Issei's muscles ached as he walked home from his now daily workout routine with Rias. He couldn't help but complain somewhat as his legs stumbled slightly from the running he had done.

"The prez is so harsh. She's pushing all of us so much lately."

It was true. Since Asia had joined her peerage Rias had begun training him in earnest. Making him run, squat, lift, and push for hours every day. Then he would have a short break before returning to the club for his nightly jobs.

Issei walked past the front gate of a larger home. He stopped walking and stared at the house, noticing that the windows seemed cleaner than they had been the last few weeks.

'Maybe… are they back?' He thought.

Issei walked over to the intercom at the gate and pushed the button. He heard the buzzer ring. It rang again. His face fell. Another ring. He sighed. The buzzer stopped. He backed away from the intercom and turned to continue his way home.

He had made it barely twenty steps when he heard the gate creak open. He looked back and saw a blonde teenager with whisker marks dragging a massive bag of leaves and grass clippings.

"Naruto! You are back!"

The blonde's eyes widened as he saw Issei. He dropped the bag and gave Issei a bear hug as they approached each other.

"Naruto, it's been months! It's good to see you." Issei exclaimed.

"Same here. I would've called but I was without a phone most of the time. How have things been here?" Naruto lifted the bag and set it on the curb. They both walked back inside the gate as they spoke.

"Eh…" Issei thought over what had happened the last few weeks. Being killed, becoming a devil, meeting Rias, meeting Asia, saving Asia, and fighting Raynare… "Not much different. School. Girls. Schoolgirls. Where did you and Jiraiya go off to?"

Naruto shook his head and smiled. Unknown to Issei, similar thoughts passed through the blonde's head as he answered.

"I was over in Alaska. There's this tiny island near the end of that long island chain where me and the perve spent most of the last year." Naruto explained.

Issei nodded in understanding. "Oh. Does he have a house there too?"

The blue-eyed boy paused. "Not him, but he knows some people who do. He made me do a lot of… grunt work and stuff."

"So it was some kind of island survival thing?" Issei asked.

"Something like that. I still had to study normal schoolwork though." Naruto admitted.

Issei noticed Naruto's nose was twitching. Naruto leaned forward and stared at Issei, before taking a sniff. "You smell weird."

By now they had walked around the house the back porch. Issei waved off Naruto's question. He had been exercising after all. Issei doubted he smelled very good at the moment.

Naruto offered to get snacks and drinks while Issei called his parents to let them know where he was. By the time the phone call had finished Issei was still alone on the porch looking at the newly cleaned courtyard.

"Ah-ha!"

Issei jumped up from his seat on stairs. Behind him Naruto stood with a tray of juice cans and rice crackers. He had a wide grin on his face. "Naruto! What was that for?"

"I'll tell you in a minute." Naruto's eyes were focused on Issei as he set the tray down. His nostrils were flared. He waited until Issei reached for a soda can and started to take a drink.

"I can pick out the smell of a devil among humans from a mile away." This was a lie, his sense of smell was far from that level.

Issei spit out his drink. "A devil!? I mean… come on, ha ha…" He tried to laugh it off.

Naruto continued. "It's alright Issei, I was hiding something too. I'll show you."

"You- you were? I mean-" Issei tried to say before a puff of smoke shrouded Naruto.

Issei's eyes widened to saucers as he looked at his old friend.

The blonde hair was longer, stretching down the smooth skin of her back. The eyes were a little wider, the lips fuller. A pair of fox ears shot upwards from the top of her head. Three bushy tails wrapped around a narrow waist, and long legs stood beneath them. But the most prominent changes were at chest level.

Issei, being Issei, focused on the last part.

They looked amazing. Beautiful. Perfect. They rivaled Rias'.

"N-Naruto!? You were a girl all along!? You were hiding those!?"

"Wha- Issei, it's just a- don't focus on-"

"You're terrible! Hiding such magnificence from sight!"

"Issei, no!"

"As proof of our friendship-!"

With a quick step forward Issei's hands fell upon Naruto's chest- a moment after it was obscured by another puff of smoke.

Naruto muttered. "I forgot this technique doesn't work right on Super Class Perverts…"

Issei stared hard at the boy turned foxgirl turned foxboy. His eyes lowered to his hands, which were laid upon his friend's decidedly masculine, flat chest. Those wonderful… they… they were gone. He lowered his hands.

"You monster."

The ears and tails were still there though. So that was a thing.

Naruto scoffed and responded. "Come on, I'm not gonna let you grope me. That's weird. I'm a guy. You're a guy. Wasn't it…" Naruto scratched his head. "…Rule 3? Rule 3 right?"

"A man doesn't touch another man's breasts." Issei recited immediately. He paused and thought that over. It was a good rule to follow but… he wasn't sure it was meant like this. He pushed the thought aside.

"So… you're a-" Issei looked at the large, twitching ears. "…kitsune? Were you always one? Back when we first met?" Issei questioned.

