Freefall

Speaking of which, what's this guy doing here?

Yo, Stitch.

How many years has it been since we saw each other? How awful of you. I bet you haven't even gone to see my Great Aquapit?

Talk about timing though! Now that you're here, should we head down there together? The surfing area's amazing!

I wouldn't mind releasing the flow valve on the water slide while no one's looking, let you experience a true––

Thanks, but no thanks. I've got business to attend to.

Everyone, with me. If you're done enjoying yourselves here, it's time to get to work.

Stitch, why are you always in such a hurry? We've got all the time in the world, so why don't we––

You might have all the time in the world, but I don't. Unlike Design Representative Catch here, full of vim and vigor, I am an Oripathy sufferer with only a few years left.

Oh, sorry, that's not what I meant!

What I was trying to say is we ought to sit down and talk things through. Maybe resolve some of our old misunderstandings...

Listen, Catch.

If recognition is what you're after, you've already won the hearts of Zeruertza's citizens. My opinion doesn't matter.

If you're trying to cement your legacy, you might as well build a super water cannon or something, maybe even paint it red or pink. I won't stop you.

Just don't waste your breath on me. I'll never be able to compliment your... heh, 'architecture,' in good faith.

Let's go, surface-dwellers. I'll tell you all about my plans...

Wait, Stitch, hear me out first––

Let me offer a word of advice: stay away from me.

We have our own paths to follow.

Why don't we talk about that Super Water Cannon you just mentioned, when you have a minute. You've got me interested.

But, before that... Did any of you just hear something?

The merry band of drunkards must be doing something stupid again.

No, that's not it...

Wait, could it be from the dome...?

There's no way. Have some faith in the quality of my engineering, will you?

L-Look at that!

Doesn't matter to me if there's an evil plot, wild beast, mushroom, natural disaster, or some other nasty thing!

I'll crush it!

Hey, Gavial, something doesn't seem quite right. Look down there.

Hmm?

Hey, don't make me repeat myself! Unhand me this instant!

Oh, sorry about that.

What the hell's all this? A waterfall? And a slide?

Yahoo!

Yo, Gavial, what took you so long?

Welcome to the Durins' Great Aquapit!

Huh...?

Waaah, Gavial, it's all my fault!

Tomimi!

So let me get this straight. There's no giant, horrible monster, and no fire or mushrooms raining from the sky?

Elysium called it a 'rhetorical device'...

I'm gonna go beat the shit out of him.

Well, what Tomimi said wasn't altogether false. The Durins are having a crisis of some sort.

Though it's not immediately obvious, that is what Mr. Stitch said.

There's a reason for what I do.

So, what kind of stunt are you uppity surface folks trying to pull here?!

You just broke into Zeruertza brandishing that huge axe, and now you're claiming to be helping the Durins?

What a joke. The Durin people are perfectly capable of solving their own problems. As if they'd ever ask for help from you high-and-mighty surface-dwellers.

What's more, all that filth and nastiness you carry on you is enough to besmirch our little patch of paradise down here!

Uhh, aren't you a Lupo? Aren't you also from the surface?

I've abandoned everything I was once up above. Now, I am only a citizen of Zeruertza.

Therefore, I believe I speak for all the citizens of Zeruertza when I ask you to begone from this city!

If you want to be stubborn about it, I don't mind kicking you out by other means.

Calm down, Avdotya. I brought them here.

Stitch... I didn't know you were back.

I don't know what you're trying to do, but as someone who used to be 'one of them,' I'd urge you to give it up. Relying on the surface-dwellers will only bring ruin to Zeruertza.

Zeruertzans have never seen real greed, a real scheme.

Avdotya, the people already voted to let them stay...

I have no problem overturning that result with another referendum. It all depends on how the Durins see them.

But if push comes to shove, and you surface folk bare the weapons of violence and bloodshed as you always do, then I will hunt you to the bitter end.

Gah, you're not making any sense. This whole thing's just a misunderstanding.

I heard Acahualla's underground neighbors needed help, so I came to lend a hand. That's all. Helping them is helping us.

Oh yes, you showed up at your neighbor's house with a chainsaw. I'm sure you're just trying to help me fix my table leg. I'm sorry, could you use that huge axe to help me cut some fruit?

Don't try to pull a fast one on me. I've seen a kindly Messenger transform into the image of wickedness in the blink of an eye. The pursuit of profit and the lust for conquest is in the nature of all surface-dwellers.

You might be able to deceive my good-natured Durin friends, but you can't trick me. I'm all too familiar with the venom behind your honeyed words.

Uhh, believe it or not, this axe is, uh, just for self-defense.

But if you think we have to solve this with violence, then I'm more than glad to rumble with you.

......

Hey, you there, with the axe.

You're badass!

Huh? Oh... Thanks?

Avdotya, you're the best!

