Chapter 17 – Holes in the Mind
Anam, Rhys, James, and Amia all left for Manny's Spire of Trials. In the meantime, Nevren paid a visit after he was summoned, and left to rally up Kilo Village. That left everybody else to go through some training with Star, who was summoned this time by Zena. Compared to Anam's strength, Star was barely solid, and for the most part, could only be heard. There were a few instances where Pokémon accidentally passed right through the Mew phantasm because they didn't see her. And, generally, it was hard to tell the pink cloud of Mew-shaped smoke from everything else.
Owen was sitting at the town square, just below a small bulletin board that went largely unused. He stared at it nostalgically; he knew every corner of that board, the way it was carved from stone and then melted at the edges to look shiny. There was a small bowl of grayish-yellow adhesive to the side of the board that was used to stick papers on; when it was no longer needed, it could just be peeled off. Owen remembered how he once put a notice here. 'Looking for a new rock, at least two feet in height, polished! Will pay 3000 Poké!' was what he had posted.
It ended up being a very good rock.
He had bought it with his allowance that he'd saved up from Amia and Alex, after spending most of it on treats and fighting materials. But now, what could he post there? Especially now that he knew all of the other Pokémon that had lived there in town were dead and hiding out in Amia's Fire Orb to leave room for the newcomers. Owen felt a pang in his chest. How could his parents do that to him? All of the friends he had were spirits. They weren't even around anymore—they had to make room for all the Guardians and their spirits. What was the point of all that, anyway?
Spirits… It had been a while since Owen thought about the ones he had. Were they watching the whole time? "Wait…" Owen said. He looked around. It seemed that mostly everybody was training in their own corners of Hot Spot Square, focusing on what they felt was most necessary. Zena was nearest to Owen, despite this. Star was also nearby. "Um—Star?"
"Yo." The Mew in question was watching everybody and their training, giving pointers when necessary. Zena, in particular, was still gathering her energy after expending so much into summoning Star.
"How do I summon spirits?"
"Oh, you wanna learn that? Yeah, I guess you should, especially since everybody else knows how to do it. It actually isn't that hard, either. Zena, didn't you accidentally spit someone out when you used Water Gun once?"
"Y-you promised you wouldn't speak of that!" Zena squeaked.
"O-oh, sorry," Star said. "But hey, wasn't a Divine Promise, heh… S-sorry. Really."
Zena, flushing red, slithered away to compose herself.
"A-anyway, it feels a lot like using an Attack, okay? But instead, it feels like you're focusing… inward, and then bringing something out… That make sense?"
"I think I understand," Owen said, closing his eyes. "Inward… inward… Wait—who do I summon?"
"Uhh," Star said. "Why don't you try talking to them? It's kinda like talking to yourself in your head. You'll get a response. Hey, you might even feel them reaching out. That'll make it easier to summon them."
Owen nodded. "Okay, let me try." He closed his eyes and tried to ignore everything that his five senses were giving him. It was easier than usual; this part of town was quieter, and the heat was nothing to his natural body.
Um… hello? Is anybody there? Owen said. It's me, um, Owen.
A few voices replied to him—various forms of hello. Owen knew that if they'd done this to him earlier, he would've thought he was going crazy.
H-hi! I—I didn't think that'd… work! Um—have you guys always been there?
Various answers that confirmed.
W-wow, okay… I didn't expect that, he said. Are you enjoying watching all this? I hope you guys aren't too bored there.
Various responses, though they seemed mostly positive.
Owen blushed slightly. A-anyway, I wanted to summon one of you guys for practice! Is that okay? Who can I summon and stuff? I just really want to learn this new technique. Everyone else knows it, and I gotta catch up!
Well… I suppose I can, said a voice. Owen got the impression that it was Klent, the Jumpluff—the previous Guardian.
Klent! Right? I'm glad to hear you again! Um… sorry I didn't talk to you guys until now. It's kinda been a really rough few days, and then I got distracted…
It's okay, Owen, Klent replied.
