It was a tough fight but after landing a few good blows, the beat had been beaten and vanished away as Alex and Otto both stared down Kevin, still holding the unconscious K-423 in his hands.
"Shall we continue this? I'm fairly certain any further negotiating pointless." Said Otto as Kevin sighed.
"That seems to unfortunately be the case, but first, I have an idea." He said. "Rather than explain it with words, I'd like you to actually see this new reality with your own eyes. I know that your friends and family are already enjoying it Mr. Mustang." Said Kevin looking at Alex.
"Don't care. Just hand her over." Said Alex.
"Mmm. That, I cannot do. As I said before, she wishes to live in the reality where she is Kiana. There's no way I can hand her over to you with matters as they currently are. I already told you I won't harm her. I swear by it. Don't worry about her. Go. Look at the reality I've created for you all. Once you've seen the results, I know you'll realize which future is best." Said Kevin.
"And you think we'll just obey your orders?" Said Otto.
"I apologize, but you really are going through with this, even if it's by force." Said Kevin as he snapped his fingers.
A blinding light shone until the light was gone, with Kevin and Kiana gone as well.
Alex and Otto looked around until they hears Kevin's voice over the intercom.
'We'll meet again one week from today. I genuinely pray that you'll change your mind by then." He said as the intercom ended.
"Tch. He got away." Said an annoyed Otto. "We shouldn't chase him too far. What say we head back for now?" He asked to Alex.
Alex simply nodded as the two walked back to their point of entrance and after Otto used Fenghuang Down, they had returned back to "reality" as they stood atop the Lastation Park hill once again.
"I had spent all that time investigating all the people around you so I could set you up. To think, the old legendary warrior Kevin Kaslana of all people would be the mastermind behind the absurd situation and he happens to be warping the very fabric of reality while ranting about making everyone's dreams come true. Talk about incomprehensible motives. I can't even wrap my head around such intentions." Said Otto as he stood quietly for a bit before looking at Alex.
"At any rate, we need to figure out our next steps." He said.
"We need to gave K-4, I-I mean Kiana." Said Alex.
"Don't you think it'd basically be suicide to try and save her in our current state? We need intel first. If we're going to stand up to him, we have to know more than nothing. I'll do some investigating on my own. How about you go and see how this reality is affecting Kiana's friends." Said Otto as he turned to leave.
"I hate to do what he says, but Kevin told us we have to wait until next week/seven days. Let's meet up here next week. Although, I imagine both our lives will be very different if you chose to live in this reality as your friends and family have been." Were his last worlds as Otto walked away to do whatever his research involved.
Alex watched Otto walk away before looking at the city skyline from the hill, thinking to himself.
'So, this is the reality that Kevin created.' He thought to himself. He glanced back at the hazy building there were just in before sighing and shaking his head. 'There's no point in obsessing over it now. I should go back home now.'
[TimeSkip]
Alex had arrived back at his apartment complex and as he entered the living room, he saw Yae sitting on the couch as she noticed him enter.
"Welcome home. You sure were out late." She said.
Before Alex could respond, he got a call and answered it.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Greetings Alex. This is Otto. I discovered something I thought I should tell you right away. I called the Hyperion to see what I'd learn. They believe Kiana's been on a mission since yesterday. To think, Kevin really is changing our physical reality as he sees fit." Said Otto.
"That's, still unbelievable for me to believe." Said Alex.
"In all honesty, I agree. Unfortunately, it's the truth of the matter. Even all the powerful allies and family your so proud of fell in line with his scheme. To think even he was able to make the goddess time, Akari C. Satsuki herself fall in line as well. It proved that Kevin is still extrmely powerful as he was then. Anywho, I'd like for you to attempt to change the minds of Kiana's friends aboard the Hyperion and those of it. I'd appreciate some extra manpower by the time next week rolls around, of course, if you can actually bring them to their senses that is. That's wholly dependent on whether or not they're capable of leaving the reality they supposedly wished for. I'll forcus on investigating Kevin further. You do what you need to."
"Yeah. Understood." Said Alex.
"Well, I'll reach out to you should anything come up. Good night."
With that, Otto ended the call as Alex placed his phone away and turned his attention back to Yae.
"Was that Otto? You two seem to be getting along well lately. Hey, so I was thinking, why don't us, Rita, and the valks all go to a hot spring together some time? How's that sound? Perfect right? We should ask the others about it soon." Said Yae.
As she was speaking, Alex thought back to what Kevin had told them before he vanished.
'Rather than explain it with words, I'd like you to actually see the new reality with your own eyes.
Alex looked at Yae, remembering how she now had a home where she could loom look after her younger sister.
'It seems like this is the reality Yae wished for.' He thought.
"Well, I best be taking off. I was here to await your arrival since Ms. Akari has already fallen asleep. You should go to bed now Alex. It's quite late after all." She said.
"It bet your sister is one lovely girl." He said.
"Hm? What's that have to do with anything? I mean, I do appreciate the compliment towards my younger sibling."
"You used to always sleep with Akari in her room."
"Yeah that I did. Even to this day I still remember when she freed me from Hellmaru's Curse." She said before suddenly stopping and seeming confused.
"Wait. Hellmaru's Curse? That, doesn't seem right? I don't remember ever getting cursed. I mean, I do remember that when I lost control I'd turn into a....." trailed Yae.
"Keep thinking it through." Said Alex.
As Alex said that, Yae got multipme visions.
First of her sis' death, then getting corrupted by Hellmaru followed by Akari saving her, and lastly helping her and Alex reunite on Christmas Eve months ago.
As those visions of the past reality played, Yae got more confused.
"W-What, was that?" She asked before slowly standing up and shaking her head. "Sorry. I should go back home how, but, I'll keep thinking about it for a bit like you said. You should get some sleep now. Good night."
With that, Yae had finally left the apartment complex as Alex watched her leave and close the door.
'It seems all I can do now is wait.' He thought to himself.
Alex walked into his bedroom and noticed a bunch to photographs that he knew were never taken or were taken but didn't have the whole family.
He took a deep sigh as he laid down on his bed.
All he knew was that this week was gonna go by fast.
Chapter 46: End