"Enough."
Those simple words were all it took for the pressure barring down on their very beings to be eased, a wave of magic brushed the sensation away like a breeze. A breeze so frigid that it would've frozen a normal human solid, but eased against their skin with the delicacy of a feather. Craning her neck up, Koneko gazed upon an incredibly small back. That black maid's uniform did nothing to detract from the amount of menace being exuded into the air itself.
Power that seemed equal to that boundless display from before, arcane circled spun rapidly in the air. A threat more pointed than anything else.
"Grayfia." The man nodded and turned his back to them, completely losing all interest in them. A slap against the pride of any Devil out there, something that would've gotten any normal human ripped apart from even the most tolerant of those prideful ilk. But that display had shown them all he was nowhere near what one could call an 'ordinary' human.
"Yamato Iori." Grayfia, dubbed as the Strongest Queen, curtsied to the man with the gravitas of meeting some important person. That single motion, from the ever prideful Devil was enough to send out a ripple of shock through the youth around her. She usually only bowed to the Satans in such a manner, but to see that silver hair bow it's head even a little bit would've been enough to shatter the dreams of many back in the Underworld. "It seems even after all these years, you have not changed a bit."
"Good skin care." Iori shrugged, pulling on the line and out came yet another writhing fish. "Take them away. Do not disturb me again, Devil."
"Bu-"
"Of course."
She bowed deeply to the turned back, cutting off the bullheaded red head before she could put her foot further in her mouth. And Koneko didn't need anything further to take up the monster's offer of mercy, scampering behind the gray haired pillar. Rias, despite wanting to speak up, probably saw how dire the situation was and instead quickly scooped Millicas up, following in step to the fleeing cat. Akeno wasn't too far behind, clothes rumpled beyond imagine, completely losing that refined appearance she so diligently cultivated.
As the four fled the clearing like a bat out of hell, only Millicas had the courage to speak up in their flight.
"Where's Mother?"
"She'll be fine." Rias tried to comfort the child but her wild blue eyes and ripped clothes from the multitude of bramble they charged through didn't make her seem convincing in the slightest.
"Lady Grayfia is known as the Strongest Queen," Akeno pipped up for the first since stepping in that clearing, a series of leaves and twigs tangled in her inky locks. Despite her attempts to put the child at ease, those terrified purple eyes and the dread oozing off her in waves was enough to tell Koneko that even she herself wasn't too sure," I'm sure she'll be with us shortly."
The Yokai didn't say anything, there wasn't anything she could say to add. They hadn't sensed what she had, that wave of energy Grayfia expelled wasn't enough to push that single wisp away. No, that small strand had retracted on it's own. What ever power-level this 'Iori' character was at, wasn't something the Strongest Queen could handle.
But despite knowing this, she didn't dare open up her mouth and only continued fleeing. Bulldozing through under brush and blowing apart some of the thicker branches. She didn't even know where she was going, only knowing that getting as far away from the upcoming conflict was of utmost paramount. Call her a coward or scaredy cat, she didn't care.
"Do you sense anything Koneko?"
Her King's voice, influenced by the throbbing piece in her chest, shook her from that panicked flight. Reason beginning to click back in place and with an effort of will, she expanded her senses to as far as they would reach. Green. Life. Ancient. The weight of centuries, that's all she could sense in this overgrown forest. That Tree's energy permeated every square inch of this location, making it impossible to get an accurate read on whatever was going on with Grayfia or her fate.
"No. The forest is blocking me." Koneko shook her head grimly, heart hammering in her chest like a runaway train. She knew that particular news wouldn't be taken well, but it was the truth. There was just too much of 'that' energy here to get anything of use.
"I would expect as so."
A soft voice said from besides them and years of training truly took over, a small fist slammed home. A series of purple magical circled swirled in the air and a single ball of crimson energy that ate up the air itself. An impressive display of power for those so young, but against the person before them it was for naught.
Golden tails whirled, and their prepared techniques and attacks shattered. That small fist slammed into the ground, those magical circles crackling with barely contained electricity fizzled out into nothing and that ball of absolute devastation winked out of existence. Before them, they could look up at the person that so casually disrupted their attacks. An ancient creature, rivaling the age of that tree, stood with a small smile that didn't quite meet those scornful golden eyes.
Nine tendrils swayed behind her, a fan in hand as the Yokai Leader looked down on them. From her spot on the ground, she could see Sona and her group with their eyes downcast. Each of them wrapped in a thin string of energy that held them still, whether it was the humiliation itself or the string, it really didn't seem to matter in the slightest.
