"Absolutely not."

Althalos and Hapi wandered the town for a while before coming up on a pawn broker shop. They kept things in storage for townsfolk for a limited amount of time, with pay involved, and those items would be sold off if the customer didn't renew a fee. It was like a bank for objects, though mostly weapons were kept in storage at the shop. Althalos frequented the shop selling off things he stole for food.

Althalos glared at the Beheeyem behind the counter. "Come on, Carlos, work with me here. It's like having an employee that works for free. It's a win-win."

The alien Pokémon shook his head. "Free labor? You're pawning off a child to me, Al. A child you expect me to take care of. That doesn't sound like free labor, that sounds like a surprise adoption."

Althalos rolled his eye. "Well, if you need to make a fuss over it…"

"Why do you even have a kid following you?" He pointed at the timid Pignite. "What is she? Seven? Eight?"

The comment snapped Hapi out of her timid mood for a moment as she glared at him. "I'm thirteen, jerk."

"Whatever. I'm not taking in some brat, especially one that has a panic attack whenever she comes close to another living creature. I'm a pawn broker, Al! Interacting with customers is kind of part of the job, and an antisocial child isn't going to get me many customers."

Althalos glared. "Carlos, you run a pawn brokery in the Outlands. You're still going to get customers with or without Hapi." He sighed and shook his head. "Look, I didn't want to be upfront about this, but she's on the run from the New Chariot Empire. She needs a place to lay low—"

"Oh, why didn't you say so?" Carlos interrupted dramatically. "Well, by all means, I'll just brew up a cup of tea and prep a spare cot for the little one." He slammed his hands down on the counter, rattling the shelves with psionic discharge. "Are you out of your mind?!"

Althalos facepalmed. "What happened to my negotiation skills? I had an easier time convincing criminals to buy experimental poison."

"The freakin' empire?! Are you actually serious?" Carlos pointed to Hapi. "You brought me a wanted fugitive!"

"Runaway slave."

"Whatever! Same thing!" Carlos leaned in on the Dusknoir. "You had some twisted ideas ever since you started running the black market racket, but to actually believe I would agree to hiding someone on the run from New Chariot is inane! Do you know what will happen to me if soldiers found out I was keeping her hidden in my store?"

Althalos crossed his arms. "Again, Outlands. Can't be any worse than most crooks who frequent your business."

"You're missing the point. The Outlands is a safe haven for mooks like me who want to get away from the law and the kingdoms. Dragging me into this mess means bringing an army of bloodthirsty soldiers here. How long until the Umbra Clock Kingdom collapses from war? Soon, it will be the Outlands that has to defend itself, and we're not exactly strapped for war! Besides, why can't you take care of her?"

Althalos groaned into his hand. "Carlos, I've got enough to deal with as is. I have a Sawsbuck in a coma and an MIA Gligar to worry about. I don't have time to watch over this brat."

"Hey!" Hapi chirped in.

"And you think I do?!" Carlos yelled. "I don't have a bounty like you do, Al! How long before you bring trouble to town?"

"Carlos!"

"You're just some nobody from the ruins who managed to get big in the black market, yet you have a huge bounty on your ass now. I don't want to get involved with anything dealing with you, whether it be bounty hunter or soldiers!"

"CARLOS!"

"WHAT?!"

"UGH!" The two adults stopped yelling at each other and turned to Hapi, who stepped away with her ears covered. "You two are driving me insane! Stop!"

Althalos narrowed his eye as Hapi planted herself by the door and buried her head inside her scarf. He sighed, scratched his nape, and turned back to the Beheeyem. "I know I'm asking for a lot here, but you just need to keep her out of sight. No one from New Chariot will ever think to look here for her. I'll make sure of that."

Carlos glared at him for a moment, but eventually sighed in defeat. "I'm too tired for this. Just…let me at least finish locking away some equipment before I make my decision."

Althalos sighed and nodded. "Thank you." Carlos turned and floated into the back of the shop.

With the Beheeyem gone, Althalos turned his attention back onto Hapi, who remained huddled by the door. He awkwardly floated up to her and held out his hook. She glanced up from her scarf to acknowledge it before turning back into the sanctity of her jacket.

"…Sorry you had to see that."

She shrugged. "It's whatever. I'm…used to it."

