act20side

I feel... New. Complete.

Hahaha, you can stop circling me now, little fella. I'm just as happy to see you good as new.

Zumama: skilled at overhauls.

Zumama, requesting favor. Small favor.

0428, partner: already retired. No longer responding to communication. Requesting assistance.

Shipped along with this machine, built in the same factory. Now, no longer responding.

No longer responding?

Don't worry. Take me to see it.

Zumama, this way.

These components, and this design... Hmm, might be a bit more complicated than routine maintenance.

How does this thing work? And what's this component for? It's nothing like Lancet, and I don't think Closure has ever said anything about these.

If I connect it here... No, I should be more careful. This is your friend after all, right?

Friend? Zumama has described this relationship several times. But I do not understand it.

Repair cannot be performed?

If only I had some information to work from...

Information? The library, preserves information.

Can you take me there?

Assisting in navigation is my glorious mission. Zumama, this way please.

Now that's something you don't see every day.

I've never heard of anything like that in the books. Surface-dwellers are worth looking into.

Elysium, let's have a little race to see who can fly out face-first from the super spinny slide the fastest. How about it?

Hah, you're about to see why they call me Rhodes Island's Legendary Aqua-Man!

Thorns has nothing on me when it comes to this game!

I'll be honest here. I don't have the slightest bit of interest in hanging out with you. I'd rather be eaten by one of the gloompincers in that damned Acahuallan jungle.

Don't be like that, Stitch. I just want to hear your opinion.

Regardless of what the people of Zeruertza think, I know who's truly worth their mettle in this town – and that includes both you and your teacher. You've earned it.

I've never seen anything like Zeruertza's breathtaking dome in any piece of Durin architectural literature. If you could...

If that's what you want to talk to me about, I suggest we stop here before wasting any more of each other's time.

I know you're not so into my Great Aquapit's design. Same goes for the slide, and the fountain. None of them are exactly masterpieces.

But, Stitch, do you know what is I really want to design? Same as you, the dome right over our heads! We were competing over it for the longest time!

Haha, you've got some nerve saying that to my face. Are you trying to pick a fight?

You and I make good rivals.

Hah! Good rivals? You sure think highly of me. Should we hug it out? Put our arms around each other and weep?

I'm serious, Stitch.

I just want to know. Why did you give up on the dome renovation project a few years ago?

You stopped submitting your designs to the referendums. You just quit. You couldn't have given up trying to win people over to your aesthetic?

Were you really fine with Master Finch's unannounced farewell? He's still your...

Stop talking down to me, Catch!

I just got bored. Tired of it all. Simple as that.

I got fed up with trying to pin all my ambitions on this broken dome, and trying to get the people here to vote for me.

I got fed up with peddling solutions against 'architects with dreams' like you. It's all completely pointless!

Listen up. That piece of junk over our heads, I don't care if it leaks or explodes or even if you vote to tear it down one day––

I don't give a damn anymore. So do whatever the hell you want with it!

But that dome is your teacher's...

I'll say it again.

I!

Don't!

Give!

A!

Damn!

*sigh*... Alright.

Stitch, I wanted to ask you to work with me. The two of us could've come up with a brand-new plan for the dome, which I'm sure the vast majority of people here would've agreed to.

But since you don't care about the dome anymore, I won't push you. I respect your decision.

But, could you give me a moment of your time and offer me some feedback about my ideas for renovating the dome? I'd like your advice as well.

I don't care–– Actually, let's just hear it first.

Really? I appreciate it!

First, I think the whole thing should be more colorful.

Intricate geometric patterns can greatly add to the beauty of the dome, just like stained glass!

The juxtaposition of yellow, green, red, and blue! We'll let the citizens of Zeruertza know a new kind of beauty when they cast their eyes up!

Day or night, the new dome will become the singular focal point of everyone's attention! It'll be the safe harbor everyone comes back to in their search for peace of mind!

A great, dazzling gemstone!

What do you think? From my perspective, it's a brilliant, innovative design. I'm really proud of it. But I'm ready to take your feedback seriously.

Catch.

Had a change of heart already? Then, we'll be partners...

You're not laying a single finger on the dome. I'm going to do everything in my power to stop you.

Didn't you just say you didn't give a damn anymore, and I could do whatever I want?

I thought you just wanted to resurrect that shambling corpse. Or put it to rest permanently. That, I don't care about.

But I will not allow you to desecrate it in this manner!

Huh? This is entirely a product of my respect for the dome.

No. No way in hell. I swear I'm going to beat that idea out of your head!

Maintenance materials, library. Location: Sorted Archives, Area 59. Available bookshelf.

Is this the place?

Affirmative.

Let me see... Hm, is this Durin text? I can't read it at all.

Reading. Book titles: 'The Durin: To the Surface and Back Again' and 'Fine Durin Liquor: 127 Commonly-Seen Brewing Methods.'

Continuing search. New hits: 'Believe It Or Not! Super Crazy Durin Masterplans' 'Research on Cybernetics Information Theory Based on the Influence of Social Behavior'....

Little fella, are you sure they have what we're looking for here?

Probability: 42.377%. Durins rarely organize things.

Hmm, I can read some of the words over here.

The issues of 'Stranger Things' on these three bookshelves are more than ten years old. This row is for Victorian books... and you even have Kazimierz's 'The Red Wine'?

We use them to learn different languages, cultures, and news from the surface.

I see. No wonder why there's hardly any communication barrier between us.

Is this a Durin-published magazine? 'Breaking News! Attack of the Self-Driving Cart!', order one magazine and get a prototype for free... So that's what all those gadgets zipping around outside are?

Croque seriously pushed her cart modification business, and sold those add-on booster packs throughout Zeruertza.

She said, 'everyone likes a bit of randomness,' but I don't really get it.

But why is this in Sargonian?

In order to carry on the fine tradition of 'Stranger Things,' we decided that our own magazine should also be in Sargonian! It's how Durins think.

Are you looking for this book? 'Build Your Own Assistant Robot in 3 Seconds.'

That sounds like it could come in handy. Thank you.

Deculture! 0429 says hello!

You two know each other?

Hello, allow me to introduce myself. I am Deculture Silvermint, the industry representative of Zeruertza.

And also administrator of the assistant robots.

The administrator...

That's right. The assistant robots in Zeruertza are built, supervised, and governed by me.

Model R3-E3 Assistant Robot #0429, what are you doing here?

This unit, submitted a request to Zumama. Overhaul 0428.

0428 has already been retired. Now return to your post.

...Acknowledged. Executing directive.

Zumama, your communication with that assistant robot is pretty unusual, and its responses have been... abnormal.