IC-ST-2: Paradise Lost

IC-ST-2 Paradise Lost	Ideal City: Underground Sightseeing Previous IC-9 (Story)

A late letter, a designer learning to open his heart, and a bunch of guys who are not sad at all, but rather looking to have some fun.

Characters

Avdotya

Excited Archosauria (Yota)

Yogi

Backgrounds

Zeruertza Forum

1

Zeruertza Collapsed Tunnel

2

Cave Entrance

3

Jungle

4

“

Several days later, the Durins start relocating to the surface, and while Stitch is working to restore Zeruertza to perfect form before its impending destruction, he unexpectedly finds himself reading a letter his teacher left behind for him.

”

<Background 1>

A few days later... Stitch is working hard at the forum again today. Just like the journey to the surface, the dressing of the city is a task that requires the supervision of all the citizens. And as the face of the city, the dome's renovation is naturally the most important task. Which is why it is also necessary for the design tasks to be done in the forum, where everyone can see. And as Master Edge claims, it also saves time.
Stitch Canvas	That darned old man. He's definitely having me do this because he thinks it's funny.
Noticing Edge's smug look below, Stitch finds himself immediately incensed. However, not even he himself expected to adapt so quickly to these work conditions. When he has to take questions from passersby, when he has to hear opinions, and even when he stands up and defends his beliefs in an argument– None of that actually carries as much pressure as he thought it would. With Edge grinning away at him, Stitch is definitely irritated, but he also knows what people must be thinking about him. Just like how they must know what he is thinking.
Edge Eartheart	This little runt. He's had more arguments than I could count the past few days. Just because someone dared to give him some feedback, he had to argue for the better part of the day. Still, the work he's turning in is impeccable. Finch, I don't know where in the world you've tromped off to, but you can rest easy now. Oh, right, right. Stitch!
Stitch Canvas	What is it? I'm working here!
Edge Eartheart	Somebody found a letter at the top of the dome while it was being inspected.
Stitch Canvas	A letter?
Catch Lightrace	Yep, and it's for you.
Stitch Canvas	No way...!
[Stitch opens the letter and reads it.]
I am Finch Canvas, the Zeruertza's greatest architectural designer. I placed this letter at the top of the dome. I am sure the one who opens it will be the next person to renovate it. I hope that he is my dearest student. This letter is for him. However, if you are not him, then please do not give him this letter. As that would mean he has failed.
<Background 2>
Deculture Silvermint	Sorry, Catch.
Catch Lightrace	Hm?
Deculture Silvermint	If only I were more like you...
Catch Lightrace	Everyone's personality is different, and I can understand the way you think, too. All I can say is, if I'd found out a little sooner, maybe things could've turned out different.
Deculture Silvermint	You're allowed to stay, you know.
Catch Lightrace	It's fine.
Elysium	Sigh, it feels like I did something terrible to you.
Catch Lightrace	Not at all, Elysium. I really appreciate your suggestion. It's true that I made this decision to give him that push at first, but I also really want to seek out Master Finch. I'm sure he'll be very happy to hear how Stitch is doing.
Elysium	Well, you've made it plenty hard for me to know what to say here. Speaking of which, it sounds like this Master Finch really cares about his student. I have a hunch that he might have gone to the surface to seek a cure for Oripathy. After I leave, I will try my best to track him down, too. Hah, perhaps he will one day find his way to Rhodes Island.
Catch Lightrace	Oh, now there's a plan.
Elysium	You know what I'm trying to say, right?
Catch Lightrace	Yeah, we'll meet again. I know I want to help out when we finally rebuild Zeruertza. And when the time comes, I am going to work together with Stitch to put out some amazing designs.
[Elysium figured out something.]
Elysium	Like a statue of me?
Catch Lightrace	Well... Maybe not that.
Elysium	A shame!
First, I must apologize to you for my departure. But if I had not left, knowing you, you would never become truly independent. Alright, truth be told, if I decided to stay, I wouldn't have known how to stop caring for you. You have a gift. Oripathy has greatly limited your lifespan, but at the same time, it has made you see life in a more profound way. Thanks to this, your style has greatly transformed for the better. I can tell.
