Author Notes: Fine, since everyone thinks Cluny is too OOC (which he is) I
decided that he'd let one of his allies have it.
DISCLAIMER: Basically, everything is copyright Brian Jacques. . .except, for Vega, Blade, and the plot.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Chapter IX: Change and Choosing
*****
Cluny the Scourge stood at the prow of the S.S. Firefang staring out at all the docks of Nel Rocka, and then at the open sea beyond. The sea rat's captors had been defeated, he was once again free to do as he pleased, and he and Vega now had the perfect ship - the S.S. Firefang.
//This is the opportunity I wanted//, Cluny thought. //Damn it! Why aren't I satisfied?//
Of course, the Scourge already knew what the problem was.
//The friggin' descendant of Redwall's first warrior! Of all the mice she could be related to why did it have to be THAT one? Wait a second. . .why should I care about her one way or the other?//
"Hey!" someone yelled, interrupting Cluny's train of thought. Conveniently, it was Blade. "I've been looking for you. I'm ready to disembark, and I wanted to say good-bye." She shifted from one paw to the other. "Care to walk with me to the docks?" Blade added awkwardly.
Cluny obliged, though he wasn't sure why. "Where are you headed to now?" the Scourge inquired, breaking the silence around them. The two allies reached the boarding plank and descended to the docks.
"Hmm. I'm not sure. . .I'm a wanderer, you know."
"I thought you were a warrior."
Blade sighed. "I am, and I have been for quite awhile. But now I go where the wind takes me. If there's trouble there, than I'll fight it. I try not to stay too long in one place; I don't like getting close to most creatures." A shadowed look came to her eyes for a moment. "Anything involving weapons is always risky." The mouse-maid's ulterior meaning was well understood. She had lost good friends over the seasons, and she did not wish to relive the sorrow.
Endeavoring to smile again, Blade took Cluny's paw in her own, "I know there's been a lot of bad blood between you and Redwall. . .don't look so surprised, I lived there for a while and I heard about your attempted takeover. . .but anyway, the point is I want to thank you for helping me. If it wasn't for you, none of us would have made it out of Fort Porsaira."
Before he could stop her, Blade darted forward and kissed Cluny on the cheek. As she pulled away, Cupid shot a bull's-eye straight through the sea rat's heart.
Cluny stood silently and watched Blade disappear into the crowd. He knew he'd probably never see her again. //So what//, he thought. //It doesn't bother me.// But it did.
~~~
The Scourge walked back onto the ship, but he didn't get far before Vega stopped him.
"I know you have feelings for that mouse," the healer stated bluntly. For a fox, he could be very direct sometimes.
Cluny stood slightly stunned and seemingly taken aback, but after a moment, he regained his voice enough to snap harshly, "I suggest you mind your own business and stay out of this, you bush-tailed fool."
Vega arched an eyebrow in indignation, but he didn't back down yet. "I think -"
"I told you to butt out," the sea rat snarled softly. One of them was bound to break; unfortunately, it was Cluny.
The healer fox crossed his arms over his narrow chest. "You know what your problem is? You're afraid of your own feelings. You can't understand any of the gentler emotions so you just cower away from them and ignore -!"
"Shut UP!" Cluny yelled, whipping his tail around. CRACK! He struck Vega hard across the side of the face. The fox stumbled backward and nearly fell over. The skin split open and a thin line of blood oozed out.
Vega clutched the right side of his face and glared daggers at the surprised sea rat before him. "Fine. I actually almost forgot who you are. You're still Cluny the Scourge, and you always will be."
Cluny turned and left quickly for the cargo bay. He figured no one would be there, and he was right. The Scourge sighed. He had always been proud of his reputation and the fearful respect it caused. But the way Vega uttered his title made it sound like something indefinably horrible. . .maybe it was.
//Shit!// he cursed silently. //Why did I strike him?!//
The sea rat leaned back against the wall of the cargo bay. "I should have known I could never change. But what does it even matter now?" Cluny asked, thinking aloud. "It's not as if anyone cares."
