingly grinding her body against your cock. Her body is the perfect mixture of firm and soft. You could spend all day feeling her up – but you know that Xenovia is looking for something more than horseplay. You begin to message her left nipple, feeling the pink bud hardening under your skilled fingers.

“I-I suppose that foreplay for the recipient is fine too,” she admits begrudgingly. Chun leans over to get a better angle, her other hand sliding down Xenovia’s well-toned abs and slipping a single finger into her slit. Being surrounded on both sides by explorative limbs is starting to drive Xenovia mad with lust. There’s nowhere for her to escape from you now. Her entire body strains in your grip as her back arches and forces Chun’s finger deeper.

“I’ve never slept with a man before,” Xenovia reveals, “Though I’m afraid that my maidenhead was broken years ago during my training. It was one of the few injuries I sustained.”

Chun-Li just giggles, “I don’t think he cares.”

You nod, “I did sleep with Rias’ mother already.”

Chun-Li gives you a dirty look; “Is that so?”

“Hey – she agreed to it!”

Her face softens a little at that, “It is rather unconventional, but I shall refrain from making overly quick judgements.”

Chun slips two more fingers into Xenovia’s folds and makes sure that she’s ready. Hearing Xenovia moaning huskily like this is really sexy. You could listen to it all day. Having someone else joining in is a lot more than you would have realised before. Though a few months ago the prospect of having a threesome was simply impossible. She finally releases Xenovia from her pleasurable torture and holds her fingers up to the light. She’s completely soaked up to her knuckles.

“I believe that our friend is ready,” she grins.

That’s all you need to hear. You push Xenovia further down your thighs and slip your hands under her legs, spreading them apart and exposing her body completely. Her cheeks flush a vibrant red as Chun-Li eye fucks her from across the mattress. She picks up on what you’re trying to do. Her hands go south and grip the upper half of your member, carefully guiding it until it rests against her vagina. She takes a deep breath and allows you to slowly pull her down onto it.

“Ah! Oh… that feels… strange.”

Fantasy has finally caught up with reality. Xenovia remains mostly silent, aside from exhaling through her nose, as she slowly works her way further down. The bottom of her legs meet your thighs a minute later – having successfully taken as much of it as she can in this position. Xenovia’s inner walls are extremely tight thanks to her intensive exercise regimen. You wrap your arms around her stomach and pull her back onto your chest again.

“How does that feel?” you ask.

“Full,” she states plainly.

“I’m going to start moving now.”

You start off slow to ease her into things, using her legs and arms to bounce her in your lap. It’s a gentler position than she may have been expecting. Chun watches on with interest, before spreading her own (very large) legs and playing with herself. She appears to have no issue in enjoying sleeping with another woman. Xenovia tenses up and tries to stop her voice from leaking out. It’s no use – before long soft moans begin to fill the hotel room as you thrust into her core again and again. Xenovia’s skin begins to perspire beneath your fingers, a heavy flow of sweat running down from her neck onto her chest and stomach.

She’s struck speechless, so a few minutes later you decide to up the tempo. Xenovia begins to release a series of odd, strained noises. You ignore them for the time being and continue regardless, hoping that she isn’t experiencing any major discomfort. Her body is a lot of fun to handle, and as always being able to enjoy intercourse with a beautiful lady feels fantastic too. You just hope that you don’t turn into someone who takes this privilege for granted.

That is before things come to a sudden and shocking end.

Xenovia reaches up and covers her mouth. Her entire body jolts upwards as her hips pump the air helplessly. A thick stream of feminine juices shoots outwards from where you’re connected and onto the bed below. You stop. Chun-Li stops. The room is silent aside from Xenovia’s heavy breathing. Her chest heaves beneath your left hand.

It’s only been two minutes and Xenovia has already climaxed everywhere.

Chun watches with wide eyes, “Could it be that…”

“You’re a lightweight?” you finish.

Xenovia gasps, “N-No, I’m not! You just took me by surprise, that’s all!” Her frantic denials do not have the intended effect. It’s plain to see that Xenovia didn’t last very long, and you aren’t egotistical enough to pretend that you’re a master of sex after such little experience.

“Uh, you know – there’s nothing wrong with being sensitive,” you add; trying to make it sound less confrontational.

Chun concurs, “I’m sure that he’s happy just to see you enjoying yourself.”

Xenovia isn’t going to take that for an answer, “This isn’t an orgasm. Y-You’ve never seen a real orgasm from me! Keep going! I’ll show you!” You bounce her up one more time, only for her to squeal and keel over in front of you like she’s suffering from a stomach bug. She’s still experiencing the aftershocks of the last one – no amount of pig-headed determination is going to win versus that.

Xenovia yells, “God above. Ow!”

And burns her devilish mouth in the process.

You extract your erection from her folds and settle her back down onto the bed. “Like I said, there’s nothing wrong with being sensitive. That just means that you get to enjoy it more.”

She shakes her head furiously, “If I can’t endure for long enough, how will you ever inseminate me?”

Now that you think about it – what you said was pretty rude. You put your hand on her shoulder and try to smooth things over, “I don’t mind, Xenovia. I know you’ve been waiting to do this for a long time, and things don’t always work out the way you want them to. I don’t think any less of you for orgasming too fast.”

“What would an optimal time to orgasm be?” she snaps back.

“I don’t know. Whatever you’re happy with.”

Xenovia closes her eyes and inhales, “If it really has come to this – then I must unleash my most dangerous technique.”

She scrambles over the side of the bed and to the pile of her discarded clothes. The gym bag that she had brought with her hadn’t elicited any curiosity before as you believed it only contained a water bottle. She unzips one of the pouches and cradles whatever she’s speaking of between her arms. She leaps back onto the bed and reveals it to you with haste.

It’s a turkey baster.

She smirks and wields it like a dagger, “Now, submit your genetic material to me!”

No, you don’t think you will.

Notes:

I don't know if I ever mentioned it here, but you can get 7 chapters early by supporting me on [REDACTED] at tier 2. It's in this link I keep spamming everywhere - https://deadwriteshin.carrd.co/

Hope you're enjoying the story! I'm trying to get back into the groove of erotic content because I've gotten extremely rusty at it, or maybe I'm just not in the right mindset.

Chapter 52: Meanwhile - Part 3

The turkey baster lies discarded after a short struggle between you and Xenovia. Xenovia has gone from denial, to shock, to bargaining, and now to being a hunched over mope in the middle of the bed. You plead with her, “You just need to cool down a little, Xenovia. I didn’t know how my first time in bed was going to go either.”

“That’s right,” Chun concurs, “Sometimes we betray our own expectations. There’s nothing wrong with… being enthusiastic.”

“I want to be a good Mother,” she reveals, “That’s all I want. But I can’t do it, can I?”

You pull her over and wrap your arms around her, “You can do it. Just not with a baster, please.”

You get the sense that this is a combination of different frustrations. You’ve done it yourself from time to time – hyping yourself up and believing that you have all the answers. Only then when you face the challenges you were excited for do you learn that things don’t always go your way. Her ego has been bruised because her core motivation is to be really good at sex. Climaxing quickly and tapping out is not something she wanted.

“This is usually something that men worry about,” you muse.

“If I fail to please you, how can I not be upset?” Xenovia asks, “I know it’s strange to hear it from me – but I love you just as much as the President does. I want you to have fun using my body. It’s something that I want to do for you. I know that you’re not upset, but…”

“I get it. It’s frustrating to not be ‘good’ at something you’re excited for.”

Chun-Li shuffles over and joins in on the embrace, “Do not grow discouraged. The strength of your heart is clear. The path will open to you if you dedicate yourself to this task.” It’s a very moving and poignant thing to say, except when used in the context of sex.

“I’m… still not ready to try again.”

You nod, “That’s okay. How about this? Sit back and relax a little, me and Chun-Li can do something, and you can choose what you’d like to do.” Xenovia perks up a little and agrees. She wriggles free of your three-way hug and leans back to observe. The mood is a little strange, but the combined sexiness of two strong women is enough to counterbalance things.

Chun-Li opts for something simple. She gets onto her back and spreads her legs, inviting you into her pussy with little fanfare. She closes her eyes and lets out a sweet moan as you slide into her. Xenovia relocates herself to the head of the bed and looks down on her from above. The bed starts to creak anew as you push yourself in and out of Chun-Li’s extremely hot core. Seeing her abs tense every time your hips meet is entrancing; Chun has a six-pack hidden beneath there.

It’s a little awkward having Xenovia sit back and observe without being an active party. Whenever you get together with Akeno and Rias, they work together like a well-oiled machine. Touching, kissing, grinding, they don’t let a second be wasted through embarrassment. Her hand hovers over one of Chun’s breasts, silently asking for permission to touch her body.

“G-Go ahead, Xenovia,” Chun gasps. Xenovia does not possess the same thirst that Akeno does in bed. Her touch is gentle, more out of a sense of curiosity than anything else. She kneads both orbs from above as you continue to drive yourself into her tight slit. Things continue as such for several minutes as your hips really start to ache from the strain.

Seeing Chun-Li writhe beneath you is exciting. Her body is wonderful, it’s hard to believe that she’s in her early fifties. Perhaps under closer inspection you could find the occasional wrinkle, but you have little interest in litigating something like that. All you know is that she’s a wonderful partner to have in bed. You push yourself up and lift her lower body from the bed. She screws her eyes shut and cries out in orgasmic bliss as she finally tumbles over the edge.

You grunt heavily and will yourself to an end as well. Chun-Li moans happily as you plant yourself as deep as possible and unload yourself into her pussy. Your breath condenses as the temperature in the room rises rapidly. Beads of sweat dribble down from your chest onto her prone body. Chun-Li lays back and spreads out, enjoying the afterglow.

Xenovia smiles, “You look very beautiful like that.” There’s a sense that Xenovia wishes she were the same way. She lays down next to her and pulls her upper body into an embrace, her other hand slipping around her back and clutching the side of her boob. Chun-Li doesn’t protest the girl-on-girl attention.

Mitsuru definitely obscured some details about their preferences from you, but if multi-person engagements are going to be the norm, liking both men and women will make things easier for you. Just how specific are these damn universes anyway? A world without canonical romances, where everyone is okay with being in a harem and bisexual.

“That felt wonderful,” Chun grins. She looks to Xenovia and offers some advice, “Don’t worry about enjoying yourself Xenovia. This is no competition. The only danger we face is his ego growing too large after pleasing you so much.”

“I’d still like to endure for longer,” Xenovia responds.

Seeing them getting up close and personal has made you hard again. You reach down and pull Xenovia away from her new body-pillow. You pull her onto your lap and hang your legs off of the edge of the bed, face to face. This seated position should be a good change of pace from missionary and doggy style. Xenovia’s face is red – especially as she feels your hardness pressing into her pubic area. It is impossible to keep your hands from travelling down her back and feeling up her butt. Xenovia has deadly curves.

She presses her boobs into your chest and adjusts herself so that she can slide down onto your shaft for a second time. She immediately tries to close her eyes and hold her nerve, though from experience it doesn’t tend to work all that well. Even as you start to slowly grind into her, Xenovia can’t stop herself from moaning into your ear. Her nails dig into the skin on your back as you pull her as close to your body as possible.

You try to calm Xenovia’s performance anxiety by kissing her on the neck, and then her lips. She moans back into your mouth as you slowly start to pick up the pace, forcing her up and down in your lap. It’s a much calmer and more intimate position than the first one. Chun-Li finally gathers the energy to slip onto your right side and start getting some payback by playing with Xenovia’s body.

What really stuns you is when Xenovia pulls away from your kiss, only to immediately and aggressively be pulled into another by Chun.  Chun doesn’t do half-measures. Xenovia is nearly forced back from the intense lip lock occurring before your eyes. Tongues duelling, spit swapping, this is a full, deep kiss. Three writhing, sweaty bodies all struggling for control.

Chun is eager to share the joy with you as well. When Xenovia is desperately trying to regain a normal pace of breathing, she turns to you and does the same. Your body is pulled backwards as she wraps one of her legs around the base of your spine. It’s information overload for your poor brain, being sandwiched between two gorgeous women while having sex with one of them. A needy Xenovia is quick to lean in and steal your lips for herself as Chun finally pushes away. It seems that Chun’s actions have lit a competitive spark in her.

“It feels good,” she pants, “You’re so deep inside of me!”

“I’m going to cum, Xenovia!”

You really mean it. You don’t know how close Xenovia is to finishing, but her and Chun have conspired to drive you crazy with their actions. You press down on her butt even harder and push yourself as deep as you can go, groaning in pleasurable agony as you feel several strands of seed escape from your shaft and into her womb. That’s enough to make the baby-crazy girl join you in orgasmic bliss. She shudders violently in your arms as she wets your legs and member with her juices.

It’s a much more understated affair versus the last one. That’s what you intended to do from the start. Making a show of it had clearly gotten to Xenovia. You want to show her that sex can be slow and just as enjoyable. “Did… Did I make you cum?” Xenovia asks with wide eyes.

“See? It wasn’t that hard.”

There’s more shuffling as you climb back onto the bed fully. Xenovia leans back on the bed with her legs splayed, a momentary flash of red from her pubic area catches your eye. A crest that looks very similar to the one Rias uses to use her magic appears, before disappearing again.

“What was that?” you ask.

She rolls her eyes and explains, “Rias cast a contraceptive spell on me – because she thought that I’d try to have a child with you before her.” You can understand Rias’ scepticism. Xenovia doesn’t strike you as the type with the self-control to say no.

“And you agreed to that?”

“She’s the boss. And I am a member of her peerage. My personal disagreements are subject to her decisions.”

You find a comfortable spot at the head of the bed and lay down. Chun and Xenovia move over and claim one arm each, snuggling close and taking a second to come back down to earth. You still feel like going for a little longer – but you have a lot of time left in the room before you have to leave. A lot of crazy things just happened.

“You feel better now?”

Xenovia pouts, “Somewhat.”

Chun laughs, “I hope it was everything you were expecting.”

“It was good. It could be even better if I hone my skills.”

“If you’re really concerned about it, ask Rias and Akeno for some help. They’ll be happy to teach you some tricks,” you say. No doubt that those two perverts will turn her into a sex machine within weeks of being asked. “But to be honest, I don’t think you need to. Exploring this kind of thing at your own pace is part of the fun.”

Xenovia hums, “Then more experimentation is required. Next – I want to practise ‘dirty talk,’ I’ve read that commentary about creating babies increases the intensity of sexual contact.”

“You already have enough practice with that kind of thing…”

Xenovia is hungry for more, her hand reaches down and strokes your stiffening prick back to hardness. A leg is slung over your waist, and the punk girl stares down at you from above with a ravenous smile. It looks like that crisis of confidence is over already. You entertain Chun and Xenovia for a few more hours until your booking ends, testing out some more positions, and especially ones that can be done with three people. By the end you’re thoroughly worn out, even more than when you completed Chun’s training routine.

Is it bad that threesomes with hot women are starting to feel normal?

Chapter 53: Rias and Mitsuru's Excellent Adventure - Part 3

“You know, sneaking around with you makes me look like a middle schooler…”

Mitsuru couldn’t stop herself from commenting. Rias was so much taller, bustier and curvier than she was – and Mitsuru was confident that Rias was younger than her as well. What kind of bad deeds had she committed in a past life to deserve this kind of body? She was endeavouring to advance the human race and save billions of lives; the least reality could do was give her a few extra inches for the effort! The fact that Rias came from an ecchi anime franchise where everyone was stacked was lost in the noise.

“People come in all shapes and sizes. You have… a unique appeal. He’s already surrounded by women with big boobs. Take advantage while you have the chance.”

“Ugh. I don’t want to hear that from a boobzilla like you!”

Rias frowned and covered her chest self-consciously, “A… boobzilla?”

The reason why Rias and Mitsuru had found themselves talking about this again was evident. The man who they had decided to shadow around the city had as of yet, done nothing of note. Mitsuru was more convinced than ever that he was an alien in disguise – so why did he continue to wander around like a lost child?

“A-Are you certain that this is him?”

Mitsuru nodded, “Look, I even went back into the security footage archive and pulled an image of him. Is it not the same person?” She held up her phone to Rias’ face, exposing the exact similarities between their features. “Them having the ability to put a human disguise on isn’t surprising. Infiltration techniques like this could be used to establish conditions for a full-scale invasion.”

“So why didn’t they do this before they arrived?”

That was something that Mitsuru didn’t have an answer for. She recalled the first attack by the aliens, how they launched an attack drone right into her own backyard. They knew something – and Mitsuru was starting to suspect that they had a good idea of who the main threat to their plans really were. They didn’t need to subvert governments, police or military; they needed to get rid of you. Did they know that this was going to happen?

Mitsuru couldn’t remember his name, but the spy was one of the two commanders who had attacked previously. He stopped outside of an electronics store and observed the products through the front window for several minutes in an attempt to blend in. It was very clear to a casual observer that he was trying to do something suspicious. Most people just walked to their preferred destination without stopping.

“Watching this moron is starting to piss me off,” Mitsuru griped.

Once he was sure that nobody was watching (incorrectly,) he moved behind the building and through the alleyway. Judging by the way he was looking at one of the junction boxes for the building – Mitsuru knew that he was going to do something. He tore the metal padlock away from the grey contained and ragged the door open. Then, he retrieved a small device from his pocket and slipped it inside.

“He’s doing something,” Mitsuru whispered back to Rias.

But that was all he intended to do. Happy with the job, he dusted off his hands, slammed the door shut, and continued on his merry way. Mitsuru acted quickly. She drew a small 3D printed pistol from her pocket and aimed it at his back. With a pull of the trigger a small tracking device flew from the barrel and latched onto his clothes for later. The computer system at the lab would compile his movements for her. He didn’t even notice it landing on him.

“What was that?”

Mitsuru smirked, “Tracking device. I want to investigate what he did – so we can’t follow him without splitting up. I can check the data later and see if he did the same to any other buildings.” Mitsuru waited until he was out of sight before moving up to the box. She opened the door, revealing a strange, spider-like device with a fluctuating graph on a miniature screen. It had been hooked on to the wires that managed the internet and phone service.

Mitsuru flipped open a scanning tool and projected a field over the top of it. It was a good thing that she never left the garage without her experimental field devices. They’d prove invaluable in gathering information on their plan. An internal schematic was soon generated that tracked the wires and resistors inside, as well as the frequencies being emitted.

“It’s a monitoring hotspot. It’s transmitting a frankly absurd amount of raw data up into the atmosphere. I can’t begin to imagine the type of processor you’d need to make sense of this.”

“Can’t we just remove it?”

“It also contains a quantity of plastic explosive. Enough to kill anyone meddling with it. It triggers when the legs are released without the proper key. Luckily, it doesn’t contain any other capture equipment. They don’t know that we’re here.”

Rias crossed her arms, “I could use my magic to protect us. I don’t think it could break through my barrier.”

Mitsuru shook her head, “I’d rather take it intact. Whatever transmission system they’re using is very powerful – if I could reverse engineer it for our own equipment…”

“And it’ll help us find out if they’ve planted more of them,” Rias added.

“Exactly. Though that’s a secondary concern, my current sensors could easily find these with how much noise they’re dumping into the spectrum.” Mitsuru tapped some buttons on her tablet and brought up the controls for her sensor array. She tuned it to the right signal, and watched with a worried frown as several matching splotches of interference appeared around the city. “Ugh, he planted eight of them.”

Rias didn’t know what to do. Technology wasn’t her strong suit. Mitsuru took a moment to clean her glasses and kneeled down with her back to the wall. “I’ll contact the police and make sure that they cordon these things off. If someone touches them without knowing about the explosive protection, they’ll be as good as dead.”

Just as soon as her VPN network booted up, anyway. Mitsuru was practically salivating at the prospect of ripping the latched device to pieces and studying what was inside. Hyper advanced, cross-dimensional computer components were almost enough to make her go white in the face. Never again would she have to make do with just the best processors, solid state drives and GPUS. Simulating and compiling code would go from arduous and in some cases impossible, to a breeze that she could do in an afternoon.

You certainly didn’t know just how long it took to invent these things. Initial simulation runs of the Sledgehammer’s warp relay system took weeks, crawling along and making her poor computer cry in agony. Everything only escalated in complexity from there. If something went wrong, that meant that she had to go back and simulate the entire thing from the beginning. If not for the intervention of your ‘son,’ designing the mantle system would have been unfeasible.

While the call was going out to the police, the rest of her attention was focused on studying the bomb in more detail. It had several other rudimentary protections. It couldn’t be shorted from the outside with an electric pulse, pulling it away from the wires would break the circuit and trigger the explosive. It was designed to prevent meddlers like her from getting inside. There were no visible screws or access points on the outside casing. The legs were held in place by a strong hydraulic system.

“What the hell are they using all of this data for?”

Rias shrugged, “Spying on humanity?”

“They’d hardly have need of a crude thing like this for that. If they have human disguises all they’d need to do it walk around. Breaking into an encrypted system with their technology is probably a cinch too.” After all – they did crack her security and copy the Sledgehammer. Mitsuru intended to improve her systems so that it couldn’t happen again.

Mitsuru knew one thing for sure, she couldn’t crack the defences on the bomb with what she had on hand. She’d need to head back to the garage and put together a proper response. She stood back up and turned to Rias, who was still carrying their collective shopping on her forearms.

“Can you teleport us back? Make sure to remember this spot.”

“Of course. Stick close to me.”

Mitsuru stepped into the magic circle. Rias took in her surroundings and left a ‘bookmark’ for later. They’d need to get back and defuse it once she was done. The pair sank down into the ground and re-emerged within the confines of the industrial compound. Mitsuru immediately set about collecting all of the tools and pieces she needed to build her counter. Rias wandered over into the empty office room and left their clothes on the table for later.

It only took her a few seconds to do, but by the time Rias had gotten back onto the main floor, Mitsuru was already leg deep in designing and building something. Rias had no earthly idea what it was or how it was going to work – but Mitsuru was a bonafide genius. Whatever she created would do the job.

“I do wish he’d summon some more engineering help. I’ll have to force him to press some new cards…”

Rias frowned, “Even if it means more competition?”

Mitsuru rolled her eyes; “I don’t imagine there’s a limit to the number of women he’s willing to rendezvous with. He’s a shameless man, through and through. We used to watch harem anime together when our parents weren’t home. Who does that?”

Rias blushed, “I may have indulged in one or two myself.” It only happened because your anime went on a break so the manga could produce more chapters. Rias’ withdrawal symptoms were so strong that she desperately scoured the web for something to fill the void. None of them captured her heart like your series did. The romance elements were rather shallow and the crossover appeal was lacking.

Mitsuru continued to work at pace while speaking, “Yes, but a boy doing it with a girl – it’s weird. Your series was one of the first we consumed. A pioneer in perverted, wish-fulfilment storytelling.”

“And what did you think of it?” Rias asked. She found herself hoping that her show was as good as yours was.

“It was a… mixed bag. But I always respected you the most out of all of the cast members.”

“Respected?”

“You’re competent, powerful and confident. A leader. Unless we’re talking about your arc in the third season, which I thought was pushing things a little. Though this is a version of you that doesn’t come from a world where polyamorous relationships are normal.”

“They’re only normal for devils,” Rias reminded her, “Greed is a cardinal sin, and it acts as an affront to the authority of the church.”

“The point is! I saw the best version of you.”

Rias moved over and sat on one of the stools around the workbench, “To be truthful, I had my share of doubts before I was summoned here. Mother was insistent that I marry myself into another family – of course, a lot of things have changed since then. Now that she approves of my new fiancé, those dreadful marriage meetings are done with.”

Mitsuru was quick to joke, “Yes, all you have to worry about now is walking down the aisle with her.”

Rias blushed, “W-Well, it’s a great honour to share something like this with my mother. You’ll be surprised to find that many devil clans have arranged betrothals like this. With sisters and aunts, usually – women who have already given birth tend to be passed over.”

Rias knew just how unprecedented it was. Her initial reaction was one of shock, but the more she spent time with you and Venelana, the more she realised that it was actually very nice. Rias hadn’t seen her mother in such a good mood for a long time. A new love had reignited some of the passion that she once had. Devils didn’t have as many qualms about things like this as humans did. There were always devils pushing the boundaries of mortal taste. Rias recalled that one of her peers from the younger generation had married the same man as her sister.

Mitsuru was already half-done with her new invention. A prying tool that could supply a flow of electricity to the circuit, and prevent the explosives from detonating. “Speaking of Venelana, she’s a terrible flirt, isn’t she? Every time we have a business meeting she keeps hinting that I should become one of his wives too.”

Rias giggled, “That’s how you know she’s in a good mood. Her generous side comes out.”

“I don’t think she knows the meaning of the word. She’s ruthless. I’ve never seen someone play hardball like she does. Thanks to her, we bought this industrial estate at a steep discount.”

“Business is one thing, but she never fails her family or friends. In fact, she took in Grayfia as a member of her peerage. Not many clan mothers would be willing to spend such an important evil piece on their daughter in law, even if she is a skilled fighter herself.”

“Oh, I suppose she’ll be joining in next. He did just buy a big mansion that could do with a skilled maid.”

“That he did,” Rias pondered.

She didn’t know how attached you were to Grayfia, and given the sheer number of girls already spinning at all time, surely, he’d refrain from adding even more. Which was exactly why her line of thinking was incorrect. You didn’t care. It was difficult, but the snowball effect of dating so many different women from anime and games wasn’t done just yet. Things were going to get even crazier in due course.

Rias had no idea what she was in for.

Chapter 54: Rias and Mitsuru's Excellent Adventure - Part 4

Your heart nearly leapt out of your throat when Mitsuru called you on the emergency line. It was a good thing that you were already on your way back from the jog, and the stay in the dingy hotel that Xenovia became obsessed with. In the end she had a lot of fun. Getting over her quick first time wasn’t much effort. She had completely forgotten about it by the time you decided to call it a day and clean up. When you walk through the door and into the lab, Rias is already waiting with a pensive expression. Mitsuru, as usual, is busying herself with a new gadget.

“What’s going on? Did they launch an attack?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Mitsuru explains. “One of their number, disguised as a human, has been planting monitoring devices on infrastructure around the city. If someone foolishly tries to remove them, they’ll explode. Whatever it is they want the data for, it can’t be good.” She finally looks up from her work and comes face to face with the three of you. Mitsuru’s eyes narrow, and she gives you the dirtiest of dirty looks; Her eyes flickering between you, Chun and Xenovia as if to imply something untoward.

You shrug, “What’s with the look? Xenovia wanted to join in on the training.”

“I highly doubt that description of events,” Mitsuru states, “It’s statistically more likely that you were completely unable to keep it in your pants.”

She’s right, but you don’t want to admit to doing that in front of your friend. You decide that it’ll be easier to plead ignorance and move on. Nothing good ever comes from worrying about other people’s love lives all the time. You shake your head, “No, we went and did some exercise together. Jogging in the park, stretches, that kind of thing.”

Xenovia nods; “Yes, and then we had sex.”

Why did you know she was going to say that? Privacy is so, so hard to get when Xenovia is around. Rias just laughs it off with a smile, but Mitsuru is clearly more put off by the frank admission that you were having sex with Xenovia and Chun-Li an hour ago. Xenovia is so earnest and confident in saying it that she doesn’t even realise she has done something wrong until you pull on her shoulder and give her a disappointed dad-face.

“Well, that’s lovely,” Mitsuru says, “Please refrain from informing me in the future, Xenovia.”

Xenovia bows, “Apologies.”

“Never mind that,” you interject, “What are we gonna’ do about these bombs?”

“I’m already printing copies of this for you downstairs. They should be here any second. Once they’re both calibrated and tested, we’ll need to split up, find them, and defuse them before a hapless bystander tries their luck and loses their fingers.”

That’s not a pretty image. These aliens are a real bunch of assholes. Mitsuru brings out her phone and forwards a map to everyone in the room. The marks are scattered through various business areas around the city. It would be a serious issue if they disabled their access to power and communications. But it’d be easier to do that than attach bombs to them – it’s clear they’re trying to gather information.

“I contacted the police and informed them of the situation to make sure nobody gets hurt. You may have to disguise yourself or sneak around the cordons.”

That’s going to be tricky. The last thing you want is to get identified by the authorities with an unregistered gun in hand. What will their reaction be if a total stranger walks up to one of those bombs? You should have summoned a girl that can turn invisible, but it’s too late to fix that now. You can’t even think of one on the spot like this. The extent of the changes to Mitsuru’s lab is made apparent as a small gap on the table behind her opens and elevates a small metal tray into view.

“Ah, there it is!”

She retrieves the copies of her defusal device and lays them out on the table, conducting a series of short tests with a shoddily built electrical circuit to make sure that they work. Mitsuru must have hooked up an automated printing system to put these together. She doesn’t even need to head downstairs into the basement backrooms to get them. Nice to see that she’s putting that hard-earned toy money to practical use.

An idea springs up in your head, “Wait, couldn’t we teleport to each explosive? Then we wouldn’t need to worry about the police.”

Rias shakes her head, “Teleporting to and from a location takes a huge amount of magical energy, I’m afraid. If I do any more than bringing us here and taking us back – I won’t be able to defend myself effectively. Something we are taught to never do.”

“Xenovia?”

She is also pessimistic, “I’m afraid I have not yet learned this particular skill. We will have to do this the hard way. Flying above the cordons using our wings should make this easier for us.”

Rias agrees, “That’s right. Leave some of those bombs to us.”

“Well, I’d feel better if you stuck with Mitsuru,” you say, “Maybe we should summon someone to come and help.” You reach into your back pocket and withdraw your deck of cards. Akeno, Asia, Koneko, Venelana, Motoko, Chun-Li and Lala. There’s one name and face that jumps out at you as the most experienced with this kind of thing.

“MOTOKO KUSANAGI! SHATTERING!”

Motoko appears in her trademark 2 nd Gig purple jacket, leotard and white pants. You do wonder how many different outfits she has stashed away in her apartment. It doesn’t take long for her to realise what’s going on. She smirks and puts her hands on her hips, “Let me guess, you need me for something?”

You bow your head apologetically, “Sorry about the call on short notice.”

Mitsuru walks over and shoves one of the devices into your hands; “The enemy has planted a series of monitoring devices slash bombs around the city. If we don’t act quickly, someone is going to try and remove them and die in the explosion. And since you insist on me having an escort…”

Motoko’s phone pings as the map is shared with hers over the private network. She accepts one of the defusal kits and checks the locations. Mitsuru pulls out her own phone and separates the bombs into four different coloured areas. One for you, one for Xenovia, one for Motoko, and one for her and Rias. Rias glances at Mitsuru with a sly smile. Have they been talking about something behind your back? Mitsuru’s expression is unreadable. You don’t know if she’s pissed off or happy about your well-meaning concern.

Motoko studies the hastily-constructed defusing device with a frown. Maybe those stray green and red wires are making her doubt the capability of its build and features. Mitsuru doesn’t have time to make it look pretty. It has to do the job and do it quickly. She refrains from complaining and studies her route. She’ll have to ride in on the bike with you, Rias and Mitsuru can teleport, and Xenovia will fly over using her wings.

Mitsuru finishes off by placing a set of canvas bags onto the table, “Once you’ve disconnected the bombs and shorted them, put them in these bags. I’ll need to study them later.”

You laugh, “I don’t think that the police will like us stealing explosives from under their noses.”

She shrugs, “If they have a problem with it, they should disarm them before us.”

‘Finders keepers’ is not something generally applied to an attempted terror bombing, but Mitsuru does work on a different level to everyone else. Everyone is resolute in doing their part to avert bystanders from getting hurt, so you grab your stuff and head over to the bike – while Xenovia heads out of the front door.

“Stay safe!”

Mitsuru nods as Rias’ magic circle drags them back underground. She’s going to have a head start on dealing with this. Motoko takes one of the spare motorcycle helmets from beneath the table. You swing your leg over the top and identify yourself with the system, revving the engine back to life. The roar of this thing always sends a shiver down your spine. Mitsuru wasn’t joking when she said she tuned this thing up. You can hear it coming from across the city.

Motoko climbs on behind you and wraps her arms around your stomach with some serious force. You’re certain that she could keep hold of the bike just using her legs, but she’s getting touchy-feely since you decided to make this relationship official. You have no doubt that she can handle this. Transforming into your suit, you hit the throttle and shoot out of the garage door and into the main yard. You navigate around some of the leftover junk and out onto the main road.

You already know where your first target is. The traffic is already being redirected away from the affected areas by the police, but you blow right through their roadblock and into the nearest business centre. There are dozens of police cars and vans parked around the area. They pay surprisingly little mind to the transformed man and his hanger-on blasting through their carefully arranged perimeter.

At least not until you get close to the target. Motoko leaps off of the bike and runs over before they can stop her. You don’t have time to stop and see if the thing works, you keep on driving to the next. Your HUD displays the location of Motoko and all of the other bombs. That way you can co-ordinate who defuses what without having to say a word. The lack of an explosion tells you that the plan worked. Motoko’s location begins moving quickly to the next. As a cyborg, she’s too agile and strong for any of the policemen to catch her. Even if they do lay a hand on her, she’ll make quick work of them using her CQC skills.

But when it comes time to do the next bomb on your own, there’s still a bit of fear in your chest. Bless Mitsuru for all of the things she does, but you’ve seen some of her work fail before. No number of computer simulations can avoid that. Failing that, you hope that her and Lala’s work on the armour is good enough to stand up to a close-range blast. The police haven’t gotten to this one yet, going with a wider reaching containment and evacuation strategy. You leap off of your bike and run up to the electrical box.

The strange, spider-like device looks like something they’d use. You swallow your fear and slip Mitsuru’s box over the top, touching the exposed metal to the wires that form the internal circuit. With a push of the button, a magnetic force tugs on the outer casing while an electrical charge begins to be pushed through. You pull the bomb away and breathe a deep sigh of relief as it doesn’t detonate in your hands. Into the old canvas bag it goes. Hopefully Mitsuru can refine the concept using the leftover pieces.

The police finally catch on to the fact that someone is messing with their operation. A gang of four appear at the other end of the side street and demand that you stop. You ignore them and hop back onto the bike, taking off before they can do anything. You hope that the others are being careful – flying would be a very useful ability to have right now! Motoko has already dispensed of another. The dots on your map are disappearing at a rapid clip. But you know that it isn’t going to be that easy. The invaders are watching their precious stream of data being disabled in real time. They’ll send a drone or some soldiers to try and stop you.

Rias is going to have a lot on her plate.

Chapter 55: Rias and Mitsuru's Excellent Adventure - Part 5

Mitsuru and Rias were making short work of their area. The devil’s wings and protective magic prevented anyone from getting close while Mitsuru defused each device in turn, eagerly pocketing them for later study. Her mind raced with possibility. If these contained even rudimentary technology from the invader’s world, she could easily integrate it into her own systems and transform her ability to develop and simulate new equipment practically overnight. It could even pose a solution to the quandary she had faced in developing the permanent doorways that would remove the limit on the number of people who could come through from other worlds.

“We’d better hurry. I think the police are coming.”

Mitsuru removed the next bomb and smuggled it into her bag. With that done, they spilled outwards onto the main avenue, carefully avoiding the areas where the police had deployed to protect the sites. Your explosive entrance a few blocks away had sent them scrambling to respond, leaving gaps for her and Rias to exploit.

“You have a big smile on your face, Mitsuru.”

“I’m thinking of all the things I can do with these components. I can’t wait to crack them open!”

“Just remember to disarm the explosives first, please.”

Rias felt something. She wasn’t certain of what it was – but years of learning how to fight had given her a sixth sense for this sort of thing. Thinking quickly, she tucked her wings close to her body and dived through the air with Mitsuru in her arms. The trajectory with which they were travelling a few seconds ago was struck by a precise beam of energy just moments later.

“W-What are you doing?” Mitsuru cried as her stomach did a somersault. The fact that they were under attack didn’t occur to her. Rias covered as much of her body as possible, smushing Mitsuru’s face deep into her DD bosom. Landing on the ground, Rias swivelled on her heel to face the attacker. It was Sundar – back to cause trouble again. Mitsuru ducked for cover, peering over the edge of a concrete tree planter.

“You again!” she cried.

Sundar sighed, “I had hoped that none of you would have dared interfere in our plan – but it seems that was too much to ask.”

“Of course it is! I’m not going to let you kill someone with these things!” Mitsuru yelled back.

Sundar shrugged, “But I guess this is what they call a happy coincidence, huh? The Doctor’s been running himself overtime trying to figure out how to stop you. But here you are, in the flesh! Meddling with my plan – with one of those damned devils by your side. I was already planning on killing you, but you just made my job so much easier.”

Another blast of energy shot from his outstretched palm, only to be blocked by one of Rias’ magical vigils. She scowled and stepped in front of Mitsuru, “Don’t forget about me. I’m not going to make this easy for you.”

“One devil isn’t enough to beat me,” Sundar boasted, “Even the ruin princess herself. I’m not a bumbling moron like some of my other compatriots.”

