"Ah, there we go! Don't worry little guy, you'll grow up all nice and strong again in a few years."
"Hmmm?"
"Oh, no thank you! I'm not hungry."
"No, but like, what if the world wasn't made on a giant anvil in space?" Finnberry asks, staring off into the distance. "Like, what if there's just one guy, like you said, but he's not a dwarf and just some sort of all-knowing, all-loving Force of some kind? What if we, like, are part of that Force? Like...whoah..."
"...That sounds...blasphemous," the nun replies with a frown.
"...and then we simply pluck the fruit from the trees, already grown into the shape of a chair, or a shield, or a door, or whatever we need it to be! So you see, we don't actually need stone, or even the mechanisms you make for a living. The only metal we even use is mithril for our weapons, like Daffodil's bow, and tin for everything else, like my brooch here! So, to answer your question, no! We don't have any engineers like you in the Elven Retreat."
"...o-oh."
"Typical elves. Thinking they can just waltz in with their fancy bows and show off. Keep them away from little Rovod, dear, I don't want them talking to my little baby boy and filling his head with that nonsense religion of theirs."
"Just keep walking, honey, don't make eye contact. They won't talk to you unless you make eye contact."
"Just keep walking, honey, don't make eye contact. They won't talk to you unless you make eye contact."
"Well, young Misty! It looks like we've finally made it," Darkerdaffodil says with a smile. "It feels like it's been nearly nine months since we've left, but it's been barely a day, and even less than that since I've had the pleasure of your company."
You can barely contain your excitement. You've finally made it. You've dreamed of this day for years, but now it's here. You're at Shielddawn, and soon you'll employ your craft as a cheese-maker and show the world just what you can do.
"I've had my doubts about the Dwarves before, young Misty, but you've assuaged them to no end. This tenuous peace between our races has been the point of many a discussion amongst our leaders in the Forest Retreat, but I believe that this peace will last. You've shown me that a friendship between an elf and a dwarf is possible. For that, I thank you.
It's here that we must part ways, young Misty, but I wish you the best. Pursue your dream as a cheese-maker, and, should fortune allow, the next time we meet our trade caravan will be laden heavy with your masterwork cheese wheels.
May the Force be with you."
You can't believe it. This...he's the first person, the first one who's ever believed in you. The first one who's ever told you to follow your dream. The only one, really. You've had your doubts before, but for the first time you're 100% sure that you're making the right choice by going to Shielddawn. You don't know what to say!
You've got a good feeling about all this.
