Author Notes: I was only kidding! *dodges various sharp objects* I already
had the epilogue half written when I posted chapter IX. . .so there's no
way I'd just end the story with the last chapter. I like sad endings, but
my inspiration had other plans.
DISCLAIMER: Basically, everything is copyright Brian Jacques. . .except, for Vega, Blade, and the plot.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Epilogue: Happily Ever After. . .Sort of
*****
"I care," a voice behind Cluny whispered.
The Scourge whirled around sharply. It was Vega who had spoken. Cluny cringed inwardly as he noticed the angry red welt across the healer's face. The fox had obviously applied some ointment to stop the bleeding.
"You. . .you do?"
"Of course, I do. . .but you make it hard sometimes." Vega added, rubbing his face. Even then, you're still almost like a brother to me and, well. . ."
"I'm sorry."
The fox's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
Cluny cleared his throat uneasily. "I. . .I said. . .I'm sorry."
"Wow," Vega replied, bowing his head in shock, "the evil warlord does have a heart. I guess I'm gonna have to forgive you."
The sea rat held out his paw. Vega shook it. . .and pulled Cluny into a hug.
"Ugh! Get off of me you crazy fox!" the Scourge protested loudly. The healer grinned mischievously and let go.
"I have one thing I'd like to ask, though. About Blade. . ."
Cluny didn't even let Vega finish. "Alright! I admit I like her.a lot. She's an amazing person to talk to and spend time with. Are you happy NOW?!"
The Scourge clapped a paw over his mouth, turned around, and proceeded to bang his head into the wall of the ship. "I can't BELIEVE I just said that."
"No kidding. I mean why would you be saying this to me when you should be saying it to Blade?"
"She's a descendent of Martin the Warrior," Cluny muttered darkly. "But it doesn't matter anyway; she's already gone."
Vega rolled his eyes. "So what, just go after her. And besides, who the hell is.oh, THAT Martin. Yeah, I can see why you wouldn't want to go find her, but. . ."
Without further ado, the fox raced out of the cargo bay.
"Vega get back here!" Cluny called after him. "Where are you going?!"
The healer fox didn't even look back.
~~~
Vega dashed frantically along the streets of Nel Rocka. //Where is she?// he thought. //How could that mouse just disappear?//
The fox finally stopped at the mouth of an alley. He was resting and trying to get his bearings when he saw her. The sword she had taken from Fort Porsaira secured around her waste.
"Blade," the healer called out, "I, I need to speak with you. We - that is, Cluny and I and the rest of the crew - were, um, hoping that you might, well, come with us on the S.S. Firefang. Er, maybe you'd consider -"
"I don't have time for this nonsense, Vega. I need to meet up with Robin at the Black Ruby Tavern."
Blade began to walk away, forcing the frustrated healer to run after her.
"Please wait," Vega said, gasping for breath, "Cluny's really fond of you. . .and I KNOW you feel something for him. . . Can't you come with us?"
"I don't know if this would ever work out. . ."
"Yeah, I know, you're from Redwall, but who CARES? It doesn't matter; just come back!"
Blade shook her head. "It's not mutual, and I CAN'T go back! Now leave me alone."
The mouse-maid walked away and disappeared into the crowd. . .this time Vega didn't try to follow her. ~~~
The healer fox returned holding a cloth bag with a few common herbs. They were certainly not the reason for his mad rush back to land. Cluny suspected that Vega might have 'conveniently' run into Blade, but the sea rat decided from his friend's dejected appearance that he didn't really want to here any details. The Scourged watched Ginger and Noshtor double- checking some of the ship's equipment. They were the only to slaves who had decided to remain. The two of them plus him and Vega wasn't much of a crew, but they'd manage.
"Okay, everyone," Cluny commanded, "let's get ready to cast off!"
"You aren't leaving without me are you?" someone questioned from the stern of the ship. It was Robin.
"What are you doing here?" Ginger yelled. "I thought you left with Blade."
"Who says I left?"
The crew turned to the right, and there was Blade, leaning against the shadowed side of the mast.
"Robin and I thought we might tag along with you guys. . .for awhile anyway."
Cluny shrugged and tried not to look too pleased with this turn of events. "I suppose I'll have to let you stay."
Soon, sails were drawn, ropes were disconnected, and Ginger was at the helm steering the S.S. Firefang out of port. Cluny pulled Blade aside for a moment.
"So, er, why DID you come back?"
"No real reason. But, I figured it might be a good idea to get some sailing experience," she finished lamely.
The Scourge smirked mockingly. "You do know I'm a pirate.I not sure that'll change anytime soon."
The mouse-maid grinned right back. "Oh, don't worry. I'll convert you."
Cluny gulped. Blade might actually succeed at that.
~END~
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
More Notes: Let me just say, THANK YOU to all my reviewers. You're all so wonderful for taking time to read my nutty fic. ^__^ And a very special thanks to Adria1, who was the first person to offer comment.
One more thing, for my next Redwall fic, *Brian Jacques groans and takes another aspirin* I'm going to write a trilogy which explains Blade's origin.especially, how she became a warrior, and why Lord Carouss and Baneclaw wanted to get rid of her so badly. I'm not sure when I'll have the time to get this going (school's starting soon, so I'll definitely be busy), but eventually this fic will be fully written out and posted, so check once in awhile if you're interested.
