Now that both Shulk and Reyn are by the campfire, Reyn brings up a question that’s been bothering him for a bit- why the Mechon attacked Colony 9. He asks if the Homs are just food to Mechon, or was there something that the Homs race (or part of it) did to the Mechon sometime in the past to wrong them. He also brings up the ancient battle between the Mechonis and the Bionis and wonders if that might have something to do with the conflicts. Shulk finds it hard to believe that life could just be an energy source to machines like the Mechon and insists that there has to be some other, greater reason for the war and the recent attack.
Reyn declares that he’ll never forgive the Mechon for killing Fiora, no matter what their reason is, but rather than joining in Shulk just sits and thinks solemnly. After a bit of quiet, he explains to Reyn about the premonitions he had regarding Fiora’s fight with Metal Face and that she was going to be killed. He also points out that despite having seen beforehand what was going to happen, he still wasn’t able to do anything about it. Reyn insists that what happened to Fiora wasn’t Shulk’s fault and he shouldn’t be guilty over it. He also points out to his blond friend that knowing the future and being able to do something about that future aren’t the same thing. Shulk, he says, did something he couldn’t have and drove off the Mechon, and the Monado-wielding researcher should be praised for that.
Reyn has a seat and brings up that he’s been thinking about why it is that Shulk is able to use the Monado safely, and says that Dickson told him about when Shulk was found, that the blond was the only survivor of the Monado expedition. Thanks to the blizzard or something (at least according to what Reyn knows) Shulk’s parents died, as did the rest of their exploring party, and Dickson found Shulk, bringing him back to Colony 9. Shulk admits to not remembering much of anything about the events thanks to his being so young at the time, and Reyn asks him if that’s why he researches for Dickson and why he tries so much to figure out the Monado.
Shulk temporizes, and says that part of the reason why he does what he does is to remind himself of his parents, since he has so little of them to recall. It’s a good reason, ‘But mainly,’ he continues, ‘if it really is the sword that the Bionis used to kill the Mechonis, like in the legend... I want to work out its secret. That’s the real reason.
The larger of the two adventurers suggests that Shulk may well have been chosen by the Monado. Shulk clearly doubts what Reyn is saying, but Reyn points out it would explain why he can use it without any difficulty while even Dunban can’t handle it without crippling himself over time. According to Reyn that can’t possibly be just random chance.
Having given Shulk a thought that may well keep a curious person like him up all night, Reyn then says it’s Shulk’s turn to rest and takes his turn on watch.
