The events of the alternate ending are offered as an escape from death. Whether the alternative is preferable to death or not will be for each to decide on his own.

A number of possibilities were turned down in favor of the tale told herein — in death, Chiaki might have become a demon herself and wrought revenge upon Zenki; Chiaki might have lived and regained her sanity, at which point any of a number of happier things could have happened.

You will find no such closure here.
Those who detest open endings best turn back and accept that Chiaki has died.
I bid you accept my humble apologies, but death is the most closure “Silent Night” could ever offer.

In the interest of brevity, the alternate ending does not include the struggle inside the Arena, though it is an integral part of the story. Please find the details of the Arena in the original sixth chapter if you have not already read it.

“I am glad to find you alone.”

“.........”

“I have a question for you.”

“.........”

“Do you think me blind?”

“.........?”

“The others may be blind, but I am not.”

“.........”

“Perhaps they were too consumed by their ecstasy to notice.”
 

“......... ...... ... .”
 

“That is why I stand above them. I see things they do not see.”

“...”

“You... you who feels no fear and has no weakness. Now you are afraid to speak.”
 
 

“.”
 
 

“I know what it is you would say. You need not confess it to me. But as you sit here, alone, drowning yourself in hindsight, I should like to raise the level of the water...”
 

“...?”
 

“You hit her hard enough to dull her senses. It would have been kinder to kill her, Red.”
 

[Katshean Private Clinical Asylum
Security camera 0214
Case number: TE-0035
Recording date: Wednesday, December 25, 200*
Recording time: 03:00:00]
 

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
AAAAAAAAHAAAAAHAHAAAAAHAHAHAHHAHAAAAAHAHAHHHA
EEEEIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!”
 
 

[Huge thud]
 

[Silence]
 

[Date: Monday, December 25, 200*
Time of log: 23:10]

Chiaki had to be transferred to an emergency facility. The cameras caught what happened this time. She ran herself head-first into the wall. The doctor who performed her surgery yesterday is currently under investigation for malpractice, though if anything is found — which I doubt — nothing will stick, given Chiaki’s status. I had high hopes for some signs of recovery once her headaches stopped.

 Instead, she’s taken a step back.

... And for my failed efforts I ended up getting no shopping done this year.

[Door slam]
 

[Pause]
 

 SECURITY—!!!
 

[Click]
 

[Silence]
 

“I hear they’re holding the service today.”

“I want my ten dollars back.”

“Maybe we should attend.”

“And you owe me a dinner.”

“Who do you suppose will speak?”

 “‘A nice one, at a classy restaurant,’ I believe were your words.”

“I heard Nurse Jude might give a speech.”

“What?”

“...... What?”

“... It’s terrible when they die young like that.”

“I’m not giving back the ten dollars.”

“She wasn’t crazy. Not like the others.”

“She was nuts, and there’s no two ways about it.”

“Either way, you owe me dinner.”

“Have you no respect for the dead??”

“Only when it’s deserved.”

“... So who’s the dark pessimist now?”

“I feel I’ve earned the right...”
 

“We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of a friend... a warrior. A warrior who lived only to help others, to battle the demons... which are inside us all. In passing, our friend leaves behind a legacy of modern-day heroics, which few can hope to equal.”
 

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star... How I wonder what you are...”

“You know what I am.”

“Do I?”

You do.

“I don’t know what you are.”

Stop lying.

“What I am... is sorry.”

He’s sorry...?

He’s SORRY?!
 

“Poor thing, don’t be sorry. You haven’t done anything.”

He’s done everything!!
 

“You really don’t know who I am?”
 

Don’t lie.

“I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. *giggle*”

At last, the truth.
Now ask him...

What if he doesn’t know?

He knows.
Ask him.
 

“How do you love a heartless demon? How do you make him see your hate?”
 
 

“.........”
A tear streamed from his eye.
 
 

Maybe if I wait, he’ll answer...

...... He’s never going to tell you.
Never.
 
 
 

“I’ll never leave you alone again, Chiaki.”
 
 

He’ll never tell you.

He doesn’t have to tell me.

                                                    He loves me not.

Maybe he’ll show me.

                                                                He loves me.
 
 
 

You’re insane.
 

“And so it is with heavy heart that we commit this body to the ground. Oh, silent night... For Christmas he received the gift of a better place...”
 

“What is this, beef? It’s delicious!”

“It’s Doc Isaacs’ flesh. I had the chef cook it up special.”

“Very funny. So what did you learn from all this?”

“That that girl was the surest bet I ever made.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Everyone else’s demons start in the head. Hers started outside and came in through... alternate openings.”

“That’s sick.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who did it.”

“Do you think she recognizes him?”

“Hard to say. But ‘never’ is a long time, so if she doesn’t now, she’s bound to later. And I’d hate to be there when that happens!”

“Aw, you don’t know. Maybe she’ll have forgiven him by then.”

“She’d have to be crazy. ...... I doubt it’ll happen... but I’ll betcha ten dollars!”

“... You’re on.”
 

[Owari]