[apprentice_]

rainichi / octopus / sign up / ruka
Your kalon didn't have the vacation they had planned on, but it was certainly an adventure.
prompt 15: How do they feel about going home? Will they ever come back?
__________________

farewell parties. fun in the moment, painful in the mornings. ruka hangs over the
rail of the cruise ship, it being finally finally finally back in working order and sailing
home. they look seasick but anyone who attended the prior night’s party would know
better. ruka was definitely standing on a table at some point with a megaphone.
that’s about the only thing ruka remembers. that, and getting bottle rocketed. which
they didn’t so much remember as they had pieced together, given the singed shirt
they were still wearing and various eye witnesses.

safe to say ruka didn’t remember much of their last night on the island.
but they’re pretty sure it was a blast.

their friends are all still blacked out to their knowledge, and it feels a lot like how this
journey began: in the company of only themself. while then it was a lonely but
optimistic existence, now was much of a melancholic but glad to be alone sort of thing.
because. ruka did not look their best right now.

the island is well out of sight, already a memory. still ruka finds themself looking in its
direction. they think, in a few years, if this cruise is still a thing (and not already
reduced to only wreckage), they’ll have to buy tickets for them and their brother. if the
budget stays this apparently low, it’ll definitely crash into the island again, and only
then will ruka’s brother ever believe any of this happened, even with the backup of
ruka’s cousin and four friends (only two of said people are actually credible, of course).

ruka hopes the ship doesn’t crash just on the way back.
or maybe they hope it will. island adventure 2: the reckoning.

but no. they’re going home, and that’s fine too. turns out when you’re stuck in a small
island village, you start missing 24 hour convenience stores and public transportation.
and you miss your brother. your brother that, sure, sent you off on a real cheap cruise
ship that started sinking in the middle of the ocean, but. you know.

ruka tosses away the fantasies of being trapped on the island forever. chucks them right
into the passing ocean, along with whatever they had to eat (or drink) last night. it had
been fun, getting lost in the forest, learning people (or a person, singular) worshiped
crabs, injuring themself in their own stupid beach antics. the night stars, obscured by
no light pollution. the stillness sometimes, even in the day, when it was only them and
the sand.

they’re glad to be going home, at the end of the day. they are going to hibernate for
weeks. genuinely, though, home was a retreat all its own. a place of relaxation between
the madness. and lord, did they need some down time.

and, in a month or two, they hoped to be on another beach. their beach, where they grew
up. hadn’t realized they’d missed it so much until they got a taste of it in another seaside
village. surely a crazier, more secluded village, but sandy all the same.

in essence, this wasn’t the end of an adventure. just,
“the start of a new one. . . oh, no, no, no,” ruka whispers to themself, “too cheesy.”

__________________

 [ 543 ]

[Chickpea]

”I’ll be back!!”

[Thani]

-Final Prompt- Octopi- ♥

Juliette clung tightly to her bag, watching a bunch of her fellow shipmates say their goodbyes and board the ship for the journey home.
She was excited that she'd be able to go back home to her sister and her work.
Part of her was sad though, leaving behind all of the friends she made while she was here on this beautiful island.
It wasn't the vacation she expected but somehow...it was a billion times better.

"I'll come back" She promised "And I'll bring my sister with me !"
She knew that she too would enjoy being here, having somewhere peaceful to sit and read all her books.
Maybe she would even get along with Monty.
Turning around one last time she looked upon the island with a small smile on her face, remembering all the fun times she had this month.

Helping Shark get his date with monty, not that he needed the help..
Whale watching with said professor.
Gambling away most of her nights with Rook and Spider.
Digging through the sand with Captain and Rook, finding small treasures to share with them both.
And her favorite, Snorkeling with Akuai!

This vacation had been the best (well really the only) one she had ever been on.
And she was sad to leave it behind, but knew that she could always come back to visit her friends..
Here on Kalokairi Island

[Ethulai]

Prompt #15 Tʜᴇ sʜɪᴘ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ʀᴇᴘᴀɪʀᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ's ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ʜᴏᴍᴇ.
Your kalon didn't have the vacation they had planned on, but it was certainly an adventure. How do they feel about going home? Will they ever come back? Do they head home, or maybe decide to stay?

