I hope you enjoy the final installment of Kid Icarus: Grounded.

"How are you feeling?"

Pit raised his hand from the hot water he rested in. He inspected his fingers, brushing them against a nearby stone. "I can kinda feel things."

Palutena sighed. "Well, that is expected for a few more days. Hopefully, you'll heal by then."

Pit nodded, closing his eyes again and returning to his resting. The electrical shock Medusa had given him was powerful enough to destroy most of his nerve endings. He had been soaking in the hot springs of Angel Land every day until skin turned to wrinkles, like small prunes. But he was still healing. Even now he was only just able to feel textures.

"She's doing well."

Pit jerked his head back up, blinking in surprise. "Really?"

Palutena nodded. She sat on a nearby stump, gazing down at Pit. When Medusa had been banished and had returned to the Underworld, the Shadow Angels had been teleported to the same place. Medusa's power had been enough to keep their lifeforce in the Skyworld, but without her, there was nothing to keep them alive. Their beings had teleported directly to a place where they could survive: the Underworld. Palutena had started to repair Angel Land and the Skyworld, with help from the angels. But she had banned Pit from helping, at least until he was able to feel and move properly.

Palutena nodded. "She has amazing pain tolerance for a human, more so than any human I've known."

Pit dipped his head. "She's gone through a lot."

"I was surprised that this was what she wanted."

Pit shrugged slightly. "All she wants it to be accepted."

"Does she think wings will make her accepted? Even wings won't make her a true angel. Her bones aren't made like an angel's. The way an angel's body works is different than hers. She'll probably never be able to use magic, or fly very well."

Pit shrugged again. "You sound like you're talking to me when I was little."

Palutena's face softened. "And you did manage to overcome all the odds that were set before you. I guess I shouldn't be too hard on her. It's just hard to imagine."

Pit nodded. "Yeah…the angels have been doing a great job around here." He motioned around him.

Palutena brushed her slender fingers against the green grass. It was true: the angels had outdone themselves re-cultivating Angel Land. The trees were beginning to grow new leaves, the grass around growing thick and green. The rivers flowed clean and clear. Even the birds had started to return to the air, crows, caws, and tweets of joy bursting from their beaks.

"Yes," Palutena replied, "for only a week, the angels have done an amazing job."

Pit scowled slightly. "I wish I was helping. As General, I should be leading and directing."

"And as a casualty, you should be resting until you're better." Palutena ruffled Pit's hair with a smile. "You'll be better soon."

Pit flattened his hair grumpily. "Yeah, but I don't see you telling that to Kuro."

Palutena's eyes grew softer. "He's almost in worse shape than you, Pit. I've been even stricter with him, but he's recovering quicker than you are."

Pit hadn't seen Kuro in almost a week. His injuries had been more serious than Pit's, having been both beaten up and electrocuted, so he was being taken care of specially. All in all, Pit was feeling rather lonely. Both Kuro and Kaitlyn were separated from him. Only Palutena was a regular when it came to visitors. Kestrel and Nighthawk came every once in a while. Both of them were helping lead the clean up and renovation of Angel Land. Kestrel came even less than Nighthawk, being even busier. She was in charge of burying the dead, a sad and depressing job, especially for her. Kestrel had lost many of her friends, including two of her airball team members: Oriole and Junco. She didn't speak a lot to Pit when she came and visited him, preferring to lose herself in thought. Still, Pit was glad for the company.

Pit brushed his hair back gently. "I'm still amazed that you didn't kill Medusa."

Palutena sighed deeply, her eyes sad and shoulders slumped. "Perhaps it's a sister thing, but I never really can give up on her. I just keep on wanting to give her chances. Maybe, I'm being naïve, but she is my sister." Palutena stood from the stump. "You should be well enough to come to my garden later this afternoon. Kaitlyn's just about ready to return to us. You should come and see her."

Pit grinned widely. "Yeah, like I would miss it!"

Walking down the streets of Angel Land, Pit could see just how much progress had been made. Everything once dead had either been replaced or now grew in full bloom. Grime and soot was washed from walls, as well as an excess of red paint, which Pit had learned was a gift to Medusa from his big sister. Even the cobblestone paths and roads were being scrubbed until they shone. Pit almost didn't want to walk on the ground for fear of dirtying the streets again, but he really wasn't in the mood for and didn't have the strength to fly all the way to the temple.

