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Chapter 35

The atmosphere within the clubroom was thick. Rias sat in uncomfortable silence as she watched her servants. Akeno was making a pot of tea, her expression downcast and her eyes puffy from crying. Koneko was no better, sitting in one of the couches with a biscuit in hand. Despite her snack, she had barely nibbled at it, only keeping it close to her mouth as if assessing whether she had the appetite to eat it or not.

Rias could only release a tense breath. She had learned from Issei that some rather unfortunate things had occurred between the girls and Josuke. The truth of his supposed ignorance to their feelings had come out, and the girls had reacted in a not so kind way. Not that Rias didn't understand, but she had hoped to talk to them about it. Instead, Koneko and Akeno had kept to themselves the rest of the previous day and had remained silent since she saw them in the morning.

What a terrible situation. And I can't do anything to help ease it.

Her gaze trailed to Asia, the blonde Devil sitting across from Koneko. She was obviously as uncomfortable as Rias, if not more so. Her mood seemed to sour with the rest of them, a saddened frown stretching down her lips.

"Um… Koneko-chan?" Asia's voice called out meekly, the petite Devil blinking slowly as she looked up at the blonde. "If… you're not really liking that biscuit, why don't we go and get something sweeter to eat before going out for our contracts? Would that be okay, President?"

"If you two really want to, I don't mind," Rias said, welcoming the chance to brighten the mood.

"No thanks… I'm not really hungry, I guess," Koneko breathed out, setting the biscuit back on her plate.

Rias frowned while Asia seemed completely dispirited by the rejection, her eyes trailing back to the ground as she nodded slowly. "Okay then…"

Rias rubbed her face tiredly, surrendering to the heavy atmosphere in silence. Thankfully, the sound of the clubroom entrance door clicked, the doors pushing open. Akeno and Koneko both stopped what they were doing, their heads swiveling to the entrance with newfound energy as their eyes lit up. But when it was only Issei and Kiba walking through, the two visibly faltered, though Akeno did her best to put on a plastic smile.

"A-Ah, welcome you two."

"H-Hey…" Issei waved awkwardly. Yesterday's events were still weighing on him, and he had a front row seat to it all.

"Ah, Issei, Yuuto. Where's everyone else?" Rias asked, hoping to keep the silence from lingering.

"I believe Xenovia-san is getting some extra lessons due to her late arrival at the school, and Okuyasu-san is receiving some extra homework due to his poor grades," Kiba explained, trying to ignore the tense mood of the room. "As for Josuke-kun, well…"

"He uh… he said that he was… going to take a few days off… from the club," Issei finally fessed up. Koneko and Akeno became still as statues, their eyes becoming empty at the news. Rias was surprised by this reaction, to say the least. Had the girls not been angry with him only a day ago, yet they still wanted to see him? Had they changed their minds or was there something left unsaid?

Rias shook her head, unable to keep the train of thought. She had to do her best for her servants, sitting up and nodding. "I see. Well, tell Josuke-kun that we'll be missing him, and that he better come back soon."

"I will. He told me that he just needed a few days, so I'm gonna be on his ass in case he tries to avoid coming back when he says he will," Issei reassured, giving a resolute smile to his master.

"Good. I'll hold you to that, Issei," Rias smiled before looking around at her servants. "Alright, everyone. I think now would be a good time to head out for your contracts. You're all dismissed."

With those words, the clubroom began to move, Akeno and Koneko stiffly moving from their spots and heading for the door. Rias couldn't help but sigh, holding a hand up.

"Akeno, Koneko. Wait a moment."

Her servants halted at her order, the others looking back briefly before continuing out, knowing to leave it to their master. Akeno and Koneko approached her desk, both girls standing stiffly in front of her.

"If you two want, you can take the night off. I can tell you both have a lot on your mind. Maybe it's best to-"

"Please don't, President," Akeno cut her off, forcing an empty eyed smile. "I would like something to focus on. I promise that if it disrupts my contract, I will leave."

"Same," Koneko declared, her eyes hidden behind her bangs.

Rias glanced between the two, her chest tightening as she felt helpless. Releasing a breath, Rias nodded. "Alright, if that's what you wish. Just… do what you feel is best, okay?"

They both nodded silently before turning around to head out the door. Rias slumped back into her chair, placing her cheek in her palm. Just when an intense threat disappears, this happens. I hope you'll come back soon, Josuke-kun. Good or bad, the girls want to see you.

"Are you going to keep pouting like that? It's ruining my concentration."

Asia jumped in her chair, eyes snapping up to Rohan as he watched her with a bemused expression.

"S-S-Sorry, Rohan-sensei! I-I've just got a lot on my mind right now…" Asia apologized, quickly bowing over and over again.

"I see. I figured such was the case," Rohan hummed, tapping his lip with the pen in his hand before a devious smile spread across his lips. "Well, perhaps I can unload some of that weight from your shoulders by taking a small read inside...?"

"R-Rohan-sensei, you're the worst!" Asia whined, swaying her arms at her sides while the mangaka only laughed in amusement.

"Alright, alright, fine. Just tell me what's bothering you. Perhaps it will serve as some material for dramatic tension," Rohan offered instead, leaning back in his chair as he waited for the blonde patiently.

