[Meanwhile]

Akari stared at her clock which read "11:30."

'It's almost a new year and he's still not home yet."

She was extremely worried as Alex was almost never out this late.

As she worried in her room, Yae was in the living room listening to Jackie and Rita.

"So, you want me to not tell Akari what Alex is doing?"

"Precisely." Said Rita.

"Listen Ms. Yae. I could see Alex wants to handle this and not get anyone else involved. It's a personal issue he wants to handle."

"It's also an issue that concerns Akari."

"We know that Yae. But Alex doesn't want to worry Akari more than she's worried now." Said Rita.

Yae sighed.

"While it isn't good, I won't tell Akari."

"Thank you so much Ms. Yae." Said Jackie.

They all got up as a knock was heard.

Rita opened the door to reveal Roy.

"Hm? Mr. Roy Mustang. What may you be doing here?"

"Is Akari here? I gotta tell her something."

Yae nodded as Jackie called her.

"Lady Akari! Roy's here to see you!"

Akari heard and walked down the stairs to the living room to see him at the doorway.

"What do ya want ya dweeb?" Jokingly said Akari as Roy sighed.

"Akari listen to me. I saw Alex."

Akari immediately dropped hee playful attitude and went serious.

"Y-You did? Please Roy. Tell me where he is."

Roy sighed before he spoke.

"He was heading to the slums."

"Huh!? W-Why!? Why's he there!?"

"Akari. Calm down. Your boyfriend, Akira, he, isn't dead. He's alive. He killed Bradley and is fighting Alex right now."

Akari harshly grabbed Roy's shoulder and her face was VERY unsettling.

"Roy. Please. Repeat. That. AGAIN."

"H-Hey calm down! Don't get mad at me!"

Akari immediately shoved Roy aside and ran off.

"Akari wait!" Shouted Roy.

"Nice job buzzkill. You ruined it." Said Jackie.

"Hey shut up!"

"Roy no time to waste! Let's go!" Said Yae as she and Roy ran off after Akari.

[Back At The Slums]

A decent chunk was just destroyed rubble of fallen homes and patches of fire everywhere as the fight ranged on.

The two combatants charged at one another and just stabbed one another in the chest.

Akira's black rod through Alex and Alex's swird through Akira.

Blood spattered to the ground as Akira coughed blood.

"W-Well. You, got what you envisioned. Right?"

"You, treat me for a fool father. Enough illusions." Said Alex as his entire body turned to sand revealing it to be a clone as Akira simply vanished away also being a clone as the two real fighters stood in front of one another.

"Your still treating me as a joke. If you want a real fight, then so be it. I will give you death." Said Alex.

Akira simply chuckled.

"Then I, shall do the same, now."

The two mentally counted down from 3, then they both dashed at one another and without thinking, just went back and forth trading and blocking each other's punches and kicks.

They kept on going before Alex attempted a leg sweep only for Akira to jump up and kick him away.

Alex was tumbled away and stopped.

He recovered just in time and moved aside, avoiding a jump stomp from Akira and the two went back at it to simple punches and kicks.

As it went on, Alex immediately transmuted a small dagger and went for a stab only for Akira to block it with a long chain of connected black rods.

Akira knocked the dagger into the air but Alex immediately jumped up and kicked the dagger back down as it slashed Akira's 2nd Degree Burnt Cheek as it made the searing pain worse.

Akira managed to get a quick punch at Alex's cheek sending him tumbling back allowing for a small rest.

Alex started at his father as he grew a wicked smile, bringing out a black rod

He dashed immediately as Alex barely managed to transmute two more daggers and yet again to the were in an up close exchange.

This time with bladed weapons as the two went back and forth clashing many times and getting in a few kicks to connect.

Soon, they both stood still just frantically clashing their weapons.

Eventually, Akira knocked one of Alex's daggers away and the two locked hands.

One with their weapons clashing and the other bare.

Akira kicked Alex away as he recovered.

"Almighty Push!"

Shockwaves were sent at Alex as he immediately transmuted a wall in front of him as the wall took all of the forces as the corners and edges shattered and broke apart.

Dust covered Alex's sides.

Akira ran up to the wall and grabbed the dagger

Alex heard that and looked to his right to see the dagger land beside him.

Akira popped our from the left and kicked his head as Alex's head smashed and bounced off the wall he made.

Akira gor ready to stab the black rod into his head as Alex suddenly vanished.

"Again!?"

Using the flying thunder god technique, Alex vanished from his orignal spot and then came rushing in like a bull from the right side and PUNCHED his face hard and sent Akira flying back into the forest of the slums which they were nearby.

Akira groaned and stood up.

The two charged again.

Akira had a black rod and Alex clapped his transferring the electricity and coating his left hand with it.

It felt like time slowed when the two were inches from each other.

They had the same eyes.

Same hair color.

Shared blood.

But had different ideals.

For real this time, they clashed.

Akira black rob stabbed through Alex's stomach, but, Alex's electric coated hand, stabbed through Akira's chest.

Blood was sent flying and splattered in masses to the ground.

It was clear Akira took the worsr of it, as blood spilled from the corners of his mouth before couging up a pool of it.

Alex kept quiet.

Eyes closed as the electricity dispered from his hand.

The two pulled away as Akira fell down onto the ground.

As Akira laid in his own blood, Alex shouted a little as he pulled out the black rod.

Alex reached his blood coated hand into his pocket and pulled out something.

Akira struggled to even sit up as he rested on his elbow.

"Y-You think you've won?"

Alex pointed his blood coated hand at him.

In his possesion, was a lighter.

"Burn in hell."

[Meanwhile outside the slum gates]

Akari stood in front of the open slum gates getting a rush of memories.

Right as she was about to walk in, she heard a voice.

"Akari!"

