Operation story: SL-5

Operation

Story

Trivia

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Characters
Adele Adele (swimsuit) Ceylon Enis Snowsant Swire Boy Byrd Costa Dolly Girl Harley Kahn Keller Pelipper Agitated Creature Cold Drinks Shop Owner Dozy Creature Elderly Shopkeeper Instrument Shop Owner Left-Behind Creature Tired Voice Tourist A Tourist B Tourist C
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5A 5B 6

Before operation

“

Costa has a heart-to-heart talk with his seriously ill grandfather who finally agrees on the demolition issue. Keller gets lost in her thoughts when Eyjafjalla returns the curator's book to her on Costa's behalf. The trade fair hosted by Bison as well as the waterpark built by Swire open at the same time, and Siestan Fashion Street comes alive.

”

<Flashback starts here>
Why study volcanoes? Because, I hope to play a guitar at the highest spot on Siesta one day. It doesn't have to be at the Obsidian Festival, and preferably at the top of a volcano. "Volcano Sonatas", that's what I'm planning to call my first album. I can't wake the volcano up? Ahaha... maybe I should call it "Volcano Lullabies" instead. Volcanoes sleep like a log, so I don't think you'll be able to wake it up that easily. ...... Have you heard of this, about a kind of stone you can find on a volcano? When the wind blows it away, it makes a sound like beans falling into a bowl. And if you soak it in water, bubbles fizz like a complex drumline. Of course it's real. If I find such a stone on a volcano, I'll bring one back to show it to you.
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 1>
[Costa enters the hospital room.]
Costa	The doctor's been here. How are you feeling today?
An old man lies on the hospital bed, his head tilted sideways as he looks out the window.
Tired Voice	Not so bad, if you hadn't come here to specifically remind me that I'm stuck in bed this summer. And a hospital bed should be more comfortable than an office chair.
Costa	Thanks for sparing the energy to tease me, but my butt hasn't known the touch of a chair for the past few days.
Tired Voice	Perhaps we should switch places.
The old man turns to look at his grandson standing beside the bed.
Tired Voice	So, my boy, why have you come to see me today?
Costa	There's a letter of intent for relocation, that I hope you can sign.
The city hall staffer whispers the words, as if admitting a mistake. A tired and bitter silence follows.
Tired Voice	It seems like this renovation plan is just so urgent that it can't even wait until I kick the bucket, huh?
Costa	That's not it... I just thought you should know about it. Of course, I'd rather get your consent.
Tired Voice	If you want to convince me, you should have at least brought Tysha along to visit.
Costa	She's at work right now...
Tired Voice	Everything you do is to make a living, right? I really don't get why a girl like that would marry a boring man like you.
Costa	Let's just say I've inherited your talent for making girls happy.
Tired Voice	Hmph...
The hospital ward is quiet, except for the faint sound of fruit being peeled.
Tired Voice	Work must have been tough these last few days. I've been having nothing but bizarre dreams lately. But after some thinking, I figured I haven't offended anyone, so my guess is that you've been chewed out by a whole lot of people.
Costa	Clever old man, you know my job so well.
Tired Voice	Well, what's your take? Are you really willing to let this shopping street get demolished, and see the last traces of Old Siesta disappear?
Costa	I...
Tired Voice	Costa, there's a guitar in the cabinet behind you. Take it out and play a song for me.
Costa	No thanks... you know that won't work...
The old man speaks no more, and turns his head away toward the window.
Costa	I know that Mockingbird Café has been in Siesta longer than the city hall. Many of the shops on that street chose to stay when we moved from the volcano. But there are too many factors at play that make our life difficult, and the volcano doesn't even make the list. Coffee and music can only keep people alive at certain times. If I hadn't lucked out and gotten this job at city hall, your medical bills would be too big a burden on the family. I'm not complaining, it's just—
Tired Voice	Alright, hand me a pen.
Costa	......
[Costa's grandfather signs the letter of intent.]