<Background 3>
[The Archosaurian brothers from the Eunectes tribe are digging through a cave.]
Excited Archosauria	Here we go, let's pull it together. Our job today is the blow all the caverns in this area!
Yota	You hear that, Yogi?
Yogi	Yes, Brother!
Inam	yawn, Yota, did you have to start working this early?
Yota	What are you talking about, Inam? This is a mission Gavial gave us herself. She saved my life. If I could, I would dig through the earth to meet her right now and check how she's been doing.
Inam	She'll still be alive and kicking, well after you're dead.
Yota	Haha, that's for sure.
Inam	Right, I'll be leaving tomorrow to meet the Pasha and discuss the lord ameer business. So, starting tomorrow, Zumama's in charge. Got it?
Yogi	How about I come with you, then? Didn't you say the Pasha is a pain to deal with?
Inam	For you, yeah. The Pasha would grind you until there's nothing left. Don't worry. I haven't been a Messenger all these years for nothing. Alright, Zumama, I'll leave this to you.
Eunectes	Don't worry. We've installed the "Mountain Breaker Mk. III" on the Raging Ironhide. That'll put its efficiency up three-fold. You could even leave me this whole place.
Inam	Sometimes... I feel like you're even scarier than Gavial.
At the same time, this has made your style more and more extreme. And the more you stood firm with your style, the more you despised working with others. This worried me.
<Background fades out and in>
Croque Diamondface	By the way, Avdotya. What are you going to do once you make it to the surface?
Avdotya	What else can I do? You can't believe I will settle down for a life on land just because of the speech I gave? Once Zeruertza is rebuilt, I will be back. Is there a problem?
Croque Diamondface	Right... Actually, this only just came back to me, but I made a promise to Inam. We agreed that if I ever went to the surface, I would do business with her, and she would also introduce me to a place called Rhodes Island. But I don't know that much about the surface, so I told her you would be our middleman, and I could learn from you.
Avdotya	So that means... You sold me to her?!
Croque Diamondface	I'm sorry! But I really want to try doing business on the surface. Please, help me out!
Avdotya	Croooooque! Diamondfaaaaaaaace! Didn't I tell you not to drink?!
Croque Diamondface	I'm really, really sorry!
When aloofness yields no result, it only devolves into misconception. It tells you that it isn't your fault that others don't understand you. It tells you that others are in the wrong for not understanding your work. But sometimes, that couldn't be further from the truth. You can of course hold on to the way you think. However, if your line of thought is really so fine and exquisite, shouldn't you try your best to share it all the more?
<Background 1>
[Gavial jumps off a pillar after tending to it.]
Gavial	Phew, this pillar will look just fine here. I didn't expect them to want to renovate the forum, too. The Durins are a thorough bunch, aren't they?
High Priest	Gavial.
Gavial	Hm?
High Priest	Do you realize that you are making history?
Gavial	Is that right?
High Priest	The Durins have lived underground for ages without making any large-scale effort at communicating with the world on the surface. Yet your choices have persuaded an entire city to relocate to the surface all at once. Who would have thought that Acahualla would be the first place to know such an intimate level of exchange with a Durin city and its people? And when future generations look back, it will probably never occur to them that this all happened because of an offhand idea you came up with.
Gavial	Now that you mention it, I guess you're right. But there's nothing wrong with that, is there?
High Priest	Haha, there's of course nothing wrong with that. What I'm saying is–History is always like that, Gavial. It might have been an accident that the Durins were able to put down roots underground, too. This goes to show that perhaps history is nothing to be revered or feared, just like the Acahuallan traditions that you so easily destroyed.
Gavial	Now I'm not so sure about that. I think people who know their history pretty great. Like Dr. Kal'tsit. She knows history like the back of her hand.
