Endings and Beginnings

The final chapter. Enjoy!

"Has the jury reached a verdict?"

Giulia laid her hand on Bayonetta's shoulder, bracing her. Bracing herself.

"We have, Your Honor."

She could still remember that night, clearer than day. The bark of her service weapon, the recoil resonating down her arm and into her soul. She'd clipped him in the shoulder, sending him reeling with a shriek onto the rainy ground. Quinn rushing over to check on Falcon as Giulia holstered her weapon and dashed to the man in green. Luigi had been hysterical at first, rolling about on the floor and screaming expletives, but he clammed up once Giulia gently explained his situation to him. He was treated on the scene, advised of his rights, and led to the back of Giulia's police car, where he asked to have his lawyer present during questioning. Phoenix had met them at the precinct, where Luigi had given his statement. Meanwhile, Giulia relinquished her service weapon to Quinn and was once again placed on administrative leave.

Kovacs had agreed to have Luigi outfitted with an ankle monitor and released to Master Hand's custody. MH was deeply shaken over what had happened and wondered if there was anything he should've done. Dr. Mario and Kristy were also stunned. They thought he was doing so well! Perhaps what happened with Caroline had been the last straw. Nevertheless, they vowed to support him, and many Smashers offered themselves as character witnesses. When Leni received word of what had gone down, she grabbed her kids and returned to the Smash Realm with all haste. As for Falcon, he insisted that he didn't want to press charges, understanding why Luigi had done it and musing that it was a long time coming.

Simultaneously, Giulia was once again cleared of any wrongdoing by IAB, but she had to see the department psychiatrist and would be on desk duty for the next two months. Ironically, Luigi had vouched for her, understanding that the policewoman had saved him from himself that rainy night.

Phoenix pursued an affirmative defense, arguing that the years upon years of being a butt-monkey and a victim of en masse bullying had culminated in a temporary break from reality. He brought in both Kristy and Dr. Mario as expert witnesses. For her part, it painted Kovacs to see Luigi sitting at the defendant's table and told herself that once this trial was finished, she would resign.

Today, however, was the day that a jury of Luigi's peers would decide his ultimate fate.

"Will the defendant please rise?"

Calm and dignified, Luigi stood, Phoenix beside him. He was genuinely remorseful for what he'd done to Falcon and realized that bottling up his emotions hadn't been the smartest thing he'd done. He'd accept the consequences gladly, if it came down to that. He just hoped that eventually, they'd track down Crazy Hand and drag him back to the Minus World before he set his sights on someone else.

"We, the jury, do find the defendant—not guilty by reason of mental defect."

Kovacs internally sighed with relief. She wasn't gonna bother with filing an appeal and wasting everyone's time. As far as she was concerned, Luigi needed to move on with his life, and there were worse criminals out there who deserved to be prosecuted.

"Congratulations, Luigi," smiled the judge. "You're free to go—provided that you promptly enroll in an anger management course and continue to see your therapist on a regular basis. Am I clear?"

Luigi nodded. "Yes, Your Honor."

"Understand that this court has decided to give you another chance. Let it not be in vain."

Vindicated, Luigi shook Phoenix's hand and then turned to face his friends and family.

"It's over," he said quietly. "Look, guys, I..."

Daisy shushed him. "We know," she said. "We know."

Flanked by the Smashers, his lawyer and his Princess, the man in green strode out of the courthouse, ready to better himself and to move on with his life.

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Three years later...

"Freeze! Hand over the loot!"

The "robber" pouted as she relinquished the bag of fake money. "No fair," she whined.

Giulia chuckled, looking over the little girl. "Crime doesn't pay," she told her. "Remember that."

The girl smiled. "I will, Mommy. Don't you worry."

Giulia slung the child onto her hip, musing over the direction her life took. After Luigi's "not guilty" verdict, he and Giulia had focused on repairing their friendship. He was doing quite well, showing up at his anger management class on time and actually delving into the material, not treating it like a burden. He'd told her he was seeing Kristy on a weekly basis, sending her daily reports and keeping a journal. Slowly but surely, he was gaining closure over Grant's death, hoping that he'd become a guiding light to a lost soul as the salesman was for him.

