act20side

Did something happen?

Master Edge went to the other shore, did his survey, and found an Originium vein got shifted close to the tunnel entrance by the earthquake from before, and it's shockingly active too.

We're going to hold a general meeting, and decide on how we take refuge.

Oh.

You didn't come here just to tell me that, though, did you?

...Right.

I'm looking for Stitch.

If you want Stitch, I think he's ridden the boat I lent him to the other shore, to meet Master Edge and the others.

Really? I'll wait for him here, then.

Do you need him for something?

Yes. I'm hoping... he'll return to the design department and work with us in amending the dome plans.

Since Zeruertza's facing destruction, there's no sense in holding the landmark competition anymore, but we're lucky to still have some time.

So, we'll have to make a decision at the meeting regarding how to handle that hole the earthquake left in the dome.

I dunno, just leaving it sounds fine to me. Thoughts?

Even if we wanted to, we'd need the citizens to approve that first.

It's an extremely significant thing to any architectural designer, letting a city reach perfection during its final moments.

We're giving the city a final round of observation, and putting out a plan we can fulfil in the finite time we have.

So, you're hoping Stitch will return.

Right.

I don't know why Master Finch left, all of a sudden. Others might believe their tutor-apprentice relationship was fading, or their time was just up, but I know that can't be the case.

As a former assistant to Master Finch, I know more than anyone that despite his personal utter lack of inhibition, he cared very much for Stitch, from the bottom of his heart.

Stitch was like a son to him.

So his departure has to have some inextricable link to Stitch.

And as industrial representative, you've seen the state Stitch has fallen into since his teacher left.

His planning proposals kept getting overruled to the point he's slowly stopped showing up at the design department, and I've been seeing it happen and wanting to help him somehow, but I've never been able to find a way.

This dome was left to the city as the grandest work of Stitch's teacher, Master Finch.

But do you think, to Stitch, it might instead be a burden?

Even so, you don't want him left with any regrets, right?

Right.

This is our last chance, Deculture.

How very you.

Stitch, Stitch! Are you there?

Huh? What are you two doing here?

Catch! So you and Deculture got something going on, huh?

No we don't.

Wow, ice-cold.

Keep me out of your banter, Elysium.

Master Edge, Miss Gavial, good work.

I'm just napping here, and he's waiting for Stitch to come back.

You're saying Stitch hasn't?

Didn't he bring you and your friends the equipment? And he made kind of a whole scene about it.

But he vanished partway, and we don't know where he went, and here it turns out he's not home.

Tomimi ran into the runt, and said he looked pretty damned unhappy.

Any ideas?

I... don't know.

...I might.

Zumama. Zumama. Not in this row, either.

Okay, move onto the next.

Ugh, this is tiring me out, a little.

I can't believe we still haven't found it.

Go on, take a break.

About my earlier question—I'd still like to know why, Zumama.

I can't imagine you've been blind to how fine life is among the Durins.

There's no noble conspiracies, no scheming and jockeying—and even if there is, it's just plain adorable.

Even as we're on the verge of calamity, the Durins have sufficient contingency plans in place, and they even have the leisure at this moment to consider—

How Zeruertza can greet its destruction in the best condition they can imagine.

I'm not denying any of that, Avdotya.

I think you're pretty on point. Durin life's not bad.

I'm not refusing you because I think what you're saying is wrong, it's because... I don't like it.

If there was a Tiacauh who wanted to come live underground, then I wouldn't stop them, and neither would Inam.

But why? I'm not just rejecting surface life out of my own experiences.

I've thought over this countless times, spending my days in the Durin cities.

I believe, and results show, the Durins live an undoubtedly better life, one more in pursuit of culture.

But why would you, or Gavial, or anyone not want a better life?

My master isn't just wildly proficient with machines. She's really into movies, and dramas too.

She gets me watching all sorts of stuff, and she doesn't even care if I'm interested—she explains it all to me. I've ended up remembering a few things, over time.

For example, when she sees a character about to go on a long speech, she always says—

'Ugh, long-winded righteous guys like this either turn out as villains, or they just get in the protag's way. Can't they just make their characters a little cuter...?'

Why do you need to convince me, or Gavial?

I...

Oh, and might I add, young lady, your view of the Durins is actually quite wide of the mark.

In what way?

If you'd said life in the Durin city-states was more 'on-demand,' or 'cozier,' or 'safer' of a life, I wouldn't retort.

But you hold that the Durin lifestyle is a 'better' life, and dare I say, that alone may well be wrong.

You're a clever child. I'm sure the distinction there doesn't fly past you.

Good sir... I—I'm calling you that for now. I understand what you mean.

But can you really say it's wrong for me to wish for others to live a more materially, spiritually plentiful life?

That's a different question. You're simply looking to redeem a little of the prestige you lost in an argument that's long since ended, no?

So basically, you think the pressure to Stitch's mind, so he chose to run?

Exactly.

And if so, my bet is he's gone to a hut by the lakeside.

Before he moved into this building, that was where he and his teacher lived together.

Catch, you know what I want to say here, don't you?

If we end up deciding to amend the dome design, and Stitch is still unwilling, then it's down to me, right?

It's not just for the sake of dressing the city. From a realistic standpoint, reinforcing the dome'll buy us more time to evacuate.

Finch and I were good friends, and I couldn't make sense of him leaving without a word either, so I'd been wanting to look after his student as best I could.

There's a boundary to everything.

Miss Gavial... can we trouble you to go find Stitch?

You didn't need to ask—I was gonna. Tomimi volunteered to help the city people out with stuff, and having an empty plate bugged me.

I think him and I have a little debt to settle at this point, too.

Then I'll leave it to you.

Where's that hut?

Just on the lakeside, similar style to this building. Very unique. You'll see it the moment you get there.

You got it.

Catch, aren't you gonna go?

I... I don't know how I should face Stitch, under these circumstances.

But you're worried sick for him, aren't you?

Ever since Master Finch vanished, I've been wanting to help him, but I just don't know how.

C'mon. Do I diagnose you with 'too nice,' or 'way way way too nice?'

Nah, I guess you Durins do give me that kind of vibe, on the whole.