[color=gray][CENTER][COLOR=#AC0D01][sup]________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/COLOR][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5509391][img]https://64.media.tumblr.com/0b20607c9b209981386dc31e435d5d56/b9ad04cd18087e02-35/s1280x1920/d68f6b634da348869c14a7e16a6880e72f65763a.pnj[/img] 
[/url][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=#ff7514][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]The Beach[/I] - [I]Pacific Royal Campus[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=#ff7514][b]Welcome Home #1.038:[/b][/COLOR] [I]Unsure Future[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][COLOR=#AC0D01][SUP][sub]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sub][/SUP][/COLOR][INDENT][sub][color=#ff7514][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] [I]Everyone[/I][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=2c2c2c][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [color=2c2c2c][I]Inevitable embrace[/I][/color][/right][/SUP]
[INDENT]

A smirk began to form on Katja’s lips as she listened to Harper’s reply, giving a couple of small nods to acknowledge the brunette’s answer. 

[color=#FF7514]“I feel you on that one, sis. We’ve got a lot of things on our plates, so I totally understand forgetting about it.”[/color] Her voice was filled with the usual enthusiasm that she was known for across the campus.  [color=#FF7514]“You shouldn’t worry though. A cute girl like you will find a date in no time! If you don’t then I’ll take you to the dance, and you don’t want that now do you?”[/color] She said with a playful wink. Katja knew that Harper wasn’t into girls, so she didn’t see any harm in being a little flirtatious with her.

Then the tall girl turned her attention to Gil, who was just about to reply to her inquiry.

Gil’s answer elicited an unimpressed hum from Katja. It was a very on brand reply from PRCU’s resident staractor and Katja honestly wondered why she had even bothered asking him. Katja had never really seen eye to eye with him. It’s not that she actively disliked him, just that she considered him to be stuck too far up his own arse. The comment about not disappointing any fans only seemed to validate those feelings about him.

She could see his reply seemed to have stung Harper. Katja noticed the sadness in her smile, despite the brunette’s best attempts to hide it. It made her regret even asking the question to begin with. She obviously couldn’t blame Gil for not asking Harper out. Katja herself didn’t even know for sure whether Harper would’ve been interested in the guy. But he could have been a bit more tactful about his options than by bringing up his [i]die-hard fans[/i].

The tall blonde downed the rest of her drink as Harper excused herself and made her way over to the rest of the group. Katja’s bright blue eyes still followed the brunette when she spoke up to Gil. [color=#FF7514] “Well, not everyone has the luxury of an adoring fanbase.”[/color] She gave him a pat on his shoulder that had just enough force to be unpleasant, before turning her annoyed gaze to him.[color=#FF7514] “But I’m sure you’ll manage.”[/color]

Letting go of Gil, Katja crushed the empty can in her hand and tossed it at the nearest trash bin. It initially seemed like it was going to go straight in. But a random gush of wind blew it off course, resulting in the crumpled can bouncing off the edge into the sand. An annoyed huff came from the Afrikaner girl, who excused herself with a nod to Gil and an apologetic smirk to Amma, before making her way over to clean up her trash.

Another object impacted beside her right as she disposed of her own litter. It was Rory’s football, which the Canis boys had been tossing around all this time. Katja could feel their eyes on her as she picked the Pigskin off the beach. Looking up, she could see they were all looking at her with a sense of trepidation. A mischievous grin appeared on her face. This was exactly the kind of thing she needed to blow off some steam. 

Katja called out to the group of Canis students as she steadied the ball.[color=#FF7514]“Lets see if you whelps will put up a fight this year!”[/color] 

[hr]

As the hours passed, many games had been played, Wolves had been humiliated, and many beers had been drunk. As the group split, Katja, being the ever gracious winner, put her thumbs on her temples while spreading her hands, mimicking the antlers of a moose. She was known to make this gesture whenever she scored a goal in Hyperball. [color=#FF7514]“Hope you guys are used to this, as you’re gonna see it a whole lot more!”[/color] She said in between her exaggerated cackling. The Canis boys retorted with some taunts of their own before they parted ways, all in good spirits.

