Jon sat in the Chapter Room of the ORC, staring down at his hat which he held in his hands. This is who he was now. For better or for worse he had effectively switched sides in the game of souls. His entire life, leading up to this. A Devil's Colt in the Infernal Army.

He inspected his Cowboy hat thoughtfully. Running his fingers through the two raven black feathers he had placed in the crown. They were still so soft. Just like her hair used to be.

"Morning, Jon." Rias, who had just finished showering and getting dressed, walked into the room and took a seat next to him on the couch. "I'm surprised you're up this early. How're you feeling?"

"Great, all things considering." He answered, finally putting his hat down on the table. "Thanks to Asia's power it's like that spear never went through me."

Rias helped herself to a cup of tea from the porcelain kettle on the coffee table. She added three sugars before bringing the cup up to her lips. "You seem to have a lot on your mind. Something bothering you?"

"I was just thinking, is all." He admitted, looking back down at the feathers in his hat.

"About her?"

"I was so determined to hate her for everything she did to me. And then right at the end, I find out she tried to destroy me because I made her feel happy?" He placed his hat down. "How am I supposed to feel about that?"

Rias gave him a look of understanding, setting her teacup down and turning towards him. "I know it won't make you feel better, but you should know I don't think it was you that scared her. But rather, what you represented."

He gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Well think about it. You were able to do the impossible by making a Fallen Angel forget about her addiction to magical power. If you could make Raynare feel happy, then what else might you have been able to make her feel? Sadness? Pain? Remorse?" She took a sip of her tea. "...Guilt?"

"I still don't understand."

"Raynare had done such terrible things in her lifetime." Rias continued. "Committed countless atrocities all for the sake of gaining power. It's likely she was afraid that by allowing herself to get attached to you, she would one day have to own up to everything she had done. And that scared the Hell out of her."

"But why me?" He asked. "We had only been dating for a few months. How was it I was able to change everything?"

She smiled at him, placing a tender hand on his leg. "Because you are so much more than you give yourself credit for, Jon."

They sat in silence for a moment. Finally, Jon worked up the nerve to ask what had been on his mind for awhile.

"So question, if you don't mind."

She looked at him curiously.

"We're named after chess pieces, right? And I assume that a Peerage can be composed of the same number of chess pieces that are on the board, right?"

She nodded, taking another sip of her tea. "They can be, yes."

He frowned thoughtfully. "So if I'm a Pawn, then I guess that means you got room for seven more of me."

Rias set her tea down and gazed at him curiously, her mouth slightly ajar.

"Which is totally fine, by the way." He chuckled while scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "I mean...it wouldn't exactly be chess if all you had was one Pawn right?" He laughed even more awkwardly, shaking his head. "Look, forget I said anything. I'm just joking around, I don't really-"

"You're the only Pawn I'm ever gonna need." She assured.

He gazed at her thoughtfully. "You mean that?"

She nodded, standing up and brushing the hem of her skirt. "When a Human or other creature becomes a Devil, the number of Evil Pieces they consume varies based on the latent power they already possess." She walked around the couch and bent down, wrapping her arms around his back. Letting him feel the full weight of her bust against his neck. "For you, the Evil Pieces I had remaining were one Knight, one Rook, one Bishop, and eight Pawns. So that is what I had to choose from. After I knew I wanted to bring you back as my servant I decided to use all eight of my pawns in order to save you."

"So...you sacrificed eight pieces just to have me?" He asked incredulously.

"It was a gamble." She admitted. "But I had a feeling your power alone was strong enough to replace every one of the others. Beings with your sort of potential are almost impossible to find, so I considered the sacrifice to be well worth the risk." She nuzzled her cheek against his ear, her breath hot against the side of his face. "Not to mention the sort of man you are, Jon. I consider the sacrifice to be nothing compared to the pleasure of owning you. It's not just your powers that made the sacrifice worth it. You are worth it."

His heart fluttered in his chest. "To think that I was never really even Human to begin with. I possess the soul of the Red Dragon Emperor. That's what you told me, right?"

She placed a hand on his cheek and turned him to meet her gaze. "The Crimson Haired Empress of Ruin, and the Red Dragon Emperor. I don't know if we could be more perfectly matched for each other."

