Man, it's taking me forever to continue with this story and I apologize for that. I also apologize for not reading you guys' fics and updates like I intended to. I've been stressed out both mentally and emotionally for the past month or so (May and June especially since I was in constant depression for the majority of it).

Oh well, I'm back now and that's all that matters and I thank you all for the wonderful reviews you left me and I thank you all for still reading!

I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter (if you can remember it). It didn't come out the way I really wanted it to, but it got the job done, I suppose.

I still hate the fact I'm not done with this yet because I wanted to start the sequel to this fic back in May, but that'll be put on hold until I finish this one completely.

One more thing I must include, I must thank Scott for helping me out with this chapter. Seems he and Mike are helping me so much, and that reminds me, I must get in touch with you Mike. Have to ask a couple of questions of you.

Now, for this chapter, you get to see how Otto reacts to all of the support and he surprises everyone too with what he says. The results of the surf competition will be done next chapter, and for those in the US, don't forget to catch the newest RP movie, Island of the Menehune today (July 16), Saturday, and Sunday on Nickelodeon. I am so going to watch this! There's no way I'm missing it.

Now, as always, I do not own anything dealing with Rocket Power. Klasky-Csupo has that honor.

Chapter 25: "Can you please forgive me?" Otto's Public Apology…

"C'mon man, don't just stand there, let's get going!"

"I-I'm not sure if I can," the person answered hastily. He was quite nervous.

His friend grabbed his arm. "If you don't go on your own, I'll have to pull you along!" A look of determination was etched to the young, tan boy's face.

"But-"

"You're not chicken, are you?"

The boy pulled his arm away and frowned. "I AM NOT A CHICKEN! I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING!"

"Then let's go!"

"Okay, okay, let's go."

They made their way towards Spray Beach, but noticed that there was a lot of commotion going on. The two saw all of the signs and what was written on them. He just couldn't believe his eyes.

"What's going on?" Otto could barely get out, his mouth slightly aghast.

Roderick blinked. "Whoa!"

A girl with bright, blonde hair noticed the boy with the dreads and pointed towards him. "Look, it's Otto Rocket!" she squealed.

Everything seemed to go quiet as everyone looked towards where the screaming fangirl was pointing. There stood Otto Rocket, who still couldn't say anything. The spectators and the special guests in the stands started to murmur amongst one another, "Otto Rocket?"

The unusual silence seemed to last for a moment longer until everyone cheered and shouted, running towards the close-to-pro surfer, gathering around him. Reggie and the others also hurried towards Otto.

At this moment, Lars finally allowed himself to be seen and stood by Trent and Trish, muttering, "Rocket-bobo." He crossed his arms and sneered, 'It's about time that show-off got here.'

Reggie and the others pushed their way through the crowd to get to Otto, Sam being first.

"O-man, you came! I can't believe it!" Sam exclaimed in slight relief. He then said to the boy, "I'm so sorry! I'm very sorry about what happened yesterday, and I-"

"Surf, Otto-man, surf!" a random person shouted at the top of her lungs, cutting poor Sam off.

"Yeah, get Otto-matic out there on the waves," another person called to the boy.

"Healey's an old tyrant!" a short, dark-haired boy argued who was standing right beside Sam. He gave Otto a thumbs-up and a wink. "We're behind you all the way, Otto-man!"

Everyone around Otto and Roderick then started to chant once again, "Let Otto surf! Let Otto surf!"

"But, I-" Otto uttered, still unsure of what to say.

Before the boy could get a word out edgewise, he was practically bombarded by a tall redhead with a camera in hand.

"Ottoman! Just think of all of the epic footage I can get if you got out there on the waves and I could use it! What are you going to do?!" Twister pretty much questioned, thinking totally from the point of view of a cinematographer.

Otto was about to answer his enthusiastic friend when the memories of his sleeping on the couch with Reggie flooded his mind. He turned his head away from his "best bro," and looked towards the others who were tossing questions out at him.

Roderick noticed, but didn't really understand. He had come there to apologize; why was he treating his best bro so coldly? Twister frowned slightly and sighed a bit, but then forced on a smile, and quietly said, "Glad you made it, bro," even if Otto purposely ignored him. Twister didn't have to see his face to know that he was scowling after he had spoken.

Right at that moment, Assistant Lieutenant Tice Ryan took out his megaphone, shouting, "Okay, move it along people. MOVE IT! MOVE IT! MOVE IT! Everyone please go back to his or hers designated areas!"

The people did as Tice said and started going back to where they were supposed to have been.

Officer Shirley held her ears as the megaphone gave off a loud feedback noise. "Thank you private," she winced.

Due to the competition in the area, Tice as well as other lifeguards from other local beaches were there to make sure nothing went wrong. It was risky, but more inexperienced lifeguards were watching the beaches for the couple of hours this event would take place.

