Destiny Village ~ Parfait Way

[Namohysip]

"I think so," Owen said, looking over the map. "We could have probably gone to the infirmary or something, but it sounds like we're going to have this done more in the open in case there's collateral damage or something..." He wasn't really sure why that had to be a precaution, though.

"Oh, there she is," Owen said, pointing down the streets where a Hatterene was standing with a Xatu. "They helped another of our members, actually..."

 

[Torchic]

Cino looked at Owen, and it reminded him of what S'more said about his Shadow. Maybe he could help Cino control his Shadow, too?

"I think I heard about that." Tary was pressing his head harder on Cino, looking like he was about to melt over Cino. "Hey, Tary, it's ok. I'll be fine. They helped one of my teammates here."

"It's not that..." Tary said, barely audible. Why was he so worried?

Was there a reason something made him forget? Maybe the Shadow had something to do with this? Did he have memory problems back home?

Would it make Tary suspicious if he decided to forbid Cino to get his memories back? Even if it would be the best for him?

"Tary, it's ok, you can stop that now. I know you're worried about me, but I'll be fine." He tried to whisper to Owen, "Is it gonna hurt?"

Tary whined.

 

[Namohysip]

"I don't think so," Owen said, gesturing for Tary and Cino to follow. "Are you afraid of something in particular, Tary...? Because, like, I'm no stranger to bad memories and stuff, but... it's better to get them now than to get them later when it might mess with you mid-fight."

 

[Torchic]

Tary let go of Cino, pausing for a second. He stuttered, "No, I- I'm just worried that... Cino's gonna get hurt. That's all..."

"I'm gonna be fine, Tary. Stop worrying so much about me. I thought you're happy that I'll remember you again."

Tary looked away, saying nothing.

"Come on, you can tell me. What's wrong?"

Tary seemed to be on the edge of bursting into tears.

"Tary...? Are you-"

"Just, just go. Get your memories." He stopped in his tracks, watching the two advancing to the Hatterene and Xatu.

Cino was confused. What was wrong with him getting his memories back? After a short pause, came a short answer. "Ok...?" He looked at Owen, who was just as equally confused. "I don't know what's wrong with him either... let's just get it done."

 

[Namohysip]

Owen nodded, but then looked to Cino. "I think that's something that will just need for me, so... I'll stay with you, Tary. Go on ahead, Cino, and talk to those two for now. Okay?" He gestured for Tary to follow him to the side of the street.

"Maybe you can tell me what you can't tell Cino?" Owen asked gently.

 

[Torchic]

The Torchic reluctantly followed Owen, and made sure they were far enough away from Cino for him not to hear. He looked back once more, making absolutely sure. "I- I can't tell... I'm scared that it's too much for him to handle." He sighed. "Oh, Arceus, if he finds out, I don't know what'll happen...

"I'm not even completely sure if he really did it... but... it would make sense... uhg..." Tary sat down. "I don't know what to do..."

 

[Namohysip]

Owen nodded, gently placing a hand on Tary's back. "Hey, it's... it's alright. Whatever it is." He shook his head. "Whatever happened in the past, it's just that. He's different now, right? If... from what I'm gathering, if he killed someone... Well..." Owen looked off. "I guess that means he brought just the right person for support."

 

[Torchic]

Killed someone? Did Cino... "I'm- no, no... He just can't be the one... After this happened, he... went missing. He, and..." Tary almost couldn't say, "his family. Something... tragic happened one day. And on that day, he... he disappeared. I never saw him again , thought he was kidnapped. I was just so happy to be able to see him again, after all these years, but... if he finds out what happened to his family..." Tary shook his head.

"He told me and S'more that he was exploring the continent. That was a lie. That's when I realized something was wrong with him. Someone, or something, scrambled his brain and memories into him thinking everything's fine at home. Nothing's fine. It was a catastrophe for all of us."

 

[Namohysip]

"Right..." Owen trailed off, looking down. "Maybe he's in denial, or maybe his Shadows or his transfer here changed him... Or maybe Diyem did it, you know...? There's no way to tell..." He brought his knees to his chest, sighing. "We need to be there to support him."

 

[Torchic]

"I just hope it'll get resolved... it's a mystery as to what happened. But... to see Cino still being alive, that alone would be a big hint as to what really went down that night." Tary shuddered from nervousness. "It's-

Cino suddenly started screaming something. Tary instantly stood up and looked at the two helping him. What happened?

"Cino!" Tary ran towards him and the rest, not looking if Owen was following or not.

Cino looked devastated. His eyes were glimmering from the tears building up. His breathing got irregular. He looked at Tary. He should've listened. Why didn't he listen?

"Cino... what happened? What's wrong? ...What do you remember?"

