ch 18 - delegations of peace

Naruto knew that he had a lot of making up to do.

Ever since his training trip with Jiraiya, Naruto had come to understand himself far more than anyone else could have guessed. He knew that he was a reckless individual—he acted without thinking, spoke without a mouth filter, and didn't let other people tell him what he could and could not do. That was how it had always been, even back when he was a genin under the Hokage's command this fact had never changed.

It's strange how certain aspects of oneself can come back to bite them in the ass.

When Naruto had first entered this new world, he'd been determined to start over, to turn over a new leaf, as it were. He acted more cautiously and used his brain, the one that had been carefully cultivated by Granny Tsunade and the perv. Sure, he still did the occasional prank, but that was simply to release the excess tension he felt from being in a new world and not having a purpose. For the most part, Naruto had acted with a surprisingly amount of intelligence since coming to this world.

And then he'd done something stupid.

He'd allowed those three to kidnap him.

Naruto didn't delude himself into thinking those three could have taken him on. Even with Asia held captive, Naruto was sure he could have come out on top. Maybe. He'd gone with them, allowed them to take him, for other reasons.

What if the next time they took someone else hostage? What if the next time they came after him, they took that person somewhere Naruto couldn't save them? What if the next time they actually killed someone? He now knew that last question was a moot point—Bikou, Kuroka and Arthur weren't bad people. They wouldn't kill a defenseless person, but he hadn't known that at the time, especially considering what he'd been told of Kuroka by her younger sister.

And so he had gone with them, to learn who the person in charge of them was, to learn what their plans were. They were clearly a threat to Rias and his friends, and so he had believed that letting himself be captured was the most prudent course of action. Those had been his thoughts at the time.

Hindsight is always 50/50.

Naruto knew that, in some ways, he was not necessarily in the wrong. He'd been presented with a clear threat, and had acted on the limited information he possessed at the time, to gather more intelligence about that threat. He hadn't known that the Excaliburs would be stolen, or that Kokabiel would try to start a war by killing Rias and Sona. Had he known that, he would have never allowed those three to kidnap him.

If Naruto ever found the person who made that phrase about hindsight, he was going to punch them in the face.

While Naruto knew that, logically speaking, what he had done had not been an incorrect action, the way he had gone about it was horrible. His execution had been reckless, not to mention rude and uncaring. He'd left Rias without any parting words and without any way of knowing that he was okay. How much effort would it have taken to create a shadow clone and have it explain the situation? Not much. Heck, he probably could have used one of the shadow clones that had been hiding around the battlefield! It would have been easy.

But he hadn't done that. He had left, without word or warning. He had left, and in his absence, Rias and his friends had gone through something very close to war. They had faced a great hardship, and an incredible challenge. They had suffered a lot and had been forced to confront issues and troubles that had been buried so deep they might as well have been forgotten.

And he hadn't been there to help them.

Sometimes, Naruto wondered what was worse; his own guilt at having not been there for his friends, or the cold shoulder that he'd been getting from Rias?

Of course, just because he felt guilty did not mean that Naruto planned on quietly accepting this. Oh no. He'd never stayed down before and he wouldn't do so now. He knew it would be an uphill battle to earn Rias forgiveness and acceptance again, but that didn't matter. No matter how long it took, he would eventually get back in her good graces or his name wasn't Uzumaki Naruto!

That's why he'd woken up early this morning to cook breakfast. While making breakfast wouldn't make everything better, he felt that it was a start in the right direction. He would make Rias the most amazing breakfast she'd ever had. That was the plan anyway.

Rarely ever do plans work out the way people expect them to.

Naruto wiped his forehead, accidentally smearing the flour he'd been using all over his face. He took in the sight of his clones hard at work, some were mixing batter while others were working the stove.

He'd been trying to make pancakes. Unfortunately, Naruto wasn't much of a chef. Scrambled eggs and ramen were about all he could make, which explained why his first six or so attempts had been a disaster. He was surprised no one had woken up from the explosions. The only person aside from himself who was awake was Ophis, and she had been awake before he had come downstairs.

Naruto looked at the ancient dragon disguised as a little girl. She sat at the table, her legs kicking back and forth as they were too short to reach the floor. If it weren't for how he could feel the power rolling off her, he would have never believed that she was one of the strongest entities in existence.

"Where did you disappear to the other day?" asked Naruto.

"I merely wandered around town," Ophis replied, her eyes on something other than him. The clones, he realized. She was watching his clones. He hadn't used them for the battle against Kokabiel, so she was probably curious about them.

"And what do you think of Kuoh?"

"That it's the same as every other city in Japan."

"I guess it isn't that different from a lot of other places."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head before going over to the stove. His clones were just about to put the batter they'd been making onto the griddle.

"Hold it! What do you think you're doing?"

The clones looked at Naruto, then each other, then back to Naruto.

"Um, we're getting ready to cook pancakes?" It sounded like a question.

"Without adding in the proper sweats?" Naruto's question was rhetorical. "I think not. The first batch is gonna be for Koneko, since she's coming downstairs right now." Naruto walked to the fridge, pulled out a case of blueberries and a bag of chocolate chips, then went back to the bowl and dumped both contents into it. "There. Mix those in, then you can begin cooking it."

The clones looked at each other, shrugged, then turned back to Naruto.

"Sure thing, boss."

"Do you always have to micromanage your clones like that?" asked Ophis.

"Sometimes," Naruto replied absently, "but not all the time."

"Hn."

Several minutes after the pancake batter was put on the large griddle, Koneko entered the kitchen. Her bare feet padded along the cold tiles as she sniffed the air, showing that she'd been following the scent of food. She seemed surprised upon realizing that Naruto was the one cooking.

"Grab a seat, Koneko-chan," Naruto smiled at the girl, "breakfast will be ready in just a bit."

Koneko barely even offered him a nod as she plopped down on a chair, causing his shoulders to slump.

Like most members of Rias' peerage, Koneko was still angry at him for leaving without a single word. She, along with Akeno and Kiba, had been giving him the cold shoulder. Issei had been upset, too, but after decking him in the face and claiming that he would "kick Naruto's ass if he left again," the boy had forgiven him. The only member of their peerage who'd not been upset with him was Asia, but that girl was so sweet he doubted she could ever be truly upset at someone.

As the scent of breakfast permeating this section of the house, more of its residence began waking up. Ravel wandered into the room, and he greeted the girl with his most cheerful smile. She stammered some gibberish at him, her face turning the same color as a bonfire, then hurried over to her seat. He wondered about her odd behavior, but supposed he should just be grateful that she didn't faint on him.

Normally, this would have been the point where Irina and Xenovia walked in, but they were no longer living with him. Both had left to return the stolen Excaliburs to the Church. He was kind of sad to see them go, as he'd been hoping to get to know them better, but he knew they had duties they needed to attend to.

Of course, the only one who would talk to him was Irina. Xenovia had been rather wary of his presence, especially when she'd learned that he had beaten Kokabiel single-handedly. Irina, on the other hand, had merely seemed curious. The few chances they had been given to speak, she had asked him all kinds of questions. He'd happily answered every question to the best of his abilities, and she had seemed satisfied with them.

I wonder if I'll ever see those two again.