I've only ever seen you scribbling in your notebooks. I never knew you had this side to you!

What side...?

How far up did you come from? How'd it feel to jump down?

How come nobody's ever thought of that before? Jumping off the top of the waterfall!

Are these two your friends? Look at you, keeping secrets from us. You never told us you had such cool friends!

They might be dangerous. We can't...

Can you ask her to take me up there with her next time?

Avdotya, did you bring anything back from your last trip? Maybe some more of that fruit from last time?

We haven't seen each other for hours. Let's toast to our reunion!

Wait, hold on!

Hey lady, your name is Gavial, right? Can I touch your axe? Is it heavy?

Uhh, it's not too bad?

You got a minute, Gavial? There's a super-secret to having fun in the Great Aquapit! I'm sure you'll give us the biggest, flashiest splash ever!

Here's my address in Zeruertza. If you're not busy, swing by tomorrow for one hell of an ale rager!

Why wait for tomorrow? Let's start today!

I like the sound of that!

Me too! My good sir Catch, bring us another bottle!

What's up with these Durins? Did they get bitten by Elysium or something?

That's a look, Tomimi. Something on your mind?

Gavial will always be Gavial. No matter where she goes, she captures all the hearts and minds.

...*sigh*.

The way I see it, it's just a band of dumbasses attracted to the biggest, loudest dumbass.

Some people just have that kind of magnetism.

So this is 'Gavial the Invincible' that the people of Acahualla keep talking about.

What's she jumping off the waterfall for? Did you plan this?

No... but I suppose trouble comes in threes.

Tomimi, I'm surrounded! Gimme a hand!

Coming!

It's too rowdy here. Let's move somewhere else.

So you're the Durin.

While I was in Acahualla, your name was on everyone's lips, Gavial.

Then tell me, what exactly is this crisis that Zeruertza faces, and how will it affect Acahualla?

That... To be honest, is an extremely complicated question, involving multiple layers including geography, geology, sociology, and more.

Let's start peeling back those layers.

The most difficult part is, we can't discuss this topic without delving a little bit into literature first...

Like Tomimi, I also borrowed a few 'rhetorical' tricks.

In other words, what you told us was an exaggeration?

I wouldn't call it an exaggeration. I just, uh, was looking at things from a more macro-historical level.

As Terra's crust changes over millions of years, there is indeed a high probability that the entire rainforest will sink into the ground...

Can I beat the snot out of this little runt?

By all means.

Wait, wait, hold on! I truly do need your help though, and this matter is critically important to Zeruertza!

Let's look at this from a business standpoint! Surely you've seen it too — Durin technology will definitely come in handy in the rainforest!

The Acahuallans won't have to treasure a few discarded lathes!

Hmm, if you're telling the truth.

I assure you, I'll answer any technical questions the people of Acahualla might have!

(*mutters*) Heh, assuming you can even understand my answers.

What was that?

I-I said, even if you don't understand at first, I'll try to explain things as best as I can.

Let's cut to the chase then. What exactly are you trying to do?

It's very simple. Help me convince the others to repair the railway bridge connecting the city. It was damaged in the last earthquake.

That way, Zeruertza can relocate its Originium detection devices without tossing out this entire damned dome, and I can be free of the old man's constant nagging.

By the way, feel free to blow up a certain oversized slide blocking the railway bridge. That'd be killing two fowlbeasts with one stone. No, three!

Mr. Stitch, why do you have to build an entire railway instead of just repairing the dome? It'd be a shame to blow up the slide!

Everyone voted to leave the hole there and build the Great Aquapit.

Moreover, repairing the dome poses a series of esoteric technical problems which won't make sense to the likes of you!

As such, we have to hold a new referendum to get our plan approved!

I'd rather not. I like the slide myself, and it would be a damned shame to blow it up.

Given how handy you Durins are, why do you need us Acahuallans to help you fix the bridge?

Fine... there's no harm in telling you.

As the designer who proposed the plan to rebuild the railway bridge, I will naturally be put in charge if the proposal passes.

However! Have you seen the blueprint for the railway bridge? I saw it back when I was in school, and it couldn't deviate any more from my ultra-minimalist design philosophy!

That dense wiring! That ugly skeleton frame!

So, I slept through every single one of my railway bridge design classes.

So... you have no idea how to build a railway bridge at all?

Though I hate to admit it, it is my one shortcoming.

That is why I am enlisting the aid of all skilled Acahuallans, subcontracting this important project to you!

So how about it? A flawless solution, wouldn't you say?

Durin society must be incredibly tolerant to allow a little shit like him to live this long...

H-Hey! What do you mean by that?!

Alright, since Zumama is here, she can probably fix up the bridge in no time.

Huh? Where'd she go?

I knew it. It wasn't just my imagination.

...WARNING.

Get over here, little fella!

Bogey. Danger! Initiating evasive maneuvers!

Hey, stay put!