Naruto waved him off. "I wasn't always one. But yes, I was a kitsune when we first met. And I know you weren't a devil back then. I couldn't exactly tell you I wasn't human back when you were, you know?"

What Naruto said grabbed Issei's attention. "You weren't always one? Were you reincarnated like me?"

The blonde scratched a whiskered cheek. "I was resurrected, yeah. I don't like talking about it."

Issei paused for just a moment. His friend's words were bothering him. He decided to pry and see if he could help. Talking about problems helped, didn't it?

How to bring it up though? "Eh… If I tell you how I was reincarnated, will you tell me how you were?"

Let it never be said Issei was subtle.

Naruto looked like he was going to protest. Issei decided to push forward anyways.

"I was reincarnated into a devil after my girlfriend stabbed me through the chest with a magic spear."

Naruto stared at Issei in shock. "Issei, what the hell? You got stabbed through the chest? What happened!?"

Issei stared expectantly back. "No. Now you."

The kitsune shuffled his feet, fidgeting.

"Pervy-sage… I was pushed off a cliff as part of my training when I was younger. I hit the ground. Would've died but… Inari offered me a deal and I took it."

"You almost died, too!? Jiraiya did it!?"

Naruto raised his hands. "Alright! This is-." Naruto breathed deeply. He was panicking. Jiraiya had beaten into him, repeatedly, that panicking didn't help. "Ise, pervy-sage didn't mean for it to happen. It's fine. Everything turned out fine. And you turned out fine too… so that's… fine." He finished lamely.

Issei nodded even as his fist clenched. Legendary pervert or not, intentional or not, Jiraiya had hurt his friend.

Naruto and Issei had differences. They also had similarities. They shared one trait above all others. They would move Heaven and Hell for those they cared for.

Issei knew he would be bringing it up with Jiraiya. Naruto knew he would be asking Issei about this 'girlfriend'.

'Later.' They both thought.

"So we've got some things to talk about. But let's just… relax for now. Talk about fun things. We can have a serious talk later." Naruto offered. He hadn't thought much about the consequences of revealing their non-human status to each other. He hadn't expected it to cause such a problem. He didn't like making people worry over him.

"Agreed, agreed. Enough depressing stuff. There's something I need to do." Issei took a step towards his friend. "Naruto."

The blonde backed up at Issei's intense gaze. "Wh-what?"

Isse raised his hands. They moved as if grasping something. "I'm sorry but-"

"What!?"

"-I have to feel them."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Ise, no!"

"Look at them. They look so perky. And soft."

He raised his arms in defense. Issei leaped forward.

Jiraiya found them like that nearly half an hour later.

Naruto was lying on the floor of the porch, his limbs and tails stretched out in the evening sun. Issei sat next to Naruto's head. He was softly rubbing the pair of blonde fox ears on the top of his friend's head, watching them move in fascination.

"…That's not gay at all."

Issei jolted and let go of the ears. Naruto threw himself up and glared at Jiraiya. A vein on his forehead was pulsing.

Issei said his piece. "I'm not gay. And he's not gay. But those ears are fluffy. That… that counts for something."

Naruto was much more rude to his teacher. "You're a being a jerk, pervert. We were talking about what we've been doing since we stopped being, you know, human."

Jiraiya looked at Issei. His eyes squinted. "Huh. A devil."

Issei sat up straight. The brown-haired teen could understand that Naruto might have some weird kitsune super-sense of smell. But Jiraiya was… was Jiraiya even human? He hadn't even considered it.

"Are you a human? Or a kistune too?" Issei questioned. His eyes were leveled at his favorite author. Issei remembered what Naruto had said about his reincarnation.

Jiraiya raised a brow at his biggest fan. Then a pleased smile appeared on his face. He lifted up one foot, hopping on the other.

"I am not just a human, boy! I am a man! A man among men! Women weep when I depart and men cry in jealousy!"

Naruto palmed his face. Issei stared. Jiraiya slapped a hand down on the floor and a massive toad appeared in burst of smoke. The old man hopped onto its back.

"I have journeyed across the worlds and tasted the fruits of a hundred lands! My stories are but a journal of the treasures I have seen! I am the master of a thousand arts and the victor of a thousand battles!

"I am the Great! I am the Gallant! I! Am! Jiraiya!" He swirled his head so his long ponytail flailed in a circle. He struck a pose. The large toad raised its front legs, mimicking its summoner.

Both stood still, waiting for applause.

Issei blinked several times. "Why are you standing on a frog?"

Jiraiya fell off the toad and face planted. "That's your first question!?"

"Well… yes."

The grey-haired man snorted as he blurred over and took almost all of the remaining rice crackers from the tray.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted.

Jiraiya ignored him. He gave a handful to the toad, who nodded and poofed out of existence.

"I was standing on a toad because I could and because they're awesome. Secondly, yes, I'm human. I'm still Naruto's teacher and master so don't go thinking 'oh just a human'. " Jiraiya mocked. "I've seen too many people of all sorts fall to that kind of arrogance." He took a seat on a patio chair and looked at the pair. He took a glance at the darkening sky.

