Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 90 - Incomplete Memories

Today had been interesting. The day before, Owen had been running for his life and afterlife from a creature that had been dwarfed only by the plateaus. And this morning, he had been awakened rudely from a very cozy nap in a very cozy bed. And now, probably still morning, yet it felt like an eternity, he was talking to Marshadow, who not only claimed to know him in some distant past... but also Gahi.

Three distinct snapping noises in front of Owen's face brought him back to reality. "Huh? What?"

"I said," Marshadow repeated, "how much did yeh ferget?"

"How can I know how much I—hey, do you know someone called Manny?"

"Eh?"

"Manny. He talks just like you."

"Eh. No clue."

Owen grumbled. "Maybe it really is an ancient accent."

"Oy, who has an accent?"

"Nobody!" Owen said, stiffening, but then he saw Marshadow's playful smirk.

"Nah, I get it."

Owen deflated and took another bite of bread, sorting through his thoughts. He had so much to ask, but at this point, he had a good feeling that Marshadow wasn't going to answer. Still... his hopeless optimism made him try anyway. "How do you know me?"

"Well, it's probably not gonna ring any bells until they come back ter yeh," Marshadow said, "but sure. Didn't really know yeh all that much, jus' by proxy when we got t'gether fer parties and all that. Unfortunately, ehh... that part o' my memory's also pretty shot. Been too long, had too many bad encounters, y'know how it is. I do know yeh were real close with us, though. Scaled Destiny Tower, and next thing we know, we've got a giant Charizard among us, heh."

Owen was so glad he had experience with Manny. Gahi's accent was thin, but Marshadow's...

"So you're saying," Owen said, "that I used to go to... parties with Pokémon like you? And I was—giant?"

"Yeppers." Marshadow nodded, scratching under his chin. "Dunno which Pokémon were at those parties, though. Just you, I remember real well, fer some reason."

"And what about Gahi?" Owen asked. "You said you knew him."

"Fer a bit. Taught him how ter fight fer some mission he had. Had a few folks who were students like that..."

"Like Manny?"

Marshadow shrugged. "What species?"

"Lucario."

Marshadow perked up. "Y'know, now that yeh mention it..."

Owen nodded. That much made sense. Manny was Marshadow's student, somehow? Yet Manny had no memory of it—or at least, he certainly would have mentioned something this substantial...

"I'm still trying to sort through my memories," Owen said. "Maybe when I get more, I can start piecing it together. Don't really know what good it'll do me, but..." He sighed, finding these thoughts to be going in a circle. He wouldn't go anywhere by just thinking about what he didn't know. "Marshadow, do you know why I was associated with you guys?"

"Y'know, fer someone who doesn't remember, yer takin' this real well."

"I—well..." He had a point. "Look," Owen brought a few claws over his closed eyes. "Just two or three moons ago or whatever, I didn't even believe in gods. Then I met Star and she turned me into a plant—I mean, er, a Grass-type."

"Star. Mew Star?"

Owen nodded, and Marshadow smiled fondly. Owen didn't.

"I've been going through enough lately that I don't think this is too hard to believe anymore," Owen said. "What I want to know is why this was hidden from me, and who did it."