Snap.

Well, cold snap to be exact.

It's a bit cold where I am.

Not that it'll deny me from continuing on.

This chapter will be boring, a little. . .

Alright, no, this whole chapter is just mind blow after mind blow.

I'm sorry, but I don't even know.

This was supposed to happen, but it feels too rushed, as the-

You know what, no spoilers.

I mean, if you're wondering how I'll explain all this, guess what, I won't.

No, but I'll at least give a very, very, very questionable setting as to all of this happened.

'So, we're in Heaven?'

Akari frowned at the statement. The purple miasma lighting the place flickered, though there was no wind.

'That's a bit misleading, since we're in what used to be part of it.'

Elsi drew a blank. She had always failed Hell History class (she blamed the boring lessons).

'. . . .I'm assuming you don't know where this is, right?'

Elsi shakes head with a solid "no."

'Well, the actual Heaven is quite a ways from this place.'

Bringing out her hagoromo, Akari fondled it as she spoke.

'This is an abandoned sector. There aren't any real "living" things to be exact. All that's left are the Fallen Angels.'

Even Elsi had at least heard of the stories. Fallen Angels being supposed heavenly beings who died an unnatural death, and would attack anything it perceived as a threat to its home, in a twisted sense of loyalty.

Apparently, it would take away those who didn't work hard enough and were lazy.

'Those exist?'

The shadow that she had narrowly avoided with the help of Akari was brought back to her mind.

'Yes, but not the ones you're thinking of. I's all a bit more complicated than I care to explain. All you need to know is that they're dangerous, so run if you see one. Never attack, got it? When those things are involved, you better not be foolhardy or you won't have a chance to apologize.'

Stepping away from the blazing light, Akari looked over to the crevice in the wall that was the exit.

'Luckily, there's not that many. I'm assuming that since this is a huge barren wasteland, but I haven't seen that many.'

Glancing over at Elsi, she grimaces.

'You heard all that, right? I swear. . . '

'Ah, yes, yes, I heard it all.'

Elsi was on edge, as she realized she was still far from home here. She needed to get back, and for that, Akari was going to have to help her.

She stood up as well (and nearly banged her head on the ceiling), and shot an adamant look at the other demon.

'You're going to have to take me home.'

'Did you just hear what I sai-'

Elsi walked over to the gaping black hole beside Akari, giving her an unexpectedly steely gaze.

'I have to go home and go help.'

Akari cast a doubtful scan of the demon. Chalk-covered cloth. A clueless expression. No hagoromo. A broom. And above all, a stubborn glint in her eyes that indicated she was going to do something. Stupid, that is.

All of a sudden, she freezes.

. . . . . . . . And does so for quite a while, eliciting a response from Elsi.

'Akari?. . . . . '

Nothing. The other devil just standing there, collecting dust.

'. . . . . Akari?'

This time, a little bit louder.

Of course, the same thing she was given just a moment ago. Silence.

But before Elsi could go to any extremes attempting to awaken the apparently nonfunctional Akari, she suddenly gives a jolt, startling Elsi.

'Ah.'

A completely understated sound for the moment of panic Elsi had.

Akari blinks for a moment, before giving a rather empty smile.

'So that's what it's all about. Heh. How fun.'

Elsi could only narrow her eyes in confusion.

As if noticing her just then (Elsi had to admit, she was just a little sad about the thought), Akari blinks again.

'Oh. I'm guessing you're wondering what just happened. Or, better yet, what will happen.'

'. . . .I guess, on-'

Her hesitant reply was rudely interrupted.

'Anyways, forget everything I just said. As in everything, from the moment I met you to the me before I was loading.'

Another inquiry.

'Loading?'

A sigh. Seems Akari's patience with her was still at a bare minimum.

'Well, I was loa- You know what, I'll explain that later. For now, I'll go over the details that are more important. Walk and talk, the portal should get here soon.'

'Portal?'

Crossed eyebrows are seemingly permanent on Akari's face as she speaks.

