Epilogue
"Get ready! We are starting at 3, 2, 1... on air!", a voice filled the studio, before the "Big Emblem" music started, and with it, the show began. Everyone was ready, in their exact places, like it was supposed to be from the very begining.
Louise was sitting on a white sofa, with Geitz at her side. She was wearing a gorgeous pink dress, while Geitz was wearing a black suit. At their left, all the show contestants were sitting in a tier, all elegantly dressed (or as much as they could). Matthew, Dart, Karla, Nino and Jaffar were also with the original contestants.
The music stopped playing, and the camera went to Louise.
"Welcome to the last programme of 'Big Emblem'", the blonde-haired hostess greeted the audience. "We are more than happy of being here"
"That's right", Geitz said, nodding.
"Well... what are you going to do from now on, now that the show's finished?", Louise asked, smiling.
One by one, everyone said their plans for the future.
Lyn and Rebecca were offered a TV show, during week-day afternoons. Lyn seemed pretty much interested, but Rebecca wanted to think a little more about it before accepting the post, as she wanted to spend some more time with her new-found brother and Wil, his childhood friend.
Dart was going to spend some weeks with Rebecca and Wil, to see if he could recall more things from his past. Then, he would return to Captain Fargus's ship, more likely, with Geitz as his companion. The new reporter was interested in joining a pirate crew.
Florina would return to Ilia, while Farina and Karla decided to stay together and start a business by themselves, only that they didn't say in which kind of business they were going to start.
Priscilla and Raven would start enjoying their siblings life at last. Raven decided to stop his revenge towards Ostia, after his sister's pleads and after hearing Ostia's point of view from Oswin. Lucius was going to join them, as he was thinking in running an orphanage and he needed help.
Canas was going to return to Ilia, with his family, as well as Dorcas, who received an annonimous donation, which he was going to spend in his wife's recovery. Matthew was going to continue working for the Ostian family, after Leila was fully recovered.
Lowen, Sain and Kent would return to their regular jobs, and Erk would return to his studies. Serra, on the other hand, was going to pursue a career in the modeling and entertaiment business, hoping to become Elibe's next super pop-star.
Jaffar and Nino were going to work for Black Fang Productions, now that Nergal and his morphs were either in prison or death. Everything was going to return to be as it was before Nergal's appearance.
Karel and Bartre decided to hang up together, despite their first encounters. They decided to stick together and battle at the arenas all over Elibe.
Ninian and Nils were in the search of a place to stay. For the time being, the production was going to hire them an apartment. The location would never be revealed to the audience, in order to protect them from crazy individuals or some Nergal followers.
Eliwood and Hector would also return to their normal lives, even if Hector wanted to visit the arena a few more times, but now, with his brother and Oswin in town, that wouldn't be possible... or would it? There's always some light in the darkness, after all...
"Well... I guess this is what we can call a happy ending", Alina said, resigned. She didn't want to join Geitz in the 'hostess' part, as Louise did it incredibly well, so she was watching the entire show behind the cameras, by her own will. "They had defeated Nergal and a dragon, Lord Athos is recovering at hospital..."
"Nergal is going to be imprisoned, Uther is recovering from the attack he suffered...", Isadora went on, satisfied.
"It was time. He looked like a mummy with all those bandages all over his face. Poor guy", Alina interrupted her, staring at the studio, where now Eliwood was talking about the shock he suffered when he saw Vaida carrying that infamous banner all over the Castle.
"You are quite mean sometimes, you know", Isadora scolded her, raising an eyebrow. "I hope he hasn't heard you"
"Why? He would get to know that, anyway", the brown-haired reporter said, annoyed. "I always end up saying stupid things in front of him"
"Just in front of him?", Wallace made fun of her, chuckling. "Did you have any interest in him?", the bald man asked her, now seriously.
Alina blinked twice, surprised. "At all... I barely know him, and I doubt I would be his type... I tend to do too many stupid things when I'm nervous... Besides, the guy I liked has his eyes already set on another girl, and his world just spins around her", she said, looking how Kent stared lovingly at Lyn"
"What about Lloyd Reed?", Isadora asked, grinning. "He came to talk to you after the battle was over"
"Nothing's going to happen with him", she waved down, not worrying about him. "Besides, he's going out with some girl of the Black Fang... no opportunities there", she said, smiling.
"Quite a bad romantic life", Renault commented, joining the group.
"Back on topic, everything's fine! The show is over, everyone is safe and sound... Leila has already gotten out of hospital, Louise is pregnant, most of the guys found a job after being here, and some others have been reunited with their lost someones... Hell, even two dragons in human form are safe and sound!", Alina enumerated, trying to sound cheerful, but something in her voice showed her mix of anger and sadness.
"Talking about the show... aren't you supossed to be in front the cameras, not behind them?", Wallace asked her, not making fun of her.
"No, thanks, I'll decline", the reporter replied, cooly. "I've done too many mistakes in front of the camera. I want to preserve the little dignity left in me"
"Well... enjoy it while you can, because you'll have to appear on-screen, as you were part of the show, also", Pent told her, coming suddenly from his office.
The brown-haired reporter's eyes rolled, annoyed.
The show had finally ended. Everyone talked about their plans, even Alina, who had to face the cameras for the last time, much to her disappointment. She didn't know what she wanted, yet she decided that the entertainment business wasn't for her. She didn't admit it to the public, but maybe it was time to go back to her homeland, and start again from scratch there...
She was thinking about that in the middle of the empty studio. Right after the transmission was over, everyone left the studio, and the lights went down, if not for two or three. She was sitting in the white sofa where Louise and Geitz were an hour ago or so.