Tired Voice	You're such a brat, Costa. I hate that about you. Maybe I should have tossed you into the sea back when you were mixing your drip coffee with sparkling water.
Costa	...... Thank you very much for not doing that... I do like that about you.
<Background 2>
Pelipper	You want to rent my hotel?
Swire	And make a little modification to the hot springs, with your permission of course—price is negotiable.
Pelipper	I'm not interested in money. It's all the same, not a shred of beauty!
Swire	Well, money isn't the only bargaining chip. I definitely have something here that you'll be very interested in. Like this, for example?
Pelipper	This photo... is that a piece of exhibit-grade obsidian?!
Swire	So how about renting these few hot spring hotels of yours to me for a few days, and I'll move this piece of obsidian over?
Pelipper	Don't play around with me, this is from some private museum's precious collection, how could you— Wait, you...?
Swire	Uh-huh.
Pelipper	You'll keep your word?
Swire	Words hold no proof, so let's sign a contract, shall we?
<Background black>
Swire	Snowsant, can you do some research to check if my plan is feasible?
Snowsant	It's probably... doable...
Swire	Good, that means it is! I'll trust your judgement.
Snowsant	No, no, no...! I'm not certain, I'll need some tools and materials... and a bit of... no, a lot of time!
Swire	Ga yau! I'll move on to the next step. Since we've decided to focus on making the residents of this street welcome our redevelopment, we'll have to make sure it's perfect. We can't waste this chance, with all the tourists drawn in by Bison's ads for his trade fair...
<Background 3>
[Kahn is scrolling through several books.]
Kahn	(No, not here...) ("Data Model for Volcanic Eruptions" is definitely not in the files Professor Magna left for Adele.) (But why does Keller have this notebook with her...?)
[Prof. Keller walks toward Kahn.]
Keller	Good work today. Cup of coffee?
Kahn	Ah, no thanks, I'm not a coffee person... is Adele here today?
Keller	Today isn't a work day, so what are you doing here? Do you need these old documents for your work over at city hall?
Kahn	...... Keller, why on Terra did you invite Adele here?
Keller	I believe I made it quite clear before. The research in this museum is related to the Naumanns, and the imminent eruption of Siesta's volcano is a rare observation opportunity. Adele is their child, and also an excellent volcanologist, so it is only right I extend an invitation to her.
Kahn	Only now, after so many years with zero contact?
Keller	......
Kahn	You didn't attend the Naumanns' funeral after the incident at Mount Unna. You vanished without a trace from academic circles, and stopped your teaching work at the school a year ago. Just what have you been up to these last few years? What are you running from?
Keller	As you can see, the only thing I've done these past few years is organize all the volcanic research materials that now sit in this very museum. Kahn, everyone has their limits. I no longer have any energy to do volcano field work. I'm preparing to retire after the museum is finished, and I've observed Mount Siesta's eruption.
Kahn	What... retire? Why would you even consider "retirement" at all? The Naumanns left all their unpublished research data to you and Adele, enough to make your mark on the academic world, and yet now you're saying you want to retire? Or could it be that you've already placed a price tag on that data behind closed doors and gained something even better in exchange?
Keller	Kahn, I don't know what you're—
[Someone knocks the door.]
Adele	Professor Keller, are you in here?
Keller	......
Kahn	...Keller. Whatever your plans, I hope you'll consider the Naumanns before making any decisions. Adele is their only child, and the only hope they've left behind. She's already contracted Oripathy, and her condition isn't the best either... ...I just hope she can be happy and free.
[Kahn leaves as Adele knocks the door again.]
Adele	Professor Keller?
Keller	...I'm in here, Adele. Come in!
[Adele enters the room.]
Adele	Professor Keller, I found the exhibit, and already put it back in the display cabinet.
Keller	Alright... good work.
Adele	Professor, what's wrong?
Keller	...Nothing much. Where did you find the exhibit?
Adele	It was with a beckbeast that sneaked into the museum...