The sound of delicate footsteps told Naruto that Rias was coming. He took a deep breath and centered himself, putting a smile on his face and flipping the pancakes before setting them onto a plate.

"That smells good," Rias said as she entered the kitchen. "Are you cooking pancakes, Ravel…?" She stopped upon seeing who was standing by the stove. "… Naruto?"

"Good morning, Rias. Breakfast will be ready in just a bit."

Rias did not say anything for the longest moment. When she did speak, her voice was cool and even.

"Thank you, but no. I have some work this morning that requires my attention. I don't have time to sit down and eat breakfast."

With that, Rias walked into the kitchen, grabbed several fruits from a basket, then wandered back out.

A moment of stillness hung in the air. It was broken by Koneko.

"You screwed up big time."

"U-ugh," Naruto felt like he'd been punched in the gut, "do you have to say it like that, Koneko-chan."

Koneko nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do."

~Devil Ninja~

Despite the school having been repaired, Kuoh Academy was still not in session. Naruto wasn't exactly sure why this was, though he assumed there was a reason for it. Either way, the school had been oddly empty for the past week, despite having been rebuilt from the ground up to be even sturdier than before.

The peace talks between the three factions were going to take place soon. Because of this, Rias had been running around all week, trying to help her brother prepare for it. Consequently, she had been running her peerage nearly ragged with work.

Naruto never complained, however, not only because he knew why Rias was doing this, but also because he knew that he had no right to complain. Every task she set for him he completed with silent efficiency, using his shadow clones to great effect, helping her every way he could. Wanting to show Rias his sincerity, he even went out of his way to help the others with their work.

He didn't know if Rias appreciated what he was doing, because she still wasn't talking to him, but he refused to give up. He wouldn't give up and he wouldn't run away.

"Ah, there you are."

Naruto wondered how Sirzechs always seemed to know where he was. This time he'd been hanging on the roof, lying back with his hands behind his head. Most of the work was already done, and his clones were finishing up the last bit of work he'd been given, so he'd had a moment of free time and decided to use it by watching the clouds.

"Aniki," Naruto grinned as the older man walked up to him and sat down, "did you need something?"

"I wanted to ask how things have been going between you and Rias," Sirzechs admitted shamelessly. "I've been so busy that I haven't had much time to check up on you."

"Rias still isn't talking to me."

"I see." Instead of seeming upset, Sirzechs smiled. "I know it might seem like she's doing this to punish you, but the truth is that Rias was really worried about you. My little sister would never act this way if she didn't love you."

"I know."

Sirzechs must have sensed his disquieting thoughts, for he changed the subject. "It is impressive how Kuoh Academy was rebuilt in only four days. The Fallen Angels' ability to repair the damage done to this campus is most impressive. While we devils can create barriers and alternate realities rather easily, we cannot repair physical matter like this."

"So, the Fallen Angels are responsible for the repairs," Naruto murmured. "I had not known that."

"Azazel felt guilty for what happened here." Sirzechs shrugged. "I believe he felt responsible for allowing Kokabiel to do whatever he pleased. He lent his own craftsmen to the task of completely repairing the school, and has even gone a step further by making the school more defensible."

"I've noticed," Naruto nodded, "the walls are much sturdier."

"Indeed they are." Sirzechs seemed quite cheerful about this.

Naruto said nothing as he looked out at the academy grounds. From where he lay, he could see a good portion of Kuoh, not just the academy, but the city as well. In the glow of the sun, it looked almost like the city had been set on fire.

"I have informed the other faction leaders about what you told me," Sirzechs said suddenly. "They now know about the existence of a group that seeks to unbalance the world. The Khaos Brigade could become a serious threat if we let them, especially given what you've told me. Yet at the same time, I cannot help but be almost grateful to them. Their existence will be the flint that ignites the other factions into action. You could almost say it's thanks to them that we are finally on the path to peace."

Naruto nodded, but didn't say anything. While he normally wasn't one for being so silent, he didn't really have a whole lot to say. In light of the most recent series of events, he had been feeling a lot more contemplative and not as prone to talking.

"Speaking of the Khaos Brigade, where is the little one?" Sirzechs asked.

"Ophis is at home right now," Naruto answered. "She's been feeling lazy, so she hasn't really left the house except when she wants me to take her somewhere."

"I was hoping she would be willing to talk during the conference," Sirzechs confessed. "Myself and the other leaders have agreed not to reveal her presence, but I'll admit that having the Ouroboros Dragon speak at the conference would be a boon to our cause."

"I'll ask her for you, but I won't make any promises. Ophis does what she wants when she wants, and no one, not even I, can tell her what to do."

"I assumed as much," Sirzechs admitted. "Ophis is an existence beyond our ability to grasp. Even the most powerful of us are but a tiny drop in the vast ocean that is her power. The other two faction leaders are wary, especially since they now know that Ophis was the one who founded the Khaos Brigade."

"Ophis has no desire to use the Khaos Brigade for anything other than defeating Great Red," Naruto said. "Her sole desire is to return home. That's all she wants." He paused, then smiled ruefully. "I cannot speak for those who have joined the Khaos Brigade under her banner, however. People rarely join an organization like that without ulterior motives, and I highly doubt their reason for joining is as altruistic as wanting to help a person in need."

"That is true. Humanity—no, all species do not gather under the banner of a powerful figure without having their own personal reasons for doing so. We are all driven by our own wants and needs, except for those rare few. If those people you spoke of have joined with Ophis, then it is because they want something from her, they have their own agenda. I doubt they even care about what Ophis wants."

"They don't," Naruto admitted, "There are a number of factions within the Khaos Brigade, and each faction seems to have its own agenda, which consequently put them in direct confrontation with the other factions."

"So they are divided, then?" Sirzechs murmured.

"No, not just divided." Naruto shook his head. "It would be more accurate to say they are in direct opposition of each other, but are currently working on the same side for mutual benefit. I imagine that, at some point, war will break out between the different faction within Khaos Brigade, though not before they wage it against you and the other two factions."

Naruto took a moment to collect his thoughts. Sirzechs did not interrupt. He merely waited patiently for Naruto to continue.

"I have already told you about the Hero Faction, a group of humans whose hatred of gods, devils, angels and other supernatural beings borders on the irrational. But there's another group I heard about when I was in captivity, one that I could not gather much information on. The Old Satan Faction." Sirzechs sucked a slight breath. "You know of them?"

"Of course," Sirzechs rubbed a hand over his face. "Everyone who fought in the civil war knows of the Old Satan Faction. They are the ones who continue to follow the original Satans ideals even though it has been nearly two-thousand years since those four died, the ones who wanted to continue the war even if it meant the extinction of our kind. Many relatives of the original Satans belong to the Old Satan Faction. My guess is that they believe it's more important to follow in their ancestors footsteps, than it is to help our species progress into a new age."

Sirzechs smiled at Naruto, and in that smile he found a bitterness that only a leader who believed they had failed could feel.

"I had been hoping to turn them to my way of thinking, eventually. I had believed that if I could show them how far we have progressed, how much we've gained, that they would be more willing to integrate into our society. It seems that I was wrong. If they have joined the Khaos Brigade, then there is no chance they will ever rejoin us. This is, in some ways, like a declaration of war."

