Epilogue: Expletum Expletus
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first dawn's light hit the tallest skyscraper in Corneria City as emergency shuttles
zoomed by, drifting between glass buildings in a slow observing dance. The city was
dazed and bruised, but thankful. Thankful that it was finally over, thankful that perhaps
now peace and calmness could be restored to a land that deserved it.
News reports went by on every communications channel in the system, telling of what
had happened, the true reason behind all the calamity and chaos. As the sun bathed its
golden light on the terrain it was though the people were breathing a collective sigh of
relief to know that the nightmare had ended, to know that life was now going to revert to
a new state of being, a state of being that they once knew eons before Andross ever
reared his ugly face into their lives. Except this time, they knew it was behind a mask, a
mask that bore the face of their leader, a puppeteer of malevolent sorts. Now all they
could think of was rebuilding, picking up the pieces.
A mole woman looked out from her apartment window in Macbeth City, emergency
vehicles crisscrossing over the distant quarry. She watched the smoke quietly rise from
the craters that dotted the terrain around her and she knew that now they were going to
rebuild. They were going to be stronger than they were before. A raccoon fisherman on
Zoness looked out over the devastated capital island. But there was a sense of rebirth as
he looked at the torn land, the twisted palm trees, the scarred terrain that once held a
magnificent city. It was all going to be rebuilt.
Dozens of ships flew through the skyways above the crater where the Cornerian Senate
building once was, passing over the building where it all began. The place where Andross
had first used Pepper to destroy the planet's government. Now there was the task of
replacing all those senators and leaders and government officials. That was another
aspect of rebuilding the system, filling the administrative boots that needed to be filled.
Hundreds of people filled the government auditorium. General Pepper was going to make
a speech in front of everyone, on all communications channels across the system. The
atmosphere was mirthful, happy, upbeat as more people filled the seats in front of the
podium.
Wolf and Fox entered the vast auditorium, searching for their seats, they saw Bill and
Elena huddling through the crowded rows, brushing against people as they made their
way towards the two. Finally they reached them and all Bill could do was smile.
"Looks like we saved Lylat."
Fox hugged him tightly, simply happy to see his face. It was true they did save the system,
but something more important happened in that they got through it alive.
Wolf couldn't help but feel humored by the words as he watched them hug. It was true
but his humbleness still prevailed in his emotions.
"Where's everyone else?" he asked as Fox returned to his side.
Bill turned around and looked back over the crowd, "Well, I saw Falco, Olivia and Max
somewhere over there in that mass of people. I think we're supposed to sit in our seats
since General Pep's gonna be talking soon to everyone."
"How long was he in hospital care?"
Bill looked down and thought for a moment, "They said that from the mind control, or
whatever it was that Andross did to him, did some damage to his adrenal glands. I mean
it makes sense, a guy his age shouldn't have been able to have done some of the things he
did."
Fox and Wolf nodded strongly in agreement.
"Other than that he had mainly minor repairable nerve damage. You know...I'm really the
wrong person to ask. I'm not really good with medical terms."
Fox smiled, "That's ok Bill, don't worry about it. The point is that he's ok."
"Fox!" came a shouting voice. "Fox! Fox!"
He quickly turned around to see Slippy hopping towards him through the crowd. He had
small bandages on his face making him look even more ridiculous. Rob's robot figure towered
over everyone else as he approached behind the bouncing toad.
"Hey Slip, glad to see you're ok."
"You better be!"
Wolf quickly hugged the amphibian, squeezing him tightly in his arms. Slippy went wide eyed
and confused under the embrace.
"What's this for?" he asked with a bewildered tone of voice.
"I believe the hugging is a sign of affection," Rob looked down at the two curiously.
Wolf let go and smiled. "For making that laser proof vest thing. If it weren't for that I'd
be dead right now."
"Aw, it was nothing. I just invent things. You were the one who put it on."
They laughed together as another voice caught their attention.
