The Old Woman who Pays her Respects

Stubborn girl! Just leave me be!

Please, you know I can't do that!

Those two... What are they arguing about?

Maybe I should check it out... Looks like they're quarreling about something.

Oh... Please stop! This old lady said she was going to visit the grave site alone, and I just couldn't let her...

Visit the grave site?

Quiet, girl... It's got nothin' to do with you. Yer not even family.

I might not be family, but I'm your neighbor! It's perfectly normal for me to worry about you!

And I'm sayin' it's none of yer concern!

That's pretty rude of...

No... She's right. It's true I'm being too nosy.

Could you at least bring a dogu? I would worry a little less, then.

Gimme a break. I ain't got no time fer those!

But dogu are meant for times like this, when you need a little help...

I've told ye more times'n I can count! I hate them dogu!

B-But...!

Visiting a grave site... Why would she go to a dangerous place like that?

Indeed... It's far away, too. All the more reason to worry.

Hm... Well, what if I go with her?

R-Really, you would do that?! Yes, that would be wonderful!

Yer not even gonna ask me fer my opinion?!

C'mon Lady... She's not going to move an inch if you don't grant her at least this. You hate dogu right? Then wouldn't it be a lot better to just have me along?

Hmph...

Have it yer way... If ye wanna tag along that bad, it's yer choice.

Hey! Wait up!

What an impatient old lady... I haven't even asked where we're going yet.

Yes, well... I promise she isn't a bad person. She's heading for the Talgana Mountain Trail. She always picks flowers there to place on the grave.

The Talgana Mountain Trail, huh? All right... Leave the old lady to me!

Hey, wait!

Huff... Huff... You're pretty energetic, Lady.

That's why I said I'm fine by my lonesome. I ain't got no time to wait around. If ye wanna go home I ain't stoppin' ye.

I said I was going to come along. I won't give up that easily. Is there something I can help with? We're picking flowers here, right?

Hmph, that's admirable of ye. If ye wanna work that bad, go on and get to work. Go and pick some Talgan Pawpaws.

Talgan pawpaws...

You don't even know what those are, boy?!

Well I'll be darned... See them round white flowers bloomin' over yonder?

Round white flowers... Those! All right, leave it to me!

Hey...! Let me finish speakin', boy!

Whoa...! My hands are all sticky!

Ye had it comin'... The extract from that flower is real viscous. Ye gotta grab it by the stalk.

I've learned my lesson...

Well, yer hands gettin' sticky... Ain't got nothin' to do with me.

These flowers are so dainty and cute. Do they bring back memories?

That's right... We always used this flower's extract to heal wounds.

Huh... They're good healing wounds? May I should pick some for myself.

What're you on about! They ain't gonna work on yer likes!

What?! Why not?!

We ain't got time to worry about that! We gotta hurry and get to the grave site before it gets dark!

Hmph, that's an unsatisfactory answer, but you're right. We should hurry.

So where is this grave site? I heard it was pretty far away...

In the Funeral Cavern...

Funeral Cavern?! I-In a place like that?!

If yer scared, no one's askin' ye to come. I'm goin' either way.

Wait! Don't go off on your own again!

Guess I've gotta go after her... Time to hurry to the Funeral Cavern!

This is the child's grave...

I see... So this is the grave. But, you said "the child"...?

......

You don't have to speak if you don't want to. But, perhaps the one who's laid to rest here is your...

No... The truth is different from what yer probably imaginin'. Me and the old man were never blessed with children. The dogu we got as a servant... We pampered it just like it was our own child...

Pampered a dogu? But didn't you say you hated them?

After the child stopped movin', we couldn't be bothered with gettin' another one. If I say I hate 'em, nobody'll try to give me another, right?

So that dogu is laid to rest here...

It was such a cute little thing... It'd follow me around, always one step behind me. It'd do chores with me, go out with me, and we'd play together... We were always together.

You treated it... Just like family.

Fer me... It really was family. After the old man died, I could live on because it was at me side, but...

It had a lifespan, right?

