EPILOGUE

The day after Banjo's memorial, Kazooie and Tooty stood outside the Great Fox with the rest of the StarFox team, saying their final goodbyes as they repaired their ship and got it ready to find their next paying job. After the repairs were complete, Falco faced Kazooie and hugged her for the first time.

"I cant thank you enough for everything you've done for me." He said softly so as no one but who was intended could hear. After releasing her, he knelt down to Tooty's level and spoke to her.

"You're going to have to take care of her, good luck." He said smiling as Tooty cracked a smile as well.

"Keep your head up young lady, you've got Banjo looking out for you." He said standing once again.

"Same goes for you bird girl." He said as he swore she wiped a tear away from her eye.

"Yeah yeah...Get out of here already." She said jokingly, the rest of the team having already boarded.

"I'll stop by again if we're ever in the neighborhood." He said as he ascended the ramp. Soon, the blue falcon disappeared inside the ship and within a few minutes, the engines roared to life, and the hulking spacecraft lifted off into the sky.

Tooty and Kazooie waved goodbye as the ship left the atmosphere, wondering what they would do now that their lives had been turned upside down.

SEVERAL HOURS LATER, AT A MERCENARY WATERING HOLE IN THE LYLAT SYSTEM...

Falco sat, drunk at the bar alongside Fox as they both glared at the television screen in front of them.

"I cant believe this Fox! Those corporate scumbags!" He said as he pounded a shot of hard liquor, throwing the shot glass to the floor.

"I...I know F-Falco. Its bullshit..." He said as they ordered the bartender to turn the volume up in the noisy dive of a bar.

"...The footage of the Zendium giant Ultor attacking a defenseless underdeveloped world has revealed to be an elaborate hoax perpetrated by the Mercenaries depicted fighting against Ultor. According to Ultor records and executives, the massive fleet seen in the video was out on training drills when they ran across the Mercenaries attacking the planet. Recognizing that this was a violation of a galactic mandate, they acted, but at a terrible cost. In their heroic act, Ultor lost multiple medium and small vessels, as well as their experimental flagship, the USF Oblivion. Among the dead was Executive director Randall Spektor, whose funeral is expected to be set for later in the week, his funeral is likely to see hundreds of mourners. We now go live to the Ultor press room."

The same Arctic Fox stood in front of the mass of cameras and reporters, his ever present bodyguards still as statues on either side.

"Ultor is appalled and sickened by the fiendish minds that could doctor such footage and try to frame the good people at Ultor as planet harvesting monsters. Ultor is working closely with Interpol to bring these mercenary scum to justice." The television shattered as Fox hurled his pint glass through it, having heard enough of the slanderous lies.

"How...how the hell can they call that a hoax?!" Falco demanded, throwing back another shot, his thoughts drifting back and forth between the topic at hand, and a particular Breegull in his intoxicated state.

"Easy...they have the credits...they make the rules..." Fox said ordering another pint to replace the one he had thrown through the t.v.

"You think they'll find us?" Falco asked.

"Not a chance. Its all just a show...they know what they did..I don't think they'll press their luck."

"What about Omega five?"

"They've got Trade Federation ships patrolling there now, no one would dare come near that planet."

"I'm going for a smoke..." Falco said as he stepped outside the bar and lit a cigarette, something he himself had thought he'd quit.

He took a long drag as he watched the smoke curl and dance in the night air as it melted into the darkness.

He was alone in his head outside the bar. He flicked his cigarette into the street and started walking until he was swallowed by the darkness toward the Great Fox, the soft words of the Mercinary code carrying through the dim alleyways and dirty streets.

"Loyal to none, we fight as one. Rest easy Banjo..."

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Kazooie still slept in Banjo's bed as sleep began to come more easily to her in the nights following the funeral. She closed her eyes and soon found herself in a dream, though this dream would be one she would never forget.

She found herself in a grassy field, beneath a mighty Oak tree, the warm sun keeping her at the perfect temperature. She looked around and marveled at how unabashedly real this dream felt. The grass beneath her feet was softer than any she'd ever known, the sky was a blue that was almost indescribable. A few white clouds soon moved in over the sun and cast her into their shadow.

"What the heck is going on?" She asked aloud, though her voice sounded strange, as if there was a slight echo trailing it, even though she was in a wide open field.