Keller	How strange... Alright, if there's nothing else, you can—
Adele	Professor Keller, there's something else I wanted to mention! I met a shopkeeper on the street, and he asked me to return this book to you.
Keller	A shopkeeper in the commercial street?
<Background 4>
[While Adele is in the downtown...]
Dolly	Bang! I can taste the fatigue in the air, so painfully bitter and sickeningly sour. Just who is it coming from?
Adele	Mr. Dolly! You scared me... why are you here?
Dolly	I just saw a beautiful streak of blue across the city. Want to go to a hot spring?
Adele	Mr. Dolly, I still have some research to do...
Dolly	No, no, no. "Research", such a bitter word it makes you all wrinkly. The volcano is right there, and the material won't disappear either, so you can always come back to continue your research anytime, but—
Dolly lightly tips his toes and spins in mid-air, in what looks to be a somewhat comical dance.
Dolly	Some things are so fleeting that you'll never get a second chance to see if you miss it. For example—
Swire	Eyja—finally found you! Let's go. Want to visit the hot springs together?
Adele	Hot springs?
Dolly	I don't have the ability to control people's hearts, by the way.
Adele	But...
Swire	But what? Didn't bring a swimsuit? That's fine, I have some over there! Besides us two, Snowsant will be there too, and we'll also call Ceylon in a bit. I even bought some of the latest facial cream—they say there's volcanic ash inside. Plus, I have an important thing to ask of you, and you're the only one who can do it!
<Background 5A>
Tourist A	Is this... the latest record player on the Columbian market? I didn't think I would be able to see one in Siesta...! I've been paying close attention, they only started selling these just a few days ago!
Tourist B	But these are the leftover stock, you already missed the first wave... You don't know this, but there was a super long line here this morning. The limited editions with Emperor's signature even come with a copy of his latest album, and that sold out forever ago!
Tourist A	EMPEROR'S LATEST ALBUM?! Isn't that dropping next week? Is this what they call an early access batch? Who could even pull this off?!
Tourist C	It's not just Emperor's album either! There's also signed copies of Miss Sora's album, a Kazimierzian Radiant Knight helmet model replica, and "Czerny's Klavier Kollektion"! ...Wait, what's this?
Tourist B	Huh, to think I'd find one of our Sargonian Crabbie Pumpies here... but what use does it even have here in Siesta?
Tourist C	Who cares, it's cute and that's all that matters! Did you miss the line of people queueing up to buy them?
Tourist B	Whoa, they even got dates here!
Byrd	Dates? Excuse me, Mr. Sargonian.
Byrd casually strums a Sargon style ditty.
Byrd	Can you tell me a story of plucking dates in the hot and dry breeze?
<Background fades out and in>
Instrument Shop Owner	This are instruments imported from Leithanien, and I have to say, those Leithanians sure are stellar at any music-related stuff. You can try if you like, and if you don't know how to play one, I can teach you a little too! The piece I just played? I performed it when me and my wife confessed our feelings to each other, hehe. If you fancy learning it, I have a sheet here that you can have! The best snacks around here, you ask? See that bearded old man on the left? His ice cream is the best!
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	Slowly now, take it easy. Strawberry for you, orange for you, yours is coffee, and what else? Coconut with chocolate? Oww... No need to rush, we have plenty here...
<Background fades out and in>
Ceylon	Mister, give me a tea flavored one.
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	Sure, coming right up!
Ceylon	Thank you. I'll send this to Schwarz too... it'll will make her drool.
Enis	Dr. Ceylon! You here for the trade fair too?
Ceylon	Stopped by for a stroll since I happened to have some time today.
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	Enis, you good lad! Thanks again for fixing the cash register this morning, things would've been so hectic otherwise.
Enis	It's nothing, just helping out is all! How's business?
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	So good I almost thought I was back in the old Siesta. But why haven't I seen that Costa fellow anywhere today? He spent the whole day running all over the place for this, and now that everything is in motion, that man is nowhere to be found.