'As I've said, I'll explain later. As for now, again, I will give you a basic description of our, or more accurately your, situation.'

Of course, Elsi was still coming to terms with the fact that Akari had just in her own words refute everything that she had told Elsi about her past.

It was, to say the least, shocking.

'B. . .But what abou-'

The steely gaze from the girl in question left no questions to be asked.

'Look, for starters, I'll again explain the "history" that transpired to lead to our. . . apocalyptic surroundings.'

She gestures forwards the dusty ruins and destruction around them.

'This place, if you can call it that, is in fact, another dimension, though certianly not related to Heaven or Hell. This is typically referred to as the "Dead End." Or at least, that's how it is usually interpreted as.'

Elsi made a connection between the name and her memories with Keima over galges and gal games.

'So. . . .like in d-'

Akari continued on, but she seemed to understand what Elsi had to say.

'Yes, very similar to the games your partner plays. Rather,' developing a bemused look, 'this is, in fact, a game that Katsuragi has played.'

Elsi only looked more puzzled.

'I'm more unsure regarding the exact origin of the sudden creation of a abundance of sentient game data in this world, but all I can say is that due to it, there are now several characters normally existing in the two dimensional screen, now coexisting with reality.'

Akari gave a welcome pause, as Elsi tried to absorb the fact that Keima had caused his wildest dreams to come true, and mesh reality and the ideal together. Firetrucks indeed.

'Now, as of right now, evidently you were sent by force to this "Dead End" dimension, where you certainly don't belong. I'm going to make a hypothesis that the sentient characters have realized their environment, and perhaps developed a glitch or two, as data is prone to do, and likely attempt to "terraform" their surroundings into the game settings. But this has a low probability rate, so unless there a re a multitude of characters that were downloaded into the real world, I have doubts with this hypothesis.'

Elsi instantly thought back to the crazed and obsessed tone Shima had used before sending her to this realm.

'I, I'm not quite sure, but. . . I may have already met that person.'

Akari briefly stops walking, and Elsi halts as well.

'So you're saying that you've met the corrupted data already?'

Elsi gives a small nod, still unsure whether she was on the same page, or even book, as Akari.

'Then again, you are from the future, correct?'

The other demon was startled by Akari's sudden question.

'Seems about right. Your story didn't hold up, and the fact that you're older than me, and kept calling me sister. . . . .anyways, this means that you are to return to your current time, while all game character will likely continue to operate to your present time. I'm assuming the corrupted data didn't expect someone like me to be in this place. Speaking of this place. . . '

Akari scanned the area, which Elsi noticed she did more and more frequently, before pulling Elsi close.

'Listen, all that nonsense about "Fallen Angels?" Yes, those aren't "Fallen Angels," rather, their the inhabitants of this place, I'm guessing either semi-sentient data or empty character slots that were never filled.'

She sighs, as she is dimly aware that Elsi could only try to process all the information given to her.

'Whether that is the case or not, they are highly dangerous, since I'm guessing you are meant to figuratively "die" here. This is really the only place where I believe in-game characters can "die." Rather convenient.'

'So. . .the portal?. . .'

'Oh yes, the portal. All I can say is, in-game characters have the ability to defy reality, as we aren't part of it. And if we gain self-awareness, and become a independent AI, we can utilize our lack of restrictions, since in the game, a number of restrictions prevent characters from acting outside the script, binary or another language.'

Elsi then stopped moving.

'Wait, did you say "we" just then?'

Akari nodded sagaciously at her comment.

'Well, yes, I am an AI. I'm definitely not the Akari you're surely familiar with, but I am programmed to act similar to her. Obviously, I gained self-awareness, and as you may have noticed, I'm slowly losing her traits.'

Elsi's mind was just about ready to implode.

'Anyways. . . '

Akari stood still, and beckoned Elsi over to her.

'Not to sound cliché or anything, but we've got company.'