Owen felt something inside his chest. No—not quite. But it felt like it was coming from there. Was that Klent trying to summon himself? But he wasn't quite there. Owen had to help. "Okay," Owen said. It felt like meditating. He went deep into himself, into his spirit… and found Klent's presence. Then, with another thought, he pushed him out. More and more… it felt like something rising out of his body. A gentle warmth, even for his Fiery type. Owen briefly wondered if going Grass would've made it easier or harder to summon someone.
A blue ember flew out of Owen's chest, landing a few feet ahead of him. There, the blue ember shaped itself into four little spheres—Owen recognized this as the base of a Jumpluff's shape. It then solidified enough to be visible, like Klent was made out of lightly colored glass that was also on fire. "A-are… are you okay?" Owen asked.
"I believe so," Klent replied, looking at his pom-poms. "Hmm. I feel very… ghostly."
"Sorry. I guess I'm not strong enough yet."
"Yeah," Star said, "your Mysticism is actually a lot higher than when you started off, more than I expected, actually, but you don't know how to use it yet, is the problem," Star said. "That's what I'd call a measure of how adept you are at using your divine power. Mysticism. And since you're still working on it, don't worry! You'll improve fast."
"Mysticisismum… Mystici…" Owen shook his head. "I'm stronger than expected?"
"Mhm," Star nodded. "See, being exposed to powerful Mystics… kinda also raises the power faster. Like a feedback loop. So, the training you guys do with each other is gonna benefit you the most, Owen, since you're the furthest behind. Oh, and not to mention you nearly died during that fight with Azu, that boosts your Mystic power, too!"
"I—I have to nearly die to get stronger?! What kind of system is that?!"
"Just a side-effect," Star shrugged. "It's not ideal… but hey, you also nearly drowned with Zena, remember? So that's another boost! Stress on the aura trying to cling to the body is a real workout for the spirit, you know. Usually doesn't mean anything, but for a Mystic, you can use that to get more in touch with your spiritual side. Literally."
Owen crossed his arms and pouted. She had a point, but he didn't want to admit it. This reckless lifestyle that once endangered him was actually paying off. At least he was more strategic in battle. "What else raises Mysticis—mys—is there a better name for it?"
"Divinity?"
"Mysticism it is," Owen grumbled.
Star giggled. "What else raises it? Lots of spiritual and aural stuff that Rhys does," she said. "Meditation, mental training, grueling endurance, powerful emotions, near-death experiences… the works. Stuff that the body normally wouldn't want."
"So… not fighting?"
"That's for your normal fighting abilities; that tunes your aura with your body," Star said. "Mysticism tunes your aura to the power that your body draws from, directly. The connection from your aura to your spirit. Subtle difference."
"I don't get it."
"You will. Just practice more."
"Ngh…"
They repeated this process a few times. Star left to train the others while Owen practiced under Klent's instructions. Klent vanished as an ember and reentered Owen's body.
Zena was eventually unable to maintain Star's form, and the pink smoke faded in the air. Willow summoned her next, practicing with ADAM and Valle. The Joltik practiced summoning her twisted spirits, all of them preferring to become giant mushrooms of some kind, screaming and laughing at anybody who approached, occasionally exploding. ADAM, meanwhile, focused on summoning the few spirits he had within his Normal Orb. They behaved oddly like ADAM, moving stiffly and erratically, though given how transparent they were, it was clear that this was not a technique that the Porygon-Z was used to.
Valle practiced my meditating. That is, he stood still in the middle of Hot Spot and observed the cave's walls.
"Is that even a valid way to train?"
"Well, it's meditating," Star said. Her smoky form made what Owen could only guess was a shrug. "And I guess since he's expanding his aura a ton to feel the whole cave, that's pretty good training. And—"
Willow and a few of her mushrooms screamed at one another. Willow tackled a blue one, which puffed up and exploded, making all of the others scream and hop along the ground, tackling one another.