As the clouds continued to gather in front of the sun, it appeared as though its light began to intensify, beams of its heavenly glow shooting through the obscuring clouds as she heard a distant choir of unknown voices grow louder and louder until it was all she could hear. Their song was of a glory she had never come close to experiencing before, it was one of triumph, of victory. As loud as it was, it didn't hurt her ears, as a matter of fact, she felt as though she could sit there and listen to it for all eternity. But soon the parting clouds caught her attention once more. The blinding light from the sun made her shield her eyes with her wings as she waited for the intense light to fade. A few seconds later, she saw a shadow cast before her as the heavenly chorus faded into silence.

"Hey Kazooie."

That voice...that tone...it couldn't be...there was no way.

She moved her wing away from her face as she looked at the ground in front of her, spying a brown, furry foot. She then dropped her wings to her sides and slowly raised her head to the bears eye level, jaw wide open in shock. There stood the one person dominating her thoughts ever since this whole ordeal began, clad only in his yellow shorts and backpack, but missing his necklace. He was smiling that beautiful triumphant smile she had only seen after the numerous defeats of Gruntilda.

As soon as she regained her wits she threw her arms around him and kissed him the way she always wanted to in life. (A/N: good luck with picturing what that looks like)

Seconds passed before she broke the kiss and looked into the blue eyes she thought she had lost forever.

"Banjo...how...what is...this?" She asked as she wiped away the few tears in her eyes.

"Its a dream, obviously!" He said in a lighthearted fashion she missed so.

"But...how are you here? Is it really you? Or just my imagination?" She asked as Banjo kept her in his strong arms.

"What do you think it is?"

She sighed as she answered.

"I don't know! That's why I asked! What if I asked you something only you would know?"

"Then how would you know if it was right, if I'm the only one that knows it?"

She took a step back as he let her go to think.

"Why does it matter weather this is your imagination or not? Does this feel real? Did our kiss feel real?" He said stepping toward her.

"Yeah...more real than when I'm awake..."

"Then there's your answer! Now come with me, we only have the night! Tomorrow night is Tooty's turn!" He said grabbing her around the waist.

"Are you gonna carry me the whole way?" She asked sarcastically.

"Not exactly!" He answered as the Breegull heard and felt a rush of air come from behind them. She turned to look back and saw that Banjo now had a large set of white feathered wings.

"Where did you get those?" She asked as they took off over the pristine landscape.

"Standard issue for everyone where I live!" He said as they set off to spend the night the way Kazooie had always wanted to when he was alive.

By the end of their date, the sun was beginning to set in her dream world, as they both sat on a hilltop against the same Oak from the start of her dream.

"I cant believe all the stuff we got to do! Banjo this was amazing!" She said happily, for the first time in a long time.

"I know, I loved every minute of it! But...Now I have to go."

Kazooie snapped her head in his direction in surprise.

"What? Why?"

"Because...those are the rules...plus you're about to wake up, its almost sunrise in the material world." He said holding her hand in his own.

"Will you be here again tomorrow night?" She asked hopefully, but the honey bear only shook his head.

"I cant. If I keep visiting you like this, you'll never get over me, you'll never get on with your life."

"But I don't want to get over you! I love you!"

"I know you do, and I love you too...but I want whats best for you. And that means you have to stop letting what could have been rule your life."

Kazooie's eyes filled with tears as she realized what he said was the truth.

"I...I know...I just miss you more than you know..." She said as he hugged her.

"I know you do Kaz... I'll always be watching over you and Tooty. If you ever feel lonely...just look up. I'll always be there..."

They held each other until the sun set over the hills, and Kazooie woke up in Banjo's bed, hugging the pillow in the same way she remembered she was hugging Banjo.

"She buried her face in it as she began to cry, but then remembered the honey bears words of strength, and stopped. She got up, and went into the kitchen to make breakfast as she looked out of the window onto the rising sun. It truly was a new day, and for that, she had Banjo to thank. And thank, she did.

Well, there you have it! As for the glorious angel choir, I was thinking 'bring the boys back home' by Pink Floyd (you tube it, if you feel so bold), but I'm sure the more opera minded among you have ideas as well. Anyway I want to thank everyone who reviewed or even looked at but didnt review this fic! You guys are the greatest! Special thanks to Herr Wozzeck for aiding me in my times of writers block. Again, thanks for reading guys and girls!

-TMHB77