Enis	Maybe there's other work to do at city hall today...
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	That rascal. Doesn't even know how to ditch work...
Tourist A	Boss, gimme a cone!
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	Coming!
Enis	Feel free to come try our cocktails over at the White Volcano too!
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	...You brat!
Enis	Haha!
Enis leans against the soda fountain, watching the surrounding people come and go.
Enis	Did you see my little siblings earlier? It's their first time in such a bustling place. They kept clamoring for some volcano coffee or something on our way here, but as soon as I handed them a little pocket money, they were gone in a flash.
Ceylon	Pfft. Though, I don't think I've spotted any kids here...
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	The little runts aren't here. If you want to find them, you have to over to east street! They say there's a new amusement park over there or something, and my own brat even told me over breakfast he'd help me look after the store. Hmph, I haven't heard from him ever since he learned about the place!
Enis	An amusement park?
<Background 2>
Adele	Can I open my eyes now, Miss Swire? Also, what was the important thing you were mentioning earlier? Did some of those secretly mined obsidian appear in this hotel too? Or do you need a nominal volcanologist for your work? Or...?
Swire	Neither! No volcanoes here, and no data either. Only a comforting hot spring, so now you just have to get into some pretty clothes, and then— Alright, you can open your eyes now!
Adele	Wow... there's so many tourists! What happened here? Wasn't it just a hot spring before? It's so lively, just like Siesta a few years back...
A few tourists erupt into cheering, and Adele recovers from her surprise.
Adele	There's so many kayaks and water installations here, Miss Swire, are these your...?
Swire	Yup, this is the waterpark I'm setting up for the commercial street!
Adele	Wow... did you do all of this by yourself?
Swire	Not by myself, of course. I provided the plans, but we have our Chief Genius Engineer from Lungmen to thank for making this a reality, Snowsant!
Snowsant	Um! Miss, Miss Swire... that title is a bit too much...!
Swire	Hmm~? Really now? Yan's number one, Terra's number one Genius Engineer?
Snowsant	Ahhh—!!
[Snowsant runs off.]
Adele	Wait, Snowsant! Don't run around like that, be careful!
Tourist	Ohhhh—!!
Surprised Tourist Scream	It—It's flying—!!
Adele	How did you do that? How are these surf kayaks actually flying straight from one hot spring channel to the other?
Snowsant	Um, actually, it's not as complicated as it looks, we just needed to add a pneumatic ejection device on the waterways, so once the kayak reaches this spot, it'll trigger the mechanism, and then it'll—
Surprised Tourist Scream	Yay! I can fly! Mama——!!
Adele	Um, there aren't any guardrails on the waterways, so I'm a little worried about—
Snowsant	I redesigned the kayaks according to Swire's plan, and they come equipped with a comprehensive emergency cushioning system.
Swire	It's also the second way you can play with these, as bumper kayaks! They can freely collide on the waterways, and the cushioning system will absorb all the impact force, using it to power the kayaks' water guns that spray water forward. I didn't mention it to the tourists, but many of them seem to have already mastered this secret. Look, over there—
Little Tourist Exclaiming	Ah—Ahh—!
Along with a shriek, a kayak spins in the waterway, seemingly about to fall off the channel. The airbags at the kayak's edge quickly inflate, wrapping up the passengers. But as the kayak drops, its trajectory is interrupted suddenly, as if there is a transparent barrier in the air. Water splashes onto the ground, the completely wrapped kayak sways and falls downward.
Swire	Hey—! You alright? Anyone hurt? I'll go take a look first, Eyja. Just wait here a second!
<Background fades out and in>
Tourists surround the fallen kayak, but there is only giggling bubbling from the center. With a puff of the bulging air cushions, two children emerge from within.
Unhappy Girl	Hmph! It's all your fault for moving around so much! We didn't catch the little lamb, and our "Siestan Adventure" is ruined!
Very Happy Boy	Nuh-uh, it's not my fault the lamb ran so fast!