Asia's brow raised, surprised by Rohan's offer despite his obvious deflection of kindness with the talk of material. Asia gave a sad smile, her eyes falling to the ground as she took him up on the offer.

"Josuke-nii… didn't show up to the clubroom today. Issei told me that something happened between Akeno-san and Koneko-chan, our friends, and him but didn't tell me why. But when I saw the girls today, I could feel their grief and sadness. I wanted to help them, but… I didn't know how. It seems so strange as just a day ago, we were all having fun together after such a fierce battle…"

"Hm… I see. These girls, Akeno and Koneko as you called them. Do they have feelings for Josuke Higashikata?" Rohan asked, his eyes focused on the notepad in his hands as he jotted something down.

"Huh? Feelings?" Asia repeated, her cheeks heating up at the mention. "W-Well… maybe. They do seem to be really attached to Josuke-nii lately…"

"Ah, interesting. Then perhaps they were both simultaneously rejected," Rohan guessed, leaning back in his chair as he tried to think up all the possibilities.

"Eh? Rejected?"

"Or perhaps they found out he's already in a relationship."

"R-Rohan-sensei…"

"Or even worse, that he's interested in men."

"Rohan-sensei!"

"The relationship that Issei Hyoudou seems to share with him does seem rather suspicious…"

"Rohan-sensei, you're not listening~!" Asia whined, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

"Ah, apologies. I suppose I did get lost in thought for a brief moment," Rohan admitted, rubbing his chin as he looked back at Asia. "So then, your issue truly lies within the fact that you're unable to help your friends, then?"

Asia's eyes widened a bit before casting them to the ground. She gave a small nod. "They're all hurting right now… but I don't know what to do to make it better. S-Should I approach them and try harder? O-Or maybe speak with Josuke-nii about what happened? I just… don't know…"

"Perhaps it's better to let sleeping dogs lie," Rohan said, waving a hand in dismissal. "Some issues aren't yours to fix, even if they lie with your friends. Allow it to resolve itself rather than worrying as much as you are."

Asia released a small sigh, nodding in understanding. "Maybe… I just hate to see them so sad like this… I want everyone to smile like usual."

"Life isn't always smiles and good times, Asia. You know that better than anyone," Rohan pointed out cynically. "Even when your friends are around, you're bound to have personal problems that keep them from enjoying life."

"I see…" Asia trailed off, Rohan's words only causing her frown to deepen. The mangaka stared at her from the side, assessing his next move as he watched the Devil with a smallest bit of pity and regret. He was aware that his words were of little comfort, but thought that Asia needed a reality check. Still, he couldn't help but feel some remorse as he watched her pitiful display.

With a deep sigh, Rohan closed his notebook, setting it back on his work desk. "Your mood is making it difficult to focus on work."

"Oh, sorry… if you want I can-"

"No. Today we're going around town for some material as well as nostalgia," Rohan dismissed, standing from his chair and gathering up some folders from his desk and stuffing them into a shoulder bag.

"Nostalgia?" Asia repeated in confusion.

"Yes. I don't believe I've told you yet, but I actually lived in this town as a child. I was rather young and don't remember much, so I've been meaning to do a round through town to help recall any memories I might have. It's part of my job as a manga writer to know my own story, after all. Grab my camera, would you? It's in the closet over there."

"O-Oh, okay," Asia nodded, doing as he asked and retrieving an expensive black camera from the closet, Asia taking a moment to marvel at it. "Th-This one?"

"Yes. Don't bother bringing the bag, I'll carry it around my neck," Rohan nodded, walking up to her and taking the camera, letting it hang over his chest. "Grab another bag. Even if I take pictures, I may become inspired enough to draw something on the spot."

"O-Okay!" Asia quickly grabbed a shoulder bag by his desk before moving to walk behind Rohan, the mangaka not bothering to wait for her as he headed for the door. Asia trailed behind him, staring at Rohan's back with wonder.

Is he… trying to cheer me up?

Asia knew the man to be cold and distant emotionally, but had seen what his version of 'nice' was as well. With a small smile, Asia felt a bit of relief from her previous anxiety, releasing a small giggle.

"What suddenly has you so cheerful?" Rohan asked, an edge of annoyance in his voice.

"O-Oh, nothing Rohan-sensei," Asia dismissed, knowing that the mangaka would never outright admit to the act. But still, she felt compelled to say it: "Thank you."

"Hmph. I can't imagine what for," Rohan huffed, continuing to act cold as he trotted down the stairs of his home. Asia didn't push the topic, but allowed a gentle smile to spread across her lips as she followed after.

"Come Asia, this way," Rohan called out, eyes glued to a map in his hands.

"Where are we headed next, Rohan-sensei?" Asia asked, the two having walked through the main retail areas of Kuoh already.

"We're going through the more leisurely parts of town. First we're going to had to the park and then trail back to through the graveyard near the edge of town. It'll be interesting to see the difference in atmosphere between a lively location and a dreary graveyard, likely filled with those in mourning."

"Do you think it will help you remember something?"

