video;

[pullsheavendown]

[There's some brief shuffling and a few seconds of out-of-focus video before the camera centers on Roxas. He's used his phone thing to talk to other people on the network before, but he's never tried talking to everyone on it before. Maybe the picture is bigger this way? He doesn't know.]

Hey. I'm Roxas. Um, I just had a couple of questions.

The first one is—my power, the new one I got when I came through the porter, is making ice cream. Except I can't figure out how to make the flavor I want, and I've been making a lot of different kinds while I practice.

[He waggles a small ice cream bar at the camera.]

I can't eat all of it, so...anyone want some ice cream? I can deliver. Doesn't matter where you are, it'll be a quick trip.

For my other question, I know there's no way to make the porter let us go, or send us back to our worlds, or whatever happens when imPorts go away. But is there any way to make sure we stay? [He swallows hard.] Because I don't want to go back. What I've got here is a lot better than what's waiting for me.

Anyway, thanks.

Comments

video;

[plentystrong]

Do I want another poisoning? No.

video;

[pullsheavendown]

I know! I'm not gonna make you sick again! I'm still really sorry!

video

[continuousgroaning]

I'll trade you one of my burgers for some of the ice cream. I can even do a vegetarian or vegan one if you want.

video

[pullsheavendown]

Sure, that sounds great! What's vegan, though?

video »

[eloquentness]

Hey, Roxas. I've got a power similar to yours, so maybe we can practice together and see why you're struggling to make your favorite kind.

[ she pauses, ] Or I can trade you some iced coffee. I'm down for either possibility.

video »

[pullsheavendown]

Really? That's cool! We should try that. I've never had coffee before, though.

video;

[kanyounot]

[ Say hi to the blind guy, Roxas. ]

I'm afraid we don't have any control over the Porter, either way - to go or to stay. Sorry.

And every time someone's tried to mess with it, really bad things happen.

video;

[pullsheavendown]

Oh. Okay.

[He wants to ask the guy if he's sure, but if he weren't, would he even bother to say anything?]

What kind of bad things?

voice

[adamantlyardent]

No luck with the pattern-finding, then, I take it.

voice

[pullsheavendown]

Not yet. But I've been writing it down.

voice

[godkaru]

I'd like to try some of the ice cream!

voice

[pullsheavendown]

Okay, great! Do you have a favorite flavor? I could try to find it in the ones I've made.

[No promises.]

video;

[minorgod]

Nice to meet you, Roxas. I'll take some ice cream off your hands. What kind of flavours did you come up with?

You're not the first person to ask about staying, but the Porter doesn't work like that unfortunately.

video;

[pullsheavendown]

[He's crestfallen to hear that about the Porter from more than one person, but he rallies.]

A lot! They don't come with labels, though, so I have to check. But I haven't checked all the ones I just made because that would be gross.

[Even he knows not to offer licked ice cream.]

Right now I think I've got...cherry, vanilla, orange cream, lemon, fudge, some kind of rainbow bar...a whole pile.

video

[shesalittle]

We can't really make the Porter do anything on purpose. The only idea I've come up with if we really don't want to go back is to try and use some other kind of dimension travel to get out of the Porter's range before it pulls you back. But its range is, you know, all of the places all of us are from, so. [She shrugs and sighs.]

Anyway, if you want to come practice at one of the community centers, I can get you a couple dozen kids who can get rid of any amount of ice cream pretty much immediately.

video

[pullsheavendown]

Some other...huh.

[He doesn't actually know what that means...like at all. But it's interesting to think there at least could be a way, even if it doesn't work yet.]

Oh yeah? Do you take care of them or something?

video;

[a_good]

[Norman usually favors text, but this seems a little more personal.]

There's no way yet to influence who the Porter brings or sends back.

But there are people who have been here for years, so that's possible.

video;

[pullsheavendown]

That's what they say, but...I don't know, I was hoping there was more to it. At least one way.

I'd like to stay as long as I can.

video

[happylocksmith]

Aw man, I wish we could help out but our freezer's full. Sorry.

[It's the darndest thing, no matter how much ice cream they eat, the more it seems to reappear in their freezer. Weird.]

How does it work? Do you think using a recipe book might help?

video

[pullsheavendown]

[Oh, it's Sora. And Sora can see him. Well...maybe he can do this, have a real conversation.

Of course, he immediately feels awkward, knowing why their freezer is full, but it's not like Sora knows it's him who made that ice cream. He can't read Roxas' mind. Right?]

I don't know how it works, I just think about it and concentrate and it's in my hand. But it's never how I want it to be.

video

[pharmaka]

[ Circe has a strange accent, and speaks too formally and has light gold eyes, but is otherwise unremarkable. ]

I have no idea at all if I would like ice cream, but perhaps I may offer suggestions regarding your practice.

[ She is reluctant to be forthcoming, but that is a learned reluctance, and by nature she likes helping others -- so she makes the offer anyway. ]

video

[pullsheavendown]

[She's not even close to the oddest person he's ever met, so Roxas doesn't bat an eye.]

Oh yeah? Like what?

video; un: Julian Delphiki | Bean

[justlittle]

I've never had ice cream...

[ That might be surprising, given that the video is showing a young boy of about six or seven years old. ]

video;

[pullsheavendown]

[Not that surprising. Roxas only first tried it a year ago.]

Yeah? I guess now's a good time to try it, then.

audio;

[dragony]

Nothing that can guarantee it. Not in the long run, anyway.

But, having nothing to go back to... well, you're less likely to sling back-and-forth, at least. Can't resume a life-in-progress if there's no in-progress to it. Is that how it is, for you?

[ "are you dead, kid." ]

audio;

[pullsheavendown]

I guess that's something. It's...kind of complicated, but nothing was happening for me when I left and it looks like nothing's going to happen in the future, either.

["kind of, my other self ate my existence."]

video

[burlyboy]

I always want ice cream. Always. But only if you'll stick around and have some with me.

'Fraid I don't have as good of an answer to your other, uh, query. All I can say is to enjoy the time here while you've got it. And if you're lucky, you'll get it for a good, long while.

video

[pullsheavendown]

[A small smile blossoms on his face.]

Yeah, sure.

And...yeah, that's what I'm getting. I guess I knew that to begin with. But you gotta hope, right?

[codeoracle]

I don't know if there's a way to make the Porter do anything we want it to. Kind of has a mind of its own.

One question: What flavor were you trying to make that you ended up with all that ice cream anyway?

[pullsheavendown]

Yeah, I'm getting that.

[Sigh. Ah, well, it didn't hurt to ask.]

I'm trying to make sea-salt ice cream. It's really salty, but sweet at the same time. It's good.

permavoice

[earthy]

So, that's where all the ice cream's coming from...

[Slowly but surely, he finds the mysteries of this world unraveling before him.]

[pullsheavendown]

[One down, uh...lots...to go.]

Uh-huh. Feel free to have as much as you want, I'm making too much to keep for myself.