Three months since the rewriting of the rule, and Tomoki has started to realize that the world hasn't returned to normal. Not quite.
As he lay there in bed, he pondered to himself was it the world that seemed different? or maybe, just maybe, it was he who had changed.
He had been through a lot in these past couple years. After the constant battles with Minos' Minions, as well as the struggles of his own Angeloids, perhaps it was he who had changed.
At the thought of "His" Angeloids his mind drifted to his friends and images floated into his minds eye. Tears welled up as he remembered how lost they had all been once. Nymph as he held her crying, the pure pain and anguish at her fears of being useless and unwanted. Astrea as she struggled, coming to grips with the morals she possessed that led to her severing her chain to Minos. Ikaros, struggling to be accepted as somewhat "normal" or Sohara who had found out only at the end of the adventure that she was the most unique of them all. Even Sugata, who despite his strong outward appearance had struggled, maybe even more than most. Just trying to find a place to belong. Only too late, realizing that he had found that with Tomoki and his Friends.
It hadn't been all bad though. A rush of memories came over him and he felt his heart fill nearly to bursting.Late evening Dinners, and outings that always ended in some comical event, usually at his expense. He cared for them more than he could ever have imagined. And he knew that each would give their life in turn for his.(he had once witnessed that) As they knew he would do the same in return at any given instance. As he thought of all the laughs and jokes, a slight smile began to grow on his lips, and a faint crimson crept to his cheeks as he thought of the most powerful memory he had ever known. He in Ikaros' embrace, as she flew him towards Synapse on that fateful day. As she looked into his face with tears streaming down her cheeks, and for the first time he saw a smile upon her face as she Said to him "I love you Master" How long he had dreamed of hearing those words from his Angeloid. Yet, in that second he had felt it. He had begged and pleaded with her to turn back to earth, to stay with him. He had known that he could not live without her. In spite of his protestations she had sacrificed herself as the others had to help him to accomplish his goal and to save the worlds. Both of Earth and Synapse.
He had hoped ever since his wish had allowed him to return the worlds to their original forms that perhaps he could see that beautiful smile everyday. But, it had been ever absent. And he could not for the sake of him find a way to make her smile. oh, how he had tried.
As he was trying to think of another way to try and make Ikaros smile, he heard a light shuffling noise outside of his bedroom door. Tomoki pretended to sleep as the door slowly opened, and the sound of wings ruffling slipped quietly into his room. "Master, are you awake?" Ikaros said in her soft plaintive voice. "Yes, Ikaros." was his reply. Tomoki began to sit up as Ikaros settled in beside his bed sitting upon her legs. "Did you rest well Master?" She said to him, looking at him as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "very well, Thank you." he said as he looked around to see her there.
Why can't I tell her how I feel? he thought. What stops me?. He had this thought multiple times a day since they had returned. And he still had no explanation. Part of him was afraid to tell her, even though she had said it to him already. But, they had never discussed it. Everything had returned to the way it was before the day of the assault on Synapse. So he wondered if she had even remembered those moments they had shared.
Dowstairs Astrea and Nymph were sitting at the table talking. "How long do you think it will take them to come clean?" says Astrea to Nymph. Nymph looks around as she reaches into her bag of rice crackers and shrugs. "I would have thought that by now one of them would have given in. It can't go on like this forever can it?" A smirk grows across Astrea's face and says "you'd like that wouldn't you Nymph? Then you wouldn't have to let go." Rosy pink fills Nymph's cheeks as she wheels around from the T.V. to look at Astrea. "What exactly is that supposed to mean Delta?" The anger and embarrassment showing in her face. Astrea Giggles, and simply says "Nothing" and walks into the kitchen for her 3rd helping of breakfast.
As she prepared her plate Astrea mused on about the current situation. It had been 2 days after their return to earth when all of the Angeloids had been sitting in the backyard talking as Tomoki was in his room doing something they all assumed was perverted in some way.
Ikaros tending her watermelon patch, as Nymph and Astrea looked on at the ripe melons salivating. When Nymph had said out of the blue "Do you guys, ya know, Remember what went on?" Ikaros Sat up sharply with a thread of fear running through her as she feared that the others knew what had happened between her and her master. And, dreading what may be said.