There were many responses Naruto could have given to the older man with red hair. He could have reassured him that everything would turn out alright. He could have told him not to worry, that he wouldn't let a war break out, and that if it did break out, he would be there to stop it. However, he knew that any offers of reassurance would ring hollow right then, and so he said nothing.

He and Sirzechs watched the clouds above them for several more hours.

~Devil Ninja~

The days that followed held an almost palpable aura of excitement. People he'd never seen before would come and go, their auras unmistakably not human. Devils and Fallen Angels were the most prevalent, but he also sensed a number of Angels, too.

Preparations for the peace talks were well underway. It seemed the three leaders were using the momentum gained by the defense of Kuoh to launch themselves headfirst into these talks before their detractors had a chance to regain their footing. Sirzechs had once jokingly told him that Kokabiel's attack on the academy had almost been a blessing in disguise, because it forced those who were satisfied with the status quo to realize that such a fragile peace would not last forever.

The talks, Naruto had eventually discovered, would actually be taking place at Kuoh Academy, which explained why the school was still shut down. Despite not being much of a politician, he understood the reasons for this. Kuoh Academy was where the battle with Kokabiel had taken place, the very battle that had instigated these talks in the first place. Having it here would serve as a reminder for the people and would also increase their momentum, allowing Sirzechs and the others who wanted peace to push their desires through. It was like saying, "look at what we can accomplish if we work together."

The second reason was prestige.

Devil society ran on a system of nobility, a hierarchy in which nobles were ranked based on their power and ability to lead—even one's birth determined one's ranking in the devil society's hierarchy.

Rias and Sona were both high class devils, born into prestigious families, one of the 72 Pillars. And Kouh Academy was their territory. By having the peace talks take place here, Sirzechs was helping his sister gain more prestige by showing how far she had progressed on her own. It was basically an older brother's way of helping his younger sister step out from underneath his shadow.

It also helped solidify their power base. Rias and Sona both had a family member with the title of a Satan. With the peace talks happening in their territory, it ensured that Sirzechs would have more support than if these talks took place somewhere else.

Naruto did not really like politics. Jiraiya and Tsunade had both taught him how politics worked—sometimes with their fists—but just because he understood the intricacies of politics didn't mean he enjoyed them.

Still, he understood their necessity, if nothing else. Even a Hokage had to deal with politics. It was an inevitable fact that came from being a leader.

It almost makes me glad I never became Hokage.

Naruto had watched Rias nearly run herself ragged trying to get everything ready. The closer they got to the appointed date, the more easily flustered she became. She'd forget things, she'd stress over tiny details, and she'd sometimes even mix up tasks, such as when she ordered her servant to mop the ceiling instead of the floor. It was undeniably cute, but it also worried Naruto. On the plus side, Rias was so busy with preparations that she didn't have time to give Naruto the cold shoulder.

Rias—no, everyone seemed to have matured a great deal during the time he'd been away. Kiba's facade no longer seemed forced, the dark thoughts perpetuating his mind, clouding his thoughts, appeared to have left. Issei had grown much more quiet and introspective. Naruto would often find the young man sitting in the most unusual places, a worried Asia watching after him. Koneko had also grown a great deal, it seemed. No longer restrained by the fear she'd had of her own power, she now wielded senjutsu freely.

It was Koneko who Naruto spent time with now, sparring the girl to help her get used to the power she now wielded.

"You really have improved, Koneko," Naruto complimented the white-haired girl who, having exhausted herself, was lying on the ground, her chest heaving as she took in deep lungfuls of air. Standing on the sidelines, Ravel didn't know whether to run to Koneko or laugh at her.

"I want to become even stronger…"

Naruto knelt down next to Koneko and gently stroked her hair. He was pleased when she didn't jerk away from his touch.

"You will become stronger, but strength doesn't come right away. It takes time and hardwork."

"I know that," Koneko deadpanned at him, "I'm just saying."

"If you say so." Naruto reached for her ears and began stroking them with his fingers. He'd been surprised when Koneko had allowed Ravel to stick around while she used senjutsu, but he had seen them spending a lot of time together, so he assumed they were friends. "I must say though, some of those powers you used surprised me. Those youki energy balls you kept firing off packed a lot of power."

The frown on Koneko's face showed that she was not amused.

"Are you mocking me?"

"Of course not." Naruto helped Koneko sit up while Ravel walked over to them. "You know I would never make fun of you. I'm very proud of you."

"Seeing how you replaced me, I find that hard to believe," Koneko muttered.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing."

"Are you okay, Koneko?" Ravel asked in worry.

Koneko glanced at Ravel for two seconds, and then looked away.

"Don't worry about me, chicken flambe. I'm fine."

Ravel's face burst into flames.

"Don't call me that!"

"Kentucky Fried Chicken."

"Don't call me that either!"

"Then what should I call you?"

"How about my name?"

Koneko appeared to think about it for several seconds before shaking her head.

"Naw, I think I like grilled chicken better."

"Y-y-y-you…!"

Naruto watched as an angry Ravel ran after Koneko, who appeared very cat-like as she ran across the grassy field with her tails and ears out.

"Well," he started, "at least they're getting along."

~Devil Ninja~

Naruto found Ophis watching television after he returned home from training with Issei.

The young man had made some marked improvements, though he still had a long way to go. However, Naruto believed it was only a matter of time before Issei began reaching his true potential. The Sekiryuutei was on the cusp of discovering true strength. All the young man needed to do now was realize that the reason for his strength was standing right next to him, and then he would be well on his way to unlocking his full potential.

"What are you watching?" Naruto asked as he sat down next to the ancient dragon disguised as a little girl.

"Yu Yu Hakusho," Ophis responded absently, her eyes never straying from the television.

"Ah." Naruto looked at the screen to see some punk kid in a green school uniform shoot a blue bullet out of his finger. "Rias mentioned wanting to watch this with me at some point." Although that was before he'd gone off on his own. "What do you think?"

Ophis shrugged.

"It's interesting enough."

Naruto smiled.

"From you, that sounds like quite the compliment."

Another shrug answered his words.

As they continued watching anime, footsteps echoed down the hall, drawing invariably closer. Rias entered the room moments later, looking frazzled and overworked. She stopped when she Naruto. Her eyes grew remarkably warm, and she opened her mouth to say something…

… until she saw Ophis sitting next to him. Then her eyes turned cold.

"I hope you two are enjoying yourselves," Rias crossed her arms under bust, her tired eyes narrowed in a fierce glare.

Naruto didn't know why, but he suddenly felt like he'd been caught doing something he shouldn't.

"I find it interesting that you are relaxing here, watching anime with your new friend, instead of helping myself and your fellow peerage members prepare for the coming peace talks."

"I have been helping," Naruto said softly. "All day for the past two weeks I've done nothing but help you and the others whenever they needed it."

"And so you've decided to take a break while everyone else continues working?" Rias asked, and Naruto flinched. The redhead's long locks of hair swayed as she shook her head in disgust. "I'm surprised at how lax you can, but then, maybe I shouldn't be. While we were suffering at the hands of Kokabiel and Valper Galilei, you were off gallivanting with your new friend."

Naruto said nothing as Rias stalked across the living room to reach the other side. She placed her hand on the doorknob, and was just about to turn it, when she looked back at Naruto.