"Perhaps. I don't remember attending any funerals here, but maybe there was someone that I left behind without realizing. If not, we'll still be able to capture the mood."

"A-Ah, I see. I hope we won't interrupt anyone's personal time…" Asia trailed off nervously, knowing Rohan well enough at this point to think that he might just be that insensitive.

"If it'll keep you from whining, we'll stay at a safe distance from any other visitors," Rohan huffed, rolling his eyes before coming to a complete stop. He did it so suddenly that Asia bumped into his back.

"What's wrong?"

"There's… something amiss here," Rohan mumbled, causing Asia to tilt her head in question. Rohan's gaze trailed up, looking to a small alleyway just to their right, before going back to the map. "This alley… it's not supposed to be here."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Take a look," Rohan turned around, showing the map to Asia with his finger touching a small section. "The map says that the stores here are connected wall to wall. Owson's and the jewelry store shouldn't have any alley in between them. And yet…" Asia and Rohan looked back up at the alley, both confused by the strange inconsistency.

"Wow, you're right… do you think that the map is maybe old?" Asia asked curiously.

"No, this map is brand new. I grabbed it some days ago from a local store in my area," Rohan declared, eyes trailing back to the map and raising a brow. "It's possible that it was just an error left from when it was printed, but… I'm curious."

"What do you want to do?"

"Let's explore the alley. I want to see if this is a simple typo or possibly some actual phenomenon," Rohan declared, closing the map and putting it away. "With an actual Devil at my side, I'm sure you'll make determining this much easier."

"O-Oh, um, okay! I'll do my best!" Asia said, nodding in agreement and causing Rohan to smile.

"Good! That's exactly the attitude we need! Now let's be off!" Rohan said, making a quick heel turn into the alley.

"Right! O-Oh, but wait! If it is an actual supernatural case, we should be careful!" Asia warned, quickly jogging up to his side.

"If something happens, you should get in contact with your master as soon as possible. Though I doubt it's something so serious," Rohan dismissed, walking down the alley with little care. "After all, it seems strange that something 'supernatural' would be open just for anyone to see, don't you think?"

"Well, I suppose that's true…"

The two scanned their surroundings, coming to the end of the alley to find that it lead to a path that trailed across several old houses. Just to their right, they found an old mail drop box, Asia's face wrinkling as she saw a stomped on piece of dog crap just below it.

"How annoying. This map is full of errors!" Rohan huffed, having pulled out the map and looking across the line of houses. "How could they have missed such an obvious landscape?! The houses even have nameplates!"

"It doesn't look like anyone's home…" Asia mused, eyes glazing across the back of each house in suspicion. "One of them even looks abandoned."

"The owners are likely out at work or something. Come, let's explore more and see what else this map is missing," Rohan urged, tucking the paper away as he started to walk further down the alley. Asia quickly jogged to his side, letting her eyes wander as she inspected their surroundings.

"I don't feel any Demonic Energy, so that's good…" Asia mumbled thoughtfully, though her tone conveyed some wariness.

"I doubt that this is anything more than just an error in the map, though I wish I had brought a different one to compare. Though perhaps my navigation app will give us more results…" Rohan fished for the phone in his pocket, pulling it out and trying to connect to the internet. "Hm, strange… It seems that I'm not getting any connection…"

"U-Um… Rohan-sensei…" Rohan's eyes drifted up, feeling Asia tugging on his sleeve. "L-look…"

"Hm, what is… it…" Rohan felt his face drain of blood. Just several meters to their right was the same red mailbox from before. The two might have assumed that it was a different mailbox had there not been the same exact dog crap below it with the exact foot mark stomping out the edge.

"That's… the same mailbox…"

"But… we couldn't have gone in a circle… We made two right turns and a left…" Rohan mumbled, sweat trailing down his brow before looking at Asia in panic. "Quick, let's get out of here. The exit should be just past the mailbox!"

"R-Right!"

The two quickly sprinted forward past the mailbox and down the alley that had led them in. Much to their shock, it only led to the same alley they once stood in before, the mailbox just around the corner to confirm their fears.

"I'm afraid that we really have been caught in a trap…" Rohan muttered, eyes scanning their surroundings for any enemies. "Asia, call upon your master!"

"I-I'm trying, but… I'm not getting any answer!" Asia declared in panic, a magic circle by her ear as she tried to connect to Rias. "I-It's not getting through!"

"So they've blocked out communication as well?! Damn!" Rohan cursed, looking to the sky. "Do you think you can fly up and see what's around us?"

"M-Maybe, but… if they've set up a barrier, it won't matter!"

"Hey there. Are you guys lost?"

Rohan and Asia snapped their heads up, realizing that they weren't alone. Just further past the mailbox was a young girl. She looked the same age as Asia, more slender in appearance and taller. She wore a sleeveless thigh length pink dress and bands across her arms and bows at the front. She had short pink hair that stopped at her neck, with a yellow headband and a pink choker.

"W-Who is she?" Rohan whispered cautiously to Asia. "I-Is she a Devil?"

"I-I don't think so… I-I don't feel any demonic energy coming from her…" Asia muttered back, unsure if the stranger was an enemy or ally.