Quick footsteps could be heard. Alina raised her head, in order to see who was coming so quickly.
"Oh, there you are!", Isadora, who was wearing make-up and well-dressed, exclaimed, in a hurry. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"What's the matter?", the brown-haired girl asked, acting cheerfully.
"Oh, nothing important... just to say good-bye", the blue-haired producer said, giggling. "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow, won't I?"
"Of course, I'll see you tomorrow", Alina nodded, smiling lightly. "Let me guess: you have a date with Harken", she added, smiling broadly this time.
"Yup, I'm!", Isadora exclaimed excited. "Well, alright... see you then!", she said, waving at her before disappearing in the shadows, ready to go out with Harken.
Soon, Fiora came in, followed by Florina and Farina.
"Hi, girl!", Fiora greeted her, cheerfully, while sitting next to her. "What's up? You look quite down"
"Is it because you are now unemployed?", Farina asked, looking at the reporter. "I completely understand your pain... No incomes, no money"
"It wasn't that... but now that you mention it...", Alina said, now errified at the idea of spending all her few savings in surviving.
"Hey, we are going to have some fun... do you want to come?", Fiora offered her, smiling. "The ending of this nightmare is something worth celebrating!"
The brown-haired girl smiled lightly, then said, "Thanks, but I'll pass... I just want to sleep"
"Hey, you aren't that old to be sleeping on Saturday night!", Farina told her, surprised.
"I know... but right now there's nothing that I wish more than a comfortable bed", Alina said, sighing. "Anyway, have fun for me"
"Alright, see you!", Fiora said. The three pegasus sisters waved at her before leaving, under a storm of laughs and giggles.
"Alright, guess it's time to leave before someone else asks me if I'm fine or not", Alina thought, standing up and picking the few things she had with her: her coat and her bag.
She start walking silently through the corridor, waving at the few ones of the crew that she knew and that waved at her, which weren't many. Renault and Wallace were the first ones in leaving, ready to celebrate, and almost all the contestants had left, sick of their 'imprisonment'.
"Hey, you! It's a good manner to say good-bye before leaving!", a male voice exclaimed from behing her.
Alina stood still, surprised. Then, she turned back, and saw Eliwood, hector, Lyn, Ninian, Nils, Uther and Oswin walking behind her. "Alright, 'goodnight'", the brown-haired girl said, smiling without much enthusiasm.
"Aren't you oing to celebrate anywhere?", Lyn asked her, surprised.
Alina denied with her head. "Not tonight", she replied, briefly. "What about you?"
"Oh, well... we'll go to some pub or something like that", Hector said, pointing to Eliwood, Lyn and the siblings. "Guess my brother's gonna do some 'old people' life and will go right to sleep"
"Very funny", Uther replied, slightly annoyed. "I doubt anyone would like to talk to a mummy", he said, making an obvious reference to his state.
Alina looked to some other place, betting that he had heard her, after all.
"Nah, I'm not going to bed right now... but I'm not going with them, that's for sure", Uther explained, grinning.
"We don't need a nanny", Hector said, looking at his brother.
"That's why I'm not going with you", the elder brother replied. "And I don't want to act like that!"
"Well, enough chit-chat, we are leaving", Eliwood said quickly. "Then, we have to think where Ninian and Nils will live"
"We'll help them to get some hourse or apartment, where no one will chase them", Lyn explained, happily.
"Thanks for everything", Ninian said gently.
"Well, let's go", Lyn said, cheerfully.
"Bye", the brown-haired girl eaved at them, softly. Soon, they were all gone.
She waited a few moments and then she left the building. She wanted to make sure no one was in the sorroundings, as she wanted to be alone. And so she was. Slowly, she walked down the avenue, heading for her home, under the starry Lycian sky.
The End
Author notes
Alright, it's finished. Finally, I could end this story. Actually, it went out of control, as I keep on throwing more insanity, the entire story got insane. Then, this year was a tough one, and I barely had time to write. Now that I have a little more of free time, I decided to finish the story. It was suppossed to last some chapters more, but thankfully I could find a way to finish it in two chapters and an epilogue. Somehow, I feel sorry for this story, as I wanted to make something... better (yes, I admit this is quite crappy, but now I wanted to test how bad my work could be P). Anyway, enough chit-chat. If someone wants to take this fic's idea and develop it in a better way, feel free (you didn't need me to tell you that, did you?). You can also take the 'Big Emblem' name. Just one thing: Alina (I know, 'weird' name, but well... it's not that odd for Russians, I think! P) is the image I have of the tactician, so... she's mine. If you want to use her (HIGHLY improbable), ask me first (I would have no problem, but I'd like to know my tactician's whereabouts).
Sorry for the ones who wanted to see the eliminations and all that. As I said, this fic went out of control. Then, I lost most of my free time, and now I just wanted to finish the fanfic, and this iswhat came out...
Well, everything must end. Thanks for reading (and suffering) my fic. I'd like to know what do you think of my fic, especially what went wrong (I know, I spent too much time with the tactician and her surroundings). Don't flame, tell me what was wrong and how I could mend it (aka: constructive critisism). Again, thanks for reading. Good luck and take care...
Nilke, January 2006
PS.: Forgot to write it earlier. Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem, Big Emblem or any of the songs mentioned in this fic. They belong to their respective owners. I do ownAlina's personality, as she's my vision of the tactician (which you may like or hate, but she's mine; which doesn't mean that I own the 'tactician', it belongs to Nintendo). That's all.