"I'm beginning to wonder if something changed in you, or if I ever really knew the real you in the first place."

And then she walked out, slamming the door behind her.

"She's still angry with you," Ophis observed cooly.

Naruto smiled weakly at Ophis.

"She's just not sure how to talk to me anymore. I went off on my own without giving her a single word of warning. I played around with a group of potential enemies while she and the rest of her peerage fought and nearly died." He looked down at his hands. "I don't blame her for being upset. If our positions were reversed, I would probably be upset, too. All I can do now is keep helping her until she forgives me."

"Hm," Ophis made a noncommittal noise, then went back to watching TV. Naruto sighed and followed suit.

He wondered what it would take to convince Rias of his sincerity.

~Devil Ninja~

Rias had taken to doing paperwork in the occult research club room rather than at home these days. While it meant coming here each day, it also meant she wouldn't have to see Naruto until later that evening when she went home.

Naruto…

She still didn't know what to do about him. Part of her wanted to forgive him, but another part was still angry at him—and that part of her could hardly think straight.

When Naruto had been kidnapped, her mind had been thrown into turmoil. She hadn't realized how much she had come to rely on him until he was gone. Her heart had ached, her mind had refused to function properly. It was so bad that had it not been for her peerage, she wouldn't have been able to live as a normal person.

Yet even though she had eventually started acting normal again, that did not mean she hadn't been suffering. Naruto's disappearance had a torn a hole in her heart, and no amount of support had been able to fill it.

When Naruto had come back, she'd been filled with joy. He had returned. That joy was short-lived however, when she saw who was with him.

Even now, Rias didn't know who that strangely powerful loli was. All she knew was that the girl was powerful and that Naruto had been traveling with her. It was the latter issue that had caused her to ignore her boyfriend. Had he just been kidnapped and returned to her, she wouldn't have been so angry, but that wasn't the case. He might have been kidnapped, but somewhere along the line, he had clearly broken free and found that girl.

That's what upset her. She and her peerage had been nearly killed several times in the last month. Meanwhile, Naruto had been off gallivanting with some loli.

A knock at the door interrupted her dark musings.

"Come in," Rias called out.

The door opened and Sirzechs poked his head in. "Hello, Rias. I hope you don't mind if I take a moment of your time."

"Not at all." Rias quickly straightened out her desk. "Please, come in."

Sirzechs did so, walking in with a smile on his face. "I see you've been hard at work."

"Yes, there is a lot to do. I've had my hands full getting the academy ready for the upcoming meeting."

"And you've been doing a marvelous job, both you and Sona. It's a big task, but I'm pleased to see how well you've taken to it."

"Thank you." Rias nodded graciously at her brother, trying not to let him see how pleased his words made her. "But you're not here to tell me about what a good job I'm doing, are you?"

Sirzechs' smile widened. "No, I'm not. I'm here to talk about Naruto."

Rias closed her eyes to keep her brother from seeing the pain that hearing her boyfriend's name caused. When she opened them again, it was to present her brother with a cold glare.

"What about Naruto?"

"Don't you think it's time you forgive him?"

Rias withheld a grimace. "Not really. After what he did, he's very lucky that I didn't have him designated as a stray devil."

"So you say, but I know that you're not really angry with him."

"Of course I'm angry with him. Naruto deliberately allowed himself to be captured without giving me even a word of warning or some message to let him know that he was okay. I was worried sick, nearly killed, and then when he finally returned, I discovered that he'd been off gallivanting with a girl. How could I not be angry at him?"

Sirzechs' smile became indulgent. "If you were truly angry with Naruto, you wouldn't be writing his name all over your paperwork."

Rias looked down at the paper she'd been writing on, and then became embarrassed when she saw that he had written Naruto's name several times and surrounded them in hearts.

She grabbed the sheet and quickly stuffed it into a drawer on her desk, then presented her brother with a stern glare that was marred by flushed cheeks.

"You didn't see anything."

"Rias," Sirzechs' tone was the kind all brother's gave their sisters, when said sister was confused and needed advice from someone older and wiser. "What Naruto did was reckless and it wasn't very considerate to you, but he had good intentions."

"Just because someone has good intentions, it doesn't always mean that someone made the right choice."

"You know that there was no way Naruto could have known about the Excaliburs being stolen before hand," Sirzechs said. "I'm sure that he would have never left you had he known about what would happen."

"But he still left."

Rias was being stubborn, she knew. She didn't want to remain angry at Naruto. She really didn't. But, at the same time, she didn't know how to go about making things between them better. If she just accepted Naruto's apology, it would be like giving him permission to do that again. She wanted him to understand how much trouble and pain his actions had caused her. Until then, she couldn't allow herself to forgive him.

"Perhaps this will help you understand why Naruto did what he did." Sirzechs smiled as he placed a report he'd been carrying on her desk.

"What is this?" Rias grabbed the report and flipped through it.

"It's a report written by Naruto about a new terrorist group known as the Khaos Brigade. I technically shouldn't be letting you read this, but perhaps it will help you understand Naruto's actions a little more. Anyway, I'll just leave it here."

Sirzechs walked out of the room, but Rias barely noticed, busy as she was reading the report.

It would be several hours before she left the Occult club room.

~Devil Ninja~

Naruto was surprised when Issei and Kiba dragged him from his house and took him to a karaoke bar. While Issei had been cordial enough and continued training with him, Kiba had, while not necessarily avoided him, never bothered speaking with him either. Naruto had the distinct sense that the young man disliked him for not being around when his help was needed.

Despite having gone to a karaoke bar, none of them sang. They ordered several platters of food and some ame sake, and then sat on the couch, nursing their beverages and picking at their food.

"So…" Naruto glanced at Issei, "how are your relationships going?"

"Eh?" Issei looked surprised. "They're going well enough, I guess. Akeno-sama has been a little quiet and isn't talking as much, but Asia and I have been spending a lot more time together."

Naruto frowned. "Is something wrong with Akeno?"

He had never really spent much time with the raven-haired girl. They had just never meshed that well. While bantering with her could be entertaining, he didn't particularly enjoy her sadistic personality.

"I… I don't know," Issei admitted, "like I said, she's been kinda quiet." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "I did hear her arguing with someone a while back, an old guy with black hair and a beard. She was really laying into him. I asked her what was wrong, but she got upset and refused to speak to me about it." Issei looked down at his food, his expression downtrodden. "I don't know what to do."

Naruto blew out a breath and leaned back. "I wish I could tell you what to do, or at least give you some advice, but I'm having so many problems with my own relationship that I wouldn't trust myself to give sound advice."

"Isn't the reason that you and Rias are having problems because you abandoned her in her time of need," Kiba snipped.

"Yes." Kiba appeared taken aback by his answer. Naruto smiled sadly. "I'm so used to doing my own thing that I didn't really think about how my actions would affect everybody. I should have known that Rias would worry herself to death. I should have at least made a shadow clone to tell her what was happening, but I didn't."

Kiba clearly didn't know how to take this, as he said nothing in response.

"However, just because I screwed up doesn't mean I can't make amends." Naruto clenched his left hand into a fist. "I don't care how long it takes me, I will make it up to Rias, I will get her to forgive, and I will start sleeping with her again!"