"Do you guys need help getting back to the street? I can guide you back," The girl said, though Rohan felt no less wary.

"Even if she's not a Devil, she may still be an enemy Stand user…" Rohan declared, taking a step forward and pulling a pen from his front shirt pocket. "We'll strike first! Heaven's Door!"

Before Asia or the girl could react, Rohan drew a shape in the air at blinding speed. Asia watched as what looked like the character from Rohan's story Pink Dark Boy came to life and flew at the girl and touched her face. In an instant, her face and body turned to pages, the girl falling over on the ground unconscious.

"R-Rohan-sensei! W-Was that your Stand?" Asia asked in awe, looking at the magaka in astonishment as he approached the now unconscious girl. "You haven't shown me that yet."

"Yes, I suppose I was saving it for a later demonstration. Though I did only recently come into this development myself," Rohan explained, a bit of pride in his voice. "I suppose it's a sign of my growth lately. It allows me to use Heaven's Door at a greater range than before now that it can manifest a form."

"That's amazing, Rohan-sensei!" Asia exclaimed in praise, jogging up to his side by the girl. "What are you doing now, though?"

"First I'm putting a safelock on her in case she is an enemy. She won't be able to attack us now…" Rohan trailed off, writing inside of the girls pages. "There, done. Now, let's see about where her allegiances lies…"

Rohan turned through a few pages before his eyes suddenly widened. "She's not a Stand user or a Devil… she's just a normal girl."

"E-Eh? She is?" Asia inhaled a breath, looking down in regret at the girl. "Th-Then maybe we should return her back to normal."

"One moment. We should still see about her first…" Rohan said, eyes scanning the pages closely. "Her name is Reimi Sugimoto, age 16. Her address is 3-12 Kotodai, Kuohcho. That's one of the buildings we passed. She doesn't have a boyfriend. Her measurements are 82-57-84 centimeters. She has a mole on the left side of her breast. She had her first period when she turned 11. The first time she kissed a boy, he forced his tongue down her mouth-"

"ROHAN-SENSEI, stop it!" Asia cried out as a heavy blush dusted her cheeks. Rohan grinned in amusement, covering his ears at her loud volume. "S-She's not an enemy, so you shouldn't be peeking in her memories like that! A girl's life is private!"

"Okay, okay, I'll stop!" Rohan laughed, looking back down at Reimi and scribbling more inside. "There. She'll forget everything that just happened and I'll cancel my Stand's power over her. Back up."

Asia gave him a cute glare as he backed away from Reimi but did as he said, watching as the girl rose to her feet and shook her head.

"That was strange… What just happened?" Reimi muttered before looking around and seeing the two. "Oh, hello. Are you guys stuck here? I can show you out. A lot of people get lost here because the alleys all look the same."

Asia and Rohan gave each other a knowing look before the magaka spoke.

"No, that's alright. It would be fine if you just told us how to get out."

"No, no. You guys won't understand if I try to explain it. Just follow me and I'll get you guys out of here, okay?" Reimi dismissed, giving them both a friendly smile. Seeing no other option, Rohan and Asia nodded in acceptance, trailing behind Reimi as she started to strut forward.

"E-Even though she's not an enemy… I'm still worried…" Asia muttered quietly to Rohan. "I still wasn't able to contact President strangely enough…"

"We'll worry about that later. For now, let's see where she's leading us to," Rohan whispered back.

"Is something wrong?" Reimi asked, looking back at the two.

"No, nothing at all. We were merely thrown off by this confusing area," Rohan dismissed with a convincing smile. "Are we almost there?"

"Yup, just a bit further now. By the way, do either of you want some?" Reimi asked, pulling out a box of Pocky sticks.

"No thank you," Asia said, smiling back at her kindly while Rohan simply shook his head.

"No? Alright then. But could you grab on the other end of this one for me?" she said, holding a Pocky stick toward Rohan. The mangaka raised a brow in question but did as she said. With a small tug, Reimi broke the Pocky stick off from her end and giggled. "Uh-oh~! Looks like you're going to get dumped soon! I guess that's what happens when you date younger girls." She said, her eyes trailing to Asia.

Asia and Rohan looked at one another before the blonde suddenly began to blush. "E-E-Eh?! N-No, w-we're not dating! R-Rohan-sensei is just a friend! B-Besides, I… already like someone else…"

"Oh, you're not dating? Sorry, my bad on that…" Reimi laughed awkwardly,rubbing the back of her neck.

"What are you even talking about? What made you say that after breaking that treat in half?" Rohan asked, ignoring Asia as she went into her own little world.

"It's a Pocky fortune! I can tell your fortune by the way the Pocky breaks! You've never heard of that?" Reimi asked with a whimsical smile. "You're a selfish guy, right? You probably have a tendency to mess with people, too. That's why you'll get dumped."

"You hear that Asia? She called me a selfish guy. What a joke!" Rohan laughed haughtily, wrapping an arm around Asia's neck and grinning smugly. All the while Asia could only swallow a lump in her throat and laugh awkwardly, as she was well aware of his selfish tendencies despite his smaller acts of kindness. "But if we're going to play that game, perhaps I should take my turn at tackling you as well?"

