Thunder boomed outside the walls of Sorami General Hospital, heavy rain came knocking on the windows, and lightning flashed the farmlands outside. The hallways were peaceful and commotion was all but non-existing at these hours. The clock ticked on and on, as time continues on without a stop, not once pausing for anyone, or anything.
Tomoki could now barely get out of bed, he struggled to get up in the mornings, and was never continuously active for more than thirty minutes at a time. Most of the time he just spent his days in bed. His repeated ailments had landed him multiple trips to the hospital. He would now end up in the hospital for a week on a monthly basis. Repeated falls, bone and muscle injury, and other ailments had battered down Tomoki's once happy life.
Tomoki, listened to the steady ticking of the clock, in a state of half-consciousness, thinking about how time would never slow down, not for him, not for his friends, not for anyone...of this world. Time had claimed loved ones of Tomoki before. Tomki's grandpa, who still visits him in his thoughts, dreams, and moments of extreme wisdom or pain, was the first to fall to time's ticking hands. Tomoko, Tomoki's alternate physical personality, had also fallen to time as later in life he didn't need her as much anymore. The most recent was chairman, Mikako Satstukitane, who had passed on a year ago in her sleep, leaving Eishirou Sugata lonesome. Eishirou, after Mikako's passing abandoned his house which he built with her on the riverbank, and wondered the land ever since, however he always returns and visits Tomoki and friends often. Tomoki's childhood friend, Sohara, had moved out of Sorami after their high school graduation, going to a university in Tokyo, and becoming an ambassador for Japan in her adult life, assigned to an embassy in the United States. After her retirement, she moved back to Japan and had settled in Yokosuka, living by peacefully on the by the waterside. Of course, there were some beings of which time did not affect.
Tomoki was now ninety-two. His muscles could not do much anymore and his bones had become really fragile. Tomoki still, however, had most of his memories, the ones that hadn't been chopped out forcefully by Sohara... He coughed severely as he listened in on the rain and thunder outside. It was 2AM and he had dimmed his bedside lamp shade and turned off the television, finally resting in the peace and quiet he once wished for in high school. He had all the peace and tranquility he could've ever asked for back then, yet now he didn't want it, he want the noice, commotion, and action, he had in high school.
Recently, Tomoki had a severe medical issue. He was found to be coughing up blood and barely breathing. This was from a severe fall he had earlier that day. He also had problems in his blood system. Doctors, this time, have silently stated that he didn't have much longer. He had been in this same hospital bedroom for a month now. He still walked around but there wasn't much else he could do anymore. However, he never was unhappy...she was always here for him.
Tomoki hacked up a dry and painful-sounding cough, shaking him from his half slumber.
"Are you okay, Master?"
Tomoki settled his cough and calmed down, regaining his consciousness.
"Oh, Ikaros," he coughed again, "Yes, I am fine. Just not feeling so well... Not as young as I used to be," he chuckled.
Tomoki's appearance was similar but yet different. His skin had wrinkled and had become a bit paler than in his youth. His hair, while retaining its length and form, had faded to gray and white from its original jet black. Ikaros, however had not changed. Sure, she was older, but aging was basically non-existent. Physically, or operationally, she had not gotten any older than when she first met Tomoki in that grass field by the large tree. The curse of being immortal.
"Master, I hope you feel better soon. I think the fresh air in the mountains is what you need currently, you will feel much better then."
"Ikaros, there is something I must tell you," he said in a sincere tone.
"Yes, Master."
He held Ikaros's hand in his. Her hands were angelically soft, even after handling that atomic bow and arrow of hers, her palms were smooth and soft to the touch.
"Ikaros," he coughed, "I am afraid, I won't be able to go with you next time to the mountains."
She stuttered slightly, not realizing the full message.
"Okay, Master. You're right, I know you want your peace and quiet, would you like to go at a later date when you are well?"
"Ikaros, I cannot go anymore. I'd really like to though, however I can't"
Ikaros's eyes twinkled in the dim light. A trace of water.
"Why not, Master?"
"Ikaros, I am old, and cannot do much anything anymore. I can not even walk with you outside the hospital as much as I used to. Ikaros, my time is coming to an end."
A tear roled down Ikaros's cheek.
"What do you mean, master?"
"Ikaros, you can't stay with me forever...well in your terms of forever."
"But...Master, you said we could stay together forever."
Ikaros held Tomoki's hand with both hands now, and tears were now rolling down both cheeks.
"Don't cry, Ikaros. There is still one thing I need you to do."
A tear rolled down Tomoki's cheek now. He knew what he had to say. His heart rate monitor was showing shallower and shallower heartbeats, he didn't think he would make it through the night. He was having a harder time breathing.
Ikaros wiped the tears from her cheeks, and in a crackly voice she asked, "Yes, Master?"
