Operation story: SL-6

Operation

Story

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Characters
Adele Bison Ceylon Ceylon (summer) Enis Impoverished Girl Swire Boy Byrd Costa Herman Keller Pelipper Bankrupt Merchant Creature Carrying a Miner's Lamp City Hall Staffer Cold Drinks Shop Owner Instrument Shop Owner Worker 1 Worker 2 Columbian Representative
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5 6 7A 7B 8 9 10 11

Before operation

“

Eyjafjalla asks about a word she heard in her dreams, and Keller promises to tell her everything once the observation is over. The Little Black Sheep all disappear within the span of a night, causing Eyjafjalla to think they were all hallucinations. The Fashion Street residents finally agree to relocate, and they prepare for their big move.

”

<Background 1>
Bankrupt Merchant	A disaster! This is a disaster, I tell you! You call this interior design? No wonder no one hires Siestans for design work. This is a tourist destination, yet it has no architectural style of its own, and you don't even know how to copy someone else's properly! How could you sully the elegance of Victorian style like this? Look at this table. I said I wanted it to have a marble-like texture. Instead, you went with this cheap, low quality wood!
Impoverished Girl	Perhaps you should look at your budget and again see if you gave me enough for even half a slab of faux marble.
Bankrupt Merchant	Hah! Alright. Looks like you don't quite understand your place, Miss Ann-Maier. If it wasn't for me, you'd still be following the Sargonian caravans, fumbling your way around town! There's nothing stopping me from reporting you to the cops as an undocumented immigrant who illegally entered Columbia. Then, you won't see so much as a dime!
Impoverished Girl	If you do that, I'll report you for sheltering and hiring an illegal immigrant! Now pay me!
Bankrupt Merchant	Why... you! Hmph, what a foolish Siestan. So crude and disrespectful... When the city's so stupid as to willingly gave up their obsidian mining industry, their bread and butter, there are bound to be citizens like you with no respect for others!
Impoverished Girl	(Money first... Yell at him only after you get the money...)
Bankrupt Merchant	Nothing to say? The tragic thing about you is that you haven't even realized Siesta's foolishness, and you're here shouting and accusing me!
Impoverished Girl	(I can't make nothing from this job. I need my traveling money...)
Bankrupt Merchant	If you people had chosen to join Victoria all those years ago, you would long have become citizens of the empire, indulged in the opulence the empire has to offer, and found your place in the empire's grand history! Instead, you're here, trying to earn a bit of coin to get on your way...
Impoverished Girl	......
Bankrupt Merchant	Hmph, looks like you're at least savvy enough to understand my point. Take this. It's your pay. Hmph, count it well. It's in Victorian pounds. You know the denominations, right? Don't you even think I'm trying to shortchange you, lest you make yourself seem ill-mannered.
Impoverished Girl	Mister, you aren't deserving of my manners. You don't know anything about Siesta's history. You don't even know the first thing about the Victorian architectural history you're so proud of. What's more, Victoria's glory is all thanks to your ancestors' contributions. It hasn't got one bit to do with you. Why don't you go take a look at the buildings in Victoria and see how Siesta's obsidian has changed your architectural style and become the kind of luxury commodity that you snobs adore so much? Who's the one with a narrow perspective here?
Bankrupt Merchant	Why you...!
Impoverished Girl	The Siestans closed off the mines to protect the environment. Everything we do, we do it for the sake of our homeland's future. Not like some stingy man who's just talking about the glorious past over and over to win himself respect. I'm going back to rebuild my homeland and help breathe new life into it, but what about you? What have you done for Victoria given the shape it's in these days?
Ann-Maier curls her lips a little, and measures the thickness of the stack of bills with her hand.
Impoverished Girl	Even the Columbian demolition crews pay more, oh noble employer. I only hope your tastes will help you make your comeback. Now cheerio!
[Ann-Maier runs off.]
<Background 2>
Swire	Need to go over anything again? It doesn't hurt to be careful.
Pelipper	Everything of value is still here, and the house is in one piece. That's good enough for me.
Swire	I'll send you the reward I promised you. The exhibition-grade obsidian and the certificate will make it to you in probably two months.