"R-Rohan-sensei…" Asia muttered, looking at her contract with worry.

"I won't cheat," Rohan chuckled before standing up straight and pointing at Reimi. "Pink fingernail polish. That indicates that you're a coward when it comes to love, much like this one here."

"R-Rohan-sensei!"

"Because of that, you'll let love slip right through your fingertips out of fear!" Rohan declared, actually causing Reimi to recoil.

"N-No way…"

"Was I right? Though in contrast to your fortune, I used a psychology test. Also, I believe something else is scaring you at the moment. Am I right?" Rohan pushed with a smile. Reimi looked mildly upset, quickly turning her back to him and walking forward.

"Heh. Looks like I was right on the mark," Rohan chuckled as he looked down at Asia. To his surprise, the Devil glared up at him with puffed out cheeks, turning her head away from him and moving forward to follow Reimi. "What?"

"You're so mean, Rohan-sensei!"

"Oh please…" Rohan rolled his eyes before trailing behind the two.

"They say a murder occurred at this house about 15 years ago."

That made Asia and Rohan stop short, Reimi having stopped in front of one of the houses at the end of the alley, standing in front of its gates.

"M-Murder?" Asia gulped.

"Do you want to hear about it?" Reimi asked, turning slowly back to the two. "I heard it from the old lady living next door. The night of the murder, the girl who lived here was asleep in her bedroom but was woken up by the sound of 'drip drip' coming from her parent's room. She wondered what the sound was and called out to her parents: 'Papa, Mama?' she said, but received no answer. But she wasn't scared, because she had her guard dog close by."

"Guard dog?" Rohan raised a brow.

"That's right. He always stayed by her side. If she reached under her bed, she could feel him lick her hand like always, even in the dark. She felt safe because Arnold was there." She continued, looking back at them with a darkened expression. "But the dripping sound wouldn't stop. After ten minutes, the girl couldn't take it and went to check the sound. And when she opened up her door… there Arnold was, hanging from the coat rack with his head nearly sliced off!"

Asia let out a small yelp of fear, the image in her head becoming clearer. Even Rohan showed signs of fear, sweat trailing down his cheek as the story continued.

"She was so scared, that she couldn't even cry out. And then… from under her bed, she heard a voice: "Your hands are so cute and soft~! Kukuku… by the way, I already killed your parents!' he said, and then… the girl was killed too!"

"Yaaah~!" Asia cried out in horror, wrapping her arms around Rohan's neck for comfort. "Th-That's so terrible! I-Is that all true?!"

Reimi looked at Rohan, seeing that he was also disturbed, before letting out a giggle.

"Sorry, did it sound real? That was just some payback for trashing my nail polish."

Rohan and Asia visibly relaxed, the blonde Devil releasing Rohan and breathing out in relief. "G-Geez, Sugimoto-san, that was a really convincing story. I really believed it…"

Rohan swallowed a lump in his throat, though didn't make any comment to spare himself some dignity.

*drip...drip*

Rohan suddenly tensed, slowly craning his head back toward the house. On the lawn, a lone dog stood on the grass. As it turned though, Rohan shuddered as he saw its neck cut nearly in half, blood seeping slowly out of the wound.

"By the way, that girl… was me."

Rohan and Asia shifted their gazes back forward, the dog walking out of the yard and up to Reimi.

"Arnold and I are both ghosts. Where you two wound up walking into… is the gap between this world and the next." Reimi declared, causing Asia and Rohan to begin sweating.

Th-They're both ghosts… but then… what Heaven's Door read… that was information from when she was alive! Rohan thought to himself, taking a step back in fear. "Asia, we should-"

"Th-That's so sad!"

Rohan blinked, looking at Asia like she was mad. "What?"

"What?" Reimi repeated in mild shock.

"So you haven't been able to pass on because of what happened, right?" Asia asked, her expression more sympathetic as tears began to fill her eyes, the blonde approaching Reimi. "I'm so sorry such horrible things happened to you. And here you are, all alone…" Asia looked down at Arnold and smiled sadly. "Well… I guess not all alone…"

Reimi stared at Asia before she felt some tears of her own well up, shaking her head as she gave a small smile. "W-Wow, Argento-san… no one's reacted like that… no one I've ever told my story to. I-I'm really surprised."

"I've been through many tough times, as well. I… I also died somewhat recently, and was brought back as a Devil," Asia explained, causing Reimi to widen her her eyes in shock. "B-But don't worry! I won't hurt you or anything! I know it might sound strange, but… Devil's aren't bad like you might think!"

"What is happening right now...?" Rohan muttered, watching the scene play out in front of him with mild confusion as well as interest.

"Y-You died too..? T-That's crazy! But you became a Devil? How does that work?"

"Well, you see, a good friend of mine is a Devil too, and his master allowed me to become her servant to give me another chance to live!"

"W-Wow, that's incredible! I-I didn't know something like that was possible! I mean-I've always been curious about what's on the other side, but I guess this confirms it…"

"Oh, yes! Should you move on, I do pray that your soul makes it to Heaven, Sugimoto-san! God, I pray that-ow!"

"Did you just try to pray to God for me? But you're a Devil, how does that work? Haha, you're so funny Argento-san!"