Officer Shirley looked down at Otto. "Mind explaining yourself?"

"Explain myself?" Otto asked timorously.

She nodded. "You're causing quite a commotion here."

"Shirl," Ray quietly spoke up, a bit of caution evident in his voice, not sure of what to do for his son, or what kind of a mood he was in, "please, it's not his fault that everyone here wants to see him surf."

"I'm sorry about the trouble, Big Ray, but as I said, he is causing quite a bit of a commotion, and right now, you all need to go back to where you belong and let me handle Otto."

Ray and the others did as Officer Shirley instructed and walked off, but right at that moment, a dark, blond wavy-haired Italian made his way down the beach from the commentator's stand. He was neither tall, nor short, and he was very clean-shaven. He had been involved in every form of wave riding for all but a tiny handful of his thirty-odd years. This man was the beach marshal, Michael Lambresi.

He stopped right in front of Otto, staring down at the boy. To Otto, it seemed as if he was studying him or trying to figure the young Rocket out.

"Officer, let me handle this," he spoke quietly.

"I'm capable of dealing with him Mr. Lambresi. You don't have to trouble yourself."

"No, it won't be any trouble at all. Please let me deal with this."

"If you insist, sir." With that, she walked off to help disburse the area.

"So you're the Otto Rocket I keep hearing about." Otto nodded to Lambresi's expressionless face. "Your school principal dropped you from the surf competition today, correct?" Otto nodded again. "What for?"

The boy grew a bit anxious from receiving the third degree. His being nervous in general was most definitely a first. He quietly uttered, "For fighting."

"Ahh," Michael said, as if understanding, "for fighting." He got quiet, and rubbed his chin. To Otto, he looked to be in thought over something. "Do you feel that you should surf today?"

He shrugged. What was with this guy talking to him as if he were a parent? "Um, sir, if it's okay, may I say a few things to everyone?"

Michael gave Otto an assuring smile, and nodded. "I figured you would, seeing as how you're Ray Rocket's son. Always doing the right thing."

"Wait, you know my father?"

"I sure do. We go way back, somewhat. He was a good friend of my older brother during his high school years and he would hang around our house quite a bit, and I would tag along at times. He may have been the type to cut school, but he always did whatever he could for his friends." He shook his head, smiling over his fond childhood memories. "Sorry for getting into my life story. Come with me."

He and Otto walked back up to the commentator's box where all of the guests were located, as well as a few choice reporters.

All of the guests and participants were discussing amongst themselves, curious as to what was going on. "Attention everyone, please!" Michael shouted over the microphone.

After he felt he had everyone's attention, he continued, but Otto, at this moment, was tuning him out. He was too busy admiring all of the professional surfers that were just inches away from him.

'Dude, I can't believe it! It's the Rhino, and-'

"Okay, Otto, go ahead."

"Uh, wha, huh?"

"Go ahead and say whatever it is you wanted to say."

Otto nodded, and gulped hard, quite anxious as he tapped the mic. "Um-um, hi," his voice echoed as the microphone gave off some feedback. "Erm, sorry about that."
x x x x
"I wonder what the lil Rocket cuz is going to say."

Ray sighed. "Knowing Otto, he's probably going to praise and thank all those who supported him."

"If your Otto gets to surf, then that means our Lars will be out," Sandy uttered softly.

"I assure you Sandy, Raoul, that won't happen." He then added unenthusiastically, "No surfing in this competition is a part of his punishment."

"Now Ray, what if they," Paula pointed towards the officials who were also in the commentator's stand, "permit him?" She held back a sneeze and pulled her shawl closer to her body, her cold still not completely gone. "Are you going to walk up there and embarrass him in front of so many people just to tell him he can't surf?"

"A punishment is a punishment, Paula," Ray answered dully. "There will be other competitions."

Raoul pulled on his thick mustache and stared at his blonde, balding friend. "Are you sure, my friend?"

Ray nodded.

"But Otto deservers the praise for what he did!" Sandy insisted.

"I'm a rule follower myself," Mrs. Stimpleton said - she and Merv met up with Ray and the others right after the commotion was broken up by Tice and Officer Shirley - "but in his case, he does deserve to be recognized and honored, even if he did break the rules."

"Yeah, he saved my son's life!" Paula nearly screamed while hugging Sam tightly.

Sam's cheeks reddened because of his mother's hysteric way of talking, that and he was entirely embarrassed. "Mom, not in front of everyone!"

Everyone giggled silently as Mrs. Dullard's grip grew tighter on the husky boy...
x x x x
"...some of you - okay, a lot of you - have come out to root me on and to surf, and I really appreciate it," he paused, "but-I don't really deserve it." Everyone started to murmur and mumble, wondering what the boy was talking about.