Mitsuru yelled, “Rias, don’t do anything reckless for my sake!”

Rias was already resolute in her decision though. The gauntlet had been thrown down, and she was faced with a difficult situation. On her honour as the future head of the Gremory clan, she couldn’t simply abandon a friend like Mitsuru. She’d protect her or die trying, after all, Mitsuru was the one who introduced her to her fiancé. That was a debt that would take a lot of time to repay and Rias intended to fulfil every bit of their informal contract.

Even more than that – Mitsuru needed to live long enough to tell you how she really felt. There was nothing sadder to Rias than an unrequited love. A world where people only choose one partner was foreign to her, a social expectation that seemingly only existed to make people unhappy. Why not have multiple lovers if you were mature enough to handle it? It didn’t make any sense.

Rias mustered the ruinous magical energy that flowed through her body and fired a bolt of red-black lightning at the invader. Sundar tanked the blow without moving or making any effort to defend. A dust covered form glided down to the ground, and as the dust settled it was clear that he had only suffered minor cosmetic injuries for the hubris. He laughed and dusted off his collar, “Is that all? I haven’t even gotten serious yet.”

Rias growled, “Neither have I.”

Mitsuru squealed and hid behind the barrier as even more dark energy surged forth from within Rias’ body, indiscriminately shattering windows and scorching whatever was unfortunate enough to be within its path. Rias had held back on her previous assault, to give him a chance to turn and run away – but it was clear he had genuine murderous intent. She had to take this seriously, or Mitsuru would be in real danger. He motioned to himself as if to invite yet another front-facing assault.

Rias was too polite to turn down such an invitation. She lifted her left arm up into the air and summoned an amplification circle in front of her body. Both arms came together and pointed at Sundar, the surrounding energy being pulled back in and forming a violent whirlpool in the air. Rias concentrated everything she had on a precise and extremely destructive attack. She didn’t hesitate to unleash it.

The stone and brick beneath were torn away from the ground, being flung upwards as a set of deadly projectiles. The sound was deafening! Mitsuru covered her ears as a terrible rumble rang out through the district. For a brief second as the large beam of black energy surged towards him, Sundar believed that he may have made a miscalculation. He was forced to quickly bring up his defensive shield system lest he be blown away.

The beam passed over him and completely engulfed his body. The HUD installed into his left eye displayed a worrying drainage rate for his personal shield. Tick by tick, he could feel the heat and energy growing more intense. His heart pounded as he counted down the seconds until it would break, and break it did. Just as Rias finally ran out of energy - it shattered and exposed him to the full brunt of her magic. It was only momentary, but it hurt.

Sundar staggered back. His body was covered in sooty burns, and the armour he wore glowed red hot from the heat of Rias’ attack. “Ah! What an embarrassing miscalculation,” he griped, “I took you too lightly. That was a real attack, huh? Trying to kill little old me?”

“You’re threatening to kill Mitsuru – don’t get upset when I respond appropriately.”

“Heh! All this for her? You don’t know the first thing about that girl. If you did, you wouldn’t be so eager to defend her.”

“Oh? And I suppose that you do?”

“More than the likes of you could hope to understand. But it would be a waste of time to share it with you. She’s already bought your loyalty, hasn’t she? It doesn’t matter what evidence goes contrary to your image of her!”

Rias fluffed out her hair, “Why would I believe a bastard like you? Stop talking and start fighting.”

Sundar’s frown grew even more furrowed. He snapped his fingers and teleported in front of Rias so quickly that she didn’t have time to react. She felt her feet leave the floor as she was flung several feet into the air by a nasty gut punch. She flared her wings and corrected herself, coming back down at him with several smaller bolts of magic. He dodged most of them, taking a glancing blow against his left arm due to their number.

Again, he teleported in to close the gap and punished Rias with a roundhouse kick. Rias’ wings couldn’t correct her momentum this time, and she found herself flying through the glass window of a nearby office building. Sundar neglected to attack Mitsuru now that she was gone, instead choosing to chase Rias and finish her off. It wasn’t like Mitsuru could get away with those stubby legs of hers.

“I guess I underestimated you, ruin princess! But it still isn’t good enough. You know, people who make me put in a lot of effort really piss me off. You just come out here and get slaughtered, and I’ll consider making it quick!”

Rias did not consider that a tempting offer. She had used so much of her magic teleporting back to the district, and even more of it attempting to blow her foe away. She could only keep this up for so long before her defences failed her. He held all the cards, he could even go back and threaten Mitsuru to force her into an awkward position. She couldn’t keep hiding to recover her strength. That meant that the only option was to go on the offensive!

Rias condensed the power of destruction into the palm of her hand and swept outwards from her hiding place, pointing the continuous stream of small, baseball sized shots into Sundar’s back. Each explosion only further his confusion and ate away at the surrounding area, destroying the floor and ceiling completely. Sundar moved away and scrambled for his own hiding spot lest one of them hit him directly. Sundar laughed deliriously, “Haha! This black crap is eating straight through my armour! I guess he picked you for a good reason, and not just those stupid boobs of yours!”

Sundar looked down at his chest and winced at the large hole that her power had chewed through his second layer of physical armour. Not only could it knock out his shields in a second flat, but it annihilated whatever it touched on a molecular level. One wrong move could be the end of him. His pride wouldn’t allow him to be beaten by some two-bit bitch summoned by a human.

It was a good thing that the Doctor had prepared him for this kind of battle. He needed to switch strategies. Rias was trying to protect her fleshly, unpowered summoner – so that meant if he could get outside and reach her… Rias’ heart skipped a beat as she saw Sundar running to the shattered windows. He was trying to get away!

“Stay right there!” she demanded, sprouting her wings and flying after him. He was already bearing down on the wide-eyed scientist. Rias didn’t have time to think. She dived towards them and put her own body between her and Mitsuru. The barrier she erected was too weak, she immediately felt it beginning to crack under the strain as another energy attack tried to force its way through. If it hit Mitsuru, she would almost certainly be killed. Rias hunkered down and refused to move, no matter what the consequence may have been.

Crack!

All at once the shield gave way. Rias covered Mitsuru with her body as a violent explosion ripped through the area and engulfed them in a cloud of smoke. Sundar gloated happily from atop the planter – believing that both women had been killed in one stroke. That was until he saw a pair of figures staggering into a nearby building through the cloud of rubble.

“You can’t get away from me!”

Mitsuru was in a blind panic. Rias was injured badly by the last attack, and her magical power was being constantly drained by Sundar’s assault. There was blood all over her lab coat, the foolish girl had decided to take the full strength of his attack, and for what? To protect her?  She found a hidden nook amongst the building’s tall shelves and stacked wooden boxes, laying Rias down so that she could rest for a moment.

“What the hell are we going to do now?” Mitsuru despaired. She couldn’t fight like Rias could, and you were the one with the Sledgehammer. Summoning someone else would mean having to compromise with one of the defusal teams. Mitsuru was not willing to risk other people's lives for the sake of her own.

Rias spat the blood from her mouth onto the floor, “Give me a second, Mitsuru… just give me a second.”

“Why did you do that? Stupid!”

Rias smiled, “Because you’re my friend.”

Everything stopped.

Mitsuru repeated the statement in her mind; “I’m your… friend?”

Chapter 56: Rias and Mitsuru's Excellent Adventure - Part 6

“Me? Your friend?” Mitsuru repeated, incredulous. That was illogical. It just didn’t make any sense. Mitsuru did nothing but burrow herself away inside of her laboratory, making inventions. Rias had spent almost all of her time with you. Going on dates, introducing you to her peerage – hell, even Venelana couldn’t stop herself from talking about her hopes for a long and fruitful relationship with you. “We barely know each other.”

Rias struggled to talk through her injuries, “I know enough. I know that you and me are similar in a lot of ways that you don’t appreciate.”

“You’re just saying that,” Mitsuru fretted. She didn’t have enough tissues to wipe away some of the blood.

“It’s hard to put into words just how grateful I am to you, Mitsuru-chan. I really love him. From the first second that we spent together – I knew that there was no way I could resist being his. You’re the reason that I got to experience this, to meet someone that I want to spend the rest of eternity with.”

“I know! But…”

“Everyone else feels the same way. You’re amazing, and generous, and you do all of these things for other people without expecting anything in return. You’re a hero…” Rias was short of breath, each statement emerging between desperate gasps of air. “…I can’t offer you anything but my friendship. But I started thinking that maybe I could do something else. The reason I wanted to go shopping with you was so that you could be honest with your own feelings too.”

Mitsuru closed her eyes, “It’s not about how I feel. It’s about how he feels. I don’t know if he wants a plain girl like me.”

Rias reached out and put a firm hand on her shoulder, “You know – even though everyone praises me for my looks, I feel insecure sometimes too. Always having to live up to their expectations is hard, and I feel like the girls who don’t have to worry about their reputation have an advantage over me. I appreciated it when he made it clear that he understood how many responsibilities I have. He has room in his heart for you as well, he always has. That’s why he’s your best friend, right? He’ll never forget about you. No matter how many hundreds of wives Chun-Li says he’ll have.”

Mitsuru couldn’t help but laugh. It was completely ridiculous in every possible way. To think that her own hands would have brought about a situation like this, where she was receiving a motivational speech from one of her friend’s numerous fiancés. Rias’ words rung true. Maybe a corny resolution like that was just what she needed to keep in mind.

“I hope you understand what you’re getting yourself into, Rias. Being my friend isn’t easy.”

“I’m good at handling a lot of things at once. But you should be friends with everyone else too, Lala really likes you.”

“I’ll consider it.”

Mitsuru turned away and tried to hide the smile that threatened to crack her cool façade open like a dropped egg. Her eyes were drawn to the dark corners of the building they had entered. She had almost forgotten that they were being pursued by an enemy! A paranoid twitch ran through her as she realised that they’d been speaking aloud for several seconds while he was looking for them.

“Mitsuru, get out of the way. He’s trying to find you.”

“I can’t just leave you here, look at these injuries!”

The crimson blood that flowed from Rias’ forehead made her ruby eyes shine even brighter, “What are you talking about, you’re my friend, aren’t you? I’m not going to let him lay a finger on you, because if he does – this and every other world is done for! And you’ll never be able to tell him how you feel!”

“Rias…”

Rias pushed against her chest, “Now go! I’ll distract him. Hurry!”

Mitsuru hesitated, but she knew that she couldn’t stand toe to toe with the enemy that pursued them. With a frustrated grunt she turned and ran down the aisle in search of a good hiding place. One of the dressing booths at the back of the store would have to do. She shut the curtain behind her and sat down on the bench. Her mind was awash with thoughts, some rational, others tinged with fear. This was what you experienced every time you left the garage and fought them back.

“I’m one shitty friend,” she murmured. Sure, having a harem of beautiful fictional women was great – but was it worth risking your life for? She hadn’t even considered how you felt about it before pressing the issue. You didn’t even know how to fight before Chun-Li taught you the basics. Why was she even trying to keep you at arm’s length? You used to do everything together. Had she believed that dumping a bunch of women on you was a good enough reason to move on from her own feelings?

And now, Rias was in serious danger. You were still busy disarming the last of the explosives, and even if you were free there was no certainty that you’d make it in time to save her. That meant there was only one person who could make a difference. But what did she have on her person that could possibly pose a threat to Sundar? She rifled through her pockets and poured out several miniature tools she kept for a rainy day, but the only materials and parts she had were what could be found in the shop and the explosive devices they had removed beforehand. That was an effective weapon – she could only hope that it would be enough to injure him.

“If I surge the amount of power going through this circuit, it should melt the wire and… detonate.”

It was crude and extremely dangerous, but it was something. A timed bomb that would potentially save Rias’ life. Quaking fingers gripped a screwdriver and started the arduous process of picking apart the exterior casing. The delicate work was not assisted by the sound of another explosion running through the store. He’d already found her!

Rias had her back against the wall now. Her magic had been drained completely by the teleportation and the ensuing battle. All she could do was use the last of her power to put up whatever defence she could. Another laser shot knocked her even further back through a display of various pairs of pants and bras.

“Why are you putting your neck on the line for someone like her anyway? She only called you here so that you could fight for her sake. What do you get out of it?” Sundar taunted. “I might even offer you a chance to walk away. After all, you didn’t choose to be a part of this.”

Rias spat some of her blood onto the floor and scowled, “You don’t understand because you don’t have a decent bone in your body. I’ve always despised gutless men like you. Everything has to be about ‘getting something,’ money, power, influence…”

Sundar shrugged, “Are those not the things that matter most? For a scarcity-based society like yours, money quite literally makes the world go around.”

“Then let’s just call it a difference of opinion. You can choose to believe that, and I can choose to hate you for it.”

“Hmph. You have a pretty sharp tongue there, girl.”

“I don’t usually talk this much with slimy bastards like you, but in this case, I had to make an exception.”

“Oh? Thinking of dumping that loser and joining the winning team?”

Rias smirked, “No. I just wanted to keep you distracted while she planted that bomb on your back.”

Beep.

“What?!”

Sundar swung around, but the only thing he saw was a pair of spindly legs disappearing around the corner. He reached back to try and located the device, but his back was too broad and his arms too short to remove it. Second by second, the electricity flowing through the circuit was starting to melt the wires inside – and once the connection was broken…

“You bitch! I’ll get you for this!”

His roars of protests were cut short by a deafening explosion, completely engulfing his body and obscuring him in a flash of orange light. Rias was forced back by the shockwave. But she knew that things weren’t going to end there. Sundar was still on his feet, stunned but alive.

With one last cry, Rias gathered all of her magical power and unleashed her most devastating attack yet. Sundar took the full brunt of the blast – flying through the air and crashing down onto the tiled floor. A flash of green light signalled the retreat of Sundar. An automatic retrieval system triggered whenever he became too injured to fight for any longer.

Rias gasped and fell to her knees as her injuries and expended energy caught up with her. Mitsuru was already by her side and trying to wipe away the blood with a cloth. “Look at you! He’s going to be furious when he sees the state you’re in!”

Rias was still cracking jokes; “I’m still alive, aren’t I?”

 A few moments later another voice called out, attracted by the commotion, “President!”

“Xenovia?”

Chun was with her too, “They’re still defusing the last bomb, but I heard the explosion!”

Rias tried to wave away Xenovia’s concern, “Don’t worry. I’m fine. Asia can patch me up, it looks worse than it really is.”

“I… I see. Apologies, but we’ve successfully defused all of the bombs in our sector.”

Chun-Li was already moving Rias’ hair and checking the cuts, “Thankfully these are superficial wounds. A few stitches will take care of it, or healing magic, in your case.”

“This place is swarming with police officers,” Xenovia explained, “We’d better move – they’ll have heard the explosion just like we did.”

Chun-Li and Xenovia offered their shoulders to Rias – helping her stand steady as her knees tried to buckle from under her. Xenovia wished badly that she had mastered teleportation magic like Rias had, but moving four people such a long distance was simply beyond her ability. They would have to split up and fly her back to the garage.

“Won’t it be easier to summon Asia and get her to heal Rias right away?” Chun suggested.

“You’re right,” Mitsuru agreed, “But we need to get somewhere quiet first. Let’s go.”

The gang moved quickly out of the back door with bags in tow. It was a violent battle, but they had succeeded in dismantling yet another evil plot. The only thing left to do was heal Rias, escape from the police, and hope that you and Motoko had handled things on your end too. Mitsuru had little doubt that Motoko was the right woman for the job. She was fiercely competent and skilled in counter-terrorism operations.

“Ugh, you’ve soaked my towel through already!” she griped, “Are you sure you aren’t feeling faint?”

“I can stay awake until we have Asia here,” Rias insisted. Her clothes were absolutely ruined. Torn and charred, and now drenched in a dense splattering of her own blood. All that hard work in putting together a fashionable outfit had been flushed down the drain. Rias didn’t feel ashamed about what she had done. Mitsuru was safe, and her words had clearly sparked a change in her like she had originally wanted.

But being so close to defeat was a bitter pill to swallow. She had underestimated the power of the enemy that she now faced. These aliens didn’t play by the same rules that she did, a non-magical attack would normally pose little threat, but Sundar had nearly shattered her barrier several times over. She needed to get stronger. Luckily, she was with the right people who could help her get there. You and Mitsuru may not know anything about magic or rating games, but your magnetic personalities have a strange way of gathering all kinds of people in one place.

Rias made a final resolution before closing her eyes and preserving her strength, “Next time, I’ll beat him. I swear.”

Notes:

This marks the end of the Rias and Mitsuru arc, what did you think? I want to see how people like having things from the girls perspective before trying it again like this, but I think it was a fun way to switch things up and develop their relationships.

Chapter 57: Bulma, Batgirl, Belfast and Android 21

It put you on edge, but somehow everyone managed to get away without being collared by the police. Every explosive monitoring device was recovered and stored safely in a blast-proof chamber that Lala had built in the laboratory. Mitsuru and Rias had tried to engineer a situation where they could summon Asia and cover up some injuries she had received, but both her and Rias were too honest with you to keep it under wraps. You understand that Mitsuru thought you wouldn’t be able to come help in time, but you asked that she call you regardless next time just in case.

Aside from that, Mitsuru was so eager to begin reverse engineering the components taken from the bombs that you had to remind her to sleep every now and again. They’re small and low-power, but the simple system used to transmit the data did include a CPU system unlike anything you can find on earth. These are computing units that surpass even the fastest of NASA supercomputers, capable of sorting and threading an immense load without breaking a sweat. Mitsuru quickly reached the conclusion that building the machining necessary to produce your own will take a lot more than just toy money. Rather – it will be completely impossible.

With many reserved for parts, the few that remained were for the sole purpose of cracking open and trying to figure out how they worked. Unfortunately, even the combined intelligence of Lala and Mitsuru wasn’t enough to solve that particular puzzle. A week after the bombs were defused and they’ve made almost no progress. Even Lala thinks that they’re far beyond the technology level of her own intergalactic empire, which really boggles the mind.

On the seventh day you open the door and walk in to find Mitsuru sprawled out flat on the floor with a despondent emptiness to her gaze. A clearer sign than any that she has been completely and utterly stumped by her current project. When things don’t go Mitsuru’s way, she tends to get like this and loses a lot of her motivation.

You look around the lab for the pink-haired terror, “Where’s Lala?”

“I sent her home yesterday.”

You sigh and hoist a selection of groceries up onto one of the empty tables. The CPU has been disassembled to some extent, but it's slow and painful going lest she break something important.

“Any news on cracking this thing?”

“No.”

“You have to have something.”

Mitsuru rolls over and climbs back up onto her feet, listlessly poking through your shopping and picking out something to eat. “We understand the requirements for plugging one of these into our own systems. We’ll need an immense cooling solution, lots of memory, and a power supply that I’ll have to order custom, but it should be possible.”

“Isn’t that the big thing?”

“We were lucky that these bombs also included a miniature motherboard. Otherwise, none of that would be tenable. In terms of discoveries made by us that require any actual thinking, no – we have nothing. Having them will make simulations and calculations lightning fast, but understanding them would be even better.”

“How fast are we talking?”

Mitsuru calculates an estimate in her mind, “Presume you ask me to find you three girls who match our requirements. Polyamorous, willing to help, in love with a fictional version of you. Each one of those choices multiplies the amount of time needed to locate a suitable universe to pull them from, and there may be more factors depending on the person in question. The current system is always working. I have a hard-coded list of all of your favourite things, and it repeatedly scrubs the multiverse for ones that match. From input to pull, it takes around three months at max.”

“Three months? That means you were working on this long before you told me about it.”

“I wasn’t sure it would work. Anyway, once I have a suitable universe it’s stored for later reuse. Saves us time and computing power, and makes connecting with other girls easier. With this new CPU, we could hypothetically cut that time from three months to a few days.”

“And they’re throwing these things into explosives?”

“It’s all about perspective. They must have CPUs even more powerful than this somewhere. This is disposable hardware to them.”

That’s a very terrifying thing to imagine. Just how advanced are these guys really? Mitsuru is already poking and prodding at her sample with a screwdriver. But you have a much better idea on how to take care of this, “I have an idea.”

Mitsuru throws her tools down and sighs, “What are you thinking?”

“Lala’s great, but a few more smart girls might be just the thing we need. The ORC has a lot of the combat duties covered already, so let’s invest some of our stones into solving this mystery. How about Bulma and Android 21? Combine them with Lala and you’ll have a world class scientific team.”

Mitsuru considers your choices before nodding, “Sounds good.”

“Really? I thought you’d have something to say about those picks.”

She scoffs, “I’m humble enough to know when I’m out of my depth. A fresh pair of eyes can even help a genius like me. The only thing that matters is that they’re intelligent enough to assist.”

Humble, she says.

“But isn’t Android 21 kind of murderous?” you posit.

Mitsuru laughs it off, “Oh, don’t worry about that. I did a lot of digging to find a universe where she’s both alive, and less vicious when in her other form. She’ll still have her split personality, but it shouldn’t pose a threat to anyone but our enemies.” Those must be the multipliers she was talking about. More specific conditions that demand more work.

“That sounds like a lot of effort.”

“Investment is everything. Spending time and money now will speed things up in the future. I had a feeling that you’d recruit some more smart girls to help me, so I went through the list and calibrated a set of them to match our needs. The differences are mostly minor. I know you like it when they stick to their original characters.”

Mitsuru walks over to the pressing machine and double-checks that her hand-picked version of Android 21 is lined up and ready to go. The last thing you need is to accidentally summon the original version who wants to eat everyone. Perhaps a bevy of evil girls aren’t entirely beyond your reach with these new revelations – you have always liked the baddies.

“So, Android 21 and Bulma it is.”

Mitsuru nods and presses the button. The machine whirs to life as more of the interdimensional matter is ground into a fine powder and embedded into the data structure of the card. A spurt of steam escapes from the unsecured edges. Hydraulic pumps force the lid back open, revealing a pair of brand-new cards for you to use. Though in this case, Mitsuru is one the benefitting the most from their assistance.

 

Mitsuru checks the metre on the monitor, “You have enough for seven more.”

Seven more cards. You still want to keep a few in reserve in case you need a specific power; but seven should be enough headroom to add a couple more without issue. You’ve been seriously considering hiring some help to look after the mansion. While using your huge pile of dirty merchandising money would suffice, you also want to take the opportunity to enhance your options. The combat maid is a staple – cleaning, cooking and even providing defence for the premises from would-be attackers. Mitsuru is probably not going to take such a charitable view on you hiring a maid though.

“You look like a nervous child about to ask his mother for a new video game,” Mitsuru comments dryly, “There’s nothing you can say that will surprise me. I already compiled the damned list of worlds we can pull people from. So out with it already!”

“Ugh. Belfast.”

“I see,” she replies. You feel a cold sweat starting to break out as she stares at you. A single key press switches the targeted universe, revealing that she had indeed prepared for such a request ahead of time. Without any further debate – she presses enter and forges the card. “Don’t abuse her work ethic, whatever you do.”

“I just want a little help around the house,” you say defensively. You are, in no way, shape or form, thinking about how absolutely massive her chest is or how cute she looks in her maid uniform. Those are entirely incidental to your decision.

“What’s with the sudden sense of shame!? We’re long past the point of worrying about that, idiot.”

True. Very true.

“Anything else we’re missing?” you ask, curious as to what Mitsuru is thinking.

“I may be smart, but someone who’s skilled at formulating a coordinated crisis response would be helpful. I don’t have any experience in that field – and this incident with the bombs only made that clearer.”

“Like a… superhero? What about Barbara Gordon?”

Mitsuru snaps her fingers, “Batgirl? That’s a great idea. Intelligence and planning will be no problem with her around.”

“Are we even allowed to do western characters?”

Mitsuru gives you a strange look, “I never said you couldn’t. I didn’t region lock the interdimensional summoning device, idiot. Go nuts – summon whatever superheroes you want.”

It’s just a change of tact from what you usually do, that’s all! What would your dedicated readers think if you suddenly started summoning a bunch of new, unprecedented characters? Mitsuru isn’t even waiting for your confirmation. She’s already entering the details and printing out her card. They’ll just have to get used to it, you suppose. The new haul is complete. Bulma, Android 21, Batgirl and Belfast. You hold the spread of cards in your hands; now you just need to hope that they all decide to cooperate with you.

“Let’s start with your new science team, shall we?”

“Go ahead.”

You grab the Sledgehammer from the table rack and slide the cards into the chamber. Lala, Bulma, and Android 21. You feel a little on edge about introducing two new team members at once, but hopefully everything will go just as smoothly as it did before with the others. They should be friendly enough.

“By the way, what Bulma is this? Are we talking pre-marriage?”

“She’s older to preserve some of her scientific skills, but no, she never married Vageta in this timeline. That has some knock-on consequences, but nothing too drastic.” True to form, Bulma’s card displays her in an older state – with short hair, makeup and a tight red dress. You agree with Mitsuru on some level. Pretty much Rias’ entire family has been put out by her selective universe search, but on the other hand, they still exist even if you aren’t summoning them. There are a seemingly infinite number of other universes where there are other widowed copies of Venelana.

It makes for a change of pace to have someone before their latest incarnation, at least.

“SHATTERING!”

Lala, Bulma and Android 21 appear before your eyes. Both Dragon Ball girls are really sexy, but you can ogle them later when everything is straightened out with them. Android 21 remains completely impassive with her arms crossed, but Bulma’s reaction is much more emotive.

“Hey, I was in the middle of something there!” Bulma complains, though her simmering anger quickly dies out as her eyes land on you. You have never seen someone pull an about-face as quick as this, as she immediately ignores everything Mitsuru is saying and descends on you like a rabid tiger. She wraps herself around your left arm and flutters her eyes at you, “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise that a handsome guy like you was waiting for me!”

“Oh, hi Mitsuru!” Lala smiles.

“Would you mind explaining where this is?” 21 demands.

Mitsuru is unflappable even in the face of such a powerful woman; “Wouldn’t you know that already? I made sure that both of you were familiar with us before I summoned you.”

21 remains sceptical, “You mean to say that this is real? It seems more likely that someone has created a simulation that features you, as you are nothing more than figments of one author’s imagination.”

Bulma laughs, “Keep talking! That means I can keep this guy for myself.”

This is going to take some explaining.

Chapter 58: I'm With the Science Team

It takes a very long time to convince 21 that this is real, but Bulma doesn’t really concern herself with whether this is reality or not. She sees a chance to be your partner, and she’s going to take it come hell or high water.  “Hm. So that’s what happened…” 21 murmurs, “Interdimensional invaders. And you want our help fighting back against them?”

Bulma holds up a finger and raises a simple objection, “I can’t fight.”

You nod, “We know. The reason we chose you two is because you have incredible minds for technology and science. We’d like your assistance with breaking the mystery behind this CPU behind us. It’s far too advanced for us to figure out alone.”

Lala smiles and wraps her arm over your shoulders, “And in return, you get to spend time with hubby!”

Bulma frowns, “Damn it, guess I should have expected a hunk like you to have a few wives already.”

“It’s fine!” you insist, “Give it a few days and see if it’s something you’re interested in.”

You know that Bulma is interested, the entire point behind summoning these versions is that they’re going to immediately fall in love with you. But you still find yourself trying to be reasonable with them if they have reservations about the size of your increasingly silly harem. It’s egotistical to assume, but these two are going to end up in the harem eventually no matter what you do.

“Oh, I don’t mind! I’m more than pretty enough to get the attention of a man!” Bulma boasts, intentionally squeezing her arms together to try and emphasise her chest. “Soon, you won’t be able to keep your hands off of me.”

21 adjusts her glasses and coughs to try and draw attention back to the topic at hand, “Do you mind? I believe we have something else to focus on at the moment.”

Mitsuru smiles, “So that means you’ll agree to give us a hand?”

“I see no reason not to. If this device is of any interest, I’ll pledge further assistance in return for information sharing on what we discover.”

“Alright, just be careful with this stuff. These guys are way more advanced than any other organisation in the multiverse. We don’t need anyone else ill-intentioned getting their grubby hands on these computer parts.”

“I’ll get back to you later, handsome!” Bulma giggles. She gathers around the workbench with Lala, 21 and Mitsuru to study what she’s managed to do so far. Mitsuru had put together a rough schematic of what the device looks like on the inside. Bulma puts her amazing mechanical skills to use right away and drafts a second revision that makes things more precise and cleaner. You step back and sit down on the old couch to observe. You’ll only get in the way if you try to offer anything to them.

It turns out that the combined brain power of the four of them is enough to crack the code in record time. Mitsuru is beside herself as 21 and Bulma easily blow past the problem that had stumped her mere minutes earlier. The CPU is dismantled bit by bit, with each component and material carefully studied using the analysis tools that Mitsuru has purchased with her toy line money. At first you thought that they wouldn’t be a good team, but in reality, they’re working so quickly that all four of them are taking on different jobs at the same time without even saying anything to each other.

You feel like a ghost. Bulma’s flirtatious attitude dashed to the wind as her love of engineering and computing overrides her need to hit on the first handsome guy she sees. What kind of medium do you exist as in her world? A manga? TV show? All of the above? Or perhaps Mitsuru found a universe where she is simply very compatible with you. There’s plenty of time to think about these things as they begin to chatter happily within the lab and share their findings.

“This alloy is superconductive,” 21 explains to Lala, “It generates no electrical resistance at all, something we can only usually observe at freezing temperatures.”

“Wow! That kind of thing is still in the early stages of theoretical discussion back home.”

Meanwhile, Bulma has already put together a complete copy of the motherboard’s plan and projected it up onto Mitsuru’s computer monitor. “Hm. It looks like we won’t be able to produce copies of these after all,” Mitsuru concludes, “We’ll have to treat the ones we have with care.”

“How many of them do you have?” Bulma asks.

“We retrieved ten. I’m keeping some of them as spares in case the main computer destroys it.”

“That should last you for a good while. Is it true that you really can’t make any more of these? I’d love to take one home for myself.”

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, “I’m afraid not. None of these compounds can be made under conditions found here on Earth. They must have used their reach as dimensional travellers to find natural sources, or extreme environments where they could synthesise them.” This is all way above your paygrade – even when you’re getting paid tens of millions of dollars in dirty toy money. Giving yourself a workout in the gym while they work seems more productive, so you leave them to it and run your drills.

Chun-Li has been working you like a dog to make sure that your conditioning is up to snuff. Things are only going to get harder from here on out, and you’ll need a superhuman level of capability to get any stronger. Just as you’re about to finish up, Bulma walks through the door and leans against the wall. She lets out a long whistle as you grab your towel and dry your head from the sweat that has accumulated.

“Finished already?” you ask.

“That’s right. Your little friend was really happy with the work we did. She’s already making plans to hook it up to your system.”

It’s impossible to ignore the way that Bulma is eye-fucking you as you towel down; “Thanks. I know it’s weird to be dragged here suddenly and asked to help someone you don’t even know.”

Bulma insists, “I’m happy to! The technology that she’s researching is incredible. The prospect of getting one of those computers for myself is payment alone. She also said that my own world might be under threat. And I’m not going to let those muscle-headed morons take all the credit for themselves.”

The prospect of getting to hook up with you is probably weighing into that decision as well. “Did you see us on TV back home? That’s how most of our allies know us.”

Bulma smiles, “Oh, you already know? Getting to see you in the flesh is a real treat. How many girls do you have on the go right now? I’d bet good money that they can’t keep their hands off of you.”

“…Nine.”

“Only nine?” she gasps.

“Hey, having two partners here is considered weird! Nine is something special.” Your mind flips back to when Chun-Li implied you’ll soon have hundreds of them. Bulma walks up to you and gets a closer look, rounding your body and really inspecting your form from every angle.

“Hm. You’re not as built as you were in the TV series,” she observes, “Not that it’s a realistic depiction of a human male in the first place.” That’s a lot coming from a woman who exists in the world of Dragon Ball Z – even the humans over there can do feats of strength and agility that are simply impossible to the likes of you. They’re all hulking mountains of men, far beyond what you can realistically achieve without hitting some steroids. Which, in this case, would be a terrible idea. The last thing you want is to injure one of your muscles in the middle of a fight.

Bulma tries to be on the bright side, “Tenth place is better than I expected!”

“Oh, so you’re on board – just like that?”

She smirks, “What do you think? I’ve been fantasising about this for too long to let the chance pass me by! I’m sure your other girls are great too. And didn’t you summon me because you want to add me to your collection?”

“That’s a straightforward way of putting it.”

Bulma places her hands on your back, “I’m an honest woman! I don’t like screwing around. We both know what this is really about, so why wait?”

“Heh. Forward people like you really make my life easier…”

“I need to find a good man. I’m not getting any younger over here… not unless I find them again.”

“Find what?”

She gives you a terse smile, “Nothing! Just thinking to myself.” The nervous laugh that follows is completely unconvincing. You reach down to grab your stuff and change back into your casual clothes.

“What is 21 doing?”

Bulma frowns, “She’s too deep in her work – that girl doesn’t know when to quit! Her loss, that means I just get you allll to myself.” The hand trailing down your chest makes it clear that Bulma wants a more sexual encounter than you were planning on. But you don’t see any reason to reject her now that the major work is done. You respond in kind and wrap one of your arms around her waist, causing her cheeks to flush as the intensity of the situation is kicked up another notch.

“You must feel like the luckiest woman in the universe – out of all of them, you were the one who ended up here.” Leaning into her neck, you place a kiss beneath her jawline. Bulma’s grip on your back and chest tightens as a rush of arousal runs through her body. “I like to treat all of my women well, you know? So if there’s anything you’d like me to do as payment for your hard work…”

It’s corny, but that’s exactly what Bulma wants out of a man. You have to appreciate the finely tuned curvature of her hips and ass. She isn’t boasting the bra-busting proportions of Akeno or Rias, but you just know that she’s going to look amazing when you rip this red dress off of her.

“Hmm,” she purrs, “What kind of options are you offering me?”

“You can join me in the shower, or we can go downstairs and use one of the private rooms.”

It’s a genuinely difficult decision for Bulma to make. She bites her bottom lip and wavers from side to side as she tries to settle on one of the two proposals. You stink – you don’t know if Bulma has a thing for someone who smells like a wet dog. She does hang around with a bunch of overly muscular dudes, maybe she is. You decide to take matters into your own hands and give her a push.

“Let’s shower together. I need to clean off, so why not get dirty again first?”

“How many times have you used that line?” Bulma snickers.

“Only once, actually.” You take her hand and lead her to the back door. Another benefit of heading through into the shower room is that you don’t need to go through the lab, where Mitsuru will surely deduce that you’re going to sleep with Bulma and crack jokes about it. That would be a big mood killer. Bulma sits back and enjoys watching you strip off your clothes – but you get the feeling that you aren’t as impressive as someone like Yamcha. You’ve filled out a lot thanks to the exercise, but there’s still a fair amount of fat covering your muscles; but some women prefer that kind of body.

Bulma blinks the stars out of her eyes and remembers that she’s meant to be joining you. She approaches and turns around, showing the long zipper that runs down the back of her slim dress. You do the courteous thing and unzip it for her, after which she shimmies the fabric down from over her shoulders. Her bare back and shoulders are well-defined. She steps away and undoes her own bra strap. With everything unhooked – it takes one strong yank from her to bundle the entire collection around her feet.

A pair of thigh riding panties are the only thing left, and they do an amazing job of lifting her perfectly shaped butt. You can stop your hand from reaching down and sneaking a quick squeeze, to which Bulma scoffs and slaps you on the chest. “Patience!” she admonishes you, the smile on her face betrays how much fun she’s really having. She kicks off her heels and bends over to remove her panties, exposing her clean-shaven slit and asshole. Bulma is keeping things trimmed, it seems.

You’re already erect from the display of Bulma stripping down, but for the time being your primary concern is making sure she’s comfortable. She places her hand into yours and allows herself to be pulled towards one of the booths, the frosted glass providing a questionable level of privacy. You close the door behind you while Bulma fiddles with the shower and sets it running. A brief surge of cold water splashes over you. Bulma squeals and wraps her arms around you in a hopeless attempt to keep herself warm.

You whisper into her ear, “Which part would you like to clean up first?”

Bulma giggles, “Allow me.” She sinks down to her knees and is presented with the full length of your shaft. Bulma’s look of approval is yet another ego boost, but you aren’t going to take this for granted. She wraps her hand around it and angles it downwards, opening her mouth and wiggling her tongue like a little tease.

Blowjob it is.

Chapter 59: Showering with Bulma

Bulma soon proves herself to be an extremely devious lover. As she begins to pay attention to your hard shaft using her lips and tongue, she spreads her legs aside and pushes out her ass, making sure that you get to enjoy looking at as much of her body as possible. Her blowjob skills have clearly been practised to some extent, as none of your other partners sans Venelana have dared try something like that just yet. Her tongue is dexterous and immediately begins seeking out the most sensitive spots around your head.

Bulma is enthusiastic. She quickly moves to escalate things by accepting more of your shaft into her mouth and throat. There’s little concern for Bulma in preserving a dignified appearance. She makes sure that a healthy amount of saliva is coating your prick, something that will make the actual sex a lot easier.

