Reviews!

MadelVer: Yeah, I felt that Rei had to metaphorically smack her to wake her up. And revealing what happened after that whole event in the past did it.

Millythecatlover: First of all: Girl, chill! XD Second, I gotcha with the spelling, thanks!

Chapter 26 review: oh, okay then. I just wasn't sure if I was misunderstanding that scene or not.

Chapter 27 review: I think I know which part you're talking about, and I meant when Gobber interrupted Stoick during the song. Sorry if that wasn't clearer!

Chapter 29: OOOOOOOOOHHHHH! XD

Chapter 30: "...they would've had to live with the fact that they probably could've helped me, but just didn't notice." That! Exactly! Thank you! That's what I mean! There are so many self-absorbed people (Not! Saying your friends are!) that they don't have time to notice others.

Chapter 31: *Rei used Tackle!* It was super effective! Oh hey, that reminds me, are you interested in Pokémon? If so, I could send you the first 8 chapters I have written for when I get back in two years.

Chapter 32: OH! OH HELP ME! I CAN'T BREATHE! *actually rolling with laughter* HAHAHA! I can't stop! You legit made me laugh, I had to go tell my parents! XD XD

Chapter 33: I figured they would, and yes, I did that on purpose.

Chapter 35: Tell me how you really feel... *Lifts nose into clouds* XD

Chapter 36: Simple mistake!, but I did question what that was supposed to be! XD

Okay, onto the actual chapter! Might get a little angsty here or there for these next few chapters.

Enjoy!

~Silverleone

(Last Chapter)

"I made you kill me...I...I made you take my life. I didn't give you a choice. It was me or your family, why wouldn't you kill me? I would have done it without a second thought...I...I..."

"...Akum-!"

"I'M SORRY!" I froze as those words came out of her mouth, and numbly stared at the fire, listening to her cry.

She's...sorry...? I slowly looked over at her, to see her legs tucked in with her arms around them. She had her head pressed to her knees, and her body was racked with sobs. She looks so weak so...fragile...compared to normal. She actually regrets what she did. What she made me do...

Before I knew what I was doing, I found myself wrapping my arms around Akumu, gently rocking her as she repeatedly whispered "I'm sorry" out loud.

We stayed like that for who knows how long.

(Present Time)

I woke up to sunlight blinding me. I lifted my arm to place my elbow over my eyes.

"Mph...Tesla, you left the window open..."

"Well, considering we're not in a house, I think it's safe to say the window's not open." My eyes snapped open and I immediately reached for my Katana. Rolling into a crouch.

"Akumu!" I looked over to see Akumu crouched over the fire, poking at it with a stick. Her gaze snapped over to me at the alertness in my voice, then froze when she saw my hand gripping the handle of my sword.

"...Yeeees?" I dropped my hand, taking a deep breath. We both relaxed.

"Sorry...old habit..."

"I understand. How do you think I felt waking up to see you sleeping near me?"

"I..." My eyes widened in shock, memories of last night came flooding back. Me breaking her out of jail. Getting off of Berk and coming here. Akumu realizing what she had done, and me silently consoling her.

"Ew! I knew you were a pervert! No! I didn't touch you, ya freak! Why would I ever..." She rambled on for a second, before stopping to watch me crack up laughing. Her eyes narrowed to slits and the venom in her voice was unmistakable. "...What's so funny...?"

"I-HAHA, I'm sorry, but you! HAHAHA, assuming that's what I was thinking about! I'm dying! Help me!" I was literally rolling on the ground. She huffed, which turned into a weak laugh.

"Yeah...I guess it was pretty ridiculous..." I sat up, trying to choke down my laughter.

"I'm sorry Akumu. I shouldn't have laughed."

"No, no. It's fine, I'm used to it anyway..." I shut up at that point.

Crap, now she's in a bad mood... I stood up and stretched out my sore muscles from sleeping on the ground.

"I'm going to go get us food, be right back." I started to walk out of the clearing.

"Wait, what?" I stopped and turned.

"I'm going hunting."

"You can't just leave me here!"

"You are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. Also, I don't want to be around whenever you take your bath."

"...Bath...?" Her face went red, understandably. But I tried to ignore it, gesturing to the pond in the center of the clearing.

"Yes, neither of us have had good showers in a long time, a bath's the next best thing. Get to it, I'll be back in half an hour."

"How am I supposed to know how long that is?!" I stopped, turned, quirked an eyebrow, then dug something out of my pocket and underhand tossed it to her. She caught it, and looked to see a pocket watch. She popped it open to see the hands reading 6:02. I gave her a quick look, then a smile.

"Don't loose that, have fun!" I walked off, disappearing into the brush. I turned my head slightly to catch her voice yelling at me through the trees.

"If I catch you peaking, and I will know!You're dead meat Taiki!" I chuckled and mumbled to myself.

"Now...where are those rabbits I heard last night...?"

(Later)

I arrived back at camp holding two surprisingly found chickens by their feet. I walked right up to Akumu and dropped them at her feet.

"EEEEEEEEE!"

"Great Scott woman! I've got ears you know!" I said rubbing them to try and reclaim my hearing. (Okay hehehe, you guys have got to know about Ducky from NCIS, right? If not, poor you, go look up some "best of" clips for him, and imagine Rei slipping into that Scottish accent, I'm actually laughing right now! XD)

SLAP

"OW!" She grabbed the front of my shirt. (Imma interrupt this for one more second, if anyone has heard of SAO Abridged, go find the episode where Kirito and Liz go out to find the ore for Kirito's new sword. Then go to that scene, yeah, that one. Now, craaaank that volume. That's about how blasted Rei's eardrums were after this next part. Ciao!)

"WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?! Dropping dead creatures right at my feet?! I outta skin you with your own sword!"

"I"m sorry! I didn't think you'd freak like that!"

SLAP

"Woman! Stop! Hitting me!"

"I'll stop when you stop being an idiot! Which to me, looks very far off!"

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?! Just, put the hands down. Those things are like loaded weapons..." She backed off, letting go of my shirt.

"You should be sorry..." I reached up and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"That was stupid of me."

"Yeah it was..."

"D-Hey!" She simply hmmph'd and turned her head away. I huffed and scooped up the two chickens. I sat down to pluck and skin them.

(I'll skip this part, just for you guys...)

"This is...actually really good..."

"That's because these chicken weren't raised by humans, and they don't have to deal with our pollution contaminating their food."

"I didn't know you knew so much."

"I studied under a Veterinarian for about a year. I thought it was what I wanted to do, then Law Enforcement found me."

"...Same with me..." I set my chicken down on the log that substituted for a table, and gently snapped my fingers to get her to look at me.

"Hey...it's all in the past. Let it go." (Stop it! ...Yes you! I know you're singing! Stop it! Bad! The internet ruined that movie for me!)

"But I almost shot your mother! Without remorse! How can you just forget about that?!"

"I haven't!" I snapped, and immediately regretted it, Akumu flinching at the harsh tone. I took a calming breath. "I haven't. Those memories will forever haunt me. But my parents raised me to forgive and forget. I may not always remember that, but I do my best to do so, because I know what happens to those who don't." I picked up my chicken again. "It eats them from the inside out, tearing at their heart and mind till their nothing but a living corpse. I would know. I lived that life." She gasped.

"What do you...mean?"

"After I killed you, I went after every single criminal in the books. I hunted them, and then broke them in interrogation. I broke their minds, Akumu. I made them shells of their former selves. I made them admit to everything they'd done. And for a while? Even though I was the youngest, I was the best man on the force. I was the one everyone cheered for when I walked into the room. I was a prodigy in the station...But I was empty, I didn't care."

"What happened...?"

"I was pulled into the Chief Mandor's office one day. And you know what he said? He said, "Officer Taiki, you've done more work for the force in the past three months than some of my best men have in a year, combine." I only slightly acknowledged what he said, staring at the picture pinned to the wall on my left."

"...What was it?"

"...You."

"What?!"

"He kept your picture on the wall, like a trophy." I spat.

Flashback Start

"Chief...what is that...?" I asked, staring at the photo. The memories of that evening running through my head, leaving me void of the lightheartedness that I had to build over the past few weeks.

"Oh that? I keep that up there as a reminder to the men. If you can use a gun when the time comes, so can they." I stood there shocked. I didn't know what to say. The emotions that I'd kept bottled up since that day came back full force. Fear turned to anger, and I felt something snap. I walked over to the wall without saying anything, ripping the photo off the wall, crumbling it in my hands. Of course the Chief protested at this action.

"Taiki! What's the matter with you?!" I snapped over my shoulder.

"Do you think this is a joke?!" Mandor pulled back at this. I had always been the quiet one, never really raising my voice unless needed, so the fact that I pretty much shouted at him was a new feeling.

"Of course I don't! But it's a reminder that people can be strong even in the most dire of situations!" I slowly turned around, lifting my head. He froze when he saw my eyes, aged gray meeting electric blue.

"...So you think I'm weak...That's it, isn't it...?"

"I never said that."

"But you implied it." He stood up, slamming his hand on the desk.

"I did not! You are the strongest man on my force, I wouldn't have it any other way!"

"...You disgust me Mandor."

"What?! You have no right to talk to me that way! I am the Chief of this station!"

"And a man who thinks killing means strength!" I actually shouted this time. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, and saw a few officers watching through the glass. I turned my head away, and shut my eyes to keep the wild look in them contained. When I spoke next, my voice was a harsh whisper, but it carried through the open door, allowing the others within hearing to understand what I was saying. "So, you think I'm weak...? Too weak to use a gun...? Too weak to do what I need to...? Think on this, Chief," I snarled, the jeer obvious, "The next time someone is holding a gun to your parents' heads, and you freeze up, then you can tell me who is weak!" I yanked my badge off my belt, having given up my gun after the event, and slammed it on the table with enough force to crack the glass. I walked out of the precinct, never looking back.

Flashback End

I looked at the ground, my body numb as I remembered those emotions running through my head back then. "Then I went home, explained what happened to my parents, and went on to continue training, mastering my skills of Martial Arts." I looked up at the sky, eyes clouded with past memories. I felt two arms wrap around my arms, and I looked down to see Akumu hugging me. She looked up and her eyes were misted. When she spoke, her voice cracked.

"I'm s-so sorry...I had to put you through that. It's my fault...If I hadn't...If I'd only..." I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close.

"Shh, it's all in the past now...Just forget about it." My voice dropped down to a whisper.

"It's all in the past."

I hope you all have enjoyed! I was honestly, honestly surprised when I reached the amount of views I've gotten over the past few months! I'm so grateful! You all have no idea! I really am sorry that the story had to turn a bit dark near these ending chapters, but I think it needed to be done to finish the story. I was actually losing motivation for a minute there, and I got scared I wouldn't finish the whole thing. Some of the scenarios in this story have ran through my mind many, many times. I'm one of those people who always assume the worst, and then those thoughts devolve into dangerous scenarios.

But enough with depressing things! Seriously, you guys' reviews, and just reading the story over all, have shown me that people can like crap! XD I'm kidding, but I do still need to work on my over all skills.

There are at least two more chapters! I hope you all have tissues for this next week!

I'm a horrible human being, aren't I...? XD

~Silverleone