Operation story: IC-1

Operation

Story

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Characters
Contemplative Lupo Elysium Eunectes Gavial Stitch Canvas Tomimi Tomimi (swimsuit) Edge Eartheart High Priest Inam Absent-Minded Durin Excited Archosauria Groaning Archosauria Piss-Drunk Durin Tipsy Durin Wobbly Durin
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5

Before operation

“

Led by the architect Stitch, Tomimi and company head to the underground city of Zeruertza and witness a Durin water slide. Meanwhile, Gavial and Eunectes are searching for their own way underground.

”

<Background black>
[Elysium, Stitch, and Tomimi are riding an elevator taking them to the subterranean city of Zeruertza.]
Elysium	That was a real close one, kiddo. You completely forgot the way here, didn't you?
Stitch Canvas	I'm not a kid! And I'm, uh, just not a hundred-percent certain...
Elysium	Without a professional guide like me leading the way, how would a kiddo like you have made it through such a dangerous cave? Even I had to think twice before jumping in. In any case, why don't we take this opportunity to set up camp and get some shut-eye? If you don't know how to pitch a tent, I can help out.
Inam	You serious? Is this really the time for that?
Elysium	The air flows smoothly here, the area is spacious but sheltered from wind and rain, the temperature is pretty agreeable, and it's dark enough to skip the eye mask.
Tomimi	Um... I think Elysium raises some good points! But I'm not too familiar with these field tents...
Elysium	No problemo, I'll show you what to do. This model's very simple– just unfold it and it's pretty much good to go. Just need to secure a few locks...
Tomimi	Woah, you're right! Very convenient!
Elysium	When Logistics originally designed this model, they specifically consulted ME, the fieldwork specialist that I am! I even graciously agreed to let them name the series after me, but I'm not sure why they didn't go through with it. Well, maybe they felt there was still room for improvement, and that this tent model wasn't worthy of my name? What a shame. They should know I wouldn't nitpick over such minor things!
Inam	Tomimi, I've been hearing a lot about what a good time you've had at Rhodes Island, and that's all well and good, but I have to admit, I'm having second thoughts... Do Rhodes Islanders always pitch tents inside lifts?
Tomimi	Um, I think Elysium is an exception...
Stitch Canvas	I'll say it one more time– this isn't any regular old lift! This is the pride and joy of the Durin people, the Super Convenient Lift-o-Matic #1!
Elysium	Yes, indeedy. Makes for a great campsite.
Stitch Canvas	Hey!
Inam	Enough of that, you two. How long will it take to get to the underground city you're talking about?
Elysium	Yeah, what's up with that, kiddo? We've been sitting in this lift for almost half an hour already.
Stitch Canvas	It's not like I'm... *sigh*... I can't help but wonder, were you mixed up in all those stories I heard about Gavial back at the tribe?
Elysium	Of course! Too often am I on the receiving end of that woman's fists!
Stitch Canvas	...I think it might be better if you turned back.
Elysium	Well, it's not THAT often, but once every three weeks wouldn't be an exaggeration...
Tomimi	Wait! Elysium might just be one of Gavial's regular coworkers, but... I am Gavial's most cherished partner, the leader of Acahualla's mightiest tribe, "Gavial's Will!"
Inam	There's almost nothing true about that second half.
Stitch Canvas	Haha... I appreciate your generosity and selfless help. I'm sure the city will welcome you with open arms. (mutters) Hopefully your ugly-ass metal monsters-on-treads will come in handy...
Inam	Did you say something, Stitch?
