[ Smiling mysteriously, Howl knew that saying something like that would only prompt more questions. He's going to explain, but the path that explanation will take is going to be a bit... winding. ]

Do you remember the day we met? I found you by the Lodestone below Achamoth. You remember what I was like, then, I'm sure... The form I'd taken.

[ Howl leans forward, resting his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. ]

In my home world, I could transform like that with ease. In Horos, it took me months until I was able to do it again. There was a certain... extra factor, you could say, that did not come to Horos with me. But when I awoke here, in this place, Yima... she had it there, at the ready for me. She already knew.