“That feels amazing, Bulma,” you groan; leaning back against the shower wall and letting her do her thing.

She pops it free for a second to respond, “How would you feel about me waking you up like this every morning?” She doesn’t wait for your response before diving back in, taking so much of your length in one go that her throat bulges outwards.

“I’d say… you make a very good argument.”

Bulma rewards you with more tongue play. Her other hand reaches down and dips three of her fingers into her dripping honeypot. The size of your cock was enough to make Bulma very excited. She couldn’t wait to feel it inside of her. She had already spent several hours using her brilliant mind today, now she wanted to kick back and release her stress with a very sexy guy. Bulma’s head bobs back and forth at a quickening pace. She doesn’t relent or flinch back no matter how deep you go.

And she really means every word of that offer. She wouldn’t mind. Bulma knows a good man when she sees one. You push all of her buttons in just the right way. Unbeknownst to her – it’s something more than just blind lust. Bulma had been summoned specifically because she would fall deeply in love with you, but as a sexually active woman, the first step was to make you feel good. That sense of denial would wear away with time, but for now Bulma was looking forward to a purely sexual experience with you.

And what an experience it is. Bulma is giving Venelana a run for her money in who can give the best head. “I’m close,” you warn. Bulma doesn’t slow down for your benefit. A loud slurping noise begins to overpower the running water as she really goes for it in the last spurt. You run your hands through her hair and try to control her rapid pace, to little success. You feel your balls clench – and moments later a power blast of your cum slips down her gullet. Bulma’s eyes widen at the size of your load. She pulls back until the tip rests against her tongue, happily accepting the dense seed that fills her mouth.

You close your eyes and try to focus on the sensation. Bulma’s tongue continues to wriggle against the bottom of your shaft even as your orgasm continues. It’s heavy and thick; Bulma’s brain is already running calculations on how virile you must be. When it finally comes to an end, Bulma pulls back and opens her maw wide – revealing a pool of semen that she has yet to swallow. She slams it shut and gulps as loudly as she can, when it opens, there’s nothing left.

“I didn’t expect you to swallow all of that…”

“Your little friend seemed to enjoy it.”

The way your cock stays hard through all of it is all the argument Bulma needs. Daylight’s burning, and she wants to get onto the main event. You give her a helping hand and pull her back up onto her feet. Bulma twirls around so that her back faces you and braces herself against the opposite wall. She wiggles her butt enticingly, “I hope you aren’t done just yet, handsome.”

Bulma is a tight package. Her body is perfectly proportioned and fat-free. Her breasts are just large enough to be seen from behind, and would fit perfectly into your palms. Seeing the curvature of her back and down to her ass is something special. Her dripping folds are rather prominent, with a lot of area being visible from the outside. Bulma is intent on letting you see every detail on her rear holes – pulling apart her own cheeks and giving you a clear view.

How can you say no to a sight like this?

Bulma smiles as you step up behind her and press the tip of your cock against her pussy. You’re still coated in a dense layer of her saliva and your own cum, so there’s no worry about lubrication going in. Not to mention that Bulma herself is absolutely soaked! You had previously clocked it as water that had trailed down the front of her body, but the stickier composition makes it obvious that Bulma has been gushing since the start of her blowjob.

“You’re very wet, Bulma.”

Bulma shudders, “Hmm. Not every man is capable of making me this excited.” But that’s not really what you mean. All of your other lovers take a lot more to get this wet, you haven’t even put it in yet. You apply a gentle pressure and find yourself sliding almost all of the way inside of her tunnel. Bulma releases another wild moan of pleasure as she feels her core being filled by the perfect erection. All of her anticipation wasn’t for nothing. It feels even better than she expected.

You reach out to her chest and plant both hands on her breasts, full, perky and very fun to squeeze as you find your rhythm and begin pounding her from behind. Each thrust elicits a pleasing jiggle of flesh that travels up from her ass. Bulma holds on for dear life as your cock pierces her most sensitive spots repeatedly. The shower continues to spray you with warm water, dulling your awareness of the world outside of the stall. At the moment the only thing you can focus on is how good Bulma’s cunt feels.

You have no regrets about choosing to summon her. She’s so sexy that you can’t even think straight. You try to channel that appreciation through your movements, pressing into her even harder and possessively positioning yourself over her body. Her head arches back and begs for a kiss. You oblige and slip your tongue into her mouth. Wanting to heighten the fun a little more, you think up some lines you believe Bulma will like to hear.

Breaking the kiss, you lean into her ear and growl; “You’re going to be my woman Bulma, along with all of the others that I’ve claimed.”

Bulma is enjoying herself; “Ah! Yes! Mmmpgh, fuck me harder! You’re so big!”

“Sleeping with me and the other girls, you’re gonna’ wake me up every morning with a blowjob, and you’ll let me fuck you whenever I ask!”

“I promise, I willlll!”

“And I’ll give you all of the rough sex you can ever want. No other man is ever going to lay a finger on you, because you don’t need them. You’re mine!”

Bulma eggs you on, demanding that you go even harder and leave marks on her body. You initially interpret that to mean that she wants something on her back and neck, so you use your lips to leave several small marks on her neck and shoulders. When that isn’t enough, she instead demands that you “spank her good.” Your first strike isn’t hard enough. Bulma makes her needs clear, “Harder! Really leave your handprint down there, it’s your property!”

A loud crack rings out across the shower room as you really come down with your left hand. The jiggling flesh is immediately reddened with a clear outline of your palm and fingers. Bulma’s pussy clenches even tighter as the pain runs through her system. You did not expect her to be this kinky when you agreed to shower with her. The other cheek soon receives a matching mark to go with it.

Bulma is already close to climax. The sex is feral and intense. Your hips start to complain as you blindly thrust into her from behind – with little consideration for the consequences, you grind the combined refuse from your lovemaking deeper into her womb. Kissing, groping, slapping. Bulma’s body is starting to show all of the war wounds. The slapping of flesh meeting flesh fills your ears. The running water and sterile tile means that all of the smell and leftovers will be washed away easily enough.

“Oh! Ah! I’m going to cum, you’re going to make me cum!” Bulma cries. You reach out and pull her back onto your chest, angling yourself even deeper and hitting a spot that makes her cry out in ecstasy. You ruthlessly pound it with jackhammer-like thrusts, overloading her system and almost making her vision turn white in the process. Bulma can feel the best orgasm of her life building inside of her. She knows that at any moment the floodgates will open and her heart will really be yours and yours alone…

You’re close too. Your breath runs ragged as the exertion of everything starts to sink in, your movements become more intermittent and less rehearsed. It’s a long, painful slog to the finish as your body sullies forth another batch of semen. Bulma closes her eyes and squeals as she feels the first steaming shot entering her pussy. That’s all it takes to make her cum too. Her entire body convulses in your arms – she has nowhere to go, so she can only throw her head back and cry as she squirts all over the wall in front of you.

Her head falls back onto your shoulder, but you aren’t finished just yet. More and more of your cum seeps through her cervix and settles into her womb – threatening to impregnate her at any moment. Everything was so intense that you totally forgot you’re meant to be keeping yourself out of trouble for Rias.

You can worry about that later. Bulma breathes a sigh of relief as you pull her back up and under the spray. She looks down at her own slit with a quirked brow and instantly locks onto the issue at hand, “You might just have given me a baby with that one.”

“R-Really?” Your face must betray how panicked that makes you feel, because Bulma is quick to clarify that it was all just a joke.

“I’m just kidding! It should be fine, it’s a safe day. But you know, I wouldn’t even be angry about it if an accident did happen…” Bulma shocked herself with how flippant it was. Even if it was true, how could she admit to such a commitment after one round of sex? It was the best sex she ever had – but there was more to a relationship than that.

“But Rias would.”

Bulma sets about cleaning the seed out of her pussy using the detachable head, “Who’s Rias?”

“She’s my ‘first’ fiancé, and the heir to a hereditary family. The whole thing about having kids is that she needs to give birth first – because they’d become the new heir to the family. If I’m going to get married to her all of my children with other women would earn a claim too. The first child has a lot of authority, allegedly. So Rias has been pretty tough about enforcing a ‘baby ban’ until that happens.”

“I didn’t realise you were engaged to such an important person.”

“I’m engaged to a few important people, but you don’t really need to worry about that.”

The next ten minutes are spent getting clean for real with Bulma doing everything in her power to goad you into doing more. She relents eventually, allowing you to enjoy some much more tender time together. You get clean, make sure that you didn’t actually hurt her, and finally help her put her dress back on.

“So… what does this make us?” Bulma asks as you sit down on the wooden bench by the door.

“That’s up to you. We can be friends, lovers, or maybe you want to propose on the spot like Rias did.”

Bulma rolls her eyes, “Marriage is a big commitment. I’m not going to jump at that blindly without getting to know you first.”

“Sure. Let’s just say lovers.”

“Fine by me.”

Chapter 60: Momo and Nana on Hand

Android 21 and Mitsuru were so engrossed with their research project that they didn’t even notice that you were away having shower sex with Bulma. Bulma just laughed them off and commented that they “remind me of myself when I was younger.” These two uber-nerds are going to be a negative influence, you can already tell.

Bulma isn’t that interested in keeping going like them. She sits next to you on the couch and clings to your arm. You decide to ask her a little about what she knows. “Do you know much about us, Bulma?”

“Naturally. I’m an avid watcher – I haven’t missed an episode in six years.”

“Huh. Must seem pretty tame in comparison to the things that normally happen around you.”

Bulma smiles, “During the earlier arcs of the story. But part of the reason I enjoy it so much is how things escalate and how you watch everything happen without time skips. It’s comforting to see some world-ending threats being defeated when they don’t actually affect me.”

The threat of planet destruction comes around like rainy days over there. Bulma isn’t much of a fighter herself, so being forced to stand back and watch while everyone powers up for a while must be nerve-inducing. Bulma purses her lips and leans into you, “Would you mind telling me a little about your other partners?”

“Sure. They’re great, I think you’ll like them.”

It takes a while to go through each girl and explain who they are, but Bulma listens intently without interrupting your train of thought. She isn’t surprised to hear about their varied backgrounds or unique powers. Even as long as it takes to go through them, you know that there are several other girls who you still need to consider. Lala asked you to mark Momo and Nana a long time ago now and you’ve never gotten around to doing it. In fact – you almost feel a little bad about it. You don’t want to lead her on with a promise you can’t keep. Their abilities to speak with plants and animals could also be extremely useful, not to mention their natural alien strength.

When you cap things off by talking about Koneko and Asia, and how they haven’t really joined your harem just yet, Bulma finally makes a comment; “Hm. That’s a lot of younger women…”

“I don’t discriminate. Venelana and Chun-Li are in their fifties.” At least you think Venelana is in her fifties. That devil youth is real. She could easily be a hundred and you wouldn’t know any better. You wonder what kind of techniques Chun uses to attain her timeless look. That’s not to mention some of the other older ladies you have on your shortlist.

Bulma hushes her voice to hide it from the other, “Oh! I’m only thirty-two.” Bulma being sensitive about her age is one of her defining traits after all. A lot of her maturity comes from the way she dresses and presents herself. The red lipstick and dress add a few years from what you’d guess normally. Most thirty-year-olds in this world dress in something more contemporary. When you consider Bulma’s date of creation and her age, it makes sense. She’s what they’d be like born twenty years earlier.

“Was what we did back there not enough to show you that I think you’re sexy?” you whisper back.

Bulma slaps your chest and giggles like a maiden at your terrible flirting. This finally manages to catch Mitsuru’s attention, “There you are! I just need you to confirm something for me, Bulma.”

Bulma pecks you on the cheek and hustles over to see what Mitsuru wants. Your eyes are drawn upwards to one of the cheap televisions Mitsuru has mounted to the wall, all of which are playing different news channels or tracking various social media sites for specific keywords. Your monitoring network is rather primitive. Barbara Gordon might be just the right person to swoop in and give you a real chance of detecting them before they strike. A news report is playing regarding the sudden and mysterious death of the local plant life at a downtown park.

The longer you think about it, the more paranoid you become. There’s nothing mysterious going on in this city that doesn’t involve those aliens. Trying to kill all of the local plant life sounds exactly like the kind of idiotic plan they’d come up with. A time-consuming activity that does little to advance their ultimate aims, while ultimately being nothing but destructive in the least efficient way possible.

You walk over to Mitsuru and tap her on the shoulder, “I think those guys might be screwing with the ecology around here.”

“I thought the same thing,” Mitsuru states, “I’ve already sent for a soil sample from the park in question. The analysis shouldn’t take too long, and then we can see about finding who’s responsible.”

“And what about your progress with the CPU?”

Android 21 adjusts her glasses, “We’ve successfully decompiled the structure and function of the components, but I’m afraid that some of these materials can only be created in environments dissimilar from this planet Earth.”

Mitsuru hammers away at her keyboard; “Still, we have a collection of them taken from the bombs. Incorporating this technology into our central computer will allow me to make significant process on a few different projects I have in the works, including the large-scale stabilization device.”

“And what will that do?”

“The Sledgehammer is a small-scale stabilizer that only allows you to summon and maintain the attachment point of four different people. Without significant efficiency improvements, I see no room to scale things any higher than that. The large-scale stabilizer will allow us to construct permanent standing portals that will allow our allies to come and go as they please. Think of them as doorways into our world.”

“And can we go to their worlds?”

“I’m afraid that isn’t feasible at this moment in time. We’ll be the only ones with a working ‘receiver,’ while our allies will be given transmitters. They’ll need instruction from me and the appropriate cross-dimensional matter to be sent over to build a receiver device. But these stones cause some kind of interference when sent even short distances. I don’t like our odds of transmitting them across worlds.”

“I get it.”

You think you get it.

“I’d suggest making cards for Nana and Momo, given that we may have a problem on our hands involving plants and animals. Aren’t you glad we saved a few in case we needed them?”

“We haven’t actually confirmed if it’s them yet.”

Android 21 crosses her arms, “Surely I’m more than enough to beat back any threats you might face?”

“It never hurts to have extra hands, and I did promise Lala that I’d summon her sisters one day.”

“I don’t mind, as long as they know that they’re lower in the hierarchy than me,” Bulma comments.

It’d leave you with enough cards for five girls. That’s plenty of headroom to adapt your strategy in the future. The only problem is that you’ll be pissing off Lala’s father even more by trying to get together with all three of his daughters instead of just one. But it Yuuki Rito can do it, why not you? You’ll have to cross that hill when you come to it. He doesn’t have a way of coming to kill you either. Marrying Lala and her sisters will surely require his approval – as he wants an heir to the space empire he leads.

It can’t hurt to have them on side. Heading over to the printer, you locate their universe from a list of pre-calibrated options and type in their respective names. The printer whirs to life and produces two new cards, which you retrieve and add to your growing collection. Additionally, you send a message to Lala to tell her that you’ve done so. No need to spring any surprises on her. Lala is extremely happy to hear it, responding quickly with a message about how fun it's going to be being wives with both of her sisters.

 

Nana is going to be a tough nut to crack. Koneko has already put up some stiff resistance to getting involved with you romantically, and they have similar personalities. You have been surprised a few times before at how willing your harem members are to start a relationship. If you were putting money on it, you’d bet against Nana being head over heels for you.

“I’m afraid that’s all we can do for the time being,” Android 21 concludes, “But if you’ll allow me to take a copy of this data, I’d like to spend some more time thinking about it.”

“Take whatever you need,” Mitsuru says, “The same goes for you, Bulma.”

Bulma claps her hands together and bows, “Thank you!”

Mitsuru delves into the dataset they’ve produced and extracts it for them. Both Dragon Ball ladies gratefully accept a pair of hard drives containing everything they’ve learned so far. Bulma walks over and takes another goodbye kiss from you, which elicits an embarrassed blush from Android 21. You haven’t had much of a chance to speak with 21, which is a shame.

“Since when did you two become… so well acquainted?”

Bulma rolls her eyes; “Just because you’re taking your time doesn’t mean I have to.”

21 is clearly in denial mode, “I have no idea what you mean.” You summoned her specifically because she knows who you are, and would like to be one of your lovers. Coming out and admitting that is pretty tricky. You remember how tough it was to just come out with it when you summoned Rias and Akeno – even though you really liked both of them already. It almost feels too convenient, like you didn’t do anything to deserve it.

“If you say so. I’ll see you later, lover boy!”

“See you, Bulma.”

Mitsuru turns the Sledgehammer and sends them back home, leaving the lab mostly empty again. Mitsuru sighs and straightens out her lab coat, “That’s a shame. I was enjoying their company.”

“That’s high praise coming from you.”

She checks her email inbox while you hover over her shoulder, “Oh, it seems that my person on the ground sent me the results directly. It looks like some kind of unknown pollutant was injected into the ground.”

“Aliens?”

“Almost certainly. The area isn’t known for suffering a plethora of industrial scale waste spills. I’ll try to figure out whether this is dangerous to humans or not. Investigating the area with Nana and Momo may be a good idea. A lead could take us straight to the culprit.”

Lala will definitely want to come along too so that she can introduce you to them. You head over to your bike and double check the address of the park that has been afflicted. A cursory investigation will be needed, presuming that the moron responsible doesn’t make themselves obvious like they’ve done every other time so far.

Before you hop on and get going, you turn back to Mitsuru; “What are you going to do with the CPU?”

“Installing it will require a full rework of our central computer system. I was planning on making some upgrades with the money we’ve accumulated, but this presents the perfect opportunity to do so. Didn’t I say already? The system is always working to detect worlds for us to plunder – speeding up that process will free more headroom for prototyping and simulating new ideas.”

“Oh, right.”

“Good luck!”

That’s your cue to leave. You mount the bike and don your helmet as the door opens. Time to crack down on another evil scheme.

Chapter 61: Summoning Momo and Nana

You arrive at the park soon after, where several groups of onlookers have assembled to look at the damage for themselves. Your investigation will have to be subtle, so you message Lala and ask her to come in some casual clothes so as to avoid attracting attention. The order is then relayed to both of her sisters – who have somehow agreed to come along and give you a hand with this problem. Lala is quick to leap into your arms and plant her lips on yours as she steps through the breach.

“Thank you for summoning me again, hubby!”

Lala is exuberant as always, bouncing around the area with her usual sense of energy. She’s going to be the one easing her sisters into this new situation. Thankfully, they come from a world that’s very similar to yours; just without the aliens and genetically modified assassins. As for the park, it’s plain to see that something strange is going on. It wasn’t the biggest or densest green space around – but the entire thing has withered away. All of the greenery has turned a muddy brown and died off. You feel a little sad that something like this is being done to your city.

“Momo isn’t going to be happy about this,” Lala states soberly, having taken a second to observe the damage.

“We’re going to want her help if we’re finding out who did it.”

“It’s almost enough to make her forget about the harem plan…”

“She’s still working on that?”

Lala smiles, “That’s right! I’ve been updating her on your progress – and she’s composing a sophisticated ‘harem hierarchy’ to make sure that everyone gets along and is on equal footing.”

You get the distinct impression that Lala has bragged about you so much that Momo doesn’t really know what you’re like for real. She must think you’re some kind of insane lust monster. Aside from that one time, it’s not the case, and that was an exception because Lala decided to feed you an experimental drug.

“I guess we’d better summon them and explain what’s going on.”

You insert their cards into the Sledgehammer and pull the trigger with some trepidation. Lala is going to be a prickly customer just like Koneko. Hopefully her immediate aversion to you won’t preclude getting her help on stopping whatever plan the aliens have come up with. The fabric of reality is shattered into pieces, and soon enough both pink-haired aliens appear before you with a sense of wonderment on their faces. Now that you get to see them in person, their resemblance to Lala is very much evident.

As for the rest of their physical attributes, it’s impossible to not acknowledge that Nana clearly got the short end of the stick on that front. Lala is the tallest and curviest, Momo is in the middle, and Nana is rocking what can most politely be described as a very ‘thin’ body type. One of her defining personality traits is her hatred of people implying that she has a flat chest. Even though in this case it’s true.

Momo’s look of amazement turns into one of smugness, “I see. So, sis finally decided to introduce you to us! Nice to meet you, I’m Momo.”

“W-Wait a second – why are you just going along with this? He just summoned us from another universe! I thought Lala was making it up!” Nana cries.

“It’s very nice to meet both of you, finally.”

Momo shakes your hand, but Nana is still shell-shocked from being brought to another world. Did she think that Lala was running away and hiding somewhere during your adventures together? Lala wraps her arms around their shoulders and pulls them in for a three-way hug. “I’m so happy that you all get to meet him!”

Nana huffs and turns away; “He’s nothing special. You made him sound really impressive!”

Momo giggles; “Being willing to marry three sisters and heirs to a space empire is impressive in its own way, don’t you agree?”

Nana does not, “That just means he’s a world class pervert! Why can’t you be happy with Lala, you jerk?” Her tail waves angrily in the air behind her.

“Hm? But isn’t having multiple spouses normal where you’re from?” you ask. Lala has attested to such before.

“Not on Earth it isn’t,” Momo explains, “For the stability of the empire, our father desires for one person to unify the family. Since Lala already decided that you were the one and only man for her – we decided to come and see if you lived up to that reputation.”

Nana continues to throw a fit; “I don’t remember him looking like this in the show!”

“That’s because you only watched the later arcs with me!” Lala argues back, “He doesn’t have all of his powers and abilities just yet!” There’s no guarantee that you will end up looking like the fictionalised you from their universe – but diving into the weeds of this argument is not a constructive use of your time. Nana is just being tsundere, as she is liable to do given her role in the manga.

Momo pokes her in the side, “If you aren’t interested, I’ll be happy to take your spot – Nana.”

Nana stomps her foot, “H-Hey! Hands off my spot! I’m going to show you how a real wife does things!” Momo is a master of manipulating Nana into suddenly reversing her position on things. A little appeal to her competitive spirit and she is essentially proposing to you on the spot. Her face turns bright red as she realises what she just said. “N-Not that I’d want to marry someone like you! Don’t think you’re going to win me over that easily, pervert!”

She’s a much more energetic tsundere than Koneko is.

“Listen, we can untangle the whole marriage thing later. I wanted to get your opinion on something that’s happening here.”

Momo turns to the exterminated plants with an angry scowl, “Wha- Who did this?! I’ll beat them up!”

Nana crosses her arms, “Here she goes again.”

“You’d be angry if you saw a bunch of injured animals! People who don’t respect nature and its beauty really make me mad!”

You usher them towards one of the few areas that survived the attack; “I was hoping you could help us with that, since you can speak with plants and all.”

Momo decides to rain on your parade with a dose of reality, “They don’t have eyes, you know. They’ll only be able to tell me what they experienced at the time.” You come to a stop at the base of the tree and rub your brow in frustration. Did you just summon her for no good reason then? Regardless of whether the information will be useful – Momo still does the task at hand and kneels down next to one of the small trees that survive. She whispers to it out of earshot and listens intently for a moment.

“Poor thing – it says that the pollution started to spread two days ago during the evening.”

Surprisingly precise for a being with no eyes or ears, “During the evening? I’ll ask Mitsuru to try and get her hands on some security camera footage from that time frame. She might be able to spot the person responsible.”

Nana has seemingly learned her lesson as she kneels down next to her sister: “I suppose if the plants die, then the animals will suffer too.”

“That’s right!” Lala nods, “So let’s all work together and track down the one responsible!”

“But I’m not doing anything weird!” Nana qualifies, “If you think that I’m going to do anything lewd or hold hands, you have another thing coming!”

Momo’s concern gives way to her usual smirk as a malicious idea comes to her head; “Lala, did you already sleep with your fiancé?”

Lala sees nothing wrong with answering the question honestly; “That’s right! A good partner should always be ready to please and relieve sexual energy!” Nana’s face turns bright crimson as she casually extols how fun having sex with you is. “He’s really good at it. Last week we got together with Rias and…”

“Why are you talking about this so openly, you damn pervert?!” Nana cries, slapping her hand over Lala’s mouth to prevent her from speaking any further on the topic.

Momo pouts and pushes the tips of her fingers together sheepishly, “I just wanted to know if our future husband is good enough for us. After all, he is going to be Emperor of the Universe and have hundreds and hundreds of spouses.”

“Papa isn’t going to approve of this guy!” Nana yells, “Not unless he can defeat him in battle!”

“We don’t have to worry about that for now,” Lala says.

Momo concurs with her elder sister, “That’s right. He won’t be able to travel through dimensions and show up here. That means we can take all the time we need getting to know him, thoroughly.” She sticks her tongue out as Nana continues to blister with incandescent rage. These two are about to come to blows over this. You take a moment to send your discovery to Mitsuru, who responds with a thumbs up emoji.

When you come back to the trio of alien sisters – they’re in the middle of another entirely different argument to the one you left them on. Lala is visibly cross with Nana, “I’m an adult. I can choose to do whatever I please with my fiancé.”

“Papa’s going to kill you if he finds out!”

“But he won’t! Not unless you tell him!”

Momo has a guilty look on her face now that things have turned into a war of words. Lala is a kind soul, so seeing her get into an actual argument with someone comes as a shock. It’s a whole new side of the usually peppy girl. You approach the trio and hold your hands up to try and cool things off before they start shooting lasers at each other.

“Let’s just worry about finding the culprit first, please? I didn’t mean to make all of you fight over this.”

“It’s not your fault,” Lala sighs, “I just think that Nana should stop being so stubborn. She’s an even bigger fan of you than I am.”

Nana’s face screams betrayal, “Am not!”

“Yes, you are!” Momo responds, “Your entire room is filled with merchandise from the series. You have every toy, poster, manga volume, mega disc release, you even bought some of the props from the live action drama adaptation. And you think that fanfiction folder is a secret – but it’s not!”

Nana chews on her bottom lip, “Grrr.”

When you decided to summon the siblings for a meeting, you didn’t anticipate that it would turn into a petty sibling argument over whether Nana actually likes you or not. Momo and Lala are all-in on the harem train, but Nana is still rocking that tsundere persona come what may. You clap your hands together again and decide to try again. “Stop arguing with each other. If Nana doesn’t want to do anything, I’m going to respect her decision.”

This time it works. Nana gives you a mute nod affirming that she agrees with your perspective. Momo and Lala are just too impatient to get her involved in the harem. Everyone has to go through a period of adjustment, even if they come from worlds where polygamy isn’t considered a social taboo. You have to imagine that such relationships are still rare, requiring multiple consenting parties to go through with it. People start fights over the tiniest things sometimes, expecting harems to be normal is a step too far.

Your phone vibrates.

Mitsuru is to the point, “I checked the area at the time you specified. It’s no surprise, but that imbecile is there with one of his androids again. They seem to be using it to inject the plant killing compound into the ground. A few hours later and the entire area was starting to die out.”

“Great, so it’s fast acting too.”

“The worst-case scenario is that it lingers in the soil for a prolonged period of time and renders it infertile, or that residue runs off into a local water supply and accumulates in the animals and people that drink from it. Getting a pure sample of the compound they use would be a big help in taking counter-action. I presume you’ll be capable of retrieving one from them?”

“Sure – if we can find out where they’re hiding.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. I’m taking proactive measures to watch over green areas in and around the city. If anything suspicious shows up, I’ll know about it.” You really hope that she isn’t just sitting at her computer watching security feeds. Mitsuru hangs up and leaves you to navigate the fine line between pissing Nana off and winning her over.

“Since we’re all here, how about we go for something to eat?” Lala suggests.

“That sounds nice,” Momo agrees.

Nana is less excited, “Sure, I guess…”

You pull up a map on your phone and search for nearby eateries, “I might know a few good places.”

Chapter 62: Nana's Hesitation

Eating a meal with Lala, Nana and Momo is enough to calm them all down after their sibling spat. You really didn’t expect Nana to be this resistant to your presence, even though she’s allegedly your biggest fan out of the three. According to Momo – the ‘final form’ of yourself from their version of the story is significantly different, having accumulated powers and abilities from various franchises and worlds.

“It’s like you’re the final boss in an RPG or something!”

Nana scoffs, “But you’re not even close to that.”

You polish off the last of your burger and lean back into the booth, “I’ve only been doing this for a few months. How long did it take me to reach that level in your favourite retelling?”

Momo explains, “It isn’t an entirely accurate measurement, but the part Nana likes happens ten years after the first volume.”

“He’s taller, and more handsome, and stronger, and more confident, and he blows away all of the bad guys without even breaking a sweat! I don’t see how someone as amazing as that is going to come from you!”

“Nana gets excited when she thinks about becoming one of your wives.”

“Not his wife, the other guy!”

“He is that other guy. He looks identical.”

Lala giggles; “Oh! I remember finding one of Nana’s old sketches where she was planning her wedding dress! She really went into a lot of detail. She has the whole thing in her head, ready to go!” Momo and Lala really love divulging Nana’s embarrassing secrets.

“Huh? And what about you two? You did the exact same thing!”

“That’s right,” Momo smirks, “I’m not ashamed to admit that I fantasised about marrying such a wonderful partner.”

Lala nods rapidly; “Uh-huh. And now we have the perfect opportunity to do it! We should have a big, three-way wedding together!” Even Momo is struck silent by Lala’s polyamorous intent. Lala loves her sisters that much that she’s willing to get married on the same day as them. Nana’s face can’t get any redder than it is now as her imagination kickstarts to go along with Lala’s proposal.

“T-Together?”

“Sure! Wouldn’t it be a great memory to walk down the aisle together?”

In your own mind, the dresses that the three girls pick are much lewder than what they’ll want in reality, with exposed thighs, transparent floral patterns and plunging necklines that reveal as much cleavage as possible. Nana would never agree to something like that, and not just because she despises it when people act like perverts. It’d reveal the hierarchy of chest sizes for all to see, and Nana has a complex about that type of thing.

Lala is unconcerned with what her sisters think; “Oh, that sounds amazing! We should totally do that!”

Momo giggles, “Typical. You always get ahead of yourself, Lala.”

Lala pouts, “I’m being serious! It’s supposed to be the best day of your life, so sharing it with you two sounds like it would make it even better.”

You cut in, “Aren’t we a little far off from arranging a wedding? I’d need to get your father’s blessing first, and I can’t do that until we can travel to your universe.”

Momo covers her mouth, “How forward. He isn’t saying no…”

That isn’t a whole-hearted acceptance of Lala’s plan! You just want to make it clear that things can’t progress past the ‘lovers’ stage while you can’t meet with their father. You know that his motivations in the original are more innocent than they first appear, but you also want to make sure that you can handle whatever challenge he throws your way when you do meet him. With that said – getting married to three beautiful aliens isn’t such a bad deal.

Now that you think about it, why is their father alive? Given that the trio’s mother is also present in the manga, did Mitsuru not expect you to print a card of her? Or perhaps they’re… space divorced. But you can’t imagine the emperor of the galaxy doing something like that. It’s not really a problem. Mitsuru could find a universe where she’s available if you need her that badly, but these three have all of your bases covered when it comes to pink-haired aliens with devil tails.

“Of course he’s going to marry me,” Lala pouts, “We’re in love!”

“That’s because you’re thinking with your crotch and not your head,” Nana says derisively.

The argument is put on hold as your phone vibrates on the table. Initially, you expect to find another lewd selfie from Akeno or Rias, but it’s actually a call being made from the garage. You accept it and hold it to your ear, “Hello?”

An unfamiliar feminine voice responds, “Hello! Mitsuru told me to call you and fill you in.”

“Who’s this?” you ask.

She chuckles, “It’s Batgirl. Your friend asked me to help you track down a bad guy.”

Looks like Mitsuru has been using the Sledgehammer behind your back again, not that she’s disallowed from using it, it’s her project. You just wish she’d let you in on what she’s been doing with Venelana so often. Your first meeting being over the phone feels uneventful, but the practicalities of your mission come before any kind of romantic intention.

“Nice to meet you. I take it that you’re an expert on following people?”

“That’s right. When you work with the world’s greatest detective, you pick up a few tricks. We broke into some CCTV systems and tailed them, but they travelled through a portal and out of sight. They must be retreating to their base every time they complete whatever they’re doing.”

“What can we do about it?”

“If it’s proactive surveillance you want, you picked the right woman for the job. I’ll stick around for a little while and keep an eye out.”

“Thanks. You don’t seem so disturbed by being dragged into a fictional universe.”

She laughs, “This isn’t even in the top ten weirdest things that have happened to me; you learn to go with the flow. You’re lucky she summoned me when she did, I just jumped out of the shower and got dressed.”

“Oh, so no costume?”

“Not right now. I’ll show it off when we have a moment, but I’ve got to keep an eye on these feeds. I’ll talk with you again soon.” It’s curt but friendly. Barbara hangs up and leaves you with your thoughts – and three very competitive sisters who haven’t stopped debating the merits of Lala’s relationship yet. What was Barbara thinking while you were on the phone with her? You hope that the gorgeous redhead isn’t put off by the insanity of your present life.

A lull in the debate allows you to explain, “Listen, Lala’s been nothing but happy to be with me. I’m not going to say that she can’t change her mind, but you should listen to what she says. She means it.”

Nana shakes her head, “But why did she just leap into your arms like that? She doesn’t know anything about you. You might look like the guy from our favourite show, but that’s not evidence that you’re a good person.”

It’s true that Lala is impulsive and naïve in many ways, but the impression you’re getting from Nana is that her cynicism is getting in the way. She thinks that all of this is too good to be true; and to be honest you can understand how she feels. Getting to have your own harem of characters from things you like is insane. The only proof is in the reality. Mitsuru really made it happen. This isn’t a fever dream or the last desperate delusions of a dying brain, it’s real.

“I’ve seen hubby fight for other people a whole bunch,” Lala says resolutely, “He’s a hero, after all!” She punctuates her declaration by clinging to your arm and smiling as she makes eye contact with you. Lala really is amazingly cute when she wants to be. You wrap your arm around her waist and pull her a little closer in retaliation.

For the time being, things are left there.

---

“I’m very sorry for calling you here so suddenly, Barbara.”

Barbara had been very confused when she found herself being pulled into a rift between dimensions. As a superhero living in a city like Gotham, she was used to strange occurrences that defied the laws of physics and logic. She had been exposed to so many different people from other worlds, all of whom had differing powers, values and perspectives that she truly thought nothing more could surprise her.

Mitsuru proved her wrong. Barbara couldn’t withhold the gasp that escaped her lips as she stepped forth into a familiar locale. It wasn’t somewhere she had visited before, but many restless nights of fantasy had taken place here. Barbara knew it was strange for a bonafide superhero to read and consume superhero stories, but she found them comforting. The belief that good would always win out over evil was something she held close to her heart, even when the worst of society strived to prove her wrong.

Kara was the one who kickstarted the trend. She was never shy about her passions, and she was quick to recommend things to Barbara on the rare occasions where they had time to speak. Barbara had found the whole thing so silly. Barbara had no interest in a polymerous relationship, but her mind was soon swayed as she got to see all of your wives interacting and supporting each other. It spread like a wildfire through their common acquaintances and allies. Diane, Starfire, and hell even Raven had started to read every volume and watch the TV adaptation.

Barbara was taken aback by just how good it was! The art, the writing, and the depth of each relationship pulled her deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole. It had lived in her mind as her favourite piece of media for years. She had repeatedly daydreamed about getting to live the story herself. Not that she had ever aired that to her friends. Starfire’s extreme sense of honesty meant that she hogged most of the limelight when it came to declaring her fangirlish love for you.

Her eyes scanned the environment. It was just how she had imagined it, the garage where so much of the early story took place! Every piece of junk, the TV bracketed to the front wall, and the various gadgets and workbenches that Mitsuru had been working on before she arrived. The run-down business had been transformed into something more comfortable, with insulation on the walls and home comforts dotted around the place. A beat-up old couch rested in one corner, while an open door led into the kitchenette.

She could hear her own heart hammering in her ears. Adrenaline flooded her bloodstream as she drank in all of the small details. That extended to the short scientists who stood in front of her. Mitsuru was really cute! She resisted the urge to scoop her up and swing her around, she’d find that extremely irritating. Barbara took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Mitsuru had called her for her technical expertise, and she was happy to give it over. Just like the Mitsuru from the original manga, she had a strong sense of justice – even if she did try to hide it under an uncaring and precise façade.

Cracking into the city’s CCTV networks was easy. Her fingers danced across the keyboard as firewall after firewall fell to her skills. It would be even better if was allowed to integrate her personal AI system into the detection algorithm, but Mitsuru had revealed that her central computer wasn’t strong enough to host the advanced logic just yet.

Yet.

Mitsuru had also added a second request on top of tracking down the villain. She wanted Barbara to assist in building a new central server system inside of the garage, one that could utilise some of the computer components she had stolen from the invaders. Barbara had a wealth of experience and she knew that. The specs that she had provided were almost as shocking as her sudden relocation. The parts they were using were extremely advanced. She could see why Mitsuru wanted to integrate them.

“The invaders have been wizening up to some of their previous failings. This new evasive strategy of theirs is going to be tough to counter. Especially considering that the damage they cause is already done by the time we’re aware of their involvement.”