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
More Notes: Satisfied? Maybe I should just end the story here instead of including the next and, coincidently, last chapter.
DISCLAIMER: Basically, everything is copyright Brian Jacques. . .except, for Vega, Blade, and the plot.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Chapter IX: Change and Choosing
*****
Cluny the Scourge stood at the prow of the S.S. Firefang staring out at all the docks of Nel Rocka, and then at the open sea beyond. The sea rat's captors had been defeated, he was once again free to do as he pleased, and he and Vega now had the perfect ship - the S.S. Firefang.
//This is the opportunity I wanted//, Cluny thought. //Damn it! Why aren't I satisfied?//
Of course, the Scourge already knew what the problem was.
//The friggin' descendant of Redwall's first warrior! Of all the mice she could be related to why did it have to be THAT one? Wait a second. . .why should I care about her one way or the other?//
"Hey!" someone yelled, interrupting Cluny's train of thought. Conveniently, it was Blade. "I've been looking for you. I'm ready to disembark, and I wanted to say good-bye." She shifted from one paw to the other. "Care to walk with me to the docks?" Blade added awkwardly.
Cluny obliged, though he wasn't sure why. "Where are you headed to now?" the Scourge inquired, breaking the silence around them. The two allies reached the boarding plank and descended to the docks.
"Hmm. I'm not sure. . .I'm a wanderer, you know."
"I thought you were a warrior."
Blade sighed. "I am, and I have been for quite awhile. But now I go where the wind takes me. If there's trouble there, than I'll fight it. I try not to stay too long in one place; I don't like getting close to most creatures." A shadowed look came to her eyes for a moment. "Anything involving weapons is always risky." The mouse-maid's ulterior meaning was well understood. She had lost good friends over the seasons, and she did not wish to relive the sorrow.
Endeavoring to smile again, Blade took Cluny's paw in her own, "I know there's been a lot of bad blood between you and Redwall. . .don't look so surprised, I lived there for a while and I heard about your attempted takeover. . .but anyway, the point is I want to thank you for helping me. If it wasn't for you, none of us would have made it out of Fort Porsaira."
Before he could stop her, Blade darted forward and kissed Cluny on the cheek. As she pulled away, Cupid shot a bull's-eye straight through the sea rat's heart.
Cluny stood silently and watched Blade disappear into the crowd. He knew he'd probably never see her again. //So what//, he thought. //It doesn't bother me.// But it did.
~~~
The Scourge walked back onto the ship, but he didn't get far before Vega stopped him.
"I know you have feelings for that mouse," the healer stated bluntly. For a fox, he could be very direct sometimes.
Cluny stood slightly stunned and seemingly taken aback, but after a moment, he regained his voice enough to snap harshly, "I suggest you mind your own business and stay out of this, you bush-tailed fool."
Vega arched an eyebrow in indignation, but he didn't back down yet. "I think -"
"I told you to butt out," the sea rat snarled softly. One of them was bound to break; unfortunately, it was Cluny.
The healer fox crossed his arms over his narrow chest. "You know what your problem is? You're afraid of your own feelings. You can't understand any of the gentler emotions so you just cower away from them and ignore -!"
"Shut UP!" Cluny yelled, whipping his tail around. CRACK! He struck Vega hard across the side of the face. The fox stumbled backward and nearly fell over. The skin split open and a thin line of blood oozed out.
Vega clutched the right side of his face and glared daggers at the surprised sea rat before him. "Fine. I actually almost forgot who you are. You're still Cluny the Scourge, and you always will be."
Cluny turned and left quickly for the cargo bay. He figured no one would be there, and he was right. The Scourge sighed. He had always been proud of his reputation and the fearful respect it caused. But the way Vega uttered his title made it sound like something indefinably horrible. . .maybe it was.
//Shit!// he cursed silently. //Why did I strike him?!//
The sea rat leaned back against the wall of the cargo bay. "I should have known I could never change. But what does it even matter now?" Cluny asked, thinking aloud. "It's not as if anyone cares."
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
More Notes: Satisfied? Maybe I should just end the story here instead of including the next and, coincidently, last chapter.