He pointed a cracker at Issei. "Do your parents know you're here? You're staying for dinner?"

Issei nodded.

Jiraiya moved his gaze to Naruto. "Playtime is over. Five laps while stealthed. Be done by the time dinner is ready or I eat your share."

Issei winced in sympathy. Rias had done something similar a few times. He wasn't sure how long the laps were but he could guess it wasn't easy. Naruto groaned and stood. He placed his hands together and started forming hand seals.

Jiraiya interrupted Naruto's actions. "No. Use the other stealth technique."

Naruto glared at the old sage but dropped his hands. He closed his eyes. For nearly twenty seconds nothing happened. Sweat started to appear on Naruto's brow. Then something caught Issei's attention.

The young devil watched in fascination as Naruto's blonde tails seemed to shimmer and fade in a shifting haze. The shimmer slowly spread from the tails over the rest of Naruto's body, making him look like a nothing more than the ripple of a mirage. In the growing darkness of night, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to see him. If they did they would think it was merely their eyes playing tricks on them.

The shimmer leaped down the porch stairs and ran across the yard. It jumped up onto the top of the wall and then to the distant roof of the neighboring building.

Jiraiya leaned back in his seat and munched on a cracker. He reached into his pocket for something.

Issei frowned to himself. Jiraiya was his idol. A man who was both perverted and successful in the world. Someone who appreciated the beauty of the female form. Issei had the entire Icha Icha collection, signed by the man when he had first met the pair over two years ago. But Jiraiya had also been involved in the near death of his friend. He couldn't let that go.

Issei took a step forward-

Jiraiya leveled a dangerous gaze on the young devil. "Don't even think about it, kid. Devil or not you're a long ways from being able to fight me. I could sense your hostility the moment I showed up. Last time you were here you couldn't ask for my autograph fast enough." Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "So what did I do?"

Issei clenched his teeth even as he forced his fists to go slack. "Naruto told me how he became a kitsune. He said he would have died! He's your godson right? Why would you do something so dangerous!?"

Jiraiya frowned. It seemed he hadn't expected Naruto to tell Issei about that. The grey-haired man pulled out his notebook and began jotting words down. Issei looked furious, thinking that his idol was brushing this off. Issei was about to take a step forward and shout when Jiraiya finally answered.

"What happened… what happened was a mistake." Jiraiya scribbled in his notebook, but continued speaking to Issei. "I was trying to make Naruto summon a familiar like I did just a minute ago. I misjudged the cliff, his trajectory, his reaction. He was supposed to succeed in the summoning. Instead he tore his hand to shreds on the rocks and…."

The older man paused. His mouth narrowed into a thin line. "It wasn't supposed to happen. I would have killed my godson because I made a mistake. He would be dead. Dead and in the ground if it weren't for literal divine intervention."

Issei didn't know how to respond.

Jiraiya glanced at Issei before lowering his eyes back to his notebook.

"So don't act self-righteous. I know what I did. Do you have any clue what it's like to know that someone you care for would be gone forever because of something you did? Because you screwed up?"

Issei remained silent.

But he remembered Asia, lying motionless and pale on the floor of a church. Because he hadn't made it in time to help her. He remembered as life entered her again because Rias had resurrected her.

'Yeah. I think I do.'

Neither spoke to the other until Naruto returned from his run. Neither brought up the issue again.

When Naruto returned, Issei still hadn't figured out how he felt about Jiraiya's actions. Dinner that night was pleasant, but Issei and Jiraiya didn't speak much to each other.

When Jiraiya left them shortly after dinner, Issei and Naruto spent the evening talking.

They traded stories about their lives since they had become something other than human. Issei shared the stories of his 'jobs' as a devil and the fights he had gone into. Naruto spoke of his early missions in the Elemental Nations and the kitsune training he had undergone in the Aleutian Islands.

It was in the early morning hours when they finally fell asleep.

"We didn't have any training scheduled for today, President. Issei probably just slept in."

Asia shook her head at Kiba's words. "He called home last night. I guess a friend showed up after a while away and Issei stayed the night." She had small frown. Issei's parents were great people. They were kind and considerate. But they weren't Issei.

They walked up to the house Issei's parents had described to Asia and Rias. The redheaded devil's eyes widened as they walked towards the gate. She moved ahead and pressed her hand against the wall surrounding the small mansion.

"There's a barrier over this house." Rias proclaimed. "One… one that I haven't seen before."

Akeno chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll break it." A sadistic smile formed on her face. She licked her lips and raised her hand to let loose-

Kiba grabbed her hand and gently lowered it. "Maybe we should just knock and see what happens? Issei apparently knows these people and we don't want to make a scene. Lightning will definitely make a scene."

Asia raced forward pressed the call button. It rang twice before there was an answer. The embedded camera flashed red.

"Well hellooooo, little lady. What can I do for such a pretty girl?"

