Author's Note: Just a quick shout-out to user CitrusChickadee for supporting my work! I truly appreciate what they've done, along with their commentary, and I hope you all enjoy this sequel as much as they do!

18.11.02

It's been a day now.

I'm still shaken up over what happened, unable to do anything without being reminded of… her.

Making sure not to wake my parents, I slipped out of the house, heading straight towards Sky Pillar.

Upon reaching the peak, I found Zinnia waiting for me, just as she said she would.

"Took you long enough." she yawned. "I've been here almost an entire day, and I was really considering just chucking the book through your window, honestly."

"I'm sorry about that. I just wasn't ready to go outside on my own yet. It's been… hard for me, these past few days." I replied truthfully.

"What matters most is that you're here now." Zinnia outstretched her hand, holding the book. "It's all yours, Brendan."

"Thanks." I skimmed through the pages, reading the details attached to the numerous diagrams Zinnia had drawn. "What is this book about, exactly?"

"Draconid Lore, naturally." Zinnia grinned. "I've written all kinds of things, from my visions of the alternate universes to how exactly they break apart into separate timelines. I haven't had any new ones for a while now, so I assume that my time as Lorekeeper has concluded."

"Where will you go, after this?" I asked.

"Wherever I desire." Zinnia chuckled. "I have no intention of staying in Hoenn, though I do wish to visit my grandmother from time to time. I want to make sure that I'm here to honour her when she dies."

I silently put the book away in my bag. I tried my best to avoid thinking about death.

"It's tough. I know." Zinnia sighed. "I sincerely apologise for not being able to help you, but I was here, trying to summon Rayquaza, on that day. I had to prepare for the event in which May failed, but it seems like the effort was unnecessary." the Whismur that I saw the other day hopped out, and Zinnia began to pet it, just as she did last time. "I too, lost someone important to me… and not a day has passed by that I don't think of them. Can you believe it? I even named this little one Aster, so that I wouldn't be lonely."

"That was her name? Aster?" I asked.

"Yes. Aster." she said it more lovingly now, as her Whismur cuddled up beside her.

I never would have thought that I could relate to Zinnia in such a way. My previous contempt for her began to chip away a little.

"I'm not telling you any of this to gain sympathy, just so you know." Zinnia informed me. "I'm not the kind of person to do things so carelessly."

"Yes, I understand that much." I told her.

"Hmm… that reminds me- the other day, you implied that you thought I was suspiciously involved with Andre." Zinnia mentioned.

"You weren't?"

"Why would I do such a thing? I'm no enemy of yours. But Andre, on the other hand… he is."

"I never trusted him from the start. And I'm also guessing that his fate in 13 years won't redeem him?"

"You guessed right. But fear not. You are fully capable of stopping him before he ever reaches that point, but it won't be easy. He's evasive; even more so than I am."

"Does that have to do with the secret that he guards?"

"I must say, I'm impressed. You're becoming more skilled at making accurate inferences by the minute." she chuckled. "Andre's secret is his true identity. Only those from his homeland know who he really is."

"But didn't you speak with him various times? Wouldn't he have told you?"

"Our conversations were interesting. He never revealed his actual name to me, otherwise, I would've remembered. I spoke to him only because he approached me. Nothing else. Although I will admit, I understand if you still don't trust me, after everything that's happened."

"Do you know where he's from?"

"No idea." Zinnia shrugged. "I'll leave the investigation to you. The most important information lies between the pages of the book."

She got up from her spot on the ground, picking up her Whismur before giving me one last call. "But remember, Brendan… you still have a choice in whether or not you want to do this. You could literally toss the book into the ocean, and it wouldn't hurt my feelings one bit."

"I take it that this is your way of saying goodbye?" I deadpanned.

"What else could this be? I am leaving Hoenn, after all. And on the off-chance that we meet again someday… well, I think we'll both be pretty hardened travellers by then, don't you agree?" Zinnia called out her Salamence, and climbed onto its back. "Good luck, Brendan! And farewell!"

Then, before I could reply, just like always, she vanished into the night.

When I got home, I was too tired to begin reading the book, so I tucked it in my drawer next to my PC instead.

Lying down on my bed, staring at the ceiling, I tried to relax my mind, but found myself unable to, because the thoughts that I normally suppressed were beginning to surface.

May didn't deserve to die.

Andre knew this, but for his own benefit, he purposely manipulated Wally to force May's recovery, and avoided going to the conference so that she would volunteer to destroy the asteroid. All for the sake of his greed.

I need to expose him for who he is.

It doesn't matter if it takes me 13 days, or 13 years.

I will avenge May.