Adele	...... Lamb?
<Background fades out and in>
Ceylon	I don't see them here either... it must be tiring taking care of your younger siblings, yes? Children of that age love to play around and make so much noise.
Enis	*sigh* Thanks for the concern, but it's fine this way too. They're having fun at least.
Ceylon	You have a lot to worry about, as an older brother. Now that I think back on some past incidents... pfft. I think like a friend might feel the same sometimes.
Enis	Do you have an older sibling, Dr. Ceylon? I've never heard—
Girl	It's your fault! All your fault!
Enis	Hey! You brats! Where did you run off to?
Girl	Enis!
Boy	It's Enis!
Boy & Girl	We sat on a big air cushion boat, and chased a fluffy little lamb!
Enis	What are you talking about? What lamb...?
Girl	A fluffy little lamb that lifted our boat up with its head to play with it like a ball! When we catch it, we gotta make it sit in our boat!
[Several Little Black Sheep runs past Enis, who are invisible to him but not his siblings.]
Boy	Enis, over there! The lamb is back!
Enis	Where?
Boy	Look up!
<Background fades out and in>
Enis	Wait, these... Our surfboards... why are they flying in the sky?!
Surfboards and swim rings. They use the hot spring steam to leap into the air, jumping over Fashion Street and into the sky, beyond the tourists' view. Everyone's eyes are glued to the objects swirling around as if living creatures.
And Adele sees something slightly different than the others. The surfboards cruising across the sky have sheep standing on them. They don't seem content with just racing the waterways— Hot water, vapor, colorful surfboards and swim rings. The sheep sweep them all up, and together they pour into the hustle and bustle of Fashion Street.
Adele	(This is bad...! Dolly said he would teach them a lesson, was he lying to me?)
[The Little Black Sheep riding the surfboards splash hot spring water all around them.]
Adele	(Oh no, they're splashing the hot spring water everywhere!)
Swire	Snowsant, did you design a flying surfboard behind my back because I rejected your idea for an observation wheel suspended above the hot spring?
Snowsant	N-No...? Didn't you arrange this, Miss Swire?
Swire	No... it wasn't me either.
The two look at each other, and then hesitantly turn their gazes toward Adele, who has been standing to the side the whole time.
Snowsant	Adele...
Swire	You...
Adele	What? No, no, no! It's not me either!
Swire	Odd. Could it be Bison then?
Girl	Yoohoo—! Little lamb, fluffy little lamb!
Boy	The lamb is flying!
Swire	I'll go look!
<Background 5A>
Swire	Whoa—Eyja, Snowsant! The surfboards are really flying! Whatever, let's get on those things!
Tourist A	Who's in charge here? Quick, someone should mass-produce these surfboards!
Tourist B	Woohoo!
Adele	*sigh* Mr. Dolly... Is this the hot spring you were talking about...?

After operation

“

Fashion Street residents' opinions on the whole relocation business gradually soften, and one of them gives Costa a gift. Keller comes to the one-night-reopened Mockingbird Café and reminiscences with Costa, while Eyjafjalla, witnessed by Dolly, finds the answer to the "seed."

”

<Background 5B>
Costa	Huff...
Elderly Shopkeeper	Why are you still here?
Costa	I'm going to be scuttling around here like a four-legged Metal Crab on the beach until I can get all your signatures.
Elderly Shopkeeper	Fine, scuttle on then. I'm packing up, going home and having a drink.
Costa	Be my guest.
[As the elderly shopkeeper packs up his belongings, he picks up a device.]
Elderly Shopkeeper	I bought this new gadget at the market today, this "Originium Microwave Massager" something or other. Columbian thing. Can't make sense of it, but it works wonders. Feels like real relief sticking it on my back.
Costa	It's not bad trying something new.
Elderly Shopkeeper	Was that shaggy beckbeast riding a surfboard on the roof one of your funnies too?
Costa	Shaggy beckbeast? No, that's not...