Pelipper	That's great! I'm looking forward to it.
The collector's eyes briefly lights up, though his excitement doesn't last particularly long.
Swire	Is there some kind of bewitching power to these obsidians that has you enthralled like this?
Pelipper	Are you interested in obsidian yourself? I suppose not... I've learned my lesson. There are very few people out there who truly have an eye for their beauty. Most with have their eyes on obsidians are up to no good! Never mind. I shan't bother you any longer! Goodbye!
Swire	Mr. Pelipper Brown. Are you perhaps related to the bankrupt Siestan tycoon, Beat Brown?
Pelipper	...... Don't even mention that scary old man...
Swire	There may not be many who still remember him, but I'm sure he was much more well known back when obsidian was still Siesta's main export. I spotted this name while I was going over the data. I didn't expect his successor to be running a little hot spring hotel in the area.
Pelipper	The volcano gave Siesta plenty of riches, and the hot springs are no less wonderful than the obsidian. The old man died a couple years ago. Oripathy. He never went anywhere close to the mines, but he got infected on his way to Columbia for vacation when the car's Originium engine broke down.
Swire	Oh... I'm sorry to hear...
Pelipper	He wasn't really a good man, but his mines did create many jobs. If his protective measures were just a little more comprehensive, perhaps he would've won the gratitude of the miners.
Swire	I've heard that when the government announced the ban on obsidian mining, your mines were the first ones to work toward shutting down.
Pelipper	What else was I supposed to do? The only alternative I had was to break the law.
Swire	Alright, Mr. Brown. I hope we'll get to work together again in the future. Your hot spring hotel is very spectacular. Would you perhaps be interested in developing it into a hot spring resort?
Pelipper	I'll pass. I'd rather not go through all the ruckus—That is, unless you make me an offer that I truly can't refuse. Say, an even bigger obsidian that's even more pleasing to the eye.
Swire	Speaking of which... your obsidian collection here have all been delicately cut and polished. How come there's a geode that hasn't been polished whatsoever?
Pelipper	Oh... Don't you get any funny ideas about it. That thing's more expensive than all the pieces in the hotel combined.
<Background black>
???	Adele. ...Adele?
Adele	(Is this... Mutti's hand?) (So warm...) (Mutti... is stroking my shoulder...)
???	Wake up, Adele. Adele, you mustn't sleep here. You'll catch a cold.
Adele	(I won't...) (It's very warm... when you're here by my side.)
<Background 3>
Adele	Mutti...
Keller	Adele?
[Adele rises up.]
Adele	......
Keller hides the surprised expression on her face and reaches her hand out to gently pat Adele's head.
Keller	Are you awake?
Adele	Oh... Professor Keller. Did I just...? I'm sorry, Professor Keller! I fell asleep...
Keller	You seem exhausted. Did you have a nightmare? Are you feeling unwell? Or is it your illness...?
Adele	I'm okay...
Adele sees that the elder scholar is looking at her with a worried expression. Her eyes are full of concern. During their short time together, she has never seen the stern scholar look so gentle.
Adele	Professor Keller... Could you tell me just...? Just what happened at William University all those years ago...?
Keller	...... I don't understand, Adele. What are you asking?
<Flashback starts here>
Gentle Creature	No, Adele. We have to go.
Solemn Creature	Yes. It's time.
Adele	Where are you going?
Gentle Creature	We have to head back up the volcano before it starts to rain.
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 3>
Adele	Rain...
Keller	Hm?
Adele	Professor Keller... Does the word "rain" have any other meaning?
Keller	......
Silence. Keller bites her lip, as though there is something that she wants to say, but she nonetheless swallows those words back down.
Keller	Adele... When this observation is over, I will tell you everything, alright?
<Background fades out and in>
Adele	Mr. Dolly, you told me before that every Little Black Sheep is different. They... aren't just your clones, right...? Are those dreams... really just dreams? We've found the "Northern Wind" and the "Seed." Will you give me all these answers if we find the "Fur?" Why does it seem like... everyone is hiding just about everything from me...?
There is no answer. And unlike the mischievous kind of silence she got before, Adele can feel that something has truly disappeared from her side. Adele looks around the empty exhibit hall, and finds the whistling rock specimen that was lost and then recovered a few days ago sitting where it has sat, having not moved an inch.
