Hey, everyone, the story's come to its end, and here it is in all of its glory. This story was a blast to write, and I'm looking forward to writing more Myst fanfiction in the future. This chapter is more of an end-all – just showing what happened after the torture, trials, and tribulations of the story – an epilogue. Who goes home, what gets said, and who gets stuck somewhere else. Uh, yeah. Enough of my rambling, please enjoy the final chapter of "Know Your Myst Stars"
Disclaimer: It's the end of the story. What makes you think that I'd own any of what I didn't own eight chapters ago?
"Nope, still not used to linking," the Stranger said, woozy from the journey back. Her sight was blurry, her stomach swam, and she finally collapsed from nausea.
"Why don't you go lie down, dear?" Catherine suggested. "Some rest might do you good."
"I think it'd do all of us good," the Stranger replied as she lay prone on the ground. "And for all of our sakes, when Sirrus and Achenar get here, send them back to… uh, wherever they went when they were trapped."
Yeesha was the next to link in. She looked at the Stranger, lying upon the ground and staring at the ceiling and giggled, then decided to do the same.
"So, what's so fascinating about the ceiling?" she asked as she lay next to her.
"It's blurry."
"Why?"
"Because I feel sick."
"Why?"
"Because I have Linking Sickness."
"Why?"
"Because I linked on an empty stomach."
"Why?"
"Because all I had to eat today was a bowl of ramen noodles" – in the background, Atrus snickered audibly – "And some chocolate I found in the dressing room."
"Why?"
"Oh, will you just leave me alone before I puke all over you?"
"Eeew!"
With that, Yeesha got up, stuck her tongue out at the Stranger, and walked out of the room, presumably to her bedroom.
Two more figures appeared off to the side of the room, now tangled into a heap.
"Ow! Get off my arm!"
"You get off of my leg!"
"Sirrus, you're hurting me!"
"Father!"
"Okay, boys, that's enough," Atrus scolded. "Now, both of you go home."
Sirrus scoffed and disentangled himself from Achenar, then stood up and walked to the other side of the room.
"Pfft. Why would I do that? I'm already out of that miserable place."
"Well… uh… I don't know, really."
"Exactly!"
Achenar stood up.
"I know why," he said. "Because if we stay here, it messes up the series' continuity. So, if we go back, then everything will be right on track for Myst IV: Revelation. Won't it?"
Everyone in the room blinked, partially because of how massive of a concept Achenar had grasped, and partially because that was the smartest thing that he had said throughout the entire story.
Saavedro linked in and noticed the small group with gaping mouths.
"Uh, did I just miss something?"
"Uh-huh," everyone said in unison, still shocked.
"Um, if you'll excuse my brother and I," Sirrus said, breaking the long silence, "We're just going to go, er, home now, so that we don't mess up the… what was it?"
"Continuity," Achenar responded.
Now it was Saavedro's turn to gape at what Achenar had said.
"Uh… what?"
"Never mind." Sirrus sighed, audibly. "Let's just go." Both brothers suddenly disappeared in clouds of red and blue smoke.
"That was… random," the Stranger observed.
"Thank you, Miss points-out-the-obvious-a-lot," Saavedro joked. "Where's that creepy Cho guy?"
As if on cue, Cho linked in with a glassy look in his eye.
"Hey, Cho! We were just talking about you! You know, you really saved all of our butts back there! Good for you!"
Saavedro gave him a pat on the back, only to have Cho fall over with a thud.
"Er, Cho?" Catherine asked, waving her hand over his face. "Cho?"
"I think he's too nauseous to respond," the Stranger said as she slowly got up.
"You can say that again," Saavedro said.
"I think he's -"
"Okay, we get the idea."
Cho sat up, holding his head in pain. It probably didn't help that the whole rest of the group had begun to cheer and sing "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow", either.
Cho slumped back to the floor, moaning in pain and annoyance.
For he's a jolly good felloooooooowwww
Which nobody can deny!
Suddenly, all eyes turned to look at the Stranger.
"What?" she asked.
"My friend," Atrus asked, "What were you just singing?"
"'For He's A Jolly Good Fellow.' The same thing that you were."
Four pairs of eyes looked at her quizzically. She had a very bad feeling about this.
"You know," the Stranger said in a tiny voice, "For he's a jolly good fellow, with snowberry candy dye?"