"That's the spirit!" Issei pumped his fist into the air. "Don't give up Naruto-sensei! You just need to keep trying! And I'll keep trying as well! I won't let this little bump in the road come between Akeno-sama and I!"

"Ha! Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Naruto and Issei bumped fists while Kiba watched on in amused silence. The sword user sighed when the two looked at him, their fists extended, and slowly held up his fist for them to bump.

"I suppose so long as you realize your mistakes and are remorseful, then I can forgive you." Kiba cracked a mirthless smile. "Considering how I acted a while ago, it is not as if I have much room to talk."

Naruto was curious, but he knew better than to ask. Kiba had accepted and forgiven him. That was enough.

"By the way…" Naruto turned to Issei, "what's with the 'Akeno-sama' stuff?"

"Ah…" Issei's face reminded Naruto of a deer caught in the headlights, or maybe even a rabbit staring down a shotgun. He didn't think he would ever forget that face. "Ah… It's… um, well…"

"Well what?"

"Ha, haha, it's… Akeno-sama makes me call her Akeno-sama, so…"

"I see, so she has you trained, then?" Naruto nodded in a sage-like manner.

Issei's blush deepened and he appeared to be trying to hide within his shirt. Naruto glanced at Kiba and made a whip cracking motion, causing the other blond male to mask his chuckling with a hand.

Naruto was going to make sure Issei never lived this down.

~Devil Ninja~

The day where delegations from all three factions would meet at Kuoh was finally upon them. It was no wonder, then, that many members of Rias and Sona's respective peerages were quite nervous as they stood just inside of the gates, waiting for the processions to pass through.

Naruto stood between Koneko and Ravel, and Ophis sat on his shoulders. She seemed to have decided that she liked that spot, and had all but declared his shoulders to be her personal thrown. Naruto thought she just liked it because it let her see over the crowd.

"There are so many other devils here," Issei said from where he stood next to Asia and Akeno. While Asia appeared to be every bit as excited by what was happening as Issei, Akeno looked like she couldn't care less.

"I've never seen such a large group of devils before," the blond girl said.

They weren't the only ones around. Surrounding them all sides were other devils. These were the people who had come to witness history in the making but didn't have the honor of being a part of the procession. Merchants and store owners. Workers. Low-class devils. Most of the people around them were members of a noble's peerage or devils who had taken time off from their jobs to come and watch.

Because the meeting was taking place within devil territory, the devil faction had the distinct honor of being the first procession to file in. Sirzechs walked at the head, Grayfia trailing on his right. By his side was a woman that Naruto didn't recognize. She was short, but had a really large chest. The outfit she wore, a dark blue suit, seemed quite somber, though that might have also been due to how depressed she looked.

Filing in beside them were the other devils who would be taking part in this meeting. Nobles and warriors. They strode in with a confident gate. Some wore capes made of velvet while others were decked in armor. Golden epaulettes and ornamental cloaks bedazzled the eyes. Behind them, a contingent of devils from the army marched.

They presented a stark contrast to the nobles. Their plate mail was so dark it seemed to absorb sunlight. Devilish horns curved around wrathful helms. Dark chest plates gleamed with an unusual light as the sun reflected off their surface. Grieve covered boots stomped along the pavement, the sound they created not unlike that of a stampede. They made for an intimidating sight.

"So, that's the army?" Naruto said out loud.

"You're only partially right," Rias answered, surprising Naruto. "Those men are only a small part of the devil army, a branch of elite soldiers that were hand-picked by my brother. Each one of those soldiers has been trained extensively in the art of war. They are extremely powerful and known for their steadfast loyalty."

"Hm…"

The next group to wander through the school gates were dazzling. Bedecked in robes of pure white and brilliant gold, their wings retracted behind them, the angels were a contradistinction from their devil counterparts. At head of this procession was a man and a woman, both with long golden hair traveling like a waterfall down their head. While the man's hair was straight, the woman's curled like gentle waves. Both were blue-eyed and held a similar appearance. Naruto wondered if they were brother and sister.

"That's Michael and Gabriel," Rias answered before Naruto could ask. "They're seraphs, and Michael is the leader of heaven right now. I heard from Sirzechs that Michael is the only reason heaven didn't suffer greater losses after the death of God."

While Naruto nodded and looked at the man with newfound interest, Issei was staring at Gabriel.

"Hehehe… check out those oppai! They're so big—gua!"

"Ara, ara." Akeno finally snapped out of her depression upon hearing Issei's words. She grabbed him by the cheek, yanking on it hard enough to make the skin stretch obscenely. "Are her breasts truly that great. And here I thought you were learning." A sadistic gleam entered her purple eyes. "It seems I am going to have to train you some more."

"Gua! No! I'm wowwy, Akeno-sama! Pwease don't Hur' me!"

"Ise-kun, you know my policy on this matter. I cannot very well have you looking at other women when you already have Asia-chan and I, can I? Of course not. I must make sure you understand this."

"You were looking at other girls, Ise-san?" Asia looked like she was nearly in tears. "I-I—does that mean you don't like us anymore?"

"Dats not it, Awia! You know its not wike dat!"

Naruto gave Issei a pitying look as the young man began to cry. Akeno somehow managed to look solemn despite the how she was clearly imagining what sorts of torture she can employ on Issei with great relish.

"Do not worry, Ise-kun. This will hurt you far more than it hurts me, of that I can assure you."

Good luck, Ise-san.

Naruto turned away as Issei began bawling his eyes out. As he looked back into the crowd, he spotted two figures walking alongside Michael and Gabriel that he recognized.

"Hey," Naruto pointed at them, "Isn't that Irina and Xenovia?"

"It looks like it," Koneko agreed. "I'd remember that ditzy smile anywhere."

Naruto sweatdropped at Koneko's description of Irina's smile, though he didn't necessarily disagree with her.

"I rather like Irina's smile," he said, "it's better to have a cheerful smile than always be scowling like Xnenovia. It makes her look much prettier."

Koneko shrugged. "If you say so."

"Hmph." Ophis looked at the procession with boredom etched onto her face. "Does smiling truly make such a large difference?"

"I think it does," Naruto answered absently, "Rias always looks a thousand times more beautiful when she smiles."

Despite still feeling hurt and betrayed by Naruto leaving her when she needed him most, Rias blushed at his words.

Mixed in with the angels were those who belonged to the Church, easily distinguishable by their black robes. Exorcists and priests. They walked in somber silence. Naruto could feel discomfort and slight amounts of malcontent from them, especially from the many men who marched behind the exorcists.

"Those are…" Akeno's eyes widened.

"I can't believe they brought those people with them," Rias exclaimed in shock.

They marched in rank and file. Steel plates glistened in the sunlight. Sleek helms shone brightly like they were made of mithril. Hands tightly clasped deadly-looking halberds, as if expecting a confrontation. Tabards hung down their frame, white and slightly frayed, with the symbol of a cross emblazoned on the front.

"Who are they?" asked Naruto.

"They're the Knights Templar, a branch of the Church," Rias said, "much like the Executioners, their job is to exterminate devils. However, unlike the exorcists who usually only slay strays, the Knights Templar doesn't care who they kill. Strays or not, a devil is a devil and they will indiscriminately slaughter any devil they see." Rias clenched her teeth. "Many of my brother's friends have lost their lives to this group. They are both the best, and the worst, organization within the Church."