Career-wise, Giulia hadn't come under scrutiny again after that rainy night, and the public had finally swept the Taser incident under the rug. With a little nudging from Bayo and Luigi, she'd taken the Sargeant's exam and assumed her new rank six months after the trial. The perks were great, such as having her own office, but she also got to mentor fresh-faced officers just starting out and steer them in the right directions. It didn't take long for her to gain a "mother-hen" reputation, which made her think about—well—actually becoming a mother.

She and Bayo talked about it, and as their relationship grew more serious, they agreed that it was time. The couple adopted a girl named Emi; she was three years old at the time. Now, she was an outgoing, athletic and curious six-year-old, doing well in school and recently nominated for Class President. She could play too many instruments to list, was taking tennis and taekwondo lessons and loved her two moms dearly.

Look how far I've come, mused Giulia, smiling at her adopted daughter as she clung to her with chubby arms and looked at her with big, teal eyes. It's a good life.

"Mommy," said Emi as she and Giulia sat down on the sofa. "What's Smash Bros?"

"It's a tournament where Nintendo characters compete and bond and win prizes—kind of like your tennis lessons have tournaments sometimes. You'll learn more of it when you get a bit older. But why the interest?"

"I saw a poster at the GameStop near school," explained Emi, "and I saw Mario and Samus and Kirby!" The girl had a lot of Mario, Kirby, and Metroid games in her collection. "When I grow up, maybe I'll meet them!"

"Yeah," said Giulia. "Maybe you will."

"The last family they placed me in didn't like Mario very much. The green one."

"Oh?"

"I don't know his name. I know they just called him the Green Mario."

"Hmm," said Giulia. "Maybe before you go to bed tonight, I'll tell you the story—the real story—about him."

"I get to hear about the Green Mario! You're the best mommy ever!" Squealed Emi.

"Emi—his name is Luigi," explained Giulia.

"Luigi? That's a cool name. I can't wait to hear about Luigi, Mommy."

"Your other mom and I are friends with him," said Giulia.

"That we are," said Bayo, striding into the room. "Resting from playing Cops and Robbers?"

"Yeah," said Emi.

Bayo kissed Emi's cheek. "Could you go to your room for a moment, please? Your two moms need some private time."

"Okay!" Emi kissed Giulia, hopped off her lap and skipped off to her room, singing, "I'm gonna hear about Luigi!"

"Hey, Bayo," said Giulia as the Umbra Witch sat beside her. "What's wrong?"

"I never said anything was wrong," said Bayo, kissing Giulia deeply on the mouth. Her hands were on her hips, sliding under her shirt.

"Easy, there. She can hear us," cautioned Giulia.

"But she's also playing with her toys," Bayo assured her. She captured her mouth again, and they kissed and kissed until they were giddy with ecstasy.

This really is my life, thought Giulia. And it was. She was with the woman she loved, raising a beautiful daughter together. She was back on good terms with a longtime friend, and she was still doing what she loved—serving and protecting. It just couldn't get better than this.

Or maybe it could.

Giulia's breath caught in her chest as Bayo knelt before her, holding out a ring. This ring was shaped like an eye and had a ruby set in its center.

"Cereza..."

"Giulia," said the Umbra Witch. "I want you to know that these past four years have been the best in my life—so far. When we found each other, it was in the eye of our own personal storms, and because we held on to each other, we battled these storms and made it to a place with better weather. You're not only the person I love and cherish, but you've become my best friend—and—I want to spend the rest of my days with you. Will you marry me?"

The policewoman threw her arms around Bayo. "Yes," she responded breathily. "A trillion yesses. I will, Cereza!"

They fell onto the sofa in a tangle of limbs, clothes flying off in a blur. Giulia wasn't going to spend another second mulling over her past—she had one heck of a future to look forward to.

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Quinn lay on the examination table, excitement coursing through her veins as Dr. Mario applied the gel to her stomach. She squeezed the hand of the man seated next to her. He was just as anticipated.

If you told any of the Smashers that David Hayter, known to them as Solid Snake, was now a loving husband to Cecilla Quinn, the police captain, they'd have to see it to believe it. They were initially shocked to see him during the business with Luigi; they didn't recognize him at first. Clean-shaven, hair trimmed, wearing a polo shirt and slacks—but by no means domesticated. He was married to a law enforcement officer, and she helped him maintain that edge. The two of them had met on Shadow Moses Island, when he was a mercenary and she was a spy operative. She'd taught him to be less of a lone wolf and to be more sensitive, and he'd taught her to be more tactical when faced with danger. Snake saw many horrific things during his tenure as a merc, but with help from Quinn, he'd re-adjusted to civilian life after they'd returned home. She kept herself busy by joining the Smashville Police Department and working her way up to Captain, and he participated in the Brawl Tournament in 2008, where he befriended much of the roster—including Luigi.

