I woke up with the rooster crows the next morning, fully rested. After almost a month of this, I was now used to it. I got dressed, then sat on the loft-bed and popped open my pill-box. The contents gave me a mini panic attack.

Three days… including today…

I then closed the pill-box and put it away. I can’t have just three days to figure out the caesium core problem!! Where did all the time go???

My eyes then drifted to Saoirse, who was preparing breakfast. How can I be in love with her? If that device gets fixed– when that device gets fixed— I am never going to see her again. Ever.

Wait…

“Hey Saoirse,” I said, jumping off the bed. She turned to look at me.

“What do you know about… love?”

“Um…” she said, hesitating. “I’ve… I– I don’t… th-think… I’ve known lo– er… that. And… any time a man tried to recite a poem to me or asked to dance with me at the fair I would yell at him to go away.”

I noticed her turning away as she said that. I wonder what that’s about.

“Well,” I said, now standing next to her. “In my time, if we liked or even loved someone, then we might say or do something to show it. For example…”

I tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned to look at me again.

“... if I were to say something like that to you, I would say that… well…”

“What…?” whispered Saoirse. I looked right into her eyes, and let out a bashful little giggle.

“... that you have the brightest, most beautiful blue-green eyes I’ve ever seen.”

Saoirse just stood there, completely speechless, while her face flushed a bright pink.

Neither of us noticed the oatmeal boiling over–

“WHOA!”

The sound of it sizzling over the rim of the cauldron snapped us out of our trances, and we both quickly reached out for rags to wipe up the mess.

“N-no one’s ever said that to me… before…” said Saoirse, her face still a bit pink.

“I figured.”

An awkward silence then fell over the cottage. Entirely my fault, I’ll admit, but it was worth a shot.

Within minutes that silence was broken by Maebh bursting through the door.

“Saoirse!”

She then tripped over a stool and fell face-first onto the floor.

“Oh, Maebh…” said Saoirse, as I helped the girl up.

Now, Maebh visits almost every other morning, and pretty much every time she falls over and hurts herself in some way. But this was the first time since I got here that she actually started crying.

“Aww, don’t cry!” I said, trying to comfort her. She didn’t know what I said, but she understood the sentiment.

“I always fall… always! It’s not fair!”

I helped her sit up on the stool she tripped over. Saoirse and I looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

And then, I got an idea.

I found some charcoal and parchment and put it on the table, and then told Saoirse to translate for me.

“Hey Maebh. Check this out.”

I started drawing something. Maebh wiped her tears and watched.

“Where I come from, we have these magical creatures. Kind of like… fairies. They have special powers, but they’re also very loyal and will always be with you.”

“What are you making? Is that one of the creatures?”

I finished my drawing and showed it to her.

“Yes. This is called Pikachu. He can zap you with lightning! But if you’re nice to him, he’ll be your best friend.”

“Show me another!”

I smiled, and drew another one. She seemed to like this.

“This one is called Piplup. He can shoot water from his mouth. But he’s proud and stubborn… if he chooses you then you should be very lucky!”

Maebh laughed. I proceeded to show her more Pokémon like Celebi and Dragonite, and even some off-beat ones like Drifloon and Hypno.

“You’re so lucky to have these magical creatures,” said Maebh, now feeling better. “I want to meet them!"

“Maybe someday,” I said, laughing.



Maebh had breakfast with us, and then she left. Saoirse looked at the Pokémon drawings that were still sitting on the table, and smiled.

“You don’t… really have creatures like this in your world, do you?”

I laughed.

“They are kinda real, in a way. They live inside devices like our smartphones, and we interact with them through there. Oh, speaking of which–”

“The last part, right?”

“You know it.”

“I’m going to town now,” said Saoirse, grabbing a basket of eggs. “I’ll get it then.”

I watched her put on her cloak, and realized she was leaving immediately.

“Uh… do you need me to come?”

“Oh, no, no, it’s okay! I’ll be back by midday.”

Saoirse left rather hastily. I wonder what that’s about. It had nothing to do with my flirting attempt this morning, did it?

But then again, I thought I saw her face turn pink again as she left…