Yep... We were together fer a few decades. Fer a dogu, it must've had a pretty long life, but... It weren't very filial of it to go off dyin' before me...

......

Well then... I've made ye listen to an old lady's tale fer too long. Must've been boring fer a young lad like you.

No, not at all...

...MEBODY...! H...LP...

Huh...?

Did ye hear somethin'? A voice from deep inside?

Hmm... Could there really be someone in this cavern?

I'll go check it out... You wait here.

Hey! Is anybody there?! ......

No reply... Maybe it was just her imagination after all?

Wh-Who's there?!

Huh?!

Whoa...?!

A... H-HUMAN...!

What's wrong? Why do you look so scared?

A monster?! It must've been chasing you!

I'll take care of it! Stay there and wait!

Phew... Nothing to worry about now.

H-Huh...?

Why are you running away? Looks like you're covered in cracks...

It must've been thrown away...

Lady...!

This here Funeral Cavern... It's customary to offer up dogu. I did the same. I can't tell the difference between those that were thrown away, and those that were offered up after they stopped movin'.

Are there really people who would do that?!

The work of a small handful of cruel men... It's sad, but nothin' to be done fer it.

Urgh...

First we gotta fix its cracks. Hey now, over here...

......

We should return to the grave. Ain't nothin' gettin' done otherwise.

Huh? Are you sure?

Don't you fret, we're headin' back. If it still has faith in humanity, it'll find its way back.

Okay... I'm sure it'll come.

Do...Scary thing? Don't...Do scary thing?

......

......

Doesn't look like it's comin'.

Hmm... Maybe we should wait a bit longer...

I know what yer feelin', boy. But if we wait any longer...

Oh! You finally came!

What a surprise... Who'd have thought a thrown-away dogu would open its heart up to a human...

Forgive me... Ye don't mind if I use this flower? I'll come back with more, I promise...

Well come on now... Show me where yer cracked.

Crack... Scary...

Nothin' to fret about. Just gonna give ye a bit o' first aid.

Done... You're a well behaved one. If ye use the Talgan pawpaw's extract to paste over cracks like this...

No...Cracks!

So that's what they're for! The high viscosity plant extract can be used in place of glue!

Tha...nk... You...!

Ain't done nothin' that needs thankin' fer. All right, I'm done patchin' ye up. We should head back soon.

W-Wait...!

To...Gether...

Haha! It's taken a liking to you!

Well I'll be... S'ppose I can't just leave it here.

I'll bring ye back to Gadaro at least. We can think about it after that.

Sounds like a plan. Let's head back to Gadaro.

Welcome back! I'm glad you're safe! Hm? Is that... Why is there a dogu with you?

Somebody threw it away in the Funeral Cavern. We decided to bring it back to Gadaro.

Is that so! Well, let's have my husband fix it up right away!

Yer hubby can fix dogu?

Yes! He was training to become a dogu master in the past.

He's pretty good at repairs. Come right this way.

A-AH...

No need to fret... She's a meddlesome girl, but she don't mean no harm. I'm sure he'll fix you up good as new...

That dogu... I'm glad it's safe.

Me as well... I want that little 'un to be happy with a good master.

Are you fine leaving it like that? I'm sure that dogu wanted to go home with you. There's also the slim chance it might go to another master who'll throw it away in the Funeral Cavern again.

You tryin' to pressure me with them words, boy?

N-No, nothing like that...

I told ye before. I ain't got no interest in gettin' another dogu. I'm happy with just the memory of the one I lost...

That's...

Fluff from a Talgan pawpaw. What's it doing here?

Huh?!

......

Lady?

You okay, Lady?!

Phew... Just had a dizzy spell there...

Huh?

I thought I'd had enough of them dogu, but... Maybe it ain't chance that we met it while visiting me child's grave.

Well then!

Yes... I s'ppose I'll give up and say I've got a grandchild now. Sorry, Old Man... Looks like it'll be a few more decades before I join ya.

Haha! I'm counting on you to live that long.

You and that dogu, together...