Anonymity

(A few pieces of paper are pinned to the bottom of the Emporium bulletin board.)

“Now, now, what do we have here?” A tall maple Ent stood stately, her crimson crown tilting a little, as she inspected the expanse before her.

“We have a sea, Miss Maple. Or perhaps all the seas.” Answered a slender birch politely.

“We have a problem, darlin’, that’s what.”

“And you have the solution.”

A heartfelt laugh rippled through Miss Maple’s brilliant leaves. “I always have the solution.”

An army of little mangroves scuttled over at her command and began to enter the water with astounding orderliness. They held roots firmly and lo and behold! A living raft! But that’s not their full potential and they knew it. Bending and extending their branches, they furnished the raft into a boat, and then a proper ship!

“Report!”

“Mission complete, Miss! Now we just require a sail to set sail, Miss!”

“Someone needs me eh?”

The sweet yet slightly puckery scent announced the arrival of Hardy Banana. Who managed to convince her to help? The Ents all looked around in surprise, but could not find the one responsible. Only Miss Maple gave a knowing chuckle.

Hardy Banana sauntered onto the mangrove ship and took a central position, extending her massive leaves like a peacock showing its beautiful feathers. For now, the soft breeze lounged in curls of the leaves, but the hardy pads are sure to withstand even the fiercest gales.

“It is time.” Miss Maple announced as everyone boarded the ship. “Today we sail to find the Final Treasure! Today we set sail to conquer all the seas! From today, you will call me ‘Captain’!”

As she swung a branch seaward, a small, blue, draconic creature jumped out of the waves of red leaves and commanded: “Onwards!”
(It nearly dropped off into the sea, but thankfully someone who preferred to remain anonymous caught it in time. The little dragon let out a meow of relief, before remembering itself and regaining its regal posture, pretending it didn’t make that sound.)

…

“We have passed the reef of chains… where next, darlin’?”

Information was provided as the pirate map found prior was analysed: the Final Treasure is deeper down the Warehouses, past a massive sea serpent. There was no apparent necessity to combat the serpent. Careful observation and cautious avoidance was advised.
Miss Maple nodded in agreement, the little dragon, too, nodded stately, trying very hard to contain its excitement as the destination became nearer and nearer.

The Final Treasure.

What is the Final Treasure?

A hoard that contains all hoards? The Starry Supermarket’s stock of ‘treasures’? The treasure to end all treasures? The negative concept of treasure that will destroy any treasure upon contact? An end to all desires? Nirvana? An end to all values? Portable instant economic collapse?

But enough with all the speculations. The only important question is this: Would the crew find what they are looking for?

Speaking of which, what are they looking for anyways?

Why have they set out on this strange and perilous journey to conquer all the seas?

Well, well, it is all because of the little dragon and its kind friend.

The little dragon has decided to take on its previous companion’s unfinished quest, heroically, yet not as foolishly as it could have been. For it has now found better friends in the Starry Supermarket, friends that could help it on its valiant journey. The little dragon has set out to find -

The Author.

And that’s me.

How should I even write this last part of their journey? I want to avoid too much first-person but beside my dear cat-dragon there’s one that really does not want the spotlight. This causes narrative difficulties. You see, no one wants to hear about The Author. It’s the ‘heroes’ that should be focused on. I certainly miss The Inexorable Triumph, the Heroic Protagonist now. Maybe I should introduce him on the ship… The Masked Chimera and him did both appear on the pirate island so it’s not unreasonable… (Note: This para is notes delete later)

(Note: Flashback? Time skip? Echoing structure? BXI Ch49)

“You shouldn’t have come.”

“I already have.”

The Author reclining in a pinstripe beach chair sighed at the approach of the little dragon, meeting its icy blue eyes only briefly.

“You don’t need me.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yet you have come.”

“We all need an ending.”

“Nothing ever ends.”

“Not unless they do.”