Adele	Mr. Dolly?
<Background 4>
Radio	Good morning, Siesta. Today is August 21, 1099. The humidity is 63%, visibility 12km, wind's blowing south-southwest. Estimated three days until volcanic eruption... The exciting time is almost upon us. How is everyone feeling? Who do you want to share the moment with? Did any of you forget anything back in Old Siesta? If you did—that's too bad. I mean, what's anyone supposed to do? You only have yourself to blame for being so careless in your move. It's all too late now! But whatever the case may be, we should try to look at the bright side. It's only by casting away our old burdens that we can better welcome the future. "You Go Your Way!" Let's get our day started with this song from the Reef Band.
Busy Voice	Watch out, be careful. Hold that sign up. It's a bit heavy, so get a good grip.
Exhausted Voice	It's such an old sign. Since we're tearing things down anyway, can't we cut it up first before we take it down?
Busy Voice	Yeah, we may be tearing the place down and moving, but if Old Man Mockingbird were to find out about you cutting his sign down with an axe, he'd climb out of his grave and beat the living hell out of you. Stop complaining. 3—2—
[The men tore down the Mockingbird Cafe's sign as Enis' little brother asks an instrument shop owner,]
Boy	Mister, are all these instruments here discounted?
Instrument Shop Owner	Yeah, they're all as cheap as they get. I couldn't bring myself to, but I figured I wouldn't have a chance to sell them once I move to the city center. Keeping the instruments on gag order? Now that would be a real waste. How about it? Why don't you pick one? I remember you said you've always wanted your own guitar. I could give you a free textbook on how to play, too.
Boy	This discounted guitar... goes for a hundred and fifty certs... Enis says he earns three for every hour he works... L-Let me think about it...
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	Not like we can bring it with us. Might as well take it out and let everyone have some fun. We want to do something special that we can look back on before we all move out of this street.
Instrument Shop Owner	Like what? Drink? Look at the sea? Set off some fireworks?
Cold Drinks Shop Owner	We'll invite all the old miners that we used to drink with and the other shopkeepers on the street, have them bring their friends and family—
Instrument Shop Owner	How about we have a party at the empty plate the night before the eruption? A container party. Sounds cool, doesn't it?
<Background 4>
Enis	Mr. Costa.
Costa	Oh, the punk from White Volcano. What are you doing here? Don't you need to look after the shop?
Enis	We're preparing for our move, too. We don't have a lot of customers these days... If I don't come out to earn some cash, we all might just go hungry. I'm sorry about Grandpa Mockingbird... May he rest in peace.
Costa	He was getting on in years. It was going to happen... Perhaps he's in some other place, sharing his taste in coffee. No need to be so polite. Just a couple years ago, you were still a punk who would come out to watch my concerts at night instead of going to bed. Just call me Costa like before.
Enis	If I remember correctly, it was the "Corybantic Costa."
Costa	I'm not so corybantic anymore. My guitar, bass, synth... Sold them all long ago.
Enis	Truth be told, I really miss sneaking into the venues with the adults, too. Those were the good times.
Costa	You'll get it once you get a little older. There are no such things as good times. All times are a waste of time. It's only after we waste our time away that we can bring our memories back out, dust them off, and think back on how great those times were. Thinking back... I must've pissed Grandpa off so much back then.
The city hall staffer squints at the cars on the street. The cars zoom past them, leaving behind a few streaks of silhouette in his vision.
Costa	So, Enis, if there's anything you want to do, do it now. Don't wait till everything you knew no longer resembled what they once were. By then, it's all too late.
Enis	Yeah... I will.
Costa taps Enis's shoulder and sighs.
Costa	The residents of the shopping district have, for the most part, agreed to the rebuilding proposal, and my work has come to an end, for the time being. With the way things are, this isn't so bad. Life must go on.
<Background 5>
Adele	Strange... I haven't seen a single sheep on my way here...
<Flashback starts here>
Gentle Creature	We have to go now.