He couldn't answer. Instead, he sobbed while hugging Tary. Cino swore he would never let go. Nothing would make him be forgiven with what happened.

"Cino, please... tell me. You can tell me."

 

[Namohysip]

Breaker and Wheat stood back silently, looking at one another. Owen rushed over and said, "How--how much did you unlock?"

"As much as requested," Breaker said. "Perhaps was mistake. I fix again?" She brought one of her great hair-hands forward.

"Nnnno no no no I think that's not needed!" Owen said quickly, clutching Cino on the shoulders. "Cino, hey, can you talk to us? What's my name?"

 

[Torchic]

"Yyy-you- Owen-" Cino sobbed, while clutching his head. "Tell me this isn't real..."

"Cino..." Tary stepped away a bit. It was real, and he knew it.

"Tarh- Tary... no, I'm sorry... Come back... I wasn't myself!"

 

[Namohysip]

Owen moved calmly but swiftly until he was holding Tary's shoulder. "You knew from the start," he said with a steady tone to his voice. "So now, Cino needs you more than ever, alright? Trust me... this is the worst time for you to run away. He's no different than before. Now he just learned what happened."

 

[Torchic]

"It was just speculations! I wasn't sure if... I mean, he would've never done this-"

Cino managed to crawl towards Tary, holding him as best as he can. Cino's face looked like he dipped it in water. "Tary, no... stay here pleeeaase..."

It broke Tary's heart to see his best friend like this, but also regrets his decision to let Cino get his memories back. At least he knew the truth now, and not the fabricated lie that was his belief until now. "I'm- I'm here, Cino. I'm not going to go away anytime soon. We'll be together forever now."

"It was horrible..."

 

[Namohysip]

Owen breathed a smalls sigh of relief and let go of Tary so he could move as he wanted. "Thanks, Tary," he said gently. "Cino... it's alright if you don't want to go over it, but..."

"If you have need of further, more traditional services, I can help you with time," Xatu said, even as Breaker seemed to be in the process of packing her supplies to leave.

 

[Torchic]

"This- this cannot be real... this fucking monster! I'm not a murderer!"

"Cino, calm down... it's ok now, we're-"

Cino let go, and started screaming, "That is not ok, Tary!" Tary could feel the Shadows flowing through Cino. "This... this monster! It destroyed everything!" His head twitched a little, and his paws were clenched.

"Hey, hey, calm down, please... your-"

"I'm going to rip its neck off its head the next time I see it. It can't hide forever."

Tary took a step back, and switched glances between Cino and Owen. "Cino, stop... you're scaring me..."

 

[Namohysip]

Owen kept calm, and once he found an opening between Cino's outbursts, he swiftly placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Cino, keep it together, alright?" He shook him a little. "That monster isn't here right now. It's all in your head and manifesting as Shadows at most. You are in control of it right now, alright?"

If Tary and Cino were going to be the ones to freak out, Owen had to be the one to stay calm. Wheat and Breaker watched cautiously from nearby.

 

[Torchic]

"I've seen it. It's here. It's killing me from the inside."

"Cino... stop!"

"It made me kill. Take another one's life, with its wretched powers."

Tary feared the worst if Cino won't calm down. Maybe it was because of the sudden outburst, but Tary wasn't sure if he could believe Owen completely. What if a part of it did come with him? What then? Will it take control of Cino again?

Four shadow-y tendrils appeared behind Cino, making Tary back up even more. "O-Owen... I think we have to-"

"I'm just a monster, aren't I? The kind of monster with emotions as empty as the void I emerged. The kind of monster that would kill his most loved ones without a second thought."

"Cino, please! Snap out of it! It wasn't you who did it! You had no control! It wasn't your fault!"

 

[Namohysip]

"Cino..." Owen gestured for Tary to stay behind him. "Cino, you aren't a monster... But you aren't in control of yourself right now." He eyed the four tendrils carefully, then looked to Wishkeeper, who nodded. "You have to fight it... or I'll have to fight you. Focus, Cino. You don't need to fight right now."

But Owen was fully prepared to counter.

 

[Torchic]

"You don't even understand how it feels like to lose all of your loved ones by your own paw. It was all my fault, Tary."

Tary didn't listen to Owen, and walked in front of him. "No! No it wasn't! You didn't have control over yourself! I know that you couldn't have done it, because you're the nicest Minccino I've ever met in my life! The Cino I know would've never done this!"

After a moment of silence, Tary continued. "Please, Cino. Listen to me. Listen to Owen. You're not at fault for anything you did on that day."

Cino was quiet, and it seemed that he was calming down, slowly but surely. The tendrils slowly dissipated into black mist as well. His body wasn't as tense as before.

Tary sighed in relief, it finally got through to him. "Cino, please believe me when I say that you're completely innocent. You did not do anything."