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Sword was punching the air again, doing uppercuts and kicks and tail slaps. She shifted between Charmander and Mew forms, getting very good at that, before finally settling on a form that mimicked Starr. She blew a kiss toward Brisa. Incineroar went over his usual theatrics, the one that...

Owen paused. "...Well... I think it might be depending on how society works, but it isn't the standard for how Charizard think. See, it's kind of like... it's always in the back of my head. Fighting, combat. Weak points, vital spots... It's annoying sometimes. And I'm worried that the way I look...

"Well, maybe Owen could, then. He's half your size. And I'm half his size. So. y'know." The false Charizard flapped her wings a little, then stretched. She settled down and sighed. "...Something about talking to you calms me."

"...But can I?" Cal asked.

Cal shrugged. "I heard he and Karat are off on some kind of vacation getaway. Do you think he just carries his core around to sightsee? ...If you're just a core, would I carry you around to sightsee?"

Owen nodded. "Maybe she didn't want to because she wanted to blend in? I remember hearing a little about the world you're from--well, no. Where your memories are from. It sounds awful. I don't know if I'd be happy if I had to be careful about fighting... And I think I'd be even more nervous...

"I mean, Deoxys came from space," Cal remarked. "Maybe Pop is just good at defense when it's not... five-powers-combined superpowered world-eaters clashing at the same time, y'know?"

"Right, right..." Cal seemed to understand that much, at least. "Maybe I can look into that in case something ever happens here. Like, if this planet blows up, or I outlive it, or something. Meditating until I land somewhere interesting..."

Cal frowned. "Wow... So you really did all that, huh? That's kinda incredible, when you think about it. I know you don't want to be called a god or anything, but, you know, depending on the world and its definitions... If your universe doesn't have reality-warping people--aside from that...

"It might be," Owen said. "In my world, Pokemon have taken up roles similar to this one, and there aren't any humans in it, either. I don't know what path they took from an evolution perspective, though. Maybe the battleheart gene died out when the need for battle did. OR, it was no longer...

"The planet with the monks? Is that where you learned about meditation and stuff, too? I forget where Owen picked up his techniques... Maybe someone like you. Funny how that works."

"That makes sense," Owen said; the hit connected and Wishkeeper seemed impressed. Perhaps he could get more elaborate with his movements and feints, too... As Wishkeeper continued, Owen remarked, "Where I'm from, only some Pokemon are like that. It's sort of an informal thing, but they're...

Wishkeeper treated the Substitute like a puppet, aiming for speed and evasion rather than any counterattacks for now. "What's got you interested in battles, anyway?" Owen asked curiously. "Is it just something you feel like you should do?"

"...I see..." Cal frowned. "You must've met a lot of people. It's too bad you probably won't be able to get any kind of way to give yourself a hint for when you go back, but I get he feeling you and Owen are kinda in the same team there..."

"Mm." Cal leaned back. "Who could have done that? Was it, y'know, something recent, or like... way before you arrived on your latest planet-to-blow-up and stuff?"

"...Could it be because... of a defense mechanism, maybe? A... mental one? Maybe, with all of the horrible things that happened, you tried to... get used to it by tricking your mind into thinking that's all there is? So then you won't... long for something better, because, like, maybe there...

Owen nodded. "Cal, the Ultra Shade who's with me usually, has the same problem. She's been trying to get better at it, but there's just a limit to what she can do when her body's just a projection." Mia's way of speaking interested Owen. Factual, straightforward. It drove Dave crazy, but he...

"Parts of you..." Cal hummed, thoughtful. "So, like... the parts that can be, like, happy, or something? You mentioned something about... what was... Malice, right? Do you think maybe it's kind of like, something is turning you into a Diyem?"

"...I don't really know anymore," Cal said. "I guess the influence from Owen has me kinda interested in fighting, sure. I still pick fights now and then, even if I can't really do much. But... I, I dunno. I think I'm still trying to find myself." She glanced at Bahamut. "If someone's...

"Mm..." Cal looked at Bahamut again, frowning. "I guess after everything that's happened, you'd be pretty, y'know, jaded to it all. I doubt you have the same psychology as, uh, meat-based life, either..."