They had come full circle. Radford stood next to Shark companionably, watching the previously stranded kalons board the ship. Some were bawling loudly, some were shoving and elbowing others out of the way desperate to get onto the deck, some appeared like stunned mullets unsure of how to feel about their situation. He sighed but made no move to join the chaos.
"What are you thinking kid?" the mechanic asked him.
"I didn't want to come here, dude, and now I don't want to leave," he responded truthfully, having formed a mutual understanding with Caro even though they had butted heads more times then not.
"You have a choice to stay. I did. The island is good to castaways. " Shark said gruffly.

Radford reflected on the time he had spent on Kalokairi. All the tasks he had assisted Carter with and how their friendship had allowed the handyman to release his inner cartographer. How he had dragged his heels when being asked to help clean up by Captain, small in structure but so quietly menacing that he dared not decline. The mysterious Egg. Surfing lessons with the bodacious Mako. The thrill of shark racing with Nine and Nikolai. Being able to release his inner child with Timothy and Shrimp. How he had wanted to spend more time with the gullible Aukai and had enjoyed snorkeling despite himself. Thatcher had been a constant source of entertainment. The havoc he had caused with his crustacean companion crew in tow. He could probably leave the merkals behind, though Ellys had been a sweetheart. Poor thing probably needed some civilized company.

What was waiting for him back home? Nothing and no one. He was suffocating in his old life, enduring day by day in his empty existence of a life. No job. No prospects. No hobbies. No friends. No joy. Now the thought of returning terrified him. He hadn't been able to change his circumstances the last time he had awoken after a period of numbness. What if he fell straight back into the black hole he had dug himself as soon as he returned?
"And what if I want to leave after a time?" he asked Shark cautiously.
"The island has it's ways. It seems to know when one of us needs to depart."
"Do you think I should stay?"
"Ain't my life, kid. Curious that you want advice now," he couldn't help adding.
Radford scowled at him.

He could make a life here. He could breathe here. And maybe, in the future, he could help someone out as the island and it's inhabitants had helped him.

[434 words]

[hiraeth + hound]

How do they feel about going home? Will they ever come back?
Do they head home, or maybe decide to stay?

Roe exhaled a deep breath as he peered over the edge of the ship and into the island below. Although it certainly hadn’t been the vacation he planned on (or really, wanted) it certainly held plenty of fond memories from it. He had learned to perhaps give risk and wrong turns a chance, and to go with the flow of things and trust that they will work out. Although he can’t promise he will always think this way and release control to mother nature, he is sure that if he does the ending result may not always be terrible.

He had met new people of all different personalities, most of which he wouldn’t even have spared a second glance to back home. Also, he learned about and saw mermaids! Not many could say they experienced that on their summer vacation, that he was positive of.

However, even with all his good memories of champagne or cocktails by the beach, bantering with the bartender, and running measly tasks the island locals gave him, he was ready to return home. With every passing day a deep yearning was building in his heart more and more for the company of Jay. Roe was not ever one to be clingy or needy, but this extended month without his partner in crime was beginning to do a number on his feelings and sleep. He found himself unable to sleep at night without something applying pressure to his side, reminiscent of his lover back home protecting him as he rested.

“Roe, are you ready to go?” Aden prompted him, drawing him out of his train of thought.

“Yeah.” He replied, short and sweet, the hint of a smile pulling on the corner of his lips.

