The Bookwyrm

Bookwyrm was sad because he had wanted to eat those pineapples.

"Did you really destroy the universe again while I was gone?" Bookwyrm said to no one in particular as he materialized on a random planet that had formed.

Bookwyrm frowned. "She's been here for a little bit. Though currently she's in Calano's mindspace. Both of them are unconscious." Bookwyrm didn't add that Wizard's mind was in there as well; he wasn't sure how much that secret needed protecting.

I forgot about this, Bookwyrm said as he answered the phone. "Hello?"

Bookwyrm had lost contact with Wizard. If the three of them are in Calano's mindspace right now...Emma is now face to face with the two who were most dear to her...and the two she lost. We'll see how this goes... Bookwyrm took out the Purple that Calano had given him. It's no Spice Melange, but...this is the only clue I have as to what exactly happened to Calano between his death and reappearance. I should research it's properties. Or ask Calano about it directly, but...he's busy right now.

Bookwyrm remarked that Burg the Adorable Grub was cuter.

Bookwyrm stood in the lobby near Lark, watching. Both Calano and Emma had fallen unconscious, and the White Tiger had vanished. It's up to them now, he thought.

Five. They're just on fire.

Bookwyrm sighs. She isn't going to listen. I can't...wait. Subtly and secretly, Bookwyrm reaches out to the minds of Calano and Emma. Sneaking past any mental defenses he encounters, he forges a temporary connection to each of them, letting him hear their thoughts and feelings. Then, using his own powers and mind as a conduit, he forges a connection between the two of them. He lets the deepest thoughts of their sorrow flow into each other, lets them feel and understand each other. He forges the connection neither of them are able to make, and gives them full access to each other's minds. Then, once the connection between them is solid, he exits their minds, leaving the two of them alone in their deepest thoughts together. Let's hope this works.

The opposite of a sandwich.

A voice came into her mind. She recognized it as Bookwyrm's. We're going to probe Calano's mind, Bookwyrm sent. I tried it once before, but we think it would be better if you led the charge this time. He's still in there, Emma. He still exists, he still remembers. And it hurts him. In the core of his soul, he's devastated. He's in pain. He needs help, and you're the only one who can give it. Please, Emma. We need you. Calano needs you.

Wow, you're obviously doing your math wrong. The answer is 42.

Bookwyrm jumped as Lark appeared in his room. He thought for a moment. "....That....might actually work...I'm just worried about the pain it might cause both of them." Bookwyrm thought further. "But if we can somehow restore Calano...." Bookwyrm stood up from his desk and opened the door to his room, which he still needed to personalize a little more. "Come on," he said to Lark. "You might want to oversee this." Bookwyrm sent a message to Emma and Ranryu. We're going to do another probe of Calano's mind, Bookwyrm said. But this time, Emma is leading the charge. @The Wandering Wizard @Ranryu @CalanoCorvus

It's a powerful song, for sure. A song of death, but also of rebirth. A song of time, frozen, but longing to flow again. Bookwyrm walked out of the lobby, away from the statues. He walked back to his room and sat at his desk. He sighed. There really isn't much for me to do right now....Let's see. Emma is still recovering from the last attack, and is probably dealing with Calano's new situation, which is something I can't do much about. Lark is...figuring out stuff with the treaty, though now that Emma has control, I'm not sure what he's up to. Everyone else has kind of gone back to a somewhat normal life. I guess...I just...wait.

I learned the song in a distant world, built on the ashes of two other ones. A world without gods and plagued by a war for no reason. They're very familiar with loss in that world. I thought it would be appropriate to play the song of their off-seers. Bookwyrm put away his instrument and stood for a moment. For the first time in a long while, he had nothing to do.

Bookwyrm walked over to the combined statues of Calano and Wizard. He had considered saying something to Emma, but...he thought it best to let her figure things out. For now. He'd talk to her soon. Bookwyrm stood in front of the two statues. Two friends. Two incredible people who had sacrificed so much. Both of them were still here. And yet, in a way, both of them were gone, changed in ways that couldn't be reversed, at least not easily. Bookwyrm took out a musical instrument. It looked vaguely like a recorder, or perhaps a pennywhistle. It was primarily black, but had blue and white patterns along it's length. I had considered doing this for a while, Bookwyrm said to Wizard, But it's kind of awkward because you aren't exactly dead. I hope you're okay with this anyway. Bookwyrm, in front of Calano, Thaidakar, Emma, and technically Wizard, began to play a song. It was a contemplative melody. Sad, but not hopeless. It was a song of gratitude, of a life well lived and well given. It was grateful to the past, but looked to the future. As Bookwyrm played, those in earshot began to hear other instruments. Bookwyrm was only playing his instrument, but it sounded as if more joined him, and then other instruments that should have been impossible. String instruments, perhaps a piano. An orchestral melody came from the sound of a small recorder. Blue motes of light began to rise around the statue, floating towards the ceiling. Maybe I'm not sending off Calano and Wizard, Bookwyrm thought as he ended the song. But I'm sending off an era. I'm sending off who they once were, and what this place once was. I can only hope that what this place becomes is something better.

Indeed. That child is going to have an interesting childhood...

....Um. It's a cat. In the snow.

...How'd that work, exactly? Bookwyrm thought on this for a moment. Was Calano aware of this? Before he lost his memory. Bookwyrm though for a moment and sighed. I've visited many dimensions, Wizard. Some far, far beyond the reach of this one. But for nearly all of them, I've been forced to sit back as an observer. That's what I am; a scholar, a traveler, a collector. An important one, yes, but still. I hold the title of Worldseer, but it's not often I do more than see. Now I'm here in this one, and I have a part to play. My actions have consequences. I have a job and I need to help, but it's unclear how exactly. I've been in situations like this before, but they're uncommon. And here I don't have a clear path forward. The future of this dimension is unclear. And that bothers me.

Um.

Bookwyrm watched Emma walk down the steps toward himself and Thaidakar, who had appeared next to him. She seemed better. I'm worried, Bookwyrm thought to Wizard. I'm worried that once she sees how Calano is now, it will hurt her more. And I'm worried what will happen if she realizes that part of you still exists, and is able to communicate.

"Do you have any idea where they are?"

"By Foe?"