#i would like to keep. please bear with me while i reorganise things here

[flockrest]

hey, so you know how i said i wouldn't be dropping anything,

[liftharos]

16 March ‘20 :

the Goodbyes

18 March ‘20

Ikarnian - Inside Liftharos’ house - 🕛 7:00

〜 ✴︎ 〜 ✴︎ 〜

Today is my last day here in Ikarnian.

I’ve spent the last week packing and reorganising all my possessions, damn if I’ve not become an hoarder since I moved here!

3 years have passed since I arrived in this little town in order to keep an eye on my grandparents’ home; who could have thought that in the meantime I was going to become the new mayor?!

3 wonderful years I’ve shared with my neighbours, my friends, my new family. All the sweet memories are coming back at once slowly getting bittersweet in light of my imminent departure.

Still in my bed I try to focus on the last few thing in schedule for today:

* Breakfast with Cookie, she insisted in making her famous pancakes one last time...I’ll miss her so much!

* Then I’d go and say my goodbyes to Reese, Cyrus and Harvey. I wish them all the joy possible!

* Back home to prepare some rice salad for the town pick-nick, this was Friga’s idea!

* After that what?! My suitcases are already full and in custody at the train station. The lunch will probably turn into dinner ... my last thing to do is to enjoy this day with everyone that cares for me!

I’ve to get up and start doing something or I’ll end up crying again!

Walking towards Cookie’s home was a nice stroll through the nice garden I’ve helped planning. I still the remember the frustration when Klaus and I only managed to create red roses, “at least this colour reflects my feelings for you” he always said giggling, what a smug, flirty friend I got!

When I arrived at her door the smell of the dozens of carnations all around made me feel dizzy, so I sat on the nice tree stump with a strange hearth shaped design on it. It was indeed a lovely day. Cookie came outside wearing her favourite green apron and rushing me in: “ I’ve made pancakes, cookies too you know I learned a new recipe from Chevre, you like orange juice right?! I found some pretty ones in the orchard on the other side of town...” I loved to see her talk incessantly whenever she felt sad or uncomfortable.

“I’ll miss you, I’ll miss you all, I hope you know that” I interrupted her.

Putting the sweets tray on the table the pink dog came sobbing towards me, opening my arms I hugged her:

“Why do you have to leave us?!”

I never thought about how to answer that question.

I just smiled at her and said “Aren’t we hungry?!”. That was enough to make her jump again in the chicken picking toppings, fruits and everything she had prepared for our ritual breakfast together.

“I’ll see you this afternoon! Thanks again for all the food!” I shouted at Cookie while taking the promenade with the sea view, once again a lovely major project I managed to pull off!

“Why do you have to leave us?!”

This question kept buzzing in my mind, I knew that my time in Ikarnian was going to be limited but I loved it as it was endless, was that an error? I don’t think so.

My dream after all was to be an archaeologist, sure ikarnian had her fair share of fossils and gyroids but I wanted more: I wanted to meet the people that lived when we were not even thoughts! And when I heard the new project of the Nook’s I couldn’t resist!

The opportunity to visit and build a city in the newly discovered archipelago down south. A bunch of island that were slightly mentioned in the books of the ancient tribes that inhabited the world before us, can you imagine my joy when it turned out that it wasn’t just a legend! I need to go!

🕛 11:45

It’s almost noon I have to go back home and start cooking.

Here he is, Pierce, on top of the lighthouse his favourite place. He waves at me and spiralling lands in front of me: “ Going home? Up for a run to see who can beat the record?” Smirk.

Always the same, “3,2,1 the last arriving is a duck!” I yelled while I started running.

His stunned face followed by a funny run was always something that’d make my day. He is such a nice man my favourite Eagle!

What was intended as a competition to see who was the fittest and manliest creature in town evolved in a fast walk between two friend saying what the future was presenting them.

“ I want to open a stadium here in Ikarnian”

“ That’s an awesome idea man! I have some money to spare if you need them”

“ Do you really mean it? That’s a good idea I mean”

“ Of course! You are the perfect eagle for the job! You like all kind of games, you are (surprisingly) good with managing money and the perfect body for a golden statue to put at the front door!”

