act27side

Look over there. She is the proof.

The Little Black Sheep look down from atop the chest.

A tiny, fragile creature tries to jump up – once, twice... Try as it might, it cannot jump onto the chest.

Hrmm...

Is it alone?

She looks very weak right now. Too weak to jump.

Can we help her out?

Not right now.

Only when the volcano erupts will she become herself.

Is she also one of your kind?

Yes. Eventually, everyone will become one of us.

Mornin', Adele. Would you like some breakfast?

Why do you look so tired? Want me to make you a cup of coffee?

Good morning...

I seem to have had a really long and strange dream last night, and I'm still a bit out of it.

You know what they say around here? The emotions that overflow too much during the day are left over for you to savor in your dreams at night.

What was the dream about again? I seem to remember something about it being very noisy and lively...

It's true! I really saw it all!

Yes, yes. I believe you.

And because of that, you're not allowed to have ice cream for two months for sneaking out of your room and midnight and sneaking over to the land by the sea.

Aww...

But, I saw a little lamb run into my room last night, and it took me to a place where there were a whole bunch of other lambs...

There were a whole bunch of lambs, as fluffy as marshmallows, singing and dancing on top of a chest...

If what you say is true, a flock of sheep invited you to join their midnight party.

Yeah, I think that makes sense. Because I've been a good girl...

A complete mess.

Up until yesterday, specialty products from various countries shipped by MountainDash Logistics had all been stockpiled here.

If nothing unexpected happened, they would have appeared at the trade fair in a few days to show the tourist city what the outside world looked like.

But now, there are overturned shelves everywhere the eye can see, goods strewn haphazardly across the ground, dusty footprints stamped atop some of them.

How... did this happen...?

I'm telling you, everything's weird about that Ann-Maier no-tail!

She eats food and gets eggshell in her mouth, she takes her turn crossing a bridge and the rope somehow snaps, she builds a house and a waterfall floods it, she goes fincatching and gets caught BY a big fin!

Oh, I remember Inam said something about being, uh, what was it? Born under an unhunky star?

Born under an <i>unlucky</i> star.

Don't forget to give Ann-Maier your thanks, you two. With the way you practically party on the job, who knows how long building these houses would've taken without her!

BOOM—

*cough* *cough*, *cough* *cough*!

Wh-What's going on? How did the door explode?

It's fine, I can fix it up ASAP... I was blow-drying the glue on the hinges, and I probably futzed the hairdryer, hahaha...

Glue?

That's my wine pot. My old nocih gave it to me.

*ahem* You've moved everything over, right?

Everything's here now. We spent all morning shifting it! I'm gonna take myself a good long bath tonight.

All morning? This is freight of some kind... coffee?

Yes, it's Siestan coffee. We've opened up a trade route with Siestan merchants, and these are the first goods they sent.

Let me take a look, I think I can see the instructions on these bags... 'Roast the flower seeds and coffee beans together'... Siestans adjust the bitterness of their coffee that way.

My grandpa made coffee like that too, when I was young.

I believe he was a Siestan, Miss Ann-Maier?

Yeah... but we moved to Columbia so long ago. Once I finish work this month, I'll have enough saved to catch a ride back to Siesta!

Huh? I would've let Siesta's merchants take you back if I knew. They left just over an hour ago.

What?

Observation Diary:

Mount Unna, northern Leithanien, September 3rd 1095

Goal of observation: Obtain first-hand survey data for the eruption of Mount Unna, calculate numerical Originium particulate concentration gradient decrease in surrounding environment at time of eruption, establish a theoretical model

Estimated observation time: Five hours

Observation team: Katia, Magna, Keller

In an old notebook is sandwiched a photograph.

Three people lined up in mountaineering gear, three smiling faces reddened by the alpine wind.

Professor Keller was... there in the team lineup too.

She was meant to be a member by all rights on that investigation.

But the day before they ascended, Keller suddenly left the team, and went back to Wilhelm University.

She withdrew just like that? Was there some reason for it?

It's a mystery, and the observation diaries don't make a single mention of it. All we know is right after that accident, Keller showed up at a meeting between Wilhelm University and the Leithanian government.

Mr. Dolly, were you there then...?

*sigh*... You still won't pay attention to me until I find what you're looking for...?

You know, Mr. Dolly, have you heard of volcano watchers? They're a kind of flower that changes color based on a volcano's activity. Is it the seeds of those flowers you're looking for?

Or... obsidian, maybe? With how they're buried in the soil, the black crystals look a lot like seeds too, don't they...?

Adele mumbles to herself, garnering no response, and the tremendous volcanic rock specimen before her is as taciturn as ever.

Am I just overthinking this...?

Mr. Dolly, I'll only be able to find what you're looking for that quickly if you give me more of a hint...

Adele? Are you searching for something?

...No, Professor Keller.

Keller watches Adele close the notebook, and put it away in the storage box.

Adele hangs her head, picks up the other files around her, and buries her parents' notes beneath them.

Adele... if anything is gnawing at you, you can come straight to me.

Adele is silent for a spell.

Nothing I can think of, Professor Keller.

I'm here to catch you up on some matters.

According to data sent back from the forward sensor station, and analysis of the obsidian sample, we've concluded that Mount Siesta's eruption may well come a few days soon.

Readings from the mountain have always been unusual. Active energy from its internal Originium veins peaked two years prior in the summer, then rapidly fell after, before once more slowly rising.

We don't have much time left to prepare; we'll need to act fast.

Oh! The volcano's erupting sooner? How lucky can we be?

(Whisper) Mr. Dolly! Please don't jump out of nowhere...

Adele, are you listening?

Yes! I'm listening!

Adele, I know with the ample experience you already boast as a scholar, pre-observation prep work amounts to little more than busywork for you. But please maintain your focus, okay?

I'm sorry! Professor Keller...

Mrohh... So your professor caught you playing hooky.

Oh, yes, have you bumped into any peculiar tourists at the museum lately?

Did something happen?

A whistling rock specimen in the hands-on area went missing.

A whistling rock? One that sounded musical when blown through?

It looks like we'll want to report to city hall's people to increase security at the museum too.

I'll keep a look out myself.

Maybe it's something about the weather—there's been a lot of strange things happening lately, and authorities say cases of people losing their own possessions have been unusually high.

I was listening to the news this morning, and someone apparently took out their grudge on the depot at the unfinished plate too. They made a complete mess of it over there.

Manager, we've run up the damaged goods. Nothing really unaccounted for, it's mainly notable damage to the outer box packaging. Aside from some foodstuffs, we haven't lost too much at all.

Good, noted.

I'm sorry to have this sort of thing happen in Siesta; it was caused by the carelessness of our own work. I can only ask this won't impact your thoughts on collaborating with us...

Of course, if you do decide to suspend partnership, I'll report the full reality to Mayor Herman.