Alex snapped his fingers and using up all the power he had left, engulfed Kevin in a poweful burst of fire as the white haired male fell down to the floor.
Alex dropped back down and landed on the floor as everyone went to Kevin as he struggled to get up.
"W-Why?" He said. "I gave up everything......I dedicated all that I have to this, but I still, why?"
"Your denying reality." Said Alex.
"I'm, denying reality?" Asked Kevin before chuckling a bit as he stood up. "You nailed it. It's true that I turned my back on the original reality. But where's the harm in that!? When it grows to be too much, too painful.......every person deserves to escape that!" He shouted before calming down. "In all honesty, it's best for a person's growth when they tackle their own hardships, but, reality doesn't always make that so feasible! No matter how much you try, or work for so long, the smallest injustice can wipe it all out! Leave you with nothing. Don't you, of all people, understand that!?" Asked Kevin to Alex.
The Lastation Slum Massacre.
The Ishvalan War of Extermination.
Two key events that built the animosity against Alex.
Animosity that he indeed always found an annoyance.
How people could take two things that happened in the past, things that could've easily been avoided, and yet are still brought up against him to this day.
Even so, Alex never let either bring him down as he kept moving on with life.
"Even so, you move on. You look toward the future." Said Alex which kept Kevin shocked and quiet.
"Ya know, there probably are plenty of people who'd ultimately benefit from your 'reality'." Said Yae. "What about the people who want to take on the world for themselves though? How's it right to rob them of their opportunities?" Asked Yae.
K-423 decided to talk as she stepped forward. "I don't think what your saying is wrong either Kevin. Some people want to run from their pain and cling to some other version of reality........like I used to, but the knowledge I gained through that pain, and my desire to move on....those are even more precious to me! I won't let anyone take them from me again!" She said.
"Ms. Kaslana........" quietly said Kevin. "So, you truly, don't want it huh? Looks like I'm totally finished. "
As that was said, the reality the palace existed in began to fade away as the palace began to crumble and break down.
In an instant, Mei, K-424, and Bronya all went into their Herrscher forms as Thunder and Void lifted people to the exit and Reason on her bike drove them to it.
After a bit that only left Void and Alex as she picked him up and began to fly back to the exit, until Void barely managed to avoid a sudden streak of flames that charged at her.
"What the!?"
Both Alex and Void looked down to see Kevin somehow standing on a glass bridge at the top of the crumbling palace.
He was looking directly and Alex as he lookes back at him.
"Kiana. Tell the others I'll be busy. It won't take that long." Said Alex as he broke free of her grasp and skydived to the bridge.
BGM: Swear to my Bones from Persona 5
Alex landed on the bridge as he stood up and looked at Kevin.
"Sorry to cut your flight short like that." He said. "This place, is done for. Along with the entire reality I dreamed of."
Kevin then casted and threw his sword away.
"I........have lost. Even if I were to try that fight over, I'm sure I'd only lose again. So, I know this is going to sound pretty stupid. I've been holding this all in for so long, just hiding it from myself. So, please........help me kill every last one of my regrets. Your the only one I can ask to help me with this, Alex Mustang." Said Kevin.
Alex kept quiet before knowing that Kevin needed one final moment.
"Very well then." Said Alex.
"The dissapeared of my palace is drawing near." Said Kevin, getting into a fighting stance. "Let's begin."
Alex also got into a fighting stance as the two stared each other down.
"I gave up everything! EVERYTHING! So why!?" Shouted Kevin as he walked forward and punched Alex in the cheek.
Alex stumbled back a bit before regaining himself and stepping forward as he punched Kevin right back.
"Why? Why Dr. MEI!?" Shouted Kevin as he punched Alex with his other hand this time.
Alex was dazed a bit as he eventually focused himself and punched Kevin back with his other hand.
"A reality where, no one suffers......."
