Hello again readers! I am so sorry for the EXTREME delay… But I have had a lot of real life things going on that have taken over my priorities. However I am back, and will try to update as much as I can.

I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

Yasuo awoke from his slumber to the sound of rustling and footsteps entering the room. He initially opened his eyes slowly, but then upon realising who was at the door, his eyes shot open and he quickly pushed himself against the edge of the bed in fear.

"Yasuo, relax I'm not going to hurt you" said Akali in a calm, relaxed manner.

The samurai gently nodded at the words, eyeing the tray the ninja held that carried medical supplies. Relieved, he seeped back under the bed covers. He truly was exhausted and in immense pain.

Akali began to enter the room, setting the tray on the mahogany night stand that paired with the large bed. She was devoid of her usual attire, instead sporting a casual kimono and letting her long hair flow freely as opposed to her uptight ponytail. Most notably, her face mask was missing, leaving her face bare.

"I… Um" Akali muttered, unsure of how to go about her apology.

Yasuo let out an audible sigh, interrupting Akali's sentence. "Its fine Akali. Although you were probably the most violent, people reacting that way is nothing I'm not used to." He let out a light chuckle, and returned his gaze to Akali's. He was surprised to see that she was noticeably upset and ridden with guilt.

"No Yasuo, It's not ok. I've never made such a mistake in my entire life. I… Let my emotions get the best of me, and now you're in this conditions and it's all my fault. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you" uttered the somber ninja. Yasuo sighed at the words.

"Akali, it really is fine" the samurai started. "I'm sure that if it was me in your place, I would've acted similarly, anyone would've." He adjusted himself so that he was sitting against the bedframe, and pulled down the covers slightly so that his torso was exposed. Akali eyed it, scanning all the scars that adorned his body.

"You see all these scars? They all represent a story. Someone who's been upset with me, someone who has fought against me and my people, but mostly mistakes." He motioned toward the large gash from his sword in the middle of his chest. "Thanks to you, I'll always have a reminder that in the end, I am and always will be my biggest enemy" he paused, looking at the ninja before him whom was on the verge of tears. "And most importantly… That even when the whole world seems to be against you, to never give up" he whispered with a slight smile.

Handing him a vial of red liquid, Akali smiled, gently wiping off the tears from her face.

"You are definitely right, Yasuo." She gently pulled the side of her kimono to reveal a long scar that lied between her neck and her shoulder.

"This scar… Is kind of like the one I gave to you." She gently ran her fingers over it, smiling wrily. "Say Yasuo, did you know Elder Gorou?"

Of course he knew. He was the one who even got Yasuo started on his journey to mastering the ancient wind techniques. He nodded as he sipped at the potion.

"Well. He gave me this scar. I trained under him before I entered the Order." She pulled the cloth back over her shoulder, and sat herself on the edge of the bed next to the samurai. "You see, my mother was so devoted to me becoming the successor of the Fist of Shadow that she made sure I had the best training I possibly could. So I trained under him in secret." Sighing in defeat, she rested her face against her palms. "Every time we would spar… I could never win. And it got to the point where I just gave up. Just like you, Yasuo. So I started to stop putting the effort I used to before. I lost my determination; I felt hopeless. I felt like I would never be the successor."

"However, Elder Gorou took note of this, and the next time I saw him changed my life forever. Although Gorou's training was already ruthless… He amplified that by a multitude that day. His strikes were relentless, cutting-edge techniques that you would see only on the battlefield. I remember him warning me within his unyielding strikes: 'If you do not try Akali, not only will you be null of the title, but you will see your death.' And that day, when my life was on the line, there was no self-pitying. In fact, there was no emotion. Because when your life is on the line, nothing else matters. Your only goal is to survive."

"And only when I put my emotions aside, only then did I win. This prepared me for the ultimate end. As the Fist of Shadow… There is no emotion. Just a mission that you fulfil, and that is all. Your life no longer matters… The only thing that matters is balance, and maintaining it. That replaces your life." The ninja looked at Yasuo, and smiled. "But I'm sure you know what that's like already."

Yasuo nodded slowly in response: He knew all too well what she was describing. Before Yasuo became the Unforgiven, his only purpose in life was to defend Ionia. He was an emotionless killing machine when Noxus invaded. The urge to protect his country overpowered his logic, which ultimately let to his foolishness and ended in the biggest tragedy he had ever experienced. Only after that did he experience emotions… Only the bad ones. Guilt, confusion, anger… And of course failure. He sighed in disappointment. At least now he could move on and finally find the true killer now that he had a following.

"When I found you Yasuo… All these emotions overcame me. I wanted you dead of course. But not only dead, I wanted you to suffer in the worse way possible." Her smile quickly turned to a frown. "These feelings of revenge coursed through me like never before… But it was because Elder Gorou was someone so dear to me, it was the same as if Shen or Kennen were assassinated."

"But now that I know it wasn't you Yasuo, I...I don't know how I can apologize to you. I don't blame you if you won't forgive me." Saddened, she turned to the resting Samurai. "However, I will mend this. I will join you on your journey to finding the killer. Because you aren't the only one who wants revenge. So will you allow me to join you, Yasuo?"

Although surprised at the proposition, a smile crept up on the samurai's face. "Akali… Of course I forgive you. And I would be honored to have you assisting me. I'm honored that all of you have taken care of me thus far… And this just made everything so much better. Thank you." He gently bowed his head in respect.

Akali then stood up, picking up the tray from the nightstand. "Of course Yasuo. We will do our best to grant you a speedy recovery so we can continue our journey." And with that, she turned and made her way out the door, sliding it shut.

The potion was definitely starting to work on Yasuo, the headaches and achyness was drastically changing in the moment. He closed his eyes, and slipped under the covers once more.

Things just kept getting better and better.