Stitch Canvas	Oh, not at all, I was just saying we're almost there.
[The elevator finally reached the absolute bottom, and...]
[Stitch unlocks the elevator's door.]
Stitch Canvas	Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Zeruertza. It's extremely rare for any surface-dweller to get to lay eyes on a Durin city, let alone our beautiful––
Elysium	Hey, hey, hey! What the heck is THAT?!
Inam	A giant waterfall?
Tomimi	It's... a huge water slide!!
Stitch Canvas	No, that's not what's important. Can't you pay some respect to that beautiful, minimalistic place in the distance with a garden...
Inam	So this is a Durin city? I thought it would be a bit more, uh... normal? Mysterious underground palaces and whatnot. That's what the magazines always talk about.
Stitch Canvas	Actually, Zeruertza is rather unique among Durin cities, because it was built by the legendary designer standing before you. My predecessors came here with the vision to create a city of beauty and harmony, and this magnificence is the product of their philosophy! And minimalism! It's...
Elysium	Super Spinner Slide!!! Dylan wouldn't stop going on about how much fun Acahualla was, and I didn't believe him at first, with that wicked grin on his face, but it turned out to be true!
Tomimi	Ooh, ooh! I wanna see, I wanna see! We have to bring Gavial next time!
Inam	I wonder if the legendary Durins are interested in doing business.
Stitch Canvas	Is there not a single shred of appreciation for minimalism in those empty heads of yours?! What is that heap of junk in front of you to the greatness of my work?! Well, whatever... I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up for you people.
<Background 2>
[Meanwhile, Gavial and Eunectes had searched for a way into Zeruertza, but to no avail.]
Gavial	Huh, it should be somewhere around here.
Eunectes	Some elders in the tribe mentioned a giant cave beneath Acahualla, but I didn't expect it to be this complex.
Gavial	Seems like what Tomimi and the others were saying turned out to be true. If the worst case scenario comes to pass, it won't just be us Tiacauh that are affected. Everyone in this entire region's going to be at risk.
High Priest	There's no way it's that serious.
Eunectes	High Priest! What are you doing here?
High Priest	Naturally, I came because I sensed the two of you in need of help. I am the all-knowing High Priest after all.
Gavial	So, old man, how are we supposed to get inside that legendary underground city?
High Priest	Don't be in such a rush, children. It's not every day you get to delve deep into an underground cave. Soak in your surroundings. Take a look at these fluorescent plants. I'll let you in on a little secret– if you grind them into powder and sprinkle them over grilled fin, the flavor simply speaks for itself. And look at these tiny little fruits on the vines...
Eunectes	Sorry, but we're a bit short on time here!
High Priest	Alright, I know. Do you remember the safe route coming here? If I recall correctly, it's left, right, then another right, then another left? And then four left turns in a row after that?
Gavial	That would take us right back where we started.
High Priest	Really? Strange. Let me see if I can pull something else from memory... Ugh, these underground passages wind to and fro. It's hard to keep things straight! Was it right, and then uphill? Or was it downhill?
Gavial	How about the more dangerous path?
High Priest	You're just as impetuous as when you were little. There does happen to be a path that is somewhat dangerous, but saves more time. See that river heading underground? Jump down.
Eunectes	For real?
High Priest	The two of you should probably be fine, judging from your statures. But...