Out from beind appeared Roy.

"Where's Yae?"

"She went back. I'm the one who'll stop this."

"Stop what!? My son's in a death match with my abusive boyfriend and your stopping me!? What kind of uncle are you!? You wanna know Roy!? Cause I'll gladly tell you Roy! Your a shi-!"

"I'M HERE TO HELP HIM TOO DAMMIT!"

Akari calmed down a little but still seemed a little upset.

"You think your the only one who's worried Akari. But your not! I'm also worried for me him! Your boyfriend, my brother, we both know he's a maniac! But, Alex wanted this. I believe that my nephew can beat my brother. Akari. Please. Believe in your son to beat your boyfriend."

"Roy. I want to. You know I want to. But, these circumstances are just, too much. Please. I gotta help him."

Roy looked at his sister in law and sighed.

Before he spoke though, both of them heard a large flame burst into the sky in the distance.

"W-What was that!?"

"That's the result of using Flame Alchemy with a lighter! Go Akari!"

Akari nodded as she ran ahead and Roy followed behind.

[Back at the fight]

Alex stared at the pile of fallen trees on fire where his father was underneath.

He breathed in and out knowing for sure it was over.

That was until the tress were lifted and the fire dispersed immediately as the thing appeared

Soon, it opened its mouth and out stepped out a freshly healed Akira.

"Am I of consequence to you now? Sadly that used up all of my power so I can't be healed anymore. Though, that's what I get for allowing my whole body to explode."

Akira dashed at Alex, grabbed him by the neck, and pinned him to the tree as he took Alex's sword from earlier in the fight and stabbed his shoulder deeply as Alex shouted in pain.

Akira smirked and looked into his eyes.

"I'm impressed kid. You really wanted to kill me that badly didn't you Alex? I can appreciate the vanity of ambition, but let's be real here. The best you could offer..."

Akira then pointed to his previously burnt cheek now healed but the slash from Alex's dagger which has left a scar.

"Was this. All for a drop of blood."

"I, didn't do this just to kill you! I couldn't forgive myself for being blind this long! This was the only way I could atone for the innocent slums residents I slayed!"

"Well by all means let me help you with that." Said Akira as he had a wicked smile. "Give my best regards to Führer Bradley."

Akira then stabbed even deeper and dragged the sword from the shoulder as it slowly approached his neck.

Alex tried to hold in his screams until he finally shouted loudly in pain.

Then.

"AKIRA!"

Akira and the pained Alex both looked to see Akari panting and standing there.

Akira simply put on a smile.

"Well well well. Ain't this grand? My lovely unofficial fiancée, Akari C. Satsuki. Glad to see your also alive Akari. Such a nice, family reunion. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Akira. Listen to me right now you fucking disgrace of a human being. Let. Go. Of. My. FUCKING. Child."

"Your child?" Akira chuckled. "Akari please. Even though I don't care for this piece of shit anymore, it's still ours. Without me, he wouldn't exist! I have to right to do whatever I want with him! And if you disagree..."

Akira held his hand out as Alex panicked.

"MOM! MOVE NOW!"

"THEN FUCK OFF! ALMIGHTY PUSH!!!"

The shockwave rushed at Akari, until, she was moved out of the way.

It was Roy who took the full force of the impact as he got sent back smacking hard into a tree and sliding down to the ground.

"And as if the reunion party couldn't get any better. Here to have your share of fun, brother"

"D-Don't, you ever call me brother. You, sick freak."

"Aww. Roy I'm hurt. You two just sit and watch. I'll end my only mistake I'll ever made."

As Akira turned to face Alex, the child grabbed his collar and gave a vicious headbutt to Akira's forehead as he got dazed and sent him back.

Alex excruciatingly removed the sword and transmitted the ground as the ground beneath Akira eroded away into a slope sending Akira into the shallow river as Alex transmuted again as the river floor began to encricle around Akira forcefully trapping him as the water began to give off smoke.

Alex stood atop the slope that slide Akira down as he started down at him.

"You think you've won!? Kid! Try and burn me again! Fucking do it! I'll just come back again and again!"

Alex didn't react to Akira's bold claims.

Instead, he kept a cold, expressionless face.

His red eyes just staring him as he pulled out his lighter.

"I won't ever know how you lived on that day. I won't ever know how you cheated death. But..."

Alex then ignited the lighter.

"Not anymore. Your trapped in the river. Helpless. Unable to move. You think the wate around you is your friend, but, it's your enemy."

"W-What?"

"That river, is all flammable. And it's your grave"

Alex threw the lighter at the river as before it made contact, he said one last thing to his father.

"Checkmate."

Back at the slums' forest, Akari checked on Roy.

"I-I'm fine Akari. Just, a little bruise. That's all."

"I'm not gonna be the typical anime girl and ask why you did it. I know why you did. Thank you Roy."

Roy smiled and looked to see flames beneath there where the river was.

"Hey, Akari. Might wanna check that out."

"Hm?"

Akari turned to look and saw the fire.

Right as she was about to leave, Alex appeared from the slope and stood in front of the two.

"You put up one hell of a fight kid." Said Roy with a chuckle as Alex smiled.

"Yeah Uncle Roy. I did."

Akari gasped at all the cuts and blood wounds Alex had, most of it from his stomach and shoulder.

"A-Alex." Said Akari with tears her eyes.

"Hey mom. Can I say something?"

"W-What is it?"

"Hand me your phone."

"U-Um, okay?"

Akari was confused as she tossed her phone to Alex.

Alex turned it on, and then smiled.

"What's the smile for Alex?"

Alex chuckled.

"Hey mom."

Alex turned on Akari's phone and showed her the lock screen.

January 1st.

"Happy New Years, mom."

A Festive Reunion and Climax: Complete

Chapter 32: End