"I'll be goddamned if I'm still alive at the end of all this." Peppy approached them slowly,
bandages covering his left ear. There was another smaller binding on his cheek as well.
"Aw Peppy..."
"Oh don't you aw Peppy me!" He and Fox hugged warmly, glad to see each other.
Wolf scratched his ear absently, "What did the doctors say about you Peppy?"
"They said go have fun." He laughed, patting him on the shoulder.
"Oh for Christ's sakes could there be any more people in this place." Falco shoved a
smaller woman out of the way as he approached the group.
"Now now Falco, there's no need to stifle the upbeat atmosphere this morning." Olivia
crossed her arms with a smile. "We're supposed to be ushering in a new era for Lylat and
you're pushing people around like the whole world's against you."
Max crossed his arms as well and stood over next to Fox. "Well I think shoving people is
Falco's way of showing happiness...hey guys."
"You know, I don't think we were ever properly introduced," Fox extended his hand
toward the calico colored feline.
He took the hand graciously. "Max Deveron, and you're right, we weren't. I just
remember being along for the ride." He smiled as Falco stumbled in his approached.
Wolf's tail swished from side to side, "Hey Falco, good to see you." He extended his
arms out openly towards the bird.
"AH! No hugs!"
Katt walked by and stopped next to Wolf. "Falco's not the hugging type sweetheart. Trust
me I know."
"Hey Katt, I found out what I did to you when I was not in control of myself," Slippy
blushed. "I'm sorry."
She rubbed her jaw as though remembering the physical pain, "Hey don't worry about it.
You couldn't help it. It wasn't you who kicked my ass."
They all laughed again.
"Well, looks like we're all here," started Elena. "I guess we should get our seats and find
out what the old canine is going to say to us."
Everyone settled in as the audience began to quiet down in anticipation. After a moment
Pepper appeared on stage in a deep navy colored uniform to the resounding applause that
echoed through the auditorium. He walked slowly up to the podium, each step seeming to
have a world of thought put into it on its own. As he reached the microphone stand, he
put his hands on the podium, a small smile crept onto his face as everyone quieted down
again.
"Good morning." A flash from a camera bounced off of him.
"Unity...and perseverance have presided over corruption and malice." He paused again
and nodded.
"I think strongly about how, these past few months, I was subdued to submission by an
adversary who we know all too well. And with those thoughts I think about the weak
memories I still have of my actions during the tyranny. To say the least, it was as though
I was looking out a window and watching such horrible atrocities occur from a distance,
unable to stop or fight them. The damage that was done to Corneria and Lylat is not just
physical...
...but psychological as well." He paused and looked down as more cameras flashed at him.
"So many people...lost their lives these past few months and their lives will be
remembered, their actions not forgotten, their hopes, dreams and achievements will be
preserved."
"Just to list a few prominent figures who lost their lives recently... " He cleared his throat
and looked down at a piece of paper he was holding.
Chancellor and Executive Leader of the Planet of Zoness...Calar Troikas
Vice Chancellor of the Planet of Zoness...Kane Troikas
Viceroy and Executive Leader of the Planet of Macbeth...Dordon Prole
Commander of the Cornerian Fleet Capital Ship...Theodore Lapin
Ambassador and Trade Commissioner to the Planet of Macbeth...Nicholas Ivanfox
Included with those figures are over four thousand members of the Cornerian Armed
Forces in Navy, Army, Fleet Command, Guard, and Special Forces."
He paused and folded the piece of paper, his eyes meeting Fox who smiled weakly in
reverence and encouragement.
"But let us not just list the names, it is important remember these people for what they
stood for. They stood for freedom from oppression and malevolence."
Falco leaned over towards Fox, "Yeah, I wouldn't consider Nick a symbol of goodness."
He chuckled in response, "A symbol of corruption would be more like it."
"Shhh!" Olivia gave them a dirty look from her seat.
Pepper nodded as he continued. "The damage that was done stretches beyond anything
political, or economical, it was personal. I was..."
He coughed and tried to focus himself, "...I was..."