Gavial	You heard the man, Zumama. Get ready, and take a deep breath––
Eunectes	Let's go!
[Gavial and Eunectes run off to take the "wet" path.]
High Priest	But, I would advise the two of you to just follow me slowly. The thing is... Huh? Where'd they go?
<Background 2>
[Stitch took Elysium, Tomimi, and Inam around the streets of Zeruertza.]
Stitch Canvas	In any case, this is the Durin city of Zeruertza.
Inam	I had no idea there was a place like this beneath Acahualla...
Stitch Canvas	Zeruertza has had its roots here since antiquity, but with the exception of a few adventurous idiots, we've generally had little interest in the surface world. Of course, I am an exception.
Elysium	You don't much care for stories of adventure?
Stitch Canvas	That's right, I don't care for them at all. Stop trying to twist my words! I'm not an idiot either!
Elysium	That's not how I see it!
Stitch Canvas	Ahem... Let me introduce myself once more. I am Stitch Canvas, the most distinguished architectural designer in the city. As you can see, the buildings around the city that speak most directly to one's heart and soul were designed by none other than myself!
Tomimi	Like that big water slide over there? My respect for you is going through the roof, Mr. Stitch!
Stitch Canvas	Uhh, no, that's not mine.
Elysium	You must've designed the dome above this underground city, then! It even simulates the feeling of sunlight. Incredible! Good going, kiddo, you're more than meets the eye!
Stitch Canvas	Have you no aesthetic taste? Are you unable to grasp what truly matters about this city?
Inam	Uhh... the greenery looks pretty nice?
Stitch Canvas	Alright, we'll need to cultivate some appreciation in you. Since you'll never get another opportunity like this and I happen to have some time before my next job, I wouldn't mind showing you a place in this city that stands as the quintessence of wisdom. It is my temporary residence, personally designed to bear the core of my profound philosophy...
[While Stitch is busy showing his residence before the others...]
Stitch Canvas	Behold––
<Background 2>
Tomimi	Inam, look! What kind of store is that?!
Inam	A swimsuit shop?
Tomimi	They're so cute!!
Inam	Durin clothes won't fit you. Not to mention your thick tail...
Tomimi	P-P-Please don't talk about my tail! It can't hurt to take a look, right?
[Tomimi and Inam heads to the store, annoying Stitch.]
Stitch Canvas	Hey, you two. Hey!! Elysium, we have to bring those two back...
[Elysium is buying a snack from a nearby store.]
Durin Hawker	Thanks for your patronage~
Elysium	Mmh, what an exotic flavor! These grilled mushrooms are as unique as you'd expect! Kay's culinary tastes are top-class. If the mushrooms of Acahualla are not to be missed, the mushrooms beneath Acahualla are to die for! Care for a bite?
Stitch Canvas	Don't you think you're assimilating way too easily?!
<Background fades out and in>
Wobbly Durin	Ugh, my head hurts...
Absent-Minded Durin	Hang in there, brother! Don't let these little setbacks get the better of you! All our suffering, all our hardship... It all meant something!
Wobbly Durin	The disease is taking me... The time we spent together was pure delight...
Absent-Minded Durin	There has to be some way, I'm sure of it... What about that mystical liquid? The miracle juice that supposedly restores anyone to health!
Wobbly Durin	Yeah, that's right... There's still the good stuff. It might even bring back my love of life...
Absent-Minded Durin	Help us out, kind-hearted passerby. Call out that magical name with us!
Wobbly Durin	You, with the thick tail over there, I'm talking to you!
[Tomimi responds to the Durins' call.]
Tomimi	Eh? Me?
Absent-Minded Durin	C'mon, dig into your heart, and shout the name with us. Three, two, one!