Kevin then punched Alex with the back of his hand as he took the hit again before retaliating as he focused what little stamina he had left and sucker punched Kevin hard in the face causing him to stumble back.
BGM ends here
Kevin struggled to even walk with how tired he was as all he could do was scream, which he did as he shouted at the top of his lungs before going quiet as he fell onto his back on the bridge.
He held an arm out, reaching out for anything, until bringing it back down as he just laid there.
"I'm done. I get it now. All thanks to you." He said.
The rumbling and crumbling got stronger as Alex noticed this as he looked around.
BGM: Our Light(Instrumental) from Persona 5 Royal
The glass bridge where Kevin laid began to break as Kevin, with a smile on his face, slowly closed his eyes as a section of the bridge broke apart as he was prepared to fall to his death.
That was until he sudden force hold him up as he opened his eyes to see Alex, laid down and leaning over the edge, keeping Kevin up by holding his hand.
"Come on...." said Kevin. "I said I'm done."
"No way in hell! You can still redeem yourself dammit!" Shouted Alex, refusing to let go.
"Please.......let go of my hand. Let me fade away with the world I created." Pleaded Kevin.
"I already said no! I'm not leaving someone to die! I refuse to let it ever happen again!" Shouted Alex. "I won't let it end like this!"
Kevin sighed as he smiled and looked at Alex.
"Your eyes, show a bright hope and honesty. You kept your head up, even through all this. Where as I was alwahs afraid. Afraid you and I wouldn't wish for the same reality."
Alex slowly was losing grip of Kevin's hand as he looked to the side and saw Void in a rush to bring him back.
"Alex Mustang. I'm entrusting my promise onto you. I sense great things from you. A person who can single handedly save the world, and be it's messiah." Said Kevin which shocked Alex.
"I should've die ages ago. I'm only a waste of space in today's modern world. I deserve to die with my reality, knowing that Dr. MEI's promise can keep living on through you. Alex. I believe you can bring a happy world one day." Said Kevin with a genuine smile.
Alex closed his eyes, holding in tears as it happened.
He let go of Kevin's hand, as a bright light flashed everyone's sight.
BGM ends here
His eyes opened as Alex woke up and saw that he was suddenly in his bed.
He scrambled to figure out what had happened until he heard Akari call him.
"Alex! Wake up already! I know we were up late watching you and Ed get back together but you never sleep this late!" She shouted.
Alex heard that and immediately pieced two and two together.
'So, we've been brought back to the day before Kevin's false reality had been created. So to my mom, it was basically like I just overslept.' Thought Alex. 'Wait. Does that mean that the Valkyries and Otto still remember what happened?'
That thought was answered as Akari walked into his room.
"Finally your up. Yae's told me that you, herself, and Rita have all been invited to habe breakfast aboard the Hyperion. They're waiting for you outside so better get to it." She said.
Alex nodded and immediately got dressed as he stepped outside to meet up with Yae and Rita as the three were brought on board.
Eventually they found the others and sat together at a round table celebrating their victory.
Alex was just minding his own business until he got a tap on the shoulder and turned to see it was K-423.
"Hey Alex. Thanks for all the help. I may be a clone, but to everyone else, I'm still Kiana. So I'll do the same." She said with a smile.
Alex nodded and also smiled. "No problem. Nice to have you back Kiana."
The two shared a hug as she went back to the group.
Alex continued to look out the window, looking at the sky and ground below untold he got a random text which he read.
"I'll admit. Having you as a comrade was definitely intresting Mr. Mustang. May our paths cross again some day."
~From Otto Apocalypse, Overseer of Schicksal.
Alex read the text and chuckled to himself as he looked back out to the sky as he reached a hand out.
'Kevin. I swear I'll keep your promise. I'll keep fighting for everything beautiful in the world.'
Arc Ending Theme: Colorful World by Yumi M., Mayumi F., Shihoko H., and Lyn
The False Reality Arc: Complete.
Chapter 56: End