Solemn Creature	Yes. It's time.
<Flashback ends here>
<Background 5>
The streets today seem awfully quiet.
Adele	Was it all... just a dream? No... That letter... the rock, and the surfboard that flew right into the sky... They were all real...
Adele tries her hardest to think back on what proof she had that all the adventures she had the past few days were real, but the harder she digs into her memories, the less believable her memories become.
Adele	Mr. Dolly— Are you there? Mr. Dolly? Mr. Dolly— Are you still there—
The girl's voice is carried away by the wind.
<Background 6>
Ceylon	Your blood-crystal density is fluctuating a little, but for the most part, it's still within the normal range... You said you pass out suddenly. What do you mean by that, more specifically?
Adele	Dr. Ceylon, can Oripathy... cause hallucinations?
Ceylon	Theoretically, it's possible... What did you see?
Adele	Lots of Little Black Sheep, and they all talk to me... And... I don't know why, but it feels just like I've seen them before...
Ceylon	Well... That sounds like it could've been caused by stress. But it's weird... Some old miners have told me about similar hallucinations when they came in for consultations... Let's keep an eye out for a few more days. During that time, make sure you take your medicine on time and get as much rest as you can. If you get any hallucinations again or feel unwell, come to me immediately.
Adele	Okay...
Ceylon	*sigh*... If only all my patients would be as cooperative as Eyjafjalla, things would be so much easier for me as a doctor. Not like a certain someone here who's always giving me a headache.
Enis	Stop chewing me out. I'm here for my follow-up and my medicine, am I not?
Ceylon	Alright, this counts as an improvement. As a way to encourage you, I won't charge you for this consultation.
Enis	Really?!
Ceylon	But I have something I want to ask you. A few days ago, I found this basket of obsidian on the shopping district. None of the shops nearby admitted that it was theirs. Do you have any clues about its origins?
Enis	Well...
Adele	Judging from their color, these obsidians are very similar to the one you gave me before... It could very well have been mined around the same time from the volcano.
Enis	It wasn't me! I promise! I haven't been near the volcano since I got infected!
Ceylon	So you mean there are still people mining obsidian illegally. Enis, what else do you know?
Enis	Well... I guess I'd be lying if I said I didn't know anything about it...
Ceylon	Don't try to fudge your way out of this. Out with it!
Enis	Dr. Ceylon, some of the workers here know you're the mayor's daughter. It was hard enough to get them to come to you for consultations. If you dig into who's mining obsidian... True, what they're doing's not right, but this might just be... a conflict of interest...?
Ceylon	I'm me, and the mayor's the mayor. Why must I be grouped together with him? I came back here this time because I wanted to do something for Siesta with my knowledge. The Rhodes Island office is my blood, sweat, and tears. He's got nothing to do with it!
Enis	(It seems like Dr. Ceylon really doesn't like Mayor Herman...)
Adele	(Maybe Ceylon isn't on very good terms with her father?)
Ceylon	Phew... Anyway, Enis, you know who the obsidian belongs to, right? Take me to them.
Enis	It makes me feel kind of like I'm selling them out, but if it's for the greater good... A-Alright...
Adele	Take me with you. I can help identify obsidian!
Ceylon	No can do. Last time, you almost sneaked away. You aren't leaving here until you get enough rest.
Enis	Huh? What about me...?
Ceylon	I'll take you out to eat!
<Background 7A>
After the night has shrouded the street, Adele steps outside the office. A lone Little Black Sheep stands outside, staring blankly at the closed door.
Adele	Huh? Another hallucination? What's going on? Didn't I just get some rest...? *sigh*...
Adele goes around the Little Black Sheep and prepares to go back home. The Little Black Sheep staggers a little and turns around from the office's door. It sways its head and turns on the miner's lamp on its back. The lamp shines and illuminates the path before Adele.
Adele	......?
Adele takes a step forward, and steps onto the shadow cast by the lamp on the Sheep's back.
Adele	There's really a light...?
She turns around and hesitantly reaches her hand out and probes. Then, she feels some warm, fluffy wool.
Adele	Not a hallucination? No, I've seen you before. You're the sheep who ate the address off the letter. What's that you're carrying on your back... A miner's lamp?
Creature Carrying a Miner's Lamp	......