“I can do it. I’ll look over your plans and make sure everything is in order.”

Barbara was being selfish. She was assisting Mitsuru in the hopes that she could also get to know you better as well. But wasn’t that okay? Even a hero could ask for something in return from time to time. The entire premise of the situation was that she’d be introduced to his harem eventually, and Barbara found the prospect exciting.

“How long have you been doing this?” Barbara asked.

“A few months.”

“Oh, and how many other girls have gotten involved?”

Mitsuru paused and counted up the figure in her head, “Twelve? I think.” Barbara hummed as she considered the number. It really was early days – and she was happy to be involved. But for now, she had to focus on the job. Helping Mitsuru find where the android had gotten to. After all, Barbara knew how attractive she was. She’d have you eating out of the palm of her hand in no time!

Chapter 63: Party Starter

Lala could understand why her youngest sister was so hesitant to believe that you were the same man she had admired for so long. It was easy to lose perspective of the relatively humble beginnings that defined much of the early portion of the story. It was only when Lala went back and re-watched the earliest seasons that she remembered just how much things changed in time.

It was strange seeing you develop so much over the course of weeks and months. When she had first arrived in your world and met you for the first time – you didn’t look the part of a conquering hero. The version of you from her world was ‘complete’ in a sense. A character that had been crystalized through a vast and ever-expanding multi-media franchise. It was inevitable that some of those portrayals would differ in tone and personality; but at the end of the day there were elements that were necessary to the character of you .

He was strong, confident, and had an array of powers that trivialised almost any threat and sometimes precluded the need for his immense, two-hundred-plus harem, even though it was the primary focus of the story. That journey from a normal person to an overpowered symbol of what was right appealed to Lala on a deep, emotional level. Lala was initially worried that things might not go that way at all.

But it was during your first night together with Rias and Akeno that Lala saw a glimpse of that future within you. Reclining back on the bed, surrounded by beautiful women, with a natural sense of confidence that betrayed the strange circumstances you were in. Lala imagined you in a few years’ time, with powers of your own and many, many wives. You’d have a magnetic presence that let everyone know that you were the boss. A powerful force that could protect the multiverse from any threats that tried to do wrong by it. She’d walk into your throne chamber and see dozens of those wives, her friends, family and partners, all with a place in your heart.

Someone worthy of being the King of her father’s space empire and more besides. Even now you have undergone a significant transformation, moulding your body into something worthy of a talented warrior. She knew that with time more changes would come, more abilities and skills and powers would accumulate, and then you would realise your full potential and save the universe just like she wanted you to.

Lala loved you because despite all of that, you would continue to do the right thing.

To give someone power was to reveal their true character. That was a lesson that her father had repeated time and time again. His management of the space empire they lent their name to had been a long and fraught road. There were many who aspired to take his place, or carve out an empire of their own by working from the inside. He understood well that the first step to evaluating a leader’s trustworthiness was to see what they did with responsibility. The fact that you hadn’t summoned an invincible goddess from another universe and tried to conquer your home planet was an encouraging start.

Lala knew that she was being blinded by her bias. She loved you deeply. She loved the way you looked, the sound of your voice, and the way that you held her body close during more intimate moments. The thought of being separated or disallowed from marrying you was an awful one. Soon Nana and Momo would feel the same way, they just needed to see you in action and spend some time with you.

“I’ll admit, he looks like him – but that’s where the similarities end!” Nana said as the trio waited for you to return from the bathroom. “Did you really fall head over heels for him after just one meeting, sis?”

“Yep, I did!”

Momo was much less harsh on her elder sibling, “I think he’s cute. What’s the problem with getting swept off your feet, Nana?”

“It’s not normal to fall in love with some pervert after one meeting!”

Momo smirked; “You’re just worried he won’t like a flat-chested girl like you.”

Nana’s forehead pulsed angrily, “Am not.”

Lala couldn’t help but vouch for you, “He already has a flat-chested girl in his harem. He isn’t concerned with how big your breasts are…”

“I don’t believe you. That’s the first thing that all of those stupid bastard suitors Papa finds say! ‘Don’t you have a daughter with bigger boobs?’ Who the hell do they think they’re talking to?!”

“That’s their problem. You’re really cute, Nana.”

But she didn’t want to hear it. It was one thing to hear that kind of talk from a family member, and another to hear it from someone she was actually attracted to. Nana was stricken by your appearance and attitude, but she wouldn’t admit to being invested in joining the harem in front of her sisters. She’d already invested so much time and energy into arguing against it that changing her mind now would just invite more teasing. Nana hated being made to look like a fool – even when her own actions were the direct cause.

“Let Nana be single if she wants to be,” Momo giggled, “I’ll just take her spot. I think he’s easy on the eyes, and I like a man who already has plans to conquer a lot of women.” Lala reached over and took Momo’s hands into hers with a joyful smile on her face.

“Thank you! I really can’t wait for us to spend time together. It’s going to be a lot of fun! Mitsuru has been teaching me a whole bunch of ways to invent new items too.”

“Mitsuru is the head girl, correct?”

Lala frowned, “Uh. I don’t think so. They have a ‘childhood friends’ thing going on right now.”

“We really are early,” Momo gasped. Mitsuru had been inducted into the harem properly during volume four, after a touching confession between them that acknowledged their long and fruitful relationship moving on to the next stage. It was one of Momo’s favourite arcs! She just had to do her bit and match them together, this was the perfect chance to participate in a story that had moved her so much when she was younger.

“I think they should get together,” Lala frowned, “But Mitsuru is always so focused on her work that she doesn’t have time to go on dates and stuff. Rias was trying to break her out of her shell recently, so hopefully, she can give us a hand!”

“Rias is the devil girl, right?”

“Yep! She’s really beautiful and confident. I like her a whole bunch!”

Nana groaned, “Why are you introducing even more competition if you like him so much?”

“Because I know that it’ll make Mitsuru super happy,” Lala chirped. To her, it seemed like an entirely reasonable thing to do for a friend.

Momo was quick to pick another fight, “Is that a tinge of jealousy I detect? You still have time to claim a spot in the harem for yourself before things get intense.”

“Pft. Over my dead body.”

---

When you step out of the bathroom and return to the table, you find all three Deviluke sisters in the midst of yet another spat over whether to join the harem or not. It seems that mere words aren’t going to be enough to put this debate to rest. That’s just fine by you, because Barbara has sent you a message about the culprit behind the poisoning being spotted nearby. The small number of green spaces in the city means that it's possible for her to keep an eye on all of them.

“They’ve found the person responsible for the poisoning, they’re close. Let’s get there and stop them before they can cause any more damage.”

That’s enough to keep Nana quiet for now. They follow you back out of the café and down the road to where the local park is located. It’s much smaller than some of the other major attractions in the city. It’s a large open area with hills, trees and a lake in the middle. A tall brick wall surrounds most of the premises, with two double gates opening up onto the main pathway through the woodland.

“What a lovely park. I was worried that all of these tall buildings had taken over the entire city,” Momo sighs. Their own home planet had struggled with the labour of reclaiming some of their lost natural beauty once before. People didn’t know what they had until they lost it. It was part of why Momo valued natural life so highly, and not just because she had the innate ability to speak with plants.

“Yeah – they’ve been trying to redevelop some areas into parkland for everyone to use recently. But that isn’t going to help if these aliens keep poisoning the soil with that chemical compound.”

“Hmph, I can’t forgive someone who hurts the animal’s habitats like this,” Nana concurs; it’s the first time they’ve agreed on something all day.

“We’d better get in there before they do something bad,” you declare. You run through the main gate and onto the pathway. It’s a large park, and you’re not certain where they’ve pitched their base of operations. You pull out your phone and send a call to Mitsuru and Barbara, but it’s only Mitsuru who picks up.

“I’ll lead you there. Just follow my instructions, and you might want to put your armour on first.”

You use Lala’s invention and summon your protective outfit. Mitsuru relays a series of relatively vague directions to you, leading you down small side routes and between the trees until you come upon a large clearing where an unfriendly face is waiting for you with a strange android standing by his side.

“Ugh, not you again.”

“My name is Faust!”

“I don’t care – you’re gonna’ be a bloody smear on the ground in a second if you don’t stop messing with us.”

The android by his side is exactly what you expected it to be. A weird, one-sided mess with a large tank of sludge strapped to its back and a large mechanical needle on one arm. A singular, beady red eye stares a hole through you as Sundar starts to run his mouth again about how amazing his plan is this time.

“The source of all civilization is that of the flora and fauna. Even the mightiest of space empires have sprung forth from humble farmland and hard work. Rob your enemy of their sustenance, and they shall fall easily in battle. And so, I have elegantly concocted a scheme that will see your precious fertile ground rendered completely useless!

This guy has never worked on a farm before…

“My Toxidroid will inject a specially made chemical compound, one that cannot be found here on your planet, into the soil and make it impossible for plants to grow. Once that happens, the ecosystem of your planet will collapse too. Your world leaders will come to us, begging for salvation as the hunger starts to bite – and then you will submit to us fully and promptly!”

You cross your arms and tut, “Oh yeah? And how are you going to spread that toxin far enough to do that?”

You expect Faust to make a fool of himself as he did with the cloning gun, but it seems that he’s done his homework this time around. He wags a condescending finger in your direction and laughs with a blue-blooded shrill; “Of course – such a plan could only work if applied on a great scale. This is merely an experiment to prove the value of the toxin. It can easily be dumped into lakes and rivers across the world, water treatment facilities, and even the domestic water supply! Any ground that we can’t reach will be swarmed by droids like this, ensuring complete global saturation!”

“At least you made it that far this time.”

Nana scowls, “This guy stinks! And he has a face like an eggplant!”

Faust turns to your three pink-headed companions, “And what’s this? You mean to defeat me with a gaggle of pink-haired teenagers?” Faust has already seen Lala fight, so you’re not certain why he’s so dismissive of her and her sisters. Their race is no joke. The lasers they fire from their tails are super-heated and can cut through pretty much anything.

“Heh. I’ll make you eat those words, wise guy,” Momo snickers evilly.

But the proceedings are interrupted by the arrival of another voice.

“It’s not just going to be these four, either.”

A shadow falls down through the trees and makes a clean landing on the other side of the clearing. As the dust and leaves settle, the form rises to its full height and reveals a menacing black cowl. Her outfit is adorned with a bold, yellow and gold trim that highlights a bat insignia on her chest. She places her hands on her hips and steps out of the shade, revealing the full view of her heroic visage.

It’s Barbara, rocking her Batgirl costume and ready to mess Faust up.

“Batgirl?” you ask.

Barbara smiles, “Sorry – but if you’re throwing a party, you should throw an invite my way too.”

Chapter 64: Fighting with Batgirl

While you knew that Mitsuru had summoned Barbara earlier, you didn’t expect her to head back, grab her gear and show up to the fight! She must have asked Mitsuru to return her to her own world so that she could get ready. While you’re internally freaking out and getting to see Batgirl in the flesh, you’re also starting to worry about what the Toxidroid is capable of. You have a rebreather in your suit, but the Deviluke sisters and Batgirl don’t. If Faust demands it sprays dangerous chemicals everywhere, it could get into their lungs and eyes very easily.

But most irritating of all is that you’ve started to remember his name.

Barbara isn’t deterred by the sight of the robot. With a deft sleight-of-hand, she reaches down to her belt and draws a trio of golden batarangs, throwing them in a fan-like pattern that makes dodging them almost impossible. The android tries its best to avoid taking damage, but it is a feeble effort in the face of her speedy throw. One of them embeds into its arm, before jolting the android with a burst of electricity from an internal mechanism.

With that, all hell breaks loose. There’s no time to admire just how beautiful she is, because Faust is already descending upon you with the intent of burying his laser sword deep into your chest for real this time! His effort is warded away by a sudden barrage of red beams being fired from behind you, which glance off of his metallic armour and force him back through the air.

“I’ll show you what happens when you kill these adorable plants and animals!” Momo roars, blasting away at him using the tip of her tail.

Nana eggs her on with venom in her voice, “That’s right, show him who’s boss!”

Their war nut of a father has taught them a thing or two about defending themselves, as Momo, Nana and Lala keep him at bay with their ranged attacks. You also know that they’re pretty strong too! Not that Faust is going to get a chance to get close to them. You head over to where Barbara is fighting with the android, but you’re intercepted as several goons leap out from the bushes and try to stop you.

One of the lower level robots is immediately taken out as a bola flies in from an unseen angle and almost rips its head off just from the force. It is forced down to the ground as the ball-covered rope wraps around its neck and drags it down. You draw your gun and start shooting, ripping open one of their chest panels and ripping apart the internal mechanisms in a violent spurt of robo-gore. Oil and sparks fly everywhere!

Barbara isn’t fazed by the toughness of the alien alloy that the android is built from – she deals with supernatural threats and madmen on a near daily basis. She deflects a punch and grapples with the android’s working arm, the joints inside groan in protest as she slowly begins to ratchet up the tension and break it. It gives way all at once, bending backwards with a loud screech of metal on metal.

From her position behind the robot, Barbara slaps a magnetic bomb to the back panel and delivers a roundhouse kick, tossing the android into the middle of a group of mooks. It explodes in a flash of orange light, destroying several of them all at once. Barbara leans back and avoids another attack from an unsighted opponent. She aims her left arm at the culprit and fires a grapple tether through its head – before shooting it upwards and around a nearby lamppost. The mechanism inside reels the robot up into the air, where it struggles and tries to escape.

But her explosive didn’t destroy the more advanced Toxidroid. You’re going to need some more firepower to break that thing into pieces. You crack another head with a stunning kick and move to join her.

“Nice of you to show up, Batgirl.”

She chuckles, “Hey – you can’t throw a party like this without inviting me. I headed back home and brought a few toys so we could play. These guys are some tough nuts to crack.”

“Right. That alloy they use isn’t from Earth. It’s super tough, you’re gonna’ need something bigger to break through that.”

“Like that gun you’re holding?”

“Exactly.”

“Then allow me.”

She draws another batarang and throws it at the Toxidroid. You watch as it gracefully curves through the air before landing directly on the target. A second later, the robot begins to twitch and jolt as a surge of electricity is sent through its internal systems. You take aim and prepare to finish the fiend off for good, but Faust leaps over and pulls it out of the way – forcing your bullets to harmlessly disappear a few feet behind where it was standing. One of the advantages of it being an energy weapon is that the output can be tuned to avoid collateral damage. The rangefinder in your helmet updates the power draw on the fly during a fight.

“I’m not letting you ingrates spoil my plans again!”

Faust is red in the face as fury starts to take a hold of his decision making. He charged at you using his blade – trying to cut you and Barbara down where you stand. You duck out of the way while she responds with an expertly practised disarming manoeuvre. Faust cries out in pain as Barbara grabs his wrist and applies enough pressure to make him drop his weapon. That fancy armour he’s wearing is going to help when Batgirl squeezes him into a pretzel and breaks every bone in his body.

Not that she’d do something that mean, anyway.

Faust manages to throw her over his shoulder and reclaim his weapon of choice, but that leaves him vulnerable to you coming in from behind and using some of the training that Chun-Li has provided you. Another kick to the left side of his neck sends the weedy villain spiralling away and into the dirt. Several more androids appear to try and protect him from further attack.

Barbara leaps back into action, punching, kicking, cracking and grappling with a finesse that almost leaves you speechless. She doesn’t stop for even a second, years of instinct drilled into her. She’s more of a machine than the robots she’s currently beating the snot out of. Faust is clearly not happy about being beaten back by a ‘mere human.’

The rest of his force isn’t doing too hot either. The Deviluke sisters have made short work of them using their laser-firing tails. With the numbers game going against him and his precious Toxidroid nursing a broken arm, Faust has no choice but to retreat. He snaps his fingers and summons a tear in time and space, which he leaps through with the robot in hot pursuit. Barbara tries to catch him before he gets away, but it's just too fast for you to interrupt.

“Agh! He got away,” she frowned.

“Yeah, he does that.”

Barbara faces you as things quieten down. You take a moment to appreciate the costume, which is in no way influenced by the way that it shows off her curvy body. It makes your nerdy little heart jump for joy seeing such an iconic look replicated in your real world, or rather, the original look that she is using in her own world.

It’s fine because she’s doing the exact same thing to you. Mitsuru had been searching for people who are already familiar with your work. Barbara must have seen this armour while she was reading or watching your show. You press the button on your bracelet and send it back to the warp space that Lala uses to store these things. Barbara is much more interested in inspecting your face rather than the helmet. She isn’t shy about getting an eyeful. The standoff is ended by a bright flash coming from behind you. Momo is holding a phone in her hands and snapping a picture of Barbara for some reason.

“What are you doing?” you ask.

“It’s for the chart!”

The harem chart. You didn’t know that Momo was taking such an active part in putting that together. You don’t see the practical need for it, considering that most of your summons fall in love with you on sight, but there’s no need to stop them from having fun. Barbara isn’t initiated on what all of that is about, so she just ignores it and decides to formally introduce herself.

“It’s nice to see you face to face, I’m Batgirl – but I assume you already know my real identity.”

“I wouldn’t want to spill it without your permission. Let’s head back before the police show up.”

You walk away from the site of the battle and start the trip back to the base. One of the good things about Batgirl is that everyone will just think that she’s a very dedicated cosplayer, because she doesn’t have the ability to teleport her outfit away like you do. Barbara retrieves a large sports bag from behind a nearby tree, and makes a quick stop in a public toilet to change back into her regular clothes.

“Sorry, that outfit starts to chafe if I leave it on for too long.”

“Don’t discomfort yourself for my sake. I’d say that this isn’t such a bad look either.” Barbara giggles and punches your arm. Delivering corny lines is yet another skill to add to your expanding repertoire.

“Can you stop flirting for one darn second and tell me what that guy was trying to do?” Nana demands.

“He made it pretty clear when he explained his entire plan to us in that dramatic monologue,” Momo says.

“What was up with that? Can’t he keep his stupid mouth shut?”

“Evidently not...”

“Whatever. What he's planning to do is totally unforgivable. The next time I see him, I’m gonna’ wring his neck for killing all of those plants and animals!”

You turn back and smile, “Does that mean I can count on your help in the future?”

She stops in place and pouts, “Fine! But don’t expect me to start eating out of the palm of your hand, pervert!”

Momo rolls her eyes, but Lala leaps onto her back and glomps her, “Oh! Thank you so much, Nana. I promise you won’t regret it.”

“I’ll make you regret it if you don’t get off of me!”

“They’re a… energetic bunch,” Barbara observes.

“Things can get a little chaotic around here,” you concur, “But that’s why it’s so exciting. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of amazing people lately, and there are even more on the horizon. I’ve just got to keep focused on stopping them from causing too much damage.”

“I feel that. Sometimes it can feel like you’re not even making a dent in the problem, but every life you save is valuable. When you give people a reason to be optimistic they start changing their own behaviour too.”

That was true to some extent. Your armour-clad form (which still hasn’t been given a popular name yet,) has become something of a media icon recently. That is partly thanks to Mitsuru and Venelana ruthlessly exploiting the news coverage of your fights and having merchandising prepared to sell to a captive audience of consumers. You just hope they keep the other copyright holders in mind, they might not like your own ‘franchise’ being promoted with help from their characters. For every five people who watch those videos or buy something, you hope that at least one of them takes a lesson to heart and tries to do some good in their own lives too.

Within their means, of course. You’re not foolish enough to expect them to pick up a gun and fight like you do. Some people simply can’t do something like that, and you’re not even sure it would be effective against their alien materials; but that’s a problem for another day. For now, you need to head back and work on finding where Faust keeps running to. This cat and mouse game is already testing your patience.

Chapter 65: Back at the Base

Momo is starstruck by how familiar the garage looks, “Wow! This is just like in the TV show!”

Barbara concurs, “I know, right? I thought I was seeing things when I appeared out of nowhere.”

Mitsuru is busy hammering away at her computer’s keyboard again; “Could we please talk about establishing a response system? We have no experience with this sort of thing.”

Barbara chuckles and shifts back onto the main topic, “Sorry. It’s hard not to get swept up in all of this…”

“I know!” Momo gushed.

“If you want something like an effective surveillance and response system, without being in touch with the authorities, you might need to break a few laws.”

You snort, “Do you really think Mitsuru cares about that?”

“I thought not. We can leverage the pre-existing cameras to start off with. But the most important part is AI analysis.”

“AI?”

“That’s right. Whenever something is happening, people post about it online, or they call the police – we have wiretaps into those systems, and we can see when significant activity hotspots develop. The AI system automatically checks whether they’re an outlier and alerts us if something significant is occurring. We have a few other methods, but they involve more complex solutions that you can’t achieve at the moment.”

Mitsuru nods; “I know it’s a lot to ask of you, but could I possibly see a copy of the AI’s code?”

Barbara grimaces, “As long as you keep it a secret.”

“Don’t worry. Venelana has taught me a lot about the value of discretion!” For better or worse. A Mitsuru who knows how to evade regulation is your worst nightmare. She was already bad before she knew how to hide what she was doing.

“As for disaster response, you’re going to be better off leaving that to the professionals, or at least summoning someone who has the correct training. We don’t tend to interfere with the emergency services when they’re trying to recover people unless there’s an immediate threat to their safety. You can easily do more harm than good.”

“Alright, I’ll stay out of the way.” Barbara smiles at your compliance, now confident that you’ll listen to what she has to say. You have a lot to learn from veterans like her – so hopefully you can call her through to have training sessions like you do with Chun-Li. Barbara has been fighting crime for much longer than you have. On the way to the garage she revealed that she has been Batgirl for nearly eight years now, long beyond the point of becoming a Batwoman. That doesn’t roll off the tongue very well though.

Her orange hair, green eyes and professional-looking glasses are a very pleasant sight. Barbara is stunning in a way that differs from the other girls you’ve summoned so far. The fact that she’s equally infatuated with you still feels like a bad joke, but the matching look of appreciation she gives you is enough evidence to ram it home. If only Nana was this easy to convince.

“I can get the AI analysis tool we use to you fairly fast if you send me back now. It should take me a day or so to compile it to a suitable size.”

“Thank you very much,” Mitsuru says, “We didn’t have much time to prepare our defences before they launched their incursion. I was so focused on building an appropriate weapon that building a surveillance network fell onto the backburner. We’ll have to rectify that mistake quickly.”

“You’ll need some heavy-duty hardware to handle that much data…”

“That’s already taken care of, Barbara. I’ve been building a data storage facility under this garage for some time now. It should be more than enough to handle the volume we’ll run through.”

“Under here?” Barbara replies in disbelief, “Isn’t it a little small to be building an entire data centre inside?”

“Nope!” Lala chirps, “Thanks to my space-expanding gadgets, Mitsuru-chan can build whatever she wants without worrying about the space it needs! She’s been expanding this place in secret the whole time. Try not to get lost down there!”

You really want to know how labyrinthian things have gotten on the lower floors, but that conversation will have to wait. All of the rooms you’ve visited so far have been fairly straightforward, being self-contained spaces for specific purposes. There’s so much untapped potential involved in the concept; can you place a large compressed space room inside of another compressed space? Or connect them with corridors and just keep expanding it forever? At some point things are going to get out of hand, they always do when Mitsuru is involved. You’ll go down there in a few months and find an entire city and tram system just to get around the damn place.

At least she’s meticulous enough to keep a map, in that case.

“Jeeze. Maybe I could take a few of those and expand my workspace too,” Barbara laughs.

Mitsuru is optimistic about not needing it; “With the new processors we stole from them, we can reduce the floorspace demanded by our computer systems. If that’s your concern, we can share that information with you when we figure out how to reproduce them for ourselves.”

“Please.”

“Why don’t we just find the guy responsible and show him who’s boss!” Nana complains. All of this talking is starting to get on her nerves. Her tail lashes out angrily behind her as she closes in and gets up in your personal space. You hold your hands up and try to cool her head a little.

“We can’t. They’re teleporting to a space where we can’t find them. Mitsuru’s already checked Earth’s orbit for anything unusual.”

“That’s right,” Mitsuru explains, “I have reason to believe that they’ve slipped between the planes of our reality. They’re perfectly capable of navigating through those extra-dimensional spaces without the use of a teleportation relay. They may even have some kind of ship that they can use to support their efforts.”

Lala steps in and pulls Nana away, “I’ve been helping Mitsuru-chan for a while now and we haven’t made much progress on finding them.”

“Grr. Doesn’t that just mean you’re letting these guys cause a buttload of damage? You should be more proactive and take the fight to them!”

“We would if we could!”

“Just hurry up and send me back already.”

Nana turns away and huffs haughtily as you share a nervous glance with Lala. You grab the Sledgehammer from the table and insert her card, “Well… I’ll see you later, Nana.” She continues to give you the cold shoulder even as she disappears back into her home universe. You let loose a breath you didn’t know you were holding and lean back against the workbench.

“I’m really sorry about her, hubby.”

“It’s not your fault, Lala. I didn’t expect her to be on board with all of this anyway.”

Momo frowns, “She must have been expecting something more from you. She always gets like this when someone doesn’t meet her expectations.”

“And what does she expect from me?”

“She’s impatient. If she doesn’t see instant gratification from something it frustrates her. When she heard about you summoning Lala she was really excited to meet you – but when she learned that you don’t have all of the abilities that you do in the show, that dampened her anticipation. She always admired you for being the strongest in everything you did. She was hoping that you could showcase that strength to her.”

Lala is visibly upset; “Why can’t she appreciate hubby as he is now? It takes a whole bunch of volumes before he gets to that level!”

“That’s the part of the story that she doesn’t like,” Momo replies, “Nana only re-reads the later volumes after the Demonology Arc.”

The what arc?

“But seeing hubby progress his powers is why the story is so good!” Lala protests. You get the feeling that this kind of argument happens a lot between the trio. Without Nana here to present her case, both Lala and Momo are beating down on her.

Momo walks up to you and smiles, “We’re getting off-topic. The point is, Nana is probably upset that you aren’t kicking down the door to their interdimensional base and blasting hundreds of them using magic. If you want to win her over and add her to the harem, you’ll need to demonstrate some aggression.”

“And what about you?”

Momo pulls off a teasing pose, holding a finger against her bottom lip; “I never said I needed anything to love you. Let’s just say that I’m already the newest member of your harem.”

Sisters secured.

Barbara is quick to butt in, “Hey, wait a second – can’t I get in on the action too?”

“Just like that?” you ask.

Barbara nods eagerly, “I’m not going to be caught napping while you’re scooping up pretty girls by the dozen. How about we go out on a date sometime? I’d like to get to know you in a more relaxed setting.”

You don’t see a problem with that, “Sure.”

Mitsuru clears her throat and pulls all of the room’s eyes onto her, “Before you all start getting touchy-feely, I’d like to solve our detection problem first. Barbara, I’ll summon you as soon as you have what we need. You can contact me using this phone.”

Barbara accepts the cross-dimensional communication device and slips it into her pocket; “What’s one more to add to my collection?” she jokes. Her secret lair is a messy pile of discarded devices used for various purposes. “Are you planning on summoning some other girls from my universe to come here? You have a lot of big fans.”

“Uh, I’m trying to pace myself a little right now. But what kind of fans are you talking about?”

“I’m sure you already know their real identities, but I’ve heard things from Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Starfire, Huntress, Power Girl – hell, I even caught Raven reading one of the volumes when I dropped by to visit.”

It’s so, so hard not to jump at the chance to summon all of them right now. All of them are girls you’d love to have hanging from your arms. But you meant it when you said you’re trying to preserve some of your cards. If they adopt a strategy that you can’t counter effectively, you’ll need them to formulate a strategy in response. Barbara has caught on already just because of the pained face you are now showing as you consider your options.

“Heh. Always thinking about who else to grab.”

“I have to resist, I really mean it this time.” You really have to remember those names for the future though. They could all bring some serious firepower to your team, especially the kryptonians. The only problem you can foresee is the enemy obtaining kryptonite from somewhere by travelling through the universes.

“Alright, I’ll believe you for now – big guy. I’ll head back and get that AI for you. Is everything out there?”

“I think we’re good, Mitsuru?”

“I have nothing else to share. Thank you again for your assistance, Barbara.”

“No problem. I’m always willing to lend a hand when innocent people are in danger.”

You place her card into the Sledgehammer and send her off with a wave, leaving you with just Momo and Lala in your presence. You really don’t know how to get through to Nana. She must have some level of interest in being with you. The entire reason Mitsuru picked their universe to pull from was because they’re obsessed with you. She’s the typical tsundere character, she’s hiding her real feelings by qualifying them needlessly.

Momo’s face turns dark as a wicked smirk spreads across her plump lips, “Hehehe. If Nana doesn’t want to join the harem, that means we need to make her realise just how good the harem life can be!”

Big words from a girl who hadn’t even met you until a few hours ago.

Lala jumps into the air, “That’s right. We need a super amazing plan to convince Nana that this is a good thing!”

“Please don’t do anything drastic,” you beg. Lala always comes up with plans that would make Mitsuru blush with their reckless ambition.

“Don’t you worry one bit, hubby! By the time we’re finished – Nana will have no choice but to become the third Deviluke in your harem!” Momo nods along with the bold declaration, whisking her sister away into the office so that they can start discussing their devious plan out of earshot.

Mitsuru looks up from her work, “Is it okay to leave those two alone?”

You sigh, “I’m sure it’ll work out… somehow.”

Chapter 66: Greeting Belfast

Lala and Momo have started to scheme without your input, so you decide that the best course of action is to do something on your own to try and win Nana over. Since she’s disappointed about your perceived lack of strength versus your fictional counterpart, you decide to speak with some of the other girls to try and get a little bit stronger. You convene the meeting in the sitting room of your new mansion.

It took some time to consider who would be the best fit. Motoko is talented, but her entire body is cybernetic. Unless you’re willing to remove your flesh and blood – she can’t help you in the way that you need her to. Chun-Li’s training is going along at a normal pace, so she can’t do anything more. The first answer on your mind is Rias and Akeno.

“I’m afraid that humans can’t use magic like devils can,” Rias says solemnly. Despite the serious subject matter, both she and Akeno couldn’t resist sneaking a deep french kiss from you. Now they’re sitting extremely close and holding onto your arms like the doting girlfriends they are.

Akeno concurs, “Unfortunately, Rias is correct – mortals were not granted the ability to wield magic as we can.”

“And the only way to use that would be to become a devil myself, huh?”

“I know that you already asked about it; I don’t mean to seem like I’m forcing you into something you don’t want. You’ve always been respectful of my wishes,” Rias says. “I should mention that Mother still has most of her evil pieces. If you wish to become a devil one day, she’ll keep a hold of one for you.”

“Really? I thought that a high-level devil like her would have a peerage already.”

“Mother isn’t one for participating in rating games anymore. She has a pawn or two to keep the house in order but otherwise retains them. She traded away her strongest fighters before I was born.”

You nod along with her explanation. She can probably take care of herself anyway. You’ve never summoned Venelana into a fight, but you don’t believe for a second that she’s a helpless housewife. Even the lowest-level devils are extremely powerful, with enhanced physical attributes, endurance, and magical firepower. To be the head of one of the largest devil houses in the underworld demands some composure.

“This Nana girl sounds familiar to a troublesome kitten we all know,” Akeno giggles. “Koneko-chan has been driving herself mad thinking about you, hubby.”

“I highly doubt that. She didn’t want anything to do with me last time.”

“Fufufu – your words had more of an effect than you realise. Koneko was very happy when you accepted her true nature and encouraged her to master it. She’s been training hard every day because of you.”

Rias titters and admonishes her, “There’s no need to entrap Koneko by spilling all of her secrets, Akeno.”

“I get the feeling that hubby already knew that Koneko was going to do this…”

“I did,” you respond, “But you shouldn’t talk behind her back about it. I get that she has problems with being honest about her past and personal feelings.”

Rias plants her hand on your thigh, “I agree. It’s disconcerting to Koneko-chan that you already know her past and history. You’re going to have to earn her trust before she’ll open up to you for real. I’m looking forward to inducting her into your harem, hubby.”

“I’m starting to think you get a sick thrill out of this.”

Rias pouts mockingly, “When did I ever give you that impression, darling? There’s nothing strange about wanting to see my beloved servants as your loyal concubines.” Akeno giggles along with her as they both start to get more touchy-feely with you, running hands across your body and planting a lot of kisses on your neck and cheeks. You adjust your belt and try to keep things on topic. You have to remind yourself that one of Rias’ main plotlines in the third season was being jealous of the other girls…

“Oh, speaking of which – I decided to get a maid to help look after this place. It’s way too big for me to handle on my own.”

“Especially when you have so many wives to satisfy…”

“Not really what I meant, but sure.”

“If you’re looking for a wonderful maid and wife, might I suggest Grayfia? She’s very interested in the new man of the Gremory house. She would be happy to serve you as a lover and attendant.”

“I might have done, but I settled on summoning Belfast.”

“Belfast?”

“She’s a… human warship, and a maid. I don’t really get it myself, but she should be more than enough for the time being.” You reach into your pocket and hold out the card for Rias to inspect. Her eyes drift south and stare at her gigantic chest with a tinge of jealousy.

“My my, you sure love women with large chests.”

Akeno laughs, “I fear for the future when we no longer suffice, Rias.”

“I promise, this is close to the absolute maximum. I don’t think they get much bigger than this.”

You really do need the help. You make sure to put away your trash and keep the kitchen clean, but some jobs are just too big when you also have to stay vigilant for alien attacks. You can be called away into a fight at any moment, and there’s other stuff you have to do for Mitsuru when she gets too absorbed in her experiments to shop, cook or clean for herself. You’re her maid, so why not have a maid of your own to continue the chain? The dust is already starting to gather in some places, and the professional hand of a real maid slash warship will do a much better job of sweeping it away and getting into all of the hidden spots.

“Maybe we should summon her and see how she does.”

Azur Lane is a game where you step into the shoes of an unnamed admiral. In many ways, it's like what you’re doing now; surrounding yourself with beautiful women and building relationships with them, with a game layer plastered on top to provide some plausible deniability. Mitsuru would have had to do some serious work to find a universe where she can be summoned at the drop of a hat, and is interested in spending time with another man who isn’t him. What is a warship girl without a commander? Do they keep them in storage for later?

You’ll soon find out.

Summoning the Sledgehammer from the garage, you insert Belfast’s card into the chamber and pull the trigger. Rias and Akeno watch with excitement as a new girl appears through the dimensional breach. True to form, the first thing that attracts your collective attention is her chest – which jiggles with the slightest movement. There doesn’t appear to be a bra hidden beneath the cups of her revealing maid outfit. They are by far the largest pair of breasts you’ve seen yet. There’s a moment of disorientation as the warship girl looks at her new surroundings, but as soon as her eyes settle on you, her expression changes to a pleased smile.

“Oh! I must apologise for entering your abode without permission.”

“No, no. We’re the ones who brought you here, Belfast.”

“I see. While it is a surprise, I do wonder what you require of me.”

Rias jumps in, “I have to say that her body is very nice. I might feel a little green with envy.”

“Yeah – it’s a lot more… extreme in real life.”

Belfast takes a look around the room and starts to frown as she notices various imperfections with your previous handiwork. It seems that she’s starting to put together the pieces for herself. You’ve summoned her here to help manage your estate.

“I see the problem,” she explains, “While I do have my responsibilities back home, I would be more than happy to serve you, if you are willing to be my Master.”

“Thank you! I’d be happy to have you around the house. You know better than me how to handle this sort of thing, so I hope I can leave it in your capable hands.”

Belfast is pleased as punch to have been accepted as your servant, as is her nature. You can only assume that her Admiral isn’t romantically interested in her, or that she hasn’t been assigned to anyone in the first place. She walks away and searches for some supplies to begin her work with. You don’t even need to speak with her about shifts, she just starts dusting and cleaning with a level of detail you couldn’t hope to replicate. You try your hardest not to ogle her body as she bends over, revealing her equally large behind, or more cleavage than one man could ever hope to handle. If Belfast has a problem with it, she never says a word to change it.

That was easy! A nice change of pace from having to deal with Nana.

“Try not to empty yourself into her too much, darling. You’d do well to save some for the rest of us.”

You chuckle and poke Rias’ cheek, “She isn’t going to be here all the time, Rias.”

“Still – I’d rather have my fair share of your attention. Isn’t that right, Akeno?”

“Yes, I agree, President.”

“And if you do need another maid, please consider Grayfia. My offer was not made in jest.”

You nod, “Okay. I’ll keep her in mind. I still have to work things out with Asia and Koneko first.”

Belfast is already working on wiping away every single speck of dust that she can find with terrifying efficiency. She might just finish cleaning every room before the sun goes down, and keeping up with it yourself is such a pain in the ass that once you’re done, you have to start again from the beginning. With her and Grayfia, you wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. Not to mention that Grayfia is an extremely powerful demon in her own right, having cut a swathe of destruction through rating games before her first marriage.

