Ratchet and Nova make it back to the garage, just as the sunset begins. The skies have turned to a deep orange, mixing with the darker hues of the incoming night sky.

"You know, Ratchet, it's really fascinating how a mindscape can have a day-to-night cycle. Has it always done this?"

"As long as I've noticed, yeah. As far as how many days I've spent here, I've lost count. The days just kinda blend together at this point. I'm almost always holed up inside with blueprints, or Aphelion, or holo games, but I wanted to do something different for a change. I haven't just..sat outside to stargaze in so long. Sure, that other stuff is fun, but I wanted to take a break, ya know?"

"I couldn't agree more, Ratchet."

Nova follows as Ratchet walks to the back of the building, finding a stack of crates that he climbs to reach the rooftops. The same vines that snake up the garage walls gather in the edges of the rooftop, and Ratchet lies in the center of the space. Placing his hands behind his head, he patiently waits for the stars to appear. Nova settles herself beside him, with her hands resting at her waist.

Ratchet glances over to her, noticing that her eyes are closed, and she seems deep in thought. "What's up, Nova?"

"Hm?" Nova opens her eyes, giving him her attention. "Oh, nothing. Just thinking."

"About what? I may be in your mind, but I can't read it."

"Well, I'm thinking about the future. What comes next."

Ratchet rolls his eyes. "Heh, don't you be having an existential crisis on me now."

"No, that's not quite it. I'm more talking about the near future, Ratchet. What comes after Nefarious is taken out. What I'll do then."

"Well," Ratchet asks. "What do you want to do?"

"I.." Nova searches for an answer, but is thrown off by her lack of one. "I don't know. I've spent the last two weeks thinking about nothing but training, so I haven't thought about myself until now. I've been so worried about how I compare to you, how I'm trying to be the hero you were." She sighs. "If I'm honest, I actually considered bleaching my hair at some point, because you were a blonde. That's not...weird right?"

"It's, uh, a little weird. Not my hair though, so you do you."

Nova clears her throat, unsure if that particular thought was TMI. "My point being, I haven't given much thought to my life. The bakery, for example."

"And what about Clank?"

"What about him?"

Ratchet turns himself to Nova, who sits up to listen to him. "I tried to be subtle about getting it from you, but I can see it won't work. You like him, I can tell."

Nova sputters, looking away. "N-no, like..romantic like? Where'd that come from?"

Ratchet props himself up on his elbow as he lists his points. "First off, you talk about him all the time."

"Well, sure, he's one of my only friends, but that doesn't mean I-"

"Let me finish. Second, you never told me Saros' name directly. I had to pry for it. He's obviously not as high on the list, so to speak."

Nova looks downward, to the hex mount and brooch. He does have a point there, I guess he isn't that high. Now that it's on her mind, when was the last time she thought about the boy of her own accord?

"Third, you get that goofy smile whenever Clank comes up. It's so obvious."

For a moment, Nova blushes out of something other than embarrassment. She shakes her head to snap herself out of her foolish thoughts. "Sure, I care about him, but I can't..have a crush on him."

"Why not?"

"You, Ratchet. Your influence, the part of you that exists in me. What if he only sees me as you? As a replacement? As family? I don't want to make things awkward between us because of what you two had."

Ratchet blinks, processing the ramblings. "Nova, that's the absolute dumbest thing I've ever heard. And I knew Qwark."

Nova brings a hand to her chin, mumbling to herself in a more curious tone. "Would..Would that be gay? Is that gay if I'm technically you?" She suddenly hears her own words, losing the composure she had. "N-not that there's anything wrong with that though!"

Ratchet shakes his head, brushing off her comments. "You're hysterical, is what you are. Look, let me tell you something, and don't ever forget it." Ratchet glances upward as the last of the sunlight leaves the skies, and the stars begin to appear. The small bulbs attached to the vines split open, revealing bioluminescent flowers that give a soft glow to the area.

"Your life is yours, Nova, not mine. It never was, never will be."

Nova settles back down, and stares into the skies as a few falling stars streak across the heavens. Ratchet continues. "Yeah, I attached to you, but that was more cosmic insurance to make sure you two met. If there's one thing Clank taught me, it's that the destiny you were given at birth has nothing to do with the life you choose. Where was Clank born to be?"

Nova watches the heavens, but thinks about it. "The Timekeeper, as a caretaker. But he chose to stay with you."

"There's your answer." Ratchet assumes his original stargazing position. "We may be similar at times, but you're not me. You're more cautious, not an adrenaline junkie. You tend to ramble, and you sang to him during that storm."

Nova freezes. "You saw that? Heard it?"

"Ghost holovision, remember? Thanks, by the way. It really helped him out." Ratchet watches as Nova's face lights up with a blush.

"Anyway, Nova, romance aside, what do you want to do after it's all over?"

Nova brings a hand to the stars, tracing her favorite constellations. "I'll go back to Star Bits, enjoy a quiet life for a while. After that, I want to see the universe, always have. I'll find someone to watch the bakery while I'm gone, and…" Nova's hand brushes against her harness, then settles back to her waist once more. "I want to take Clank with me, if he'll have me."

Ratchet smiles, and he can tell that a weight has been lifted off her shoulders by saying it out loud. "How do you feel now?"

"You know what, Ratchet? I feel..better. Back home, they never told me about you or Clank, so seeing these scars always left this doubt in my mind. Then there's Nefarious, and suddenly being surrounded by technology that I'd never seen before in my life. All of a sudden, I've got your spirit piece too, so I'm suddenly part hero too, I guess. It was a huge info dump I wasn't prepared for, so I was too focused on all that. But now?"

Nova takes a deep breath, and closes her eyes. "I feel more at peace with myself now than I've felt in a long time."

With that said, the skies begin to form streams of soft, bright light. The ribbons of color slowly streak across the heavens, and it leaves Ratchet wide-eyed and speechless, save for a barely audible gasp that escapes him. He nudges Nova, making sure she doesn't sleep through the sight. "Nova, look at this."

"Hm?" Nova looks up, and she's just as enthralled as Ratchet. "The Synodic Lights," she sighs. "I..I haven't seen them in years..."

"I've never seen this before, alive or dead. Wish I could've been that lucky. It's incredible, tell me about 'em."

"The elders said that when Quantos is in proper alignment, the planet is as close as it can possibly be to the Timekeeper, and the brightest star in the sky will point to the center of the universe. To celebrate, the Zoni weave ribbons of light in the heavens, and that's why we get the Synodic Lights. I'm sure there's a more scientific explanation behind them, but I like the story behind it, too."

The auroras continue their slight movements, and the two heroes lie still in front of the spectacle. "You know what, Nova? So do I."

Minutes pass in peaceful silence, and Nova carefully breaks the atmosphere.

"It really is beautiful out here. You know, the only thing that could possibly make this better is some-" As soon as Nova goes to finish that thought, the teapot appears next to her lap. It's already steeped, and still comfortably warm. Two empty mugs lie beside the kettle, ready to be filled. "Huh. You want some, Ratchet?"

"Sounds good, thanks." Nova gives him a filled cup at his answer.

She lifts her drink to offer a toast. "To the past, and the future it makes possible."

"To the future we build for ourselves." Ratchet lifts his own cup to hers, and the clink rings in the new possibilities of life.

As they both take a drink under the lights, Ratchet can't help but think to himself that his own teacher was right about one thing: breegus nectar does make an excellent tea.