"People yelling at each other?"

She shook her head. "Bad things happening. Yelling, fighting, screaming, running away, and all that. I'm so used to seeing bad people that I sometimes forget what it's like being around decent people. Haven't seen much of that since I was in Algus."

"Hmm." Althalos scratched behind his head. "To tell you the truth, I didn't have the most glamorous childhood either. It wasn't anything like living in New Chariot, but it felt lifeless. Just had myself and the spirits of my ancestors to keep me company. It was…pretty pathetic, living like that."

Hapi narrowed her eyes sadly. "I just want to get away from it all. I don't like feeling scared of others. I just…can't control it sometimes."

Althalos looked away. "Yeah. I know the feeling. But, at least here, maybe you'll have a chance to start over. Maybe you'll eventually warm up to everyone and won't feel so scared."

"Hmph." Hapi hugged herself tighter. "I don't think I'll ever stop being afraid."

"…" Althalos closed his eye and sighed. "It's hard. It's hard to stop feeling afraid. I know that feeling too well."

"So, get this!" a Ninetales said as he and his Pinsir companion walked down the street. "I was walking on by Thomas' place, and the idiot had a pie sitting on the windowsill!"

Pinsir laughed. "No way. You stole it, didn't you?"

"Not just stole it. When Thomas found out, I told him Gregory stole it. I even gave him a slice of the pie so he would be caught in the act. They got into a fight before Gregory could explain himself." The Ninetales threw his head back and laughed. "It was hilarious!"

Pinsir held his stomach and laughed. "Y-Y-You're terrible, dude!"

"Indeed, but all worth that glorious—" They both stopped as something brushed past between them. They turned and saw a tumbleweed hopping along the road aimlessly. "Uh, what?"

"Where did that come from?" Pinsir mumbled.

They turned their attention back ahead, but immediately froze at the shiny Lucario towering over them, dressed like a dusty cowboy with a large hat covering his eyes and a long piece of wheat between his teeth. He pushed his hat up and stared down at the petrified pair.

"Uh, hi?" Pinsir mumbled.

"I am The Ghost," he introduced himself.

"…Uh, we didn't ask," Ninetales said.

"I'm looking for a ghost. A Dusknoir. One who resembles a vagabond from the sea."

"…" The pair looked each other, then back to the Lucario with confused glares. "Excuse me?"

The Ghost pulled out a wanted poster from inside his jacket. "Perhaps this will clear up the confusion?"

Ninetales and Pinsir squinted at the poster. Ninetales raised his brow. "Oh, that guy. Yeah, we saw him. I think I saw him through the window of the pawn brokers. Should still be there if you're looking for him."

The Ghost nodded and stuffed the poster away. "Thank you. May your reward be great in Hell."

Ninetales glared. "Hell? The hell are you talking about—" He turned to his friend and saw him staring vacantly past the yellow Lucario. The color drained from his face, and his teeth stretched wide out of his mouth in aghast. "What's with you?"

Slowly, Pinsir raised his finger and pointed down the street. Ninetales followed it, and the color soon drained away from his own cheeks. Behind the shiny Lucario was a street filled with dead bodies. Heads smashed against buildings, wooden stakes shoved through bodies, necks snapped, and scorched wounds with metal fragments littered near the bodies.

"What…What happened here—" Ninetales' eyes widened to a sudden gust of wind beside him. He turned and saw his friend had completely vanished. He felt something drip down on his nose. A red splotch that smelled metallic. His eyes wandered up.

He nearly fainted to find Pinsir impaled through a flagpole above his head, gasping his dying scream as he stared down in horrified confusion.

Ninetales tensed up as a pair of hands grabbed both sides of his face and turned him to face The Ghost. His teeth chattered beneath the emotionless stare of the bounty hunter.

"I sensed malice in your hearts," The Ghost said, leaning in close to stare into the nine-tailed fox's horrified eyes. "This entire town smells of blood and greed. I shall cleanse this region in the name of true justice." He tightened his grip on the fox's head. "Do not struggle. I will make this painless as a thank you for giving me directions. It's the least I can do."

SNAP!

After sitting around for ten minutes, Althalos and Hapi looked up as Carlos came out from the back, wiping his hands off. They stood up and approached the counter with Althalos crossing his arms and glaring at the Beheeyem. "Well? What's your answer?"