Did someone interject the conversation that is simultaneously profoundly meaningful and absolutely meaningless? Suggestions were made, very reasonable suggestions. Perhaps after so many eons in the Starry Supermarket, it was time to find inspiration in other planes and worlds. Perhaps The Author could take another holiday from his current holiday.

“A holiday from my holiday. Now you’ve caught my attention.”

Before The Author could stand up, the little dragon suddenly sprang towards The Author like a cannonball. With incredible strength it slapped The Author across the face with its long but flexible tail, before spinning around mid-air with feline grace and landing triumphantly on the ground once more.

Admittedly, that was well deserved.

And so the peculiar party of a little dragon, a crew of Ents, and someone that will not be named, found the Final Treasure: an end to the story, the beginning of another. At long last.

The surprise ending of the acclaimed Saga of the Starry Superstore, by the great The Author! Immediately following the surprise first chapter of the brand new Book XII! Was the last chapter that unpopular?? Has the series been cancelled at long last?? Will there be a sequel? Will there be a prequel? Will there be a sequel to a prequel to a sequel?? Find out, in Book XII, Ch??

The forests in the Land of Once-Told Stories are alive with purpose, whispered words rustling through their leaves, carried on the wind to those who pass beneath their branches. It is said that those who are lost can find fulfilment in the quiet calm of the forest glades, and some immortals say that, if you listen closely, and if you know where to look, the trees themselves will come to you with their wisdom.

In one such glade, two Entities sit side-by-side, their presence barely noticeable on the cool summer breeze, or in the dappled shade of leafy crowns gilded in sun, and in the gaps between the trees that seem to hum with a kind of empty longing. In the quiet morning mist, the trees lean down to whisper to the pair:

“A message, a message! From our sister in the store!” High up in their branches, a small blue dragon skitters from tree to tree, carrying something in its mouth. Guided by the whispering of the ents to the Entities in the clearing, it hops down to ground level and deposts the letter there for them with a little nod, before scampering off into the undergrowth once more. The letter is picked up, and read aloud:

To Whom It May Concern,

Investigations in the supermarket known as Emporium are going well. After helping Uqqurt-sen and his prophet Tooka in their quest for information on the Present Absence of Mung, we have stayed in touch with Autumn Oak, their beneficiary, who has kept us well informed on the latest unsolved mysteries around the store. Though the voice that guides us has not been present for some time (a mystery I have recently traced back to this address), the ents have found a new force of guidance in myself, and together we make quite the Investigative Force – in fact, Albert is processing our collective promotion to this effect as I write. I look forward to finding out what further mysteries await our inspection within the store, and hope that our patron outside Emporium is well. Thank you, kind stranger, for bringing us this purpose: we shall endeavour to use it for good.

Yours in Mystery,
██████████

PS. It is hereby hoped that the embassy of Ents sent to the Land of Once-Told Stories is doing well. They are, as ever, welcome to rejoin us in employment, although I suspect they may prefer not to subject themselves to the unpredictability of the Emporium queue once they have sunk their roots into the soil.

The letter is folded up carefully, and tucked away where none can see it. Its recipient leans back against a tree lazily, looking over at the other Entity. “I wish I ever received mail,” the latter says forlornly, seeming almost pleased to have been left out. “No-one ever writes to me…” Next to her, no-one smiles affectionately, and her cat is-and-is-not pet absent-mindedly, curled up in the lap of an Entity that feels perfectly at peace, soaking in the sunshine and the quiet and the companionship that offers acknowledgement without acknowledging her companion.

After all, if a cat is and is not pet in a forest of ents, and the Entity petting them is and is not accompanied by someone who sees it, does it not purr in contentment?