As if on cue, the area suddenly grew dark with shimmering bodies of what seemed to be winged figures.

'Are those. . . '

The shorter devil gives a resolute dip of her head.

'Seems like it. It's a bit difficult to see them, considering they were given a vague code regarding their physical attributes. Other than that, they have a very complex firew- no, actually I'm pretty sure they're the physical manifestation of the firewall. Very dangerous for anything to go up against, comsdering that they are just data, and attacking by any means other than hacking or such is absolutely useless, since again, it is just data.'

The nonchalant chatting from Akari was contrasted by Elsi's steadily growing fear as the "Fallen Angels" trudged closer to them.

'And. . . And what exactly are we supposed to do?. . . '

Akari merely looks up.

'Ah, there it is.'

Again, right on time, a brilliant display of colors descended on the field, illuminating the shadows around the two and momentarily blinding the virtual monsters around them.

In the midst of the bright kaleidoscope, a thin wall appears, casting a mirror effect on the duo standing next to it.

'There's our ride. Or more specifically, your ride.'

Her emphasis on the portal not being her ride caused Elsi to turn back for a split second.

'But wait, about y-'

Akari shakes her head in refusal.

'It's a no go, unfortunately. I don't want to cause any space-time continuum errors or anything. Well, that, and I have to deal with these guys.'

She indicated to the rapidly approaching horde of silent pursuers.

'It was fun. See you in the other side, I guess.'

With that, the devil pushed her in.

"Other Side"

(AKA The Akanemaru)

'Elsi, Elsi! You alright?'

The familiar face of Chihiro greeted the devil, right before she got up in a hurry, knocking both their heads together.

'Ow!'

'Hey, that hurt!'

The frivolous scene on the deck of the ship was interrupted by Elsi's desperate search for the missing devil. That is, Akari Kurakawa.

'Where is she? Chihiro-chan, do you know where Onee-sama is?! Where is-'

Her frantic frenzy is held off by Chihiro, who was very much annoyed by the kicking and shoving, which seemed violent enough to shake the ship.

'Okay, okay, if you're looking for Akari, she-'

'Looking for someone?'

The two girls turn to the devil in question, along with Nikaido and Haqua.

'I wouldn't be wrong if I assumed you were looking for me, Elsi?'

Keima stepped out of the cabin with Kono and Tsuya, shaking his head.

'That could have gone wrong so many times. . . .'

The two only smirked capriciously.

4 Koma

(1)

'So, we're in Heaven?'

Akari frowned at the statement. The purple miasma lighting the place flickered, though there was no wind.

'Now, why would you deserve that?'

(2)

But before Elsi could go to any extremes attempting to awaken the apparently nonfunctional Akari, she suddenly gives a jolt, startling Elsi.

'Ah.'

A completely understated sound for the moment of panic Elsi had.

Akari blinks for a moment, before giving a rather empty smile.

'Sorry, I was wondering about this riddle I was given in the crossword puzzle. It went something like "What is it called when you stick a hairy pole in and out of your mouth until you spit out a white liquid?" I was stumped.'

Elsi looked somewhat apprehensive at the supposed subject matter.

'Well, the answer was "Brushing your teeth." I had absolutely no idea.'

This chapter would be listed quite high on my least favorite chapter.

With little description and little to no emotion felt from the loss of Akari, there is a subtle ridiculousness in the situation as a whole.

It's lost the serious tone, adapting a more faux 80's over-the-top, something-or-the-other undertone of a fear of Communism spread.

I think.

Or maybe I'm studying that specific chapter of history too much for exams.

Of course not, since everyone knows that's only in American History.

But on another note, the next chapter in this arc will again, not be an actual chapter.

There was a request.

An unwelcome one, but what can I say, are any requests welcome?

Again, I'd like to note I'm currently still undergoing exams, so expect more subpar chapters for. . . . I don't know, did readers even have any expectations of me?

Great.

Readers expected nothing, and yet they're still disappointed.

Story of my life.