Koneko crunched her nose at the greeting.

Rias stepped forward and took the lead. She stared into the small camera. "We're friends of Issei. We heard he stayed overnight from his parents. Could you let us in?"

There was a strange giggle on the other end. Was it just her or did the camera change its angle downward? "Oh absolutely. Come on in, Issei's here."

The intercom went dead and the gate clicked open. Rias was staring at the camera in amusement.

"That was a little creepy." Kiba remarked. He was still smiling though. Koneko nodded in agreement.

"I'm not so sure. It seemed like an adult Issei to me." The redhaired king mused.

As the group started to enter they felt a massive tremor in the ground beneath them. Asia and Koneko were still outside the barrier and felt nothing.

Rias gave a quick command for everyone to hurry. Friends of Issei or not, if her precious servant was hurt...

The front door was unlocked and they rushed in. A small toad was waiting for them inside. It hopped along and led them to a basement stairwell. Rias and Akeno realized quickly that the toad was a familiar of some kind.

As they made it down the stairs they saw what had cause the tremor.

There was Issei, battered and bruised on the ground. His shirt was shredded in a spiral pattern. He seemed content to rest where he was. Standing a few feet in front their peerage member was a blonde boy with fox ears and three tails swaying behind him. The blonde's was cradling his forearm. It was clearly broken. Behind the blonde's feet were several meters of cracked rock.

The devils could make a guess at what had happened. Issei had landed a hit which the kitsune had weathered, allowing a counterattack. While it had worked the blonde had likely underestimated the force behind Issei's strike.

Koneko, the only youkai amongst the peerage, sensed natural energy fading from the blonde teen. Her eyes narrowed onto the fox boy. 'He knows senjutsu.' She tapped Rias on the arm and whispered into her ear.

A tall, broad man with long grey hair and a green outfit greeted them. They recognized his voice from the intercom. "Shame you kids didn't get here a few minutes ago. You would've seen the spar that way."

Rias was looking at the crater and the still standing kitsune with a wistful smile. Akeno glanced at her friend and king. She knew what the Princess of Ruin was thinking.

Asia rushed forward to heal Issei.

Rias' attention left the battlefield and shifted firmly to the adult. She recognized this man.

"You are… you're Master Jiraiya." Rias said. She bowed politely. "It is an honor to meet someone from the hidden lands."

Issei looked shocked. Then he became extremely happy. "Prez, you think it's an honor to meet him, too? Are you a fan of his books?"

"Absolutely. I've read much of his work." Issei's smile stretched across his face. "His texts on sealing arrays and combat applications of low-ranking familiars are extremely useful. Not to mention some of his theories on elemental manipulation."

Issei's smile vanished. Oh. Those weren't the books he was thinking of. He looked at Naruto. "I didn't know Jiraiya wrote books on stuff like that."

Naruto glared the older man. "Yeah he does. He's made me read most of them too. Pervy-sage can be a real slave driver when he wants to be."

The Occult Club silently processed what the kitsune had said. This kitsune was his apprentice?

Koneko mumbled to herself. "Pervy-sage?"

Rias' smile grew a little bigger. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Rias Gremory, a devil of House Gremory. This is my peerage. Issei is one of my pawns."

The blonde in orange returned her greeting. "Yeah, Issei mentioned you guys. I'm Naruto Uzumaki. Kitsune of, uh, the Uzumaki, I guess."

"I see. May I ask what affinity you have?" Rias probed.

Naruto frowned at her. "…just fire. Why?"

Rias smiled cutely and shrugged. "I'm just curious how you managed to defeat Issei. He's still young as a devil but he's not weak."

Jiraiya cut in. "It was pretty straightforward actually. Naruto could dodge just about all of Issei's attacks but he hesitated on handing out damage to take Issei down. So while Naruto whittled away at Issei, he managed to get a good shot at the end. Naruto would've been injured much more if he hadn't had a very powerful defense up."

The sage turned to the two boys. "So pay attention both of you. Naruto: your experience let you evade him but you didn't capitalize on it. You didn't want to hurt him and let him build strength instead. Issei: you need to work on speed, form, and tactics. All the power in world means nothing if you can't land a hit on your opponent."

Naruto nodded grudgingly. Issei groaned a "Yes." from his spot on the ground.

"Master Jiraiya, I would like to discuss a few matters with you." Rias offered. If the sage didn't mind giving out advice to Issei then maybe he wouldn't mind helping a little more.

The old man raised an eyebrow at the Gremory devil. He looked at her up and down. A smile teased its way onto his face. "Sure. The rest of you brats have fun."

As Jiraiya and Rias moved out of the basement Kiba, turned to Naruto and Issei. The pair had started poking at each other's injuries even as Asia healed them.

"So how did you all first meet?" Kiba asked.

"We met a few years back. Pervy-sage had a book signing at… uh…" Naruto hesitated.

"We met at an Adult and Erotica Convention. Jiraiya was having a book signing event that I went to." Issei said.