"Alright, that's about enough." Rohan sighed, stepping up to Asia's side. "You're handling this rather well, but perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised."

"Oh, so you know about her being a Devil? Are you one too?" Reimi asked curiously.

"No, I'm human. I do possess a Stand, if you know what that is," Rohan explained, his previous fear now having disappeared. "So, am I right in assuming you're not going to attack us?"

"How rude! Why would I ever do that! I'm not a vengeful spirit out to get anybody that comes into the alley in between, you know!" Reimi said, genuinely offended by the suggestion.

"Yeah, Rohan-sensei! You should apologize to Sugimoto-san!" Asia added, the two girls locking hands together in support.

"Why are you two acting so friendly all of a sudden...?" Rohan muttered in wonder before rolling his eyes. "Fine, I apologize. So, now that you've told your scary story, are you going to show us out?"

"I am, don't worry. But after I finish my story," Reimi released Asia's hands, walking over to the fence in front of her house. "You see… I never saw my killer's face. It was dark and my back had been turned. He had stabbed me before I had the chance to see him. But even so, there's one thing I do know about the killer: they're still at large and living in Kuoh. Ever since that day, they've blended into this town."

Asia and Rohan shuddered, but the mangaka quickly composed himself.

"Wait a moment, are you telling us because-"

"I don't expect you guys to find the killer for me, but… at least tell someone who can stop him," Reimi explained, eyes trailing to the ground. "Maybe, if the police know he's still out there, they'll dig deeper into the case."

"O-Of course, Sugimoto-san! We'll-"

"Wait a second, Asia. Don't go making any promises just yet," Rohan cut her off, eyes narrowing at Reimi. "I do feel bad that you were killed in such a way, but why should we try and catch a killer because of your personal grudge and suffering?"

"R-Rohan-sensei! Why would you say that?!" Asia cried out.

"I'm only giving her the rational approach here. Don't you think it would be better for her to move on and go to Heaven rather than stay here with such ties?" Rohan suggested, causing Asia to pause in thought. "Besides, how do we even know that this man is still killing? Or even in this town? The police would only end up on a cold trail again."

"Do you know how many people in this town have gone missing?" Reimi suddenly asked, causing Rohan to raise a brow.

"What? No."

"It's eight times' the national average."

Rohan and Asia couldn't stop their eyes from widening, both wholly unaware of such a large number of missing person cases in their own town.

"I'm not saying that he's the cause of all of them, but the number of missing person cases has only risen since that day fifteen years ago. People will keep dying until he is found. I know this because.." Reimi looked up at the sky, turning her back to them and lowering the edge of her sleeve. "Because those killed by him fly over this spot all the time! All with the same mark that I have on my back!"

Completely exposing her back, Rohan and Asia gasped, the stab wounds in Reimi's back deep and terrible.

"S-Sugimoto-san… I'm so sorry…" Asia mumbled, covering her mouth as tears began to trail down her cheeks.

"I can't talk to the souls he's killed… but I can tell. I know what he's into. I know…" Reimi muttered, a wistful expression on her face as she pulled her top back on. "If you don't stop him, then who will?! It hurts me to see so many other souls killed by his hand! All I can do is watch, and it hurts! It hurts my heart and my pride! This town I grew up in will be forever stained by that killer, even if he's found and caught! But anything is better than letting him free! So please… please…"

Reimi took a deep breath, calming down for a moment before turning back to the two. "I'm sorry… I got a little emotional. Now that I've told you what I wanted, I'll tell you how to get out."

"O-Oh, right. How exactly do we get out?"

"Turn around and go past the mailbox. Take a left to the path past it and you'll be able to get out from there, now," Reimi explained, causing Rohan to turn around and get ready to leave. "But before you go, there's one rule that you must follow as you go down the path: do not turn around. Not even once. Not until you've gotten out of the alley."

"Don't turn around? Why?" Rohan asked, raising a brow in question.

"If you do, your souls will be dragged to the other side. In other words, you'll die. Though I don't know how that would affect a Devil…" Reimi trailed off, looking at Asia curiously. "But it's better to be safe than sorry. No matter what, don't look back Argento-san, okay?"

"R-Right, I won't." Asia nodded, she and Rohan turning back around and moving forward. Reimi quickly caught up, walking in line with them.

"Don't worry, I'll help you both get back. Just stay with me and don't look back. Got it?"

"Yes," they both answered, Reimi nodding in acceptance. The moment the three stepped past the mailbox though, Rohan and Asia saw some form of shadow move between their legs. Whatever it was manifested right behind them, and an echo of something dark whispered at their backs.

"What is that, Asia? You're a Devil, so you should know, right?!" Rohan asked in a loud whisper, feeling nothing but unease with the presence behind them.

"I-I don't know. I-I've heard of gaps between the worlds like this, but nothing about a presence that swallows you…" Asia answered truthfully, swallowing a lump in her throat.

"I'd save that talk for later. The presence will try to trick you into turning around, so just keep calm and wait until we get out," Reimi said, pointing forward. "See that light? Once we get there, you'll be out of the gap."

"Th-Thank goodness…" Asia muttered, relief filling her as she saw the end.