Snake told his wife about the times he and Luigi spent together, either chatting in his cardboard box or lounging around in that haunted mansion. Luigi had been in a bit of a fragile state during Brawl, struggling with nightmares and feelings of guilt and regret after being manipulated by evil forces to act on his jealous feelings toward Mario. With his gruff yet fatherly nature, Snake had helped Luigi work past his guilt and was amazed when the man in green had been among the last standing in the battle against Tabuu. After he wasn't invited back for the fourth tournament, he and Cecilla had gotten married.

On Quinn's part, she'd fretted that the situation with Luigi would hurt her marriage, but the exact opposite happened. They emerged from it stronger than ever, as Snake promised her that he'd always stand by her, no matter what. After Giulia was promoted, the two of them went on frequent vacations, leaving the new Sergeant in charge. And some months ago, Quinn had awoken with nausea and abdominal pain, well past her time of the month. She'd gawked at the positive test for a full minute before breaking the news to Snake and making an appointment with Dr. Mario for a blood test to confirm her pregnancy. Despite approaching the wrong side of forty, everything was okay so far.

"Okey-dokey," said Dr. Mario as he moved the ultrasound wand over the police captain's belly. "Here's your baby."

Quinn and Snake stared at the ultrasound image of their little one, the tiny legs kicking, the fetal heart beating in a strong, sure rhythm.

"My," breathed Quinn. "It's a boy. We're having a boy."

"He's looking good," smiled Dr. Mario.

Snake had a hand over his mouth, stifling his sobs. "Wow," he managed.

"Maybe I should tell Master Hand that an alumnus of his tournament is gonna be a dad," said Dr. Mario.

"We should tell Giulia, too—she's gonna be over the moon!" Quinn chimed in. "My God, David. Look at our son. Our son."

"Our little Snake," added Snake.

"Naming him already?" Teased Quinn.

"That can be his nickname," smirked Snake, kissing Quinn. "I love you, Cap'n."

"You too, Snake."

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For Leni, things were finally starting to come back together.

A week after the trial, she went into labor. Luckily, her kids were calm about it, Danny calling the obstetrician while Alex, Shelia and Nora set up the birthing pool. Leni had decided on a home water birth for this arrival. Any other kids would've shied away from this gross stuff, but not Leni's. Nora had read books and watched videos on how to help deliver a baby. While waiting for the midwife to arrive, the eldest daughter had stripped down to her birthday suit and gotten into the birthing pool with her mother. The boys held each of Leni's hands, and Shelia tended to her with a damp cloth.

By the time the midwife arrived, the baby was well on her way, Nora's voice cracking just slightly with excitement as she announced that she felt something sliding from the birth canal. Emma, the midwife, then took charge of the situation, directing when to push and when to rest. She could tell that this was a breech birth, and that this baby was arriving a week or so before her due date.

And with one final push, Myra Cordelia was born! Leni would always remember the way her new daughter came out, with her cute little patootie high in the air, as if declaring that she could care less about what this world thought of her family! She was crying and fussing even before she was completely out of the womb, and the completely spent Leni just broke upon hearing those cries. The tiny baby was placed on Leni's chest, her skin becoming pink almost instantly and her body temperature stabilizing upon contact with a familiar place. Leni just drank in the soft warmth of her newest bundle of joy, cuddling Myra close as the kids helped Emma clean her up.

"You're finally here," sobbed Leni as Myra calmed down, cooing and gurgling and salivating and sucking on her fingers. She was barely aware of Emma delivering the placenta and only partially aware of Nora and Shelia cutting the umbilical cord once it was safe to do so. Her focus right now was on Grant's last gift to her, a reminder to keep on living, to keep on fighting.

Emma ushered the kids from the room, allowing Leni to bond with the new arrival. Myra's eyes peeped open, her mom seeing her late husband in those hazel orbs.

"Oh, Myra! You're so perfect!" Tears spilled down Leni's face as she caressed her little one. "I know things aren't that great right now, but I'm gonna be the best mom I can be. I've mourned, I've grieved, but it's time for me to move on." She kissed the top of Myra's head, the baby staring curiously at her before inching her way to the first breast she saw and beginning to suckle.