But mostly, Pit couldn't help but think about Kaitlyn. For three days, she and Palutena had been mixing and matching spells, trying to find one that would allow Kaitlyn to grow wings. And when they had, Kaitlyn was confined to one of the empty houses in Angel Land while her new limbs grew in. The process, according to Palutena, was painful and tedious, but hopefully Kaitlyn would be satisfied in the end.

Pit picked up his speed, wincing every once in a while. The problem with his receiving all the feeling back in his nerves was that he could start to feel all that pain that he had been unable to feel earlier. Every scratch felt like a burn etched into his skin.

Pit felt his breath catch in his throat as he turned onto the garden pathway. A smile curled on his lips as he gazed around him. Colors burst everywhere in his vision. The flowers that Medusa had left for dead in Palutena's garden now exploded with life. They shone with health, petals colored some of the brightest shades Pit had ever laid eyes on. He walked over to the stone retaining wall, gently cupping a chrysanthemum in his palm. He smiled softly as he received a soft hum in reply.

Pit continued along the pathway, gazing around in happiness. Everything was so alive, it was as though the darkness had never come. Everything was so bright and cheerful. Pit raised his chin, feeling the sun warm his cheeks. He was glad his face was one of the first parts of his body to recover feeling in it. He rather liked to have control over his expressions.

Pit slowly walked into the garden, only to duck behind a bush at first sight of the goddess. Well, not necessarily at her, but from who she was with.

The green haired woman gently pulled a long white cloth from the fountain, wrapping it around the angel's arm. "Your arms are healing well."

"As is my rib," came Kuro's reply as he fingered his abdomen, "though my nerves are still a little jumpy."

Palutena shrugged. "It is to be expected. You'll need a little more time to heal before you leave."

Pit sucked in his breath sharply. Before he…what…?

Kuro nodded, holding up his arm and inspecting the bandage. He reached onto his right arm, slowly dragging the thick gold band from his upper arm. He held it out to the goddess. "This is yours. Thank you for allowing me to borrow it."

Palutena gently curled Kuro's fingers back over the gold. Her smile was warm and small, as though she were surprised in herself for doing this. "Keep it. Let it be a reminder to you that no matter where you are, there is always someone who loves you."

Even from his distant position, Pit could see the skin on Kuro's cheeks flush slightly as he returned the band to his arm. The dark haired angel dipped his head. "I thank you, Lady—."

Palutena placed a finger on Kuro's lips before he could finish. "That's 'Palutena' to you, Kuro."

The dark angel's cheeks flushed an even deeper red. Pit snickered quietly from behind his bush. The scratches on his arms from the pointed branches were so worth this.

"Oh," Kuro said slowly, as though just dawning on something, "I thought you might want this." He reached into his toga, pulling out a thick golden circlet. The gold curved and flowed delicately, leading to the center, where the gold split and a large ruby hung from a golden chain between the two pieces: Palutena's crown, though where Kuro had hid it, Pit didn't know. But then again, Kuro had always been better at magic than Pit.

"I found it on the floor of the temple when I last visited," Kuro said, "It seemed that no one remembered to get it. I transformed it back from the lava circle."

Palutena gazed at the circlet with sparkling eyes. She gently took it from Kuro's outstretched palms and fitted it neatly on her head. "Oh, Kuro, it's perfect! Thank you!"

Kuro dipped his head, flushing again. Pit smirked. He was enjoying this way too much!

Palutena turned around, her eyes locking directly onto the bush Pit hid behind. "And Pit, you know that eavesdropping is rather rude, correct?"

Now it was Pit's turn to flush. He slowly stood up from behind the bush, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. He hadn't really meant to eavesdrop…it was more that he hadn't wanted to interrupt Kuro and Palutena's conversation. But then again, he also didn't want to make it awkward by just standing there and waiting. So jumping into a bush, of course, seemed like the best option. Nevertheless, Pit dipped his head sheepishly. "Forgive my immaturity, Palutena."

The goddess stood up from her seat on the wall of the fountain, stepping over to Pit, her eyes gleaming and mouth in a smile. She gently took Pit's hand in her warm, slender fingers. With her other, she gently brushed back a spare piece of hair that had loosened from behind this laurel wreath and fell into his eyes. "Pit, I haven't had the chance to really tell you how proud I am of you."

Pit shrugged, his lips turning in a quirky smile. "Yeah, well…four months is a long time to be away from home."