He began to lose his composure. Wolf watched him carefully as it looked like he was
tearing up inside, as though emotions were flooding him and he couldn't stop it.
"I was...violated...in a sense." He took a deep breath, fighting back a tear. Figures of such
importance do not cry he thought, it hurts, but pain can't be shown now...
He cleared his throat and adjusted his uniform, "But now...honor has prevailed."
Everyone clapped uproariously, fervently showing their support for him. Bill was the first
to stand up, followed by Elena and soon the whole audience rose from their seats. Pepper
wiped a tear from his face and smiled as the masses cheered and applauded with cameras
flashing around him.
********************************************************
Fox stepped into Pepper's office with a beaming smile on his face, "You asked to see me
General?"
"Yes, Fox I did," he returned the smile. Construction vehicles zipped around behind the
glass window as a skyscraper was being constructed nearby as apart of many rebuilding
projects.
The General looked down at his papers and lifted one, looking at another paper under it.
"As you know, Corneria will need a new government. 45 new senators and other civil
successors for other departments..."
Fox folded his arms, "I see..."
"I have compiled this list that I'd like for you to look over, and I'd also like for you to
show it to Wolf and the rest of your team. This also includes, William Grey, Elena Scurio,
and Maximus Deveron."
He handed him a simple brown folder. "Olivia Cardus won't need to see it as she's
already been informed of the contents."
Fox raised an eyebrow and opened the document, scanning over the contents.
"Now Fox, I know how resilient you are about joining with any type of bureaucracy, so
I've omitted you and your team from that list."
Fox looked at him and then began to read the list aloud.
"Government candidates..." He paused and looked back at the General who was smiling
behind his desk.
"Chairman of the Department of Extraplanetary Affairs --Wolf O'Donnell
Head Commander of Cornerian Fleet Command--William Grey
Head Commander of Cornerian Husky Unit Command-- Elena Scurio
Commander of Fleet Capital Ship Alpha-- Maximus Deveron
Ambassador to the Planet of Zoness-- Katt Monroe...
Chancellor of Corneria-- Olivia Cardus...
... General I figured you would want to be the one who'd take the position of Chancellor
of Corneria."
Pepper shook his head with a smile, "No, that's alright, I think I'll stick with being just
General Pepper. Besides I think the people of Corneria aren't too comfortable with seeing
my face in a leader position, not after these past few months."
Fox smiled and looked back down at the list, "You want to make Wolf O'Donnell head
of an entire government department on Corneria?"
The General smiled again, "If he's up for it, why not? And if it weren't for him, I
wouldn't be here now would I?"
Fox looked back down at the list, "Wait wait, Olivia Cardus?! She's going to be
Chancellor of the entire planet?!"
"Oh come now Fox, we both know the job of Chancellor isn't that important, it's the
senate that runs the planet anyway. She just has to make speeches and look pretty for
everyone. Think of it as a gift of gratitude for my life."
Fox nodded his head and smiled, "Was she stunned when she found out?"
"Surprisingly, she quickly appeared up to it. She seems like a capable leader and she has
that strong personality that Corneria will need in the coming months as well."
"Amazing...a simple guard one night, leader of a planet the next."
Pepper folded his arms, "Fox I've come to notice that in recent days, reality has taken on
a topsy-turvy persona, wouldn't you agree?"
He looked the window and watched the sun beam through the glass facade of a newly
built office tower, its spire reaching up through the clouds as hover cars zoomed by the
structure. He thought of Wolf and all they had been through, and now it was a new day, a
new age, a new time. The universe was flipped, but back on the right course to say the
least. It was all on the right course...
"Yes...I would have to agree General."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[The End]
-Special thanks goes to the readers and certain individuals such as...