She suckled for a long time—her other four kids weren't this hungry when they came out! Myra would take brief naps in between nursing, lulled by the sound of her mom's heartbeat. Then, those hazel eyes would open, and she'd latch back on.

At last, Myra was full, and both mother and baby decided that it was best to doze off for a while. So they did.

Myra Cordelia weighed in at 4 pounds, 14 ounces and was 17 inches long. She had her father's eyes and her mother's hair—and quite possibly her father's 'tude. Once she was in a nice, clean diaper and snugly swaddled, Myra was formally presented to her siblings. They wouldn't stop fawning over her, kissing her and cuddling with her. Dr. Mario, Luigi and Peach were summoned. Emma, Dr. Mario and Peach were worried because Myra was shy of the five-pound mark. Her heart and lungs were doing fine, but Dr. Mario told Leni to try to beef Myra up until she was at least 5 pounds.

And as for Luigi, he was in love as soon as Myra was in his arms. She reminded him of his late friend, especially those eyes and that mouth. He rocked her back and forth, singing a lullaby.

"Myra," he intoned, "when you're a little older, you'll learn how much your dad meant to me."

That was when Myra smiled at him, grasping his index finger with a tiny hand. She already knew.

For the first few days after Myra's birth, this was the routine. Her mom and siblings taking care of her and loving her, introducing her to family friends and Smashers alike. Luigi stopping by for some quality time with her, Leni even allowing him to hold Myra skin-to-skin. It didn't take rocket science for her to know that he was getting better. Maybe he needed anger management, after all.

Recently, Leni had connected with other widowed parents in an online grief chatroom. One user in particular had arrested her attention, a widowed father, also struggling with guilt and questions over what he could've done to save his spouse, who'd died protecting their two sons from a vicious beast. Hearing his story made Leni think of Lucas and his act of kindness at her in-laws' funeral.

When Myra was two months old, Leni and her brood hopped on a flight to Nowhere. The Nowhere Islands, that is. It was there that she met the person she'd communicated with in that chatroom—Flint, Lucas's father! He'd lived in quasi-isolation with the family dog, Boney, after losing Hinawa and Claus, but Leni's caring-but-tough stance gradually drew him back out. She spent a month or so with him in Nowhere before inviting him to move into the guestroom of her house, to which Flint agreed. The relationship progressed through the years, Flint becoming a stepfather-of-sorts to Leni's kids. He was there when Myra took her first steps, said her first words ("I love you!"), was weaned off the diapers and the bottle, learned her ABCs and 123s and made her first friends in preschool. Leni was there to help Flint bridge the rift between him and Lucas. It wasn't long before Leni and Flint fell in love and went public with their relationship, Nora even stating that they should "just get a room already". The two married in a sweet, outdoor ceremony, with Myra as the flower girl and Lucas as the ring-bearer, warmly welcoming Leni into his family.

Leni and Flint now resided in Onett, with five children, two dogs—and another baby on the way. Lucas was really looking forward to being a stepbrother. But Boney and Spirit had hit it off rather quickly, sharing a doghouse since before their owners got married, so it shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone when a litter of puppies was born to them one summery morning. Of course, the kids were enamored of the pups, and were none-too-pleased to find out that these pups would be put up for adoption when they came of age.

Nobody could replace Grant, and the aches and longing were still present. But Leni was still happy with how her life turned out in the wake of her husband's suicide. Time couldn't heal all wounds, but at least it was a good start.

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Val and Evelyn were doing pretty good, too. At their ultrasound, they discovered that they were having twin girls. Shortly after Myra was born, Mallory Rose and Justice Alexandra were born via C-section in Dr. Mario's clinic. Mallory had dirty-blonde hair, while Justice had Val's jet-black hair. Both girls had their mother's eye shape and their father's eye color. The new parents spent their waking hours doting on the twins, making sure they were present for as many key moments as possible. Once Mallory and Justice were walking, talking, potty-trained and in preschool, Val and Evelyn expanded their P.I. business, helping clients ranging from the mundane to the fantastic, busting affairs, underhanded deals, juveniles sneaking out past curfew and more. Often, Luigi would stop by and volunteer, and as long as he was letting out energy, the two of them couldn't complain. The girls were also super-friendly with Liam and Leia.