"Oh, come on," Star sighed. "I gotta go break them up." She flew away, leaving Owen and Zena alone.
The Charmander stared uneasily at the exploding mushrooms. "How long have we known her, again?" he said.
"Not very long," Zena replied. "…Do you… not remember?"
Owen looked at Zena. "I mean," he said, "I know that we met her recently, but I kinda—I don't know. To be honest," he laughed nervously, "I think this Mystic stuff is making my memories a little foggy. Is that normal?"
"I'm sure it's just shock," Zena said, strained. "Owen, do you—do you really not remember anything? How much do you remember?"
"I remember I was fighting Azu," Owen said. "And I remember… I think I remember fighting Willow. And training. I think I remember that. Oh, and I remember fighting that Aerodactyl. I wonder how he's doing."
Zena fidgeted with her ribbons. "What about me?" she asked.
"Huh?"
"Me. Do you remember anything about me?"
Owen paused. "…Oh! I remember we fought Rhys. Yeah. That was pretty scary, actually. I hope when I get stronger, I can rematch him." He nodded. "He beat me in one hit."
"You only remember your fights?" Zena asked.
Owen scratched the back of his head in thought. "Yeah, I think so. But that's the most important part, in a way, since I can learn from all those fights. Muscle memory! That's a really important type of memory."
Zena stared in silence. Her tail coiled around itself in a tight circle.
"Did… did we hang out more often than what I'm remembering?" he asked.
"No, we didn't," Zena said curtly. "Your memory is just fine. Like I said, Owen. You're still in some kind of shock from the fight. Your Mystic power will help you recover in time."
"Hmm," Owen said. "I don't know, Zena." He eyed her carefully. "Can you at least fill me in on some of the details I'm missing? Maybe it'll help jog my memory!"
"No. You're just fine," Zena said.
She seemed tense, but Owen's perception was dull. He had the vaguest idea that his senses used to be a lot sharper for these sorts of things. But now? It all felt muddled.
And he knew he used to be a Charmeleon. Zena should have known, too. Why was she hiding it from him? It was like everybody was playing along to keep the secret from him. He could tell that much. Zena knew, too. He saw it in her eyes. But—was it for something important…? Or was it just another lie, like Hot Spot's villagers?
No. He wasn't going to live through something like that again. Zena felt too important for him to leave those memories locked away. He didn't know why. It was just a feeling. Feelings. He could remember those. If only he could also remember the details. He also had a feeling who it was that was behind keeping everyone quiet.
"Zena," Owen said. "Do you trust Star?"
"Star?" Zena said. "Of course not."
Owen wasn't expecting such a forward answer. "O-oh. You don't?"
"No. I'm only following this group because you—" Zena stopped herself. "…Because… it's better than being alone. There are others that I can talk to here and I feel safer. I can tell that it's the same for most of the other Guardians, too. It isn't that we trust Star. It's that she's offering a better alternative than… being alone. And, I suppose in Valle's case, he's satisfied with his new cave." The Milotic rolled her eyes at the thought of the strange statue. "But don't you remember why I don't trust… well, no… why I simply can't forgive her so easily? I'd think at least that would be something you'd remember," she hissed.
"A-about that," Owen said, shrinking back. "O-oh, wait. I think I do, I—"
Owen sat in the middle of Anam's office. Zena was trembling around him, burying her face in her coils. Her body constricted around Owen, her scales grinding against the rocky wall behind her. The Charmeleon desperately held Zena steady, trying to keep her together.
Owen clutched at his head. "OHH, that one hurt," he grunted. His tiny body would've been split in two if she squeezed any harder! But that memory… that confirmed it. Charmeleon. He looked up at the Milotic in his memory.