"You snuck in to get your book signed because you weren't with an adult. I was stuck working with restocking those stupid books." Naruto pointed out. Issei shrugged.

Koneko stared the pair. Kiba stared too but he was much more polite about it. "You met… where?" He laughed uncertainly.

Asia looked a little lost at the conversation. She didn't know much about conventions. Much less conventions like that.

Issei pulled out a small photograph from his wallet and handed it to Kiba. The photo was of Jiraiya, with Naruto and Issei standing next to each other in front of him. Issei was clutching a book to his chest with a silly grin and Naruto was smiling widely at the camera. Over their heads a banner was visible. It read Icha-Icha-Rama!

Kiba raised his gaze from the photo and looked at Naruto. "You were… working there?"

"Pervy-sage takes me to all those places. I have to read all his porno crap because 'I need to be prepared for the world of adults'." The kitsune ninja mocked his teacher. Even so, the blonde was blushing as he pulled out an identical picture.

Koneko looked at Naruto and the picture he was holding. "Scum."

"Ugh!" To be called such a thing by a cute girl. It was like the words pierced his heart.

"Haha!" Issei laughed at his friend's misfortune, but stilled when Koneko looked at him.

"Worse scum." Koneko declared.

Issei face fell as he too slouched and clutched his chest.

"Umm… speaking of book signing…" Koneko and Kiba looked at Akeno. Her cheeks turned a little rosy and reached into her purse. She pulled out a book with a demure smile on her face. "Do you think Master Jiraiya would mind?"

Koneko examined Akeno as though she had never seen the girl before.

"Utter. Scum."

Akeno sulked.

Kiba looked at the title of Akeno's book and then back at the photo in his hands. "Is this book… popular?"

The pair looked odd sitting across from each other. One was a young, beautiful girl in a school uniform while the other was an old man with long spiky hair and wearing a short skirt kimono and wooden sandals.

"It's not often that we meet a human from the hidden lands. Especially not one as respected as yourself Master Jiraiya."

"Well there aren't many like me." Jiraiya boasted. He was staring without shame at the red head's figure. 'That lucky brat.' He did a quick count in his head. 'Four hot girls and a pretty boy. Eye candy for everyone.'

He sighed internally. It was such a shame that people as attractive as these were nearly nonexistent in the Elemental Countries. And those who did exist tended to have… issues. 'Like that lava girl. Beautiful and crazy.'

"Are you staring at my chest?" Rias interrupted his line of thought.

"No." He answered far too quickly. And he was definitely staring.

The devil frowned at him. "Right. I have a member of my peerage whose powers are unstable. As a seal master you might be able to give him a better array than what he has now."

"You don't say." Jiraiya's gaze hadn't wavered.

"…I was wondering if it would be possible for you to help my peerage in training. Your experience would be invaluable." Rias glowered at his inattention.

"Uh-huh."

A vein on Rias' head started to thrum. "As a master of the sage arts, would it be possible for you to assist one of my subordinates in learning them?"

"Hmm. Maybe we can work something out." He giggled perversely.

Rias scowled deeply at his answer. "There's one more thing I'd like to you are still staring at my breasts." She did not shout. She didn't.

"No, I'm not." He denied. He was leering even as he said it.

Rias opened her mouth. Thought about saying something scathing. Then closed it again. She slumped in her seat.

She really didn't know why she was disappointed, but she was. It seemed like every 'great master' and 'wise leader' was a deviant. Or just not quite there in the head.

The redhead sighed. She should probably prepare herself for disappointment in the future.

"Naruto called you pervy-sage. That wasn't sarcasm, was it?" Rias crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to cover them from his sight. She was confident in her appearance and didn't mind staring most of the time, but this was a man she might be working with in future. Manners and professionalism needed to be set.

"Noooooooooo." Jiraiya waited a beat. "That was sarcasm."

Rias' lips twitched.

Jiraiya's face became serious as he decided to breach her last topic. "You want Naruto in your peerage." It wasn't a question.

Rias didn't bother to look surprised as she answered. It had been an obvious request. "I do. Powerful kitsune outside of the main clans are rare. Ones who know senjutsu even more so. It would be strange if I didn't want him."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Oh. And why do you figure he can use senjutsu? How do you know he's not part of a clan?"

The redhead pursed her lips. There was nothing to gain by lying to him and she might earn goodwill with him being honest. A connection with someone of strength was never bad. "Uzumaki is not a kitsune clan name. I know all of them. You are a known practitioner of the sage arts. One of the few humans who are. Naruto is your apprentice. In addition there was a spike of natural energy during the spar that was sensed by a member of my-."

"The catgirl." Jiraiya cut her off. Rias had a look of slight surprise. "You aren't the only one with eyes and ears, young lady."

Rias continued undeterred. "True. But back to the point. You are Naruto's master. I am asking for your approval to take him into my peerage."

Jiriaya held up his hands. "No can do. At least not now."

Rias didn't let her disappointment show. "May I ask why?"