"You've grown up so much, and not just in your appearance," she said, a finger drawing underneath his defined jaw line. Pit had noticed in the mirror of the sick house he had been staying in just how much he had grown physically. His muscles were more distinct against his arms and chest, powerful even, as well as his facial structure. He had thinned out further than before. Jenny had explained it as growth spurt, common for teenagers. But Pit still found it rather satisfying. Thankfully, Palutena had been able to replace his too small shirt, shorts, and toga with a new one, therefore relieving him from wearing his human clothes. But despite his new, proper clothing, Pit still kept his nylon jacket, t-shirt, jeans, and Nikes neatly folded in the corner of his room. "Even your personality had grown. You have so much more authority and confidence."

Pit smiled. "Well it would have sucked if I hadn't changed after a huge experience like that!"

Palutena laughed, the laugh that made Pit think of bells, flowers, and sunshine. Pit felt his spirit rise even higher, if that were possible. He was already so happy and cheerful that it seemed almost impossible that he could be happier.

"Kaitlyn is waiting for me," Palutena said smoothly, drawing away, "Pit, wait here with Kuro. Kaitlyn wants to see both of you." And with that, she disappeared.

Kuro snorted slightly. "It still creeps me out when she does that."

Pit blinked. "How does she move that fast?"

Kuro shrugged. "For someone who's over a thousand years old, she amazingly nimble. I guess some mysteries will just have to remain unsolved."

"Yeah," Pit said, turning to Kuro, who still remained seated on the edge of the fountain, "like why you're leaving Angel Land."

Kuro sighed, brushing back his hair with his right arm, the thick golden band on his upper arm gleaming in the sunlight. "You heard that?"

"Every word."

Kuro's shoulders rose and fell as he stretched them out. "I thought we talked about this, Pit, back at Jenny's place. I'm leaving so I don't start any more wars."

Immediately, Pit was on the defensive. "Come on, Kuro! Even you can't blame yourself for this war."

"I can, and I am," he replied, "I was the one who volunteered to help Medusa take down Palutena." He broke off and looked to the place that Palutena had disappeared from. "Though to tell you the truth, I can't figure out why I wanted to in the first place."

Pit followed Kuro's gaze, grinning. "Ohhhhh…so you like her?"

Kuro's face pulled into a snarl. "Whatever, you idiot."

Pit laughed. "You have it sooooooo bad, man! HA!"

Kuro's face, despite his best efforts to conceal it, flushed a bright cherry red. "You don't know what you're talking about, you jerk!"

"Kuro and Palutena, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" Pit crooned, whistling and cat calling. Kuro's face if possible, went even redder, though Pit wasn't sure if whether from embarrassment or anger.

"You're so immature!" Kuro screeched, leaping from his seat and tackling Pit. Pit laughed, flashing a cheeky grin at his friend as they rolled on the ground, scuffling and moaning. While Kuro may have been absolutely serious, Pit was still just having fun. He hadn't had this much fun in ages!

"You know what?!" Kuro yelled, jumping to his feet. He grabbed Pit by the scarf and dragged him over to the fountain, throwing him into the cold, flowing water.

Pit surfaced sputtering with laughter. "This is so much fun!"

Kuro snarled angrily. "Whatever, you jerk!" And so returned the fight.

"What's going on here?"

Pit and Kuro immediately leaped to attention, Pit creating puddles around him and Kuro red and heaving in breath. Palutena stood before them, face stern and yet almost laughing. Next to her, looking as beautiful as ever, was Kaitlyn, her own green eyes flashing.

The Skyworld seemed to be taking an effect on Kaitlyn: her golden hair was curled perfectly, and her both her skin and hair almost glowed with health. She now wore a toga like the other angels, her curved body filling out the fabric beautifully. Instead of a brown leather belt or a black and gold one like Kuro's, around her waist she wore a thick golden braid. On her feet was a pair of the boot-sandals that almost every angel wore. Pit couldn't help but stare. She looked absolutely amazing.

"What are you two arguing about now?"

Kuro brushed back his hair, calming himself down slightly. "Nothing, Palutena." He glared at Pit with an expression that said, "say one word and you pay."

Pit rolled his eyes. He may be immature but he wasn't that dense. There was a difference between playful teasing and actually being cruel. Pit had never gone that far. Kuro was a sensitive individual, even if he never showed it, and Pit knew that. Kuro had a thing for Palutena, but Pit understood that as well: he had once felt the same. But after being on earth and meeting Kaitlyn, the soothing smell of the goddess' hair no longer made him blush, the touch of her fingers against his didn't send shivers up his spine as they once did. Those reactions seemed to have moved to Kuro. Pit had seen the way Kuro reacted around Palutena's gentle teasing, playful banter, and smart remarks. Pit had suspected it back when the two had spoken at Jenny's house. Kuro had spoken so warmly about the goddess. Pit couldn't help but smile.

