Our Own Creations

"He was just setting it up before knocking it down. There should be more to come, right?"

Chrollo subconsciously thought so to himself.

And sure enough, Uvogin did not disappoint Chrollo's understanding of him:

"But only slightly better, that's all."

Uvogin crossed his arms and raised his head.

"You can only dub over footage someone else provided. You can't truly perform it yourself!!"

Perform it himself? Actually act it out??

Sarasa, who had been listening attentively behind them, could not help but freeze at those words.

Then she immediately asked Franklin beside her, "Did something happen to Uvogin's head?"

"Did you guys fight just now? Did you hit Uvogin in the head?"

"No, we didn't~~~"

Franklin understood perfectly well why Sarasa would ask that.

"But then why..."

Sarasa simply could not understand.

She did not say the rest aloud, but Shira and Pakunoda beside her understood what she meant.

[Why would Uvogin ask such a stupid question?]

Every child in Meteor City knew just how rare it was to be able to watch an animation like this.

No one had ever shown them anything like it before. Only Chrollo had managed to do that for them.

And since they had rehearsed the dubbing performance alongside Chrollo, they understood even more clearly how difficult it had been.

Forget animation like this—even ordinary film and television works were impossible for the children of Meteor City to find.

Not to mention someone like Chrollo, who had specifically written a plot and dialogue, then led them in rehearsing the dubbing together.

Only after so much effort had he managed to present the children of Meteor City with a work that everyone found satisfying.

Yet in Uvogin's mouth, it had turned into nothing but nitpicking?

Wasn't that far too dismissive of Chrollo's effort and hard work? Wasn't he trampling all over Chrollo's painstaking labor?!!

For a moment, the way Pakunoda looked at Uvogin turned somewhat hostile.

Even Shira, who was usually gentle, could not help feeling angry.

They both felt that Uvogin was clearly picking faults with Chrollo on purpose.

He had already done this much. What more did you want?!

Was this something that could actually be filmed?

If they had the conditions, did they think they would not want to film it?

Being able to produce a dubbing work like this in impoverished, barren Meteor City was already far from easy.

Yet after watching it, he stood there making snide remarks, saying this was no good and that was no good~~~~~~

If he really thought it was so bad, then why didn't he do it himself?

If you can do it, then get up there and do it~!!

While Pakunoda and Shira simmered with indignation, Chrollo answered Uvogin seriously.

"I had also wanted to give the children of Meteor City the best performance possible."

"But with Meteor City as it is now, and with what I can do, all I can offer the children is dubbing over a [Cleaning Warriors] videotape."

Chrollo did not make excuses. He merely laid out the current reality.

With conditions like Meteor City's, how could they possibly support an actual production?

"That's why you're still not good enough."

Uvogin proudly lifted his head. "But just because you can't do it doesn't mean others can't."

"For example, on our side, we have someone who can absolutely film something better than yours, more amazing, more—"

"Enough, enough. Stop talking nonsense."

Before Uvogin could finish bragging, Mog pressed a hand against his face in exasperation.

Then he shoved him aside and cleared the way.

"I admire your performance. I liked it very much."

Mog looked at Chrollo. "Did you write all this plot and dialogue yourself?"

"Yes. The videotape only had visuals and no sound..."

Chrollo nodded lightly. He had designed all the plot and dialogue for the dubbing based on what was shown in the images.

As well as the transitions between scenes, the characters' movements, and their actions.

It could be said that it matched the footage extremely well, making it easy for the children of Meteor City to accept without feeling that anything was abrupt or wrong.

"Chrollo is amazing!!"

Pakunoda could not help speaking up from behind him. "He did all of this by himself."

"He voiced quite a few characters too!!"

Pakunoda also recognized Mog. He was the man she and Chrollo had seen through the window of the screening room back then.

That strange man who had casually made plants grow food!!

Unable to help herself, she looked at Mog a few more times.

Our Own Work

"I see. Then you really are impressive..."

Mog smiled and praised Chrollo, then pointed his thumb at Uvogin, who had been shoved aside and had quieted down.

"Uvogin's words were a little off-base, but I really do intend to make a work for the children of Meteor City—one that we perform ourselves."

Hm?!!

Chrollo's eyes widened slightly. Looking at Mog's calm expression, he could not sense even the slightest hint that he was joking.

He was serious?!!

"You don't need to worry about the filming equipment. Leave that to me..."

Mog seemed to have prepared everything long ago. "And I can handle the logistics as well~~~"

"However~~~"

Mog looked at Chrollo. "I want to refine the story, dialogue, and plot further. I need someone to specifically help me with that."

"So..."

Smiling, Mog extended his hand toward the still somewhat stunned Chrollo.

"Would you be willing to join us and help me?"

Join them?

He wanted Chrollo to join them?!!

Chrollo and everyone present were quite surprised upon hearing that.

They were surprised both that Mog truly intended to film and perform something himself.

And that he had extended an invitation to Chrollo.

Uvogin, whose temper was the hardest to restrain, immediately wanted to say something.

Then Machi viciously kicked him in the calf.

Uvogin instantly clutched his ankle and bared his teeth in pain.

No one else spoke either, including Phinks and Feitan, or Franklin and Pakunoda from Chrollo's side.

They were all waiting for Chrollo's answer.

"Join you..."

After falling silent for a moment, Chrollo finally raised his head.

"I want to know..."

His gaze fixed seriously on Mog. "Why are you doing this?"

"The reason you held this screening event is the same reason I am doing this~~~"

Mog chuckled softly. "Besides, the people of Meteor City are always watching things discarded here by the outside world. In the end, we are still the ones being pitied."

"If possible, I want to film something created by the people of Meteor City themselves."

"And we can show it in the outside world too, so that those people can see that Meteor City is not entirely worthless either~~~"

Something belonging to the people of Meteor City... our own work...

Chrollo fell into a long silence once more.

Perhaps this subject and goal were too heavy for him.

Perhaps it was not something he should be considering at his current age.

Perhaps when he had first wanted to show animations to the children of Meteor City, he had only wanted to bring them more happiness.

Perhaps Mog was someone worth trusting...

Chrollo thought of Uvogin, Nobunaga, and Machi around Mog, as well as the troublesome duo of Phinks and Feitan.

And then~~~

The image of Mog magically producing food through plants outside the Church appeared in Chrollo's mind once again.

That wondrous sight had remained unforgettable to him even now.

And now, faced with Mog's invitation~~~