High Priest	Kal'tsit? Hm... I could count the number of times we've dealt with each other on one hand, but she might be the one person in the whole world who takes history the lightest.
Gavial	Is that right?
High Priest	Of course. And I suspect the way she goes about it might even be a kind of helplessness, the kind that comes from knowing nothing can be done. Now then, let's change the subject. Zumama told me that you wavered in your decision, but you persisted with it nonetheless, and that you plan to continue doing as much?
Gavial	Yeah, I mean, they all told me that they'll help me. Speaking of, you're gonna stick with us till the end, right, old man?
High Priest	Oh, look at you, won't even give an old man a break. It's probably obvious that I'm very happy to be researching technology with Zumama. But did you know that the longer you live, the harder it is to find direction?
Gavial	I'm not sure I get it.
High Priest	Well, that's good. That's what I like about you. Keep going down the path you're on. I'm curious just how far you'll make it.
Gavial	So, how come you're here to talk to me instead of following Zumama around?
High Priest	Well, naturally, that's because– She kicked me out! I told her the Durin machines are nowhere near as cute as the Big, Ugly Thing, and she got mad at me. Hmph, how could she be this protective of her new friends? Now I'm mad too!
Gavial	Oh.
There are certain things that you will never understand until you experience them yourself. And so I am leaving you with a problem. Until you become the next design representative, and until you manage to persuade all of Zeruertza that your work has a profound meaning within... I will leave your side, and you are not allowed to come look for me. We are architects, and our job is to provide designs that satisfy the masses. You will come to understand that this is the greatest challenge you will ever face. Not a design flaw, not a construction problem, but rather something as simple as being persuasive.
<Background 3>
[At the day of the evacuation, Gavial, Tomimi, Avdotya, and Stitch had stood outside the elevator's surface entry as the Originium vein consumes Zeruertza.]
Gavial	Whoa, Tomimi, you feel that?
Tomimi	Yeah, it's shaking.
Gavial	I'm surprised we can still feel it even though we've taken the lift all the way up here. Those are some huge tremors.
Tomimi	But all the Zeruertzans have made it to the surface. Every last one of them!
Gavial	Yeah, everyone's done a great job.
Avdotya	Hrrrhhh...
Gavial	You okay? I told you to drop the tough act, but you had to be the last one to leave the city. What inspiration can you get from watching it crumble anyway?
Avdotya	You wouldn't understand, even if I told you. That was the final moment of an entire city. It simply... overwhelmed me with emotion.
Stitch Canvas	Master... This might be impossibly difficult, but I will give it my best shot.
Gavial	And you, little whelp. What are you mumbling to yourself?
Tomimi	He... He looks exhausted.
Gavial	Well, can you blame him? He's been working really hard. Not only did he actually manage to design the thing, he went to the construction site every day, and even insisted on being the last one out. A while back, I wouldn't have expected him to be such a responsible guy.
Tomimi	Yeah, I'm starting to see him in a different light, too!
Gavial	Alright, let's go. We're the last ones. Everyone's waiting for us.
Tomimi	Mm-hm!
<Background 4>
[The tremors can be felt all the way up in Acahualla.]
Yogi	How come Gavial isn't back yet? She didn't get into trouble, did she?
Yota	Don't jinx it!
Eunectes	She's here.
Croque Diamondface	Now where is Avdotya? I'm eager to see the waterfall.
Deculture Silvermint	You could go on ahead.
Croque Diamondface	Now that won't do. This is a... how do you say this? Right, a historic moment!
A large crowd of Durins and Tiacauh have gathered in front of the mine. They are all waiting for the last group to ride the elevator to the surface.

Wearing her usual smile, Gavial steps out with Stitch in tow. She raises her right hand and greets the crowd, all of whom are beaming.
Gavial	Today's a good day, everybody. Let's head to the lake for some fun!
Before she can finish her sentence, the crowd has already erupted in cheers. Today, Acahualla is a tad bit more lively than before. And in the future, it might get even livelier.