The sage looked at her and for a moment, just a moment, Rias saw why this elusive man was respected by so many in the supernatural community. His eyes were steely, his face stern. Though his body hadn't moved an inch she felt threatened. She felt judged. Against her will, her body stilled.

Then it was gone. The laid-back old lecher had returned. Wandering eyes and an easy smile. He slouched in his chair and sipped from his glass.

She knew it hadn't been her imagination.

Jiraiya answered. "Naruto's got an arrangement with Inari. Inari made it clear that until Naruto succeeds or dies, he can't join any faction. Why did you think that a 'powerful, senjutsu-knowing kitsune' hasn't been snatched up by a clan yet?"

Rias' eyes narrowed as she considered what Jiraiya had said. It made sense. If Naruto was reincarnated by the kitsune's god every kitsune clan in the world would be desperate to take him in. The only reason they wouldn't have done so would be if Inari commanded otherwise.

That… that would do it. Risking the displeasure of a god was never a smart thing.

Rias gave the old man a suspicious look. "I suppose you will want help from me or my peerage in return?"

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "What gave me away? That I didn't tell you what the deal with Inari was? That I hinted other clans wanted to recruit him, so you would fear there's competition? Or that I blew off your requests because nothing about them would benefit me or Naruto?"

Rias pouted cutely. She hated negotiating. She liked things when they were simple.

"What is the task?" She questioned.

The older ninja leaned forwards. "A few thousand years back a very powerful being went nuts. I mean crazy, blast everything, coo coo for cocoa puffs insane. Nobody knows what exactly it was or why it went crazy, since there are some texts that say it had been around for a while. It was eventually defeated and its power split into nine pieces. The job is simple. Find the pieces, hand them off to Inari, and let the gods work their magic."

"Simple… but difficult?" She prodded.

Jiraiya chuckled ruefully. "Oh yes. We're going to have competition. There are people in the hidden lands who know about these things. They will do their best to take that power for themselves. Or if they have one already…" The sage shrugged. "They won't want to give it up."

Rias let out a long breath. "If I asked my peerage for input, Issei will demand that we help Naruto."

"You could order him to stay." There was no disapproval in Jiraiya's words.

The red haired devil laughed lightly. "You don't know Ise very well if you think that will work."

"I know him well enough. Enough that I don't think noninvolvement is an option for you."

Rias looked at him for explanation.

"Issei already suspects that what Naruto is doing will be risky. He knows Naruto has been training for something. Training hard. He's going to try and push his way into this-"

Rias interrupted him. "And do his best to help, even if I tell him no. I will have to let him go alone or help."

Rias deflated slightly at her own words. It was an undeniable truth. Issei would try to help and do the right thing for his friend. It was just who he was.

She smiled softly. 'The right thing. Like rescuing Asia.' Right thing or not Issei seemed to enjoy giving her headaches.

"This will be quite dangerous, I suppose." Rias said out loud.

"Very. But I'll make you an offer. You want me to train your peerage so you can defeat Riser Phenex once you graduate. I'll agree. Senjutsu, spell training, hand to hand combat, strategy and tactics. I've been fighting for my entire life and I've learned a lot of nice tricks. I'm the best teacher you're going to get." The sage offered.

She inhaled deeply. Jiraiya's eyes focused on what that did to her already impressive figure. "It bothers me that you know about the terms of my engagement. How much do you know about devil society?" She waved him off as he opened his mouth, likely for some witty remark about knowing everything. "You don't need to answer. Yes, I have no intention of marrying that man."

"I'll guarantee you won't." He promised.

Rias nodded. "When this is over I want Naruto in my peerage."

"That I can't guarantee. It will be his decision. He might not accept on principle alone. He wants to lead Konoha, our home. Giving his loyalty to someone else? I don't think it's likely." Jiraiya elaborated.

"And Konoha is?" Rias queried.

"It's a city-state of… warrior mages is the best description. The right term is ninja, though we aren't much like the pop culture ones you're thinking of."

The female devil tilted her head. "This Konoha is run by humans isn't it? They would accept a kitsune ruler?"

The grey-haired ninja looked out the window. His gaze was distant. "No. No, I don't think they will. What I'm afraid of is that Naruto won't ever stop trying. Even if it kills him."

The redhead twisted her lips.

Jiraiya continued. "From where I'm sitting, there are two real possibilities along with two unlikely ones. One, he will join your peerage. Two, he stays with Konoha and works as ninja. The unlikely possibilities are that he will become the leader of Konoha, which means you'll have a powerful ally, or he joins a kitsune clan. Depending on how he fairs in the clan… he could become a clan head. I've been forcing him to study politics and the like. He could go far. Maybe." He thought it over. "I don't think he'll join a kitsune clan though. But he's surprised me before."

Rias hummed and mulled over the situation. This wasn't the ideal course of action. But it would get her peerage training and experience under a much respected warrior. It might also get her a powerful kitsune to join and possibly favors from a group of 'ninjas'. For Naruto to join her peerage… she might have to convince him but she had no doubt he would agree in the end. Her peerage looked after each other like family. Naruto would recognize that. If she was lucky he would ask to join himself.