Your superhero name might end up being ‘the Milf Hunter’ at this rate.

Akeno and Rias couldn’t stick around for too long, they had to go home without having the chance to jump your bones and make even more mess for Belfast to tidy up. A promise was made to make up for them missing out, some sort of three-way engagement or date soon. Not much of a punishment to spend time with two beautiful women; but your pelvis will be the one bearing the brunt when the time comes.

You wander the lonesome halls of your mansion and try to find out where Belfast has gotten to. There are tell-tale signs of her presence all over the house. You’ve never seen the place this spotless before. She might be a warship in the body of a human woman, but she’s no slouch when it comes to her day job. Her obsessive attention to detail means that nothing has been left untouched. It only settles in just how messy the place was when you see it now in comparison. You eventually find her bending beneath the dining room table, making no attempt to hide her panties from view.

“How are you finding things, Belfast?”

She finishes her current task and emerges with a smile on her face. “This is a lovely home, Master. It is no bother for me to assist you in cleaning.”

“I just wanted to confirm a few things with you. I don’t need you to be here all the time, but I would like to call you over every so often to clean the place up.”

Belfast seems almost disappointed; “I would not mind staying here and serving you permanently, but I’m afraid that there are duties I must undertake back home, Master.”

“That’s what I’m being considerate of. I’m sure there are things to do back home and friends to see. I wouldn’t dare separate anyone from their loved ones just for the sake of helping me out. It doesn’t get dirty that quickly, so you can take a few days off without worrying about it. Doesn’t the Admiral ask you for something similar?”

Belfast’s tone remains eminently polite, “The Admiral is a wonderful leader; however, she is not my Master. I offered my services upon our first meeting – but she stated that my true role was to assist in battle.”

A female Admiral? That wasn’t the target audience of the game at all, but it does provide a convenient excuse for some of these ships to be infatuated with you instead. Not that there’s anything wrong with them liking women, anyway.

“She becomes rather upset when I clean the dorms and try to keep everything tidy – but I'm of the opinion that there is no better way to ensure that a job is done right than by doing it for yourself. I believe that this arrangement will allow me to unleash my urges without her knowledge.”

“Okay, that’s fine by me. Would you like to be compensated for your time?”

Belfast gives you a look that speaks volumes. The thought had never once crossed her mind that she could get paid for her work. For that matter, you’re not sure if the girl even has use of your money in the first place. What would she spend it on? Is it even legal tender in her own universe?

“The only compensation I require is the satisfaction of a job well done, and to see a smile on your face, Master.”

Every little movement she makes causes her immense chest to wobble. It feels like the front of her dress is edging closer and closer to giving up the ghost and collapsing under their weight, but that moment never comes. Belfast does not object as your eyes keep drifting south. It’s an impulse that is impossible to control. They defy the laws of physics.

“And… perhaps you will grant me a selfish request in return?”

“Of course, what is it?”

“I would like to spend time with you as Master and Servant – but I cannot hide my admiration for you. My service is not just an expression of servitude, but respect. I hold very strong feelings, and I know not if you would be willing to recognise them.”

You reach out and take Belfast’s hands into your own. Despite the hard draft that defines her characters, they’re incredibly soft and smooth to the touch. Belfast’s cheeks flush a light pink as you boldly move forth with skin contact. “I already know that you love me, Belfast. The only question you have to ask is if you’re willing to do what your heart desires.”

Belfast closes her eyes and smiles brightly, “Oh, thank you Master! Please – if you have anything to request, I will fulfil my duties to the very best of my ability!”

“Even if it involves fighting?”

“Yes. Anything you need.”

You lean in and kiss her on the lips. Belfast makes no attempt to move away as she melts into your arms. Her body is so warm that you could hold onto it for hours at a time, but you can’t do that without coming back up for air. Belfast moans as you break apart. She’s shocked by your forwardness.

“You’re not just my maid, but a lovely lady after my own heart. I’m happy to have you with us, Belfast.”

“T-Thank you so much, Master! It’s more than I deserve.”

You spend some more time getting to know your new partner. It looks like things are going to be just fine.

Chapter 67: The Deviluke's in the Details

It was a late evening on TLR-Earth, and the Deviluke sisters were hard at work making plans for the near future. Crammed inside of their compressed-space laboratory, Lala had dedicated an entire wall of the space to a schizophrenic explosion of notes, images and coloured strings. An outside observer could easily mistake her for a conspiracy theorist, but it wasn’t for the sake of proving the existence of a grand deception. It was Lala’s personal notes on all of the girls that would soon be joining her Husband’s rapidly enlarging harem. With some assistance from Mitsuru, she’d even gone so far as to include characters that haven’t yet been summoned; based entirely on who your favourites were.

But at the present moment, Lala was distracted with something else entirely; “Don’t you think that this dress would look super cute on me?”

Momo sighed and pushed aside Lala’s phone with a frown, “We’re not here to pick out a wedding dress, sis.”

Lala pouted, “Aw, just tell me!”

“It’s cute, and you look amazing in anything – can we please get back on topic?”

That topic was what to do about Nana. Momo stood from the beanbag she was using and stared at the note pinned next to her profile image. Listed were several aspects of her personality that would pose a challenge when trying to add her to the harem. Both girls knew her very well. Nana was stubborn, dishonest with her feelings, and valued strong people. She’d gotten much better with being honest since becoming friends with Mea, but romance was a different beast from friendship. Momo grabbed a pen and scribbled down an extra line.

Flat chested.

Just because they were sisters didn’t mean that Momo could resist being petty or teasing her ruthlessly. She gave herself a satisfied pat on the back and returned the pen to its resting place. The harem chart was developing quickly. Lala had a second copy of it down in the garage, but that wasn’t updated as often as the one in her laboratory slash bedroom. ‘Batgirl’ was the latest, opening a new cluster of potential haremettes from her universe. You always gravitated towards a particular theme when you started adding more. Momo silently judged the quality of the other girls who were connected to her. They were all pretty good, but nothing compared to her cuteness!

“We need a super effective way to make Nana fall totally in love with hubby!”

“That’s what I came here to talk about, did you forget already?”

“Uh. I think so…”

“Jeez – you’re such a scatterbrain sometimes. We have to start somewhere, what does Nana like?”

“Strong guys!”

“That’s right. Not only is she not being honest with her feelings, but she also seems to think that he isn’t strong enough. She’s comparing him to the version from the TV series, but we can’t guarantee that he’ll become like that. We just need to show her his best points, and she’ll understand his appeal if we give her enough time.”

Lala punched the air, “That’s right! Hubby’s super appeal will win her over in no time at all!”

Momo pinched the bridge of her nose, “Lala – you already like him. Nana is being resistant to the idea. We need to find a way to demonstrate his qualities to her without making her react negatively. If she thinks that changing her mind will look silly, she’ll refuse to do it.”

“Oh, like when she said that she didn’t like Pizza?”

“Yes, exactly like that.”

For all of her intelligence, Lala was bad at comprehending other people if not provided with a direct example she could relate to. She nodded happily and hummed as her brain ticked over with several ideas on how to entrap Nana in a loving, sisterly marriage to her favourite human. Nana just needed a little push so that she could admit just how amazing he really was! Momo was not expecting many good ideas from Lala – despite inviting her for a meeting. Lala was innocent in many ways, even as she became an adult. Understanding people’s feelings was a serious challenge for such a practically-minded person.

But she’d also grown a lot since arriving on Earth and meeting her new friends. Momo had never seen Lala in such a good mood before. Now that she was away from the constant marriage proposals arranged by their father, she was free to be herself and enjoy her hobbies. She’d become much peppier, cuter, and more willing to treat her sisters like sisters.

“Hm. I think we have to show her that hubby really is just like himself from the show!”

“But how could we do that?”

“First, we need them to spend some more time together. Nana won’t be able to see him being cool and brave if she refuses to be around him.”

The pair continued to discuss their plan for an hour, before finally settling on a multi-pronged strategy to add her to the harem. Nana had no idea what she was in for.

---

Barbara felt like a little kid again. She hadn’t felt this giddy about something in years. She had to stop herself from getting too excited. She was a fully-grown woman, not a schoolgirl going out with her first ever partner. This was different – that much was evident. She wasn’t just intent on dating a fellow superhero or even a normal person, but one of the objects of her friend circle’s collective affection. Barbara had pulled several of her fellow heroes into the rabbit hole with her and by now many of them had submitted fully to ‘you-mania.’

Despite her boundless love for the story that you star in, Barbara never expected to be pulled into your world to meet the real thing. Multiple universes were nothing new; but even with that knowledge, she did not allow herself to become blinded with needless optimism about the potential of meeting you. But then it happened without warning! Barbara was usually in a dour mood while patrolling the streets of Gotham for crime, but tonight she was anything but. She was stuck firmly on cloud nine with a grin that betrayed the solemn duty she upheld for the city’s denizens.

Atop her perch overlooking the streets, Barbara kicked her legs back and forth while eating her midnight meal. It felt strange to work with a smile, but it did help her weather some of the more dreadful sights a Gotham vigilante encountered on a nightly basis. She had to keep herself alert for anyone who needed help, while the other part of her brain was occupied with imagining all of the things that she wanted to do with you, both innocent and adult.

She heard the snapping of fingers piercing the veil of her awareness. She turned around and spotted a blonde woman floating in the air behind her.

“Kara?”

“Hey. I was just passing through and decided to see how things are going.”

Barbara and Kara were close friends, though it was rare to see Supergirl visiting Gotham when she had her own responsibilities to handle back home. Not that it was difficult for her to get between places – she could fly faster than a speeding bullet after all. Barbara had plenty of reasons to be jealous when she had to do things the hard way.

“For Gotham, it’s just business as usual.”

“Really? You look different. Did something nice happen that you’re keeping to yourself?”

Barbara couldn’t stop her face from giving away the truth, she broke out into laughter and turned away to try and hide it. Kara floated casually to her other side and rendered any attempts moot. Kara wasn’t even wearing her Supergirl outfit, she was very confident in no one seeing her in the darkness of the evening skies.

“Come on Barb! I can see your pulse – I’m on the right track.”

Barbara didn’t want to reveal everything that had happened, for fear of incurring the wrath of karma or finding a catch that rendered everything pointless. She still struggled to fully accept that it wasn’t a fever dream. The problem was Kara. She was very good at being persistent and getting answers out of people. She wouldn’t go away until she had some kind of idea about what Barbara was so pleased with.

“Ugh. You’re the worst,” Barbara groaned. She placed her food back into the box and adjusted her mask. “I met a guy. I’m not going to say much more than that.”

“You met a guy?!”

Barbara covered her ears and a gust of wind blew thanks to the force of Kara’s exclamation, “Damn – give me a warning before you do that next time. You almost deafened me!”

Kara landed on the roof and clasped her hands together, “Sorry! It’s just you’re always so busy with the whole Batgirl thing that I thought you weren’t interested in romance.” Kara was already excited to hear about her friend’s love escapades, but she didn’t want to upset Barbara by asking too many questions when things were fresh. Kara had a bad way of getting too personal when people wanted to keep some distance.

Barbara did offer some details to keep her happy.

“He’s a pretty normal guy, but he is in the same line of work as us.”

Kara scoffed, “A normal superhero? There’s nothing normal about what we do.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. Anybody who does this is selfless to the core. He doesn’t have any powers, and he only started fighting crime recently.”

“Ah. I get it. He must be pretty impressive to win you over Barb. You have high standards.”

Barbara contested the allegation, “Do not.”

Kara leaned against the bell tower to try and keep out of the rain; “You totally do. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that, you’re free to be with whoever you want to be with. You’re just critical of most men we come across.”

“My problem is that a lot of the people we know invest everything into being a superhero. I want a guy who can switch off now and again.”

“You should introduce us! I’d love to get to know him.”

“I will, when I’m sure that it’ll last longer than a few days.”

Barbara stood at attention as her portable tracker started to beam a stream of information. There was a call going out to the police nearby – she could already hear the sound of a gunshot ringing out above the ambient noises of the city. Kara moved over and reached out her hand, “Need some help?”

Barbara shook her head, “Just drop me off nearby – you don’t have your outfit on.”

“Heh. I don’t wear a mask.”

“You’ve got enough things to worry about before you come and start offering me favours, Kara.”

Kara knew that time spent arguing was time wasted. Barbara was stubborn. She wrapped her arm around her waist and used her immense strength to lift her from the floor and fly in the direction of the commotion. Once she had found a good location to leave Batgirl, she gave her a friendly salute and took off above the clouds again. Barbara could worry about her love life later. There was someone who needed help on the street below. She leapt from the rooftop and fanned out her cape, the dynamic material morphing into a shape that allowed her to safely glide down onto the ground below.

A group of thieves who had just finished smashing the front of a local shop were taken aback by her sudden appearance on the scene.

“It’s Batgirl!” one of them cried.

“Wack her!”

Their first mistake was assuming that Barbara was going to let them pull a gun. She fired a grappling tether from one of her armlets and dragged the firearm-wielding goon to the ground, throwing off his aim and preventing him from making an accurate shot. The others were knocked aside by a barrage of batarangs that homed in on their heat signatures with perfect precision. Their bodies scattered in every direction as their consciousness was knocked clean from their bodies in one fell swoop. She leapt over the last gang member and dispatched him with a blow to the temple.

She disarmed him and dismantled the gun. The same process of checking pockets and tying hands was repeated four times. With another group of criminals now waiting for the loving arms of the incoming police cars, Barbara fired another grapple onto the ridge of the nearest building and ascended back into the night. There were still some hours to go before dawn.

Chapter 68: Moving On

It’s another slow day in the garage. Mitsuru has gotten the surveillance system up and running on the new and improved central computer system thanks to Barbara lending her the AI system needed to operate it. According to her, your ability to both respond to new crises and crunch numbers had increased a thousand-fold. Mitsuru is going on a shopping spree, hammering in a set of new alternate universes to plunder their single woman every other day. She’s travelling down a list of every piece of media you’ve ever consumed – and some that you haven’t, just in case you need it.

You can’t supervise her at the moment though, because a certain red-haired devil is trying to monopolise you to make up for recent isolation. Rias puts on the airs of a refined and cool lady, but in truth she’s definitely the neediest girl in your harem. She always wants to spend more time with you, and she starts to get lonely if you don’t see her in person every few days. Motoko has been so busy with her work that you haven’t seen her in a month, and she doesn’t complain…

Rias leans in and leaves another red mark on your face by kissing your cheek; “I hope that you’ll make good wives of the others soon, husband. It would be very unfair to enjoy myself while leaving them out of things.” It’s such a stark contrast to the jealous Rias you know from the original series, but that’s what happens when Mitsuru specifically locates worlds where they all accept polyamory like it’s a normal thing.

“Of course I will. Xenovia is already on board. I just need Asia and Koneko, I think.”

“Asia very much enjoyed our date together. She’s looking forward to the next.”

“Me too. I should organise something for us that we can do as a group.”

Rias shoots you a steamy look.

“Something that isn’t sex.”

Her face falls as you shoot her down. She pouts, “Really?”

“We can still do that – it’s just… something that comes at the end of the date, not being the whole thing. You’ll never find me turning down the chance to get my hands on you, Rias.” You punctuate your flirting by reaching around her back and placing one of your hands on her chest. Rias smiles and blushes.

“Good. A devil should be filled with boundless desire. As the future male head of the house, you will be expected to bed many, many concubines and sire children as a sign of your virility and strength. Given your ambitions, we may have to request more of that drug from Lala.”

You grimace, “Right. More of that stuff.” You really hope that it doesn’t have any side effects, Lala doesn’t do her due diligence with some of her inventions. The discussion is interrupted by Mitsuru coughing into her hand and walking up to the couch. Rias smiles and waves at the short scientist, who returns it in kind.

“Since both you and Rias are here, I thought it might be the perfect time to explain our next major project. Venelana and I have been working hard on formalization our methodology, but it’s pertinent for Rias to know as well.”

“Alright. What’s going on?” you ask.

Mitsuru escorts you and Rias to the elevator. She presses a complex combination of numbers to reach a normally inaccessible floor. The motor begins running and lowers you into the depths of the earth while Mitsuru lays out some context.

“To put it simply – we’re developing a portal network that can transport people and objects between universes.”

“A portal? Is that different to the Sledgehammer?”

Mitsuru adjusts her glasses, “Allow me to explain how it works. With something as compact as the Sledgehammer, the stabiliser device that aligns their existence with our universe can only be so large. I’ve made efficiency improvements before, but at the present time the only way to make any further leaps would be to make it even larger.”

“And then it wouldn’t be a very good weapon.”

“Precisely. So along that line of thought, I realised that I should do just that. A larger stabilisation system that will allow our allies to come and go as they please. With some security caveats and failsafe protocols in place, of course.”

The doors slide open and reveal a gigantic, mostly white chamber with a ceiling that seems to climb infinitely into the sky. Several metallic rings have been placed around the perimeter of the room, with digital signs awaiting instruction so that they can display where they lead. The centre middle portal is placed in front of a control panel. There is some indication that the full structure and mechanism are actually located beneath your feet.

“This portal will lead to the underworld. There’s an identical chamber being constructed under the Gremory manor as we speak. Once it is complete, our devil allies will be able to come and go as they please – with a significantly increased limit as to their number.”

“How many?”

“Enough to not worry about the specifics,” she quips, “But if you want an accurate figure, the stabilization device beneath our feet is capable of tethering around five-hundred people at once.”

“You have to build one of these in every world we pull from.”

Mitsuru shakes her head, “The version I’ve had Venelana construct in their world is much simpler than this one. It merely needs to serve as a conduit by which the central computer can detect and open a doorway for them. It essentially dispenses a signal and leaves the hard work to us.”

“Oh, cool.”

“I believe Venelana was also presumptuous enough to build a second node in your new house.”

She was? You haven’t even had the chance to explore every room in the damn place just yet. She must have snuck it into the basement.

“So we can teleport from my house to here?”

“That’s right. Now, we can jump instantaneously from the Gremory manor, to here, to your own mansion in the blink of an eye.” Mitsuru pauses and walks back on her own statement soon after; “Sorry. We can’t go to the Gremory manor just yet. That would require programming a pair of cards for ourselves and the construction of an appropriate receiver on their end.”

“Huh, so how do the others get back?”

“Each universe has its own gravity so to speak. The stabiliser allows us to bring and keep outside individuals in our universe. When the stabiliser is told to send them home, it is disabled and they’re pulled back automatically like a rubber band having its tension released.”

You whistle and admire her handiwork, “Do you think we could someday soon?”

“I’m working on it. Now that the central computer is speeding through my allocation of universe searches, it has much more time and power to dedicate to running simulations. It’ll require some time and cooperation with Venelana, as I can’t be there on the other side to direct construction. For now, I’ll have to think of a way to communicate the technology and blueprints to them, and then we have to worry about getting the right materials.”

“It’s a good thing you got that future paper from yourself.”

“It unhelpfully redacted to ensure that I can’t take shortcuts,” Mitsuru sighs, “It contained the exact amount of knowledge required to make my own breakthrough, and nothing more. Now; I heard you wanted to host a housewarming party with the ORC and friends?”

“Sure. Do you want to come along?”

Mitsuru opens her mouth to reject the offer like she always does – except that she pauses, considers it for a second, and then says something extremely uncharacteristic; “I’ll find an opening in my schedule.”

Wow. This is the first time she’s accepted attending a social function with you in years. Rias smiles and claps her hands together, “I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be the first time that everyone is together on this side.”

“The current estimated time of completion is two weeks from now, so plan your party appropriately.”

The limitations of the new system are obvious. It demands that you personally transport the summoned people from the garage to the location of the battle, meaning that the Sledgehammer will remain the quickest and easiest way to summon assistance when you need it. Additionally, constructing the relays in each universe is an expensive and time-consuming process. You’ll need a cooperative party of people and a safe location to construct them.

Rias winks at Mitsuru and mouths something to her. They’ve become a lot closer since you resolved the bomb situation, it turns out that protecting someone’s life is a good way to get into their friend circle. These two make a pretty good team. You wouldn’t want to be on the other end of them. The Ruin Princess and the smartest woman on the planet – that’s a recipe for trouble. Mitsuru has more work to do on fine-tuning her system, so you leave her to it and head to one of the private rooms with Rias.

You open a random door and find a lovely lounge and bar area that Mitsuru or Lala built for fun. There’s even a pool table! Rias is immediately taken with the long lounge area against the back corner, she slips inside and pats the spot next to her with a smile. You don’t know if Mitsuru has stocked this place with alcoholic drinks, but the atmosphere is thick and the smell is strong. It’s like a real bar. Rias doesn’t strike you as the nightclub type, but there have been bigger surprises since you met her.

“I’m excited to get the whole club together to celebrate with you. Not that the boys will be interested in joining in with us…”

“Really?”

Rias rattles off their excuses by counting on her fingers, “Kiba isn’t a fan of social engagements, Gasper is too shy, and Issei’s girlfriend may kill him and mount his stuffed body above her fireplace if he gets out of her sight while surrounded by inebriated women.”

“You make her sound… very intense.”

Rias grimaces, “She is. Not that I think Issei should break up with her. They’re perfect for one another. She’s just a little possessive of him.”

A little? Every time anyone has mentioned her its usually in the content of maiming or killing Issei for being around other women. Your curiosity is only growing by the second, but you can’t exactly travel through into the DxD Universe just yet. You’re going to have to wait and see if Mitsuru can implement her new plan. Rias is visibly bored by talking business though, and the way she wraps her arms around your neck, before pulling you down into her breasts is plain evidence if any.

Rias sighs, “I wanted to spend some time relaxing with you. But I’ve been rather busy lately, I’ve introduced a new member into my peerage.”

“Rossweisse, I assume.”

Rias blinks, “Why yes, it is. How did you…” It takes her a moment to remember that you know these things, she rolls her eyes and nods; “Ah. I see. Rossweisse simply couldn’t wait to join us once she learned about our health benefits.”

“Why would an immortal devil even need health benefits again?”

Rias pouts, “We can still get sick! Besides, I was worried about what we spoke about last time. I hesitated to add her because I wanted to save an evil piece for you.”

“I never made a decision on that.”

“Well, my mother had a word with me and explained that she could simply utilise one of her pieces instead. Her peerage is extremely small, a few pawns that help around the manor, though I’ve heard that she’s organizing something special in the future.”

“Special? What does that mean?”

Rias shrugs, “I don’t know. Mother can be very secretive when she wants to be. I assume it has something to do with trading or acquiring more members. She’s starting to think that she needs them to protect you.”

“Huh. How often does that kind of thing happen?”

Rias hums, “A lot. There are always ambitious devils looking for the strongest possible peerage members – and what fits one plan may not work for another. As a result, there are always movements between the families with loaning and trading. My peerage is already very effective, and I no longer have any evil pieces to use, so I don’t do it myself. Mother will be able to demand a lot thanks to our family’s reputation, but I do believe she’s searching for a good deal, so to speak.”

“It’s down to personal preference then.”

“Indeed. Some like Riser Phenex are always shifting from person to person, though he utilises his peerage more as a personal harem than anything else. None of them are safe from being pushed aside when someone else catches his eye.”

“And that’s why you don’t like him.”

“There are more reasons than that, but yes, an arranged marriage with such a boorish oaf would be terrible.”

You really don’t see how this situation is much different from what Riser is doing, but Rias is personally biased to like you more than him. Riser is a real asshole too – so even the basic elements of their relationship would be on shaky ground if it were to happen. Issei has already put him in his place and helped her dissolve the agreement, which was oddly the moment in the original story where they started to be an item. Clearly things didn’t happen that way for Rias and Issei this time.

Rias’ eyes smoulder with intent, “And I’m sure that he’s much worse in bed than you as well…” Her hand reaches down and gropes the front of your pants.

“In the bar?”

“Nobody is going to see us! Let’s have some fun!”

You’re not one to turn down the chance to have sex with Rias, you relent and lean over to kiss her on the lips. “Alright. But it’s going to be a pain to clean up when we’re done.”

“I’ll use my magic, promise.”

Chapter 69: Messing up the Bar

If having multiple partners wasn’t enough to make you feel like some kind of satire-level gigachad, spreading out in a private booth while Rias Gremory gives you a blowjob is definitely going to do it. Rias is very much intent on testing out some of her new skills using your little buddy, because pleasing you sexually has turned into an escalating contest between her and Akeno.

Akeno must have mentioned something about oral sex, and Rias; being the studious woman that she is, trained herself to blow with the best of them. Far from being concerned about her position as a noble lady from a historic devil clan, Rias has fully embraced the fantasy of performing such a sordid act in a public place – even if there aren’t any other people around to actually witness it.

Before you could suggest what your sexual encounter would consist of, Rias dived beneath the edge of the table and was halfway through unzipping your pants before you could even reply. Her previous flirt already left you in a half-aroused state, but having her hold her mouth open and wiggle her tongue was more than enough boner fuel to get you fully hard again.

Rias is a lot of things. She’s haughty, possessive, gets lonely easily, and tries to present herself as a rightful heir to the Gremory house. But in contrast to that is her libido and doting nature. She always sleeps naked, something which you’ve become aware of through multiple visits, and always ends up entangled with you – usually resulting in your head being forced between her breasts as she tosses and turns during the night.

Knowing that Akeno is a certified pervert who’ll do anything to win you over has pushed her to new heights. Rias doesn’t flinch as the full length of your shaft slips down her throat, a bulge forming in her neck where it rests in her windpipe. Her eyes do not water, and she quickly begins breathing out of her nose to keep things going. You throw your head back and groan as the pressure, warmth and wetness really start to settle in.

“Holy shit, when did you learn how to do that?”

Rias isn’t answering, but that may be thanks to the thing currently clogging her throat. Mindful of the table above, she pulls back and allows the tip of your member to rest against her tongue. She teases you by carefully trailing the flexible muscle under the ridge, before slamming back down again with a messy and lewd slorp.

Rias blushes as she recognizes that such an unbecoming sound is her fault. You run your hands through her crimson hair and help guide her back and force, using her mouth like a second pussy. The sounds only get lewder from there. Rias’ hand slips beneath her skirt and begins to rub against the front of her panties where a dark patch has started to appear.

Whatever she thinks about being a good lady, getting to live the fantasy of being with you will always alight her passions in a way that nobody else can.

You lean back and enjoy the veritable cock worship that Rias is now providing you. She never allows you to get too comfortable with her plan of attack, alternating between deep, throat-pounding movements and slower, sensual tongue action that seeks out your most sensitive spots. Rias moans happily through her block windpipe as her masturbation grows more intense to go with it.

Soon the sound of compressed saliva is joined with her fingers thrusting in and out of her needy pussy. Rias looks up and makes eye contact as she slowly slides your entire length down past her tonsils. The sight is enough to put you on edge.

“I’m close.”

Rias doesn’t take that as the signal to slow things down. Her finely pedicured fingers begin to play with her swollen clit as her blowjob becomes even messier as she does everything she can. Rias only wants one thing, and that’s to feel you blowing the biggest load of your life down into her stomach. You grip the leather seats and try to hold on and preserve your pride. Rias was always going to make that difficult, and it’s not what she wants. The thought of you finding her so erotic that you can’t hold on makes her a very happy woman indeed.

“Here it comes!”

Rias hums and pulls back so that your seed squirts onto her tongue – fully intent on tasting it instead of simply swallowing it. Perhaps she underestimated the volume that her oral play would generate, as some of it dribbles down onto her chin and the floor.

Once she’s happy that everything is out, she pulls and back opens her mouth to display the carnage for your enjoyment. A heavy load of white seed fills the lower part of her jaw. She snaps it shut and swallows it with a loud gulp, before opening it again to show you that it is gone.

“Your seed is delicious, husband; but I much prefer it in my lower mouth. It causes me no end of frustration that I have to use contraceptive magic until our wedding.” You’re too shell-shocked to reply in any cognizant way.

You just nod along like a puppet while Rias wipes herself clean and stands up in front of you. Rias isn’t going to let you rest when you’re still erect. She hops onto your lap and lines your member up against her labia with a pleased grin, “Always so hard and ready for your wife. I love you.”

“I love you too, Rias.”

She slams herself down on top of you without remorse or hesitation. She only allows you a few seconds of adjustment before she begins to rock her hips back and forth. Rias is incredibly wet and tight – her inner walls suckling on your shaft and begging for another batch of cum. Rias unbuttons the front of her shirt and allows her breasts to hang free. A firm hand is placed on the back of your head, and soon your entire world consists of her sweat cleavage.

A dark, lovely smelling cavern that jiggles around you with each meeting of your hips. Rias is taking control of this round, and it’s incredibly arousing. Rias is rather submissive in bed, but she’s picked up that you like a bit of variety due to her threesomes with Akeno. She always struck you as the domineering type, though that wasn’t how she was characterised in the series.

Rias is living vicariously with a dirty fantasy in mind. Being nothing more than a pickup, a loose girl in a dirty nightclub who doesn’t care about who sees her. You rest your hand against her ass and buck up into her, pressing the tip of your cock against her cervix and threatening to inseminate her properly this time. If your will could override contraceptive magic, Rias wouldn’t be walking out of this room without a baby inside of her.

Rias can’t help but vocalize her enjoyment, “Ah, fuck! I love you! I love you hubby!” That’s the first time you’ve heard her swear and you can’t think of a more appropriate venue in which to do so. Her inner canal tightens up even more as a sense of heated desperation sets in. Rias feels a deep sense of harmony with you, an unspoken connection that can’t be described with mere words. The sex feels incredible, like you were made specifically for her. Her nails dig into the skin of your back as she feels her first climax building.

“I’m going to cum, ah!”

With one last heavy slam, Rias parks herself on top of your thighs and squeals as a violent orgasm rips through her body. You feel the moisture escaping from her clenching cunny, which only grows stronger as your own mutual climax injects several strands of steaming spunk into her womb. Rias’ cheeks glow bright red as she imagines one of them taking and forming a new life. Such a temptation was unbecoming of a noble lady – but Rias wanted so desperately to ‘accidentally’ let her spell drop for a moment so she could take that risk.

You both breathe heavily, unwilling to move or disentangle. Even after all of that, you’re still hard and raring to go. With a growl, you hoist Rias up into the air and push her down onto the table. She cries out in shock at your show of strength, only to lid her eyes when she sees the hulking, handsome man who she has decided will one day become the man of her house.

Without another word you pump your hips into her again and again, tugging, pulling and biting at her nipples using your mouth. Rias’ body is made for this; she’s a bombshell of a woman with huge, pillowy breasts and wonderful legs and hips. You’re happy that she belongs to you, that you share a love that she feels so strongly about.

You take Rias in a variety of different positions over the next hour, using her mouth, hands, breasts and pussy as you please. A trail of discarded clothes charts a path around the bar area as you try to mark as much of the furniture with your love as possible. At some point you both stop speaking, instead allowing a mutual rhythm to dictate your actions.

You know what Rias can handle, and she knows how it feels when you release another load of precious seed into her body. You get your fill and then some. Sex with Rias is so good that you could easily continue for even longer if only you had the stamina.

When the red mist lifts two hours later – the room is a wreck and Rias is lying naked on your chest. There simply isn’t any more room in your body for your cum to go. Her pussy is overflowing with every ounce of the stuff that you can possibly muster. You’re left to give her all of the aftercare she deserves. You kiss at her sweat-marked skin and run your fingers through her hair.

“I didn’t know you could be that passionate,” Rias murmurs. “I like this side of you.”

“It’s easier to impress when I don’t have to split my attention between three or four girls, you know.”

“That’s only natural. Not even the men in my universe are capable of going forever, even if bigamy is considered normal.”

Sometimes you consider a more drastic solution to this problem – but then it becomes a question of time. Are you really going to enhance your body somehow to be better at sex? How much time would you need to dedicate exclusively to it to make everyone feel equal? You don’t mind the girls playing with each other, but some of them are going to want to spend intimate time with you. Your musings are interrupted by Rias poking at your face with her finger.

“You’re thinking about something strange again, husband.”

“Am I?”

“You always get that look on your face when you start thinking about pleasing all of us.”

You feel very self-conscious about this revelation.

“While I do enjoy that part about you, you shouldn’t worry yourself needlessly. All of us feel blessed enough to have you in our lives as is.”

You shrug, “I don’t know if everyone will feel that way forever. Nana really isn’t playing around.”

“I think you’re underestimating just how much we love you,” Rias pouts, “I’ll never grow tired of being with you. Even if we weren’t having sex or fighting against the forces of evil. All of the other girls feel the same. Akeno is already talking about having a child of her own.”

“Is everyone you know this baby crazy?”

Rias quirks her brow, “Is there something strange about that? A good devil knows what they want. I have a responsibility to secure the future of my house; though for the others I’m sure the reasons are mainly emotional.” At least you have the cash to support so many kids, presuming that everyone jumps on you at the same time when the floodgates are opened. Its cold comfort considering how much of a responsibility it would become. You don’t imagine having time to raise a baby while also heading out to protect the Earth from aliens. Rias must understand that too.

She pulls you back onto your feet and snaps her fingers, red flames burning away the mess you caused in a flash of magical flame. All that’s left to do now is get your clothes back on. As you go about locating where the different pieces of your outfit were tossed during the battle, Rias is busy coming up with more roleplay ideas to entertain herself and the others with.

“We should come down here again with the rest of my peerage. I’m sure Xenovia would love it.”

“Not as comfortable as Lala’s ‘harem chamber’ though.”

“Indeed. A hard dance floor cannot compare to an otherworldly mattress of that size.”

With that done, you decide to head to a more comfortable room and talk to Rias about your plans for the party. You find a comfy lounge room and sit down with her, “Do you know who’s going to attend the housewarming party?”

“Me, Asia, Xenovia, Koneko, Mother, Akeno – and Rossweisse expressed an interest when I mentioned that there would be alcohol.”

“Of course she did…”

“It sounds rather lively, doesn’t it? I’ll make sure that everyone is wearing their best.”

“There’s no need for that. It’s just going to be us getting together for some fun.”

Rias wiggles her eyebrows, “What kind of fun?”

“Not the kind of fun that’ll make people feel left out – not unless they feel like joining in together.”

“I’m sure that I’ll be able to convince them.”

That’s what you’re worried about.

Chapter 70: Rebellious Spirit

You’re starting to worry about when the robot will return to cause more trouble. They know that you’re onto them now, and are biding their time and waiting to strike when you least expect it. It would be an incredible disaster if they were allowed to inject their chemical weapons in farmland or water sources. Barbara and Mitsuru have been working diligently to poison-proof as many locations as possible with surveillance and assessment from the AI system.

That has freed Mitsuru up to work on her other door project – one which will allow a more natural transfer of chosen individuals between your worlds. With that said, the Sledgehammer will still be needed to summon them to your location. Making them walk all the way from the garage every time an attack happens is not a feasible plan.

But before any of that can happen, you’re intercepted by a familiar face as you walk around the city to try and finish off some of Mitsuru’s chores. It’s your ‘son’ from the future, Zandias. You aren’t sure why the crimson-haired scamp sought you out when nothing is going on, but you decide to hear him out and gain some insight as to what he’s here for.

“Can I help you?”

He smirks, “So cold to your own kin. I guess it makes sense when you haven’t raised me just yet…”

You follow him away from the bustling streets and into a quiet park close by. He sits down on one of the benches and invites you to join him. There’s a moment of serenity as he observes the green grass and birds fluttering between the trees. He’s thinking of what he wants to say.

“You know, you and Mom told me that it didn’t really matter what I said or did back here. Everything that I do has already happened, as it has happened hundreds of times before. Part of me wanted to spend time with you all and see how things were before I was born.”

“You haven’t been around much though.”

“True. Maybe I’m just a little scared of seeing a younger version of you? I’ve always looked up to you and Mom, and all of my other Moms. You’re always doing what you think is right. You’re brave. Braver than me.” Zandias swings his and chuckles, “Seeing these ‘humble beginnings’ of yours makes me appreciate it so much more. Even before you became the strongest man in the universe – you were still risking your life to do the right thing, working out of this old garage with Mitsuru…”

“Things will change.”

“They will. In a million little ways, they’ll change. You’ll have me, and other kids, and you’ll learn to protect the peace of the multiverse using so many amazing powers. You’ll help the Gremory clan rise to the top of the underworld, and even more besides that. To think that I only came here to give you that scientific paper and set up a few dominoes for you.”

“That’s it?”

Zandias rolls down his sleeve and checks a digital watch, “Correct. I’m afraid that my part in this story is done soon. It takes a lot of magical energy to keep me here, and I need to be getting back home to the present now that my job’s done. I hope you won’t miss me too bad.”

“We’ve barely interacted,” you observe.

“That’s for the best. Mom said I was a little hellraiser when I was younger – you’ll be sick of me soon enough.”

You laugh, “You’re not filling me with much hope here.”

“Consider this my pep-talk. Everything that has happened will happen. I can only promise you that the future is bright, all you have to do is keep going. Never lose that faith that doing the right thing will reward you.”

You smirk, “Isn’t it weird giving advice to your own father?”

