(and were back, thank you all for waiting)
Leafy was staring out into the big blue expanse.
The Battle for Dream Island was over. Well, for them at least. The competition had dominated their lives for well over a decade by now, making them fight one another, jump through all sorts of hoops, dance to all sorts of tunes, all for the sake of some prize that none of them were probably even going to see, let alone actually possess. It was a lot of things to a lot of people: a glorious adventure, a miserable march, an exciting journey, a depressing nightmare.
For the leaf, it was largely of the latter kind; her path was one that took her through a tremendous decline, seeing her get ripped away from everyone and everything she had ever loved, followed by her fighting desperately and painfully to get it all back. She was turned away by all, both friend and foe alike. She was driven into exile. She barely managed to get through the days. She watched from afar, seeing everyone else live *far* happier lives. That was all she wanted, for herself and for everyone else, and yet luck would not be on her side.
She'd eventually manage to make her way back, return to a semblance of the way things were all those years ago. But the scars still remained, and the pain still lingered. The other contestants, even the newbies that weren't there to see it, still saw her as some outsider, the one that stole Dream Island. She'd toughen up and smile her way through, but on the inside, it still hurt.
Eventually, *eventually*, everyone would finally see the error of their ways. After spending so many years biding her time and subtly pushing them in the right direction, they'd finally come to see her as a friend once again. Firey, the backstabber, the one that caused this whole debacle in the first place, he eventually saw the light and welcomed her back with open arms.
And now, it was over. It was all over. The Battle for Dream Island had passed, a nightmare disappearing into the darkness, and the pain it carried with it could now finally disappear, as the agony of every tragedy should. It was a new chapter, a new story, and Leafy could finally find peace, could finally move on.
She kept watching as the waves crashed into the shore, as the sun continued along its course, as the clouds continued to move with the breeze. So many years spent worrying, spent fretting, and only now was she able to reconnect with her roots, both metaphorical and literal. So many times had nature worked against her, making things more difficult as she struggled through her exile. Now, she could sit down and take it all in with total peace and serenity once again, basking in the glory and the majesty of the vibrant world, so full of endless wonder and boundless opportunities.
For now, at least.
Sooner or later, she was gonna have to go out there once again. Find her next adventure, the next episode. She and Firey had already planned it all out; they were going to set out into that vast ocean, find the Dream Island that they had once lost, find a place on the Earth that they could call their own. It was going to be a long and arduous journey- there were no doubts about that -but they were no strangers to such hardship. There were certainly going to be troubles and pains, but perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, especially when you have the right positive attitude. Maybe it'll be another learning experience. Maybe it'll be on the road to something greater.
Maybe it'll be a distraction from the pain of the past.
-
The aftermath of the Battle for Dream Island left a lot of time one could spend reflecting.
That would be especially helpful for Bubble. Or especially troubling. She didn't know. Really, she didn't know much of *anything*. Bubbles don't have brains, as she has repeatedly attested to; there is nothing inside of that thin film of liquid to store thought and memory. She can be popped with a finger, and absolutely nothing would remain.