Katja returned to the beach after taking a quick shower. While still wearing her swim shorts, the drop in temperature had forced her to put on a black hoodie together with her worn out utility boots. The small break from the beach also gave her the opportunity to take some six packs with her back to the group. She had consumed quite a lot of the beers Rory had initially brought over, which resulted in her feeling quite the buzz. Fearing they might run out, this seemed to be the ideal moment to bring more for the rest of the group.

After restocking the cooler, and taking one out for herself, Katja made her way over to the campfire. She raised her can to the group as a greeting before making her way over to a free spot next to Lorcán, making sure to ruffle Banjo’s hair as she passed him by.

Lorcán then asked what everyone was planning to do once they finished their studies at PRCU. Katja almost reflexively took a swig from her beer. It was a question that had been bugging her for a while now. Honestly, it had been bugging her since the day she first arrived at the school. This was the first place she truly felt safe, the first place she felt home. She didn’t want to think about her time ending her and about her team, who she considered to be as close to her as family, to break up and split off across the globe. graduation day was like a doomsday clock for her. A day which she hoped would never come, but which was going to be inevitable.

One by one, the others shared their plans for the future. Some, like Harper and Calliope, and Banjo for different reasons too, seemed really in character and didn’t surprise Katja. She really liked Haven’s plans, which the winged girl had shared with her before during one of their joint workouts at the gym. Mei really surprised her, as did Rory.

Katja’s gaze fell on Rory when he had spoken. She felt a tinge of jealousy when she saw him sitting close to Haven. His loyal and cheerful personality had resulted in her developing some sort of a crush on him, one that she hadn’t really been able to properly express into words. Nor actions, really. Unless you count tackling him extra hard during Football games to end up on top of him as a great way to show affection. But while there was a part of her that wished it was her instead of Haven that sat next to Rory, a bigger part of her was glad to see the two of them being happy. She smirked to herself. Afterall, Haven deserved a bit of happiness too.

That didn’t mean she didn’t chuckle when Mei tossed her little webbomb on them though.

However, the answer that resonated the most with Katja was that of Aurora. She seemed to be in a similar situation of not being quite sure what to do when graduation finally came. Thankfully it didn’t appear as if she was too bothered with the question, as the redhead quickly fell asleep after giving her answer, her head resting on Lorcán’s shoulder. 

Katja leaned over to the brown haired hotshot and softly spoke to him. [color=#FF7514]“It’s getting a bit chilly, isn’t it? Maybe you should euhm…”[/color] She mimicked putting her arm around someone sitting next to her before giving a kind smile and a quick wink to Lorcán.

Sensing it was her time to speak up, Katja cleared her throat before she directed her attention to fire at the center of the group.

[color=#FF7514]“Honestly? I have no idea what I’ll do after I graduate. Easiest thing to do is use my degree for something I guess. But then again, there’s not a lot you can do with a history degree right out of university.”[/color] Katja chuckled as she took another swig from her drink before continuing. [color=#FF7514]“I might try to become a pro-athlete. I probably have it in me to make it big in some sports, right Rory?”[/color] She flashed a playful grin at the team’s Golden Retriever. [color=#FF7514]“But then again, the world isn’t welcoming to our kind, so it’s a risky venture to base one’s future on.”[/color] She sighed, gently shaking her can with her fingertips before downing the remainder of its contents.

Placing the empty can next to her, she reached to her chest, grasping the dog tags that hung around her neck. Her thumb traced the imprinted letters, the feeling of which always calmed her down and got her to think clearly. 

[color=#FF7514]“I guess I could always return to Africa. Maybe become a park ranger much like Haven. Protect those that can’t protect themselves against poachers.”[/color] Her lips formed into a sad smile. [color=#FF7514]“Yeah, I think I’d like that.”[/color] Katja said with an uncharacteristically soft voice.

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