Zena gasped, slithering backward. "Owen?" She bit at her lower lip uncertainly.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. I think—I think I should stop thinking for a little bit." Owen looked up, seeing the Milotic back away like she'd done something she shouldn't have. Eyes of regret. She was keeping it a secret. Everyone was. It was Hot Spot all over again. "Zena? Listen—tell me again, just—why, with Star and—"
"I need to go," Zena said abruptly, turning around.
"Uh—Zena!" Owen said. "Wait! I—"
"Practice your summoning," the Milotic said. "I need to meditate."
"But…" Owen frowned. "But I just… want to remember…"
Owen… Klent said from within his spirit. Let's just practice for now. Let her unwind. She's obviously tense.
Okay, so that wasn't just me? Owen said. I know I upset her with what I said, but—I just don't remember, Klent! I—
She understands. She just needs time. Please, let's keep practicing.
Owen sighed. Fine.
Owen summoned him again, over and over, improving his technique until—finally—the Jumpluff appeared, but instead of being opaque like before, he was solid. The Jumpluff was indistinguishable from others, just like the other spirits that Owen knew all his life. This thought sent another pang through him—of what, he still couldn't identify. Anger, betrayal, sadness… confusion. He was pretty sure it was confusion. He couldn't see himself holding a terrible grudge against his own parents, after all. They meant well.
I better not be developing a complex, Owen thought bitterly. But then he addressed Klent with a smile and a presenting motion with his arms.
"Oh, you did it," Klent said, inspecting his pom-poms with a neutral expression. "Very good."
"You don't seem too happy about that," Owen said, crossing his arms. "I mean, c'mon, aren't you glad to be alive again? I mean… basically-alive? …Solid?"
"…I suppose I am," Klent said. "I just didn't think it would be under these circumstances."
"Oh—circumstances?" Owen asked. "What do you mean, circumstances?" Owen glanced at Klent and, for half of a second, they locked eyes. Owen saw… something, there, in those eyes. What was it? It put a horrible pit in his stomach, something eating at him from the inside. He gulped. "Klent?"
Klent shook his head. "Sorry. I suppose I'm still bitter about dying, is all."
Owen nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's pretty… yeah," he said, stepping forward. But that look Klent gave him. It was similar to what he saw before when he first entered the Grass Orb. That hesitation to meet him. Why did they all hesitate? Were they shy, or…? And the way Klent looked at him, too.
"…Owen?" Klent asked. His eyes softened. "Are you okay?"
"I—yeah, I'm okay," Owen said. "Klent… can I ask you something?"
"As… as one of your spirits, I suppose I'll have to at least listen to your question," he said.
Owen glanced back. Star was still busy. He looked back at Klent. If there was one person he could put his trust in right now, it'd be the very spirits that were a part of his being. They wouldn't lie to him. "How come I'm a Charmander again?"
"Pick a different question," Klent said lowly.
"S-so I really was a Charmeleon," Owen said softly.
Klent looked at Star. "Owen, stay here, I need to—"
"Please, don't tell her," Owen said. "I don't want to forget. I… it's messing with my head. I feel like I'm losing my mind—why? What's happening? Why does it feel like there are huge holes where my past should be? I—I don't even know how old I am, Klent. Please… What's… why am… why is everything like this?"
The Jumpluff hesitated again. He looked cornered and eyed Star. He wouldn't be able to get there in time even if he tried. His eyes were frantic and said it all: Owen wasn't supposed to be behaving this way, and it was a surprise. Why was he regaining his memories so quickly?
"Why did Star trust me to have this Orb?" Owen asked. "What's so special about me? How come I'm so strong for a Charmander, a—a late-evolver, too. Like the others. Why… why can I do Fire Trap? Only I know it. Only me." Owen's mind was racing. Connecting. He was always good at this—when he was focused on something, he could make connections quickly and easily. He did it in battle all the time, finding just the right tactic to beat an opponent many times stronger than he was. But tactics alone wouldn't make him that special. James was the same way—tactical—perhaps even better. So why him?