Pit instead smiled at Kaitlyn, waving. "Heya, Kaitlyn! How are—."

He was cut off as he received a stinging blow in the cheek. He winced, breathing in sharply. He rubbed his face, staring in shock at the angry female in front of him.

"You idiot!" Kaitlyn's eyes blazed, "What's your problem?! Going after Medusa alone?! Were you born stupid?! What's your issue?!"

"I-i-uh…um…" Pit stuttered at the sudden outburst. He was genuinely surprised at Kaitlyn's angry reaction. It was true that he hadn't seen her since he left her during the battle. Palutena had given him the news on her after he had awoken, but since then, she had been working with Palutena on her wings.

Kaitlyn's shoulders slumped in defeat, her head dipping slightly. "I just…Pit…what would I do if you…if you had died?"

Pit let out a half laugh, his cheeks flushing. He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Well, um…do I really have to—."

Pit could no longer speak, not without breaking the embrace.

He blinked in shock, his heart beating faster than ever. He stared down at the girl in his arms, her face so close, lips meeting his. It was as though the feeling in all his limbs had returned: his fingers tingled, everything around him suddenly coming out of focus. A total sense of something that Pit could only describe as bliss overcame him, washing him over like the waves of the ocean. He felt his arms slowly wrap around Kaitlyn, as though cradling her. Her body curved neatly into his, her arms around his neck, brushing against the back of his hair. Pit lost his focus on the world around him as his eyes shut, indulging himself fully to the matter in front of him.

Kaitlyn in the end was the one who broke off the kiss. Her face was half happy, half shocked, as though she couldn't believe what she had just done. Pit felt the exact same way: giddy with delight and surprised at himself. What had possessed him…?

"Oh," Kuro commented lightly from his position nearby, arms crossed and face smug, "who was it you were saying had it "so bad"?"

Pit and Kaitlyn both flushed probably the brightest red their cheeks could manage. They gave embarrassed laughs, looking at one another and at the two observers, who stood nearby. Kuro looked perfectly at ease, his expression one that obviously said, "told-you-so". Palutena had simply raised an eyebrow, the way Jenny would when she caught Pit doing something he shouldn't have been. It said, "you-had-better-not-be-naughty".

Pit suddenly became aware of his senses. His fingers, still around Kaitlyn, brushed against something soft. He flinched slightly, then smiled. "Kaitlyn…your wings…"

Kaitlyn drew away from him, her face breaking into a full smile. She turned her head, gazing at her back. Slowly, a pair of large shaped figures flared out from behind her. The blue and grey feathers flashed with clear oil in the sunlight. Pit gazed in awe. His own wings were a pure white, streaked with silver highlights. But Kaitlyn's were much more flamboyant. The largest feathers on the edges of her wings were a pale blue, almost matching the color of the sky and were streaked with dark silvers. The more downy secondary feathers were a grey and white mix, beautiful and soft. The smallest were dark silver, speckled with white. Pit raised a hand, gently feeling the soft, smooth feathers.

"They're beautiful," he breathed. He had seen a lot of gorgeous wings, for angel's wings were about as diverse as angels themselves, Shadow Angels not included: their wings were all dark. But Kaitlyn's wings were such a nice blend of blues and grays, Pit found them sleek yet elegant.

Kaitlyn flushed slightly, clasping her hands together. Her wings curled down in delight, feathers fluffing ever so gently in the wind. "I'm still a little rusty with them. I can barely fly."

Pit shrugged with a smile. "Hey, I'll help you. If anyone knows about learning to fly, it's me!"

Kaitlyn's hug was warm, her feathers tickling his cheeks. Pit smiled. It was like a whole new beginning: a new angel to help, a new home to look forward to, and a whole new way of looking at things.

Pit gazed around him, his eyes flickering around the buildings. Everywhere angels cleaned up streets, scrubbing down cobblestones, planting new shrubs or healing sickly ones, and clearing away dead leaves. He looked out between two houses slightly set apart, looking sadly at the large field set there. A few angels carted away dead bodies, flying off with them in order to find a place for a proper burial. He blinked particularly at one angel, the female doing most of the pointing and directing: Kestrel. She wasn't very easy to distinguish from so far away, but Pit had always been able to tell his big sister.

"Hey Pit."

