Well, it's been fun. This is the final final final chapter, so to say. It could also be called an epilogue, but ehh, whatever. I poured everything I had into it, so I hope you guys enjoy it. I hope I can write more stories for you all in the future. So, enjoy!

"Why would you do this? Why again?"

"I told you in the beginning. Don't you remember?"

"But don't you feel sympathy for all of those who've died?"

"People die every day. My world was no different. Only it had more meaning." Kayaba Akihiko's voice echoed throughout the endless abyss that surrounded the two of them. "Throughout your time here, you always fought for your life, and the lives of others. For once, twice, three times, you were more than just a boy in his room, trying to escape his real world life."

Kirito really thought for a moment, fighting his urge to agree with Kayaba, and maybe even praise him. Because as much of a name he had made for himself, it wasn't worth the lives that were lost. No, people had died. Families crushed. He clutched his fists and made his disagreements final.

"Nobody was saved from initial death. They were only saved from an artificial cause created by you. You know that."

"I won't argue about any of that, because well, as far as I know, it's all very true. I have other matters to discuss with you anyway."

"I have people waiting to see me. Make it quick."

"I feel that after this big event, it's probably about my time."

"Your time?"

"I've decided to delete myself from the ALO servers; for good. In other words, I'll cease to exist."

"But why?"

"I've meddled with virtual reality enough. I've achieved my dream. And I've even found my castle." A large metallic castle appeared behind Kayaba, resembling a brighter, more welcoming version of Aincrad. He turned around and walked toward what he claimed to be his castle, but briefly turned his head back at Kirito. "Though you aren't my friend, nor my companion, I believe I can trust you with my research, correct?" Kirito nodded. And with that, Kayaba started his swift walk again, making small noises with his shoes clacking against the large rock flooring that lead to the castle's entrance. "Goodbye, Kirito."

And with that, he was gone. Kayaba was, as was the castle, gone. Kirito looked around at the returned black abyss, and waited only a few seconds before he was quickly thrust into the heaviness of reality without warning. He was in a hospital. A bright white dot stared into the room from the sky, illuminating it. If Kayaba had not lied, only a day and a half would have passed. The hands in front of his face were seemingly normal, and there were no tubes attached to him. This was nothing like the first time Kirito awoke from the death game, so Kayaba may have actually been telling the truth.

Kirito, not sure if he should be relieved or not, suddenly realized the weight on his left leg. When he looked to the figure resting on it, there was a large scatter of orange hair, followed by a soft face sleeping by him. A.. a soft face, of a girl.. she looked familiar though. She had a small tablet by her head, with a small speaker symbol displaying on the screen. A minute passed while Kirito recollected his thoughts about the real world; about what had just happened.

"Daddy? Is that you?" The tablet spoke! Kirito's mind, which had come back from the daze he was in, grasped a tight hold of the device and held it close. There was one voice and one voice only that was so innocently toned.

"Y.. Yui?" He struggled with hands, almost as if he's forgotten how to use them.

"Daddy! I knew you'd win! Did you save everybody again?"

Kirito was about ready to burst into tears. "Yes Yui, I saved everybody again."

And then everything became clear to him. Kirito looked back at his leg in shock, and jumped out of his bed, almost kicking Asuna's limp head in the process. His brain was suddenly filled with questions.

"Agh… What in the hell-" Asuna's eyes widened at her first sight, an empty bed, and her second sight, a confused black haired boy, almost frightened. "Kirito… Uhh, I'm sorry.. I'm-"

He rushed to hug the girl he had bled despair for for the past 2 years, his mind completely recollected. They were suddenly both in tears, neither wishing for a conversation of any kind to start. They didn't move from that position for days, years, millennia, until the door behind them closed softly, the result of somebody peeking inside hoping to go unnoticed. Kirito popped his head out of the hospital room, and saw a small girl with slightly messy orange hair that her small shoulders didn't do much to hide. She would probably be unrecognizable to most that knew her, if not for her idolized face. It was just as bright and shiny as ever, despite her gloomy look.

"So she's still alive, huh." Silica lifted her head up to face Kirito, who didn't know how to react.

"Y.. yeah. She's alive and well." Kirito put on a smile in attempt to cheer up the innocent looking girl before him, but it didn't seem to do much.

"Kirito, how do you do it? How can you hug her so joyfully after all this. Like nothing happened. After you've realized that all her final words before death, were staged? Like you were part of a play." Silica sighed, not able to let the anger inside her stop growing. A staged death? Did that damned girl even consider the kind of state Kirito was in for the next few months after? About how he couldn't stop blaming himself? Was it her plan from the start? Debating with herself was pointless though, and confronting Kirito was just as well. That's just the kind of person he was.

"I forgive and forget." Kirito replied, with a near-whisper following up, "Even if it hurts to do it." He kneeled down directly in front of the short girl, and leaned in real close. "She's a good person Keiko. Even if she may have done us wrong, she's allowed to have feelings, and allowed to be forgived." He paused for a moment. "Thanks."

They hugged.

"So did you guys see Shino on your way here?" As the three walked down the hallway of the hospital, he thought popped into his mind that she may have never woken up. He got worried, but kept his cool.

"Well I was brought here by my parents, and I assume you were too. Shino lives on her own, so she's probably back at her apartment." Keiko quickly regret not picking her words more carefully, as she saw Kirito's eyes widen.

"Ihavetogo." A slur of words was pieced together by a Kirito who was suddenly dashing across the hall. To his luck, the hospital was nearby Sinon's apartment, so he could get there in only a few minutes if he ran.

When he arrived, the door was open, the lock broken. Kirito stepped inside,

and saw a black haired girl lying down on her bed. Many of the things around her he had seen before had gone missing. Had she been robbed while she was in ALO? Was she sleeping? He almost yelled out her name, but then noticed the lack of a VR headset on her head. The almost-traumatized boy let out a big sigh in relief. He walked over to his damsel's bed, and slowly sat down. One of Sinon's bangs were over her face, so he pushed it aside, slightly brushing his fingers against her gleaming skin. He decided to get into the bed, so to be closer to his girlfriend. Kirito spent a few minutes looking at Sinon's beautiful face only inches away from his own. He almost wanted to gaze at her forever, but was worried that she wouldn't wake up.

*poke*

*poke*

*poke poke*

When Sinon's eyes opened slowly, she was still half asleep, only dazing off a few minutes ago. She took in her surroundings, but could mostly only see a big figure in front of her. Her view was a bit blurry, but she focused in on the situation.

"Ki… Kazuto?" Her face was suddenly steaming. "What… what happened last night? Did we do anything?!" She backed up too much and fell onto the floor behind her.

Kirito climbed to the edge and looked at the corpse of a person below him. "Uhm, are you okay?" He couldn't help but get out a slight chuckle.

"I'm… I'm fine." As the archer's mind began to clear of mist, her memories started coming back to her. She jumped up and hugged Kirito, remembering what he had done. Remembering the years they spent together, shuffled together in a blur of good and bad moments. It was almost like a story; just a really long picture book. Chapter by chapter, tales of happiness, and sorrow. But most importantly to Sinon, love. It even had a happy ending.

"Kirito," Sinon spoke out softly, to the boy embracing her in his arms. "Can we get married?" Kirito slightly chuckled, as if asking such a thing was pointless.

"Of course." He moved his lips in close, and embraced Sinon even closer, proving that his love was real. It was as real as love got.

It was a happy ending.