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[ic.] Life had always been kind to miss Clockwork, despite the obstacles thrown at her. It had always let her overcome even her hardest situations. Deaths, cancer, disappearances, you name it. But recently, whatever gods that resided above them had decided that Clockwork's fate was coming to a close, plaguing her with depression, anxiety, and psychosis, making her lose touch with external reality. It was only in a short trip to the present that she had requested sick leave. She knew it wasn't fair on everyone that she would only pop up every few days, and it especially wasn't fair on her colleague, Lily, whom had worked so hard to save so many lives.
That's why, on that particularly dull, gloomy, drizzly Friday afternoon, the dual-toned medic found herself sitting along the edge of the main island. Clichéd, wasn't it? Maybe she knew that she didn't have more time left, maybe she didn't. I don't really know. One thing she was sure about, however, was that she was upsetting her Clanmates, friends and family alike by walking around in such a sorry state, and let's be honest, she wasn't exactly the most prettiest sight to look at anymore. With a blind, clouded eye and scar over her face and body, a particularly nasty on snaking around her abdomen, she looked years beyond her 20 months, and the half of her body that was colored white was now stained with earth and grass from her lack of motivation to keep clean. Some could even mistake her as an elder.
The hallucinations were the worst.
Figures of her loved ones would show up in her darkest moments. There was one, a white feline that, although she couldn't see the face of, she was sure was Gus. Was it his spirit, concerned for her wellbeing? Or was it just her disintegrating mind plaguing her with memories of her dead husband? A Great Dane would also sometimes appear as well, with these yellow-tinted goggles atop it's head.
"Kou-kun, was that you?" She'd mutter, head cocked to the side quizzically as she looked out over the horizon. Like I had mentioned earlier, it was a particularly miserable day today, with the clouds above a dirty grey, obscuring the sun. Rain had pelted down that morning making the ground slick with mud, and at this point, it hadn't let up at all, soaking the winged feline to the bone as she sat there but she wasn't sure she cared anymore. She wasn't sure what she cared about anymore. She just wanted time to stop, and disappear into a timeless world, with no death, responsibilities, or worries. Yes.. A timeless world sounded nice. Oh.. wait.. There was one, right? The Heat Haze? Ah yes, how could she forget. That damned thing had plagued her friends and family.. Stupid snakes.
However, amid these thoughts, another figure appeared before her, floating a few feet beyond the edge of the island. It was a brown feline, with stars in her fur, and she smelled of spice and warmth. "Okasa?" Clockwork would question quietly, her dulled red eyes looking wearily towards the figure of her late mother. This one was a hallucination, she was sure of it.. The real Ayaka was stuck in the Heat Haze, doomed for eternity. "It's time to come home, Ayano." It'd say in a gentle, caring tone only a mother could speak in. "You've been such a good girl.. Taking care of Kamen and Kousuke and Tsubomi.." It would pause for a moment, the starry figure gazing at her daughter, "I think it's time you rested."
And at that moment, Clockwork had everything figured out. Every single thing.
Rising from her seated position, the medic would take a step closer, another step closer to the edge and the end of her fate, only to stop mid-step, casting a dubious glance over her shoulder. No.. She had responsibilities to take care of.. Children to take care of. She couldn't leave Myth-chan and Redpaw and Winter- "They'll be fine." Ayaka would reply gently, no malice present in her facial expression or tone. And she really meant it. "They're old enough to take care of themselves and understand. They'll be okay."
"But Lily and Snowpaw too.." The memories she had with her apprentice, the good and the bad, were treasured deep within her. Snowpaw as well. God, how she wished she had helped Snowpaw more than she did. The poor thing was so young, yet with so many responsibilities..
"It's okay, Ayano. Everything will be okay." Turning back to face her mother, the medic would take her final step on this earth, her heart skipping a beat as plummeted off the edge. This sensation.. The air whispering and whistling in her ears as it snaked through her fur.. It felt all too familiar. She had her wings hanging limply, the wind gliding right over the aerodynamic feathers but she couldn't bring herself to fly. This was her time to go.
'Myth-chan.. Take care of your sisters. They will need you. Lily, I have no doubt you'll be a great head medicine cat. Snowpaw.. I love you like the daughter I never had.'
THUMP. A dull sound hitting the earth echoed through the trees, the birds falling quiet.
♦ ♦ ♦
[color=#e10000]"Okasa, I'm home."