The entire group burst out laughing, but no more so than Cho who had never seen snow, candy, or dye, and so thought that the entire thing sounded thoroughly ridiculous.
"Oh, my," Catherine managed to gasp between bouts of laughter, "I think I need to lie down for a moment!"
Atrus chuckled. "My friend," he said, with a small smile, "The lyrics are 'Which nobody can deny,' not 'With snowberry candy dye.'"
"SNOWBERRY CANDY!" Saavedro yelled randomly before collapsing into spasms of laughter.
The Stranger felt put down for the moment, but then smiled wickedly. Catherine, sensing the tension that was about to occur, quietly slipped out of the room.
"I know what's funnier than that," she said.
"What is it?" Saavedro asked, now standing up and hanging on the Stranger's every word.
"Don't say it," Atrus warned, suddenly looking much more serious.
"What is it?"
"It's…"
"Don't say it!"
"What is it?!?"
"It's…"
"My friend, by all that is natural and good, I beg you not to say it!"
"For the last stinking time, what is it?!?"
"NOODLES!"
Atrus and Saavedro both collapsed in laughter, partially from what the word was, and partially from how the Stranger had said it.
Afterwards, neither could move for a very long time.
"Uh… I better go home, now!" the Stranger grabbed her pack and sped out of the front door of the house. The only sound for a long time was that of the Gondola kicking into full gear and speeding away down the thin steel cable that supported it.
"That… was… hilarious," Saavedro said, breaking the silence.
"I told her not to say it."
Cho, meanwhile, had become bored, and decided to look through Atrus' books for the way back to his home.
"Okay, seriously, though," Saavedro replied, standing up and brushing himself off, "Where's the linking book back to Narayan?"
"Oh, sorry. It's the purple one over on the right. No, that's puce, but you're getting closer. That's mauve, too far. That's plum. That's -"
"Atrus, I'm not color-blind, you know. I can see what color it is. Now, it's this light purple one, right?"
"That's the one."
Saavedro unshelved the book and scanned the linking panel just to be sure, then left.
Cho, meanwhile, had found the broken Riven descriptive book and opened it up to the first page. The panel was black and filled with static, and the link no longer worked.
"Cho?" he asked, utterly confused.
Atrus walked over to him and smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry. The link won't work because Riven is no longer there. It's gone, Cho."
Saddened, and thinking that he was now stuck in Tomahna forever, Cho quietly began to cry.
"It's okay!" Atrus said, trying to calm the upset man down. "I can't bring you back to Riven, but I can bring you to your people."
Cho said something in rapid Rivenese, and Atrus understood precisely none of it, but from what he could tell, the man sounded concerned.
"What's wrong? Are you scared that nobody will want you there?"
Cho nodded.
"Well, I can't make them accept you, but I can come with you. Better yet, I can send Catherine with you, since she can communicate with them. They trust us, and if you went with either of us, they might take you in."
Atrus turned from Cho for the moment, searched through the myriad of books, and withdrew a single grey one from the shelf.
"Here," Atrus said, handing it to Cho. "Take this and find Catherine. Ask her to link to Tay with you. I'm sure that she'll be willing to help."
Cho nodded a silent thanks and left.
Atrus, in the meantime, sat down at his desk, opened the book he had barely started writing in, and began to write.
Hmm, let's see what I can think of… Large island. Trees. Grassy plains. Bushes – no, wait, no bushes. Mountains…
Meanwhile, on Earth…
"Mom! I'm back from my trip!" The Stranger walked into the house, her backpack held on by a single, weatherworn strap. Her green and black binder, littered with graffiti that she had put there, was slapped onto the table, and she took off her backpack and gently set it upon the floor.
A tall woman with short dark brown hair walked over to her daughter and embraced her tightly. Her daughter had only been gone overnight, but to her, it felt like days.
"There you are," she said, breaking away. "How was your trip?"
"Great, mom, just wonderful. How were things around the house while I was gone?"
"Oh, you know. Interesting. How are your friends doing?"
"They had a little bit of trouble, but everything worked out alright."
The mother sighed. Sometimes, she didn't know what to make of her daughter's adventures. She herself had been adventurous at fifteen, but she had never been in any great danger.
