video;

[oathkeeping]

[Roxas' expression is fairly cross today and he's surrounded by papers, a notebook and a couple of textbooks, but one of them is closed with more papers sticking out of it, as though it's just been slammed shut unceremoniously. Because it has.]

You know, I tried to follow the rules and do school the way they want us to here, because that's the normal thing to do and they gave me a place to live and all, but I'm done

[He tosses down a pencil.]

It's stupid. They said I missed too many days last spring, so I had to do a grade over. But I'm not learning anything new! It's just the same stuff! They want us to come be heroes but then we can't decide for ourselves where to be or what's worth learning if they don't think we're old enough? I quit.

[Roxas Nolastname, high school dropout.]

I guess I might need a second job now. Anyone hiring?

Oh, and uh, hi, new people. This world is all right aside from the school stuff. Hopefully most of you won't have to bother with it.

Comments

[oathkeeping]

Uh...I don't know, I guess I always could. It just felt natural when I tried.

[He stops to think about when he first did, and how he learned—is that another thing he got from Sora? Or, he wonders as something in his stomach sinks, is it something DiZ programmed him to know?

Skateboarding is something normal kids do, after all. Normal, ignorant, unquestioning kids who don't know their friends aren't real.]

I got one of my own after I was here for a few weeks.

[mirroredmemory]

[Roxas looks thoughtful and then something else. Xion's not entirely sure what, or why, but she doesn't like it.

Instead, she goes for distraction methods with a laugh.]

You've had one for all this time and never taught me? You suck! You owe me a lesson and ice cream for this.

[oathkeeping]

I get you ice cream all the time already.

[Of course, she gets it for him too. Trading off is only fair.]

You'll need to get a practice board first. Or borrow one, maybe—they're not cheap, unless they break easily.

[mirroredmemory]

Okay, so if I get a board then you'll teach me. I can do that.

[Don't ask her how but she's sure going to try.]

Do you think you can teach me how to do that thing I see the seniors do on the handrail at school? That's easy, right?

[oathkeeping]

Uh....maybe we should start with the simple stuff. Like pushing off to make it go.

[mirroredmemory]

How long do you think it's going to take until I'm doing cool stuff?

[oathkeeping]

Xion, I don't know! [He laughs] You're just going to have to try it and see.

[mirroredmemory]

Well how long did it take you to start doing the cool stuff?

[A dog with a bone- or a replica without a skateboard- that is Xion]

Do you think I need a helmet?

[oathkeeping]

Not that long.

[Like...right away, really. It just came naturally. Maybe it will for her too.]

Might as well get one, right? Just to be safe. Unless you've got a hard head.

[mirroredmemory]

Do you have a helmet?

[Because she doesn't want to look lame when she's trying to be one of the cool kids, you know.]

And what's the best type of skateboard to get?

[oathkeeping]

Uh, no.

[...look it's different for him.]

You should get one that looks cool. What's your favorite color?

[mirroredmemory]

You don't know what my favorite color is?

[oathkeeping]

No. You never told me.

[mirroredmemory]

Oh.

Well, it's blue.

[Little bit of a pause and...]

I never asked you what yours is.

[oathkeeping]

I'm not sure I ever thought about it.

Maybe...that pinky-orange color you get at sunset.

[mirroredmemory]

That's a nice colour, I like it too.

Do you think it has a proper name?

[oathkeeping]

I dunno. You could come up with one.