The Angels and exorcists soon left, moving inside, making way for the Fallen to enter the school.

Where the Devils had been intimidating in their magnificence and the Angels awe-inspiring in their elegance, the Fallen were frightening in how warped they appeared. Pinions of darkness adorned their backs. Their suits, a twisted parody reminiscent of straight jackets, covered their body from the neck down. They wore masks, and each mask vaguely resembled an animal. There, a boar whose mouth was open in an expression of agony. Here, a walrus with gigantic tusks and an enraged appearance. Five steps down, a tiger, its face bleeding from contusions, the crimson streaks signifying blood appearing so lifelike it made Naruto sick. They were quite possibly the most disturbing group to be taking part in this meeting.

At the head of the Fallen walked three men. Azazel strode at the very front. His gait spoke of supreme confidence and maybe even a touch of laziness. His dark hair flecked with blond and his goatee lent him a very roguish look, the kind many men had tried to achieve without success. Beside him, two other walked. On his right, a handsome man strolled. He seemed relax, but a touch wary. Naruto got the distinct sense of hope mixed with caution. The other was middle-aged and gruff-looking, his black hair, matching beard and muscular physique lent him a very severe appearance. The presence of that man made Akeno release Issei, her mood quickly darkening.

"Akeno… sama?"

"Not now, Ise."

Naruto winced at the cold tone with which she spoke to Issei. He said a silent prayer, wishing his friend and apprentice luck. Glancing at Rias out of the corner of his eye, he wished himself luck as well.

It seemed they both needed some.

~Devil Ninja~

While Kouh Academy was, indeed, a large institute, it did not have many rooms that could hold so many people at once. Under orders from Sirzechs, the cafeteria had been converted into a meeting room, where all three delegations would convene to discuss the alliance he planned to propose.

Thanks to the combined efforts of Azazel and Sirzechs, the room had been magically expanded. What had once been an interior space large enough to fit hundreds of students was now a massive room that could fit thousands. Balconies had been placed above the main floor, which was where those who weren't directly involved in the meeting would sit. Meanwhile, a multitude of seats had been placed on the floor for the main members of each faction to sit.

"There are a lot of strong presences here," Kurama said as he watched the delegation through Naruto's eyes. "I don't sense any as strong as myself or Ophis, but a large number of these individuals are definitely strong enough to contend with you, should a fight break out."

"Then I guess it's a good thing I have you around to help me," Naruto replied.

"It is. Without me, who knows what would have happened to your sorry ass. You probably would have gotten yourself killed mere seconds after graduating the shinobi academy."

"Ouch. You're so harsh."

Sitting with him were his fellow peerage members. Asia and Issei sat together, and he noticed that Asia was clutching at Issei's hand. Koneko and Ravel sat on either side of him; one looking between his hand and hers, while the other glared at Ophis.

"I'm not really sure sitting on my lap is a good idea," Naruto said to the ancient dragon.

Ophis craned her neck to look at him like he was stupid. "And why not? Isn't this where you want me to sit?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I have no issues with you sitting on my lap, but I also know there is a time and place for such things. Now is neither the time nor the place."

"Hmph. Well, that is too bad. I rather like sitting here, so you're just going to have to deal with it."

Naruto grimaced a bit as he realized that his weird fetish may have just backfired on him. He looked over at Koneko, whose petulant glaring turned to him. They stared at each other for several seconds, then she turned her nose at him when he gave her a strained, apologetic smile.

Knowing that this was a battle he wouldn't win, Naruto turned his attention to Ravel. The blond girl was continuing to stare at his hand like she wanted to set it on fire. Her face looked fit to explode.

"You can take my hand, if you want."

"W-what?" Ravel's eyes went wide. "I-I—what makes you think—I could never—"

"Take it," Naruto interrupted with a smile. "I know you're feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. There's a lot of tension in the air. Being the youngest devil here, I can only imagine how nerve wracking it is to be in the presence of so many Angels and Fallen."

Ravel's eyes narrowed.

"Are you saying I'm scared?"

"No." Naruto shook his head. "You misunderstand me. There is a difference between being nervous and being frightened. When someone is frightened, they lack the ability to think properly. The way you're observing the people below us shows that you're not frightened. What you feel right now is the accumulated hostility of three rival factions who have come together pushing down on you. You feel the tension in your gut, a distinct sense of discomfort. The nervousness this creates is only natural. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

Ravel looked at him with her big blue eyes, which had widened in shock.

"There is no shame in using someone else as an anchor to keep your anxiety from getting the better of you. I don't mind being that person."

Ravel flushed, her cheeks turning red.

"W-well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt," she mumbled. "B-but don't think this means anything, okay? I'm only holding your hand because you're so nervous and I've decided to help you out. Got it?"

Naruto offered her a conciliatory smile. "I understand. Thank you very much, Ravel."

Critical hit.

"Ku!"

"It seems you have a way with women, Naruto-san," Kiba complimented as a beet red Ravel took Naruto's hand with both of her own.

Naruto looked at his friend sitting behind him a clueless manner.

"The hell are you talking about?"

Kiba's amused look didn't make Naruto feel any better.

"You know, it's that ignorance that has been at least partially responsible for the rift between you and Rias." When Naruto just continued to frown at him, Kiba grimaced. "Never mind."

"Okay. Whatever," Naruto said as he turned back to look at all of the people as they filled in.

There was a clear division between the factions, and not just on the floor below. All of the balconies had been divided so that none of the three factions were sitting together. Angels sat with Angels. Devils with Devils. The Fallen huddled together away from the other two. It was a clear sign that none of the factions trusted each other.

I guess after who knows how many centuries of fighting, it's only natural they wouldn't trust each other.

"It is much like the divide between your own people," Kurama agreed.

"Yeah, it definitely has a similar vibe to it. Do you think it's possible for these people to reach true peace?"

"Hard to say. While I believe that your people were on the verge of peace when we got thrown into this world, these people are not the same as your shinobi. Some of the people in this room are likely the very same people who fought in those battles so many centuries ago. If that is the case, then it's not as simple a matter of one generation passing their hatred down the next. These are the same people who have killed, fought and hated each other since the beginning of this conflict. That sort of hatred is much harder to do away with than the kind that is passed down."

There was truth in Kurama's words. Naruto thought about his own experience with hatred. While he had been able to earn the respect of Konoha eventually—and had even earned the respect of all shinobi—it had been an uphill battle. What's more, the hatred was first abolished amongst the younger generations, those who did not know what he contained, who hadn't experienced the fear when Kurama had been attacked Konoha. The generation before that had been much harder to earn the respect of. In some ways, what was happening here was very similar to what had happened to him.

"That's fine." Naruto felt determination blazing within him. "If these people can't achieve peace on their own, then I'll simply push them in the right direction."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

Naruto looked down at the girl on his lap.

A grin slowly spread across his face.

"By presenting them with a threat so great that they'll have no choice but to join forces."

~Devil Ninja~

Naruto did not like politics. He never had, and he probably never would.