Her daughter had, and that was what worried her every time her daughter linked to another world. She feared that she'd never see her daughter again.
"How bad was it?"
"Nothing too bad. Atrus had something that he wanted to show me."
The mother smiled. "He always does."
"Yes, I know. New world, too."
"I see. How was it?"
"Well… it was… troublesome."
"How so?"
"Well, there was this guy… and he was… bugging us."
"Did you find out who it was?"
"Gehn."
"Oh, not him again!"
"Yes, him again. But we outnumbered him, because after we got there, Sirrus and Achenar -"
The mother gasped in shock. "They escaped?"
"Apparently. But we were okay, because they mostly bothered each other. And then there was Saavedro…"
"Oh, I hope he's doing okay."
The Stranger smiled. "He's fine. He's much better, now. He's still scared of the brothers, though."
"I would think so."
"He was captured by Gehn."
"Oh my word! Was he okay?"
"Yup. We saved him."
"That's good."
"And there was Cho."
"That odd man from Riven?"
"Yup. He actually saved the day."
"Well, that's cool. I wish I had been there."
The Stranger smiled and nodded to herself. Suddenly, something came to mind.
"Hey mom?"
"What?"
"Are you sure that you're cool with me going off alone to other worlds and facing down people with hammers and guns?"
The mother smiled. "I was adventurous, too when I was your age, and though I never went to any other worlds when I was fifteen, I loved it. I know that you have that same desire to explore, just like I do. And explore I did!" She chuckled. "I ran into some rather dangerous people as well. And I had to evade being hurt almost as often as you do. I do worry, sometimes, but I know that Atrus and Catherine will keep you safe, just like they kept both of us safe before."
The mother looked into her daughter's curious eyes, fondly recalling the first time they had adventured together. It had not been so long ago – two years. She had been walking with her eleven-year-old child in the woods when they had found the book. It was so beautiful, so alluring to both of them…
Her daughter had gone alone after Riven. Where she had gone, the mother heard an overview of, but the danger her daughter had been in was what got to her. She had scolded Atrus to never let her go to an age alone again, and Atrus had complied. But seeing what her daughter had been through now.
She let the thought fade from her head. Her daughter had just been on a tiring journey, and what she needed was rest and relaxation.
"Want to watch a movie, honey?"
"Sure, what are we watching?"
"How about Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom?"
"Sounds good to me. You know though, that a real adventure is much better than that cheese-fest?"
"I know, dear. I know."
Meanwhile, on Spire…
Continuity… how had Achenar gotten his mind around that? How? It was so complex a subject…
Sirrus sat in his spider chair, hanging mere feet above the glowing green planet below and contemplating his day. It had been eventful, yes, even frightening at times, but if even he was tired out, wouldn't his brother be too tired to think of something like continuity?
Unless, Sirrus thought, it was backwards for Achenar. Maybe being tired enhanced his mental ability, whereas being wide awake dulled it. Maybe he was just stating something randomly. Maybe he was saying something without knowing what it was. Or maybe…
Sirrus pushed the thought from his head, partially because it was becoming too confusing, and partially because there were too many solutions to the question. Still, he had to wonder…
No matter. His plan to find and capture Yeesha had been put aside under the stressful situation, and as a result it never happened. No, he would have to be much stealthier next time. And most of all, he'd need to get rid of witnesses. That meant that his father and mother had to be out of the way, and that girl had to be somewhere else while he snuck in. And, of course, he'd need Achenar's help.
No matter, that was a thought for tomorrow. With that resolved, Sirrus pressed the large black button near the cables and let the chair lift itself back into position.
Oh, yes. He'd form another plan. And this time, it would not fail.
Meanwhile, on Haven…
Achenar stood just outside his lakeside home, reflecting upon all that had happened recently. Sirrus had entered. He had been stuck somewhere else. He had been bothered by some voice. He had investigated it with his father, his mother, Sirrus, and that weird girl. He had been trapped in an underground torture facility. And now he was back here?
He still didn't get all of it, but nonetheless, it had been interesting, if not fun.
Yes, he had escaped Haven. But he liked it here. Other worlds interested him, but he just felt so at home here. He finally felt in tune with himself and with others, even if they were monkeys.
But most of all, he felt accepted.