-Ringshadow, FoxMcCloud761, DarthVenom (Transmetal Tarantulas), ImagenAshyun,
Chibialandra, and misty's double (For all your cool reviews)
(A/N) – I hope you enjoyed the story, it was the first fanfic I had written and it was fun
writing for you guys. Thanks for reading.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first dawn's light hit the tallest skyscraper in Corneria City as emergency shuttles
zoomed by, drifting between glass buildings in a slow observing dance. The city was
dazed and bruised, but thankful. Thankful that it was finally over, thankful that perhaps
now peace and calmness could be restored to a land that deserved it.
News reports went by on every communications channel in the system, telling of what
had happened, the true reason behind all the calamity and chaos. As the sun bathed its
golden light on the terrain it was though the people were breathing a collective sigh of
relief to know that the nightmare had ended, to know that life was now going to revert to
a new state of being, a state of being that they once knew eons before Andross ever
reared his ugly face into their lives. Except this time, they knew it was behind a mask, a
mask that bore the face of their leader, a puppeteer of malevolent sorts. Now all they
could think of was rebuilding, picking up the pieces.
A mole woman looked out from her apartment window in Macbeth City, emergency
vehicles crisscrossing over the distant quarry. She watched the smoke quietly rise from
the craters that dotted the terrain around her and she knew that now they were going to
rebuild. They were going to be stronger than they were before. A raccoon fisherman on
Zoness looked out over the devastated capital island. But there was a sense of rebirth as
he looked at the torn land, the twisted palm trees, the scarred terrain that once held a
magnificent city. It was all going to be rebuilt.
Dozens of ships flew through the skyways above the crater where the Cornerian Senate
building once was, passing over the building where it all began. The place where Andross
had first used Pepper to destroy the planet's government. Now there was the task of
replacing all those senators and leaders and government officials. That was another
aspect of rebuilding the system, filling the administrative boots that needed to be filled.
Hundreds of people filled the government auditorium. General Pepper was going to make
a speech in front of everyone, on all communications channels across the system. The
atmosphere was mirthful, happy, upbeat as more people filled the seats in front of the
podium.
Wolf and Fox entered the vast auditorium, searching for their seats, they saw Bill and
Elena huddling through the crowded rows, brushing against people as they made their
way towards the two. Finally they reached them and all Bill could do was smile.
"Looks like we saved Lylat."
Fox hugged him tightly, simply happy to see his face. It was true they did save the system,
but something more important happened in that they got through it alive.
Wolf couldn't help but feel humored by the words as he watched them hug. It was true
but his humbleness still prevailed in his emotions.
"Where's everyone else?" he asked as Fox returned to his side.
Bill turned around and looked back over the crowd, "Well, I saw Falco, Olivia and Max
somewhere over there in that mass of people. I think we're supposed to sit in our seats
since General Pep's gonna be talking soon to everyone."
"How long was he in hospital care?"
Bill looked down and thought for a moment, "They said that from the mind control, or
whatever it was that Andross did to him, did some damage to his adrenal glands. I mean
it makes sense, a guy his age shouldn't have been able to have done some of the things he
did."
Fox and Wolf nodded strongly in agreement.
"Other than that he had mainly minor repairable nerve damage. You know...I'm really the
wrong person to ask. I'm not really good with medical terms."
Fox smiled, "That's ok Bill, don't worry about it. The point is that he's ok."
"Fox!" came a shouting voice. "Fox! Fox!"
He quickly turned around to see Slippy hopping towards him through the crowd. He had
small bandages on his face making him look even more ridiculous. Rob's robot figure towered
over everyone else as he approached behind the bouncing toad.
"Hey Slip, glad to see you're ok."
"You better be!"
Wolf quickly hugged the amphibian, squeezing him tightly in his arms. Slippy went wide eyed
and confused under the embrace.
"What's this for?" he asked with a bewildered tone of voice.
"I believe the hugging is a sign of affection," Rob looked down at the two curiously.
Wolf let go and smiled. "For making that laser proof vest thing. If it weren't for that I'd
be dead right now."
"Aw, it was nothing. I just invent things. You were the one who put it on."
They laughed together as another voice caught their attention.
"I'll be goddamned if I'm still alive at the end of all this." Peppy approached them slowly,
bandages covering his left ear. There was another smaller binding on his cheek as well.