Valentine "Val" O'Halloran and Evelyn Fisk. Two adventurous gamers and Luigi fans. And now, man and wife, devoted parents. Forever—for life.

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Alexis Kovacs made good on her promise. The day after Luigi's verdict came in, she resigned from her position and joined Phoenix's firm as a defense attorney. Two years later, she left and started her own law firm with a few old pals from law school. Kovacs, Berman and Abbott specialized in business ethics and harassment cases and was featured in the Smashville Lawyer magazine only half a year into its inception. To this day, Kovacs maintained that leaving her old post was the best decision she ever made.

Dr. Mario and Kristy continued to see each other. To avoid a conflict of interest, she quit her job in his clinic and opened up a clinic of her own. Though it was based in the Smash Realm, she soon had branches opened across the globe. This clinic was aimed at women's health, psychiatry and pediatrics, but she never turned anyone away. Her methods combined Dr. Thorpe's group therapy with traditional one-on-one sessions, and it was a major success, to put it lightly. She and Dr. Mario were now engaged and planned to marry next year on a sunny beach in L.A.

Dr. Thorpe remained as a consultant to both Dr. Mario and Kristy. She, too, began operating clinics in Third World countries. While vacationing in London one summer, she met a dashing fellow named Linus. After dating for fourteen months, the two were married in a beautiful ceremony at a church in Westchester and honeymooned in West Sussex. Emily and Linus moved to Henderson, Nevada, and they were now expecting a daughter.

Speaking of Henderson, Cerena Cydney Sparks married the female Wii Fit Trainer, both brides clad in white workout gear, at San Francisco City Hall. Her old and new friends, even her exes, were in attendance. Melody, her first love, toasted the couple, while Lauren, her prom date, caught the bouquet. Cerena and her wife honeymooned on the California coast before returning triumphantly to the Smash Realm. Just recently, they adopted a son, Oliver.

Cloud and Reflet also got married after the trial, on Final Destination, with MH officiating. They went to Midgar for their honeymoon, where they stayed for the better part of a year. The two planned to have a child via surrogate.

As for Crazy Hand—well—he was never seen or heard from again. Some say that he escaped to another dimension to wreak havoc, while others say he rejoined the Bennigan Brothers to live a quiet life under an assumed name. In other Bennigan news, Tanya had married Tina long after the duo had fled the Smash Realm. Nobody has seen or heard from them, either.

So, life was pretty much good.

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"Time's up," said Kristy.

Luigi stretched. "Wow. Time flies when you're having fun."

Kristy smiled. "Your progress has been impressive, Luigi. You haven't been involved in any incidents since that night."

"That's because I stopped bottling things up inside," said Luigi.

Things had never been better for the mustachioed man in green. He'd successfully completed his anger management program and went to all of his appointments with Kristy, rain or shine. He wrote in his journal, spent most of his time at his easel or at his grand piano, and recently took up pottery lessons. Also, he hung out with Evan, Mandy, Evelyn and Val and their kids. When Leni and Flint came to visit, the plumber would share some quality time with Myra, who reminded him more and more of Grant as she grew older. He could better control that monster inside of him, to the point where he didn't feel any urges for violent revenge at all. If Giulia hadn't pulled that trigger—he didn't allow himself to complete that thought.

After things settled down and Fox and Falcon had recovered, the two of them, accompanied by Pikachu, finally sat down with Luigi for a much-needed talk about the past, Luigi saying the things that needed to be said, and the three of them making the apologies they needed to make. The racer and the vulpine didn't hold Luigi's outburst that night against him, knowing that it was the result of him repressing so much for so long. They saw how much they'd hurt the plumber, and knew that they couldn't take it back. But after listening to Luigi's words, they vowed never to act in such a way again. Luigi's relationships with the three improved drastically after they talked. He didn't feel that sweltering anger at them when he faced them on the battlefield. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, he slept well. And Falcon, Fox and Pikachu could breathe easily again, knowing that their transgressions against Luigi had been forgiven—at last.

The talk had also improved things between Falcon and Samus, as the racer finally mustered the courage to talk to the bounty huntress about that Team Battle in which he scapegoated her. Sam talked about how his behavior and attitude had hurt her, as well as the mark it had left on their relationship. She talked herself tired, but at least she got it all out. A week later, the two of them went on a little vacation in Miami, Florida. And a year after it all went down, the two of them wed on the Mute City racetrack, driving away together in the Blue Falcon. Their child, a daughter, was due any day now.