*SNIFF SNIFF*

That relief left her as she felt something sniff along her neck, her face going pale in fear. She and Rohan soon felt saliva dripping down their necks, both struggling to keep their composure.

"Pl-Please see us safely to the end, oh Go-ow!"

"Don't let it bother you, we're almost there!" Reimi told them, the light steadily approaching. Asia quivered despite the news, but suddenly felt an arm wrap around her. She jumped, thinking it was the presence until she looked up, seeing Rohan protectively hugging her close.

"R-Rohan-sensei.."

"Stay close and move at our pace. If you freak out now, who knows what will happen? Think of Issei and your friends," Rohan told her, keeping a stern expression despite the sweat trailing down his face. He was no less afraid than her, but was staying strong. Seeing his courage, Asia took a deep breath and nodded, lowering her eyes back forward.

"O-Okay, let's go!"

Keeping pace with Reimi, Rohan and Asia kept walking. Even when they reached the light, they didn't heed any sound or the presence behind them. Once they walked through, the light faded, and the two soon found themselves on the bustling sidewalk they once saw before. Rohan and Asia released one another, taking slow, ragged breaths as they calmed their nerves down.

"W-We made it out!" Asia cried out happily, turning and hugging Rohan. "Thank you, Rohan-sensei!"

"H-Hmph. I merely was trying to keep you from doing something foolish…" Rohan huffed, trying to act cool despite his own obvious fear in the face of the situation.

"Good job, you two. You made it out without a hitch," Reimi called out to them, Rohan and Asia turning around to see her standing just behind them with Arnold at her feet. Looking around, Rohan and Asia saw that the alley was gone, the buildings connected like they were supposed to be.

"Thank you, Sugimoto-san. You really saved us," Asia said, bowing in thanks to the ghost girl.

"Of course. I was happy to help you both," Reimi smiled, reaching forward and grabbing Asia's hands. "And… if you don't mind, could I call you Asia-chan? If you do, you can call me Reimi-chan!"

"Of course, Reimi-chan! I'd be happy to!"

"I'll always be here, so… feel free to come back and keep me company sometime, okay? I'd be happy to have a friend like you, even if you can't help me with finding the killer."

"Still thinking about that, are you?" Rohan huffed, turning his back to Reimi. "Well, I suppose that's not surprising. Having to spend 15 years thinking on it does sound quite daunting."

"Rohan-sensei…" Asia muttered, unsure of what the mangaka would do.

"Though… I suppose that chasing down a serial killer might be good material for a story."

Reimi and Asia raised their brows, watching as the author distractedly cast his gaze to the sky and nodded.

"Yes, I think that it would likely be the greatest possible material one could ask for. I suppose passing up on an opportunity like this would be foolish from a writer's standpoint," Rohan finished before turning back around to Reimi. "Fine. You have my word that I, the great Kishibe Rohan, will help you resolve this case."

Reimi and Asia smiled, looking at one another and giggling. "Thank you, Rohan-chan. That means a lot."

Rohan raised a brow, the familiarity of her honorific bothering him.

"You as well, Asia-chan. It was so nice to make another friend despite my situation," Reimi smiled, her body becoming transparent as well as Arnold's. "Come and visit me whenever you like. I'd really like to talk to you both again, kay? Goodbye!"

"Goodbye, Reimi-chan!" Asia said, sniffling as she waved her goodbye to the fading ghost girl.

"Hmph. She has some nerve calling me 'Rohan-chan'. Just because you two hit it off, doesn't mean she should get so friendly with me as well," Rohan huffed, though a small smirk played on his lips. "Still, there's something admirable about the way that ghost girl lives. Remaining here for 15 years for the sake of the living. I'll remember you, Reimi Sugimoto."

"She is really amazing. And don't worry, Rohan-sensei! We'll figure out how to help her together!" Asia declared, smiling in determination. "I'm sure President will know what to do!"

"You approach it how you see fit. I'll do it my way, as well," Rohan chuckled, turning around and walking down the street. "Though I suppose on days that you're contracted with me, I wouldn't be opposed to the help."

"Okay!"

"You and Rohan-san certainly went through a strange ordeal," Rias said, eyes wide after hearing Asia's story regarding Reimi and the murders.

"Yeah, but thankfully Rohan-sensei and I were able to get through it okay thanks to Reimi-chan."

"It sounds like you really liked her, Asia," Issei pointed out with a small smile, causing the blonde to nod fervently.

"Indeed! Reimi-chan has been through quite a lot, but has been strong despite her terrible circumstances. I can't help but admire her," Asia admitted with a giggle.

"Still, her story is rather interesting. A ghost who remained in hopes of catching their killer…" Rias muttered to herself, holding her chin in thought. "I wonder… her circumstance sounds rather unique."

"What do you mean? Are ghosts actually pretty rare?" Issei asked curiously.

"It's not that ghosts are rare. Far from it, to be honest. What's unique is the fact that Reimi Sugimoto is actually trapped within the gap between worlds. I don't believe I've heard of such cases occurring even with bound spirits like her."

"What does that mean, President?" Kiba asked, raising a brow in question.

