"Something on your mind?" I called out.
Startled, May quickly glanced at me. Then, she pushed her bangs back, in an attempt to conceal her face.
"What happens now?" she asked.
"Come on. You know I don't have the answer to that." I planted my hands on either side of my hips.
She knew that I wasn't playing around.
Tucking her knees right under her chin, she sighed, "I just don't understand it, Zinnia." I sat next to her on the edge of the floating island to show her that I was listening. "I was just fine on my own back then…"
I looked at her intently. "Go on."
"I've never been this… lonely before. It frightens me to think that the Brendan who I befriended will never know of me. He'll never exist again…"
"Would you have been happier to have sacrificed yourself instead?" I asked her.
"No, that's not it." she confessed. "It's just that… he made me realize how much I missed out on having a meaningful relationship with the last Brendan Birch.
"I pushed him away, Zinnia. All he wanted was to spend a little more time with me, and in the end, I dumped him like I was some self-centered schoolgirl. What was I thinking?
"What if things don't go back to the way they used to be?" she sighed heavily. "Am I just supposed to pretend like I never met him before?" she shook her head. "I don't want to be haunted by the mistakes I made during my repetitions."
I was puzzled. "So you're saying that you want to go back? Now?"
"It's a big risk, but it has to be now, while the current Brendan Birch still recognizes me." she hugged me. "Please, Zinnia. Take me there."
"I can take you, but the universe could reset at any minute." I warned her.
"You and Giratina will be with me, won't you? I'll come back with you."
I chuckled. "Alright, alright." Giratina emerged underneath the island, prompting me to jump onto its back. "Hop on."
In mere minutes, the ghost dragon took us back to Hoenn in the Omega Ruby dimension.
"He lives in Dewford Town." May informed me. "As far as I'm aware."
I could tell that she was nervous. "Relax, May. Everything's going to be fine. Just be genuine with him. That's all you gotta do."
"Okay…" she exhaled.
We landed on the beach, and followed May to Brendan Birch's cottage. Thankfully, there was a nameplate next to the mailbox near the door, so we knew it was him.
May knocked.
The door opened slowly, and the researcher poked his head out. "Yes I-" his jaw almost dropped when he saw May, "Oh. Hey."
"Hi." the woman mumbled shyly. "Are you…?"
"Busy? No." he finished. "Come in."
We both went inside the cottage, where May made herself comfortable at the kitchen table while I say on the swivel chair in the corner.
"It's… been a long time." Brendan commented.
"Yeah." May agreed.
I simply did my best to blend into the background to let them talk. After all, I wasn't very familiar with either of them.
The researcher cleared his throat, "So… where did you go?"
"I've been everywhere."
"… Except here." he joined her at the table. "Do you realize how long you've been gone?"
She winced, "I really didn't come here for a fight, Brendan."
"Then why are you here?"
"I came to apologize. To tell you how guilty I feel for… leaving you." she averted her eyes. "I'm really sorry. Please forgive me."
"May… how do you expect me to feel about you now?" He asked her. "I can't exactly forget the way you… disappointed me."
"I know. You don't have to remind me." she looked back at him. "I'm the one at fault here, and I fully acknowledge that."
They sat there for a while, simply staring at each other, as if they were having a contest.
Brendan was the one to break the silence, "You're not making this fair. You're still… just as beautiful as the first time I met you."
Surprisingly, May recoiled, annoyed. "Is that all you ever notice about me? This is exactly why-"
"Drop the act." he interjected. "I know who you are underneath all that grit and rough. You don't have to keep pretending around me."
"Do you really?" she scoffed. He must've struck a nerve. Hard.
"Yes, I do." he smiled, despite her mood. "I still haven't figured out exactly why you've always been cold to me, but deep down, I know you do care. Otherwise, why would you come all the way back to Hoenn to apologize to me?"
"I just felt guilty, okay? That's it. Nothing else to it."
His expression dropped. "Oh…"
May turned around to ask me for help, but I kept quiet. She needed to be sincere.
"Okay, you got me." the brunette mumbled in defeat. "I lied to protect myself. And my damn ego."
"So I was right?"
"What else?" May shrugged.
"But I don't understand, why were you so cold to me before?"
"Because you left me for Lisia. Your long-time celebrity crush bumps into you just once in the Lilycove department store, and all of a sudden, you disappear every weekend to hang out with her and appear on her social media feed!" she fumed. "Next thing I know, you play with my emotions and it made me question why I ever fell for you, so I turned to Zinnia, and she was there for me when you weren't. End of story."
Wow. She wasn't kidding.
What Brendan said after that was even more shocking.
"That… never happened." he claimed.
It took exactly five seconds for May's face to rearrange itself. Her anger had cooled, and her voice was meek. "It did. A long time ago."