“Welcome all, faces old and new, and what a pleasure it is to see our seats filling up once again.” Caregiver’s gaze lingers momentarily on he place normally occupied by Fulfilment, perhaps wondering whether Anonymity has decided to put a new spin on them. “You may notice that we have a special guest among our number today,” she gestures to a figure of human-like appearance wrapped up in a baggy old sweater the shoulders of which a small blue dragon has nestled itself onto. At Caregiver's mention, he looks up from the pen and notebook held in his ink-stained fingers and addresses the room at large: “Greetings, everyone - hm, would 'salutations' be more dramatic…? - I am The Author, recently retired from my… retirement? Not the rhetorical flourish I was after -” he scribbles something onto his notepad absent-mindedly - “to Emporium, where… one among your number” - he seems to ponder for a moment - “an Anonymous Agent, shall we say, suggested my assignment in your plane.” Caregiver steps in to continue. “Yes, The Author has been most generous in helping us rewrite the metaphysic of this plane to accommodate a change in cast following the recent loss of some among our number. As you all know, the loss of Peace, and those whose downfall followed, has left The Land of Once-Told Stories shaken to its very core, but I believe that we will venture into a new age,” the Author interrupts: “a new chapter, if you will - or is this a new book in the series?” “A new chapter, yes, that will allow the Land of Once-Told Stories to flourish once again. Things will be different, that is for sure, but I think it is a difference you will all come to enjoy.”

“Speaking of different, I am sure you will have noticed the new faces sitting among us! Everyone, this is Immortality, Absence of Death” - the Entity indicated gives a silent nod, eyes glinting intelligently - “Peace, Absence of War, and” - the Entity in question seems unused to this address, and looks a little uncertainly at its neighbour, “War, Absence of Peace”. There is a moment of tense silence in the room, as the gathered Entities either recall the destruction caused in the conflict of the former War and Peace, or question the paradoxical nature of these ensouled Absences. Then Peace speaks, a low, slow voice giving an impression somehow of both wisdom and hesitation. “War and I… have been born… out of conflict… It is true… But… though we may… inspire conflict… in others… this, I think… is necessary… in the telling of stories… We, however… as siblings… have no quarrel… I think you will find us… a less…” They eye War slowly before continuing. “…agitating force… within the Pantheon.” They give a slightly awkward nod to round off their speech, glancing over at War again, who gives them an encouraging wink. “Quite so,” she says, making eye contact with Caregiver, “we thank you for accepting us into your pantheon.” Caregiver responds with a gracious smile, but before they can say anything more, they are stopped short by the sudden opening of the conference hall door.

The face that emerges in the doorway is, to Communication’s apparent annoyance, as they type the meeting minutes with an increased sense of aggression, that of an ent, looking uncertainly at the gathered Entities. “Is this the meeting of Caregiver’s pantheon?” they say, as if they’ve been rehearsing the question in their head. Communications’ hands twitch impatiently, and their eyes dart around the room and back to the ent again as if to say “duh”, but Caregiver is more welcoming. “It is indeed, little ent. May one inquire as to your purpose? The tree, a strong young oak, stands to attention, and it is regarded by at least one Entity in the room with surprised and ill-suppressed delight. “My name is Officer Oak, and I speak for the trees!” A snort is heard and a thumbs-up is aimed at Officer Oak, and while Caregiver gives a smile of bemused resignation, Communications carries on typing furious minutes. “You speak for the trees?” Caregiver says, bowing slightly so as not to tower over the ent, much smaller here than they might have been in Emporium. “And why do the trees feel they need representation in my pantheon?” “I am sent as an envoy on behalf of Fulfilment!” Officer Oak responds, like a recruit answering to their drill sergeant. “All the souls of all the trees in the Land of Once Told Stories - together we don the garb of Fulfilment, and bring purpose and fresh life to the realm!” “I see,” Caregiver says, straightening up again and gesturing for the tree to climb onto Fulfilment’s seat. “Well, if you are a part of Fulfilment, then you are most welcome among our number. Things are changing in the Land of Once Told Stories. It seems we will have many more stories yet to tell.”