[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
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

[ ❧ ] 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.

[Lepid]

Fawkes felt some very mixed emotions when the ship gave its final call to go. He lingered for a long moment and looked at the people that he had gotten so close to. He grew to love the island and everyone on there. He had so many adventures and new memories and he felt like he really made some connections with the people. Fawkes reluctantly dragged his bags into the ship though and boarded it. His heart felt sad to go so soon but he also had a garden house to attend to when he got home. He loved and cherished his plants and he couldn’t just leave them there alone to die. The thought of that made Fawkes even more sick. He stared out the window and watched the ocean waves gently brush up against the boat as it took off. He decided that he would go back for sure. Not just once or twice, but maybe a few times yearly. Fawkes got excited just thinking about telling his friends and dragging them to the island too. He spent the rest of his time in the ship writing out everything that had occurred on the island so he could use it for reference when trying to persuade his friends to go to a foreign and undiscovered island.

(218)

[fangsnfluff]

Cherry absolutely loved to travel, and while this cruise hadn’t gone like he had expected, it had still been an incredible time. As much as it surprised him, now that it was time to leave the island he was absolutely not prepared to go. Well, he was. He wanted to see his kids again. He missed him house and his bed and his family. But, he also was not ready to leave behind the island. The salty breeze, the singing of the birds, and the soft sand of the beaches made the island one of the most naturally beautiful places Cherry had ever come across. But it was those who lived there that made it truly special.
He knew he would have to leave, he had known that from the moment they pulled into port. But he also knew he would not stay gone. He would come back, hopefully with his family and friends next time. He would come back to visit some old friends, nap beneath the shade of the palm trees, and swim in the cool ocean waters. But most importantly, he would relive ths memories he’d made here. Memories that, even as a god, were unlike any he’d ever made before.

[tigressa]

Prompt 15
tigressa // aden // squid
Aden is so READY to get off this island and smooch!

[magpie!]

username: magpie!
prompt: How do they feel about going home? Will they ever come back?
Do they head home, or maybe decide to stay?
sign up: here
team: squid


"I must go home, but I'll definitely be back!"

[Kyar]

Tʜᴇ sʜɪᴘ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ʀᴇᴘᴀɪʀᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ's ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ʜᴏᴍᴇ.

Waves against the hull seemed distant now, Twig's stubby legs hanging over the side of the ship. He really shouldn't be so close to the edge, but he couldn't help it. He imagined he was flying, sideways, and the water down below was waving up at him as he said his last goodbye. The island was already shrinking in the distance. It was so weird, watching it go. He'd spent what felt like ages here, and he was sure he was leaving a different person than when he came.

Just think of all the friends he'd made, all the things he'd done! He'd discovered mermaids, learned how to break rocks, met some really strange crabs... what was with those crabs? That part he never was too sure about.

Do you think any stole aboard the ship before it left?

He may have lost his sheriff's star, and his little perfect butterfly, but he had candies and stories and all kinds of shells and trinkets to bring home to his family, and tell them all about it.

Twig watched Shark disappear over the horizon, and hoped he would see him again someday. Maybe he could convince his Mom, Dad, and siblings to come along next time.

There would be a next time, right?

He didn't know it then, he couldn't know for sure. But he could hope. Whether he made it back or not, he knew that he would have friends here forever. The adventures wouldn't go away just because he wasn't still on the island. That's what they say, right? Friends are forever. Kalokari was forever, too. He kicked his feet over the edge, leaning forward against the rail and raising his hand in one final wave goodbye.

But it wasn't exactly goodbye. Goodbye could mean forever. What he really meant was... "until next time." The thought made him smile, and he leaned his head against the cool metal rail. He probably better head inside. He was sure the kitchen was cooking up something... erm... something, anyway. He could hear his stomach growling.

Slipping his legs back through and pulling himself up, he looked out over the sea once more. He was pretty sure a pod of whales were making one last lurch for air in the distance, or maybe it was just a group of mermaids out for a swim.

As he left the sights, the smells, the adventures behind, he was already thinking of ways to persuade Mom and Dad -- "Can I pleeeeeeeeeease go again?"

[suneater]

day 15 - team squid - sign up

Though locked up for a fairly large portion of the trip, Vanilla found herself beginning to miss Kalokairi island. She couldn't tell if it was because she was disappointed in herself for not exploring, or if it was because Brandy made a mean virgin margarita. But either way, the familiar ebb of homesickness had been nagging at her since she stepped foot onto the cruise ship.