Both Durins	Old Karl Mead!
Tomimi	Um... Gavial's stew?
Absent-Minded Durin	Cut!
Wobbly Durin	You said the wrong line, Thick-Tail!
Tomimi	P-Please don't call me that...
Absent-Minded Durin	Where did Avdotya find such a strange woman...?
Tomimi	Avdotya?
Wobbly Durin	Hold on a sec... You aren't with Old Karl Mead's fan club!
Absent-Minded Durin	Avdotya's the only sober-looking person in the club!
Inam	Wow, they actually use sobriety as their identifying standard...
Absent-Minded Durin	What now, brother? Should we cancel our yodel-your-heart's-desires-out event?
Wobbly Durin	Not a chance!
[The wasted Durin walks toward Elysium with a barrel of alcohol.]
Wobbly Durin	You're a Liberi who came here from the surface, aren't you? Fate brought us together today. Come, come. I still have another half-barrel of the good stuff.
Tomimi	Inam, they actually carry around barrels of alcohol with them!
Inam	Where did they even get their hands on barrels that big?
[Another Durin offers Elysium a bottle of mead.]
Absent-Minded Durin	This mead's the best stuff in all of Zeruertza! Though, there are always a few know-nothings out there who refuse to admit it.
Wobbly Durin	Wanna give it a shot, Liberi? You won't regret it.
Elysium	I have to hand it to you guys... You sure are enthusiastic.
Wobbly Durin	All good, it's on us! One look at you, and we can tell you're...
Elysium	A gentleman of utmost distinction?
Absent-Minded Durin	Not quite sober. Just the right type to become one of us!
Elysium	Are you saying I give off far out vibes? Hahaha, that's the first time anyone's said that about me. Never thought I'd be learning something new about myself here. You can count me in then. Bottoms up!
Wobbly Durin	How about the ladies over here? If you don't mind...
Inam	Mm, I'd like a try as well.
Tomimi	J-Just a little bit then!
Stitch Canvas	Wait, come back! Why are you drinking? We still have business to attend to!
Wobbly Durin	Huh? You're uh...
Stitch Canvas	Dear citizen, I know that confronting an important architectural designer such as myself might be a bit intimidating. But don't be fooled by the fact that these individuals appear idle. They actually have quite a bit of work to do, so if you'll please excuse us...
Absent-Minded Durin	Are you sure you don't want some, brother? This mead's seriously good stuff.
Stitch Canvas	Me? I'll pass, I don't drink. As one of the few Durins who needs his brain for problem-solving, I prefer to keep my head clear...
Both Durins	...Ugh.
Stitch Canvas	Why are you looking at me like that? And why are you lifting those barrels up?
Wobbly Durin	Did you hear what he just said? My ears weren't playing tricks on me, right?
Absent-Minded Durin	This kid says he NEVER drinks? And supposedly to keep his head clear?
Wobbly Durin	We're in trouble, my friends. An alien has infiltrated our city!
Stitch Canvas	Open your eyes, you drunkards! They look more like aliens than anything else!
Absent-Minded Durin	It's time we let this fella know just how much nonsense he's spewing!
<Background 1>
[A beautiful Lupo lady is observing the cave.]
Contemplative Lupo	"Harder than ice, longer than winter. More silent than tears, more futile than sighs." "Inova still cannot forget the afternoon she departed. The town was like a coughing giant, exhaling rust and spitting blood." "She trips and falls, but climbs back to her feet. Her steps know no pause. She doesn't ask for much– she only wants to find a land without dreams, and a few moments to waste." "Perhaps a cup of hot tea and a few sips of light liquor. Indulgence is not a sin, at least in her case." "What... is she after, and what is she running from?" "Even she does not know the answers to these questions."