“ Ahahahahaha, thanks Big L., it means a lot coming from you. Will you come back to see it?”

I noticed his voice lower as he ended the question. I smiled. I took his feathery “hand” and said: “ I promised you I’ll be your friend the day you put your house on my backyar! And what kind of friend would I be if I wasn’t there sharing your achievements?!”

“ Ahahaha I know that. Ahaha. It’s noon already I have to go!” Awkwardly, and with the reddest face ever, he hugged me and in a second he was already up in the sky.

Dammit! I didn’t say goodbye to the alpacas and Harvey! Well it’s late now maybe I’ll see them this afternoon. I need to start cooking that rice salad or we’ll end up with a lukewarm mess.

However like today was also the day of the unplanned dates here I have a snooty penguin and a purple little frog waiting for me in front of my house.

“Friga! Diva! What are you doing here?!” I asked waving at them.

“We are waiting for you Dummy! Let’s make some food together” responded the lady with whom I’ve spent every single day in this town, Friga.

I let them come inside aiming for the kitchen, they keep asking any sort of questions: did I packed all my clothes? Imagine being stranded on a deserted island without enough pants. Did I check my passport? I did Diva I did it already. I smile thinking about these two wonderful ladies helping me cooking. These two in particular were the rocks for me, whenever I needed someone to talk to and receive an honest and direct answer they always were there for me, with some chocolates to help the hard truths more tolerable.

🕛 17:30

We prepared an incredible amount of dishes in the four hours inside my kitchen, humming to our favourite K.K. Songs: Diva and I do really love K.K. Bazaar. Still humming we headed to the small garden where the picknick was held.

Everyone was there, all my neighbours, Reese and Cyrus as well as Harvey. And of course here comes panting Isabelle holding in her paws more cups, plates and bottles anyone of us’d have carry. Her usual self!

The chats were interrupted by food, by games, by stories of this wonderful city.

“ Do you all remember that time we lost Poppy?!” inquiries Harry.

“ Stop!” Yelled the poor squirrel.

“ Chevre came looking for her near my house all preoccupied. Did you see poppy?! Hohoho and when we finally found her she was stuck in a pit !!!” Continues the hyppo.

I pat Poppy telling that I was really worried that time and that’s enough to calm her and put a smile on that lovely face. Her and Chevre insisted on sitting by my sides offering me the food they made; in these three years they mastered all my favourite dishes. I was full but the food kept coming. Once in a while one of them started sobbing by herself and it was my job to reassure them: “ I’ll never forget you!” Or “ of course you can come visit, and so will I do” or “ silly I promised I’d send you a letter every week!” And I meant every single word that left my mouth.

It was getting dark and after kissing and hugging everyone I had to get back home, the train was leaving early in the morning and I’d use a few more hours of sleep.

I started heading come when I felt and heavy arm over my shoulders. I looked up and Klaus was there with a serious face on.

“ Did you really think I was going to let you go home by yourself?! What if a bear came after you?” He giggled.

“Thanks, it’s handy to have a bodyguard!” I said with my eyes watering.

We never needed to talk much, when we first met we knew we were meant to be friends right away. He lived right in front of my house after all, a small river diving us...but a bridge was built the same week he moved in.

We shared a lot of interests, history, politics, art countless were the hours spent at one of our places looking at books or paintings. I loved him so much and he knew that.

Our steps kept getting smaller and smallerto let us enjoy the evening breeze as long as possible.

“ Will you please keep and eye on my peach tree in front of my house? You can take as many as you need” I asked.

“ Don’t even need to ask that”

“ You know I will come back once in a while right? And you have to come as soon as I build an house...you’ll have a room just for yoursel..”

He interrupted me by giving the biggest hug a boy could handle. His fuzzy yet soft fur tickling me. All the tension of these days left my body as I was a sponge being squeezed.

“ Thanks” I murmured. As I said we never needed to talk much.

A quick peck on the cheek and here I was alone already safely at home.

I put on my pyjama and I went straight away to bed. The thoughts were many but the stress and fatigue of moving was taking its toll.

My last night in Ikarnian was scarily getting closer and closer. Goodnight to you my friends.