Tomoki operated his bed to sit him up. He grabbed the chain to the collar around Ikaros's neck. Upon his touch, the rest of the previously transparent chain link appeared, leading to Tomoki's hand. He felt the chain, still as strong as it was when he first found Ikaros, he didn't have the strength to do it himself. More tears rolled down his face.
"Master, what is it you want me to do?" Ikaros questioned.
"Ikaros...break this chain. Destroy this link."
Ikaros gasped, her wings fluttered and shook for a moment and her eyes shot open. Break this link? The link between her and her master? How could she? She couldn't. She wouldn't. She would break a link if ordered from hundreds of other masters, but this one she never wanted to break.
"Master... I..I can not."
"Ikaros," Tomoki coughed.
She looked down at the chain.
Tomoki went into an episode of coughing. He coughed up blood on the last cough.
"Ikaros, it is my last task for you."
"But...Master-"
"Ikaros," Tomoki interrupted, "It is my last order."
"Master..."
"Ikaros, I order you to break this chain."
Ikaros, hicced and whimpered, her wings shriveled in close to her body. Tears flowed as Ikaros started to cry.
She grabbed the metal chain.
The chain rattled and clanged quietly from this movement.
Her crying intensified. Tears came streaming from her eyes. Her eyes closed tightly, pushing more tears out. Her grip on the chain tightened.
"Master..." she whimpered.
The chain snapped loudly, breaking into two pieces. The longer end to Tomoki flickered and disappeared within seconds, and the shorter end disappeared only to a point, leaving a little excess chain hanging from Ikaros's collar.
Ikaros broke out into a storm of tears, crying really really loudly. It was a good thing the door to the room blocked out much of the noise. She collapsed on her arms on Tomoki's bed.
Tomoki held her hand in his once again. His heart was breaking, physically and emotionally.
"Why Master? Why?"
"Ikaros, my time is coming, really soon actually. You shouldn't be chained to me anymore, I am setting you free," he coughed. "I can't be your master anymore."
"But, Master...please."
"You look beautiful tonight, Ikaros," Tomoki complimented at random.
Ikaros wore a gray skirt, blue sports coat, and a white button down shirt with a loosely fit yellow bow tie. Her wings were fitted through the modified wing sleeves in her back.
Ikaros didn't take note of the compliment and kept crying.
"Master-"
"I am no longer your master, Ikaros," Tomoki interrupted.
"No! You are and always will be my master, Master!"
Tomoki geared up even more. He looked at his heart rate monitor. It was going rapid, but was also getting even more shallow.
He put his arm around Ikaros's neck and pulled her closer, er head now resting beside Tomoki's head on the same pillow, and her body now halfway on the bed, while still sitting in the chair she sat in.
"Ikaros, I have to go soon. I wish I could stay longer."
"No, Master. Don't go," Ikaros begged.
"I wish I didn't have to-"
"You don't," Ikaros interrupted, "just stay with me, forever."
"I can't. I'm sorry," he struggled.
"Please stay, Master. For me."
"I would Ikaros, but I can't. Humans aren't like that."
"You said we would be together, forever, Master."
"Ikaros. Forever can have many concepts. Forever, for me is, til the end of time."
"Yes, Master. The end of time is very far away though."
"Ikaros, the end of my time is only days, hours, or even minutes away," Tomoki coughed.
"No, Master..." Ikaros sobbed.
Tomoki held up Ikaros's hand.
"Ikaros, I have said it before and I'll say it again. I now regret that I hadn't said it earlier than I had but... Remember, Ikaros, when it was just you and me in my room, and I was telling you a childhood story?"
"Yes, Master."
"Then you kissed me, and I burst out scolding you?"
"Yes, Master."
"Then remember how Chaos nearly killed you and I was worried sick."
"Yes, Master."
"Remember when Mikako-san dragged us all to that wedding chapel after that proposal misunderstanding?"
"Yes...Master," Ikaros whimpered.
"I should have said this then, and I'll say it now."
Ikaros whimpered and sobbed.
"I love you, Ikaros."
Ikaros gasped, like she had for all other times he'd said that.
His heart rate was now slowing drastically, the light now fading out.
"Ikaros, be happy. Go and enjoy the world. Find another Master, who will make you happy again, one who will let you know how much he or she appreciates you."
"I will never leave you, Master!"
"No, you must leave me Ikaros. My time is coming to an end. But Ikaros..."
A golden ring on Ikaros's hand glinted in the light.
"See the ring?" he coughed up more blood, "It's an eternal token of my love," he spluttered.
Ikaros sobbed, tears soaked the hospital bed's sheets.
"And I'll always be here, Ikaros, with you." Tomoki pointed a pspot on her chest.
"In my reactor?"
"In your heart, Ikaros."
Tomoki hugged Ikaros and brought her as close as he could, and closed his eyes one last time.
His heart rate monitor flatlined.
Ikaros, whimpered in a now still room. Only the heart rate monitor's quiet flat line noise broke the silence.
She wrapped her arm around Tomoki.
"Goodbye, Master."
Farewell, Tomoki.