After operation

“

The Durins are celebrating an extra-long summer thanks to the damage done to their dome. Stitch tells the climate representative, come to ask him to repair the dome, that he's found some new helpers.

”

<Background 1>
Inam	No need to be shy, Tomimi. It looks great on you.
[Tomimi comes out, now wearing a new swimsuit she bought earlier...]
Tomimi	R-Really?
[... and stands beside Inam.]
Tomimi	Ehehe, I loved this swimsuit the moment I laid eyes on it. It's exactly my style!
Inam	The tailors here sure are something. They managed to custom-make something to fit your figure so quickly.
Tomimi	I-is there something wrong with my figure? I've been working out a lot harder!
Inam	Don't worry. You look super cute.
Tomimi	Phew, that's good then. I don't want people making fun of my tail getting thicker again... Inam, you're not going to pick out a swimsuit?
Inam	I'm good. I'm more interested in the buckethead that was helping out the tailor just now.
[A Durinese automaton passes by Inam and Tomimi.]
Inam	Durin technology...
Elysium	That's some crazy good stuff!
<Background fades out and in>
Elysium	I've never had liquor this good before!
Tipsy Durin	Cheers, brother! Let's drink to your health!
Elysium	A toast to our health! Long live Old Karl Mead!
<Background fades out and in>
Inam	Hey, Tomimi, about that Elysium guy... Is he actually reliable?
Tomimi	Eh? He's there for us, when the chips are down... Usually! Now that you mention it, there are Durin operators at Rhodes Island, but they seem to never talk about where they came from.
Inam	Do you think the Durins might be hiding something?
Tomimi	No, I think they just don't care a whole lot. They always seem a lot more concerned about what's on the menu in the canteen.
Inam	I never thought we'd get the opportunity to explore an underground Durin city.
Tomimi	Yeah. This might be a great opportunity to spread Gavial's name to the Durin people as well...
Inam	You didn't drag Gavial, Zumama, and Kemar with you on vacation this time?
Tomimi	Kemar said she wanted to practice boxing with Blaze. Gavial and Zumama went on a mission and haven't come back yet. Gavial's been working way too hard recently, and that worries me! I really wish she wouldn't push herself so much... I wrote them a letter before I left, telling what you learned from Mr. Stitch, as well as what he told us. They could've taken the opportunity to go back to Acahualla for a break...
Inam	The three of you went and made me Great Chief without a second thought, and it's about time you all came back to see what I've gotten done. By the way, while you were at Rhodes Island, did anybody find this Elysium guy a little annoying?
<Background fades out and in>
Elysium	Waheeeey, it's a completely different experience!
Piss-Drunk Durin	You, tall guy, I saw you hanging out with those mead boys just now. Listen up, that stuff's for kids! If you want the REAL good booze, turn your eyes toward our No. 7 Whiskey. Here, cheers.
Elysium	Cheers! This aroma... it's like the rainforest after a thunderstorm, the smell of moss in an underground cave!
Piss-Drunk Durin	Oh. Sorry, that's just the wood cup getting a little moldy.
<Background fades out and in>
Inam	He seems to be enjoying himself.
Tomimi	Oh, Inam, you still haven't told me about how you met Mr. Stitch.
Inam	Hm... It's a bit of a long story.
<Flashback starts here>
<Background 3>
Excited Archosauria	Great Chief, the big things you brought with you last time were really stimulating! Just standing in front of them kept me up for days! My wife's been nagging me day in and day out about how these things are gonna snatch away my soul or something!
Inam	We're talking about those heaps of junk from Columbia, right? Are those metal choppers that big of a deal?
Excited Archosauria	You bet they are! A legendary construction device, those things are, a machine of machines! Have you ever felt the joy of watching those things work right in front of you? My heart's never pounded so hard, not even when I first met my wife!
Inam	Huh... Guess I'll have someone stop by to put shock absorbers on your chopper one of these days. Tomimi's going to be back in a few days, so we've got to get ready to pick her up.
No Longer Excited Archosauria	Picking up Tomimi? I can imagine how much work that's going to take.
Groaning Archosauria	It's probably about as bad as getting beaten up by a metal chopper.
No Longer Excited Archosauria	Who knows how many trinkets and doodads she'll bring back with her? Do you remember how many men we needed to grab all her stuff last time? At first, I thought it was a whole caravan!