Achenar also felt responsibility – he had stumbled upon this place, a place of beauty, though he could have cared less at the time. Now that he had been here for so long… it felt like he was the mediator, the one who could keep this place pristine.
He'd even become more artistic without having to take something over or kill someone. He didn't feel like he had to anymore. Painting and drawing, carving, sketching things out – that was what he had really wanted to do.
That girl… that girl who had left him here. Could it be possible that she had also taught him a lesson in the process? Perhaps keeping him here… maybe it was a sort of healing. A sort of come-to-grips with his life and what he could change about it. No more killing, no more lies – just himself. Things had finally settled down for him. And Achenar was just fine with that.
Finally satisfied, Achenar walked into his home and lay on his bed, promptly falling asleep.
Meanwhile, on Tay…
"So, you see, that is why he needs to be accepted. He needs a home. He came back to say that he was sorry."
Catherine waited for the village to decide upon Cho's fate. Everything that he had done before… betrayal, lies, arresting other people… how could he be trusted now?
Cho himself kept his eyes to the ground, not daring to say a thing or look into the crowd's accusing eyes. He knew that they would more than likely not allow him into Tay, yet he wanted them to accept him all the same.
The Elder thought to himself for a moment, then looked at him.
"Cho?"
Cho's head shot up.
"You understand what you have done on Riven, do you not? And you realize that traitors are not welcome here. But seeing as you have finally trapped the Evil One, once and for all, you have redeemed yourself, as it were. We wish you to think of what you have done, past and present, and honestly tell us – do you think that you are deserving of a home here?"
Cho lowered his eyes again, this time in thought. He had done terrible things. Awful things. And yet he had saved a group of others; put himself on the line for them. He had resisted Gehn. And he had gotten rid of him. He wanted to burn the book, wanted to rid the worlds of this awful, horrible man forever, and yet part of him could not kill him. He was a person, this man, but the crimes he had committed were far worse than Cho's could ever have been. And so, finally, he looked upward at the Elder and nodded a single yes.
"I am," he said. "And I shall do my best to protect instead of destroy."
The Elder smiled at him approvingly.
"Then I do declare him a part of our village. Welcome to Tay, Cho."
Cho couldn't help but grin. They had accepted him! After all he had done…
He looked back towards where Catherine had been standing only a moment ago, but she was not there. In her place was a solitary linking book, lying upon the cold floor.
Meanwhile, on Narayan…
That was it. No more linking books, not now, not ever.
Saavedro steered the gondola quickly past Lattice Tree after Lattice Tree, his mind more or less preoccupied with thinking about the strange way his life was going.
Ten years of war. Twenty years of exile. And now an entire night with enough events to fill a year?
It was all so very confusing to him. Was this how his life was meant to go?
No more linking, he decided. It had gotten him into trouble not once, but twice. And besides, the blue skies of the other worlds he had seen were depressing. Blue seemed so melancholy. Why make a sky bright blue when pink was so much warmer and inviting? If he could do what Atrus could, all of the worlds he formed would have warm-colored skies, like sunsets or the skin of a fruit. And the land would be lush and green. Warm and friendly, and – back to the point.
What all had happened that night, anyway? It had gone by so fast; everything seemed like a blur to him. The link in, the torment with cats and tomatoes and a million other things, the torture for no reason, the save from near death…
Nope. No more linking. That was it, and that was going to be it. Saavedro wasn't even going to think about those odd books with their moving panels and the sickness that went with it.
Well, the night had been interesting.
And everyone had been so kind to him, with the exception of that man whom Atrus had called Gehn.
And being trapped wasn't nearly as bad when he had a whole room of other people that he was stuck with.
Some days, Saavedro thought, he only had gone insane because of the boredom. Some days, he thought, perhaps it was the threat of being alone that had gotten him. He had mourned and lost, or so he thought, but even the thought of his whole family being gone forever paled in comparison to thinking that, even if he had gotten back, there would be nobody left.
That girl… that girl had saved him. She'd given him his life back for nothing in return. And she would always be welcomed in Narayan for that. Well, he'd always welcome her, anyway.
And later, she'd come back, stayed with him for a while with her mother. She'd befriended him. And now, she'd helped him out again. Only really good friends did that.
Saavedro smiled to himself as the gondola approached his home.
"Saavedro!" he heard Tamra yell. "There you are! Where were you? I was looking all over Narayan for you!"
