[FIN] No Place Like Home

[Blood_Goddess]

It was late in the afternoon by the time the boat pulled into the docks of Kodo.
The bustling streets, and tall glassing buildings of the city were a welcome sight for its returning inhabitants, after being away from it in such a different environment, the sight of home was welcoming.

Tired, both physically and emotionally, Rosie hitched her bag up higher onto her back, sticking with her three friends as they made their way with the crowd off of the boat, and back onto the docks.
"Camphoreooonnn" Rosie stretched her arms once her heeled boots hit pavements, opening her fingers and staring up gleefully at the nearest tall building.
"Oh my gosh its nice to be home~"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"It is," Sera agreed with a tired sigh as she followed her blonde friend off the boat, while Mordecai hovered behind the group, carrying all of Sera's things. It did feel good to be back, despite only being gone for a couple of days, though she could only imagine how Luke was feeling after being gone like an entire week. Therefore, she aimed a sidelong glance and a tired smile at the red-headed noble as she gently nudged him with an elbow, "You glad to be back too?"  

[Suudonym]

Being back in Kodo, in the large city of Camphoreon, felt… strange. The last time he had been free to roam as he wanted seemed like it had been an eternity ago, and it felt like an entirely distant world now. It was in a way as frightening and overwhelming as the first time he had ever set foot in the region, but nonetheless he answered Seraphine's prompt with a nod.  

[TRHQ Yuri Lowell]

Yuri seemed to be the only one that would prefer to be back on Grande Ile. However, with their recent escapades, things had gotten a bit more complicated back home. Thus he couldn't reasonably stay. Plus, Luke was not out of the woods yet, and Yuri knew that. Someone had to keep an eye on him. And really, Kodo wasn't all that bad.

Following Luke and the two girls off the boat, carrying his sword on his shoulder with Repede walking at his side, the man was quiet.  

[Tori Honoo]

After receiving the text from Sera earlier in the day, Dove had resolved to be at the docks to greet them, though the text had been vague, only offering that the group would arrive that day in the afternoon at some point.

The girl now sat on a bench, her knees crossed and hands absently stroking Lovey's ears as she waited for them to appear, her mind still attempting to put together a plan for when they arrived. She was sure Yuri was still angry with her, and they would all be tired, that was certain. It wouldn't do to try to apologize again, not with everyone just now back from their travels, and she knew she wouldn't be able to properly even attempt it with so many others around.

The last time she had seen Luke had been the day she had read Asch's letter to him and had panicked, calling the nurses in to aid him instead of trying to console him herself... Though at the time she hadn't any idea of what to do at all, and likely had been in no shape to even try to soothe him, she had since had time to reflect, and while she couldn't exactly pinpoint the exact reason it bothered her, it did. How was she supposed to interact with him, when their last meeting had been so... And goodness knew what he had been through in the last week alone.

She sighed heavily, looking around at the groups again as the most recent boat unloaded, her eyes stopping as familiar faces appeared in the crowd. She swallowed hard, then rose to her feet with little time to think before they spotted her or came within her reach. Smiling genuinely, grateful for their return, she made her way towards them, offering a soft "Welcome back!" to the group once close enough.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie had lowered her arms, crossing them behind her back as she glanced around the streets.
They were home, and everyone looked pretty much as tired as she felt, with the acceptation of Luke, who looked more tied then she's probably ever felt in her entire life. The bruise on his face didn't help that at all. her chest hurt with the pain she was feeling for her friend, though she knew it was nothing compared to his.

Opening her mouth to get opinions on how to go from here, a cap, pokemon? or calling her uncle. when another voice spoke before she could.
Rosie spun where she stood, stopping to see Dove.
"Dove! You're here, Hi." she greeted, surprised to see the brunette. "Thank you. its good to be back~"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

A nod was good enough for her, especially considering how little Luke had spoken since they found him, so she replied in kind as she followed Rosie along. She was less surprised to see Dove than Rosie was, considering she'd been the one to text the other girl, and she ceded the verbal greeting to Rosie and instead simply raised a hand in a small wave. Arceus was she tired..  

[Suudonym]

The unexpected greeting drew Luke's attention, and he regarded the source with some apprehension before turning his gaze downward. His last memories of speaking to Dove were of a self-destructive outburst, so his immediate assumption was that she would be uncomfortable in his company - not that he was feeling like much of a conversationalist anyway.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Yuri paused behind the group as Dove came forward and greeted them. He looked on with a neutral expression. Thoughts of his and Dove's conversations before they left coming to mind now as he saw the girl.