They all sat in silence for a brief moment, seeming to concentrate. Then Astrea in a low voice had said "Yes, I remember it all. The fear on Chaos' face, the warmth I felt as I held her and comforted her. And the loss of my life, as I gave myself to be sure that she was not alone." a slight gasp escaped from Nymph with a hiss as she nodded her head. " I remember too. I can still see Minos' and the Melans standing there, the fear and regret flowing through me as I rebonded with him in order to end it all. I can remember the shock as it traveled through my body and how my last fleeting thought was of you, my sisters and of Tomoki"
Hiyori, spoke then. "I can still see Chaos and I in that field. I feel her loss and longing as I gave myself to her in hopes that I could take her pain away." "I can still feel it as if it were this morning as I looked into her face and every fiber of my being grieved for her as I gave my life in hopes of helping her to reach a place of belonging and happiness. All that she wanted was to be loved and I needed to give her that." They all dropped their heads as they remembered how things with Chaos had gone awry. A shared guilt crept through them all, knowing a moment of compassion and understanding could have saved them all. Each swearing they would never repeat the mistakes of the past.
Then Ikaros had turned to face them sitting on the back steps. Bowing her head she said "I too remember" she said in her usual timid voice. "I remember knowing that I had lost you both. And I can see the pain in Master's eyes as he screamed to the Synapse that he was coming and Urged me to take him there. I remember the Suffering we both felt as he learned of my self destruct failsafe and realizing that I was giving myself to gift him his life. And his chance at retribution." at this she shivered slightly and both of the other girls looked at her in a puzzled manner. "Alpha are you okay?" Nymph said tilting her head slightly to one side. "You just seem different. I could have sworn, just now, that I saw you respond physically to a memory."
" I am fine Nymph, But thank you for asking" Ikaros responded. Yet again another out of character response from Ikaros. This left Nymph puzzled, but, she decided to let it go as Ikaros continued her recounting of events. "I can still hear Master pleading with me to turn back. Ordering me to return to earth. But, Knowing that there was no earth to return to, all I could do was continue on. And so I sped on towards the Synapse as I slowly disintegrated. Master was looking me in the eyes and crying as I felt something swelled inside of me as I searched for the words I wished to express to him in our final moments. I felt my reactor explode as I realized the words that I wanted, no needed to say." She blushed then, as she said "I love you master, were the only words that I could imagine were enough, as I kissed him and made my final dive at Synapse with Master in my arms, and a smile upon my face." Sitting on her legs in the yard, hands folded in her lap, she then looked up to the other 3 girls all staring at her in silence, their mouths agape. Her cheeks began to glow a pink hue as she allowed a small grin to escape her lips. Nymph, Delta and Hiyori all inhaled sharply at that moment. Nymph was the first to break the silence. "Alpha, are you telling me that you have found a way to unlock your emotional capability?" "It would seem so Nymp" was her response.
A mischievous grin spread ear to ear across Astrea's face as she looked to Nymph and said "It looks like the competition is growing" Nymph gritted her teeth, cheeks turning a bright red. Refusing to grant Astrea the satisfaction of knowing she understood, she turned back to Ikaros and said "Well, why have you been your old monotone self these past 3 days?" "I think you need to tell Tomoki immediately" Hiyori blurted out, not waiting for an answer. "No" Ikaros said as she jumped to her feet and ran over to them. Reaching out to hold their hands she looked up to them with pleading eyes. "Please don't tell Master" Yet another round of shock fell over the girls as they looked down at her. "I beg you" she repeated don't tell Master. "I don't want him to know. At least not yet" "Please" she said. And Each of them agreed they would keep it a secret for the time being. Hiyori and Nymph knew that this could change everything. Each of them weighing their options, as well as debating their merits. Astrea was just puzzled as to why she would keep such a joyous thing from Tomoki. She asked as much. And was only answer with Ikaros was afrad that the way he looked at her would change if she were different.
Ikaros had decided that she would not tell her master just yet. She was afraid his opinion of her would change, that he wouldn't treat her the way he had before. And she couldn't risk losing the compassion and caring he had always shown her. If he felt the way that she did, she wanted him to come to her. She wanted him to come to her as she had once been before giving him all that she could be. Little did she know how much life could change.