Jon was completely entranced by the look she was giving him. "Yeah...go team Red." He joked.

"I have complete faith in your ability to spread my influence throughout the world. Consider it an order, my dear Servant.

His face was completely red, almost as red as the hair brushing against his cheek. "After everything you've done for me, I...I've decided I will follow any order you give, Ms. President. You have my word."

She leaned close, so much closer than she had ever gotten before, and kissed him on the forehead. A surge of energy coursed through his body, sending shivers up his skin.

"Just a little spell to strengthen your stamina." She teased. "After all, you'll need your strength to help better fulfill my orders. Also I'm going to have to stop coddling you or our newest member might become jealous."

"Jealous?" He asked her curiously.

"Umm, what's going on here?" A mousy little voice spoke up from behind him.

Jon blanched before turning around to see Asia trembling nervously, her arms crossed together and her cheeks rosy red. She sniffled slightly, her eyes already starting to glass over.

He lurched up out of his seat. "Oh! Asia, uhh...look it ain't what you're thinking. We were just chatting is all."

"That's how it always starts. It's okay, I know she's a lot prettier than me." She talked at a mile a minute while pressing her pointer fingers together nervously, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "And she'll probably do things I won't, so it makes sense that you'd like her more." She shook her head vehemently from side to side, her cheeks somehow getting even more red. "Oh! I shouldn't say things like that! I swear I'm not jealous, I'm just insecure!" She said even faster. Asia clasped her hands together and bowed her head. "Dear Lord, please forgive my sins of lust and-Gyah!" She cried out in pain before grasping her head and nearly tumbling to the floor.

"Ah shit!" Jon leapt over the couch and knelt down beside her. "You okay?"

"It felt like a knife just ran through my head!" She whined pitifully.

"Yeah I should have warned you about that." He apologized, rubbing her back reassuringly. "He ain't exactly receptive to prayers from our kind."

She groaned, finally managing to stand back up. "I forgot that. He's probably angry that I became a Devil, huh?"

"How do you feel about it?" Rias asked.

She smiled at the President. "Oh me? I don't have any regrets at all. I finally have friends now, and the best part is that Jon and I can be together forever. That's all I really ever wanted."

Jon nodded in agreement. "So about that uniform of yours."

"You like it?" She twirled around for him, the red mini-skirt floating up to give him a brief flash of her white panties. "What do you think?"

"It's great, but don't you have to be a student here to join the clubs officially?"

"You do." Rias confirmed. "My father's on the Campus Board of Directors so getting her enrolled as a transfer student wasn't a problem."

"Huh…" He chuckled. "Well that explains a lot."

"Good morning everyone." Kiba stepped through the door into the Chapter Room with Koneko walking in closely behind him, she was carrying a small wooden box and appeared to be uncharacteristically nervous.

"Morning Kiba." Jon offered. "Koneko."

She frowned, a small blush creeping over her cheeks before she nervously walked up to him and offered him the box. "I'm...almost happy you're not dead. Here."

Jon gave her an incredulous look, then stared down at the box, then back at her. "That may very well be the nicest thing you've ever said to me." He joked, taking the box from her graciously.

"Tsk!" She crossed her arms and turned her head away, her face still slightly flushed. "Whatever…"

Jon opened the box and his smile faded somewhat. Inside was his old Smith and Wesson. The last memento he had of his past.

"I found it on the ground after we battled Freed." She explained, still not looking at him. "I figured you'd want it back, so…"

"Thank you." He replied sincerely before reaching out to stroke her hair. "This really means a lot to me, Koneko."

"Pet me on the head and I will break your legs." She threatened coldly.

He snatched his hand away inches from her hair. "Okay okay, sheesh! I was just trying to show some gratitude."

Jon looked back down at his old gun. Though it was a shame he would probably never get to use it again, it was at least nice to know he had a memento of his past.

'Even if no one else is watching over me. Are you still there, Father Kyle?'

"Oh good, you're all here." Akeno wheeled a large serving tray into the room. "I ordered a cake for us to celebrate our newest member joining the family. "

"Oh guys, you shouldn't have!" Asia clutched at her heart, completely touched by the small gesture.