Carlos stuffed his handkerchief into his breast pocket. "I gave it some thought. I suppose I can have her work and keep track of the inventory. I could use the spare hand, plus it would keep her hidden from any soldiers or unwanted attention. She can stay in a spare room upstairs, if she doesn't mind small spaces at least. It's a broom closet."

Althalos sighed. "Thank you, Carlos." He looked down at Hapi. "Well?"

Hapi wrung her hands together awkwardly. "I suppose I'm alright with it."

"Great. We're all in agreement." He turned and waved the two off. "I got to check in on my order."

"Um, Mr. Althalos?" He stopped and turned back to the Pignite. She teetered on her heels and looked down with a shy gaze. "I just…thank you for your help today. I really appreciate it. You seem like a nice guy."

"…" He closed his eye and sighed. "Best you remember me as such. Take care, kid." He grabbed the doorhandle and pulled the door open.

The moment his eye lay upon the street, a haunting chill shot up his back. Bodies were lay about on the ground with bloodstains over the roads, some smeared across the buildings. The horrible stench of blood hit his face as he backed into the pawn brokers with his hand clenching into the doorhandle.

His eye shrank as it spotted a Scyther trying to crawl away, only for a foot to crush down on his neck. The mantis stopped moving and went limp on the road. Althalos traced his eye up the attacker's leg and stopped at their face. An icy spear penetrated his heart as he studied their face. His hand trembled on the doorhandle, ectoplasmic sweat dripping from his palms.

The shiny Lucario tilted his hat up and met the Dusknoir's gaze. "Howdy. You come around here often, stranger?"

Althalos quickly slammed the door shut and fled into the counter, startling Hapi and Carlos. "Mr. Althalos?!" Hapi gasped.

"Al, what's gotten into you?" Carlos asked. "You look like you saw a…what expression do you use when you see something horrible?"

"Ghost…"

"You sure? Sounds like it would be offensive to—"

"No. The Ghost."

Hapi's eyes widened. "What?"

Carlos glared. "Excuse me? Isn't that some old wives' tale or some—"

The door suddenly exploded off its hinges, sending wooden shrapnel through the shop. Althalos grabbed Hapi's scarf and pulled her away while Carlos ducked behind the counter.

The shiny Lucario stepped into the shop with a slow stride. He tipped his hat up and peered around the shop. His eyes fell on Althalos just as he pushed Hapi behind him. The Ghost faced him as he reached into his jacket.

"To one who rejects life in favor of his kin across the Styx, may this shot direct you to your rightful domain of Hell." The Ghost aimed his gun. "Your end has come, Althalos."

Althalos glared. "You…You…"

CLICK!

The Ghost backstepped as a bullet whizzed past his face. He turned to the counter and saw Carlos peeking out with a rifle. He opened the chamber and slid in another bullet. "I knew it. I knew it! You bring nothing but trouble wherever you go, Althalos! Now I have to pay for a new door! That was a mahogany door, you know! Mahogany!"

He fired another shot, but missed The Ghost again. Before he could load in another bullet, the shiny Lucario instantly appeared before him with a gun pressed against his forehead.

Carlos' eyes widened. "Oh, crabapples—"

Althalos turned away and covered Hapi's view as a blinding silver light flashed in front of them. They turned back just as a lifeless Beheeyem fell behind the counter with a smoking hole through his head.

The Ghost's gun dulled and fell to pieces in his hand. He turned his sights back on Althalos. "I prefer you didn't waste my time. I still need to execute the rest of your party." He pulled out another gun. "You're a tricky man to find, Althalos, but I was born to hunt down stubborn prey. That's my legacy for a thousand years."

Althalos glared. "Like hell you're over a thousand years old. Who the hell are you?"

"You already know the answer, so why waste your breath on redundancy?" The Ghost raised his gun. "I am simply The Ghost."

Althalos raised his hand. "What are you getting out of this? Killing me? Killing all those Pokémon?"

"I do not converse with the dead." The barrel of his gun lit up. "Make your peace and die."

Althalos glared. "Alright. Fine. Poltergeist!" He swiped his hand and influenced the surrounding items in the shop to rise. "Will-O-Wisp!" With a click of his fingers, the objects caught fire and flew at the standstill bounty hunter.