DISCLAIMER: Basically, everything is copyright Brian Jacques. . .except, for Vega, Blade, and the plot.
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
Epilogue: Happily Ever After. . .Sort of
*****
"I care," a voice behind Cluny whispered.
The Scourge whirled around sharply. It was Vega who had spoken. Cluny cringed inwardly as he noticed the angry red welt across the healer's face. The fox had obviously applied some ointment to stop the bleeding.
"You. . .you do?"
"Of course, I do. . .but you make it hard sometimes." Vega added, rubbing his face. Even then, you're still almost like a brother to me and, well. . ."
"I'm sorry."
The fox's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
Cluny cleared his throat uneasily. "I. . .I said. . .I'm sorry."
"Wow," Vega replied, bowing his head in shock, "the evil warlord does have a heart. I guess I'm gonna have to forgive you."
The sea rat held out his paw. Vega shook it. . .and pulled Cluny into a hug.
"Ugh! Get off of me you crazy fox!" the Scourge protested loudly. The healer grinned mischievously and let go.
"I have one thing I'd like to ask, though. About Blade. . ."
Cluny didn't even let Vega finish. "Alright! I admit I like her.a lot. She's an amazing person to talk to and spend time with. Are you happy NOW?!"
The Scourge clapped a paw over his mouth, turned around, and proceeded to bang his head into the wall of the ship. "I can't BELIEVE I just said that."
"No kidding. I mean why would you be saying this to me when you should be saying it to Blade?"
"She's a descendent of Martin the Warrior," Cluny muttered darkly. "But it doesn't matter anyway; she's already gone."
Vega rolled his eyes. "So what, just go after her. And besides, who the hell is.oh, THAT Martin. Yeah, I can see why you wouldn't want to go find her, but. . ."
Without further ado, the fox raced out of the cargo bay.
"Vega get back here!" Cluny called after him. "Where are you going?!"
The healer fox didn't even look back.
~~~
Vega dashed frantically along the streets of Nel Rocka. //Where is she?// he thought. //How could that mouse just disappear?//
The fox finally stopped at the mouth of an alley. He was resting and trying to get his bearings when he saw her. The sword she had taken from Fort Porsaira secured around her waste.
"Blade," the healer called out, "I, I need to speak with you. We - that is, Cluny and I and the rest of the crew - were, um, hoping that you might, well, come with us on the S.S. Firefang. Er, maybe you'd consider -"
"I don't have time for this nonsense, Vega. I need to meet up with Robin at the Black Ruby Tavern."
Blade began to walk away, forcing the frustrated healer to run after her.
"Please wait," Vega said, gasping for breath, "Cluny's really fond of you. . .and I KNOW you feel something for him. . . Can't you come with us?"
"I don't know if this would ever work out. . ."
"Yeah, I know, you're from Redwall, but who CARES? It doesn't matter; just come back!"
Blade shook her head. "It's not mutual, and I CAN'T go back! Now leave me alone."
The mouse-maid walked away and disappeared into the crowd. . .this time Vega didn't try to follow her. ~~~
The healer fox returned holding a cloth bag with a few common herbs. They were certainly not the reason for his mad rush back to land. Cluny suspected that Vega might have 'conveniently' run into Blade, but the sea rat decided from his friend's dejected appearance that he didn't really want to here any details. The Scourged watched Ginger and Noshtor double- checking some of the ship's equipment. They were the only to slaves who had decided to remain. The two of them plus him and Vega wasn't much of a crew, but they'd manage.
"Okay, everyone," Cluny commanded, "let's get ready to cast off!"
"You aren't leaving without me are you?" someone questioned from the stern of the ship. It was Robin.
"What are you doing here?" Ginger yelled. "I thought you left with Blade."
"Who says I left?"
The crew turned to the right, and there was Blade, leaning against the shadowed side of the mast.
"Robin and I thought we might tag along with you guys. . .for awhile anyway."
Cluny shrugged and tried not to look too pleased with this turn of events. "I suppose I'll have to let you stay."
Soon, sails were drawn, ropes were disconnected, and Ginger was at the helm steering the S.S. Firefang out of port. Cluny pulled Blade aside for a moment.
"So, er, why DID you come back?"
"No real reason. But, I figured it might be a good idea to get some sailing experience," she finished lamely.
The Scourge smirked mockingly. "You do know I'm a pirate.I not sure that'll change anytime soon."
The mouse-maid grinned right back. "Oh, don't worry. I'll convert you."
Cluny gulped. Blade might actually succeed at that.
~END~
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
More Notes: Let me just say, THANK YOU to all my reviewers. You're all so wonderful for taking time to read my nutty fic. ^__^ And a very special thanks to Adria1, who was the first person to offer comment.
One more thing, for my next Redwall fic, *Brian Jacques groans and takes another aspirin* I'm going to write a trilogy which explains Blade's origin.especially, how she became a warrior, and why Lord Carouss and Baneclaw wanted to get rid of her so badly. I'm not sure when I'll have the time to get this going (school's starting soon, so I'll definitely be busy), but eventually this fic will be fully written out and posted, so check once in awhile if you're interested.