"Nonsense." Akeno assured. "You may be here mostly because of Jon, but that doesn't mean we aren't all thrilled to have you."

"Before we get too far into celebrating, Akeno. There's one last thing I'd like for us to do."

"Hmm?" She nodded. "Oh yes! Right, of course."

"What's she talking about?" Jon asked.

"Is it ready, Kiba?" Rias asked.

The blonde Knight nodded respectfully. "It certainly is. If everyone would please follow me."

"So when did we get a garage?" Jon asked as he followed the rest of the members of the ORC down into the basement.

"Around the same time you and Kiba decided to completely destroy the gym." Koneko responded, sounding somewhat irritated.

Jon and Kiba exchanged awkward smiles with one another. "Yeah...sorry about that."

"Oh trust us, sweetie. It was well worth it." Akeno replied with a devilish little smirk.

"I'd been looking for an excuse to build a workshop anyway." Kiba explained. "Really this just saved us the hassle of having to tear everything down."

"Is that what you want to show us?" Jon asked.

Rias shook her head. "Not exactly. We have a gift for you."

"For me?"

"Mhmm, you've done such an excellent job over the past couple of months I thought it appropriate to reward you. So Kiba and I pulled some strings and had something custom made." She explained.

As they made their way into the basement, Jon was greeted to the sight of a tarp covering a large mass beneath it. He beamed excitedly, almost a hundred percent certain he knew exactly what it was.

"You guys didn't!"

Kiba chuckled at him in amusement. "Oh yes, we did."

Jon removed the tarp and had to physically stop himself from laughing excitedly. Beneath the cover was a custom Harley Chopper with a 900 V-Twin engine, custom chrome tail pipes, and a pair of black leather saddle bags.

"It's beautiful."

"I didn't know you knew how to ride a motorcycle." Asia stated, inspecting the bike curiously.

"Father Kyle taught me how to ride his." Jon explained, taking a seat on the bike and gripping the handles. "I've always wanted one of my own, but never had the money or time."

"A Priest riding motorcycles?" Kiba asked in disbelief.

"Just because you're a man of God doesn't mean you can't have guilty pleasures." Akeno surmised.

He nodded agreeably. "That's fair, I suppose."

"So do you like it?" Rias asked.

Jon looked at the bike, and then back at the smiling happy faces surrounding him. It was hard not to be emotional, not just because of the bike, but because of what it represented.

This club was starting to feel a lot less like a cage, and more like a home.

"It's perfect…" He responded. Not talking about the bike.

"Well enough standing around!" Akeno clapped her hands together. "That cake isn't going to eat itself."

As the members of the ORC made their way back up to the Chapter Room for cake and celebration, a dark presence lurked on a nearby tree branch just outside Rias's office window.

"What a touching scene." The dark presence commented in an ominous tone, peering through his looking glass whilst carelessly twirling a glass of red wine. "Someone gag me."

From the other side of the glass, Rias peered out her office window just in time to see a bird fly away. A dreadful sense of unease washed over her.

No doubt about it. It was a Phoenix.

"Uggh! Get away creep!"

*Swat!*

Jon winced as his buddy Matsuda was once again slapped senseless. Swigging down the rest of his drink as the dejected college student slumped back to the bar.

"Struck out again, did you?"

"It's just no use, Jon." He moped, resting his chin on the bar dejectedly. "I'm never gonna get a girl to like me."

Jon took out a cigarette and popped it into his mouth, lighting it with his M-16 lighter. "You'll get there buddy. One day. I have no doubt."

"I'm not so sure." Motohama looked down too. He had barely even touched his Vodka and Mountain Dew. "Maybe we're just too weird to ever get to be with a beautiful woman."

He sighed, shaking his head at his two glowering friends. "Honestly, you may be right."

Matsuda and Motohama both glared at him.

"Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Matsuda flared.

Jon shrugged, taking another puff of his smoke. "Have you ever considered that maybe the reason you two keep striking out is because you're going after the wrong kinda women?"

They peered at him curiously. "I don't get it. What other kind of women are there?" Motohama asked.

