zumama

What about Yogi and Yota? They might know something.

The neighbors said they went out early.

Hey, do you know where Zumama, Yogi and Yota went?

What's Zumama doing here?

I remember this place—

High Priest? Inam? What are you doing here?

Worried about you—ahem, ahem.

Why are you wearing protective gear? And the direction you came from is...?

The ruins of Zeruertza.

Why did you go there?

The dust disperses, and the High Priest sees what is in the carts behind Eunectes.

You were picking up junk in the ruins of Zeruertza?

It's not junk! Look, a Durin door frame! It took a ton of work to get it out from under the rubble!

And this is part of the Great Aquapit slide. I couldn't bring the whole thing back, so I cut off the bottom part, which had the most interesting design.

That's the definition of junk! I thought you were bringing Stitch's New Zeruertza design onto a mobile platform!

What? Why? It's a competition. What's the point of doing what the Durins are doing?

Weren't you worried that the Durins would be unhappy?

I was going into the ruins of Zeruertza, after all. It was their home, even if it was destroyed.

But I asked Deculture and she said I could take anything I wanted.

The reason you had Yogi and Yota cut trees...

I needed a decent cart to bring this stuff back.

Don't tell me you weren't planning to build a nomadic city at all?

(Stifles laughter) How about we go back and you take your time to tell us what your plan is?

There's no need for that. The High Priest just said it, I'm building a nomadic city.

Really?

Really.

Phew. Well, what do you have to say now, Inam?

What do I have to say? It's not like I said anything.

Hmph. Forget that black-hearted lord ameer; how do you plan to build a nomadic city? With this junk that you dug up from underground?

Yeah, but that's not important. What's really important is—

Model R3-E3 Assistant Robot #0332, reporting in.

Model R3-E3 Assistant Robot #0719, reporting in.

Model R3-E3 Assistant Robot #0086,

rererereporporpor—

So you went to save your friends...

Not entirely.

Here's what I think. The nomadic city of the Tiacauh needs to be ahead of its time. It needs to be incredible.

As far as design is concerned, I could never compete with Stitch.

That's why I'm building a living city.

My friends here, once fixed, will become the building blocks of the new city.

The robots will be your city's building blocks? And then?

Three friends make one large unit, and five large units make one huge unit, unit after unit, until they're the size of a nomadic city!

That way, you can get an answer no matter which part of the city you talk to, and the whole nomadic city will be friends with the people living inside it!

Okay... where will the people live?

Don't worry, I've thought about it. Here are the blueprints.

I'll just look past the multitude of problems right now. Problem after problem, yet somehow it might just work.

I think it'll work.

First, though, you need to tell me what's going on with this shape.

It's absolute madness. One domed roof, three pairs of wheels, medical equipment...

A city-sized—

Lancet-2?!

She makes a cute big sister, doesn't she?

Look at the last page of the plans.

I've got everything thought out. A supercomputer in the center of the city, controlling all the robot friends.

I made the connector round so that Lancet-2 can sit in it—

What about me?!

Didn't you give a single thought about me when designing this city?! After all the worrying I did for your sake?!

You know what, screw it, do whatever you want, it's none of my business, I'm going on a long trip—

Your room's here, High Priest.

What's this? Way out in a corner? This isn't the least bit cool compared to that round supercomputer connector! And it's right next to a warehouse—

That's my bedroom.

You'll be right next door to me. You can come visit any time.

High Priest is at a loss for words. Inam can no longer stifle her laughter.

Well, how about it? Will you help Zumama or not?

Finally, the High Priest comes to terms with his emotions and composes himself, even finding the wherewithal to give his ridiculous glasses a little pompous push.

Of course I'm helping.

First step will be a trip to Rhodes Island on your behalf.

For what?

To ask the subject of your blueprints...

Whether the robot who won't even let you drink coffee will let you do this.