"What are we going to do about that?" asked Ethan, still anxious from the fact that there was unspoken tension in the air--something he knew he hated, but he didn't know why he hated it.
"Hold up, perhaps we're wondering the wrong question here. Maybe it should be: What should we do about it?" asked Jack.
"I don't see a difference," said Ethan.
"Oh I know you don't, but I do," answered Jack.
"And that difference is..." started Ethan, hoping Jack would explain his thought process.
"Well, really, we know Sensei Sad is upset about something we forgot... and maybe it was something we wanted to forget, or had to forget. The only way you're going to stop bounding like a ball is if you find out whether we should remember what we forgot or not."
"Hey!" protested Ethan, but Jack put his hand on Ethan's jittery leg which calmed it down temporarily before it started again to prove his point.
"So how are we going to figure out if we should remember something we forgot? It's not like we can ask Jubbar--the note said Djinn magic didn't work."
"We should go to the only other person in this mansion who has known us as long as the big guy has."
"Amelie!" cried out Ethan, suddenly getting where Jack was going, and adding as he took off, "Maybe she'll have read his mind and can tell us what's going on!"
"I don't think she's a mind reader," countered Jack as he hurried after Ethan.
Both boys ran to the kitchen where Amelie was cleaning dishes from breakfast, which along with their stomachs growling, reminded them that they hadn't eaten at all since this morning's training session.
"Well, it took you two long enough to find your way up from the locker room. Who won the towel contest my petit chou?" asked Amelie as she continued to wash the dishes.
"Ken already ate?" asked Jack as he looked around at the other entrances to the kitchen.
"Both he and Anuli. They went off together to talk. And will it be the usual for you two?" she asked as she finished placing the dishes in the dishwasher to sanitize and wiped her hands on a dish towel.
"A stack of flapjacks and some bacon, please!" asked Jack.
"Two eggs in a basket with bacon, please!" added Ethan.
"Ken must have had you two up real early to be this hungry," commented Amelie as she started the stove and brought down two frying pans to begin her task.
"Yeah... and then he weirdly let up halfway through training," said Ethan.
"He got all quiet and sad after that..." added Jack.
"He didn't even want to participate in our towel fight after showering," said Ethan.
"And you two want me to explain why he's acting unlike the big brother you two want him to act like?" asked Amelie with smirk.
"How did--" started Jack.
"I'm telling you, she's got to have mind reading powers," said Ethan.
"Moi, un lecteur de pensées?" laughed Amelie
"While I'm flattered at the thought of having super powers, I'm afraid the reason I know so much is due to how old I am."
"How old are you?" asked Ethan without any malice.
"Let's just say that I'm old enough to be your mamie this time around my petit chou. And when you're as old as I am, you've seen enough of life to read what people are saying, even when they don't speak."
"That is a superpower," admitted Jack.
"No, it's just experience. One day you two will have it back," sighed Amelie.
"So what is wrong with Ken?" asked Ethan.
"You two do remember you used to be adults, correct?"
Both nodded, with Ethan saying, "Anansewa--Anuli told us."
"Bon. Well, until you two turned into my petit chou, Ken had two mentors who helped train him, guided him, and supported him. And now, poof they are gone. And while you two didn't go away, the two men who mentored him that you were, did go away, if that makes sense."
"Okay... sorta" said Jack.
"So he's sad because he misses the adults we were?" asked Ethan.
"Exactement. While it's good that you are noticing his emotions, I wouldn't worry about fixing them yourselves too much. Ken will be fine with time, and conversation. All wounds, especially the emotional kind, take time and conversation to heal."
Jack and Ethan nodded as Amelie served their breakfasts to them, but Ethan couldn't help but feel a little guilty that on some level, he was the cause of Ken's sadness, and that was a real bummer.