"Oh, hey Nighthawk." Pit turned to his friend. It was good to see Nighthawk's calm, smiling face. Pit had been through so much over the past few days, only some of them really happy. Seeing Kaitlyn was probably at the top of his list, but many of the situations surrounding him only dampened his mood, such as all the dead bodies that needed to be buried. Pit had never seen so few angels in Angel Land before. There were still relatively many, but he felt the lack of crowding now. It was less like Chicago and Santa Barbara and more like the beach at night: calm, but sad.

"Where are you going with that thing?" Nighthawk motioned to the bag in Pit's hands, leaning on the rake in his hands.

Pit lifted the backpack higher. He almost wanted to put it on his back and relive his school days down on earth, but that only made his chest tighten in regret. He missed Jenny and Mark and Ryan. Putting on his backpack would only bring up memories, ones he wasn't ready to work his way through. Right now, he had a job to do, and that wasn't necessarily bad. In fact, it was good to get his mind off of things. He needed the work.

"I'm just putting this in my room, then I'll report back to Palutena for work."

Nighthawk raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Pit smiled. "A backpack, but that's not really important right now. I'll tell you about them later."

Nighthawk let out a huff. "There's a lot you have to tell me about!"

Pit looked around again, spinning in a circle. "The Skyworld's looking great, by the way!"

"Angel Land, yes," Nighthawk said, shaking his head, "Skyworld, no. We have tons more work to do."

Pit raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" He had thought that the work was coming along so well. What needed to change?

Nighthawk raised his head, glancing around. His eyes were dark and almost moody. "Medusa's reign covered all of the Skyworld. The other areas will be cleaning as well."

"How big is the Skyworld?"

Nighthawk's gaze met Pit's. "How big is your 'Earth'?"

Pit swallowed. He had known that the Skyworld was big, but… "What are the angels like out there?"

Nighthawk shrugged. "There are places for just about every angel you could possibly think of. Angel Land is specifically for angels in training, young ones. There's a whole island just for adult angels."

Pit blinked in surprise. "There are adult angels?"

"What do you think?" Nighthawk said with a smirk, "that angels are teenagers forever? Sure angels grow up! Palutena creates the angels, but that doesn't mean they're young forever. They have to grow up sometime."

Pit smiled, his quick, racing mind already imaging the adult Angel Land. It would have to be big, and that would mean lots of little islands. His smile widened to a grin. "I want to go there! Nighthawk, you should come to! And we could bring Kaitlyn! And—."

"Alright, alright, I get it!" Nighthawk said with a laugh, "but we have some serious work to get done first."

Pit snorted. "Well, duh! I knew that!"

Nighthawk laughed, looking Pit up and down with a small smile. "You know, we really missed you, Pit."

"And I really missed you, too," Pit said slowly, flashing his friend one of his largest grins before taking off to the skies.

"As soon as you have time," Nighthawk called to the airborne Pit, "you're going to tell me exactly what happened to you, okay?"

"'K!" Pit said with a laugh before turning back and flying off.

To Pit, everything was wonderful. The air that buffeted his wings was warm and comforting. It streaked through his hair with a certain feeling in it, one that made Pit feel as though he were curled up in his bed back at Jenny's house, the one with the thick blankets and warm, soft blankets. The wind played with his shaggy brown locks, twirling itself against his skin a ticklish way. The smells in the air were also comforting, such as the one of fallen leaves. He knew that he should probably be worried about that one, seeing as it meant that the many of the trees had prepared for winter prematurely, as winter was always late in Angel Land, that is if it came at all. But all Pit could think of was the pile of leaves in the front of Jenny's house, the one he would jump into every time he walked out the door. He shoved the memory from his mind hurriedly, knowing the thought would only make him nostalgic.

Pit landed directly in front of his house. The small, marble building never looked more comforting. Oh, how he had missed his little house! He rubbed a hand gently against a marble pillar, smiling softly. It was beautiful.

Slowly Pit opened the wooden door, stepping into the room. Immediately, his eyes widened as he gazed around the all marble room. Had he really left his room in such a mess? Toss pillows and clothes were strewn across the floor and his bed was unmade. He dropped the backpack on the floor and immediately began picking up his clothes. He remembered now: the last time he had been in this room, Nighthawk had woken him up because he was late. He had rushed out the door without a glance at his room. But then again, back then he probably wouldn't have even minded. Now the only thing Pit could think of was the fact that Jenny would be so disappointed if she ever saw this room in its current condition.