Elderly Shopkeeper	Shame about that, I liked it. Entertainment that good has been rare ever since we lost the Obsidian Festival.
Costa	I'm glad it made you happy...
Elderly Shopkeeper	Right, got something for you.
Costa	...A kalimba?
[Costa strums the kalimba a bit.]
Costa	Did you pick this up from the same market?
Elderly Shopkeeper	Congrats on the marriage, sonny.
Costa	......
Elderly Shopkeeper	You got a safe job for your family. A boring one, but you've got a sense of responsibility. I can understand you like stability, but life's full of ways. Don't live out the hound days, son.
Costa	Each day lived is a hound day... you just have to roll with the punches.
Elderly Shopkeeper	I used to gamble with your grandpa, if you'll remember. We said you'd always come back from Obsidian with the grand prize one day. Honestly... what a waste of all that musical talent.
Costa	If you're interested, I can still bring my guitar out sometime. Play it for you again.
Elderly Shopkeeper	If you'd played us a number on that thing sooner, your letter might've been the first to have my signature on it.
Costa	You... Thanks.
<Background 6>
Adele	Mrs. Harley, we recovered the surfboards that went missing here. Can you check if that's all of them? I'm so sorry about this...
Harley	You helped me here. What are you apologizing for?
Adele	Um...
Harley	I didn't think these old things would ever get used again. It's funny—just who would've taken them?
Adele	Oh, well, I'm not too sure either...
Harley	That's alright, girl. It could be some tourists just picked them up while they were having too much fun—no harm, no foul. How are you? Did you have fun today?
Enis	You mean getting drenched in hot spring water?
Harley	Didn't it bring back a little of that seaside fun? It hasn't been so lively in forever—even the customers here to drink were all smiles. Those owners were always frowning day in and day out. Even the drink was starting to taste bad...
Harley looks towards the tourists outside who still haven't scattered. Sunset gradually dyes the sky. Every single person's feeling merry.
Harley	It's like we've gone back years and years.
<Background 5B>
A man listlessly heads for the old cafe, and pushes open its door once again. He feels for the light switch. Carefully, he uses a rag to wipe the dust from the counter, then pulls the equipment out from the cupboards, before pulling a pouch out of his chest pocket. Fresh coffee beans, brought back from the office. Like so many years ago, he boils, he grinds, then attentively, he pours.
Costa	Huff... Flavor is... I guess I've gotten rusty.
He looks out of the window. One after another, people make their way home while it's still dusk. The street grows gradually more desolate, until there's no one out at all. Only then does he chuckle to himself, bitterly.
Costa	Seriously... what the hell am I waiting for?
He finishes his coffee, and prepares to tidy everything away and get out of here. A knock comes from the door. Costa remembers he never even shut it.
Costa	Who is it?
Keller	Good evening... Are you still open?
<Background fades out and in>
Adele	Mr. Dolly, you promise you've made it clear to the Little Black Sheep? Not to cause trouble like this anymore?
Dolly	Yep... any more mess, and I'll disavow them as my clones.
Dozy Creature	(Tumbles about in the air)
Agitated Creature	(Headbutts walls in the street)
Adele	Mr. Dolly!
Dolly	Fine, I'll try as hard as I can...
[Dolly whistles, calming down the annoyed Little Black Sheep.]
Dozy Creature	(Attempts to walk calmly)
Dolly	See? Much better.
Adele	But they still caused plenty of chaos at the trade fair today...
Dolly	But the air was full of the smell of joy, you mean. Mmm, it's sugary sweet even now. It's just like the first time I took a walk across the "countries" you talk about. Where there's hilly areas, you can glide. Where there's watery areas, you can surf. I even had a couple of bastard annoying animals chasing me all over the wilds. Every place produces something different. Knowing how your human race can't just tour the whole place, getting to see such interesting things must be novel for you, right?
Adele	Why do I get the sense you're showing off, Mr. Dolly?