"Aw Peppy..."
"Oh don't you aw Peppy me!" He and Fox hugged warmly, glad to see each other.
Wolf scratched his ear absently, "What did the doctors say about you Peppy?"
"They said go have fun." He laughed, patting him on the shoulder.
"Oh for Christ's sakes could there be any more people in this place." Falco shoved a
smaller woman out of the way as he approached the group.
"Now now Falco, there's no need to stifle the upbeat atmosphere this morning." Olivia
crossed her arms with a smile. "We're supposed to be ushering in a new era for Lylat and
you're pushing people around like the whole world's against you."
Max crossed his arms as well and stood over next to Fox. "Well I think shoving people is
Falco's way of showing happiness...hey guys."
"You know, I don't think we were ever properly introduced," Fox extended his hand
toward the calico colored feline.
He took the hand graciously. "Max Deveron, and you're right, we weren't. I just
remember being along for the ride." He smiled as Falco stumbled in his approached.
Wolf's tail swished from side to side, "Hey Falco, good to see you." He extended his
arms out openly towards the bird.
"AH! No hugs!"
Katt walked by and stopped next to Wolf. "Falco's not the hugging type sweetheart. Trust
me I know."
"Hey Katt, I found out what I did to you when I was not in control of myself," Slippy
blushed. "I'm sorry."
She rubbed her jaw as though remembering the physical pain, "Hey don't worry about it.
You couldn't help it. It wasn't you who kicked my ass."
They all laughed again.
"Well, looks like we're all here," started Elena. "I guess we should get our seats and find
out what the old canine is going to say to us."
Everyone settled in as the audience began to quiet down in anticipation. After a moment
Pepper appeared on stage in a deep navy colored uniform to the resounding applause that
echoed through the auditorium. He walked slowly up to the podium, each step seeming to
have a world of thought put into it on its own. As he reached the microphone stand, he
put his hands on the podium, a small smile crept onto his face as everyone quieted down
again.
"Good morning." A flash from a camera bounced off of him.
"Unity...and perseverance have presided over corruption and malice." He paused again
and nodded.
"I think strongly about how, these past few months, I was subdued to submission by an
adversary who we know all too well. And with those thoughts I think about the weak
memories I still have of my actions during the tyranny. To say the least, it was as though
I was looking out a window and watching such horrible atrocities occur from a distance,
unable to stop or fight them. The damage that was done to Corneria and Lylat is not just
physical...
...but psychological as well." He paused and looked down as more cameras flashed at him.
"So many people...lost their lives these past few months and their lives will be
remembered, their actions not forgotten, their hopes, dreams and achievements will be
preserved."
"Just to list a few prominent figures who lost their lives recently... " He cleared his throat
and looked down at a piece of paper he was holding.
Chancellor and Executive Leader of the Planet of Zoness...Calar Troikas
Vice Chancellor of the Planet of Zoness...Kane Troikas
Viceroy and Executive Leader of the Planet of Macbeth...Dordon Prole
Commander of the Cornerian Fleet Capital Ship...Theodore Lapin
Ambassador and Trade Commissioner to the Planet of Macbeth...Nicholas Ivanfox
Included with those figures are over four thousand members of the Cornerian Armed
Forces in Navy, Army, Fleet Command, Guard, and Special Forces."
He paused and folded the piece of paper, his eyes meeting Fox who smiled weakly in
reverence and encouragement.
"But let us not just list the names, it is important remember these people for what they
stood for. They stood for freedom from oppression and malevolence."
Falco leaned over towards Fox, "Yeah, I wouldn't consider Nick a symbol of goodness."
He chuckled in response, "A symbol of corruption would be more like it."
"Shhh!" Olivia gave them a dirty look from her seat.
Pepper nodded as he continued. "The damage that was done stretches beyond anything
political, or economical, it was personal. I was..."
He coughed and tried to focus himself, "...I was..."