[ruse]

prompt 04 527 words - "hot take: more emotions!"
character(s) eden n the usual npc ensemble
past sign up 01 02 03 04 LMAO? 14 15

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"c'mon, shark, it has to be at least part of my damn business. i mean like, didn't i give you that amazing(!!) advice earlier?" okay, so that touching moment the other day was apparently not the last time he would ever see shark or his perpetually crossed arms and guarded, scarred face. it's like shark did a reset on himself and forgot just that sunlit time together. eden considered shark to be like. his new dad now. vacation! dad. and they had a moment! not that he cares.
"don't look at me like that. i already know you're soft to the bone. beat up carter if you're so put-off, he was the one who started it anyways," eden half-grumbles, instinctively mimicking shark's posture and chastened expression. then he breaks into a skittish smile, keeping himself from tapping his fist against shark's bicep good-naturedly. "but don't hit him so hard. i'm pretty sure that like, his arms are made out of rocks or something."
shark (tries to) waves him off. "skit already, kid, i already told you to have fun with the rest of your life."
"you'll miss me when i'm gone, though, why not soak in my glory a little longer?"
he murmurs something about getting ready for a date and eden grins wildly and barks out a laugh. his laughter comes out in small peels as he dismisses himself and yeah, i got the message, have fun with the rest of your life, shark.
─
eden returns to his temporary room. he's back here again and it feels somehow more empty than before. what's missing among these smug, blandly homey walls? eden edges open a drawer and it occurs to him as the empty dark of the corners greets him. ah. it's because it's just him here. alone with his loud, loud thoughts.
here is not the (mostly forth) back-and-forth between he and shark, and shark's lack of admittance to connection to eden's antics.
here is not the smiling residents of kalokairi, the copious amounts and colors of mermaid scales, the kr-crabs, coquina shells, loosely identifying sea creatures alongside monty, the stupor of akulai's hair, and shark-racing with nine and nikolai, hyper-fixating on a few people, things in order to avoid acknowledging the bigger things.
here is not kalokairi but here he will not stay. he has things to do. he'll admit, though, it was a nice reverie. maybe one day eden can hijack one of his Super Secretive Missions to detour to kalokairi and he can pretend that everything's the same, even if some of the residents (his friends?) might not be here at that time. of course, he can collect more coquina shells and could always hang out with the mermaids. maybe ellys would like a collection of worldly snow globes?
eden chuckles bitterly, into his pillow and snuggles further into his hands and arms. things will be okay again. he will continue to move on, and kalokairi will soon shift from present to memory. but for now, eden'll sleep.
he'll have to get down to seeing brandy again, listen to his stories more wholly, reverently.
eden voice: hope this doesnt awaken anything in me

─────────────────────────────────────
big thank u to high noon for reading my stuff n this event!!

[SaltyBirb]

How do they feel about going home? Will they ever come back?
Do they head home, or maybe decide to stay?

Juno heard the news about the fixed boat. With the boat repairs done, it was finally time to go home and for the first time, he was actually reluctant to do so. He did want to go home but the fun times he had on the beach is difficult to leave behind. He had tons of new memories from it, even with encountering tons of difficulty during the vacation, it was actuallya very fun and exciting experience. No matter what circumstances he had, he needed to go home. He can't just leave his friends and family very easily and without notice. He thought of how his dear friend, Aurue, will seriously kill him if he would dissappear all of a sudden. With a big sigh, he chose the option to go home, but hoping that he'll come back someday. It was difficult to think of coming back because he's going to be way busier after going home but he'll definitely come back in the future and who knows, maybe he'll also bring his friends with him to enjoy the beachy fun! Regardless, this is a bittersweet goodbye and he'll definitely remember the fun and happy times in this beach. He looked at the bright beach one last time and hurriedly boarded the boa, he quietly muttered a tiny goodbye under his breath...

[persona]

How do they feel about going home? Will they ever come back?
Do they head home, or maybe decide to stay?

Pip had thoroughly enjoyed this detour, and despite the fact it put a wrench in their travel plans, they didn't want to leave. Unfortunately, there are plane tickets for the trip home, house and phone bills, and pets they have back home so they can't just drop everything and stay, as much as they want to. But, in their dreams, maybe one day they'll be able to come back with permanent residency.

They definitely want to come back, however. This place treated Pip well and showed them experiences they wouldn't have gotten if the cruise ran as planned. There were things they hadn't been able to get to, and Pip wants to do them, with or without a cruise stranding them on this island.