After operation

“

With the bidding over, Bison and Swire celebrate their successful farce, only to immediately receive news that their plans have been disrupted. Ceylon learns about Siesta's difficulties and proactively looks for the men behind the illegal obsidian miners and express willingness to provide assistance. In her uncertainty, Eyjafjalla finds a lone Little Black Sheep still in Siesta.

”

<Background 8>
City Hall Staffer	Here are the results of the latest public opinion survey. The Schwire Group's Aquatic Paradise proposal is supported by 33% of those polled, while the MountainDash Logistics center proposal is supported by 21% of those polled. The other competitors are all hovering at around 10%. Although the result of the public opinion survey is only one of the factors that the city government considers when making its decision, based on the current results, the Schwire Group's proposal has the advantage.
Swire	Say no more. I'm sure Mr. Bison here can figure out the situation by himself.
Bison	Surely Miss Swire didn't invite me and the city government here just to gloat over the results?
Swire	Of course not. Bison, sir, I'd like to make a deal. The Schwire Group will drop out of the bidding, but in return, I want to buy into MountainDash Logistics's company here.
Bison	Hasn't that been your goal all along?
Swire	Not entirely, but I thought about it little afterwards, and your being here isn't all bad news to me. A smart businessperson always looks for possibilities where both parties gain something and makes decisions that yields the maximum profits given the situation.
Bison	Going by what you said... If you were really so confident, you wouldn't have come negotiate with me.
Swire	Well, would you not agree that trading a percentage of your shares in exchange for your biggest rival's exit is a good deal?
Bison	...... How much are you looking at?
Swire lightly knocks on the table three times.
Swire	I want this much.
<Background 9>
City Hall Staffer	I will report your arrangement to the mayor and continue to inform you of any further arrangements. I wish you two a pleasant time in Siesta.
[The staff leaves.]
Bison	Is that all for the show?
Swire	For the time being, I guess.
Bison	Phew— Haha... Hahaha...
Swire	What's so funny?
Bison	Sorry, sorry... I just didn't expect... that you'd resort to these means, too, Commissioner Swire...
Swire	If I were to openly invest in MountainDash's business, forget about registering our own company. They'd write MountainDash up for thousands of reasons and shut it down on our first day in Siesta. My family's wary of me. Good thing they aren't that wary of me yet. As long as they still see me as a young, hot-headed superintendent, I can still cover my actions with that as a ruse.
Bison	Phew—I'm really fortunate that I'm not actually your business rival.
Swire	This is just the first step, though. The Federation of Enterprises will put it all together sooner or later. We'll face all sorts of difficulties going forward. Are you ready?
Bison	Having come this far, it's probably too late for me to have any regrets.
Swire	Well, partners, then?
Bison	Yeah, I look forward to—
[Swire pulled out her phone.]
Bison	Your terminal?
Swire	No, isn't it yours?
Swire and Bison each take out their terminals. They take a brief look at each other, before hitting their respective answer keys.
Polite Voice	Hello, is this Bison, the legal representative of Mountaincomm Trade?
Hushed Voice	Hello, is this Miss Swire?
Polite Voice	The city hall has received a report that your company has illegally employed undocumented Infected. At this point, we need your company to immediately cease all operations. Please prepare the following documents for the city government's investigation. First, we need the list of all Infected employees working for your company...
Hushed Voice	Miss Swire, that was an interesting show, and it did buy you some time for your prank. Unfortunately, the group is very unhappy with your decision. You should know that there are limits to what you should and shouldn't do. This investment game is over.
Polite Voice	Thank you for your cooperation. Goodbye.
Hushed Voice	This stops here. I hope you'll think about the consequences of your actions.
[The two hangs up.]
Swire	......
Bison	...... This is some uncalled-for slander.
Swire	Well, it's pretty obvious who snitched on us. They're trying to buy time right before we sign our contract just so they can catch up. But why use the Infected as an excuse... Since when has Siesta had any policies against the Infected in any way?