However, just as Althalos blinked, The Ghost appeared in front of his face. The flying objects converged on empty space and fell to the floor. Althalos tried to swing his hook hand, but The Ghost was faster and slammed his leg across the Dusknoir's side, throwing him through the counter.

"This isn't a square off on the high noon. This is an execution." The Ghost turned his gun on the fallen Dusknoir again. "Like the willows in the blizzard, a fire shall break out from the stems during the hour of midnight."

Althalos struggled to lift himself. "What…does that even mean?"

The Ghost narrowed his eyes, then raised his hand as a clay pot flew at his head. He caught and shattered it with just his grip. He passed a glance to Hapi as she backed into the shelves, arming herself with a knife and cane. She bared her teeth. "S…Stay away from him," she said, her voice tight with internal panic.

He almost ignored her and turned his sights back on Althalos, but his eyes glowed as he looked her over a second time. His eyes narrowed, and he lowered his gun. "Fascinating." He stashed the gun away and approached her.

Hapi's eyes widened. "Wait. What are you doing?" She backed away, but hit herself against the shelf. She sank to the floor and shivered under his emotionless stare. "D-D-Don't touch me…"

The Ghost stopped and loomed over the cowering Pignite. "How unexpected to see you here."

"W-What?"

"You must miss your dear friend so much."

"W…What?" Hapi clenched her teeth. "What are you talking about?"

The Ghost reached inside his jacket and pulled out a vial and handkerchief. He poured a purple liquid onto the handkerchief and knelt down. "You are struggling. I will have to incapacitate you."

Hapi started hyperventilating. The floor beneath her rear started to smoke. Her skin glowed orange, radiating with heat. "No, no, no, NO! DON'T COME NEAR ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!" Tears streamed down her face. "PLEASE! STOP!"

"This will be over before you know it, Sol—"

Dark clouds sprung up overhead and came down on The Ghost, who instantly vanished before they splashed down. Althalos sprung through the dark clouds and snatched Hapi off the ground. He burst through the windows and took off into the sky.

"That crazy bounty hunter!" Althalos growled. "We need to evacuate while we still can—OW!" Hapi started struggling in his arms. "Kid! Knock it off!"

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" she screamed, kicking and punching with a face filled with extreme panic. The orange glow around her shined brighter.

"Kid, stop! You're—WHOA!" A silver streak nearly grazed his head. He looked down and saw The Ghost outside the shop with a gun shattering in his hands. Althalos picked up the pace and flew through the town.

The Ghost let his arms hang loose, then he broke into a mad sprint. He took massive strides with each step, moving as the speed of a Jolteon with Speed Boost. He was catching up with Althalos in seconds, forcing the Dusknoir to climb higher through the air, not helped by Hapi's flailing and screaming.

"Will you shut up?! You're going to get us both killed!" Althalos formed his Abyss Clouds and threw them down on the street.

The Ghost swerved through the raining clouds and dodged them as they reached out to grab him. A tendril of darkness shot out to intercept him, but The Ghost slid under it at the last second and let an unsuspecting barrel be crushed in its grip. Once he slid back onto his feet, he bounced into the air and dashed across the rooftops.

Althalos dove into the streets and used the alleys between buildings to lose him. He knocked aside any bystanders in his way without care and darted out toward the town exit. He checked over his shoulder and didn't see The Ghost pursuing them from the rooftops, though that didn't lessen his worried nerves.

"Hang on, kid!" Althalos whipped his ghost tail and flew out of town.

"Let me GO!" Hapi cried, her cries becoming more and more desperate.

Althalos growled as her squirming got worse. "Kid, unless you want to deal with that madman yourself, I suggest you shut up and let me focus on escaping." He groaned. "Good grief, it's hot out here. Worst day to—"

His eye widened. Wait. It's the middle of winter. Why is it hot out here?

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"

Althalos looked down at Hapi and gasped as she started heating up dramatically. Her skin glowed bright orange while the brown patches of fur turned black like obsidian. Heat built up around her body into something of a tangible aura.

"LET. ME. GO!" She screamed and let loose a wild flash of fire.

"AAHH!" Althalos let go of her by accident, sending her plummeting to the ground below. He shook his head and dove after her, snatching her by the hood with his hook.