Pip had more than enough photos and videos on both their DSLR and phone to satisfy their inner photographer and artist for the next year. Going home to their computer and editing them to their heart's desire, then absolutely crashing was the best plan for now. Pip could feel their energy levels wavering at this point, especially with them being an extrovert. A fat nap sounded amazing, and Pip was certain they were going to pass out on the plane home.

(However, will everyone be getting a refund of some sorts, or compensation for the fact the cruise had a major route-break AND broke down? Good luck, cruise organizer people.)

[234]

[whim]

How do they feel about going home? Will they ever come back?
Do they head home, or maybe decide to stay?

As the day before her departure started to wind down, Iris found herself feeling mixed emotions like any vacationer would. Only this little trip was unexpected due to the ship breaking down, but Iris had found herself enjoying it more than she had initially thought.

Of course, anyone would be upset with having to stop on an unknown island for as long as she had. The trouble with the ship wasn't a pleasant one, especially with the money spent on a hard-earned vacation. That was her initial reaction, anyway, being too stubborn to explore what the small island had to offer, unable to see the amusement in her first couple of days.

But, it gradually grew on her - from fun activities, to meeting the locals, to the fantastic food scene they apparently had here. The island was absolutely beautiful, featuring colorful birds, lush forests and stunning sunsets. It was most certainly enough to get a kalon to want to stay and she certainly made the best out of it upon realizing what this remote location had to offer.

It was bittersweet when she stepped onto the boat to say the least. Leaning against the railing to view the little island one last time, waving to a friend she had made while there. A smile tugged at her mouth gently, feeling the cool breeze against her face.

"I'll see you later, Kalokairi."

[trans]

❝ how do they feel about going home ... ? ❞ - day 15 - team octopi - sign up
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[ ❧ ] you dont think there's just one word to describe how you feel, to explain what you're thinking. there's joy, to finally go home to your family and friends again, gratitude toward shark for helping everyone, and relief that the kruise could be fixed, but also... a somber feeling, a sense of forlorn... disappointment maybe, or the dull ache that occurs whenever you leave people you care about and have to say goodbye. it's a pretty depressing train of thought you dont really want to mull over, but find yourself doing anyways, as the kruise rumbles, and sets sail towards the great unknown once more.

as you wave to the kalons back on the island one last time, both the locals and those who decided to stay, you find yourself feeling, once again, numb. not in a bad way, more so... maybe numb wasnt the right word, you feel...

introspective, almost out of body. all around you the seas morph and blend into the skies, and stars crop up like galactic freckles, glowing brighter than any light you could find on earth. it's almost melancholic feeling, but at the same time... inspiring. the kalons around you become background static as you lose touch with the real world n deep dive into the wonderous sights you see around you now, and the questions shark asked the last time you saw him burn fresh in your mind again.

how do you feel about going home? will you ever come back?

the other questions are moot now, but these two... you didnt have an answer for shark then, and you dont really have one now either. of course you want to go back home, you miss the life you put on pause to join this trip... but you cant help but wonder what would it be like if you'd chosen differently, not just your decision to go home, but with your life in general.

the butterfly effect is an interesting theory, and theories and ideas and concepts like it, are all very interesting too, but they make as much sense to you as a horse's anatomy, which is to say, it doesnt. you often find yourself thinking of them in times like these, with decisions needing to be made or you've already made the big decision, locked in your answer, sealed your choice in stone. there is never not that little voice though that says, what if? and there is never not a time you dont entertain the voice, indulge such a question, wonder what it would've been like if you'd done something else.

you suppose you feel... mostly happy, to go home. you feel satisfied with how you spent your time on kalokairi, you feel pretty positive as a whole, feel like you finished this chapter and closed the book on this journey (or would it be an adventure?) with a good end note.

and you think... yes, some day you'll come back. hard not to feel attached to all the kalons and things you're slowly watching fade away in the distance, left behind.

you think you made the right decision, as you slowly start to snap out of it, the dark blues and twinkling stars peeling away like paint and dissolving into the ocean, crystal clear and the most vibrant shade of teal you've ever laid eyes on, as it always is. you also think there was no wrong decision, though. you like to believe there were only happy accidents.