Dolly	Busted. Did you have fun today then, Adele? Hot springs let you relax, skateboarding's a thrill, and that loud-ass penguin's loud-ass music got you pumped up, didn't it?
Adele	Mr. Dolly, those children could see the lambs!
Dolly	*sigh* How is it this hard to cheer you up? There's that "brooding" flavor in the air again, bitter and tart!
Adele turns away to hide a little giggle, then recovers her straight face.
Adele	Mr. Dolly, we're here. I need to leave the owner a note saying we've found the exhibit, and thank you for worrying about us. I have the pen and paper in my bag... Oh, is this cafe... open again?
Dim yellow lights perfuse the interior. Through the windows, the cafe's furnishings can vaguely be made out. Costa pours hot water, the sound breaking the silence between him and his customer. Condensation fills the windows. Adele gently wipes the hot springs' white mist from the glass, and finally catches a proper glimpse of the customer.
Adele	...Professor Keller?
<Background fades out and in>
Keller	I got The Atlas of Terra's Volcanoes. I never thought you'd have kept it safe for so many years... Thank you.
Costa	Ah, I asked a little lady. She came here looking for some exhibit. Just so happened to be the Volcano Museum's. Is, um, she your employee?
Keller	Adele is my student.
Costa	Ah, your student. Right, right... ......
Keller	You've been...
Costa	...quite the miserable worker at city hall lately. Gathering signatures for an LOI to relocate the residents...
Keller	My parents left their own little clothing shop. Reasonably speaking, I should need to sign too.
Costa	Do you... have any objections to the redevelopment, then?
Keller	Our family stopped leaning on this place for our livelihood long ago. If it would make your work go any smoother...?
Costa	Of course, and thank you for your cooperation...
Keller	......
Costa	...... Want another cup?
Keller	Can that come with the old complimentary chat, then?
Costa	As a qualified barista, listening is part of my work. Take a seat, then.
<Background fades out and in>
Adele	Maybe we should go, Mr. Dolly? Today doesn't seem like the right one to leave a message.
Dolly	Aww, but the coffee smells so good. Can't we have some...?
Agitated Creature	(Prepares to charge headlong into the cafe)
Adele	Hey... hey!
The closed glass door blocks the lamb's strike, and it hardly makes as loud a noise as she expected. It simply turns tail and shoots back into the street, where it tumbles around. Adele nervously observes how the two inside react.
Costa	Why did you up and leave when you did?
Keller	I met two... very interesting people. When you study volcanoes, you're always visiting new places.
Costa	I remember. You met each other in here a lot.
Keller	Mm. And if they came, you'd plug your guitar in, and off you went with your heavy metal racket. Magna always felt "that boy at the cafe" never seemed to welcome them too much.
Costa	Aah... I was just a little too willful of a brat, back then. It wasn't meant at them specifically...
Keller	I know. And they didn't take it to heart. You gave them coffee soda to try once, and make us swear to secrecy that we wouldn't tell Grandpa Mockingbird.
Costa	He couldn't stand the drinks I came up with. Every time I added them to the menu, he'd wipe them off... They were just as bizarre to him as my axe, and my drumkit. By the way, that wasn't just your average coffee soda. It was called "volcanic coffee."
Keller	Alright, alright, yes, "volcanic coffee." It was a nice drink, in any case. After we went to Leithanien, Katia would follow your recipe to recreate the flavor for himself.
Costa	How are... Katia, and... Magna doing? I remember when you left Siesta, you said, you'd be visiting every volcano across the land with them.
Keller	...... I spent a long, long time with them on our travels. But a few years ago, we strayed apart.
Costa	Strayed?
Keller	Yes. And we're never to meet again.
Costa	...... Was it...? I'm so sorry...
Keller	Hence why I came back. Opened that museum. Hoped I could preserve all the research they'd done.
Costa	When I—saw you at the museum that day, it completely... totally blindsided me.
Keller	It was a great surprise to me too. You're nothing like the noisy little child I remember.
Costa	You, too... You're a museum curator and everything.