Though with their descent slowed down, their combined weight sent them plummeting into the snow and tumbling down a small incline. Althalos landed on his back, and Hapi went flying off his hook, landing face first in the snow. The snow hissed and melted around her as her body cooled down.

Althalos sat up and pulled his cloak back. A light burn went across the length of his right forearm. He gently pressed the back of his hook against the burn and winced. "Damn."

He heard a groan and saw Hapi picking herself up. She looked dizzy, like she just woke up from an exhausting dream. Her eyes suddenly widened, and tears started to form. "Mr. Althalos? Oh no, d-don't tell me I…I…"

Althalos glared. "Kid?"

"EEP!" She spun around with a start, but then smiled. "You're alive!"

"Alive?" He looked at his burn again and back at her. "Kid, what the hell was that about? You were on fire for a moment there. Was that Flame Charge or something?"

Hapi winced and looked away. "I…I thought I…killed you for a second."

"…Kid, were you even conscious when you did that?"

"…"

Althalos floated up and approached her. "Forget it. We need to make some distance before—"

BANG!

A silver light pierced through Althalos' left shoulder. He screamed and fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding wound. Hapi gasped and cautiously ran up to him. "Mr. Althalos!"

She stopped when she saw something ahead and gasped. Throwing away the metal remnants of his gun, The Ghost approached the downed Dusknoir and frightened Pignite. He chewed on the wheat in his mouth, glaring at them with one eye visible from under his hat. "You misunderstand, Althalos. The prey does not run away. The prey surrenders and accepts its place in the food chain. The predator is the one who decides."

Althalos turned his head and snarled. "Bastard…!"

The Ghost scratched his chin. "Curious. How did you come to acquire this one?" He looked down at Hapi. "He is so much more than some cretin to associate with a lowlife like you."

Hapi backed away. "I…I'm a girl. What are you talking about?"

Althalos picked himself up and pointed his hook at The Ghost. "This is between you and me, you dusty creep. Leave her out of this."

The Ghost tilted his head. "There has been a slight change in plans. Hand him over to me, and I may give you a running start. A fair trade to spare another day on the run before I escort you to Hell."

Althalos raised his hand in front of Hapi. "What do you want with her?"

"I cannot answer that. It is beyond your comprehension."

"Try me."

The Ghost reached inside his jacket. "This is pointless." He whipped out a gun and aimed it for Althalos' head. "I shall execute you now."

Before he could charge up his gun, a shadow loomed over their heads. They all looked up and saw a boulder flying through the air, careening down on The Ghost's position. With a raised brow, he jumped away right as the rock crashed down between both parties.

Althalos and Hapi covered their eyes from the snow and dust. They heard something land in front of them and gasped at the one-armed Throh in front of them. He rolled his shoulder and flexed his fingers as he faced the broken boulder and the one standing behind it.

"Frank?" Althalos picked himself up. "What are you—"

"Call it a hunch," he said. He glared back at him. "I'm glad to see you alive, Boss. Arceus knows you're the only one that keeps our team on the straight and narrow, but it seems now I need to prove my service to you."

Althalos glared. "What? Frank, you can't be serious."

Frank pointed behind himself. "Marsaili and Rogier are already notified and awaiting your orders. We have the escape plan in motion. You need to flee. I'll slow this bastard down."

"Frank, that's The Ghost! Don't be stupid!"

Frank shook his head. "He won't stop, Boss. The best I can do is slow him down for you. Don't worry, I won't lose. I'll break his arms and legs and meet back up with the rest of you so we can escape." He clenched his fist and stomped his feet down. "Besides, I want to see just how tough this immortal bounty hunter really is."

Althalos glared, struggling to find the words to protest. However, with the newfound information that The Ghost had a keen interest in Hapi, he couldn't afford to bicker with his subordinate. Something felt off about Hapi, and that heat wave she emitted earlier didn't seem natural. The Ghost wanted her for something, and he wasn't prepared to hand her over.

With time running out, he growled and snatched Hapi up in his Abyss Clouds, much to her surprise. "You better not die on me, Frank!" He turned and took off into the sky.

Hapi squirmed in the shapeless clouds as they flew farther and farther from Frank. "Who was that guy? Is he going to be okay?"

Althalos glared. "I hope so."

