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"It's New Years, you know," she said, as the wind whistled across the ledge.
He'd heard that statement before. Not long ago enough. If only it could've been the first time.
He responded with the same response he used last time, "And its another chance, huh."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Don't be sad," he continued. "Change is part of life, Noelle."
If only he could take his own advice.
"I'm scared," she sobbed.
The wind picked up across the ledge. He looked back at his climbing partner. She was shivering. He made sure he was at arm's length from her.
"Come on," he said, "you can do it."
She repeated her last statement. "I'm scared, Oliver."
She had every right to be. They were on the side of a mountaintop, the winds whistling by as the only thing that held them to life was themselves and their equipment. Even that wasn't reliable.
Nonetheless, being scared meant death.
"That's good," he responded. "Our fear of death is what keeps us alive."
She took a hesitant step forward. The silence was irking, and he yearned for her to cross the divide. Oliver wanted just to grab her in his arms.
He heard the avalanche. Noelle froze, and he grabbed her hand and drug her forward.
She refused to look him in the eye. "Thank you, for this. For everything you've done. It's been almost a year, hasn't it?"
To her, maybe.
"Come on Noelle. Let's summit. It's time to start again," he said.
The ridge curved into a snowy hill that led to the summit of Mt. Silver. It was an easy walk. Beautiful. They could see all of Johto. And Oliver began to cry.
He last saw this sight two years ago.
And it was going to end within a second.
In excitement, Noelle ran for the end of the summit.
"Noelle no!"
It was too late. He turned away as it happened. This one was just too painful to watch. Her screams as she plummeted were enough.
"I love you," he whispered. "I wish you knew that."
Oliver dropped to his knees in resignation. Once again, a failure. And there was something about this insanity he engaged in that just tore him to shreds. The screams and thoughts were clawing him down—down a cliff...screaming.
He didn't notice the being of time hovering in the sky.
It's been 30 years now, human.
He looked up. "I know."
That was a phrase he typically reserved for annoyance, but this time it was defeated. Like the dragon had burnt the knight.
Do you really wish to keep trying to change time?
"I...don't know," he answered.
This could be the last time. You can finally let her go.
Oliver stood up. "Let...Noelle...go?"
The words came out like the cry of an animal that had been stabbed and left to bleed for several hours. But his mind began to race. And the hurt took over.
"Never," he vowed. "She will live. No matter how long I have to do this."
Dialga looked disappointed, but there came the familiar cry and flash of light.
Oliver was back on the cliff face again. He looked at the woman clutching the side of the rock face with all of her life, and vowed to protect her. She smiled as she looked up at him, and in that moment he knew. There was no giving up.
"It's New Years, you know," she said and the I d whistled once more past the edge.
He smiled back. "And it's another chance, huh."
But this time the statement wasn't for her.
This time it was what he needed to finish the climb.
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To Bennett,
For helping me on with my own climb.