Groaning Archosauria	Tomimi's always been like that, ever since she was little. Always hoarding whatever junk she gets her hands on... Don't you think it's gotten worse since she went to Rhodes Island?
No Longer Excited Archosauria	I have no idea why she had to lug back that plate of sheet metal. The one Gavial put a hole through.
Groaning Archosauria	I heard she couldn't find a place to put it in her place at Rhodes Island.
Inam	Wait, who's that up ahead?
<Background 4>
???	Call me mad, signing up for this kind of abuse. First it was those topsy-turvy caves, now it's this godforsaken place. But that old man Eartheart drives me up the wall. Just clogs up the doorway and nags you all day... Gah, damn these stupid vines! And that accursed sunlight! I've always said artificial lighting is much better than this crap! ...... I'm so thirsty... And tired. I can't fathom why the Master would leave Zeruertza. Is he a masochist or something?
[Inam and co. approaches the then-unknown Stitch.]
Inam	A little kid?
A little kid?	Who are you calling a kid? You're the kid!
Inam	Huh, you've got a pretty funny accent. Who taught you?
A little kid?	I taught myself. Got a problem with that?
Inam	Kids ought to mind their manners and be patient with strangers.
Archosauria	What a funny-looking fella. Kind of familiar, though, anyone like this been around Acahualla? Did someone's kid go missing? Not a thick-tail, or a thin-tail...
Inam	Not a Liberi, or a Phidia either. Wait, hold on, could you be...? A Durin?
Archosauria	What's a Durin? Can you eat it?
Inam	I've only read about them in magazines, but apparently Durins are a mysterious race of people who live underground.
Archosauria	You mean a metal crab?
Maybe a Metal Crab?	No, you're the metal crab! Wanna fight?!
Archosauria	Oh, I remember now! There was an article in "Stranger Things" a few years ago about how the Durins were really good at making alcohol! That's something metal crabs can't do. At best, metal crabs might get drunk off of eating fermented fruits.
Inam	They also don't live underground. They just cover themselves with dirt.
Not a Metal Crab	That's not what matters! *sigh*... I knew it. You surface-dwellers are just a bunch of short-sighted egomaniacs who keep running their mouths despite not knowing anything. You people even make Durins look smart. Gah, beyond all that though, your aesthetic sensibilities are compelte trash.
Inam	Hey, little Durin, I'll have you know– I'm wearing Sargon's chicest styles.
Pint-Sized Durin	If that's your idea of 'chic,' then it's all the proof I need that everyone up here has trash taste. What is the point in going along with aesthetic merit determined by someone else? You might as well be a lowly pleb.
Archosauria	Great Chief, I think this kid might have a few screws loose. Need me to fix him up?
Inam	He's still got a long life ahead of him. Let him be.
Pint-Sized Durin	I matured a long time ago, thank you very much!
Mature Durin	Ugh... Why am I even wasting time talking to these ignoramuses? Farewell.
[Stitch walks away.]
Archosauria	Oh. There he goes. Hmm? He stopped again?
Mature Durin	Uhh... Ahem... Uhh, if I may ask a small favor, surface-dwellers... Can I have some water?
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 2>
Tomimi	So, the rest is pretty much what you wrote in the letter? He said that a Durin city is in trouble and needs our help?
Inam	At least, that's what Stitch said at the time.
Elysium	Take a good look around us! How could this beautiful city possibly...? *hic*! How could there possibly be any trouble? Well, uhh, the drinks here being way too good can be troublesome. Might end up under the table if you're not careful, but that would NEVER happen to me. Cheers! This is probably that unsociable little rascal's roundabout way of inviting us to see his beautiful home, and I can totally understand that sentiment.
Inam	Not everyone's brain is fried like yours, Elysium. Stitch stayed with us for a month, and one day, he was pestering a group of Archosauria building a train. He said, uh, "You folks are good enough! These bits of iron and copper you've soldered together might be able to help me! Want to come down to Zeruertza to have a look?"
Elysium	So then you–– Brother, mind topping me off? I'll finish yours–– So, you went along with it?
Inam	Though Stitch was definitely exaggerating the scope of the crisis, I... was actually curious to see if there's any business to be done with our underground neighbors.
Tomimi	Good idea!
Inam	If Acahualla ever wants to escape its savage, brutish state, it'll need every opportunity it can get. I heard the Durins are exceptional at smelting and smithing. If we could do them a favor, we might be able to get a thing or two in return... You folks won't have to get all excited over a few bits of scrap metal anymore.