"No it didn't-"
"Two hundred years ago." May went on. "The very first time I moved to Littleroot. I was scared that history would repeat itself. So I… I held a grudge. Against a previous version of you. I didn't want to get hurt ever again."
"Uhh… May, you're scaring me. Are you sure you're okay?"
Naturally, she went for the simplest explanation, "I've been time travelling for my entire life. I should've stopped, but once you get caught in the loop, it's difficult to get out, because you get so used to it that you outright refuse to.
I swear I could hear the heartbreak in her words. "That's why I came for forgiveness. Because I wanted to break this vicious cycle. I want to… love you again, Brendan."
The researcher got up from the table.
"You know… I did try to date Lisia one time, after you left Hoenn, but it didn't go anywhere. It never felt right, because… I could only be myself around you." he laughed a little. "And who could ever forget that caring, gentle heart you have? You were just too stubborn to let it show."
"Damn right." she got up as well. "Now give me a hug, pretty boy."
"I love you too, cranky." he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her.
Before we could rejoice, a terrible tremor hit, and I knew…
It's time.
May freed herself from Brendan's arms.
"Hey, what's wrong? It's just some tectonic plate activity." he said.
"Zinnia and I have to go. I know we just made up and all, but this is an important matter, Brendan. Do you understand?" the woman responded.
His eyes were full of sadness. "I get it, but just… please tell me you'll come back?"
"I will. You have my word."
I took out my Lustrous Orb, and called out Giratina. "Hurry, May! There isn't much time left!"
She took one last look at Brendan Birch, and jumped through the portal with me.
We could still feel the quake, even though we were flying midair.
"It's best to wait until it's over." I advised her.
"How will we know?"
"My guess is that the world will stop shaking, for one. I don't really know."
Giratina kept on flying, while May and I made ourselves comfortable on its back.
"That was one hell of a journey. Especially for me." the brunette beamed. "When I get home, the first thing I'm doing is having a housewarming party with the Birches."
"That's great." I ruffled her hair. "I'm happy for you."
"What about you, Zinnia? What will you do when you return to your dimension?"
Ah. The dreaded question.
"Honestly…" I scratched my head. "I found my true purpose here. I don't think I ever want to go back."
She raised her eyebrows. "Your… true purpose?"
"I belong here. With Giratina." I affirmed.
"But what if the world needs you? Don't you want to see Aster again?"
"Believe me, as much as I'd like that, this is the path I will continue to walk upon. Among these shadows, I feel peace at last." I smirked. "Besides, the world doesn't need me when it has you, and all the other protagonists, to protect it."
A single tear fell from her eye. "Then, I'll do my best to keep it safe, for your sake."
"That's the spirit. I believe in you." The quake began to calm down, and Giratina turned its head to look back at me. "Hey, it looks like it's okay to travel now. You better get going, May."
Giratina opened a portal to the Omega Ruby dimension one more time, right into May's bedroom in Littleroot Town. The woman hopped in, mysteriously transforming back into her teenage self.
"Take care, Zinnia!" May exclaimed.
"I will." I nodded. "If you ever need anything, you know where to find me."
The portal was sealed, cutting me off from all outside contact.
Giratina spoke, "Lorekeeper, are you certain that this is what you truly desire?"
"Would I have stayed if my answer were anything but certain?" I patted its head.
"Perhaps not. However, if your wishes are subject to change, I will gladly make accommodations for you."
"Let's keep on travelling together, then. There's two entire universes to explore." I grinned. "But first, I'd like to visit an old friend."
Giratina let out a mighty roar, darting full speed ahead into the next dimension.
…
…
…
13.09.02
There they were.
Happily sitting together on Mossdeep's beach.
Do they remember me?
No, of course not. How could they?
But still, I watched from afar, because it was such a heartwarming sight to behold.
"You know, I never would've imagined that you'd convince me to become an astronaut, May. That we'd be right here, on Mossdeep, sharing a home and love for outer space." the young man mentioned.
"Oh, come on. The stars aren't the only things you love, right, Brendan?" May giggled, playfully punching his shoulder.
"No, I'm pretty sure that they are." Brendan chuckled. "Don't forget that you're one, too."
May laughed, rolling into Brendan's arms. "Well, in that case, I'm just the same. I happened to catch one that fell right next door to me in Littleroot Town."
"You're saying that a shooting star fell into my old house in Littleroot? That sounds oddly familiar…" he ran his hand through her bangs. "Oh, wait. It was me."
"Took you long enough." May smirked.
"Hey, guys, I found another Big Pearl!" a blue Mud Fish gurgled.
"Nice, Swampert! A few more of those, and our house will be paid off!" Brendan said, lifting both himself and May off of the sand. "Let's help you out!"
They went off into the water, splashing and having fun, like any happy family would.
I returned to the shadows, like I always have, rewriting the lore I had gathered over the years.
All I can say is that they deserved their happy ending.