Keller	Mm. I suppose I've turned an old ideal or two into reality. No matter what, though, the conviction that keeps me going now isn't... really what drove me in the first place anymore. Still, change isn't always a bad thing, wouldn't you say?
<Background black>
The two lapse into silence for a while. The customer lightly stirs at the coffee in her cup.
<Background 5B>
Costa	Did you go to the trade fair today?
Keller	The trade fair? I did. Tourists were profuse, proprietors were in high spirits—much like the Siesta of old.
Costa	Maybe once this place is all rebuilt, and the tourist influx comes, I'll have an idea or two about what's next for me.
Keller	For example?
Costa	Who knows...? I'll probably keep running a cafe, but maybe a rock 'n' roll cafe, or just a music shop, filled to the walls with drum kits and guitars. Lots to try. Always someone out there who'll enjoy it. Just like you say... just like the Siesta of old. Oh, something very funny that happened today too. I was at the trade fair, and I saw this soft drink from Columbia. The recipe was one-for-one with my "volcanic coffee." The exact same.
Keller	Well, I didn't leak your secret recipe!
Costa	No, no, it was a year ago when I was planning to shutter the shop. I told somebody else about how to make it. But honestly... it's just coffee plus soda water. Of course some Columbian could've come up with it on their own too.
Keller	Hand-brewed coffee and soda water. How did you come up with it at first?
Costa	When I was young, I thought coffee was so bitter, I was convinced I had to add something to even make it drinkable!
Keller	You shook the whole cafe playing your rock 'n' roll, and yet you were bad with bitter.
Costa	Who'd care about something like that, back then?
Keller laughs, downing the last gulp of coffee in her cup. The aroma lingers lazily in the cafe air.
Costa	So, want soda in this cup too?
Keller	Sure. But after this one, I may well genuinely spend the whole night awake.
<Background fades out and in>
Dolly	Adele, let me just be upfront. I told them what I told them, but the lot of them are dying to go inside, probably to taste the volcanic coffee. To make up for the owner's losses, I can leave a product from today's trade fair in exchange!
Adele	A product from the fair? Where'd you get it?
Dolly	A lovely little child gave me it! Honest!
Adele	......
[The Little Black Sheep tries to barge into the cafe.]
Adele	Ah! We can't go in now!
Agitated Creature	(Sniffs in corner)
Dozy Creature	(Turns over a box)
The restless lambs drag a case of glass bottles out from the junk to Adele's side, and zealously churn through it for something. Eventually, they get a few bottles of carbonated water clamped in their mouths and pull off the metal caps, acting like they've found treasure.
Adele	What are you doing? Didn't you want to a soda?
The lambs bounce about, each one with a shiny bottle cap on their head. Then they line up together, and playfully scamper away.
Dolly	*sigh* I said to wait. What makes them even more impatient than me?
Adele	What was all that...?
Dolly	Oh, that's the "seed" they were after!
Adele	What about these bottle caps... makes them seeds?
Dolly	The world as they see it isn't quite the world you all see. This—itty-bitty little round thing—gets taken by fowlbeasts to places far far away, where it takes root and sprouts, and becomes something completely unlike before. Some become soda caps, some become sauce lids, each one has a different flavor, but they all have their own charms. I assume at least one of them drank that sort of volcanic coffee in Columbia before, so this rings that bell in them particularly loud. Isn't it more than fascinating to view the world that way?
Left-Behind Creature	(Digs at the soil)
Adele	But all that granted... *sigh* Just because you planted the bottle caps doesn't mean they're going to grow into drinks.
Dolly	Let them have their fun. The answers will grow by themselves.
<Background black>
[Costa's phone rings. He picks it up.]
Costa	Hello, Costa here.
Voice on the Phone	Mr. Costa, this is your grandfather's clinician. I'm sorry to tell you this, but... your grandfather passed away this evening. I can't know if this will be any comfort to you, but I want you to know he left us peacefully.
Costa	......