"I'm not quite sure… it could be just a random yet possible occurrence, but there could also be a few other possibilities…" Rias hummed, looking up at Asia from the side. "Where did you say this took place?"

"O-Oh, just someplace in town. I took note of the street so that I could visit Reimi-chan again soon."

"Good. I would like a chance to speak with her myself. In fact, to extend our resources, I think I'll run this idea by Sona as well," Rias said, pulling her cell phone out and searching for her best friend's contact.

"You seem quite interested in this case, President. What's gotten into you?" Kiba chuckled, leaning forward in interest.

"I suppose I've always wanted to play investigator," Rias giggled, putting the phone to her ear. "But it has been over 15 years since this case has been investigated likely. It would be nice if Sona could help with-Ah, Sona. Sorry if I'm bothering you, but I was hoping you could help me with something…"

"'Here lies the Sugimoto family'. So she really is here…"

Rohan had taken the next day to do some investigating on Reimi herself. He had looked up her murder on the internet and was quick to find her name pop up. Digging deeper, Rohan was able to determine where she was buried. Not that he doubted the legitimacy of her story, but Rohan thought he might learn more about the case if he had a clear picture of Reimi's end.

He now stood in front of her family's grave, eyes trailing across the names etched into the stone. "A shame. You really did live too short a life."

"Hm? Oh, could it be…"

Rohan looked back to see a stunted elderly man standing close behind, offering him a gentle smile in greeting.

"You're little Kishibe Rohan, right? The boy who went on to become a mangaka?"

Rohan raised a brow, standing up from the grave to turn to him. "You know me?"

"That's right. I knew the Sugimoto's as well," The elderly man said, wobbling over to the gravestone and putting his hands together, giving his respects to the family.

"You knew the Sugimoto's… and me?" Rohan blinked, shocked at the supposed coincidence.

"That's right. You were only four at the time, so it's no surprise that you don't remember…" The elderly man said, putting his hands down before turning back to Rohan. "You used to live quite close to the Sugimoto's, in fact. The night of the incident, your parents had very urgent business to attend to and left you at the Sugimoto residence for the night."

"What...?" Rohan muttered in disbelief.

"Your family's were very close, so they took you without problem. That night though… you ended up becoming the only survivor of that terrible incident."

"I was… there?"

"When the police found you, you kept repeating the same thing: 'Reimi-chan snuck me out the window!'" The elderly man continued, looking back at the grave. "That night, Reimi-chan saved your life before the killer could find you. I'm sure your parents kept you from remembering the incident to spare you such horror, but… it feels only right that you know about the girl who saved you."

Rohan took a step back from the grave, eyes trailing to Reimi's name. "That girl… no wonder she acted so friendly…"

"Eh?"

"Nothing. Thank you for telling me all that, sir. Take care," Rohan said, turning his back to the elder and walking away.

I owe you a lot more than I realized, Reimi Sugimoto. I can't read my past nor my future with Heaven's Door, but I'm glad I was able to find out. Because I now know what I'm going to do.

To be continued…

Thanks as always goes to my beta nitewind for his quick work!

Before I get onto the Author's Note, I do have something to announce: I have decided the ending point for A Devil's Diamond, and that will be by the end of Season 3 of Highschool DxD. Now that isn't to say that I'm going to be completely done with the story at that point, rather that will be the ending point of this story's continuance. After that, it will be broken off into different sequels similar to seasons of a show. I decided this because I realized that, while JoJo part 4 had an end, DxD is still going on and is rather lengthy. With how much material is left, I knew that trying to follow along with its canon for so long would burn me out. So, with that in mind, I've set a stopping point. I'll give A Devil's Diamond a good break once I hit that point and will come back to continuing it in a sequel story when I'm ready. Of course, that's just for the future, but I thought it was necessary to address. Now, back to the author's Note!

Hey everyone, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry to change focus from Josuke's personal problems to the Ghost Alley arc, but I felt that in reality, people sometimes need their own time to think before they can address their problems with those they hurt, especially in this kind of situation. So, using this chapter and the next, I thought that it would be a good time to take some spotlight away from their emotional issues and shift it to our favorite mangaka and his selfish adventures with Asia lol

So, with this new setting though, what does this mean for Reimi? I suppose you'll all find out soon enough! Also, just in case anyone sees something in the chapter that makes you think, let me make it clear: I'm not shipping Asia and Rohan together. You could consider him her second, more selfish yet somewhat kind big brother looking out for her after Josuke lol.

There is something I want to address that I did see in a guest review: while I'm doing my best to keep things in character, it's hard pressed for me to say that this isn't a harem story. Issei's going to have more girls despite losing a few and a couple other characters will be put in situations that might be akin to it. I won't reveal the resolution of Josuke's situation, but know that a lot has changed in my mind about this story and overall paths it might take. I thought I would take it one direction, but have been making little maneuvers here and there to make it feel a bit more natural. But don't assume too much from this note, as how things turn out may not be how you think.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it, sorry if you were upset by the change in focus. After the next chapter, we'll go right back into tackling those issues, I promise. That aside, I hope you all enjoyed, please feel free to leave a review, a favorite and a follow if you'd be so kind. Thanks :)