He nods, “You’re damn right it is. But that future is yours if you’re willing to aim for it. You’re the hero, and the Incandescent Devil Emperor. A lot of people have you to thank for preserving peace across the multiverse. Just don’t forget about little old me when you’re rich, powerful and successful.”

“There’s no way I could ever forget meeting my own adult son.”

“I think this is the last time we speak, before I’m born, anyway. So I think I’ll just leave you with that. You already know what to do, and what’s at stake. When I get back, I’m gonna’ tell you just how much I appreciate what you did.”

“Trying to make the old me cry?”

“Partly, but you’ve gotten pretty good at resisting the sappy stuff. Hell, the last kid you had didn’t even phase you. That’s what happens when you start having so many of them. Do you know how many people call me big brother? It drives me crazy.”

“Nothing wrong with a big family, it sounds to me like you’re too reliable. Now they’re all counting on you.”

He sighed, “That’s the exact same thing you said to me when I mentioned this the last time. I guess people really don’t change that much – even decades into the future. Anyway, I need to get going before they completely run out of mana. Wouldn’t want to be responsible for anyone in the family hurting themselves just to amuse me.”

He stands from the bench and offers his left hand for a firm shake. He’s treating this more like a job interview than meeting his Dad in the past, but you wouldn’t know how to end things either. He doesn’t have to worry about you having second thoughts because of how he behaves, he sounds like a good older brother, and a worthy heir to the house that you seem destined to build together with Rias and the others.

“Seriously, you have no idea how crazy things are going to get.”

“Oh, I do. We’re already creeping up the chain to some of the superheroes…”

“Like I said, no idea. I know you’re an amazing guy, but how you manage to handle some of my aunts is beyond my comprehension.”

“I guess we’ll see.”

Still hesitant, but knowing that his time in the past is up – he gives you one last salute with his fingers and summons a magic circle beneath his feet. “Catch you in the future, Dad.”

“See you then.”

He slips away through time and space, leaving you alone with your thoughts once more. It was an uneventful ending to his time in the past, but that was all it was ever meant to be. A small nudge in the right direction for Mitsuru from her future self, a stack of dominoes that would soon fall and allow you to save the world. His words still ring loud in your ears. All this talk of destiny and time travel is tiring to say the least. You’re left with a lot of questions – but he was never going to answer any of them in great detail. The only thing you can hope for is that he is who he says he is, and wasn’t just part of some hare-brained scheme by the aliens to get one over on you.

“I at least expected him to save me more than once…”

But once was enough, you suppose. If not for him – you would have never survived your initial fight with Vali and the imposter. He was the one who led you down the path of unlocking your Mantle form. That’s all he needed to do. A self-fulfilling time loop that would lead to his own birth.

But damn, you’re going to marry Rias and have kids? She was very plain speaking when it came to her desires, but it still shocks you to imagine it. You grab your bags and groan, you still have more chores to complete. Hopefully it’ll take your mind off of the future. It’s kind of worrying to think about.

When you return to the garage sometime later, there’s a surprise guest tinkering at Mitsuru’s workbench while the woman herself is mysteriously absent. It’s Android 21. She’s so engrossed in messing with the gadgets on the bench that she doesn’t notice you until you place the bags down on the table.

“Oh, you’re here?” she smiles.

“Hello Twenty-one. What are you working on there?”

She holds up one of the devices, “Mitsuru asked me to help her improve the communications module she placed into all of your phones. They’re a terrible drain on battery life.”

You didn’t get a good chance to speak with 21 the last time she was here, Bulma whisked you away to the showers for some fun, and 21 was too busy helping Mitsuru work out the kinks in her systems to worry about you. By the time everything was resolved, it was late and they needed to head back. 21 is the most radically different version of a character you’ve summoned thus far – in that, she is both alive and living happily with her other personality.

It helps that Mitsuru searched for a universe where her evil side isn’t quite as evil. There’ll be no eating living beings for her – just a glutenous streak and love of sweets.

21 has an inquisitive look on her face, “Mitsuru has already informed me of the impressive harem that you’ve put together. I don’t suppose that you’d have an issue with me joining in?”

“I didn’t expect you to be so forward. I’d be honoured to have you.”

21 smiles and adjusts her glasses, “My analysis of the data is without fault. An assessment of your tastes and previous incidents has made it clear that the direct approach is the most superior. I can feel my more impulsive side getting excited just looking at you. That is a good indication that you will make the perfect partner.”

“I see. Welcome to the family. I’ll have to introduce you to everyone else eventually.”

“I have already given my regards to your other partners through the messaging network, but an in-person meeting is more conducive to good relationships…”

You walk around the table and take a closer look at her work; “There’s no rush. I can only summon so many people at once in the first place, at least until Mitsuru completes her doorway project.”

“Ah. I understand. Don’t be afraid to call on me should you require my assistance. Even when my hunger is sated, I am more than capable of defending myself and defeating your foes.” She punctuates her offer by reaching down into a bag of gummies and swallowing several of them at once. Now that you notice it – there are several other empty sweet packets littered around the place. She’s been eating a lot since her arrival here.

The door to the back hallway opens and Mitsuru emerges, “Oh. I didn’t realise you were back!”

“Yeah – I got everything you asked for.”

Mitsuru wanders over to the shopping bags and checks through the haul. Money is no object to you or her now, but that sometimes brings up another problem. Certain materials and machine tools are incredibly hard to get. Money can grease the wheels, but not if there’s a shortage of certain parts or rules in place that keep you from getting them.

Mitsuru has run head-first into those issues several times now, which inevitably add delays onto her projects she’d rather not deal with. Several suggestions have come and gone, but transporting materials permanently through the universes is a difficult problem to solve.

Just like how the characters you summon have their own gravity that pulls them back, so too do the items that they bring with them. This can have strange and unintended consequences should you utilise those materials in construction. Mitsuru ran a material test using a bag of concrete taken from the Major’s home dimension.

She mixed it, laid it into a block, and let it dry before sending her back. Suddenly the composite elements that were holding it together disappeared with her, leaving nothing but a puddle of water; the same water that was used to mix it.

There is one theory that Mitsuru has. The invaders must be using a large-scale anchor system to keep themselves tied in place. The amount of energy that must be demanded defies rational belief. It was the only concept that made sense to her.

You also floated summoning Momo from My Hero Academia to make elements and materials for you – but Mitsuru shot you down. She’d need an extremely detailed breakdown of them before making them, and Mitsuru wasn’t certain if those materials would travel back with her as well.

So at most, you can gather things from this world for the time being. Mitsuru has never been all that concerned with matters of the law. She believes earnestly that everything she does is for the greater good. You’re not liable to disagree with that perspective having known her for a decade plus. Despite her intent to break the rules and get what she wants, Mitsuru doesn’t know where to start or how to execute her schemes.

“We seriously need a bad bitch.”

You double-take, “A what?”

“A bad bitch! Someone who doesn’t care about breaking the rules. Someone who’ll get what we want without any messy questions about ethics or morality!”

“I’ve never heard you swear like this before.”

“I’m manifesting the type of rebellious spirit that we’re looking for! Give it some thought, please.”

When Mitsuru says bad bitch, the first character you think of is Rebecca from Black Lagoon, and she’s a smuggler too. But you don’t know how easy it would be for her to apply those skills to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. She’d need time to build a network, and work out how to get the stuff to and from the garage without suspicion, and that’s assuming she even agrees to do it for you.

“Yeah, I’ll think about it.”

You kick back on the couch and rest your legs while 21 and Mitsuru work. They get along very well, having similar personalities and interests. You feel like a bit of a third wheel hanging back and spying on them the whole time. There’s not much else for you to do without some bad guys to batter, so you consider summoning one of the girls for a quick date or chat. You haven’t spent time with Motoko in a while, and she’s marked as available…

Why not? You send her a message and arrange a meeting.

Chapter 71: A Lack of Restraint

Notes:

I had extreme writer's block on this. Sorry for the long wait.

“I don’t want to do anything, actually.”

Motoko was firm in her decision to not spend time getting ready to go out on the town, so you decide to use the bar that Mitsuru built behind your back and relax with her. You wanted to have another look at it too, since you were very much focused on having sex with Rias the last time you dropped by. Motoko was pleased to have a running bar to herself, as she cracked a rare smile and hopped the counter to pour herself a drink from the selection.

“Why did Mitsuru build this? I didn’t take her for much of a hard drinker.”

You shrug, “I’m guessing that she’s trying to provide a lot of amenities and places to hang out in the underground complex, since she’s planning on letting people come and go as they please soon when the next phase of her project wraps up. There’ll be a lot of folks wandering around and keeping themselves busy.”

“I hope you don’t just mean having sex,” Motoko says dryly.

“I might enjoy sex, but I’m not invincible. I slept with four women at once and nearly died in the process, but that might just be because it was Akeno and Rias…” Motoko sighs and places a glass onto the bar for you, filled with something light. You don’t want to get drunk when there’s the chance of an emergency occurring.

“You’re turning into a damn playboy – you better not let it get to your head.”

“Trust me, I’m still a nervous wreck when I end up in a situation like that. Why did you want to kick back and relax anyway?”

Motoko takes a sip of her beer, “I don’t get much time to myself at home. We’ve been working on a complex case lately, and I needed to take a break. Coming here gives me a chance to turn myself off for a few hours and forget about everything. When I go back, it’s like barely any time has gone by at all. That means I don’t have to keep a schedule.”

“I get it. Pretty convenient, right?”

Motoko nods, “I was wondering about that woman you had up top – she was working with Mitsuru on something?”

“Oh, that’s Android 21. We summoned her to give Mitsuru a hand around the laboratory. She’s very intelligent, a scientist that can humble Mitsuru in a lot of ways.”

“An android? She doesn’t look like any android I’ve seen,” Motoko muses. That’s true. The androids from her world can look like something out of your worst nightmares. The spindly robotic fingers that they use to type quickly still live rent free in your mind.

“It’s a different type of technology versus what you’re used to. I couldn’t explain any of the specifics though, you might have to ask her yourself for answers.” Motoko knocks back her first drink and set about downing another soon after. You wonder if she can get drunk like a full human can – that would help with the problem of immersing a person into a body that isn’t theirs. The party is only just getting started when Android 21 opens the door and wanders inside to see what the fuss is about.

“Mitsuru told me that you had both come to this room. I was hoping that I could spend some time getting to know you.”

“That’s fine by me, you okay with that, Motoko?”

She nods and grabs another glass, “Would you like a drink?”

21 smiles and sits on your other side, “Oh! Thank you very much. This is a charming little bar, isn’t it?”

You laugh, “Mitsuru’s really been using Lala’s compressed space technology to have her share of fun. I’m sure there are dozens of other rooms in this place that I don’t know about. We stumbled on this place a few days ago. I don’t know where she keeps finding the time with all of her other projects.”

“She has even more time to herself now that Bulma and I have started assisting her with her research.”

Motoko slides 21 her drink, which she happily takes an initial sip from. You wonder how the two are going to get along, since Motoko is a much sterner and sobering presence versus the relatively soft-spoken 21. This is also the first chance you’ve had to speak with her in a private setting away from Mitsuru. You’ve seen her running around the garage once or twice before, but she’s always been too busy whittling away at one of Mitsuru’s schemes to speak with you. It hardly seems fair; but Mitsuru insists that she’s more than happy to be rewarded with some of her innovations and knowledge instead.

Motoko is already scrutinizing the way she looks. She hops the bar and retakes her seat, leaning back as to spy on the back of her neck. There are no visible ports or panel lines to be seen. Motoko exhales through her nose and leans back in, “That body of yours – is it really cybernetic?”

“It is. I don’t remember clearly, but I’m an advanced android built on the basis of many iterative versions that came before me. I suspect that my modifications are relatively minor compared to yours. Mitsuru already explained some of it to me.”

Motoko shrugs, “This is a fairly new model too. I don’t really care about the sockets, everyone has them.”

“But being able to interface with a machine so directly is intriguing, even if it comes with all of the associated risks.”

“Sometimes I think that the world would have been better off if we kept the computers on the outside, and not in our heads,” Motoko muses, “Not that there’s anything we can do about that now. Mass adoption happened so quickly that people didn’t even consider the other consequences. But it was a boon for people suffering from brain disease.”

Android 21’s initial intention to speak with you is quickly pushed aside as she finds great interest in exploring Motoko’s home world and all of the technology within. Dragon Ball already boasts some strange and wonderful inventions, so you doubt that she’s going to take any of them for herself when better options are already available, but her natural curiosity isn’t going to be sated so easily. 21 is especially enraptured by Motoko’s discussion of the Tachikoma units and their ability to think and act independently. You’re happy to let them speak at length. You want to make sure that all of your harem members like each other, so moments like these are important to build relationships between them. You’ve tried your hardest to break all of the girls out of their respective circles and intermingling.

“I didn’t expect a serious character like you to have a romantic relationship with him,” 21 giggles. Motoko’s cheeks turn red from a combination of alcohol and embarrassment.

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting a partner who’s… a little different to who you usually deal with. I’m surrounded by enough serious people when I’m at work. I don’t want to deal with them when I’m trying to relax too.”

“What is it that they say? Opposites attract?”

You shake your head, “I wouldn’t call us opposites. Motoko is just very professional.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Motoko murmurs. You aren’t certain what she means.

Android 21 is halfway through her drink when she finally turns the topic back around to you.

“I really loved your TV when I was introduced to it. It felt like I’d seen it before in the past, but I was experiencing it all over again for the first time – if that makes sense.”

“Entertainment in your world must be pretty crazy,” you theorise. Who’d need TV when there were people having such explosive fights all the time?

“Actually – the first few seasons are rather understated. It was only later on that things started to escalate. I believe they started to take inspiration from some of the real fights that were happening at the time. You became very popular with the children.” Mitsuru did try to make the transition easier on all of the harem members, you recall. She must have specified universes where your present state of affairs matches their own interpretation of events.

“I found myself rather taken with you after watching your story for myself. Though at the time I believed I wasn’t deserving of such a romance thanks to my… wilder side. I’m sure you’re well aware of that – given who you are.”

You offer her a reassuring grin, “I do. But you managed to get it under control, didn’t you?”

She adjusts her thick, black-rimmed glasses; “I did to some extent. Though ‘she’ still has a way of taking control of my body when she gets restless. She shouldn’t cause you any harm should that occur though. Just feed her enough and I’ll return to normal when she’s blown off some steam.”

“Right.”

The rest of the evening goes by without a hitch, but Motoko is the one who has to head home first once the beer had dried up. She leans in, gives you an uncharacteristic (and very stinky) kiss on the cheek before teleporting back. Android 21 on the other hand has proven that she can hold her liquor very well. She’s drunk much more than you and isn’t even fazed by it. She stretches out her arms and groans as fatigue starts to set in from sitting on the barstool. It’s almost time for her to turn in the night as well, but suddenly her eyes flash red, and in a flash of violent crimson light you find yourself bowled over onto the ground.

When you finally get your bearings again – you discover that you’re being pinned down by Android 21’s evil side! The pink skin, white hair and long, prehensile tail make it immediately obvious that the 21 you’ve been speaking with until now was holding back on something. “Geeze, why does that prissy, boring old side of me have to hold back from taking what we both want!”

“21?”

“I mean – there’s a perfectly good man sitting right next to us, and she doesn’t even try to rock your world and show you why she deserves a spot in your harem. Isn’t that stupid?” There’s a sharp, unhinged edge to her voice that wasn’t there before. Her selfish instincts have completely taken over and formed into her alternate personality. You made this bed when you asked Mitsuru to maintain her other personality, so now you have to lie in it. You fear for the safety of your pelvis with the lust-filled gaze she’s giving you.

“I take it that you’re 21’s instinctual side…”

“That’s right,” she boasts, “When the ‘human’ side of me keeps running her mouth and being a total bore, I bubble up inside of her and make sure that what she wants, she gets. All of those little worries and stresses get blown away into the stratosphere!” Her grip on your wrists tightens even further as she leans close enough for you to feel her breath on your face. “You’re going to be our new lover. That’s why you summoned us here, isn’t it?”

You nod, “I did. I wanted your intelligence and your strength.”

“That’s right. A package deal like this doesn’t come around too often! I’m getting a craving for something a little different – something that I can’t buy or make for myself. You wouldn’t happen to have a way of helping me?” 21 punctuates her claim by slowly unzipping your pants with her other hand. She’s so strong that you can’t possibly hope to throw her off now. She’s in total control of this situation.

Seeing no other option, you set your resolve and agree; “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Good! This heat in my belly is totally unbearable right now! I need a strong man to make all the pain go away. I know that you can do that for us.” 21 coos as your erection springs to life beneath her palm. She fishes it free from the fabric prison and licks her lips. “When I’m done with you, none of those other girls are going to satisfy you in the same way again.”

You’ll just have to see about that.

Chapter 72: Grappling with 21

21’s cell-like form is much more aggressive than the prudent and intelligent woman you met a few days ago. She eyes your penis like a hungry lion as it slowly engorges with a fresh flow of blood. It’s hard not to get excited with such a beautiful woman climbing all over you. She takes the initiative and slips her fingers beneath the single piece of fabric that wraps around her chest, allowing her breasts to pop out and hang free. 21 licks her lips, making it clear that she has no intention of wasting her time on boring foreplay.

“Let’s get right down to business! My other half was begging for it, but you had to try and play the perfect gentleman!”

“That wasn’t my intention.”

“It doesn’t matter. What she wants, I take.”

21 punctuates her statement by slamming her pussy down on top of you all at once. You gasp as her incredibly tight inner walls clamp around your length and start milking you for everything stored in your balls. 21’s twisted expression grows even more manic as she starts to recklessly buck her hips up and down on top of you. Her perky tits jiggle and bounce with each bone-fracturing impact. There’s little regard for your comfort or safety now that her more instinctual side is in the driver’s seat. She’s been bottling up her lust since you first met, and now it’s pouring out suddenly with dangerous consequences.

It’s not the most comfortable experience in your life, that’s for sure. 21 is already an extremely dangerous and powerful woman in her normal form, but her cell form is even more so. This is a character from a universe where threatening to destroy entire planets is the norm for most villains. Every single bit of that strength is bearing down on you now. 21 is having the time of her life and she rides you like a bucking bronco. Between the aches and pains that start to emerge, you try to glean some enjoyment out of having sex with her.

“Your cock is so big, it’s perfect! We’re made for each other. Why don’t you just ditch the rest of those boring women and be mine instead?”

“I’m not giving up on them,” you grunt through clenched teeth.

“You don’t have a choice. A weakling like you can’t stop me from taking what I want. Even now, you’re just lying back and letting me do as I please!”

Spurred on by her taunts, you throw your arm around her neck and hook the other under her thigh. Even with her supernatural strength she can’t hold on in a position like this, you rob her of the leverage she uses to hold you down and turn everything on its head. Rather than fight back and protest, she simply wiggles her hips and lids her eyes into a smouldering, seductive stare.

“That’s more like it, stud!”

You thrust upwards into her vice-like cunt with as much force as you can muster. She throws her head back and wails happily as she finds herself on the back foot. Her sopping wet cunt hungrily consumes your full length and girth with a loud slapping sound. Your mouth finds one of her nipples and begins to bite and tug on the erect bud. Her other breast becomes little more than a warm stress toy for your other free hand. For all of her talk, it seems that feral 21 enjoys being dominated by you just as much as she enjoys doing the dominating. To her, it’s proof that you’re a worthy mate for her whole self.

This isn’t an intimate meeting between two star-crossed lovers. 21 has every intention of dragging you down to her level and turning you into a braying bull. She groans happily as she feels the tip of your member forcing itself deeper into her snatch with each meeting of your hips. Her entire body tenses up, revealing the corded muscle that hides beneath the skin and fat. 21 has a serious six-pack hidden under that lab coat and long jumper. “That’s right, plunder me as you please! Consume my flesh, take me as your concubine! We’ll conquer the universe together – anything to feed that hunger of yours!”

“I’m going to domesticate you, 21. I’m going to tame you and turn you into my loving wife!”

She cackles menacingly, “I’d like to see you try, human!”

The seriousness of her threats is undercut somewhat by the clear enjoyment overtaking her features as you continue to pound her. Her long, pink tail wraps itself around your stomach and chest, applying enough pressure to make it clear that she’s still really the one in control. Not content to let her control the pace, you pull her up and flip her around onto her hands and knees so that you can fuck her doggystyle.

“Ugh! Human… that feels… amazing!”

You bury your face into the crook of her neck, filling your nose with the scent of her bushy hair. You swing your hips blindly as you feel the first of many orgasms approaching. 21’s greed demands that every last drop be spilt inside of her starving womb, so you slam yourself deep one last time and release the pressure inside of your crotch. 21 screams happily as several thick strands of your seed blast through her cervix and fill her womb to bursting. You pull back and take a moment to catch your breath as her tail loosens.

“Hard and fast, just how we like it. Don’t tell me that you’re finished already?”

“Nowhere near done. Just you wait.”

“I’d rather not. I still have two other holes that need to be fed!”

21 doesn’t wait for your refractory period to lapse. She dives into your lap and opens her mouth as wide as it can go before swallowing your entire length in one fell swoop! She gags as her reflexes kick in, but 21 doesn’t let up for a second to try and reset things. To her, it’s nothing more than a mild inconvenience that she can power through with enough persistence and resilience. She’s never given a blowjob in her life but that isn’t going to stop her from trying. You wrap your hands around the back of her head and start to fuck her mouth – her tail wiggling happily in the air as she feels your cock starting to harden once again.

21’s only desire now is to get a taste of your semen in her mouth, though the leftovers from your previous climax have filled her with anticipation. You slam back and forth even harder than before, using her throat as a second pussy and growling in enjoyment as you do so. 21 is so sexy that you can’t help it. The dominance switch play she has introduced is incredibly fun. You want to prove to her that you’re a worthy male to claim her body and heart. Her hand aggressively fingers her cream-filled pussy. There’s going to be no magical clean-up of the puddle that’s started to form on the floor this time.

There’s no holding back now. You slam down one last time into her throat, so much that it bulges outwards, and unload several bursts of semen directly into her stomach. 21 doesn’t flinch or recoil, she just takes it like a champ and casually swallows every single drop. Her tongue tries to coax out even more seed by rubbing against your head and piss-slit. You push her away with a gasp and try to catch your breath.

21 isn’t having it. She crawls up to you and tries to coax out another round using her tail to stroke your shaft.

“Now, what do you say?”

“M-Mercy?”

21 does not reply as she closes in with eyes filled with hunger.

Over the next three hours, 21 does everything she can to turn you into nothing more than a dried husk. You continue to switch positions as the dominant and submissive, unleashing several more climaxes into her pussy, mouth and asshole. To her, each one is an equal partner in milking you for everything you have left. She never complains or slows down – pushing through pain and discomfort in an attempt to sate her immense hunger. There’s not a single patch within the bar that escapes unscathed. Every booth and square inch of the floor is left marked with a combination of sweat, semen and spittle.

Chun-Li’s harsh training regimen was not enough to prepare you for the marathon that she puts you through. An hour in and the darkness was starting to encroach around your vision. By the second your genitals were crying out for rest, even when the spirit was still willing. By the third, you were being used as nothing more than a sex toy for her entertainment. She hefted you up into the air using her strength and performed a standing blowjob, before forcing your hips in and out of her wrecked slit by using her tail to puppet you.

Just when you think that things might turn back into your favour, she finds even more desire to unleash unto you. The fact of the matter is that a mere human such as yourself cannot control 21 at her full power. She’s too strong, too fast, and too greedy. Her womb and stomach have a seemingly endless capacity for more of your everything. Her lips capture yours and leave your mouth crying out for moisture as her tongue aggressively scours it for every remaining morsel. It’s terrible and wonderful in equal measure. Eventually, the delirium overtakes you and you cease to think rationally.

The rest of the evening is a blur, and soon enough you finally black out.

When you come to some time later, Labcoat 21 is hovering over you with a worried look on her face.

“O-Oh! You’re finally awake. I’m very sorry about that. Sometimes she gets a little out of control.”

It only occurs to you a moment later just how much everything hurts. You try to sit up from your spot on one of the plush benches, only to groan as your bones and muscles creak and cry in protest. 21 helps you sit up in place by supporting you from behind.

“What the hell was all of that about?”

21 sheepishly explains, “My impulsive side has a certain habit. She likes to take control of my body and fulfil whatever anxieties or stresses that I might be experiencing. In this case – I wanted to spend time with you romantically. She interpreted that as leaping into sex….”

“She nearly killed me through dehydration.”

21 hurries behind the bar and brings back a glass of water. It’s going to take more than that to recover from such an intense ordeal. Everything hurts, both from 21’s rough play and the uncomfortable location where you performed the sordid acts. One thing is for sure, you’re going to have some very handsome bruises soon. You polish off the water in record time and breathe a sigh of relief.

“I really am sorry!”

“There’s no need to apologise to me. I knew what I was getting into when I summoned you. I want to see the real you, both the good and the bad. That’s what makes you so interesting to me.”

21 blushes and turns away, “I-I see! That’s good. I was worried that we had surprised you.” She doesn’t bear any signs of having participated in the sex marathon herself thanks to her power to switch forms in defiance of the laws of physics. She adjusts her glasses and tries to move briskly along to a different topic. “I’ll try to keep her under control from now on. I was too ignorant as to how strongly she felt.”

“Doesn’t that mean that you feel strongly too?”

“Ah. Yes. But I was so busy assisting Mitsuru that I deferred being with you until a window of opportunity presented itself.”

You smile and put your hand on her shoulder, “If you ever feel like spending time with me, don’t be afraid to ask. You’re just as much a precious part of this crazy harem as everyone else is. Hopefully, that’ll keep her from acting on her own again.”

21 nods. Now you just need to survey the damage and clean up…

Chapter 73: Triple Threat

“I hope that this isn’t going to become a regular occurrence,” Mitsuru gripes as Asia uses her sacred gear to heal your body. Even with her extraordinary power, it’s going to take some time to recover from the fatigue caused by Android 21’s demanding sexual exploits. She helped you stagger back into the lab so that Asia could be summoned to heal the bruises and aches she caused. The blonde was immediately stricken with misplaced panic about your condition. You’ve been through worse than this.

“Hopefully not,” you respond.

Asia smiles patiently and shakes her head, “I don’t mind coming to assist you. Please call me whenever you please.”

“I wouldn’t want to take advantage of your generosity. I’ve been careful when fighting those aliens so that I don’t have to rely on you all the time.”

“I don’t mind, really. I’d like for you to rely on me more.”

“There’s a difference between relying on you and exploiting you. You have your own things to worry about without looking after me all the time.”

“I always enjoy spending time with you – even if it is because of your injuries…”

Asia really is too good to you. How such an angelic girl could end up a devil is one of life’s great mysteries. She’s so kind that it must burn on the inside to live as such a walking contradiction, though devils in DxD aren’t exactly meant to be all that bad when you get down to it. They’re just not allowed to enter holy property. 21 hovers nearby with a worried expression.

“There’s no need to beat yourself up, 21. I knew what I was getting into when I asked Mitsuru to summon you.”

That does little to alleviate her concern; “Are you sure? If you’re angry with me, I’d rather know than you telling a lie to protect my feelings.”

“You just bruised me a little – it’s fine.”

She breathes a deep sigh of relief, “Okay. If you’re sure.”

Asia finishes healing your bumps and pains in short order. 21 needs to get back to her home universe even if it makes her feel bad for wrecking your pelvis and making a run for it. You put your hand on her shoulder and give it a squeeze, “Don’t get hung up on what happened. It’s all fixed now.”

She smiles, “What did I do to deserve someone so understanding?”

Asia claps her hands together and nods furiously with her assessment, “He’s very sweet. It makes perfect sense that he’s captured the attention of so many girls!”

“Hmph. I’m lucky to be here before he’s completely swamped with women looking to be his partners. A good man doesn’t remain lonely for long, after all.”

“Yes! I hope that all of my friends in the occult research club can live happily with him too.”

You blush as the compliments flow thick and fast. You’re used to your harem calling you handsome, but this kind of thing where they praise your personality is actually fairly rare. Mitsuru mockingly pretends to gag in the corner, “Alright lovebirds, let’s pack it up before you spend an hour thinking of ways to make him turn red. I’ll send you back home right now, 21.”

21 leans in and kisses you on the cheek, waving to you as her figure shatters into pieces and returns to her original universe.

“I hope you’re happy with the choices you’ve made,” Mitsuru jokes.

“I’ll learn to live with them.”

“Don’t come crying to me when you die in a violent orgy.”

You smirk, “What a way to go.”

Asia covers her mouth, “I hope they’re not violent…”

Asia casually implying that she’s going to take part in such an orgy makes you double-take. She always lets the strangest things slip when you least expect to hear them. With 21 taken care of and your injuries healed, you collapse down onto the couch while Mitsuru returns to her work in the lab. Asia sits beside you with her hands crossed over in her lap. You sigh, “Sorry if things aren’t the most exciting right now. We’re stuck waiting for them to make their next move, so we have to watch the monitors like a pair of hawks in case they attack.”

Asia shakes her head, “Oh no. It’s no issue at all. Just being here with you is exciting enough for me!” She shuffles a little closer until your legs touch, causing her to break out into a vibrant blush and avert her eyes. Doing that was more embarrassing to her than the orgy comment.

“How are the other members of the club doing?”

“Xenovia, Akeno and the President are very excited about being able to have children with you. Rias and Venelana have been planning the wedding for some time now. I think it’ll be a wonderful event, but Rias doesn’t want to go ahead with it until the rest of the peerage is ready.”

That doesn’t make you feel nervous at all!

“I’m guessing that Koneko and Rossweisse are the last holdouts?”

“Koneko has been going back and forth on admitting how she feels, but Rossweisse hasn’t even seen you yet. I think the President could convince her to marry you just by revealing the tax benefits she’d receive from being married…”

“Right.”

“Oh, and Xenovia told Irina about how strong of a man she had found – so now Irina wants to join in too.”

You should have known that she wouldn’t be able to keep the good news to herself. You were planning on inviting Irina to the party eventually – but Xenovia spilling the beans to her means that it might be sooner rather than later.

Asia continues, “I had always thought that I would live to dedicate my whole being to… the lord. Ouch! But now that Rias keeps speaking about a wedding, I can’t help but imagine myself walking down the aisle arm in arm with you.”

You smile, “I’d be a lucky man to make that a reality, Asia. I’m just confused as to how I’m going to do that for several different women at the same time.”

Asia giggles, “Rias has been concerned about that as well. Xenovia has proposed several ideas for alternative ceremonies to make sure that every wife is given time in the spotlight.”

“It’d probably be easier to just do several different ceremonies instead, but Rias was always invested in showing off how greedy her new husband is. I guess it’ll make me a bigger deal in the underworld when I finally manage to get down there.”

While you’d love to field some suggestions of your own – Rias and Venelana are relishing the opportunity to plan their perfect wedding. You just hope that it’s appropriately metal and a little satanic considering that it's supposed to happen in the underworld; that would make it a moment to remember, if not for the joy of marrying a bunch of DxD characters all at once.

“Are you looking forward to it as well?”

Asia blushes, “I’m rather nervous about offering my hand in marriage to someone, but I’m sure that it’ll be amazing when we finally do it!”

“This party is going to be important, not just for having fun, but for testing Mitsuru’s new portal system. Hopefully, everyone can make it.”

Mitsuru sits down at the computer and starts to check up on what the AI is doing. Barbara’s system is very advanced, way more than what Mitsuru would have been able to make on short notice – and it means that you have a bird’s eye view of the entire area in and around the city. It tracks police reports and social media posts and compares them to an average, then alerts the garage when they spike upwards suddenly. It also looks for certain keywords within those posts so that you don’t get false positives.

The full methodology is a lot more complex than that simple explanation, but the only thing that matters is if it gets results. It would free you up to do as you please without having to constantly worry about them launching a surprise attack while you’re unawares. There’s an automated messaging system that will alert you to the crisis and send you the location. Now you just need an attack to happen so that you can test it out.

And speaking of the devil…

Your phone vibrates and every screen in the lab flashes with a red exclamation mark.

“WARNING: Enemy activity detected at… 556, Westgate.”

Mitsuru quickly pulls up the data to double-check that the AI made the right call, and just as it claims several dozen new social media posts have been put up warding people away from the area, including one from the local police. Thank goodness for that. You’ve been going crazy waiting for them to make their next move.

“Westgate is where one of the water treatment stations is located,” Mitsuru explains, “They must be trying to inject their chemical compound into the water supply. That could cause widespread damage to people and plant life across the city.”

“Not if we have anything to say about it. Sorry Asia, you’re going to have to head back while we deal with this.”

Asia bows her head, “Don’t worry about me. Please go save those people before they’re hurt!”

You send Asia back to her universe and leap onto your bike, taking off through the city streets and donning your armour. There’s no time to worry about strategy at the moment – they could easily inject the chemical weapon into the water at a moment’s notice. You need to find and destroy the android before they can do so! Mitsuru projects a satellite image of the area onto your HUD.

“Lala, Nana and Momo will be the ideal summons to deal with this. The compound is very large and filled with expensive machinery. Their laser attacks can precisely dismantle the enemy from range, and their wings will allow them to move between areas with ease.”

“Right.”

“Make sure to familiarise yourself with the operation area. I expect the enemy to occupy the main building and the surrounding walkways so establish a defensive perimeter.”

“Yeah, yeah. We need to shoot straight for that damn android before it can spread that crap into the water supply.”

You weave between parked cars and blast past a police barricade – coming to a sliding halt by the front gate. Your gauntlet ejects three cards into the palm of your hand, which you insert into the Sledgehammer’s chamber.

“LALA DEVILUKE!”

“NANA DEVILUKE!”

“MOMO DEVILUKE!”

“SHATTERING!”

All three pink-haired menaces appear in front of you. Nana turns her nose to the sky and huffs angrily, “I see that my previous criticism wasn’t enough to make you run away and cry!”

“If you think harsh words are enough to make me back down, you have another thing coming.”

 Momo is more focused on the task at hand, “Is this where that idiot and his toy robot are hiding?”

You smile at Nana’s more compliant sisters and give them the rundown, “They’re planning on injecting that chemical weapon into the water supply. We need to stop them before they can cause widespread damage.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get in there before they cause a bunch of damage!” Nana snarls, running up to the gate and breaking the lock using a small laser blast. The gates swing open and she charges inside. You can hear a commotion breaking out behind the concrete walls as the enemy begins attacking her. Before you can jump in and give her a hand, Lala pulls on the back of your collar to stop you from moving. Momo has a malicious smirk on her face.

“Hold up there lover boy, we’ve got a plan to make Nana fall head over heels for you.”

“Uh, she’s fighting alone right now.”

“She’ll be fine!” Lala chirps, “We’re very tough.”

“Yeah – and making sure that Nana is honest with her feelings is important too. Just sit tight for a second and let us tell you the plan.”

Arguing with them is just going to delay matters even more, so you turn back and open your ears.

“Alright, but make it quick. I don’t want to let them poison the water just because we’re standing here chatting.”

Chapter 74: Selfless

By the time Lala and Momo have finished explaining their devious plan to you, Nana has already torn several of the enemy androids to shreds. The flat-chested girl sits proudly atop a pile of robotic corpses, many of them suffering super-heated lacerations from where her tail laser had struck their metallic bodies.

“What the heck are you waiting around for?” she seethes.

“Sorry – I was just talking strategy with your sisters.”

Nana rolls her eyes, “Don’t expect me to do all of the work for you. I want to protect all of the animals on this planet, but you need to pull your own weight!”

Momo smirked, “We knew that you could handle these small fries yourself, and you’re always running in headfirst without us. Don’t get mad because we’re keeping an eye out for traps.”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses, Momo – these guys aren’t worth the steel they’re built out of!”

It looks like your worry was misplaced. Nana is crazy strong even without summoning and utilising some of the animals she keeps locked up inside of her compressed space device. You suspect that Nana doesn’t want to put them in harm’s way when she can handle it herself. A pulse moves outwards as Mitsuru scans the area using the suit’s sensors. Several outlines appear through the walls before fading away so that you can see without distraction. They become solid again as you get closer, an improvement to the system that was made with 21 and Bulma’s help.

“They’re guarding the pumping facilities,” Mitsuru relays, “There’s a heat signature from the fourth chamber that looks like our target.”

“Right. Momo, Lala, can I trust you to surgically remove the rest of these robots? Nana and I can head down there and take care of the main force.”

Nana scowled, “Huh? Why are you trying to go alone with me?”

“Why not? We’re all on the same team here.”

“You try to do anything weird to me, and I’m gonna’ cut you to bits just like I did with these robots!”

“Noted.”

Lala and Momo take off to clear the outlying areas of their enemy's presence and to let you have some one-on-one time with their stubborn sister. They want you to show off how strong you are in a fight, which means that you need to stop holding back and take out as many enemies as possible. The best way to do that is to use your Mantle. You draw the card and slide it into the specialised slot on your arm.