Even without the benefits… maybe it was Issei's influence, maybe her 'caring nature as a Gremory', but she didn't like the idea of not helping.

She stood from her chair. "I'll need to let my peerage know we are leaving and then set things up with the school staff. Hmm…" She thought it over. "Maybe I can say we are going on some foreign exchange program."

She walked over to the door then turned to question the still seated man. "Is there a preferred time to leave?"

"I own a boat that we'll use to make the trip. We can leave whenever." Jiraiya made eye contact with her. "I strongly recommend we set sail by tomorrow though."

Rias' blue eyes stared back. "Why?"

Jiraiya took another sip of his drink. "Trust me on this. This is best for everyone here."

The Next Day, Pacific Ocean

"Shouldn't I be training?"

"No, you're helping Asia cook dinner."

Naruto growled at the pervy-sage's response. Everyone else was relaxing, or as Jiraiya put it 'resting for readiness'. Naruto could only assume that meant they needed to get ready for training.

The blonde kitsune felt a rush of excitement as the boat rocked gently. He was going home. After two years he would be able to get things back on track. He would be able to save Sasuke with what he had learned. He would be able to get the village's respect. He would accomplish his dreams. He knew it.

With those thoughts on his mind he went back inside the ship.

Let it never be said that Jiraiya had no eye for beauty. The ship was a large yacht. It had been paid for by the profits of the Icha Icha series. A radiant white vessel with smooth lines, The There She Blows had plenty of luxuries for its passengers.

One of those luxuries was an impressive galley.

That was where Naruto now stood in his swim trunks as he kept an eye on a number of pots. Kiba was up on the deck, also in his swim trunks and resting his feet in the water as the boat slowly made its way towards the barrier.

Naruto's ear twitched. One of his tails reached out to whack Issei's hand when he reached for a taste test. Asia saw it and began to scold the brunette about ruining his appetite for dinner.

A few minutes later Naruto left the stove under Asia's protection and went to a nearby door.

The blonde spoke to the closed room. "Gasper, everyone is having fun out here. Why don't you come out?"

A small voice answered him. "…I don't want to."

Naruto's ears flattened to the top of his head. He knew he was to blame for this. Gasper didn't feel comfortable around so many people. He and Issei had barged into the room yesterday as Jiraiya had finished giving the small dhampir a new seal for his powers. Their loud entrance hadn't endeared them.

"If you come out I'll… I'll make a dessert just for you."

From her seat nearby Koneko whipped her head towards him. Her eyes narrowed. How dare he?

"Really?"

Naruto sweat dropped. "Yes, really." Was that really all it took? He'd been trying for nearly half an hour now.

The door creaked open and Gasper stepped out.

The small dhampir was wearing a girl's one-piece swimsuit with a towel wrapped around his waist. It was oddly appropriate for the small dhampir.

"…are we absolutely sure that he's a boy?" Issei asked.

"Yes. Yes, we are sure." Rias spoke. She was reclining in a lounge chair with a pair of sunglasses. Koneko was wearing a sundress while still glaring daggers at Naruto for promising something sweet to Gasper rather than offering to her. Akeno was relaxing next her king, also in a revealing swimsuit.

Jiraiya himself was sitting on the side railing and scribbling furiously in his book while rapidly looking between all the girls in sight.

Gasper slowly walked over to Koneko and sat next to her. In response she pulled out a bulb of garlic.

The dhampir shrieked and ran back inside the room and slammed the door. He had been outside for a grand total of twenty seconds.

"That was mean." Naruto glared daggers at the white-haired girl.

Koneko shrugged. "Do I get his dessert?"

Rias sighed and got up to go comfort her bishop. Jiraiya groaned in regret as the attractive devil left.

For several minutes there was a comfortable atmosphere as the group relaxed and spoke with each other.

It was only disrupted when Rias stepped back outside.

"I only just noticed but… I don't think there are enough beds for everyone." She said. She had checked to make sure.

It was Jiraiya who answered her. "It's fine. My bed is big enough for six people. I can take a normal bunk while some of you can take mine." He hummed in thought and grinned. "Or maybe all of you can take mine."

From his spot in the kitchen, Naruto turned green. Issei pumped his fist at sharing a bed with four girls. He tried to ignore the fact that it would be shared with boys as well.

"I refuse!" Naruto crossed his arms into an X.

Jiraiya was nonplussed. "And just what is wrong with my bed?"

"You've slept in it for one." The blonde kitsune shot back.

Akeno giggled and Rias smiled. Koneko looked disgusted at the thought of sleeping in the older man's bed. Kiba, as he often did, simply smiled as he watched things play out.

"A pointless excuse. I have the sheets changed and washed regularly." The sage's words did nothing to ease Naruto's nausea at sleeping in his master's room. At least Koneko shared his thoughts, judging by the similar green tint to her face.