With Althalos and Hapi fleeing the scene, Frank turned his attention back onto The Ghost as he stepped out behind the boulder. He dusted his shoulders off and watched the pair flee into the distance. He shook his head. "Well, that was just rude." He glanced at Frank. "I will have to execute you immediately."

Frank pointed at the shiny Lucario and said, "That's where I draw the line in your murder spree, bounty hunter. I'm the one who shall perform the execution. I've seen true power, and you don't come close to it. I've trained under the strongest man in Virdis."

The Ghost tilted his head. "Oh?"

Frank rolled his shoulders and let his judogi slip off, exposing his scarred red chest. He took a deep breath and flexed his muscles, making the muscles on his one arm and body pop out. "This is years of training the body to its limit, bounty hunter. You stand before a disciple of the God of Destruction, and I shall carry out his will by using my strength to defend my allies!"

The Ghost narrowed his eyes. "How very noble for a man stained in blood. Seismic Frank, you were one of many who razed Boldvale to the ground during a night raid. A poor village left unguarded because the knights had to be called away to the Senbo capital. What a terrible night to be without defenses. A tragic misfortune that you capitalized on, taking the lives of innocents."

Frank glared. "I live with my choice to become the strongest. I tried and tried again to defeat my master in battle, yet I couldn't even lay a scratch on his godly physique. I needed a worthy challenge so that I can one day have my rematch. By defeating you, I shall prove myself to him."

"Hmph. A stubborn willow caught in a hurricane of its own design."

"Call it what you want. You won't get past me, so raise your fists and fight me like a—" A breeze struck Frank's face, and he stared into the eyes of The Ghost merely an inch from his face. Two hands grabbed the sides of his head.

"You are no God of Destruction."

As The Ghost motioned to snap his neck, Frank activated Superpower and stomped on the ground. The ground trembled and broke up, pushing The Ghost back with rising rock. He flipped off his hands and ran circles around the Throh, kicking up a ring of snow and dust.

"Impressive," he said, his voice bouncing around Frank. "You reacted swifter than most. You are…adequate." He stopped behind Frank and lunged. His spike glowed and shaped into claws overlapping the back of his hands. "Metal Claw."

Frank spun on his heel and reached out to The Ghost. "Circle Throw!"

His hand went for the Metal Claw, aiming to snatch him by the wrist, but The Ghost disappeared at the last second. A sharp breeze grazing his scalp turned Frank's attention skyward, coming face-to-face with the shiny Lucario before receiving a metallic slash across the face.

"AGH!" Frank stumbled back just as The Ghost landed, who kicked him across the side and sent him sailing through the snow. He tumbled onto his feet and dragged himself to a stop. He looked up and glared at the bounty hunter. "Lucky shot."

"Not luck. Skill." The Ghost whipped out two guns and charged silver light through their barrels. "Silver Deadeye."

Frank quickly stomped the ground and dislodged a slab of rock. The Ghost fired just as Frank raised the rock and shielded himself against the shots. The silver beams pierced through, grazing his right side and left cheek. Blood sprayed from the superficial wounds, nothing that he couldn't power on through.

He dug his fingers through the rock, lifted it over his head, and chucked it at The Ghost. He dashed around the flying rock and charged with Metal Slash. Frank lifted his arm and blocked the claw attacks, each pushing him back on his heels with heavy blows.

"Dragon Pulse." The Ghost charged a radiant purple orb in his palm and slammed it against Frank's guard, knocking him off his feet.

He tucked his body in and hit the ground with a tumble before bouncing onto his feet. He grabbed his belt and placed one of the straps in his teeth. "Bulk Up!" He pulled with both his hand and teeth and tightened the belt. A surge of energy passed through his muscles, expanding their size. "Superpower!" He let go of the belt and drove his fingers into the ground. With just his grip, he split the ground open with tremors.

The Ghost leapt into the air before the cracks reached and buried him alive. "Dragon Pulse." He charged the orb between both hands and fired it.

"RAH!" Frank thrusted his palm into the Dragon Pulse. He dug his finger through and destroyed it in his grip. The energy splashed over him as he glared at the airborne Lucario. He's fast. I need to slow him down and end this in one shot.

The Ghost dove on Frank's position with Metal Claw activated. He twisted his body and came down like a circular blade. Frank immediately sidestepped the falling Lucario as he crashed down and ripped the ground open with his claws. Frank stopped on his heel and lunged at him, but he disappeared just as fast as he landed.