“MANTLE! Boosting Dragon! Shattering foes with explosive power!”

You still don’t know why Mitsuru felt the need to add these corny lines to the real-life costume as well as the toys. There are boxes and boxes of identical roleplay gauntlets lining the shelves of every toy shop in the city. The branding has even evolved to include a superhero name that she came up with, without your input. ‘Shatterpoint’ isn’t the worst thing you’ve heard, at least – you’d have a hard time coming up with anything clever. You aren’t going to start referring to yourself using that name anyway, that’d be embarrassing.

“Hoh, what’s this new form you’ve taken on?” Nana inquires.

“It boosts my attack power in exchange for defence. Since this is going to be a close-quarters battle, I want to surprise them and get the advantage early.” You lead Nana down a set of stairs and towards one of the access doors that leads into the control room for one of the purification tanks. The smell is pretty foul thanks to the wastewater, but Nana is used to working with huge animals – faeces aren’t going to faze her.

There are several androids in the room beyond which you can see using your scanner. Firing a gun in this place isn’t going to end well, so you’ll need to utilise the skills that Chun-Li has drilled into you to take them down in hand-to-hand combat.

“I would say ladies first, but I think you want me to go on ahead.”

“That’s right. Don’t disappoint me.”

You sigh and open the door using a flying kick. The androids on guard turn to face you in reaction to the noise of the metal clattering against the wall, but you don’t give them a moment to strike. Your body strains as you feel the armour push you to your very limits. The first punch rips the head clean off the body of the unfortunate robot in front of you. A second later you dash to the other side and slam another into the wall using a roundhouse kick.

Nana dispenses a few more using her tail laser. It only takes a minute for the entire room to be cleared of enemies with you both working in tandem. As you regroup with Nana, she crosses her arms and turns her nose up, offering nothing but faint praise for your efforts.

“That wasn’t too bad, I guess.”

“Lala told me that you’re a big fan of the later volumes of the story, so have you never seen me at an early stage like this?”

Nana follows you as you start walking towards the next room.

“I did! I just prefer it when you’re at your strongest, that’s all.”

“Well I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’m afraid that I’m the only version of me that’s able to summon you. Though I did hear from someone important that I’m going to become a force to be reckoned with in the future.” Nana was naturally impulsive, impatient and somewhat childish. She didn’t like the idea of having to wait to see the version of you that she admired and held feelings for. You can tell just from the sour look on her face.

She stamps her foot petulantly, “This sucks!”

“I’m not trying to blackmail you or anything – but there’s really only two choices on offer. You can reject me and go back to business as usual, or jump in feet first and see how crazy this ride can get.”

Nana groans as storms ahead through the next door without you. It’s going to take more than that to convince her of your faithfulness to the image she imagines. You do your best to rip through even more androids as they try to shoot you down, but your draconic mantle, powered by one of Issei’s scales, allows you to move at incredible speeds, taking down enemies and using them as shields against each other. The last one tries to light you up with a barrage of sub-machine-gun fire, but you deftly duck beneath its crosshairs and lift it over your head, tossing it onto the concrete floor below and shattering it into multiple pieces.

“I’m detecting more heat signatures up ahead, it looks like they’re getting ready to inject the water supply with their chemical weapon!” Mitsuru says urgently.

You boot the next door with all of your strength, but something is blocking it from the other side and not even your power armour is enough to move it.

“The door’s locked! Nana, cut through it!”

You step aside and allow her a clear shot at the sheet metal barrier. Her tail glows red, before emitting a sharp and superheated red laser beam. With some precision cutting, she slices through the locking mechanism, leaving molten steel in her wake. The door swings open and allows you to confront Faust and his Toxidroid. “You again!” he scowls. You arrived just in time. The droid is moments away from inserting its injection system into an access point they’re created. Nana strikes lightning fast, directing her still warmed-up beam in its direction and severing the arm before it can complete the task.

“Nicely done, Nana.”

She huffs, “I didn’t do it just for your praise or anything!”

Faust is enraged, “Every time I try to complete one of our objectives, you arrive to make a mess of everything.” He draws his sword and leaps into action, but you’re wise to his tricks. Chun-Li and Motoko have filled you in on some effective anti-bladed weapon strategies since your first encounter. The prissy alien wails in pain as you step back out of his range before clobbering him around the head with a flying kick.

“I’m going to beat you in record time, Faust.”

“Don’t challenge a man with nothing left to lose! If I fail here, then my position in the Commune will be threatened!”

“Tell it to somebody who cares, jackass!”

You dive at each again, delivering a series of glancing blows on each side. Nana busies herself by targeting what remains of the Toxidroid with more deadly beam attacks. It’s an all-out brawl as everyone lashes out at whomever they can reach. Nana keeps out of range using her cybernetic wings and rains death upon the robots with glib enjoyment.

Your HUD makes it clear that Lala and Momo are making short work of the other forces above you. You barely dodge a swipe from Faust’s beam sabre, retaliation with a mid-section kick that knocks the breath from his chest for a moment. It seems like their plan to poison the water supply has come to nought.

That is until Faust pulls a suspicious-looking device from inside of his armour, “I hoped that I needn’t use such crude methods to fulfil my plan – but it seems you leave me no choice.” He pushes the button before you can stop him, and Mitsuru quickly yells into your headset.

“I’m getting a weird reading from that robot, he must have done something. Get out of there!”

Faust cackles and disappears through a wormhole as the Toxidroid begins to judder and spark. He must have set it to self-destruct! Nana is blindsided as the robot begins to attack her with no regard for its own structural integrity, forcing you to jump in and push her out of the way. There’s simply no time to get away. Your vision turns white as the robot explodes in a blinding flash and wreaks total havoc in the control room. You’re flung head over heel into the nearest wall, several pieces of shrapnel ripping into your armour.

After that comes the gas. The superheated chemical weapon has turned into a vapour and is now flooding the room at an alarming pace. Nana is down for the count, her tail twitching helplessly with stars swirling around her head. Even her alien biology won’t be able to resist inhaling too much of this stuff. This is bad. Super bad.

“Mitsuru, that crap is in the air – what should I do?”

“Damn it. If Nana inhales any of that stuff she’ll be toast. You need to get her out of there, but I don’t think you have the time.”

As your mind races through a thousand possible scenarios and situations, you realise that Nana is now risking her life entirely for your benefit. She never asked to be involved in this like the others did. Lala and Momo are nearby, and the last thing you want to see is them crying over the body of their deceased sister. With that resolution in hand – you decide to do right by her and take extreme action. Reaching to your gauntlet, you unlock the seal around your neck and remove your helmet.

“What are you doing?” Mitsuru cries through the radio.

“The right thing.”

The gas is already stinging your eyes and mouth, but that doesn’t matter. You lift Nana up and slide the helmet over her head before the gas reaches her lungs. Another button press seals it tight using a vacuum system that Lala designed. The internal filter will keep her safe, but now you have no protection from the gas either. Your vision swims as you try to hold your breath for as long as possible.

“Lala, Mono, you need to get down there-“

The last thing you hear before blacking out is Mitsuru desperately trying to arrange a rescue. You can only hope that they reach you in time.

Chapter 75: Three of a Kind

When you open your eyes sometime later, you are not greeted with the pearly white gates of whatever afterlife awaits beyond mortality. Rather, instead, you see something much more interesting. Nana is hovering over you with tears in her eyes. Before you can get your bearings, she leaps on top of you and starts trying into your chest. Lala, Momo and Mitsuru are all looking down on you from above.

“Uh, what happened?”

Mitsuru pinches the bridge of her nose, “Honestly, I can’t believe you. It’s lucky that I successfully finished creating an antidote to their agent before it reached your brain stem and killed you for good. Your cute little heroic sacrifice nearly ended with you being buried six feet under.”

Momo and Lala look very sheepish about the entire thing; the carefully pieced-together plan they shared with you was in tatters now. It never even got the chance to get off the ground, since you passed out before they could implement it.

“Hey – I wasn’t going to let Nana choke to death on whatever that stuff was.”

Mitsuru is withering, “I do believe that their constitution is significantly hardier than that of a human being. A brief exposure to the agent would be significantly less damaging to them than us.”

“Still, Nana got pulled here against her will. I’m not going to let her get hurt for my own sake.”

“I-Idiot!” Nana bawls into your chest, “Do you have any idea how sad everyone would have been if you died?”

Now this is a change to her usual tsundere act…

Lala and Momo give you a pair of wolfish grins as their sister continues to cry angrily, lavishing you with as many insults as she can possibly come up with. Most boil down to you being an idiot, moron, fool or pervert – and even combinations of all four. It looks like your display of ignorant heroism finally caused the dam to break. At least until Nana becomes aware of how much of a scene she’s making. You’ve never seen her move so fast as she dries her eyes with her sleeve and leaps back to her feet, arms crossed and nose turned up into the air.

You’re back in the garage, and still in one piece at that.

You sit up on the couch and groan as the dryness of your throat becomes achingly apparent. A single glass of water is handed over, but it does little to assuage the chemical burns that have been left in the back of your windpipe. You feel like utter shit. It’s slightly worrying that this is becoming a regular occurrence.

“That was really cool of you, hubby!” Lala cheers with her tail wiggling happily, “The way that you sacrificed yourself for Nana was like something out of a manga!”

“This happened in volume thirty-six,” Momo states plainly, “Geeze. You made our plan look like total crap!”

“Your plan?” Nana repeats, “What plan?”

You groan, “Lala and Momo wanted to show you how amazing and lovable I am so they came up with some theatrics to make you fall ‘head over heels’ for me. That’s why they split off from us earlier. I got myself knocked out before they could swoop in and make it happen.”

Nana frowns and turns on her sisters angrily, “Stop messing around, you two!”

Momo defends herself, “Sorry. We just wanted to show you his good side, that’s all. We didn’t expect things to take such a dangerous turn.”

“And didn’t it work anyway? You’ve been crying for two hours straight now,” Lala jabs with her usual blend of cheeriness and childish ignorance. You don’t think it’s physically possible for Nana’s face to get any redder than it already is.

Mitsuru turns back to her computer and gets busy, “Well, the Toxidroid is gone – and if they try to use that chemical weapon again we can distribute the cure to the emergency services. I don’t think they’ll try that plan again while we’re still fighting back.”

Before you can even speak on the matter again, Lala and Momo grab you by the arms and drag you over to the elevator with Nana in hot pursuit. They speak in stereo, “Okay thanks bye!”

“H-Hey, wait a second!”

A few seconds later you’re traveling down the elevator shaft and being spat out in the harem bedchamber that Lala constructed. Your shoes are kicked away and you find yourself tossed onto the large and comfortable mattress floor with both sisters leaping in after you. Each arm is taken, but Nana stands on the wooden outer rim with a nervous expression.

“What are you two doing?” she asks.

Momo smirks and snuggles up to you, “Well, I think it’s about time we all had a frank conversation about how this is going to work. We’re happy to welcome you into hubby’s harem if you’re a little honest with us and admit that this tsundere act is just that.”

“It’s not an act!” she shouts, refusing to concede. Even if she wants to jump onto the bed with you and become one of your fiancés, she isn’t going to bite if Momo and Lala make a game out of it. You decide to take matters into your own hands and speak frankly with her about what she really wants from you.

“Nana – there’s no need to get mad at your sisters. They want you to be happy.”

“Hmph. Maybe they should keep their noses out of my business for once! They always do this.”

You restrain yourself from saying that it’s because Nana keeps rejecting things out of hand even though she wants to do them or possess them. If she thinks that something isn’t cool or in line with her expectations she turns her nose up and refuses to engage with it. Once she changes her mind she and her sisters have to play this war of words where Nana tries to avoid losing face. Your display of heroics earlier has convinced her to join in, but that would make her seem fickle and immature.

“Nobody’s going to make fun of you for changing your mind. People always do when they see something that puts others in a new light. I summoned you because I want you to join in with Momo and Lala. They told me that you’d go green with envy if they left you out.”

Nana’s straightened tail sags as the tension finally starts to uncoil.

Momo finally sees fit to state the obvious, “Nana, you didn’t fall in love with him because of his strength – it was his selflessness. I think he’s pretty cool even if he doesn’t have all of the powers and abilities he does in the future.”

Lala nods, “That’s right! Hubby is cool and strong, so get down here and jump onto the pile!”

You frown, “Please don’t jump onto my chest.”

Nana is contemplative for a worryingly long time. The dam finally breaks. She kicks off her shoes and descends onto the bed with a short jog, before collapsing down and claiming the last free spot on your body by burying her face into your chest. Surrounded on all sides by bright tufts of light-pink hair, you have to reckon with how much your life has changed in the past few months.

Everyone spends their time enjoying the comfort of the bed and feeling up your body, Momo being the main offender. Her restless hands are all over your chest and arms, what she can get to anyway now that Nana has perched atop you like a housecat. With all three Deviluke sisters on board with the harem thing, you’re one step closer to clearing your ‘backlog’ of girls, whom you’ve summoned but not yet invited into the family.

“Don’t think I’m going to apologise. You have a lot left to prove, mister!” Nana says, voice muffled by your shirt.

“I hope I don’t disappoint those expectations. Anyway, getting to be a member of the harem comes with several benefits. Including dates, my phone number, and the ability to visit my world whenever you please.”

“And the sex!” Lala chirps.

“H-Hey, where did you learn a dirty word like that?” Nana gasps.

“Huh? Me and hubby have already done it a whoooole bunch of times, obviously!”

Nana’s grip on your shirt tightens, “And you just decided to go along with him?!”

“It was fun. Sex is fun!”

Momo shakes her head, “I can’t believe that Lala was the one who lost her V-card first…”

Nana is all out of anger to spare, she rolls her eyes and slumps back down on top of you.

“You’re too easy, sis.”

Lala finds that objectionable, “I know that we’re going to be together forever, so why worry about it? It was love at first sight.”

“Whatever you say,” Nana says dismissively. Her eyes turn to the board against the entrance wall and that look of concern becomes ever deeper. “What the hell is that thing?” She extracts herself from the pile and wobbles over to the wooden outer ring with her bare feet to get a close look at the contents. There’s a squawk of indignant anger as she notes that Lala and Momo have snuck her picture into the web.

“That’s the harem plan!” Momo called over to her, “So we can keep track of all of Hubby’s fiancés and girlfriends.”

Nana studies each picture in sequence, getting increasingly steamed with each girl she finds, especially when she notices that a lot of them are sporting breasts that are far beyond what a woman could realistically sport in your world. Her shoulders quake as the full breadth and depth of the bodies on display trigger her biggest personal hang-up.

“I’m taking back what I said! This guy is just a stupid, big-boob-loving pervert! Why are you going out with so many balloon-titted cows?!”

“That’s rude,” you frown, “And not all of them are that big.”

Momo grabs your shoulder, “It doesn’t matter. Anybody bigger than her is a cow by default.”

“Maybe if everyone weren’t stealing all of the boobs, I’d have some of my own!”

The argument quickly escalates from there with each girl bickering over who stole what and whether men can appreciate the homely charm of a girl without breasts. You are a lover of all sizes - but Nana isn’t going to believe you when her trust is so hard to earn as is.

“Hubby doesn’t care about how big your boobs are. He already brought you to this world, didn’t he?” Lala reasons (correctly.)

Nana turns her nose up into the air and huffs, “Boys are all the same. They only care about girls with big butts or huge boobs.”

“Hubby is happy with me and mine aren’t that big!”

“They’re way bigger than mine!” Nana yells back.

Lala stomps her foot into the mattress and moves away from the cuddle pile, snapping her fingers and causing her clothes to disappear in a puff of smoke. Now naked aside from a pair of panties, she cups her breasts and shoves them into her face. “Hubby likes them even though they aren’t the biggest.”

“Get your boobs out of my face, Lala!”

The sisters collapse back onto the mattress as they wrestle for supremacy. Lala doesn’t care one bit about being naked and rubbing herself all over Nana to try and prove her point, though you aren’t quite certain what getting naked and dragging her to the floor is meant to do. It’s far too comical a sight to be arousing, as much as you enjoy the sight of Lala’s body.

Momo is despondent, “Not again…”

“They’ve done this before?”

“They’re always play-fighting over every little thing. They’ll wear each other out if we leave them alone for an hour.”

“Uh, so what are we going to do while they fight?”

Momo smirks and hoists her legs across your stomach, straddling you from above and holding a finger to her lips. Your heart leaps into your mouth as she unleashes her full, sadistic and seductive powers to toy with your feelings and fills your blood with an injection of arousal. Her tail whips back and forth, her cheeks turning a dark shade of red as the excitement builds.

“I think it’s about time that I took advantage of what we have here, and show you how much I want to be one of your wives.”

The room turns black as her pink hair enshrouds your view and her lips meet yours. Lala and Nana are missing out…

Chapter 76: Perverts and Princesses

Momo is the most aggressive of the Deviluke sisters. Lala is confident through her peppy personality and emotional ignorance, while Nana simply doesn’t want to entertain the idea of being intimate with you. They keep fighting in the corner as Momo repeatedly claims your mouth with deep, tongue-filled kisses. There is no hesitation or fear in her actions, she’s been waiting to do this for some time and isn’t going to miss out for any longer.

Momo isn’t just satisfied with playing with your mouth – as her mischievous fingers start to worm their way beneath your clothes and feel your skin. Your pectoral muscles and abdomen are of particular interest to her given that you’ve been working out almost nonstop for months on end. You’ve started to turn into a guy who looks like he belongs in an underwear catalogue. Momo is very happy about it. She purrs into your mouth and allows them to dip down south beneath your belt.

Oh, she’s really going for it. But before Momo can get a handful of your sausage, there’s a cry of outrage from across the bedchamber.

“Hey, what the hell are you two perverts doing over there?” Nana yells.

Momo releases your lips and pouts, “I’m kissing my fiancé, what else?”

Lala redresses herself and finally puts an end to their sisterly duel, “There’s nothing to worry about with hubby, Nana. He likes girls in all shapes and sizes!”

“That’s not the problem here! Why did you decide that now was the right time to start playing with him?”

Momo tilts her head to the side in confusion, “Why not? This is the private chamber that Lala built so that hubby can sleep with his wives whenever he likes. It’s completely soundproof and impenetrable from the outside. Nobody is going to interrupt us.”

Momo is plainly just trying to tease her sister by playing dumb. Nana isn’t upset about the prospect of being caught or someone spying on you – she’s upset because she thinks its weird for her sister to start getting handsy right in front of her. They may come from a world where bigamy is accepted, but that doesn’t mean Nana wants to sit there and watch you have sex with her sisters.

“Maybe we shouldn’t do something Nana is uncomfortable with,” you state, putting your foot down before things break out into another lengthy argument. Momo is disappointed but follows your suggestion. There’ll be plenty of time for funny business later without an audience.

Nana is astounded that you aren’t diving in with no regard for her comfort, “Hmph. I guess you aren’t just a horny beast after all.”

“I have a lot more on my mind than that. I’ve got to worry about stopping these invaders before they conquer our planet, and the relationships I have with the others aren’t just based on sex. We go on dates, spend time together, and keep in touch using our interdimensional phones. The foundation of our partnership is about being honest and open about what we want. I don’t want to do things that make you uncomfortable.”

Lala supports your assertion, “Hubby is really nice. He always asks me and the other girls before doing anything with us.”

“Don’t think I’m going to jump onto this stupid mattress with you right away. I want to see how you handle being my boyfriend first,” Nana declares pridefully, “That means you need to take me out on a date! If you manage that without putting your hands all over me like a zombie, then I’ll consider being one of your fiancés.”

Momo grins, “And then hubby will be the undisputed ruler of our empire. To think that one man is claiming all three Deviluke sisters…”

She’s acting like she has nothing to do with this situation coming about.

“…Anyway – Nana is going to have to get used to this kind of thing. Couples do this to show how much they love each other!”

Nana grimaces, “There are other ways to show you like somebody, like buying them gifts, or taking them on dates!”

“And what happens when you get bored of those things? Are you trying to say that you’ll go out with hubby for years but never hold hands with him, or kiss him?”

Momo is veering close to starting another argument here despite your intervention. Nana is just being tsundere. Pushing her buttons isn’t going to make her change her mind. Nana needs to be confident that its her own idea or decision. Lala leaps on top of you and cuddles up, “Just let Nana do things at her own pace, Momo!”

Momo pouts, “Fine.”

You sit back up from the extremely comfortable mattress that Lala found and offer Nana a reassuring smile, “You don’t need to do anything for me. I’ve never pressured any of my partners into doing things they aren’t comfortable with. If you want to go out on a few dates before worrying about stuff like that, then I’m going to do as you ask.”

Nana crosses her arms, “Why does he respect me more than you two?”

Momo and Nana glance at each other. “Are we being disrespectful?” Lala inquires.

“Yes! You both do this all the time!” Nana yells, “Do you have any idea how frustrating it is when you both get ahead of yourselves and don’t listen to me? Lala is always so invested in her little inventions that she doesn’t consider the consequences of using them, and Momo is equally obsessed with trying to manipulate everyone around her!”

Momo shrugs, “Is it a bad thing if everyone is happier for it in the end? We’re going to make the biggest, happiest and sexiest harem in the multiverse!” Again, Momo is more excited about the idea than you are – and she isn’t the one poised to benefit the most from it. You can see her eyes sparkling with barely concealed joy.

“There’s something wrong with you, I swear. We all know that I’m going to be the wife he likes the most anyway!” Nana has had enough arguing for one day, she flops down onto the bed and takes a moment to admire the texture and softness; “Wait a minute, where the heck did you find a nanofoam mattress this big, Lala?”

“It was a lot of work,” Lala chirps, “I had to get it custom made at the factory – so I used my allowance to buy a bunch of different smaller ones and had them stitched together to make this super huge bed!”

“Your allowance? How much do you girls get anyway?”

Momo scoffs, “A few billion credits a year – it’s basically chump change.”

“A few… billion?”

Either their currency is hyperinflated or these three have absolutely no perspective on just how much that really is. You certainly wouldn’t describe it as chump change like Momo. You just thought that Lala constructed the entire thing herself. She’s more than capable of building all sorts of strange and wonderful inventions, but perhaps building a nice mattress is outside of her field of expertise. Being the daughters of a galactic emperor sure does come with a lot of nice benefits.

You don’t have much room to complain about that anymore. Mitsuru is paying you millions of dollars every month, which you wouldn’t even need given that getting to be with so many amazing fictional women is part and parcel with the job. It’s getting to the point where you can’t even think of things to spend your money on. Donating it to charity feels like the only way not to leave it rotting in your offshore bank account.

Nana’s tail whips the air irritably, “This is great and all – but what the heck are we going to tell Dad?”

Lala smiles and offers an optimistic take, “I think he’ll be super happy that his daughters have found such an amazing and powerful partner!”

“Wait a second. I might be strong by human standards but I don’t think I could take on your Father in a fight, even with my armour,” you reply, “And I know for a fact that he’s keen on having any suitors demonstrate their ability to keep you all safe.”

Nana grumbles, “Even though it’s a total waste of time. He married our Mother because she was the strongest warrior he could find. There isn’t a single lifeform in the entire empire who could pose a risk to us.”

“I understand how he feels though. He wants to ensure that all of you are well taken care of. There must be a lot of people out there who have ill intentions for you and the empire as a whole. It’s a big responsibility to take care of it.”

“Hmph. That stupid heroic sacrifice act you pulled would have been better spent on convincing him!” Nana quips. She’s right – that was a showcase of sincerity that you can’t fake or describe through words. He’ll probably reject it out of hand even if Nana is the one recounting the events to him.

Momo smirks, “Don’t worry, I’ve already put together a plan that we can use to win his approval and confirm our future marriage!”

“I hope it works better than the last one you two idiots came up with,” Nana sighs.

“There was nothing wrong with our plan. It was interrupted before we could see how it would have turned out.”

Momo is being very defensive of her and Lala’s plan, even when it wasn’t all that sophisticated in the first place…

Momo has another point to prove before you can call things tied up; “By the way, Lala totally slept with hubby already. Are you saying that we’re not going to do it either?”

Nana blushes, “W-What? You want to have…”

“Sex?”

“…Sex with him!?”

Momo sighs, “We’re adults, Nana. It’s natural that a relationship means you have to do intimate things with your partner eventually.”

You interject, “Lala was very eager so I ended up getting dragged along with her whims. You two don’t have to feel any pressure about that sort of thing. Spending time with you is already a lot of fun.”

Nana hops on her high horse to deliver a stirring speech, “That’s what you’re saying to lure us into a false sense of security. All men are obsessed with things like sex. They’ve a bunch of slovenly beasts! Perverts!”

Okay – so maybe you do engage in a lot of sex, but that’s because you have a lot of partners. They have needs of their own, and it’s a fun way to get closer with them without having to make specific plans for dates or asking around for reservations. Nana is still rather immature; her perspective is coloured by boys who haven’t hit eighteen and think they’re hot shit sex gods in waiting.

“As I said – there’s no need to do any of that if you don’t want to.”

Lala offers her perspective in her characteristically frank manner, “If you’re worried about it hurting or having something big going into your private place, I could be there to make sure that you’re ready to handle it!”

Nana scowls, “I don’t want you to watch me lose my virginity, Lala.”

“Huh? But I’m not going to take any pictures or anything!”

“That’s not the problem! I don’t want my sister watching me getting taken to pound town!”

“Pound town?” you repeat with a chortle. Nana lets out a strange hawk-like cry as the coarse language slips out without her consent. You’ve never heard any of your girlfriends or fiancés describe it like that before. You tuck that away into your back pocket for later. Momo, Nana and Lala quickly descend into a tumble of flailing arms and legs as the sisterly debate turns into an all-out wrestling match.

You don’t remember them being like this in the manga…

Whatever – you can’t expect them to always act like their fictional depictions when they come to your world. They’re fully formed people with sides to themselves that only become apparent in different situations. This is what siblings do. They argue and scrap over the smallest things. Though in this case, seeing each other having sex isn’t really a small thing at all. None of the other girls have a problem with it, but the sibling relationship may make things a bit more awkward for them.

It doesn’t concern you too much. Working out a schedule where you can do things like that without involving the others should be simple enough. All it takes is a little due diligence and consideration for what they want out of this.

For now, you’re happy to know that your efforts have paid off in some ways. Nana is finally on board with the harem plan, and her knowledge when it comes to animals will be invaluable to your future efforts. No doubt the idiots you’re fighting at present will come up with a scheme involving them, where speaking to them will prove key in fighting back and solving the problem.

The fight ends with Lala claiming victory – standing atop her defeated sisters with a broad smile that is completely at odds with what’s actually happening. You sigh and pull out your phone to see who keeps messaging you.

As usual, it’s Rias. Unusually, there is no naked image attached. Instead it’s a selfie of her and Akeno wearing casual clothes and clearly enjoying their summer together.

“Let’s spend time together soon, hubby! Xx”

Notes:

hope you all had a good holiday!

Chapter 77: Head to Head

Mitsuru interrupted your day off with a request first thing in the morning.

She was picking up a strange signal from somewhere in the city, one which existed as a beacon to be followed. Checking it out was a short detour from your usual route, so you decided to do her a solid and see for yourself who was making so much noise on the sensors. It led you directly to the city’s largest park. If they wanted to launch an ambush on you, there were much better places to do it.

The tension is palpable as you walk down the long dirt path to the specific area where the interference is emanating from. These guys have a lot of dirty tricks up their sleeves, so it wouldn’t surprise you to find some kind of trap waiting. Every second that passes without something attacking you only serves to heighten your paranoia. So engrossed in it are you, that you fail to note the woman sitting on one of the benches as you walk by.

“I knew you’d show up.”

Your back stiffens as a voice calls out to you, an unassuming girl with tanned skin and black hair is seated there sporting a cocky smile. She gives you a small wave and beckons you over, as if to invite you to sit beside her.

“Who are you?”

“Oh, uh. I almost forgot… I’m Donna.”

All that confidence seems to drain away as she walks headfirst into an actual conversation with you. Contrary to her outdoorsy appearance, it seems that she’s rather shy around strangers. Considering that she’s the one shouting out to you after following the unusual signal Mitsuru described, it begs to reason that she’s the person responsible.

“Is there a particular reason you dragged me out here?” you ask, nodding towards the conspicuously large bag on the bench which could contain the transmitter.

Donna crosses her arms and nods, “There is a reason. I called you here to have a chat, a negotiation if you will.”

“On behalf of who?”

“Who else? Interdimensional Commune Voldaz, the aliens you’ve been fighting tooth and nail for the past three months.”

You recognise her voice now, heavily modulated sure, but it’s the same one that came from the copycat superhero that they deployed to try and kill you earlier. She was a human the whole time? You suppose it makes sense given her familiarity with human media franchises; she summoned characters from High School DxD to try and counter you.

“Don’t tell me that you’re the one who fought me earlier.”

“That was me,” she admits sheepishly.

“That was you?” you repeat in disbelief, “You’re the one wearing that black knockoff suit?”

“I guess it is kinda’ weird, but those weird alien people told me that I could use it to fight and that I’d get to summon a bunch of my favourite characters to be in my harem if I did. It sounded like a sweet deal at the time.”

It’s the same deal that Mitsuru extended to you. However, it takes on a much more sinister air when it’s contextualised against a background of conquering the world for a group of alien invaders. It doesn’t surprise you that someone could be craven enough to betray their home planet for the sake of scoring with a bunch of anime boys. Not that you’d do the same thing. If Mitsuru came to you with a plan to conquer the world, you would have said no and tried to snap her out of it.

“And you decided to tell me this because?”

Donna is nervous, “I was hoping that we could resolve this whole thing without having to murder each other or something horrible. I’m not the murderous type. They didn’t tell me that I was going to be fighting other humans when they picked me up, they just said that I was going to be protecting the peace of the universe and fighting evil.”

“We’re evil from their perspective, we’re getting in the way of their conquest of our planet. If you feel sorry about fighting humanity, why don’t you ditch them and give it up? You won’t need to fight anyone if you do that.”

She twiddles her thumbs, “I didn’t see much difference between joining them or defending Earth. Since when did any of the people in charge here give you faith that they’re willing to do the right thing? They told me that they weren’t trying to hurt anyone – and that they were going to share their technology with us once it was done.”

“They’ve already tried to hurt a lot of people. You saw the collateral damage they caused the last time we fought,” you object.

“But it’ll be worth it in the end! A world without war, with technology that can save billions of lives! The only reason that damage happened was because you and that girl kept trying to resist it!”

A flash of anger runs through you.

“That girl is my best friend. I’m not going to stand here and let you badmouth her, especially not when you’re trying to kill her.”

“She’s a threat to humanity’s existence, no, not just humanity – but the entire multiverse. I’ve seen enough to know that they’re telling the truth.”

She’s very trusting when it comes to evidently immoral individuals. All of that whining about the leaders of the nation not doing the right thing, but she’s perfectly fine with conducting mass terror operations and trying to kill an innocent person. This negotiation isn’t going too well. She’s already pissed you off to an incredible degree.

“So that’s your game? Kill Mitsuru?”

Donna nods assertively, “That’s the only thing they want. After that, conquering the world will be nothing more than a formality. I’ll get to keep my harem, and the world will see that the benefits they bring are worth so much more than the freedom to suffer under our current leaders.”

You roll your eyes and groan, “They really managed to find a good little toady, didn’t they? They must have picked you out for being the biggest coward they could find. If you think that their technology is going to save us, why not do the smart thing and take it for ourselves? Mitsuru’s been reverse engineering their tech this entire time. We can have all of it, without bending the knee to some psychopathic aliens.”

“Mitsuru cannot be trusted with that knowledge.”

And who was she to make that judgement? She doesn’t know the first thing about her.

“That’s too bad. A buddy of mine said that we’re going to win regardless, so I’m not giving up.”

“I hoped that you’d see reason if we had the chance to speak.”

“Nothing you said is reasonable. You’re planning on throwing this planet into war based on the word of some people who’ve caused nothing but trouble for innocent civilians. Mitsuru, dangerous? How do you even know that it’s true?”

Donna stands up and yells back, “Because I saw it!”

“I don’t care what you saw! I’m going to stick to my guns. If you’ve got a problem with that, then so be it. The next time we meet it isn’t going to be for a nice talk. I’m playing to win.”

Donna scowls, “Fine. Be that way.”

She doesn’t stick around to see your reaction. A purple portal appears behind her, and she quickly grabs her bag and takes her leave. The portal dissipates before you can react. Mitsuru leaps onto your communicator and comments on the meeting.

“Donna? I got some clear footage of her on the micro camera – I’ll check the databases and try to match the face to the name.”

“She’s bad news. There’s nothing scarier than an irrational person trying to appear reasonable.”

Mitsuru snickers, “Whatever. If those ‘Voldaz’ clowns want to try and kill me, they’re going to have to do a lot better than their previous plans. It’s clear that I’m the person they want to be rid of, presumably because I’m the only one who can reverse engineer their technology.”

“Seriously, who the hell does she think she is calling me out here for this? Did she really think that I was going to be on board with killing my best friend?”

“There’s no need to get flustered about it now. You’ve already beaten her once before – just keep your eyes on the prize and she shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

“I wish I could share your optimism.”

With that odd diversion over with, you decide to head home and cool your head. That girl really ticked you off in record time. You imagine that most people would be feeling miffed if someone said they were going to kill their friend for the ‘good of humanity.’ They must have fed her some convincing propaganda to get her talking like that, or perhaps they chose her specifically because of her lack of backbone.

The very second you stepped through the doorway, Belfast was shooting through the living room doorway and standing in front of you with her hands folded politely against her stomach. It’s a strange contrast to have a dedicated maid wearing an outfit that shows off as much of her chest as possible at any one time.

“Welcome home master – I have just completed the last of the chores.”

“Thanks Belfast. You’re a lifesaver.”

She bristles with pride, “Think nothing of it. I am here to serve in whatever capacity you desire.”

Belfast hasn’t yet expressed any romantic interest in you, though the veiled implication of her words is not subtle in the slightest. It’s clear that you could request her to do whatever sordid acts you please without receiving a single iota of complaint. Still – it feels a little exploitative to play into the maid delivering sexual favours scenario without having a chat with her about it first. You like to set boundaries before jumping into the hanky-panky.

She follows you through to the kitchen, observing silently as you grab a glass of juice for yourself.

“Sorry for being in such a hurry. Something weird happened and it really annoyed me.”

“It is a maid’s responsibility to stand firm and comfort their Master, no matter the circumstance.”

You sit down at the gigantic wooden dining table and admire the décor that Rias and her mother came up with. Despite their devilish instincts, they didn’t go all out and turn the place into a haunted house like you feared. Belfast stands patiently by the door and awaits your next order.

“What do you think of the house, Belfast?”

Belfast hums and considers her answer carefully, “I enjoy the aesthetic that Lady Gremory has decided to implement, though I am more familiar with estates that utilise a lighter, more grand appearance.”

True. Rias and Venelana brought a lot of darker tones to the house, shades of navy, crimson and emerald primarily. They’re contrasted by the brighter wood floors and furniture. You agree with that decision. The previous form of the unfinished mansion was nauseatingly gaudy, it was the most obvious example of ugly modern architecture that you’d seen.

You’re trying to distract yourself.

“I wish I could keep my composure like you.”

Belfast closes her eyes, “It is something that comes with practice, Master. To go above and beyond what is possible from one’s own personality is difficult. There is nothing wrong with expressing your feelings, I and your other wives will be here to ensure that you regain your stillness and rationality.”

“Thanks.”

She’s right. There are plenty of people who care about Mitsuru just as much as you do. Rias has become very close friends with her recently, dragging her out of the lab for some socialising with the other members of the occult research club. Asia was acting apologetic about leaving you out of things – but you don’t see the issue. Mitsuru invented this technology, so why can’t she get some benefit out of it as well? Rias was incredibly angry when she found out they were trying to target Mitsuru before.

You sigh and lean back in your seat, “This is what it’s like to live on the warpath, huh? Always having to worry about myself and the people around me – I couldn’t live like this forever. I guess that’s why I become unparalleled as a fighter eventually.”

“Become?”

You wave it off, “Nothing, just thinking out loud.”

Belfast frowns and steps closer, “Now now Master, stress isn’t good for the body. You need to take care of your mental health as well. I could give you a massage if that would help you relax.”

“Okay – if you think it’ll help.”

Your shoulders do feel a little stiff from all of the exercise you’ve been doing lately. Belfast escorts you through several doors down into an area of the house that you haven’t had the chance to explore yet. One of the rooms that looks out into the back garden has seemingly been transformed into a fully functioning and appointed spa, complete with a bed, footbath, a small pool, and a sauna.

“When the hell did they build all of this?” you wonder.

Belfast is familiar with where everything is located. She sets about gathering her supplies while directing you towards a paper wall, “Please remove your clothes and lay down on your front for me, Master.”

“All of them?”

She just winks, “That is your decision.”