Asia looked confused at the conversation. "If the bed is clean then what is the problem? One of my teachers would always say cleanliness is next to Godline- ow!" She raised her hands and tried to massage away her new headache.

The kitsune continued. "My second reason is that you're a pervert. You just want a bunch of boys and a bunch of girls in the same room so you can dream about it."

"Pffft. That's a total lie." The sage derided.

"You disgust me." Koneko made her feelings known.

Jiraiya didn't even glance at her. "Get back to being a kitchen kitsune, Naruto. You all can come to grips with the sleeping situation on your own."

With that Jiraiya returned to his notebook.

It was night out.

A full day of relaxation and friendly banter had done the group good. Naruto in particular. It had been a long time since he had people his own age to talk to. Rather, it had been a long time since he had friends to talk to. Being at the home to so many powerful Void kitsune had been a continuous exercise in maturity and caution for the boy.

He needed a chance to mentally unwind and relax before he started training again. If no one kept him in check, Naruto would gladly burn himself out.

The blonde still didn't realize a vacation when it was thrown at him.

Jiraiya chuckled silently to himself. Once they reached the Elemental Countries there wouldn't be many days like this.

He creaked open the door and looked into the bedroom.

In the large bed laid the Occult Research Club and Naruto. The whole group of them was spread around and sometimes on top of each other.

The old man took a few seconds to look at the sleeping group before he stepped back out to the deck. He walked up to the bow of the ship and placed his hand at the very center of the railing.

Its presence had gone unnoticed by the devils and Naruto hadn't bothered to point it out to them, but there was a small gem embedded there. Around it laid one of the most complex fuinjutsu arrays in the world.

The toad sage pushed chakra into it. In a matter of seconds he felt the ancient energies converge on the ship. Magic, chakra, and natural energy intermixed. The powers of life and death and time and space flowed.

The barrier was thousands of years old. It was as powerful now as it had been the day it was created. It had been crafted by gods.

Reality distorted and stretched before snapping back into place.

A different place.

In a fraction of an instant the boat had traversed the barrier. They were, effectively, in another world.

To an outside observer it would look as if the boat had simply vanished.

Rias' Home

A flare of light accompanied the appearance of a large runic crest on the wooden floor.

Moments later the head of a silver haired woman in a maid uniform phased out of the glowing surface. She took a look around, using her honed senses to search for the owner.

She frowned.

She put her hands together in front of her as if she were holding a ball. Silvery wisps emerged from her fingers and coalesced into a small sphere, suspended between her hands. As the wisps continued to gather the ball turned from a bright silver to a rippling, colorless orb.

Her fingers spread apart and the edges of the ball expanded outwards in all directions.

She stood perfectly still as the barrier stretched to the limits of the city in a matter of seconds. Once it reached its maximum range, the sphere stopped growing and began to shrink back to its original size.

The shimmering ball rushed back to her hands, carrying with it all the data it had gathered. Her hands clasped around the reformed ball and the silver energy seeped into her hands.

The maid's frown deepened.

The spell had returned nothing. The only devils in the area were those of the Sitri peerage.

Rias was not in the city. Her peerage was not in the city.

She didn't know what this might mean.

The woman could only hope that Rias had left willingly. That she had simply gone out of town with her friends without informing her family.

With another flash the woman was gone. The house once again fell still.

Underworld

"Lord Gremory, this is entirely unacceptable. We both agreed to the new wedding date. That Rias has decided to ignore-"

"Lady Rias was not informed of the new date. It is almost certain that she is simply on a trip with her peerage." Came the polite rebuttal.

Off to the side of the meeting table, Riser Phenex sat with a scowl on his face. His younger sister was seated next to him.

He hated these meetings. They went on forever. The two families would go in circles. Neither family would directly accuse and neither family would admit wrongdoing.

He had seen it a dozen times.

It was pointless.

Without saying a word he got up and began to walk out of the room. His sister looked shocked at the disrespect but quickly followed after him. Once they were in the hallway she spoke.

"Brother? Where are we going?" Ravel asked, walking faster to keep up with her brother's gait. Her brother's queen was waiting at the end of the hallway.

"Yubelluna, go and fetch the rest of the girls." He commanded.

"Brother, don't ignore me!" Ravel shouted at him.

Yubelluna nodded her head and departed. Riser continued his powerful strides forward.

"Brother, what are we doing!?"

Riser slammed open the front doors of the Phenex manor.

"We're going to find my bride."

AN: So I finally got around to posting this. Despite my current number of stories, I do plan on continuing this, even if I update slowly. This is a fusion fic, so expect certain things to be different than the canon of each source. I don't really want to follow the rails of canon, and I do have a plot concerning the changes I'll make. I'm giving and taking from each verse to try and make something unique and internally consistent. Hopefully I manage.

There are a few ideas I want to explore in this story and I hope I can do it justice.

Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. I've got the second chapter mostly done, so it shouldn't be too long before the next update. No guarantees about the future though.