That did not mean, however, that he was ignorant. Dislike for politics or not, he knew plenty about them. In his youth, Naruto had wanted to be Hokage, and his desire to become Hokage had been transmitted to his teacher and Tsunade. They had taught him. It had been a long and arduous process, and for the longest time, he'd been stubborn and refused to learn, but that didn't mean he hadn't learned.

He knew politics. And he knew what made a good politician.

The three leaders down below, sitting in behind the large table, talking about peace and forging alliances, were all masters of the art.

Sirzechs sat in the center, between Azazel and Michael. Everything about him, from his confident aura to even the gestures he made while speaking, was all designed to impress upon others the importance of his words. When he spoke, people nodded. When he made a statement, people agreed. His very presence exuded a charisma that was unmatched by anyone Naruto had ever met.

A few people argued with Sirzechs, disagreeing with his words. They would say things like "why should we forge an alliance with our enemies?!" or "they killed too many of our kind for there to be any kind of peace between us!" and when that happened, the two on either side of him would bring those people to heel.

Michael was compassionate, kind and gentle. He soothed those around him, calmed the minds of those who were troubled, eased the rage festering within the hearts of their dissenters. His words were like a panacea to those who had been hurt by the war, those who had suffered at the hands of their enemies. Angels. Devils. Fallen. It didn't matter which faction they belonged to, Michael treated all of them with equal amounts of dignity, respect and compassion.

When people with minds that had become jaded spoke up, Azazel would be the one who diffused the tension. His way was different than the other two. While Sirzechs could make people follow him on charisma alone, and Michael could ease suffering with soft words and understanding, Azazel used his laid-back and easygoing attitude to win people over. He would crack jokes and speak to everyone as if he was one of them, just another face in the crowd.

Where once people argued, now they nodded along to the ideas being proposed. The people were being won slowly being won over.

"Those three," Kiba muttered from his place in the balcony, "are quite terrifying. I don't think I've ever seen such an indomitable front before."

"They are pretty damn good." Naruto didn't take his eyes off the group of devils. "It's rare to find three people who are that skilled at politics, and rarer still to find them working as a unified front. Back in my village, we had three elders who were similar, but they lacked the sheer ability of those three. However," Naruto's eyes shifted from the three superpowers to the one sitting next to them, "I'm worried about Rias."

While Rias' peerage had been delegated to the balcony, as their status amongst devil society was not enough to warrant a front row seat, Rias herself had been offered a place at the delegation table. She sat beside Michael, her back straight as she tried to pretend she was composed. Naruto could see the way her arms shook, and he knew that she was clenching the fabrics of her red dress tightly. Droplets of sweat rolled down her neck and her eyes quivered as she stared out at the crowd. She was nervous, worried, anxious. Despite that, she kept herself from losing composure.

She had never looked more beautiful to his eyes than she did now.

"Akeno-sama is there, too."

Naruto glanced at Issei. The normally perverted boy looked impossibly forlorn as he stared at the Queen standing silently behind her King. Akeno looked much more composed than Rias, which made sense, as she was not the one being judged. Her eyes, however, held a coldness that none of them had ever seen from the girl. Akeno was sadistic and took pleasure in others pain, but she was not cold and heartless.

"Are you worried?" Naruto asked.

"Of course I'm worried." Issei bit his thumb between his teeth. "How could I not be worried? But, there's nothing I can do. Akeno-sama refuses to talk to me, and I… I have no clue how to help her."

"Issei-san…" Asia muttered as she held the Sacred Gear wielder's hand tightly.

Naruto smiled sadly. It seemed they were all having problems.

"Idiot," Koneko muttered under her breath.

"Now, now," Naruto chuckled and placed his hand on her head, gently rubbing it, "Issei is new to the dating scene. You can't expect him to know how to solve every problem that comes his way, can you?"

Koneko slowly leaned into his hand, but still had the sense to answer him. "I was talking about you."

"Owch. Harsh much?"

"This is so boring," Ophis muttered. "I can't believe I'm actually here, watching a bunch of lesser beings argue about why they should or shouldn't join together."

"What is it with everyone complaining today?" Naruto muttered.

"Maybe if there was actually something interesting to see, I wouldn't complain."

"We kinda have to be here, you know, in case things go south? That was aniki's condition for letting you stay with me." When Ophis gave him her most deadpanned stare, Naruto sighed. "Is there some way I can help alleviate your boredom?"

"There is."

"What is it?"

"Pet me."

Naruto blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

Ophis stared. "Pet me. I want you to pet me."

"Uh, well, I suppose I could do that." Naruto placed a hand on Ophis head and began rubbing. The ancient dragon of nearly unlimited power tilted her head and started to purr. "Better?"

"Yes."

A low hissing came from his left. Naruto turned his head to see Koneko, her golden eyes narrowed, pupils turned into feline-like slits as she glared at Ophis.

"Uh… Koneko… chan?"

"Pet me."

"E-eh?"

"If you're going to pet her, then you need to pet me, too," Koneko glared at him, as if daring him to say no.

"Uh…"

Naruto looked at the hand on Ophis' head. Then he looked back at Koneko. He then swiveled his head to look at the hand Ravel was holding onto. The blond heiress sensed his eyes on her. She turned her head to regard him with a look at that seemed to say, "tell me to let go of this hand and I'll burn it off."

"No," was her single word answer.

Naruto felt despair.

Ugh, what did I do to deserve this?

"How about being a perverted lolicon?"

"Shut up, ya damn fox!"

~Devil Ninja~

The meeting continued proceeding smoothly. By now, it seemed as if almost everyone had been won over.

Naruto frowned.

"I feel almost like Sirzechs and the others are having too easy a time of it."

Kiba looked at him, his blue eyes staring in quiet curiosity and maybe even disbelief.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

Naruto grinned at the young man, though it was more of a pained grimace. It might have had something to do with the two girls who had taken his lap. Koneko had, in a moment of brilliance, decided that if Ophis could sit on his lap, then so could she. Now his thighs were starting to go numb.

"You would think so, wouldn't you? But no. Normally, when something goes this smoothly, it is only because shits going to hit the fan in a much more spectacular fashion later on. Politics is a lot like war, and no plan in a war ever remains intact after contact with the enemy."

Ravel looked up at Naruto, her hand still holding his, her brow growing furrowed.

"But, there is no enemy here."

Naruto sent Ravel a tender smile. He ignored the way her face spontaneously combusted.

"There is always an enemy to peace. There is always someone who will fight against peace. There will always be those who allow their own hatred to fester until it flows over onto others."

"But, who would want to do that?" Ravel asked. "And why? There is no point in ruining this moment. What's more, who could possibly challenge them. There are few people who hold a rank of similar prestige to those three, and it is only someone whose rank is equal to theirs that could possibly…" Ravel's eyes suddenly grew wide. "Oh."

Ravel was not the only one who'd seen it, the figure who rose from within the ranks, standing from his seat and majestically walking down the steps. The man walked up to the front, standing center stage, where everyone could see him.

"I would like to be heard, herald," he said, his voice a bass rumble.

The herald swallowed. His eyes held nothing but the most abject awe, and maybe even a touch of fear.

"The council recognizes Metatron, The Voice of God."

~Devil Ninja~

Within every society, there are always those who dislike the way things are done up top—people who feel like they could do a better job, or maybe people who are just dissatisfied with the way their life has gone.