A painful strike crossed the Throh's side and sent him skidding across the ground. Just as he caught himself, a knee smashed into his face before a hand grabbed the back of his head and slammed his face into the ground. He turned and swiped with his arm, but only hit a stiff breeze. He barely caught sight of a golden blur that was just above him.

"You will never beat me, criminal." Frank turned onto his knees and spotted The Ghost standing just a meter in front of him. "This is simple the way things are. Do not feel ashamed. You were never a player in this game."

Frank pressed his hand down and pushed himself up. "Why are you so dead set on our bounties? There are much worse people than us out there, and you just want to go after black market goons? I can name a few people higher up the wanted charts that could use a good butchering. What's so special about us?"

The Ghost tilted his head. "There is nothing special about you or your team. It's simply a matter of tying up loose ends."

"Tying up loose ends? What the hell are you…?" Frank's eyes widened. "Tying up loose ends…"

"You have no idea how deep the roots of Virdis' history are buried in this soil. I'm simply enacting the history that should've been carried out a long time ago. Aged to perfection."

Frank doubled back on his feet and scowled at the Lucario. "You…! Are you working for Last Autumn?"

The Ghost said nothing, only narrowing his eyes in response.

Frank gritted his teeth. "You…!" He took another step back. "Who the hell are you?"

"A ghost. A ghost from a thousand years ago carrying out a sacred mission. A legend born into nightmares to finish what has been started." The Ghost pulled out a gun. "There is no escape from destiny."

Frank clenched his teeth as he continued backing away, only to hit his heel against a buried rock. He fell back on his rear, looking up worriedly as The Ghost approached him. "This whole time, that bastard had someone like you working for him. Terrowin never trusted any of us, did he? He just needed some efficient enough to remove his useless pawns."

"…"

"Pawns that know what he plans to do with the Wraith."

"…" The Ghost aimed his gun and charged up his shot. "Say whatever you believe, Seismic Frank. Consider yourself blessed that I allowed you to speak. Now silence, and join your fallen Absol companion in oblivion." The light shined through the gun barrel and prepared to fire.

Frank clenched his teeth and raised his fist. "Not. Yet!" He punched down on the ground with Superpower, pushing up the earth below.

The Ghost backed off and hid himself inside his coat as the rock came down on him. "And yet you continue to squirm like a worm—" A hand darted out of the dust and seized his jacket before he could move. "Hmm?"

"Storm Throw!" Frank turned around and flung The Ghost over his shoulder, slamming him down on his back. "Didn't I tell you? I'll be performing your execution!" He lifted his foot and stomped down, but The Ghost rolled away before it came down. The force of his stomp broke up the surrounding earth in web-like cracks.

The Ghost flipped to his feet and pressed his hand spikes together. "Metal Sound." He rubbed them together and blasted Frank with an irritable, grating sound. He tried in vain to cover his ears with his one arm. The Ghost canceled into Extreme Speed and dashed in with a rising kick to the chin.

Frank stood his ground against the blow, recovering from the splitting sound, and swung his arm. Though The Ghost avoided it, Frank gripped into the ground and torn it open like he was whipping a carpet. The wave of earth chased down the fleeing Lucario before launching him into the air. Frank ripped a chunk of rock up and threw it at him.

The Ghost reoriented himself and aimed his feet toward the rock. As soon as it touched his soles, he ran around it before kicking off and diving onto Frank's position. Frank backed off and narrowly avoided being skewered by Metal Claw.

"Bulk Up! Superpower!" Frank grabbed his belt and tightened it. His muscles pulsed with power and a brilliant sheen. A blue aura crackled across his skin. Each impulse traveling through the body's nerves made the Throh tingle with incredible strength. The combined efforts of Bulk Up allowed him to sustain the Superpower.

The Ghost stood up and glared. "Fascinating."

Frank smirked. "A farce compared to my master's technique, but it should give me the strength to crush you—" He recoiled as The Ghost rammed his face with his elbow.

"I don't care. Die."

Frank swiped his hand, but The Ghost used Extreme Speed to run circles around him. A flurry of golden punches pummeled down on the Throh, each too fast for him to either react to or block. Gut, face, side, back, nape; everything was left exposed to the barrage of fists.

