"No, no, it's brewed out of ground-up beans. Coffee beans, not like garbanzo beans. I think they might be a little like cocoa beans?"

"You've had chocolate. The coating on Milk Duds is made out of a cocoa bean derivative."

"Aha! Then I fully support cocoa beans and their existence," he says with a laugh.

"Do they have chocolate in New Kystle? Should we bring your sister some souvenirs?"

"We do not. Souvenirs? Ooooh no. I will throw them at her and hope it placates her so she doesn't go on a murderous rampage when I explain why I'm giving up on New Kystle."

"Okay, so chocolate's one thing, what else?"

"... I'd say a pocket library, but no, that's just what I'd want as a souvenir. Not sure what else."

"Also the pocket library won't work there. I don't know, is there anything she likes that she's had a hard time obtaining since the whole mass refugee thing?"

"Soap, I suppose. She's very practical."

"All right. In the time it took you to stagger to the kitchen I had a couple pancakes already, I'll nip out to the convenience store. Mom, is the local chain's deal with the clan still good?"

"Yes, you're all set."

Adarin snickers. "Sorry. I'm not good at mornings and I don't think I ever will be."

"You're fine," says Isabella. She kisses him on the temple and departs the house.

"Oh, you're completely welcome. I packed us some sandwiches, too, in case we stay long enough in your world to need them!"

"Thoughtful of you, thank you!"

"You're welcome. I'm so excited."

He laughs. "Do you want me to help you practice with the language?"

"Ooh, yes please."

"All right," he says, and then he switches languages. "So, when's Isabella's birthday? I have promised her presents."

"It's September thirteenth. That's in a few months still. Will you tell me what you're getting her? I can keep a secret," replies Ranata in the same language, pausing every sentence as though to taste it.

"What's a portal bag?"

"I attach a portal to the inside of a bag rather than a wall or something. The other side of it would be in a storage area, so, essentially, she could just carry an absurd amount of things with her."