Klee + Jokarien - Realizations

She'd flown further than she should have, really. Cold to the bone, she flew high until she was nearly there, then dove.

She could see, in this form, perfectly clearly. Better really, because it was a bird. She dropped like a rock, wings held tight to her sides, a streak of impossible color.

When she landed- hidden in the bushes and carefully tended wild growth of the Manor, she stumbled, fell, and lay with her wings loosely flopped out. Despite being the healthiest of her forms, her body was still weak, regardless, and she'd done herself no favors.

She didn't really care.

Eventually she got up again, shifting back to her true self only after she bird-walked across the lawn, and was hidden in the evening shadows of the manor. She got to her feet after she did so, and pulled the strings and threads of her magic. Fire shot through her fingers, burning pain, but it was just how it went, now. She wove and smoothed, shaped and solidified, then heaved a deep breath.

In her hands, a small bouquet- sunset-hued daisies, which matched the sky in color. As the sunset or rose, they'd match it too.

She'd left a bunch for Rhy, too, in the early morning hours before she'd left. They'd known she would go, and she'd left a note explaining where she'd gone.

Just in case.

She dusted herself off, then shook off the envelope that had been carried all the way here. Rhy's letter to Jokarien. She stared at it, willing hope to come around. It didn't- until she heard his voice, just around the corner.

A smile- a ghost of what it may have once been- lit her face. She took several steps forward, around the corner. Hidden behind a tree, she saw Jokarien come out.

And a breath behind came the girl. Klee tilted her head, studying her. The one Jade had feared was hers. That had startled her, honestly, but so had Jade- waltzing into the clearing with his .. wife.

She breathed deeply as Sin passed Jokarien, then turned back to him and smiled- a vibrant, happy, sweet smile. The sort that people remembered.

The sort Klee had forgotten how to make. The sort she hadn't felt in long enough to feel like forever.

"We'll be ok, Jokarien. Cora won't let anything happen." Sin's smile remained. She was dressed in a flowing white skirt, pale blue top. Peasant fare, but she wore it well.

"Still. You two be careful." Jokarien's answering smile was enough- Klee's smile broke, turning neutral.

Sin stepped forward, gave Jokarien a huge hug. "I love you, Jokarien. We'll be careful, and we'll be back soon."

Klee's hearing was fine, even as her sight started to fade abruptly. The shift from bird to elf often left her sight fine for a short while, but it never lasted long. She went from seeing normally to suddenly seeing nothing but muted color and moving shadows- and the threads and weaving of energy. Everything had energy.

Jokarien was silent for a second, then lifted Sin's head and kissed her lightly, speaking quietly. But not quietly enough. "I love you too, Sin."

Klee blinked as the kiss twined energies briefly- then dropped her gaze, suddenly numb. Words flickered across her mind.

"What do you want, Kleeklai? Really, what do you expect?"

"Nothing, now. Nothing at all. It is too much to ask that someone care. That someone treats me like a person, not a disease."

"Deal with it. That's all anyone will ever see of you."

She closed her eyes, heard Sin turn and move away down the walk to the Tauren waiting patiently by the gate. She lifted her head, eyes still closed, and inhaled deeply.

Then, she killed it- all the feeling, the hurt and pain, the anger at it all.

"Klee?" Jokarien's voice was startled, and she opened her eyes to see he'd turned around and seen her lurking there.

A smile crossed her face, cold and empty. She held the flowers out. "A peace offering, I suppose." She turned the other hand out. "And a letter from Rhysette, to you."

Her voice had an odd hollow ring to it, even to her ears.

And she didn't care.