Generally, these people are harmless. They complain sometimes, and they'll often wax poetic about how they could do a much better job than "such and such." However, complaints are often all they have to offer.

But, sometimes, there is someone who can do more. Someone who, unsatisfied with the current decisions being made by their superiors, decides to take matters into their own hands. These people, whether their actions are for good or evil, have always been considered forerunners of their times. They have the ability to, with a few words spoken at the proper time, topple entire nations.

Metatron. Clad in silver raiments, bedecked in resplendent armor, he stood before the council. Unlike most present, who had chosen to remove their helmets and set aside their weapons, Metatron had not. His helm sat on his head, gleaming silver, sparkling like a thousand suns. Brilliant orbs of molten gold could be seen from within the slits. Gripped within his hand, a luminous white spear shone like rays of sunlight. Lucis Galadriel, the spear that could pierce both heaven and earth.

It would be inaccurate to say that Metatron walked as he made his way to the floor, for walking implied that the being before them all moved with the same grace as a human. Glided might have been a more apt description. His form seemed to glide down to the center stage. Graceful. Beautiful. Enraged.

The being before them all carried within him an undeniable rage, a hatred that Naruto could feel all the way up from where he sat. It was hidden away, carefully concealed behind a mask of impassivity. Yet he could feel it all the same. Metatron's face and bearing might have disguised his hatred, but it could not keep his very being from radiating it as he confronted the trio of leaders.

Upon reaching the front, Metatron impaled his spear into the ground tip first, the blade sinking through the marble with ease. Naruto, from his position up high, noticed how the marble around the blade melted as the tip met its surface.

"Thousands of years we have fought against the forces of darkness," his voice was a grating rumble, more akin to a growl than anything else, yet it carried with it an undeniable power that compelled everyone near him to listen. Such was the power of the one given the title The Voice of God. "Thousands of years we have bled defending justice from those who would seek to destroy it. Thousands of years we have stood against the tide, protecting the weak, and destroying those who would seek to abuse the innocent."

No one could see it, but everyone could sense the frown of disapproval on Metatron's face.

"And now, you are telling me that we are supposed to ally ourselves with the very darkness, the very evil, that we have been fighting against all this time. Why?"

"Times have changed, brother," Michael said in his soft-spoken voice. "The world around us has changed, its people have changed, even our enemies have become different from the ones we remember. No longer are Devils beings of great evil. No longer do the Fallen seek to subvert our kind. No longer are humans being prayed upon. They are different, we are different. Do you not agree that it is time to put an end to this long and embittered struggle? To create something new? Something different?"

"Something new?" Metatron murmured. "Different? You truly believe these devilkin and heretical traitors have changed?"

"Have they not?" Michael asked. "When was the last time the Devils tried to take advantage of humans? When was the last time the Fallen infiltrated Heaven and subverted our kin to their side? It has not happened in centuries. Not since the last true battle of the war."

"Be that as it may, just because there has not been any unrest does not mean these groups have changed their tune. I still remember the fires that burned across the plains as devils decimated the earth. My body remembers the sting of the many Fallen's holy spears, weapons that should have been used in our defence turned against us. You claim they have changed, but after everything that has happened between us, I cannot see it."

"You are allowing your hatred to taint your perceptions, brother."

"And you are allowing your idealistic optimism to taint yours," Metatron argued. "The Heavenly Host has never allied with denizens of the dark. To do so is anathema to our very nature. Yet you would have us ally with the Devils and Fallen despite their tainted nature and the many crimes they have committed. That is the height of folly."

Metatron turned around and addressed those in the crowd.

"Do you not all remember who it was you fought? Have you forgotten what the Devils did to us during the war, of the thousands of our brethren who were slain by their kind? Have you forgotten how the Fallen subverted so many of us, stole them away from the light of heaven and twisted them beyond recognition?"

"That's all in the past," Azazel spoke lightly, "everyone regrets what happened back then. Can you not move on from past transgressions in order to bring about a brighter future?"

"Be silent, traitor," Metatron growled from deep within his throat. "You may have convinced Michael to go along with your poisonous words, but I will not be so easily swayed. I refuse to join forces with a group of traitors, especially when it was a member of that very group who killed God."

~Devil Ninja~

The bomb had been dropped, and with it, it seemed like any chance for peace that might have existed was turned to ash. The people began to rage. Members of the clergy stood, their shouts of outrage fighting against the roars of denial. The Angels added their voices to the din, as did members of the Fallen. Where once people had been eagerly nodding their heads in approval, now they were voicing their dissent.

"Well, it seems this is over," Kiba leaned back in his seat. "I do not see how they can recover recover from such a debilitating blow."

"Metatron knew exactly what words to say and when to say them in order to have the greatest impact." Ravel, ever the intelligent young woman, had analyzed the situation with alacrity. "He said the most damning words just when Sirzechs-sama and the others were on the cusp of victory, thereby taking away any chance they had at reconciliation. All of their arguments have already been used up, so anything they say now will ring hollow."

"In short, the situation for them has become dire."

"Heh," Naruto chuckled softly and looked down at Ophis, "it looks like Sirzechs was onto something when he asked that request of us."

Ophis stared at him with bored eyes. "Do I have to?"

"I can't force you to," Naruto said, "but I would like it if you helped me out here."

Ophis closed her eyes. "Very well. I guess I can help out, but only because you're the one who's asking."

"I appreciate that."

"Naruto-sama?" Ravel asked, startled when Naruto stood up, Ophis and Koneko jumping off his legs. He almost immediately fell back down when his legs, having fallen asleep due to the two girls that had been sitting on him, very nearly sent him to the floor. He shook them out, then grinned.

"Don't worry about a thing, Ravel." He gave the girl a thumbs up. "Ophis and I will handle this."

~Devil Ninja~

There was no real warning to herald Naruto's appearance in the center of the stage. One second, it was just Metatron, standing there, basking in the discord he'd unleashed. The next, Naruto stood in front of him, Ophis by his side.

"Hi!"

Metatron was the first to react. He reared back in shock, taking several stumbling steps back as Naruto got into his personal space. Points had to be given where due, however, for the Angel recovered far more quickly than Naruto thought he would.

"Who are you?" the demand came complete with a spear pointed at his chest. Naruto looked down at the spear, which glowed with divine power.

And then he grabbed the spear with his bare hand and pushed it aside. Metatron was so shocked that a devil could touch the spear that he didn't bring it back up.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki," Naruto responded in his cheerful voice, "it's nice to meet ya!"

The room became silent again as this newcomer appeared on the stage. One by one the people stopped shouting and noticed the blond standing in front of Metatron. One by one the people began whispering, wondering who this person was to be so brazen as to confront one of the greatest archangels in existence.

Naruto noticed the looks, but he didn't pay them any heed. He looked to the girl standing by his side, and placed a hand on her head.

"Go on, little one." Naruto grinned. "I believe it's time you introduced yourself."

Ophis seemed almost resigned. She surveyed the many eyes on her, her own gaze bored and apathetic. Then, in a voice that could be heard clearly despite how soft it sounded, she spoke.

"My name is Ophis," the words echoed across the stadium with apocalyptic finality, "and I have come to tell you that you're all a bunch of idiots."