"Rias Gremory." Yasaka shook her head, as though to show her displeasure to a child. "You weren't even here for 1 day. Not even 12 hours before you disobeyed a direct order from your host. Were my warnings not clear enough….Or do Devils take my words much too lightly?"
"I-I-" Rias's mouth only opened and close like a gaping fish as she was truly caught with her hands in the cookie jar. It was strange seeing the heiress so lost for words, but this truly wasn't a joking manner any longer. With Grayfia occupied, this woman could do whatever she wanted to them. Sure there would be heavy relation due to the family members of 2 Satans involved, but what would that matter if they were already dead?
"Sona Sitri." The blonde cut the red head off ruthlessly. "Repeat to me the rules you were aware of after our meeting."
It wasn't a request, no this was an order from an empress in her own territory. Disobedience here wouldn't be wise. After throwing the group a sorrowful expression, the short haired girl began to speak.
"Don't go into the designated locations…"
"And you were provided with a directed list."
It wasn't a question, instead a statement.
"Yes."
Sona's voice was as quiet as a mosquito then, her bangs falling down to cover her eyes. Looking truly like a child being scolded.
"Then," Yasaka turned back to the pale faced red head who was clutching the small body to her tightly," Why have you decided to spit in my hospitality? Was I not generous enough? Were the multitude of landmarks available to the public not beautiful enough? Or was it just the thought of being told what to do from the leader of a 'back water' faction that irked you so?"
"Y-you can't h-harm us!" The girl stammered words were clear enough for everyone to hear and Koneko truly wanted to curl up into a ball at that. "M-my brother and her s-sister would throw a fit if you do!"
The silence that followed was telling. Sure the Satans were powerful, being the very pillars that allowed them to stand and dominate the world as a whole, but they weren't here currently. And if anything were to happen to them, it would already far too late to save them.
"That might be true." The blonde nodded slightly, making the group almost let out a sigh of relief. But that soon felt a bit too premature after her next words. "That doesn't mean you won't be punished. House arrest sounds good enough. After Grayfia comes back, you'll be duly escorted out of Kyoto. And barred from ever stepping foot in Kyoto ever again."
Just as the red head's mouth shot open in a ready automatic response, an ethereal hand clutched at her lungs and seized them with a feather light touch. Koneko couldn't explain it, the...pressure wasn't that energy. No, it was something ambient and passive, something that needed to be restrained like a wild beast ready to snap it's jaws at anything with enough flesh on it's bones. Even with that pressure not focuses on her, she could feel every hair on her body stand on in with zero signs of falling back in place anytime soon.
"Don't say another word, Heiress of House Gremory." Yasaka said cooly, her voice coming out like a hidden dagger in the night. It's cold metal threatening to leave burning lines across the skin. It seemed that slightly teasing tone of hers was completely absent here. Who would've thought going against someone in their own territory wouldn't be looked on fondly? "Less you force me to look over your lease over Kuoh Town."
That shut the heiress's mouth shut with an audible click, skin growing red as her hair as the taste of anger rolled off her in waves. But it was an impenitent fury. What could she truly do? There was no way any of them would even stand against the Kitsune, Koneko knew this as clearly as the human sky was blue. The woman oozed with enough energy to make even the Satans pale in comparison, it was like they were facing down the world itself and even if all of them, both Sona and Rias, came together to try to fight her, it would only end in tragedy. Maybe the three nobles wouldn't be killed outright, but it would be the servants paying the price.
As though to further prove her point, Yasaka turned her back on the enraged girl. Exposing her vulnerable side in that moment, as though to further taunt her into doing something ill advised. Luckily, a slender hand snatched out with the alacrity of a serpent and gripped her arm. Akeno stood by Rias's side, a carefully designed blank expression plastered across her face. But it was those purple orbs that truly told the story, they were pleading.
If there was one thing anyone has rarely seen, it was the black haired girl pleading or begging. Given her tendencies, it was usually always the other way around. But today could be called something special. Having ran head first into not one but two different powerhouses that could turn into a smear on the ground was enough to hammer home the untenable situation they were all in.
With an effort of will, the red head's shoulders slumped and whiling clutching Millicas close to her chest, followed in behind the retreating back of Yasaka. Koneko soon followed after making sure her tail and ears were properly put away, she didn't miss that flash of..something in the woman's aura whenever she looked at them and wanted no parts in whatever was going on in her head.