The boat was ready to sail, and Vanilla waved at the shore, hoping to ease the weird aching she felt in her heart. Something was missing.. but she couldn't figure out what. The anchor groaned as it began its climb from the sea floor, and the boat rocked underneath her feet. She flailed around, attempting to brace herself on... her absent son. That sinking feeling in her chest exploded, and she realized with a gasp that Jem was still (probably) snoozing on the beach. Panic took hold, and she nearly dived onto the dock. The words of caution and surprise of the other cruise members fell on deaf ears.

By the time she reached the beach, the cruise ship was just far enough that she wasn't able to get back on. Besides, if the look on Jem's face said anything, he would rather sleep on the sand than bother with rowing the two to meet it. It seems like they had no choice but to stay, but Kalokairi wasn't a bad place to be stranded (as long as they could get back).

248 words

[sicknasty]

How do they feel about going home? Will they ever come back?
Do they head home, or maybe decide to stay?
sicknasty - levi - octopi - 224 words

going home? wouldn't that be nice, huh. levi would love to go back to their home, the gods' realm, to the place where their heart is at rest - without being too poetic, of course. but it's been a long time since they were welcome there, and it'll be a long time before they can go back again, if they ever do. sometimes they wonder if they'll make it back, or if they'll fade and forget and live out a short peaceful mortal life with only faint memories of where they came from.
the island has been a pleasant excursion, though - they've always liked a warm climate, and the beaches are beyond divine. if they're entirely honest, they liked it a lot more than the cruise, and they're a little disappointed to get back on the loud, smelly and crowded cruise boat to go back home.
but they won't stay. the hospitality of the locals can only last so long, after all, and levi is too much of a free spirit to be confined to the small island. sooner or later, they'd get sick of the villagers, feel like the island's coasts were closing in on them, and the whole place would be spoilt to them. they'd rather leave with happy memories than wait till they turn sour.
and besides, they're out of clean underwear.

[lonk]

how do they feel about going home? will they ever come back? do they head home, or maybe decide to stay??
venita - eh | palmer - very good | rudy - very bad | 593 words

the trio stared at the ship, ready to step off of kalokairi and head back to their room for the last time. rudy was the first to turn back to look at the island, a mask of sadness on his face. "aw, man. i didn't think i'd ever say this string of words, but i'm gonna miss being stuck on an island."
palmer put his hand on the taller boy's shoulder, grinning. "c'mon, kiddo. we're going back to the land of good wi-fi and more than three restaurants. once we're home, you'll forget why you missed this place. i mean, it's pretty, but really," he said, throwing his arm out with a flourish, "there are so many places to explore in this crazy universe we're in. this little island is just a blip on the map."
rudy frowned. "don't say that, dude. we've done so many cool things here, and met so many cool people... i'd love to come back someday. it's a real unique place."
"oh, boy. if you didn't like what i said before, i'll just keep my mouth shut." palmer laughed at his own statement. ven didn't think it was very funny. when he noticed her look of disapproval, he raised an eyebrow. "you're awful quiet, princess. got any hot opinions to put on the table?"
venita forced a smile. "ha ha. very funny." she stopped to think for a moment. "i think... i think both of you are right. kalokairi was a place that presented us with so many opportunities, and allowed us to meet so many different people, but at the same time... there's such a big world out there."
she glanced over to rudy, looking miserable as ever. "i know you're sad now, bud, but think about all the other destinations you'll go to in the future. sure, they might not be the same, but this experience has left its mark, right?" he nodded, listening as she continued. "plus, you said you had a friend waiting for you back home."
rudy smiled weakly. "man... i almost forgot about desiree. she and her girlfriend are busy watching my cat." he ran his fingers through his hair. "okay. i'll stop being sad. but it doesn't mean that palmer gets to be nasty!"
venita agreed, and turned to face the other man. "speaking of nasty, you shouldn't dump on the island, palmer." he smiled sheepishly, quickly looking down after their eyes met. "while you're right that there's other places out there like this, you'd be pissed if i said something like that about your catcho... cathori... your whatever place you come from."
"alright, alright. no need to scold me. let's get going." palmer took a step onto the boat, and without looking back, began to walk to their room.
rudy's exit was far more hesitant. he took in a breath, and got one last good look at the island. "man," he said under his breath, "i'm gonna miss this place." letting out a sigh, he shook his head, and followed palmer's path back onto the boat.
venita was the last of the three to board. what a vacation this was. she expected to relax by the pool the whole time, or take endless naps in her room... but instead, she spent countless hours sweating in the scorching heat, doing fetch quests for islanders, and getting constant, painful reminders of her childhood home.
while it was sad to leave, ven felt a wave of relief when she watched the island shrink in her window, swallowed by the sea.