Bison	We don't have time to deal with these setbacks. If only we could convince Mayor Herman—
Swire	You're right. Herman is our chance at a breakthrough, but what reason does he have to stand on our side...? Besides, if my hunch's correct, he's probably being pressured in some other way right now.
<Background 10>
Columbian Representative	Mayor Herman, you're a hard man to reach.
Herman	I thought my answer before was more than clear. There is nothing for you and I to discuss in person.
Columbian Representative	Naturally, Columbia respects all the rights that Siesta enjoys as an independent city state. I am here today for a different matter—Siesta's Infected question.
Herman	......
Columbian Representative	Columbian federal law states that Infected citizens must be enrolled in a suitable healthcare plan in order to reside in our nomadic cities. Otherwise, they must join the Pioneer Teams. Siesta was not a nomadic city, and so it was not bound by this regulation. However, given the current circumstances, we need to reevaluate the rule of law here.
Herman	So this word game is your idea of pressuring me?
Columbian Representative	I hope you grasp the situation, Mayor Herman. This is not a negotiation.
<Background 7B>
Tired Worker	Since when do we need to be so sneaky about buying obsidian?
Enis	What choice do we have? They've been pretty strict with inspections lately. But this is a great opportunity for people like you, in-the-know, to seize the day! The logistics center will be done soon, and there are lots of merchants waiting to buy obsidian.
Weary Worker	Ugh, when has Siestan obsidian ever been all that rare? You probably have plenty hidden in your shop yourself. Why come to me?
Enis	What they want is freshly-mined obsidian. What's it...? Volcano-heated obsidian contains the land's energy and has amazing health benefits!
Tired Worker	......
Enis	Alright, I'll stop messing with you. Do you have any other new obsidian pieces, aside from this basket? Whatever you've got, I have buyers lined up. If the quality's good enough, they're willing to pay this much.
Enis gestures a number with his hands.
Spirited Worker	That much? Yeah, I do. I dug up a bunch just a couple days ago.
Enis	Oh? So recently?
Spirited Worker	Yep. I kept some real pretty ones—Look, these are some mighty fine obsidians, don't you think?
Ceylon	They're lovely indeed.
[Ceylon, now wearing her summer attire, reveals herself.]
Ceylon	Now, would you please tell me more about your illegal obsidian mining operation?
Nervous Worker	Enis! You set me up, didn't you?! When did you fall so low?
Enis	Uh, this isn't exactly a set up now, is it? A cop with a really loud mouth taught me this... Sorry, Uncle Jackie. This is for your own good. You shouldn't put your health on the line. We just have a couple questions we want to ask you. Work with us, will you?
<Background 11>
Discouraged Worker	That's everything...
Dispirited Worker	Are you gonna lock us up?
Ceylon	Who were you planning to sell the obsidian to?
Enis	Is it Pelipper?
Discouraged Worker	No... Pelipper stopped buying from us a long time ago, and he's a man of his word. He hasn't bought a single pebble. No matter how high quality the obsidian, he doesn't so much as take a single glance.
Dispirited Worker	Hmph... You got all this out of us, but what good is it going to do? That bastard Herman's always doing whatever he wants without a thought to the consequences. First, he made us all stop mining obsidian. Then, he said the volcano was going to erupt. It's been almost two years since we moved here, and it hasn't so much as let out a puff of smoke!
Discouraged Worker	Maybe he should've taken a look at where our money was coming from just a couple years ago...
Ceylon	But doesn't Siesta have really lax Infected policies...?
Discouraged Worker	That doesn't mean they've got jobs for us! If all the out-of-work miners became drivers, they could probably tow the city a couple kilometers.
Dispirited Worker	Besides, I'm already infected. What else can I do? Once MountainDash Logistics moves into the city, we'll have even more people without work. Now the Mayor's talking about tearing the shopping district down. Why tear it down, even? Just to chase us out of here?
Enis	Maybe... Maybe the Mayor will come up with a policy to help you guys...
Dispirited Worker	Forget it. Haven't you heard? They're going to chase us Infected out. The Columbians are here.
Ceylon	Where did you hear that?
Dispirited Worker	We all know how the Columbians treat the Infected. If something does end up happening, we might as well just head out into the wastes ourselves and start pioneering.