However, he was just as quiet as Luke and seemed content to observe Rosie's interactions with her for the time being.  

[Tori Honoo]

Noting the other's reactions as she approached, Luke's with a sinking heart and Yuri's with an extreme feeling of guilt, she first went to Rosie as age has been the most forwardly amiable. Though she had at first considered a hug, she stopped just short of the group, instead continuing her greeting. "it's good to see you again," she told them, her eyes flicking to the others before her gaze returned to the pink girl. Her hold on Livey tightened a little. "It's a little unsettling when all of the people you've met disappear all at once, even if it was only for a little while..." she added with a weak laugh, tucking her hair back.

Um, now what? For the first time in a long time, she felt awkward before a group of people, unsure of what to say. Sera just looked like she wanted to sleep, and the boys looked like they only regretted her appearance. To single any of them out for specific discussion-- though she felt she should, soon-- was out of the question, for now. After a moment, she spoke up again, this time to the full group, should they choose to answer. "So how was Grande Ile?"  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie seemed to be perfectly content being the one to continue talking, keeping her attention on the girl, and noticing that she didn't look entirely comfortable right now.
The blond trainer tilted her head, listening to the girl before she continued "Oh, I'm sorry, we didn't mean to worry anyone." She sounded a little surprised, but she smiled encouragingly "Though, sometimes we leave for longer then that when we go for training, off island sometimes too. We're back now though! And we found Luke and Yuri~"

when asked how grand Ile was, Rosie paused, having to think about it. "Well, its beautiful, but we weren't there for very long, We really just went there for a specific reason, we didn't do too much else. well, other then shop a little."
Though that much was obvious since everyone was dressed in Grand Ile clothing, more pointedly the two girls who were not native to Grand Ile.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"All?" Sera repeated, looking mildly confused. "You must not know many people then, if we're 'everyone.' And Rosie and I left a lot later than Luke and Yuri did," the girl said with a frown, though her tones were thoughtful rather than annoyed or anything like that. "They were gone for like... a week?" She stopped, glancing at the others for some sort of confirmation. "Something like that, before Rosie and I left were only a couple days. So it wasn't all at once," she finished as she raised a hand to cover a rather large yawn. Arceus, she was tired...

And Rosie's words were true, for Seraphine was also wearing one of her new Grand Ilean outfits. "Oh, yeah, shopping was fun - interesting too." It had been a little hard trying to figure out what a proper outfit would be for them, and had taken a while, but ultimately they had succeeded.  

[TRHQ Yuri Lowell]

Yuri's straight face turned into a small frown as he listened. Folding his arms across his chest, the man just continued to listen and didn't say anything as of yet.  

[Tori Honoo]

Dove nodded in understanding at the girl's words of traveling for training. The idea itself had been on her mind recently, the thought of maybe working to better her skills and protect not only herself but her friends-- if she mended things enough to even have them let her try-- prominent in her plan of action for the duration of her stay on the island. "I understand, and I'm glad you ran into them!" she smiled brightly, looking to the boys mentioned. "I wasn't sure I would ever see either of you again, but I'm glad you're back."

Yes, of course. The two people on the island that she had probably harmed most. Of course she was glad to see them. She would have the chance to fix things... If she didn't fall all over herself again in the process.

At Sera's comment, the girl's smile faded into a weaker expression, though she did her best to salvage it. "Well, I..." She paused for a moment, again unsure. "I mean after everything that happened, I just..." Her shoulders fell, a voice inside her laughing. She really didn't know many people, unlike in the environment in which she had grown up, and the few days she could have spent with them--the girls, at least-- she had instead spent on her own, trying to piece everything back together and get her feet back on the ground.

"I just missed you guys," she finally admitted, wondering if they would see how serious the sentiment was.

Looking to Luke, she added, "I was on my way to see you last week, but I ran into Emil and he said that you had gone back to Grande Ile.. I wasn't sure if that meant just for...a while or for good." Her expression warmed a little, her heart hoping the time overseas had at least eased the pain a little, though she was sure it hadn't been all fun, with the funeral to attend. "I'm really glad to see you home, though."... "Both of you," she added, looking to the taller man behind him for a few short seconds.

Her attention then shifted back to Rosie and Sera as they told her more about their trip. She nodded. "I can see," she told them, referring to their shopping. "You girls look great! That style really is something else."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rosie kept a small, polite smile on her face as Dove seemed to stumble around words, and shifting around different emotions. The blond blinked watching with a curiosity as to why Dove was feeling so unsure.
"Thank you~" she replied, not sure what else to comment on.
She glanced over to the others behind her, not sure if there was something she was saying that related to them more.