Owen thought again. What other people had strange, special talents? Stronger than usual? Late-evolving? Gahi. A Trapinch that was incredibly fast. He gave off the signs of a Pokémon with Speed Boost, on top of already incredible speed, even for his slowest, larva-like form. Mispy. Her aura reading, for one, not to mention her incredible healing talent. Demitri. He was slow, but nothing held back his attacks. He could take more hits than all of them combined. Owen had a vague memory of him smashing through even his Protect shields of light during a distant sparring match.
Those strange Pokémon. The Ninjask that Star talked about. The Luxray, too. They were strange, just like he was. A Pokémon with no ancestry. A Pokémon that was created by some other way. Who were his parents? The ones he was born from. Amia and Alex never knew. And Rhys—why did he know so much about—
The bed. The Rawst bed. Not only did he have one in his home in Hot Spot Cave, but there was also one in Rhys' old home. Who would ever need a Rawst bed in that cave? Rhys didn't take guests. Sure, he tended to gather useless trinkets. But a Rawst bed?
"Klent…" Owen finally said again. The Jumpluff was taking slow steps away, trying to get to Star. "Please, wait! Klent! I… I need to know!" he said.
Klent ran as fast as his light body would allow. Little puffs of dandelion seeds flew from his pom-poms in his frantic dash. Owen didn't yet know how to forcibly recall a spirit. He had to chase after him.
"Klent, PLEASE!" Owen yelled. "What—what am I?!"
Star turned around, ears twitching at the question. She saw Klent running toward him with primal fear in his glassy eyes, and then Owen right behind him. She flicked her hand and created a barrier to stop Owen from advancing; he slammed his fist helplessly against it. Star floated toward him.
"Whoa, whoa, h-hang on, Owen!" Star said. "Just—just breathe, okay? Just breathe…! This'll only take a second…!"
"NO! DON'T TAKE THEM AWAY!" Owen screamed, clutching his head. Star's paw glowed, but when he said that, the light flickered. "P-please," Owen said again, staring at the Mew with wide eyes. "I… I don't want to forget! I know someone's messing with my head—taking away my memories…! There's… they're missing… I'm missing so much of my past! I—I can see the holes, they're—they're all covered up and scooped out of my head…!" Tears bubbled at the sides of his eyes, tracing the ridges of his scales.
"O-okay, Owen, just—just calm down! Look, l-look, no light! It's gone, no light…!" Star waved her paws in the air; indeed, the light was gone.
Hyperventilating, Owen sat down. He was dizzy. He wanted to throw up.
He sat in the middle of some forest, reading a book with Amia and Alex nearby. They had gone out more often back then. How far back? He was a Charmeleon.
He was playing marbles with a few of the other villagers. He was a Charmander. His tiny hands made it easy to make precise shots. He won every time.
The chest pain returned. Something ran right through his back—a blade from the end of a tail, plunged into him. His mother cried his name.
He was flying—the memory abruptly cut off.
"O-oh… oh, Arceus… h-how old am I…?" Owen said. His head was pounding. He wasn't sure if it was his breathing or his tears that made his vision so blurry.
"Owen, shh, shh… just… just breathe, okay? Stay with me." Star said. "Your aura is out of control—just breathe… Owen? Close your eyes… just focus on my voice, okay? Owen, can you hear me? Owen?"
It wasn't working. Owen's entire body was shaking; he couldn't see anymore. It was all dark. It felt like his tail's flame was covering his whole back.
He heard roaring. It was his voice. He remembered roaring. Such a horrible noise. The roars in his mind translated into desperate whimpers for the others to hear.
"Owen," Zena said, right beside him. Owen didn't even realize she had been there. "Breathe."
Owen choked on his breath, clutching at his chest. It felt like his ribs were splitting apart.
"You've got this, Owen," Star said. "In and out. Breathe easy. Theeere you go…"
Breathe, breathe… Meditate. Rhys always asked that. Rhys—!
