Chapter Text
Epilogue
A week passed.
Then another.
And then a day.
And then another.
One to travel, and one to try and convince her.
She wouldn’t come with her.
But Kinkajou wasn’t going to leave her alone.
She owed it to Veyliss, who was currently, finally, asleep in their mind.
She was nowhere near perfect.
She still spaced out.
Still argued with her Voices.
Still occasionally dug her claws into her wrists.
But she was getting better.
Qibli stayed with her, most of the time.
Whitefall, after declaring her ‘cured’ when back to the Kingdom of Ice to study.
Apparently, for a doctor of the mind, she didn’t know enough about the mind.
Kinkajou gripped her bag.
Her claws slowed their shaking enough for her to put a few throwing knives in.
A gift.
Qibli walked up behind her.
She didn’t whirl, or snarl.
She was getting better at that.
“You ready?” He asked her.
She looked at him sideaways, “No… not really. But I owe it to Veyliss. Shatter isn’t all bad.”
Qibli sighed. “We’ll see.”
Kinkajou rolled her eyes, and took off.
Qibli followed quickly after.
****
It was midnight when they arrived.
The first three camps that they checked were empty.
But a fire was blazing on the fourth, with a very specific sparkly IceWing throwing knives into a log beside it.
Kinkajou landed beside her.
She ignored Kinkajou.
Qibli flew above them, not wanting to ruin the reunion.
Kinkajou took out a few throwing knives, and started to launch them into the log.
They did that for a few minutes.
When Kinkajou and Shatter were out of knives, Kinkajou reached into her bag and took out a very misshapen knife, and shyly passed it to Shatter.
She inspected it, and smiled.
“Perfect,” she declared softly.
She threw the thing into the log.
It cut through another, weaker knife cleanly.
Kinkajou reached out a wing gingerly, then stopped herself.
Shatter looked over.
“You’re guilty.” She observed.
But she still went under the wing.
Kinkajou looked away. “I… I’m better?”
Shatter tsked, “What did I say about that word?”
“Nothing is better than another. It is simply different.” Kinkajou quoted, and grinned.
Shatter broke into a smile, “Missed you.”
Kinkajou leaned into her hug, “You too.”
They stayed like that for a moment.
Then Shatter broke away, to tend to the fire.
“You’re not staying,” She said, knowing what Kinkajou was about to say. “Qibli flying above makes it pretty clear.”
Kinkajou nodded. “I can’t control myself when I’m around you.”
Shatter sighed.
“But… I want you to come with me.”
Shatter stopped. “Oh? I thought you couldn’t control yourself around me.”
Kinkajou rolled her eyes, “I don’t want to lose you.”
“Can’t have two things at once, Veyliss. Choose me or Qibli already.” She told her, staring into the flames, as if lost in thought.
Kinkajou grinned lightly at her, “Wrong name.”
She raised an eyebrow, not moving her head, “How many times are you going to change your name?”
“Just twice.” She replied.
Shatter snorted. “I assume it’s goodbye then?”
Kinkajou shook her head, “Like I said, I’m not giving up on you.”
“So what? I’m your project, your little fixer-upper?”
Kinkajou stared at her, long and hard.
Shatter didn’t seem to notice.
Finally, exasperated, Kinkajou said, “You know that’s not true.”
Shatter suddenly put her entire arm in the fire, grabbed a burning log and threw it into the ocean.
“Shatter.” Kinkajou said, shocked.
“Ask your pretty friend how many times I’ve killed after you left the first time.” She said, watching the burning log go out.
Qibli flew down, when Kinkajou signalled to him.
“What’s up?” He asked, noticing Shatter’s burns instantly.
“How many times did Shatter kill after I left?” Kinkajou asked him, staring at her.
“The first time?”
Kinkajou nodded.
Qibli, paused, glancing at Shatter. “Three notable massacres. At least 113 dead.”
Ice flooded through Kinkajou’s veins.
“That many?” She whispered.
“Now tell him how many I’ve killed now.” Shatter said, not looking at either of them.
“0 confirmed deaths.” Qibli said, looking somewhat proud of Shatter for that.
“See?” Shatter said hoarsely, “You don’t need to ‘fix’ me. I already did that for you.”
Kinkajou stared at her for a moment.
Then walked over to hug her.
“You were already perfect the way you were.” Kinkajou told her.
She stared out to the ocean.
“I know,” She said.
“Why?” Kinkajou asked her.
“Because,” She told her, still staring at the sea.
Kinkajou only hugged her harder.
In Shatter’s eyes was nothing but fear.
Nothing but change.
Nothing but loyalty.
“Hey Shatter?” Kinkajou asked her.
“Hmm?” She replied.
“Thank you for everything.”
THE END