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A bowl in the sea, that’s what Owens mind is. It contains water that flows past but not he whole ocean. Owen remembers things as they happen and the memories flow past him shortly after, replaced by new ones.
When he first meets Apo, he already knows her. But first he knows her as a girl trapped in a maze with him, then a rat that explored a house with him, then a betrayal that he regretted, and then someone he looked down on. And finally, his memory lands on a spirit brought up from the underworld, same as him. The other versions faraway, like dreams from long ago.
He doesn’t acknowledge those other Apos (if they even have the same name), he knows everything and so he knows it’s useless to ponder who they are.
It goes the same for the rest of the champions, although they have significantly less versions.
Scott appears as a rat, sheriff, colorful companion, friend and maybe more? and vampire. Shelby as a rat, witch, vampire. Abolish as a cowboy, and mainly an inconvenience.
Memories of the other Scotts get carried away by the wind. The Shelbys get pushed away as a coin flips. And memories of different Abolishes are burned away.
Owen doesn’t think about them, doesn’t question them. But a thought rattles in his brain while he’s alone. They’ve had multiple lives, it’s likely that so has he. The memories feel almost intimate which makes him wonder—have they met each other in each life.
He feels like he knows Apo better than he knows himself. And the feeling with Scott is similar if a bit duller. He must’ve known the personally, he must’ve. But in the end it doesn’t matter. They aren’t the people his other self once met and even if they are, Owen doesn’t know them.
But still…he wonders.