As Pit hung up his last set of clothes, he looked around his room with critique. It was so bland, being all white and silver. He would need some flowers, maybe some paint, and he'd have to ask Palutena where to find some wooden furniture and maybe a couch. He suddenly longed for the colorful room back in Chicago. How strange it seemed at first to him, all the colors and odd sheeting! But now he found himself suddenly yearning for the comforts of shading and tints. Where was the excitement in all white?

Pit walked back over to his door and grabbed his backpack. The strap slipped from his grip and the backpack fell to the ground, spilling open. Everything inside shot around the floor.

Pit winced. He had been forcing himself from the tree to his house not to look inside the bag, for fear it would just make him unhappy. But now he had very little choice in the matter.

Pit slowly began to pick up the belongings. Jenny had packed him around four large jars of Nutella, which Pit's mouth immediately began salivating over. He uncapped one of the tubs, sticking his finger in and immediately sticking it back in his mouth. Flavor exploded over his tongue as the memories burst into his mind: the first time he met Jenny, his broken arm, just about every morning at breakfast time, snack after a hard day at school…every time he had ever eaten a spoonful of the wonderful brown paste. His shoulders relaxed, letting the comfort overtake him. It wouldn't hurt to just look at the other things…

Pit glanced around, picking up the different objects. Jenny had packed him a few loose pieces of clothing, the ones that Pit had worn most often besides his nylon jacket, jeans, and Nikes which he had sent for to be moved from his sick room to his actual home. A small rectangle came next. Pit picked it up and smiled, reading the Greek on the front and instantly translating it: Greek to English Dictionary.

Pit smiled and set it back in the backpack, looking for the last few objects.

He found them under a chair.

Pit stopped short as he dragged himself out from under the chair, sitting up and holding the object in his palm, as it was small enough to do so.

His cell phone.

Pit blinked and slowly flipped open the phone, which flashed to life. He blinked in shock at the bar level in the corner. Five bars?! In Angel Land?!

Pit slowly picked up the piece of notebook paper folded neatly against the keyboard. He set down the phone and unfolded the paper with trembling fingers. It was a regular piece of notebook paper, black pen scrawled on it with the simple slanted handwriting Jenny always wrote in. Pit could just make out the words from the little amount of practice he had had on earth.

Just in case you forget!—Jenny

Pit's hand trembled as he held up the paper, a phone number written neatly upon it. Of course, he didn't need the paper; he had memorized Jenny's phone number ever since he had gotten a phone.

Pit could feel the tears streaming down his face as memory after memory played through his head. He brushed them away, taking in a sharp breath. He glanced down at the phone. Would…would it really work here…?

Pit picked up the phone, punching in the numbers slowly so as not to make a mistake. He hurriedly held the phone to his hear, hand shaking as it played through ring after ring. Pit bit his lower lip, waiting.

Ring…

Ring…

Ring…

"Hello?" came a weary but smiling voice at the other end of the line, "This is Jenny speaking."

Pit wasn't sure whether to cry out or scream. He felt new tears streak down his face. He let out a half sob. He wasn't sure when he had ever been so glad to hear the voice that played in front of him. He breathed hard, finally able to get one choking word out of his throat.

"Mom?"

And there we have it: my first completed story. This chapter title, Finis Originis, means "The End of the Beginning" in Latin. This is because eventually, I will have a sequel for this, but for now, the characters are taking a well earned vacation.

This goes out to everyone who read my story even if you didn't review, and to all the reviewers who kept my writing going. Thank you little sister for all your bugging and encouragement and brainstorming ideas. Thank you firstoffive, who kept me on my toes at school and who never failed to ask me if I had written...every morning!

And to Dragonguy54321, my faithful Beta reader and probably one of the most patient people out there. You Beater you! (Sorry, SAO reference there!).

You all made this possible. You guys kept me going and made this story the best it could possibly be.

Because this is the last chapter, I want you all to tell me how you thought the entire story as a whole went, as well as just for this chapter. I'm so glad to be writing for FF. For my first ever story, you guys blew me out of the park! Thank you for putting up with my long periods of procrastination/ writer's block. Thank you for keeping up with my story, even when it was slow. And thank you for all your reviews and PMs.

I'm so excited to write my next story! I'm going to be on a month long Hiatus, but as soon as December hits, be prepared all you Yu-Gi-Oh! lovers, because soon, it'll be time to DUEL! (*sister screams/ squeals in the background in delight*) SHUSH, ASUKA!

(*sobs silents*) The story is finally over...it's...wow...I can't believe it, I really can't! When I finished writing this, I went and made myself a congratulatory cup of tea...just before starting my next story.

As always,

The best to you all,

~Pixeljam