He sat next to Gahi. He sank halfway into the sand pit, muttering something. Owen laughed and said, "Just do it, we can fight later!" And then he closed his eyes.
They sat at the table. Rhys gave Owen a little smile. He had his favorite dish today. Gahi groaned, wanting something meatier.
Owen had Rhys' neck in his giant claws—the memory abruptly stopped.
"Owen, stay with me, c'mon," Star said softly. By now, everybody was staring at them. Owen didn't know; his eyes were shut tight.
"Owen, I'm going to put a small block on your memory, okay? I won't erase anything. I'm just going to stop them from coming for a little while."
Owen didn't say anything. He was burning.
He walked through Kilo Village with a spring in his step. As a Charmeleon, he'd surely be accepted into the Association!
There was a frightened little Spinarak with a few injured legs. He offered an Oran Berry. The wild thing ate it, spat a String Shot in his face, and fled. Owen shouted something about being ungrateful.
Owen felt the warm embrace of a fellow Charmander. They were both crying silently. He didn't want to let go.
"Owen? Owen, are you okay?" Star said.
It felt like there was still a lot more missing. He didn't know how much was gone—but a lot still was. But the flood was frozen in place. Ready to topple over him at any second, yet frozen for now. Owen breathed slowly.
"Star…" he finally said. Feeling slightly more secure with what he had, and what he didn't yet have to deal with, he asked, "What's wrong with me…?"
The Mew nodded and pat his shoulder. She floated to his height—a little, pink puff that tried her best to comfort him with words. "A lot, Owen, a lot," she said, "but you're going to be okay, alright? You have me. You have everyone else. We're here for you, alright?"
Demitri, Mispy, and Gahi were all staring, confused. "What's going on?" Demitri asked. "What's Owen talking about? Is he…? Is that Orb driving him crazy?"
"C-can it do that…?" Mispy asked. She was hiding her leaf behind her head; it was getting a total sensory overload at the pulsing flare Owen's aura gave off. His panic made it an inferno; her ability to sense auras was shot like she was hit by three Flash attacks all at once. What was happening to his head?
"Oy, Owen," Gahi said.
Owen gulped and opened his eyes. "G-Gahi…?"
"Y'alright?" he asked.
"I…" Owen stopped. He felt… grounded, hearing Gahi speak to him. "I'm okay… I think I'm okay."
He looked at Zena next, and the pain in his chest slowly subsided.
Star sighed, feeling Owen's aura calm down. It was still flaming—but it was at least no longer like staring at the sun.
"Owen?" Zena spoke up. She was among the many training Guardians that had paused to see if Owen was okay.
"H-hi, Zena," Owen said. He realized that everybody was staring at him; he lowered his head in shame. "I—I'm sorry. I… I'm making a huge scene over nothing…"
"It's not nothing," Zena said. The Milotic could relate. No breakdown was over nothing. There was always a reason—and it felt like this was over something much deeper than a bit of stress. "Star, why don't we make lunch for him?"
"I—I want to make lunch for Owen, too!" Willow said.
"There is a fresh collection of underground berries," Valle said, "located in hallway E after a left, right, left, and left turn. They will serve Owen well."
"Okay. We'll all take a break for lunch," Star said.
"Guardians do not require food," ADAM said.
"Then—train if you like, but take a break if you want," Star said. "Owen, want to head to, uh, Rhys' place? We'll whip up something nice."
Owen's mind was still racing, but perhaps now it was at a jog rather than a sprint. He was making connections about his blurry past and what he already knew. With Star putting a block on the remaining memories that were hidden away, he could work with that manageable portion without being overwhelmed by the rest.