'Wait a minute, that dork isn't supposed to do that!' Lars thought, astonished. He was expecting Otto to jump right in and grab a board, and head towards the water to show off. 'He's actually being...selfless?'
x x x x
"I've been stressing over this competition, and have been acting kind of like a kook lately, no, worse, a jerk..."
x x x x
'No kidding,' Twister thought while rolling his eyes.
x x x x
"...especially to the people who mean a lot to me." He looked over in the direction where Ray was standing with the others. He focused on Reggie and Ray at the moment. "These people have been a part of my life since always, and they've always been there for me."

Reggie felt herself about to cry. She knew how terrible Otto was with apologies, but this was the nicest way he had ever apologized to practically anyone. The apology seemed very heart-felt and honest. Ray smiled approvingly. He was very proud of Otto.

"Yesterday I got into a fight with a real jerk, and if I had to do it over, I would without thinking twice about it. It cost me my spot in this competition, but," he looked over in Sam's direction, "my fight helped out a friend that means a lot to me. No one messes with my friends!"
x x x x
'Wow, so he doesn't hate me and he doesn't blame me!'

"See, Sam, Otto doesn't blame you," Sherry told her companion with a cheery smile, "so you can stop thinking about it now."

Sam's eyes grew wide; his mouth gaped open. "How did you know what I was thinking?!"

She shrugged and winked. "Just call it a hunch."
x x x x
"Healey - I hate to say it, and glad he isn't here to hear it -" Healey left right before Otto showed up, "shouldn't be hated for what he did. With actions, good or bad, come consequences, as dad says. Healey was just doing his job, and it could've been worse. It took a while for me to realize this, until a friend kinda helped me to see that." He looked towards Roderick, who was a small distance away. The younger boy gave him a thumbs up and a nod.

Those around started to talk again in hushed voices, surprised at all the usually hyper boy was saying. Lars, as well as Reggie and Twister, couldn't believe what they were hearing. He was acting mature…and adult!

"There'll be more surf competitions," he gave a smug smile, which the girls pretty much swooned over that could see him up close, "and I will dominate, but for this one, Lars Rodriguez will surf in my place. He's a great surfer..."
x x x x
Twister blinked, quite dumbfounded, still taping Otto while he was making his speech. "I can't believe he said that."

"Me...either," Reggie managed to get out.

'I'm going to have to watch this video after I finish to see if I heard him right.'

"This is, like, so definitely a first for him."

"Definitely," Clio concurred in response to the gossipy blonde. "He's usually too stubborn to admit when he's wrong and I've never heard him say a nice thing about Lars since I've known him."
x x x x
"I guess that's all I can say, other than enjoy the competition. Ocean Shores has some very challenging competitors, so you other teams better watch out!"

With that, everyone started to cheer and clap while Otto waved his arms in the air.

"Way to go, Otto cuz!" Tito called out, clapping hard and whistling.

"YEAH OTTOMAN!" cheered Roderick while jumping up and down.

"Ooo, that was so sweet and adorable of him!" Violet squealed.

"I hate to say it, Rocket, but that's one fine boy you have there," Merv complimented.

"Yeah," Ray uttered in awe, "yeah, I do."

"You sure do, bruddah," Tito smiled proudly as he patted his old friend on the back, "you sure do."
x x x x
"Wow, that Rocket is a very good person," Trent complimented in approval. He then gently smiled as a certain Rocket female came to mind. "It must run in the family."

Coach Fletcher - who had returned to his team after Healey left - nodded in agreement with Trent. "That's one good kid there. Just like Raymundo."

The petite Trish turned to the Lars, trying to hold back her own laughter due to the irony of the situation. "So, Lars, you have Otto's full support."

"Whatever! I don't need Rocket Dork's support, and I didn't ask for it! I could care less!" He stubbornly crossed his arms. 'Damn you, dork! I did not want you to say anything nice about me!' His harsh expression slightly lifted. 'Thanks, Rocket-bobo.'

Due to Otto's sincere words, he was allowed to sit in the commentator's stands as a guest, along with Roderick at his request, to watch the competition. It was a very enlightening experience for the boy, as he received surf tips and praise from those who were there. Otto Rocket was in heaven.

As Otto sat there, watching the competition, he felt as if a heavy burden was lifted off of him, like when he talked with Roderick. Even though he said all those things to Roderick, he felt that he wouldn't go blabbing about it. It was like they had a silent, mutual agreement when on the way to Spray Beach. He didn't have to ask Roderick not to say anything about what he'd told him to anyone else...he just knew.

Otto was glad he said what was on his mind, and hoped that Reggie and the others truly forgave him. He figured that the perfect opportunity would be at the party being thrown at the Shore Shack after the surf competition.

'I really hope they forgive me...'