"I was…" he struggled to find the right words. "I was… with my friend."
"You mean that nice young lady?"
"Yes."
"How is she doing?"
"She's okay."
Tamra gave him a concerned look.
"Are you? You seem… disoriented."
"I'm fine, I'm just… thinking."
"And what are you thinking about?"
"Oh, nothing."
"It's impossible to think about nothing. Besides, I know you too well for that. Now, what are you thinking?"
Saavedro grinned. "Oh, fine. I'm thinking about how hungry I am. There, does that satisfy your endless curiosity?"
"For now, yes. Now, come inside and I'll fix you something to eat."
Saavedro stepped out of the gondola and walked into his home, still somewhat lost in thought. That book that he had found…
The book! He had almost forgot about it. It was still lying on the floor of the gondola. How had Tamra not noticed it?
Did he really want to keep it? The book was the only link that he had to his friend, and if he got rid of it…
Very well. He would keep it. But he wouldn't use it. Not unless he needed to, anyway.
He ran back out to the gondola and picked up the book, carefully concealing it inside of his robe. There was no reason that Tamra needed to know about it, not unless the time came that he'd have to use it in case of emergency. Or in case of a not-so-urgent emergency. Or in case of leisure.
No more linking, though, he decided. Not unless he felt like it.
Okay! It's over, now! -huge grin- No, I have no particular reason for putting Saavedro last in line for the resolution, and I have no particular reason for needing to tell the resolutions of said characters. Yes, the Stranger's mom knows about Myst. Maybe she was the Stranger first, did you ever think of that? I explained it in the story if you look close enough… Yes, I used Indiana Jones as a plot device sort of. It's kind of a nod towards Paramount Studios for entertainment on long, boring rainy days. And in a way, this fanfiction is a nod towards all of the Myst games at once, and to Cyan Worlds for creating them. Thank you, Cyan Worlds and Miller brothers, for making something so spectacular and so quick to draw me in. How did you do it? Thanks, also, to the characters who starred in this fanfiction: Atrus, Catherine, Saavedro, Cho, Gehn, Sirrus, and Achenar. Thanks to the little characters who cameoed in this fanfiction as well: Ten-year-old Yeesha, Escher, the Bahro, and Tamra. I was the Stranger in this story, so thanks to me as well! Big, big thanks to Nickolodeon, All That, and Know Your Stars. Oh, and some of the characters and concepts that briefly appear are my own, the rest are Nickolodeon's and All That's. A few final thank-yous are needed here: To all of my friends on the MystCommunity forums, I love you all in a non-sexual way, and the forums have become one of my secondary, online homes. Here's to the future on MC and in the caverns. Lady Kat, my diabolical plot to torture Myst characters has succeeded. The ball's in your court, sister dear. Let's see what havoc you can wreak on the Myst universe! Brianna Re'nee DeWitt, (Do you know that your middle name sounds like it should be a D'nian name?) here's to me eventually taking you on a journey to Riven and beyond, and here's to us solving Myst's puzzles together. You are my best friend, and I love you as such. This summer, I promise – you and I will turn the lights down low, turn the volume up, and go to other worlds together. We shall face down Moiety rebels with blow dart guns, vengeful Narayani with hammers, brothers with a thirst for evil, and frightening creatures. J'nanin, Edanna, Amateria, Voltaic, Narayan – I'll show you them all. And Riven is just the beginning! I also promise that (eventually!) you and I will start at the beginning on Myst Island and we will learn its secrets. But only if I am with you, because without me, you'll be SO lost! Thanks to all of my reviewers, your comments help make the hours tick by whilst I write. And where are all of you, any way? This is the end of the fic, and you aren't here? What's up with that? ;)
Well, all in all, it's been great writing this, and I'm excited to begin anew. But now, the sun is setting, and I must rest from my journey. Be alert, Myst fans. Another will come… but not now, because I have to continue with the ASOUE fanbase and put up at least ONE story so that they know I haven't deserted them. Patience, my fellow adventurers, patience…So, as I sit here on some age far away, and as you read these typed words, know that I shall return again. Remember, the ending has not yet been written… ;)
(Scratch that. It was written in Myst V. But that doesn't mean that we can't elaborate on other stuff in the Myst universe, does it?)
Shorah!
Sugary Snicket