At that moment his phone went off. Jon pulled it out and looked to see he had received a text from Rias.

"Ah, shit. I gotta ride, yall." He stood up to leave, paying his tab before heading for the door.

"Jon, wait!" Matsuda stood up. "Just tell us what you meant by that first!"

He chuckled at them, turning around and taking the cigarette from his mouth. "You really want my advice? Get the hell outta this bar, and go find you a manga convention. Or a video game store. There are plenty of chicks out there just as weird and nerdy as you two, who I'm sure would love to make your acquaintance and indulge in all the same weird and nerdy stuff you like.

"You really think that will work?" Motohama sounded skeptical.

Jon nodded. "Now I'll tell you, they ain't gonna be like what you're picturing. Some will be a little cuter than others, some will be a little stranger, but that's just cause they're human. They have flaws, same as you. It's your duty as a man to be able to look past those flaws and see them all for the beautiful women they truly are."

"But...what if that's too hard?" Matsuda asked, having clearly already considered this before.

"Then you've already forgotten my #1 rule, gentleman."

"Rule #1 of Jonathan Hyodo's guide to the fairer sex." Motohama recited, a small smile on his face. "His golden rule, above all other rules."

"It ain't always about you." Jon finished for him before turning to leave, tapping the ashes of his cigarette onto the floor. "You boys really wanna find your own happiness? You better start by making someone else happy first."

He took a few more steps before they stopped him again.

"Just one more question." Matsuda asked. "How come you don't have to follow these rules? You seem to be able to get whatever girls you want. Why can't we do that?"

He turned his head back to them, tipping his hat to cover his eyes. "I just told you. Yall are human."

"And you're not?"

Jon left without saying a word. Leaving Matsuda and Motohama behind, still terribly confused.

"Sooo, you wanna ditch this place and go check out the new Manga Store across the street?" Motohama offered.

"Hell yeah! Let's go hit on some nerdy chicks!"

They both settled up their tabs and and left the bar. Oblivious to the fact that Jon had been listening the entire time from outside. As they ran past him and down the street, he turned to the two ladies in maid outfits.

"Right, those two are the guys." He explained. "Just go in, say hi, and listen to whatever it is they're gonna geek out about. Pretend to be interested for a little while and then take them back to this Hotel." He gave one of the girls a piece of paper with an address on it. "Tell the bellhop Rias Gremory sent you, he'll know what to do."

"Got it." One of the maids nodded in understanding.

"Also, here's a little something extra for your trouble." He pulled out a large wad of cash and offered it to them.

"Hold on. This is almost double our normal rate." One of the maids gawked in disbelief.

He nodded before turning and beginning to walk away. "You ladies don't make nearly enough for the amount of bullshit us men make you put up with. Consider it a gift."

She clutched the money to her chest, a blush creeping over her cheeks. "That's so sweet of you. Are you like an Angel, or something?"

He stopped, a devious smile creeping over his lips as his eyes began to glow red.

"Something like that."

Jon walked back to the parking lot where his new Harley was waiting for him. He tossed his smoke on the ground and stubbed it out, checking the saddlebags to make sure his spare ammo boxes were in place. As well as checking the secret compartment where he kept his rifle. With everything good to go he straddled his bike and revved the engine. A burst of twin flames ignited from the tailpipes as he took off into the night.

::Final Note::

So here we are. The end of Arc One. As I said in chapter thirteen, there is no need to fret. Arc two will be right around the corner. This work may be finished, but the story is far from over.

I want to thank all my viewers, followers, and those who favorited and reviewed the first Arc of my writing. I would like to also call out a special thanks to my absolutely amazing girlfriend. She's been my proofreader and biggest critic throughout the work and has put up with my obsessive and neurotic habits to help see this work come to fruition and words cannot express how much her support means to me.

Arc Two will be coming soon. Remember to follow and favorite the writing if you would like to help support its continued growth. The feedback really does help me improve the quality of my writing, and helps my creative thought process.

Look forward to the second Arc "The Devil's Colt: Ashes of the Phoenix." Some time within the next few days. In the meantime, speak soft, keep your gun loaded…

And remember to pack extra ammo.

Megawrath