Tomimi	Inam... I didn't expect you to be such an upstanding Great Chief! I thought you'd just blow all your money in the city every day.
Inam	You brat. Is that how you think of me? If Acahualla wants to develop, the most important thing it needs is money. Doesn't matter if it's Sargonian coins, Columbian bills, or Victorian pounds. We need them all. But with Acahualla's current manufacturing output – some shoddy handmade products, a bit of unrefined ore, we barely have enough money for people to live decently, let alone think about getting rich. Luckily, you don't have to worry about how the city defines "living decently." That said, there's a difference between money and wealth. Sitting on a stack of money doesn't accomplish anything, but once you get it into circulation, then it becomes "wealth." Acahualla is already on the up and up. But to become even better, it needs opportunity. For example, a technological partnership with the Durins.
Tomimi	Hmm, this is a bit beyond me... All I know is, whenever I run into a problem, I throw some Arts at it! If that doesn't work, I can always whack it with my staff! That's the "Gavial's Will" way of life!
Inam	Hahaha! Even after working with Rhodes Island for so long, you still can't leave your roots behind, huh? But, uhh, the best that I can do is some tinkering around the edges. For Acahualla to truly develop, we still need a "leader."
Tomimi	But Inam, aren't you already the Great Chief?
Inam	A leader is someone who can truly unite the Tiacauh. Am I gonna do that? A little too troublesome for me. I'd rather go shopping in the city.
Elysium	I like the way you think! I'm quite fond of shopping myself, but nothing beats the great outdoors, *hic*! By the way, I haven't seen our little motor-mouthed friend for quite some time. Did he sneak off somewhere?
Tomimi	Seems like it...
Inam	I'd assume he went to set something up? Oh, right, but since we're right in front of the big water slide... It wouldn't hurt to enjoy our vacation first, right?
Tomimi	I, I think the Yanese Operators at Rhodes Island have a saying for this! It goes something like... uhh, "the host plans, and the guests follow"? I think that means... Since the host isn't here, we can do whatever we want.
Elysium	*hic*! Well said! I'll drink again to that pearl of wisdom! Race you to the foot of the slide, my friends!
Tomimi	Elysium really is getting used to the Durin lifestyle a bit too quickly...
<Background 5>
Stitch Canvas	*pant* *pant*... Finally shook off that rabble of drunkards. That's why I can't stand these soulless Durins! What are these idiots wasting their precious lives on?! I've only been away for a month, and Zeruertza's already turned into a terrible eyesore. Dammit! I never should've come back! And as for those stupid surface-dwellers... Gah, as long as they can build me a railway bridge that won't collapse, I suppose I can compromise my standards a bit more.
[An old Durin walks toward Stitch.]
Elderly Durin	Stitch? You really came back to us! Word was going around about a teetotaler Durin wandering Zeruertza. I knew it had to be you!
Stitch Canvas	Edge Eartheart... You're never going to leave me alone, are you?
Edge Eartheart	Where have you been all this time? I was running all over looking for you. I wore out my old bones searching around that cave-in!
Stitch Canvas	Your old bones are harder than rock. I, on the other hand, nearly died.
Edge Eartheart	Don't tell me, you... went to the surface?!
Stitch Canvas	What, you got a problem?
Edge Eartheart	I can't believe you did that, Stitch. You, you're too gutsy for your own good. I never imagined you'd... Actually manage to do something useful! Hurry, let me see what fancy goodies you brought back! The network of caves above the lift is way too hard to navigate, and I have no clue where my map went. Nobody's been up there in years! You remembered to bring me a souvenir, right? Or maybe some exotic ore specimens? Some fermentable surface plants? The latest issue of "Stranger Things"?! The ones they have at the library are all out-of-date.
Stitch Canvas	No, uhh, how should I put this...? I brought a few people back.
Edge Eartheart	Huh?
<Background 1>
Contemplative Lupo	"Thus, she decided..." "She decided on Old Karl Mead!" Ugh, that's not good enough. Maybe the product placement should come a bit earlier? Let me revise that a bit... "Cheaper than cheap. Crazier than crazy!" "If you need a place to cut loose, have a great time, and, of course, enjoy a sip of some soul-soothing mead–" "Look no further than Zeruertza and our famed Old Karl Mead!" Good. Concise, straightforward, and lavish in praise. The client should be satisfied with this. Hopefully.