He began to lose his composure. Wolf watched him carefully as it looked like he was
tearing up inside, as though emotions were flooding him and he couldn't stop it.
"I was...violated...in a sense." He took a deep breath, fighting back a tear. Figures of such
importance do not cry he thought, it hurts, but pain can't be shown now...
He cleared his throat and adjusted his uniform, "But now...honor has prevailed."
Everyone clapped uproariously, fervently showing their support for him. Bill was the first
to stand up, followed by Elena and soon the whole audience rose from their seats. Pepper
wiped a tear from his face and smiled as the masses cheered and applauded with cameras
flashing around him.
********************************************************
Fox stepped into Pepper's office with a beaming smile on his face, "You asked to see me
General?"
"Yes, Fox I did," he returned the smile. Construction vehicles zipped around behind the
glass window as a skyscraper was being constructed nearby as apart of many rebuilding
projects.
The General looked down at his papers and lifted one, looking at another paper under it.
"As you know, Corneria will need a new government. 45 new senators and other civil
successors for other departments..."
Fox folded his arms, "I see..."
"I have compiled this list that I'd like for you to look over, and I'd also like for you to
show it to Wolf and the rest of your team. This also includes, William Grey, Elena Scurio,
and Maximus Deveron."
He handed him a simple brown folder. "Olivia Cardus won't need to see it as she's
already been informed of the contents."
Fox raised an eyebrow and opened the document, scanning over the contents.
"Now Fox, I know how resilient you are about joining with any type of bureaucracy, so
I've omitted you and your team from that list."
Fox looked at him and then began to read the list aloud.
"Government candidates..." He paused and looked back at the General who was smiling
behind his desk.
"Chairman of the Department of Extraplanetary Affairs --Wolf O'Donnell
Head Commander of Cornerian Fleet Command--William Grey
Head Commander of Cornerian Husky Unit Command-- Elena Scurio
Commander of Fleet Capital Ship Alpha-- Maximus Deveron
Ambassador to the Planet of Zoness-- Katt Monroe...
Chancellor of Corneria-- Olivia Cardus...
... General I figured you would want to be the one who'd take the position of Chancellor
of Corneria."
Pepper shook his head with a smile, "No, that's alright, I think I'll stick with being just
General Pepper. Besides I think the people of Corneria aren't too comfortable with seeing
my face in a leader position, not after these past few months."
Fox smiled and looked back down at the list, "You want to make Wolf O'Donnell head
of an entire government department on Corneria?"
The General smiled again, "If he's up for it, why not? And if it weren't for him, I
wouldn't be here now would I?"
Fox looked back down at the list, "Wait wait, Olivia Cardus?! She's going to be
Chancellor of the entire planet?!"
"Oh come now Fox, we both know the job of Chancellor isn't that important, it's the
senate that runs the planet anyway. She just has to make speeches and look pretty for
everyone. Think of it as a gift of gratitude for my life."
Fox nodded his head and smiled, "Was she stunned when she found out?"
"Surprisingly, she quickly appeared up to it. She seems like a capable leader and she has
that strong personality that Corneria will need in the coming months as well."
"Amazing...a simple guard one night, leader of a planet the next."
Pepper folded his arms, "Fox I've come to notice that in recent days, reality has taken on
a topsy-turvy persona, wouldn't you agree?"
He looked the window and watched the sun beam through the glass facade of a newly
built office tower, its spire reaching up through the clouds as hover cars zoomed by the
structure. He thought of Wolf and all they had been through, and now it was a new day, a
new age, a new time. The universe was flipped, but back on the right course to say the
least. It was all on the right course...
"Yes...I would have to agree General."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[The End]
-Special thanks goes to the readers and certain individuals such as...
-Ringshadow, FoxMcCloud761, DarthVenom (Transmetal Tarantulas), ImagenAshyun,
Chibialandra, and misty's double (For all your cool reviews)
(A/N) – I hope you enjoyed the story, it was the first fanfic I had written and it was fun
writing for you guys. Thanks for reading.