"I have some interesting news," said Kristy, bringing Luigi back to the present.

"What's that?"

"You have been deemed rehabilitated," announced Kristy. "This was the last session you are required to attend."

"Really? Oh, that's wonderful!" Gushed Luigi.

"I hope we can still see each other, though—on an outpatient basis."

"Whenever a problem arises, I'll be sure to tell you," promised Luigi.

"But did you learn something from all of this?"

"Yeah. To never let my temper get the better of me, and to try and use our words."

"And for goodness sake, when someone tries to provoke you, ignore them," added Kristy.

Luigi grinned ear to ear. "Got it." He extended his hand. "Thank you, Dr. Park. For everything."

Kristy shook her patient's hand. "L—it was my pleasure," she said warmly.

Luigi stood, gathered his things, and exited the office for the final time.

For a while, at least.

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The man strode pompously into the cubicle, where the guy wearing glasses was laboring at a computer. "Hey, NERD!" Barked the man.

The guy in glasses calmly looked up from his work. "What can I do for you, sir?"

The man, the guy's supervisor, grinned. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Time for me to endure yet another round of sardonic barbs about what a lousy worker I am?" Deadpanned the guy in glasses.

The supervisor was speechless over his favorite target speaking to him like that.

"It appears that you've grown popular," the glasses guy went on, holding up a cell phone. "Someone wants to talk to you."

The supervisor had no idea who wanted to talk to him at this hour, but he decided to humor the glasses guy and took the phone.

"Hello," he said. "Who is this?"

"Do you recognize my voice?"

The supervisor's blood went to ice. "Y-yes, Luigi," he managed to say.

"Then listen to me very carefully. I've had my eye on you, and I don't like what I'm seeing you do to poor Herman over there."

Herman, the glasses guy, smirked.

"Tell me—what has he ever done to you? He does his work faithfully, doesn't he?"

"I—I..." Stammered the supervisor.

"Are you bullying him just for the heck of it? Because I don't like people who do that."

The supervisor began to sweat.

"I don't know who you think you are, buddy. I don't know what you're trying to prove. But I want you to know that I have a—particular—set of skills. Skills which make me a living nightmare for people like you. If you leave my friend Herman alone, that will be the end of it. I will not look for you; I will not pursue you. But if you don't—then I will look for you. I will find you. And I will make you regret it with every fiber in your being. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Luigi," the supervisor choked out.

Chuckling. "Catch you later, buddy."

Click. Dial tone.

Herman cocked his head at his supervisor. "You were saying, sir?" He asked pointedly.

"N-nothing," stammered the supervisor. "K-keep up the good work." And he hiked out of the cubicle fast.

And in his room in the Smash Mansion, Luigi Mario, that mustachioed man in green, smiled wickedly to himself, lovingly stroking a photograph of him and his best friend Grant—the only one who would truly understand him—gone, but never forgotten.

"Ah, yes," he said to the photo. "We are still very much in business."

FINE

This is also the end of the L is Real series. A fitting conclusion to a trilogy, don't you think?

Special Thanks:

pichuplayer: You were a consistent reviewer throughout the second and third stories, and I'll always consider you part of the L is Real family. Thanks for helping me make three L is Real stories happen.

Arctic01: Another member of the L is Real family. We met when I was writing L is Real 2016, and I'm happy that its sequel got your attention. I hope you are doing well.

SolarTBA (formerly SolarEnergy07): I originally didn't plan to write L is Real 2017, but the idea was in my head even while I was finishing up LiR2016, so I decided to just roll with it. I hope you enjoy the finished product. Thanks for reviewing this story from the beginning! You are truly part of the L is Real family!

YugiohOriginalFan4Life: Another L is Real family member who followed me from LiR2016. I'd like to thank you for your support.

SeththeGreat: I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking a chance with this story. And even though we started off on the wrong foot in LiR2016, I am proud to call you a friend and a core member of the L is Real family. You actually gave me some suggestions this time around. Like with breaking the fourth wall—I was aiming for some comic relief, but I can see why it was a bit awkward. Also, good job on your latest Wasteland story; I enjoyed seeing Snake's character development.

I wish you all the best, along with the others who read, reviewed, followed and favorited my story. Happy early Thanksgiving, and Season's Greetings!