You tread the line of caution and leave your underwear on. Belfast doesn’t air any complaints when you step back out again, if anything she enjoys every second of eye-fucking your body, which has transformed from a pretty unhealthy state into the type that a big A-list action star would have through a high-paid personal trainer.

You don’t pay Chun-Li for her guidance.

You clamber up onto the bed and fit your face through the specially-made hole at the top. Belfast returns to the land of the living soon after and pops open a bottle of oil, dribbling a small quantity onto your back and shoulders.

“Just close your eyes and relax, Master.”

Almost immediately after she starts to work the oil into your skin, you feel the heavy weight of her breasts pressing against you. It suddenly makes sense as to why she was so eager to give this a try, it’s the perfect place to squeeze her curvy body against yours while maintaining a thin veneer of professionalism. You ignore the first incident to see if she does it again, but she leaves no room for doubt as she presses against you several more times in the space of a minute.

You’re starting to suspect that she wants to be more than your maid.

“How do you feel, Master?” she purrs.

Despite that – her fingers do feel amazing. She locks onto your aching muscles with deadly precision and kneads the stress out of them. The only response that feels appropriate is a low groan of appreciation.

Belfast giggles, “I see. Once I have finished on your back, we can roll you over and do the front too!”

Notes:

I've REALLY neglected this story lately. Apologies.

Chapter 78: Hands-on

You should have known that Belfast was angling for something sexual here.

All of the women you summon are obsessed with you. Why the hell do you keep getting surprised when some of them decide to be forward? Rias slept with you after knowing you for approximately one hour, which must be a world record from meeting to engagement.

With that said – it’s hard to take the lead when Belfast’s amazing massage is sapping the strength and tension from your muscles. Kicking back and enjoying it seems to be what she wants. You close your eyes and let her do as she pleases.

Belfast giggles at your expression, “Oh dear! It appears that you needed this massage more than I anticipated, Master.”

“Sorry Belfast, everyone’s been running me ragged lately. You’re welcome to try if you want.”

You doubt that Belfast will struggle to arouse you given her taste in clothes and her extreme proportions. Maid play is also something that you have no experience with. What self-respecting person wouldn’t enjoy having a beautiful maid attend to their every need?

“Then let’s get to the end of the massage and we can see how you feel,” Belfast says, splitting things both ways with a surprising display of temperance. Perhaps working as a maid has given her an immense level of patience.

She redoubles her efforts to turn you into nothing more than a pile of satisfied man-jelly, destroying the clots inside of your body with laser-guided precision. You can’t help but bury your face deeper into the bed and groan as a show of your appreciation.

“Hearing you having such a wonderful time makes me very happy, Master.”

“Not as happy as I feel right now. This is amazing.”

“Forgive me for being uncouth – but I also have to admire your body. It’s clear that you’ve spent a lot of time taking good care of it.”

“You can thank Chun-Li for that. She whipped me into shape once I started doing this superhero thing.”

“Thank her I shall. A handsome face like yours, it’s almost unfair to pair it with this perfectly sculpted form.”

Belfast punctuates her praise by reaching down and cheekily groping at your ass cheeks. That’s a first. None of the other girls have been interested in touching your body so flagrantly, with the sole exception being Motoko – though she does it to try and throw you off-balance during training. Letting her enjoy some horseplay isn’t too much of an ask given all the hard work she does to maintain the house while you’re busy fighting aliens.

Belfast makes sure to keep your arousal simmering with more pressure from her immense chest. She’s very good at making it feel like an accident. She brushes against you and applies a firm amount of pressure while massaging a certain point, backing away or moving on before it becomes too obvious. If you weren’t already aware of her proclivities – it may have been left up to interpretation.

“Would you like to turn over?” she inquires, blowing a gust of warm air over your ear.

“Isn’t it normal for the client to wear a towel?”

Belfast just giggles, “It would be a profound shame to hide such a lovely body from your dedicated maid, would it not?” Her words are tinged with a heavy dose of lust.

You relent and switch over onto your back, keeping your hands at your sides so that she can see every nook and cranny of your body. Her eyes shoot down to your crotch and the half-hard member that rests between your muscular thighs. Belfast licks her lips hungrily but resists the urge to dive right in and get her hands on it.

After all, the massage isn’t over yet!

Belfast is intent on proving just how good her foreplay prowess really is. Most of your other partners have focused on the act itself, rather than the build-up. Belfast is clearly in the know about how bombastic her curves are – and the appeal that’s packed into the fetishistic maid outfit she wears at all times. What kind of man doesn’t love a sexy maid or three?

Belfast’s devious boob-pressing technique proves even more dangerous from the front. The maid outfit she wears can barely contain the slippage and shifting mass that jostles beneath it. Each and every touch threatens to spill her boobs over the top and out into the open air. Belfast is well aware of that fact and revels in teasing you by pushing things to the limit before pulling back at the last moment.

She’s thorough, refusing to leave even a single patch of your body unexplored. She goes from your shoulders and neck, down to your chest and pectorals, your arms, sides, abs, and legs. There’s a lot of strength hidden beneath that becoming appearance; she is strong enough to heft up a pair of gunboat cannons and lay havoc on the enemy.

Her patience can only last for so long, and her frontal assault is enough to finally rouse your buddy from his slumber. She covers her mouth and gasps in mock shock at the sight of your erection. She’s intent on keeping up this act of being an innocent maid for as long as possible.

“Master, it appears that you found my massage a little too stimulating!”

She’s already halfway to mounting the bed and getting on top of you, which does rob her performance of its authenticity.

“It’s impossible to stay calm with a beautiful woman like you doing this.”

Belfast giggles happily at the compliment and tugs on the front of her dress, finally unleashing the two gigantic melons that hide beneath. Despite their immense size – neither suffers under the pull of gravity, remaining round and perfectly perky. This is the type of rack that can only exist in an anime setting. They are truly physics-defying.

“Damn,” you mutter. That’s the only word you can use to describe them.

You open your arms and beckon Belfast onto the massage bed. She climbs up and presses her boobs into your chest, allowing your hands to reach up and softly grope the bountiful tit-flesh. She gives off a soft moan and closes her eyes to immerse herself fully in the sensation of your rugged hands mauling her massive milkers.

This is a lot of fun. You could easily entertain yourself by doing this for hours, though Belfast didn’t go to all of this effort just so you would grope her chest. She wants to go one step beyond and sleep with you like the others have. It’s only right that she has that opportunity.

Belfast speaks between airy gasps, “I do wonder if I’m worthy of accepting Master’s cock into my flower…”

“I say you are. Lay down.”

You swap positions and push her down onto the bed. Belfast smiles and spreads her legs, revealing a pair of healthy legs and lacy panties. The frills are trying to frustrate you – but they’re going to have to try harder. Navigating through is tricky, but you wrap your fingers around the silken blockage and pull down to her knees. Belfast’s pussy is lovely, a perfect match for the good lady. Funnily enough, there’s also a patch of matching silver pubic hair.

“It looks like my wonderful maid is ready to go,” you chuckle. Her cheeks turn a lovely shade of red thanks to your observation of her lower body.

You line yourself up with her sodden folds and gently push yourself into her cunt. Belfast throws her head back and moans erotically as you split her wide open, as the first man to ever do this with her. The sensation of fullness is quite unlike anything she’s felt before.

“Oh my. You’re… very large…”

You lean in and kiss her while she adjusts to your size. Belfast is a hardy girl, and soon enough she’s egging you on by wrapping her lovely legs around your back and pulling you deeper. Her moans pick up in volume and intensity as she feels the full length and girth of your cock splitting her open. She’s never felt quite this full before!

“Master!”

You lean down and kiss her neck while gently thrusting in and out of her pussy, “I’m going to be more than your Master, Belfast. You’re going to be one of my wives, you’re going to take care of the other girls and be a good wife for me, aren’t you?”

The homemaking fantasy appeals to Belfast on a deep, instinctual level. Being a maid has always been her prerogative, but the thought of taking things a step further and becoming your wife causes her cunt to tighten around you. Her entire body jiggles as you start to ramp things up. Belfast struggles to hold her breasts back using her forearms.

“Yes! I want to be your maid-wife, Master!”

Your first time with Belfast is fast and messy, in stark contrast to the elongated foreplay that she used to initiate this encounter. This is the first time anyone has done something like this with her, which is criminal considering her looks and body. Belfast is one of the archetypal gacha characters – sexed up for the purpose of making people enter more money into the system.

Her needy lips met yours, mashed together with some serious force. Belfast’s pussy is tight and wet, it almost feels like she’s trying to milk you for every drop of cum in your body. Her skin heats up as the prospect of feeling your seed shoot into her womb causes her to enter a mating frenzy.

“Master, Master, Master!” she chants deliriously, “Forgive me for being so uncouth!”

You smirked and slammed into her with all of your strength, causing her to tense up and wail as she veers dangerously close to climax. Her normally flawless hair is already tangled and knotted, with stray strands sticking to her sweaty skin. Seeing the composed woman in such a state only encourages you to fuck her even harder than before.

The smell of sex fills the air – overpowering the candles that Belfast lit half an hour before to try and relax you. Your mating descends into some more bestial, with neither of you capable of finding the words to express how you feel. The only sensation you can focus on is the amazing pleasure that comes with forcing your shaft into her sodden cunt like a jackhammer.

Belfast loses control of her own breasts. You reach down and grab both mounds with your hands, kneading and tugging on her erect nipples. Belfast moans louder, enjoying being played with from both ends. All of the anticipation she felt from the past few weeks of working as your maid and servant was let out in a wave.

You switch things up and change positions, forcing Belfast to bend over the bed and support herself using her arms. It’s easy to reach around and grope both of her swinging breasts while slamming into her from behind, but from this angle, you can also appreciate the ripples that travel through her ass with each meeting. Belfast is generous from top to bottom. What on earth are they feeding these warship girls over there?

“Master, I love you, Master! I’ll serve you forever. Please!”

“Don’t worry Belfast, I’m not going anywhere. I might have to hire a few more maids to look after the house though. How would you feel about that?”

“I-I can recommend some of my sister ships if that is what you desire.”

“I’ll think about it.”

In truth, you already have two more maids in mind – and they’re not from her universe at all. Grayfia has been floated to you by Venelana more than a few times, who can’t help but hint that she’s looking to become your servant slash lover with no strings attached. The woman is obsessed with the idea of being a maid, it is her defining character trait in the show. The other is more obscure. Roberta from Black Lagoon. The hard-edged psychopath would be a good addition to secure the property.

This is no time to be thinking about future haremettes! Belfast is needy and horny, and there’s only one man who can help extinguish the burning she feels. The end is nigh. You can feel your stamina beginning to wane. Belfast’s cries grow more desperate and breathless as a strong tension builds in her crotch.

“I’m going to cum,” you grunt.

“Ah! Inside me please, Master!”

You were never planning on releasing it somewhere else. You one last heavy thrust, you release the pressure and groan happily. A thick deluge of your cum escapes into Belfast’s scalding hot pussy, bringing forth a mutual climax from the lovely ship girl. Her fluids splatter across the synthetic cover of the massage table and down your legs. Belfast finally gives up the ghost and collapses down onto it, squeezing her boobs into a pair of makeshift pillows.

You’ve made an almighty mess down there. You went so hard on her that the skin around her labia and on her butt is starting to turn a little red. Rolling her over and pulling Belfast into an embrace, you chuckle at the slovenly expression on her usually dignified features.

“Did you enjoy that?”

She nods, “Yes. Very much so.”

“You teased me so much that I’m still up for another round,” you reveal. Belfast reaches down with her hand and presses it against your still-hard member.

“Oh dear. That won’t do at all! Allow me to take responsibility, Master.”

She punctuates her statement with a French kiss. It looks like the rest of the spa is going to be broken in – although that was not the original intention when Venelana built the place.

“What position would you like to try next?” she asks with a wink.

Chapter 79: A Visit from Venelana

Belfast asked you for another round, though in reality it quickly escalated to no less than four. Belfast had every intention of getting her money’s worth while she had the chance. Foolishly you believed that she was done after the third round, but a visit to the showers to clean off after such intensive activity was enough to make her horny again.

By the time she was done wringing you for every drop of semen in your body, it was already starting to get late. Belfast was in no hurry to leave the house, and you didn’t have anything planned for the rest of the night either. She was content to stand behind you like the polite, well-mannered maid she loved to act as – almost as if your lecherous meeting never happened.

Your plans, or lack thereof, changed when you heard the doorbell ringing from the living room. Belfast hurried away to answer it, showing a well-dressed Venelana into the mansion.

“Venelana! It’s been a while since we talked.”

You stood up and offered her a kiss on the lips, which she gladly accepted.

“I know. Unfortunately, that bespectacled friend of yours has been keeping me busy with more of her pet projects. I decided to drop by after visiting the garage and say hello. And who is this lovely lady you have attending to the house?” Venelana asks, reaching over and cupping her cheek in her motherly fashion.

Belfast did not object to her tender touch, “I am Belfast.”

“It’s nice to meet you Belfast. I hope that you take good care of our fiancé.”

“Of course, my Lady. I will serve him to the very best of my ability.”

Venelana’s eyes drooped down to her cleavage, “And I must say – you do seem to have a certain infatuation with ladies that bear a larger burden on their chest.”

“I seem to recall you lobbying me to summon Grayfia to add to my harem…”

Venelana shrugs, “Guilty as charged, but can you blame me? The poor woman has been left out in the cold for years now. A capable man such as yourself is just the right thing for her.”

Venelana is a legendary busybody when it comes to her friends and family. Grayfia enjoying singledom never occurs to her, it’s a situation that she feels the need to rectify even if Grayfia never asked her for it. There are two sides to the leading lady of the Gremory clan. The harsh, commanding presence forged through leadership and the kind, motherly figure who adored Rias and her nephew.

That motherly side has become more dominant as she’s become more comfortable with being around you. Getting a woman who can do both is a sound piece of advice, if not something that most people would never be able to achieve.

“Would you like some tea, Lady Gremory?”

“That would be wonderful, Belfast.”

Belfast excuses herself to prepare some refreshments.

“I hope Mitsuru hasn’t been leaning on you too much.”

Venelana waves away your concerns, “I am perfectly capable of telling her ‘no.’ I should say that I rather enjoy these bizarre schemes of hers, and if it serves the purpose of protecting our homes and making it easier for you to manage your harem – then there’s no reason to refuse.”

You sigh, “Mitsuru doesn’t tell me about what she’s working on until it’s almost complete. I had no idea she was building this cross-dimensional technology until there was a giant enemy robot breathing down our necks.”

“We’ve been working almost exclusively on completing her relay system, the one that will allow us to come and go as we please. We’re having trouble acquiring some of the materials needed. No amount of money can smooth that over if you do not know where to start searching.”

Venelana shuffles closer to you on the couch and interlinks her arm with yours.

“I hope that completing this will allow me to visit you more often without worrying about the Sledgehammer’s capacity.”

“I do too. It’d be really great to get everyone together so they can get to know each other more.”

Venelana smiles with lewd malice, “And then we can rest in the grand bedchamber, with all of your devoted wives naked for your enjoyment.”

The look on her face gives the impression that she enjoys that idea even more than you do. Venelana is a woman who has been raised in a particular culture, where devils seem to find great fulfilment in seeing their partners start extramarital relationships. Venelana is so onboard with you being the head of a massive, interdimensional harem that she’s investing millions and millions of dollars into making Mitsuru’s new project a reality.

“I take it that Belfast has already been acquainted with your better side?”

“I don’t like to kiss and tell…”

She harrumphs, “Let me guess, you two were breeding like a pair of animals in rut moments before I arrived at the door?”

Your silence is the only answer she needs.

“I thought so. I have to say – she’s a very fetching presence. She carries the dignity of her station well.”

“She’s a lifesaver. I don’t think I could keep this place looking clean without her. It makes me feel bad about pushing so much work onto her all the time. I was considering inviting Grayfia and asking her if she’d like to be my maid too.”

Venelana smiled, “Grayfia is a… subservient sort. She could have taken on the role as a member of our family, yet she insisted on keeping her marriage a secret for as long as possible. Perhaps she found a certain affinity with standing behind and encouraging from afar. It’s the place where she feels most proud, where your achievements become her achievements.”

Belfast returned to the living room and played a tray of tea onto the coffee table, pouring Venelana a cup and handing it to her.

“Thank you, dear. Now – I’ve heard from Mitsuru that several new girls have become your fiancés, so I was hoping to hear from you about them. Mitsuru’s observations are details, but only if they interest her. She’s been completely consumed trying to finish the mass relay.”

“I suppose that’s fair. Where should I start…”

You walk Venelana through all of the latest additions to your collection. It takes you a moment to catch up on your own memories, since you have to pinpoint the moment where Venelana stopped being in the loop and organise them into a neat order for discussion. Mitsuru has been making noise about a private social media-esque app for your phones which could smooth over the process of keeping everyone on the same page.

“Hm, so these Deviluke girls aren’t devils like me or Rias?”

“No. They have devil tails, but they’re aliens.”

“Interesting. They sound like the perfect partners for the Gremory house – given that they’re in line to rule a galactic empire.” Those sound like they’re on an entirely different scale to one another from your perspective, but Venelana has proven time and time again that her influence reaches farther than one might think.

“I do like bringing in girls from more humble backgrounds as well.”

“Like this Barbara Gordon you spoke of?”

“I suppose she’s humble in comparison to the intergalactic heiress, yes.”

“Rias’ pawn is something of a hero himself, they call him the-”

“Oppai dragon?”

Venelana blinks – and then remembers that you know a lot about her world already.

“Yes, the oppai dragon. Our corporation took a page from your book and has been mercilessly merchandising his appearance. We have toys, manga, a TV series, albums…”

“Uh, that’s a lot more than what Mitsuru has asked me to do so far.”

Out of necessity, she’d rather not reveal your civilian identity to the public. All hell would break loose if that were to happen. So unluckily for her, she cannot ask you for public showings or tie-in albums. You know for sure that she’d do it if it made money.

“I know,” Venelana reveals, “I was the one who helped plan the rollout of your merchandise and wrangled the ownership rights to the concept. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to file a copyright on these things without a real name to put to the documents?”

“I do not.”

Venelana calmed her resurgent frustration with a sip of Belfast’s tea.

“I’d like you to keep me informed about the new girls joining your harem, dear. Rias and I will be responsible for organizing everything into a harmonious whole. A lot of families don’t understand the value of proper planning and management, they see it as emotionally disconnected – even though it is done in the interest of fairness for everybody involved. We want to ensure that nobody is left out.”

You nod in agreement, “That’s a good idea. I think things will get a little easier once Mitsuru finishes her project and some of my partners can come and go without me summoning them. The problem is building them in every world we’ve pulled from.”

Barbara was very eager to join in and build her own version of the anchor, presumably because some of her fellow superhero pals heard about her new, amazing boyfriend. Having Supergirl and the like running around might make your role as a hero redundant, given their incredible levels of strength and general lack of weaknesses. Does Kryptonite even exist in this universe? But then you recall the words of warning offered to you by that faker working for the aliens.

Anything you can summon, she can counter by summoning a character of her own. She also has what seems to be unfettered access to all of the cross-dimensional material she likes, while you and Mitsuru are left to pick through the wreckage of their robots for tiny portions of the stuff.

Venelana is very eager to spread her devilish business empire to other worlds. Having the ability to visit as she pleases will help in that endeavour. What’s hers if yours – having serious financial resources behind your operation beyond the toy sales will supercharge Mitsuru’s ability to build new gadgets for you.

“Some of the components we need aren’t able to be obtained through… legal means.”

“That’s never stopped Mitsuru before, and I don’t mind breaking a few laws if it’s for the sake of protecting the Earth. I could get apprehended for illegally owning a gun, for one thing. I’m sure that shattering the boundary between this world and others might qualify as a crime too.”

Venelana disagrees, “Pah. The rulemakers are often paralyzed when it comes to unprecedented action. Without a directive to follow – they’ll be left to scramble in response.”

You do get the feeling that shattering the boundary between realities will elicit a harsh response, one that is not necessarily constrained by legal precedent. They might send a gang of hitmen to murder you on the street out of fear or something.

“I’m not afraid to break the rules of man, but I cannot claim to have a wealth of experience in exploring the figurative underworld.”

That makes the gears turn in your head. There’s a trio of women you’ve been thinking of for some time now. Balalaika, Revy, and Roberta from Black Lagoon. Not only are all three of them quintessential bad bitches – but they also know a lot about the underworld. If Mitsuru needs some dubious acts committed to complete her project, Balalaika would be the first person to summon.

You explain your idea to Venelana, who finds it intriguing.

“Hm. They sound like an interesting selection of characters. Their experience in the criminal world would be invaluable in terms of accessing and smuggling the rare materials we need. My shell company could provide them with documentation and funds to establish their network.”

“Well, I’d need to speak with Mitsuru first. We’re trying to keep a tight leash on how much interdimensional stuff we’re using on cards. We never know when they’ll bring out someone far more dangerous than the foes we’ve already faced.”

“It is a difficult line to tread, moving between your future safety and the need to invest in the facilities.”

All three are armed and dangerous, but you’re not sure that those guns can punch through the armoured plating of the Interdimensional Commune’s robots. Mitsuru will need to develop and provide them with more effective weaponry if you want to use them in active combat situations. Not every member of your harem needs to do that, of course, Bulma is a permanent member of Mitsuru’s science team – but you know that all three are tough customers.

The fact that Mitsuru has confirmed the presence of a universe where all three are willing to be your lovers is very confusing. They were the last characters you expected to appear in a compatible dimension.

Venelana steers the conversation into a less existential direction, asking how things have been going for you recently. You enjoy a quiet evening with her and Belfast until the sun sets and they have to head back home. Venelana says goodbye with a very aggressive kiss, complete with tongue, before disappearing through one of her magic circles.

You grab the Sledgehammer and do the same for Belfast.

“Thank you for today, Belfast.”

She curtseys, “Serving you is my greatest honour, Master. Whenever you have need of me, please do not hesitate to request my assistance, in combat or in housekeeping.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. See you later.”

You empty the chamber and send her home in a shower of glass-like shards. With everything taken care of, you exhale and head back to the living room. It can be very overwhelming when Venelana wants to talk business, and ‘business,’ in this case the date of your inevitable marriage both her and Rias. She doesn’t want the Gremory house to be without a leader for any longer than it has to.

She must feel like the answer to her problems just descended from the sky and fell into her lap. Strong, good-looking (from their perspective) and willing to enter into a polyamorous relationship with every female family member she has left. You’d like to follow through on that promise and wed them, but you can’t do that unless you become a devil.

Venelana has pieces to spare, but you’d need to head through to their universe for legal recognition as to your devil marriage. There’s also the sticky subject of ceasing to be human. It would make your fights safer thanks to their increased durability and strength, but it may come with unintended consequences. For one thing – if they launch an attack on a church you’re going to be plum out of luck!

You’d have to send someone else to take care of it.

But do the churches in this world even have the same effect? God is a physical presence in the DxD universe. His touch is what gives those areas their devil-repelling power. There are too many unknowns to deal with. It would be a compromise. No rescuing people in churches, but you’d become stronger everywhere else.

Being a devil was always a huge fantasy of yours. They get cool powers, they can fly, and the underworld is a pretty interesting place on top of that. You never expected to be faced with an actual decision over it though. It mostly extended to embarrassing delusions about meeting all of the hot girls and sleeping with them.

But who’s laughing now? You do get to sleep with those hot girls!

Rias and Venelana have made it clear that you don’t have much of a choice. If you want to head over to their world and really be recognized as the Gremory house’s new head, you’ll need to submit to their rules and become a devil first. You sigh and start to flick through the channels on your overly large flat-screen TV to distract yourself.

It’s not fair to them to keep putting it off. Rias and Venelana have placed a lot of trust into you, and have made their own sacrifices and contributions to the cause. This is meant to be a relationship, and relationships sometimes demand compromise. Would being a devil even do that much harm? They don’t have to maintain themselves with the blood of innocents or anything, they could easily coast their way through life without ever engaging in a rating game or signing contracts.

You feel your own stubbornness failing. What kind of man makes a promise like that and doesn’t follow through when the time comes? Rias and Venelana deserve more dedication than this, as do all of the other girls in her peerage who’ve become your lovers too. With that, you resolve to do the right thing once you gain the ability to go into their world.

You chuckle to yourself, “But turning into a devil sure sounds weird…”

Chapter 80: Full Force Fantasia - Part 1

The next few days are comparatively quiet versus what you’ve become used to.

Naturally – there are still occasional attacks by gangs of mooks into various areas of the city, but it feels like even the aliens aren’t putting forth an honest effort to actually defeat you. With everyone going through the motions, Mitsuru takes the time to advance her various projects. Even they are struggling to find purchase at the moment, or rather, find the illegal materials Mitsuru needs to finish building the various devices.

You float bringing Revy and Balalaika through to hook her up with some criminal networks, but she shoots it down in short order. Both of them would need to spend significant time and resources to form a connection like that, time which would be better spent doing things the ‘hard way,’ by brute forcing it until someone relented and took the money.

But you note it down for later. This isn’t going to be the only anchor built, after all.

“Tired of working your fingers to the bone? It’s time to enjoy a getaway from your daily life, without having to compromise with your schedule! The new dream-luxe hotel is now open on the corner of Fifth Station. Enjoy a luxurious evening away from your worries with our world-beating service!”

Yet despite all of the things that need to be done – you find yourself splayed out on the couch watching bad TV like a vegetable.

“This slice of paradise doesn’t need to break your bank. Our deeply immersive holiday experiences pack all of the fun, sights and sounds into a single place, without burdening you with troublesome airport travel or losing your head over booking!”

This damn ad has been dominating every commercial break for the past week. Where the hell did a local motel get the funding to saturate the airwaves like this? They must have some serious venture capital behind them to fund these expenses, there’s always a bunch of cash sloshing around for stupid ideas like this.

“How the hell do you manage to look so bored with two dozen fawning girlfriends?” Mitsuru quips from the bench.

You fire back, “Why did you bother building all of these compressed space laboratories below ground when you still end up using the old garage for everything?”

“Soldering some circuit boards does not demand an expensive laboratory.”

“Well, everyone is busy at the moment.”

You pull out your ‘special’ phone and check the status indicators of your summoned girls (and Issei.) Pretty much everyone is occupied with something important at the moment. It’s a sea of small red icons next to names and images that represent each person. Even if they were available – you’re not in a date-organizing mood at the moment.

“I think Barbara ended up telling some of her superhero friends about me.”

“She did?” Mitsuru murmurs.

“I think Supergirl swung by and prodded holes in her story. She ended up letting the truth slip, and now she wants to meet me too.”

“She’d be extremely powerful. It would be a large escalation from your other summons so far.”

“Huh? Android 21 can crush a planet if she tries hard enough. You don’t get much crazier than what happens in Dragon Ball.”

Mitsuru tilts her head in mixed agreement, “I suppose that’s true – but she isn’t invulnerable like Supergirl is. Kryptonite does not exist in this universe either.”

“Let’s just agree to disagree then. I really don’t know how strong they are in comparison to each other anyway.”

“Sure. We haven’t had a good power-level debate in a long time.”

“Good? They’re annoying as hell. It’s only relevant now because we can actually summon these people for real.”

Mitsuru pauses, “As for the Kryptonite thing, I have reason to believe that our invasive friends from the other dimension may have ways of obtaining some should they need it. We can’t assume that they’ll sit back and allow us to tilt the odds so much in our favour.”

“What about the copycat? She could summon someone even more overpowered than Supergirl.”

“We need to get that gun out of her hands, and fast.”

“I’m not disagreeing on that. She freaks me out.”

“But she seems bound by a similar sense of ego to you. She only wants to summon characters she herself finds attractive. Can you imagine her dragging Doomsday out of the DC universe and claiming that she wants him to be her husbando?”

“I’ve heard stranger things before, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be Doomsday. When you’ve got all of creation open to you – finding a character with a crazy stupid power is easy enough, something that can completely remove whatever advantage you gain from summoning a Supergirl or the like.”

Mitsuru’s face turns sour as the considers the full implications of her technology and the potential chaos it can unleash when put into the wrong hands. Your ‘son’ from the future seemed pretty confident in saying that things would work out okay, but you don’t know how much faith you can put in those words now. Is the future fixed, or can it change depending on your choices?

You’re pretty terrified of what might happen if Donna decides to summon a genuinely evil bastard. A character like Dio won’t hesitate to cause mass destruction and huge numbers of causalities if it serves his interests. For now, she has stuck with more morally grey characters from DxD.

She’s right. You need to get that copied Sledgehammer out of their grubby hands as soon as possible. It does make you wonder though, why exactly does the commune need the Sledgehammer when they are already advanced enough to travel through space and dimensions on a large scale? Mitsuru is still struggling to complete one of her anchor points, which in turn will only permit registered individuals to temporarily move between worlds.

The amount of power and mass needed to move a spaceship, or whatever they use as a launching point, must be immense. They’re working to a far larger scope than anything you can cook up in your garage slash laboratory. With their technology and interdimensional breaching ability, it would be so, so easy for them to conquer the Earth too. So why haven’t they?

Unless – that isn’t what they’re trying to do.

The plots cooked up by the enemy generals have been buffoonish at best, connected with a tenuous thread of targeting various feelings and institutions that people engage with every day. There’s an alien element to the way they approach these plots.

They act as if each one is a single block in the tower that needs to be removed to cause the whole thing to come crashing down. Human society may be ended because of overpopulation or another abstract issue. Overpopulation is a problem, but not one that will occur over the course of a few days from a cloning gun.

Mitsuru’s technology poses a real threat to them. That is the only conclusion you can reach. Why conquer Earth when they can slip between dimensions and find unsettled planets to exploit for resources? No, they’re not looking for living room or slaves or raw materials. They’re scared of Mitsuru and what she can do. She can end their monopoly on the interdimensional arms race.

Your phone vibrates. It’s a message from Barbara.

“Hey big guy – sorry for not being on call for a while. I’ve been totally swamped with ‘work,’ if you catch my meaning.”

You quickly tap out a reply, “I would say the same, but our interdimensional friends have been very quiet recently.”

“I wouldn’t relax. That means that they’re planning to do something big.”

“I’m not. It’s starting to get to me.”

“I just found some time to slip away from my business. Feel free to summon me whenever you like, and don’t worry about the suit – Mitsuru already arranged a replacement for me in the garage.”

At the same time, your phone pings with another message from Rias.

“Hello hubby! Our rating game went amazingly – we won! I’m in the mood for a celebration, and I can’t think of anything better than me and the girls getting to spend time with you. Don’t keep me waiting for too long…”

Why is it that all of your girlfriends finish work at the same time? With Barbara and Rias, you’ll have to leave most of the occult research club out of it. You send a response to Rias explaining the issue, and she soon replies with a simple proposal.

“Akeno and Xenovia are willing to wait and let Koneko and Asia visit instead. That’ll keep things orderly.”

Rias must be cracking her ‘harem leader’ whip to get them in line. You haven’t spoken with Koneko in a long while, so seeing her again and touching base on how her development is going sounds appealing. You take the Sledgehammer from the bench and slide their cards into the chamber. Four figures appear from beyond the veil and land in the garage.

“Hello everyone.”

Rias is quick to jump into your arms and drag you down into a tongue-filled French kiss. The other girls watch in silent awe at her confidence. Koneko is already getting flustered by her behaviour. She doesn’t even know the half of it yet.

“Hello, hubby!”

Barbara clears her throat, “Nice to see you again.” She isn’t wearing her Batgirl costume, instead wearing a pair of jeans and a green sweater. Barbara is drop-dead gorgeous, with her long ginger hair and high cheekbones. Letting her walk the streets might attract more attention than the Batgirl outfit.

“I’m surrounded by perverts,” Koneko gripes with a red flush on her cheeks.

Rias sticks out of her tongue and teases her, “I’ll try not to lavish hubby with too much attention while you’re here, Koneko-chan.”

Asia is next up to the plate. She steps up onto her tiptoes and plants a chaste kiss on your cheek, before retreating back and hiding between her arms like a turtle. Koneko rolls her eyes and tries to not let all of the public affection get to her.

“I heard your rating game went well. Did Koneko get to use her full power?”

Koneko cuts in before Rias can explain, “I did, no thanks to you.”

Rias giggles, “That’s her way of saying ‘thank you,’ that training area you built gave her the confidence to use her real abilities during the game, and you should have seen the faces of our opponents when they discovered who she really is. That was a lesson they won’t forget in a hurry.”

Barbara approaches, “This is the first time we’ve met. I’m Barbara.”

“It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Rias. These girls are members of my peerage, Koneko and Asia.”

“Peerage?”

“It’s a system utilised by devils in our universe. They pledge their loyalty to a ‘King’ in exchange for increased power. It’s rather complex once you start discussing the details, but that should be enough for now.”

“Devils?” Barbara says, again asking open questions about these girls from another world.

“You know, from the underworld,” you offer unhelpfully.

“Okay, not the weirdest thing I’ve heard this month – but it’s up there.”

You laugh, “It’s even weirder when you find out that they use technologically advanced chess pieces to turn people into devils.”

Rias contests that claim, “They’re not like a computer. Beelzebub is still among the living, and only he knows how they really work. I believe he constructed them from crystals.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry – I’m a little rusty on the details myself.”

Koneko and Asia are sitting on the couch while the ads play. The insistent drone of that hotel ad fills the air once again and you feel another bit of your soul die as a result. This might turn you into a devil before Rias can ever give you one of those evil pieces in question. This is why you don’t watch TV anymore. Life without advertisements is much more tolerable.

Rias frowns, “That man in the advertisement – he looks a lot like that fool we fought before.”

“Really?”

You use your phone to look up the ad and watch it until the spokesperson appears. Now that Rias mentions it, he does look exactly like Faust. Some of his more alien features have been removed including his off-coloured skin and yellow eyes, but it really is striking just how similar they are. Suddenly his promises of a wonderful holiday without leaving the confines of the hotel take on a more sinister tinge.

“Ugh, I bet this is one of his stupid plans.”

Barbara puts her hand on your shoulder, “Then that means we should go and check it out, just in case.”

Rias can’t help herself; “My, how daring of you! Inviting hubby to a hotel so soon…”

“Shush you.”

The prices for a room are alarmingly low. While that would normally make people think of it as a low-rent motel trying to take them for a ride, an effective social media and review campaign has generated a lot of goodwill from the customers. Word of mouth can be a powerful thing. They claim that they went in miserable and stiff, leaving a few hours later feeling like a million bucks. The site’s pitch claims that all of your wildest dreams will come true using something they call the ‘fantasia system.’

In essence – it’s kind of like a spa day. You swing by with some clean clothes and forget about the outside world for the duration of your visit. How they manage to achieve such amazing results is what makes you suspicious. If they are connected with the aliens, then they may have technology that genuinely allows them to heal injuries or release stress.

But then the question becomes ‘What are they doing this for?’ Faust in particular doesn’t act out of the kindness of his heart. He’s a mean son of a bitch who tries to spread mass destruction through humanity’s common problems. There has to be a catch.

“Let’s visit incognito and see what this is all about. We can’t leave it to chance,” you propose.

To your frustration though, the largest room available is only for couples, or rather groups of two. Oddly enough there are also a lot of open rooms with single beds as well. You clearly don’t need to bring a partner to get the full experience out of it.

“Looks like we’ll have to split ourselves up into three groups.”

Barbara raises her hand, “Let me fly solo. I’m used to handling myself.”

“Okay. Koneko and Asia can take a room, and then Rias and me…”

Koneko sighs, “Do I have to?”

Asia reassures her, “I’m sure that it won’t be dangerous, Koneko. We’re only visiting to see what’s happening inside of the hotel.”

“You don’t have to come with us if you don’t want to,” you suggest.

Sensing that Rias is on board with your idea - Koneko shakes her head and changes her mind; “Wherever the President goes, I go. So long as this isn’t an excuse to be a pervert.”

“We’re not going to be in the same room…”

You book three sets of tickets and pay out using your overstuffed bank account. They’re delivered in the form of QR codes that you can supposedly scan at the room’s door to gain entry. There are no staff members at the reception to hand out the keys. Cutting costs on staff wages? Perhaps Faust is subscribing to the great human pastime of creating complex solutions for simple problems. The site only asks that you bring a clean set of clothes for overnight stays. You’ve only booked the rooms for a few hours.

“We shouldn’t need to bring luggage with us. So let’s head over there and see what’s going on.”

With Barbara, Rias, Koneko and Asia in toe – you depart from the garage and begin the short walk to the commercial area wherein the hotel makes its home.

Notes:

You might have noticed that the cards have been given a makeover to look more like real trading cards, complete with a totally arbitrary rarity system! (Android 21 is gold right now, but I might have to bump her up considering her strength - but I hadn't found a good texture for higher than gold before I made hers. Will have to correct that soon.)

I'm also trying to get some actual cover art made for this, so please look forward to it! It might take a while though while I look for an artist and get the initial design done. Thanks for all of your support! I really appreciate all of your comments and feedback.

Notes:

deadwriteshin.carrd.co