He was definitely a Charmeleon during his fight with Azu. But then, something happened. He remembered… an intense heat. And a pressure in his chest. The heat he felt before when he had evolved the first time. And he felt that heat many, many times before. He became a Charmeleon countless times—he evolved, over and over, and then forgot, becoming a Charmander again. It was always Rhys—or… or Amia. They were the ones who somehow brought him back to normal.
Normal. Normal from what?
Owen thought about his strange dreams. He thought they were just fantasies about being a Charizard, but… no. There was no way they were fantasies. That happened. He was a Charizard before. And Gahi was a Flygon—and Demitri, a Haxorus, and Mispy, a Meganium. They all were, before. But something happened… what happened? He can't remember. That was still locked away. Those times with Team Alloy, fully evolved, felt like incredibly early memories. How far back did it go? How long ago was that? How many evolution cycles…?
"Owen!" Gahi shouted.
"Wh—buh—huh?" Owen said, jolting awake.
"Arceus in the Sky, 'mon, we've been calling yeh ten times!" Gahi said.
"You look lost in thought again," Demitri said. "Are—are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm… I don't think I'm okay," Owen said. "My head's spinning with all these memories… and you were all in them, too," he said. "Gahi, do you ever remember—"
"Ah, ah, ah! Owen! Not yet," Star said.
"H-huh…?"
"Not yet. Please," Star said carefully.
Owen gulped but nodded. "O-okay…" he said. She had a point. There was no telling what would happen if Gahi had the same sort of panic that he did.
Owen realized, like a punch in the gut, that the reason everyone was keeping him ignorant was because Star, or perhaps Rhys or Amia, had told them what would happen if he got his memories back. And then, against their wishes, he pried too far, and the memories came spilling back. And now, everything hurt.
Owen stared at his claws while they waited for lunch. He focused, turning his scales green, and then orange, and then green again. He was getting better at that.
The previous Grass Guardian, Klent… Owen sighed. What was that look he gave him? It wasn't the first time. Still, there was something bothering him. He looked to the right, where Klent was sitting at the table, though he requested Star not make anything for him—he didn't need to eat, after all. He didn't want to take up resources if he didn't have to.
"Klent?" Owen said. His heart skipped a beat.
"Yes, Owen?" Klent said. He was speaking respectfully, but Owen could still sense a bit of coldness in his voice. Owen was starting to wonder why, connecting more and more of his fragmented memories together. He couldn't complete the full picture. He was filling in the blanks with speculation. The more he inferred and guessed, the smaller the gaps felt.
Owen couldn't remember anything beyond evolving into a Charizard. He didn't even know if that's what actually happened. What if he became… something else? The strange auras… The lack of ancestry. A clean history. No history. His strange dreams. His instinct for battle—his abnormal need to fight.
That look. Klent's eyes. Those eyes.
"Klent," Owen finally said. "…How did you die?"
Star fumbled by the stove, dropping the berries in too fast. The hot water splashed through her smoky body. The Mew cursed under her breath, turning back.
Klent looked away. He looked at Star, instead. The Mew shook her see-through head frantically, but Klent shook his head back. It was too late. Owen's memories couldn't be sealed away anymore. He was a Guardian—that trick wasn't going to work as easily, or perhaps at all. He was going to find out eventually. Just as the memories of Rhys and the other Hunters couldn't be sealed—a Guardian was just as immune to that kind of influence.
The Jumpluff nodded at the Charmander. "I'm sorry, Owen," Klent said. "But… I think I know what you're thinking. And… you're right."
The world stood still.
Owen didn't want to ask. But his mouth moved on its own. "M-meaning…?"
Demitri, Mispy, and Gahi all exchanged dumbfounded looks. What was going on? Where was Owen getting all these crazy ideas from? And, more importantly—why was everybody else playing along?! They always felt like everyone else knew something they didn't. They were quite eager to have Owen tell them the answer.
Klent sighed as if bracing for it as well. "I'm sorry, but… it's true. You're right."
"Th-that the way you died… I…?"
"You killed me," the former Guardian said, "and my daughter."