Discouraged Worker	That shell-brain Herman... That darned shell-brain!
Enis	Ugh... *cough*! *cough*!
Discouraged Worker	What's wrong? Are you sick?
Enis	No, no. Uh, I...
Ceylon	......
Enis	Uh, Dr. Ceylon, they're also... The Mayor must be having a tough time, too. Don't get mad over this...
Ceylon	No, I'm not mad. I thought this was just going to be warning a few men to stop illegal mining, but if the Columbians are here, that changes everything... This is Siesta's own problem. ...... Sir, how many are still mining obsidian?
Dispirited Worker	......
Discouraged Worker	......
Ceylon	I'll come out and say it. I'm not going to turn you in to the police. Enis said it just now. I'm a doctor. I know it's not realistic to just stop your obsidian work. What I want to do is help you solve this problem... Please trust me. So, won't you tell me?
Dispirited Worker	What do you mean, you're going to help us? Uh, who are you...? And why?
Discouraged Worker	Hold on... You look familiar...
Enis	Hah, you finally figured out, huh? You watched the Obsidian Festival broadcasts, right? Remember the lady at the closing ceremonies with Mayor Herman?
Discouraged Worker	Who? No, no, no. I'm saying you look a lot like a woman I once met... It was a long time ago, and we worked at the obsidian mines together. There was a scholar from Victoria. She was pregnant, but she went to the mines every day, for environmental surveys or whatever. She didn't know that much about mining, but she was real kind to us... Oh, now I remember. Her name was... Bora... No, Barbara.
Ceylon	—!
<Background 5>
The creature, with the miner's lamp on its back, trots along in short spurts as it gazes toward Old Siesta's beach. There, Byrd is sitting on the sand, plucking away at her strings spontaneously.
[Adele asks Byrd,]
Adele	Do you come here often? Hmm, you can still see Old Siesta here...
Byrd	Well, music is pleasing to the ear, and the sound of the waves, carried on the wind, is good accompaniment for the guitar. I didn't expect you to ask me that, though... So you're actually willing to talk.
Adele	Huh? Isn't this what one would normally do...?
Byrd	Yeah... I guess it is. maybe I'm just a bit too narrow-minded. If everything can talk to everything else, then music might be the best language there is. Even if you don't speak the same tongue, music can help you convey your truest thoughts—Not bad. This feels like a new inspiration.
Byrd starts strumming a slow, relaxed song. The waves rise and fall along to her rhythm.
Byrd	You two are the first to hear this piece.
Adele	"You two?" Oh... Are you including this fowlbeast here? Maybe the grass?
Byrd	Hm? No. Don't we have another listener here?
Byrd points at the steps next to them which, logically, should be empty.
Creature Carrying a Miner's Lamp	......
Byrd	Weren't you talking to it the whole time?
Adele	Miss Byrd... You can see it?
The creature with a miner's lamp on its back stands on the beach and gazes blankly at the silhouette of Old Siesta in the distance. It hesitantly tries to step into the seawater, but after a few plods, it walks back onto land. Its takes its hoofsteps rhythmically, as though it is trying to match the music's beat, though it also looks like it isn't and is just trying to maintain its own rhythm. Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump...
Byrd	Yeah, I've been able to see it since the day I came to Siesta.
Adele	Just the one?
Byrd	Are there others? Too bad... This is the only one I can see.
Byrd looks at the lamp on the creature's back and the hard hat and goggles on its head.
Byrd	I wrote the miners of Old Siesta a song. Maybe it just happens to like things that have to do with ores? I'll play the song again, just for it.
Byrd starts strumming again, while Adele brushes her dress's hem and sits down next to Byrd.
Byrd	Come to think of it, even though there hasn't been a single song of mine that could represent my whole life, perhaps there's one or two that could give comfort to somebody out there... ...even if my audience is just a lone... Little Black Sheep? But that's not so bad!
Adele	It stayed behind to listen to you play your guitar.
Byrd	You said you could see more of them. Where are they?
Adele	They... They disappeared all of a sudden. I don't know where they went.
Byrd	Do they eat road signs like this one?
Adele	I don't think so...
Byrd	Hm, I have an idea. Do you think this one eats road signs because... it's a stray sheep?
Creature Carrying a Miner's Lamp	......