"A statue cannot face the hurricane. It must only endure before breaking under the stress of life. That is the way of this battle, and the path you shall take to oblivion."

Frank glared at the golden storm and reached his hand through. The storm vanished before he could even catch the shiny Lucario, but Frank was far from finished. He dug his fingers through the ground, tightening his grip, and let out a guttural scream.

"World Breaker Toss!"

The ground quaked and trembled from his titanic grip before bending his whole body back and pulling the earth with him. The sheer force of his arm pulling against the earth didn't just cause the ground to split open, but to flip the terrain under him completely upside-down. Like a tsunami rising up from the waters and encroaching on a panicking city, the earth rose up from Frank's monstrous throw and towered over the immediate area into a wave of rock and snow.

The Ghost, who was barely out of sight, felt the ground come up from beneath him and was soon carried away in the wave. He moved through the crumbling terrain with little emotion, hopping between slab to slab. His eyes flickered through the wave, trying to search out Frank's aura, but the shifting atmosphere of rubble messed with his sixth sense.

He straightened himself out and dove feet first toward the ground. "God of Destruction, he said. Hmm, how fascinating. He wasn't bluffing."

As he neared the surface, he spotted something coming through the dusty fog forming below. Frank stood directly below the descending Lucario in a crouched stance. With new visual on the Throh, The Ghost could sense excess power building in the legs.

"World Breaker Slam!"

He kicked off the ground and rocketed into The Ghost. With no immediate surfaces for the Lucario to use, Frank could freely grab him and lock his arms into his deadly embrace. He flew high up into the air, past the dusty cloud left behind in his desperate maneuver, and soared as high as gravity would allow him. The earth blow shrank under them. Any higher, and they may even reach the clouds.

The Ghost remained composed despite the crushing embrace he was trapped in. "What do you plan on doing?"

Frank smirked. "This Seismic Toss was built up with my Superpower to its maximum output. I'll put everything into this final blow, and focus all the momentum of our fall straight down on your neck. Your legend will die by my hands, bounty hunter!"

Their ascent slowed down as they reached the zenith of their climb. Frank angled himself back as gravity started to take hold again. He locked his legs around The Ghost's legs and tightened his arm more around his torso. He was leaving anything up to chance. He won't allow an ounce of space for the swift bounty hunter.

"You might be able to survive a fall like this on your own, but I'll make sure you die on impact. You played your hand too soon. I'm definitely stronger than you." Frank laughed triumphantly. "So, let's go out with a bang, Ghost!"

With their heads pointed downward, they started to fall back down to the earth. The wind whipped across their faces and stole away The Ghost's hat. They aimed for the dust cloud stirred up by Frank not even a moment ago, and it grew in size the closer they flew down. Frank focused all of his energy on keeping The Ghost contained. He knew his increased defenses will shield him from the impact. At worst, he might suffer from unfathomable soreness for months, but it was worth putting the bounty hunter into eternal slumber.

"Any last words, Ghostie?!" Frank yelled.

"…" Even facing the rushing wind, The Ghost didn't blink from it hitting his unblinking eyes. "The Ghost."

Frank scrunched his brow. His monotone voice over the rushing wind made it nearly impossible to hear him. "Come again?"

"I am The Ghost. And I am immortal."

He turned his hands around and stabbed his spikes into Frank's sides. He winced as the metal dug through his flesh, but his Bulk Up kept them from going any deeper. "That won't…stop me!"

"I never overplayed my hand," The Ghost whispered. "You just put your cards down too soon. Metal Sound."

The ear-splitting noise emitted from the spikes and traveled through Frank's body. An unimaginable, furious sound blasted through him, using the blood as a conductor, and reached the inside of his head. His eyes went bloodshot, and blood shot out from his nose as veins in his nostrils burst.

"AAAAHHHH!" He felt the sound ripping through his body. He felt his organs vibrating and miniature explosions through his muscles. The sound blasting away in his head tore apart his concentration, and the strength in his arm gave way.

They pierced through the dust cloud followed by a loud crash. The dust blew away from the epicenter and revealed the two bodies sitting in a shallow crater. In the time before they hit the ground, The Ghost had turned the tables and stood over the wounded Throh who still trembled from his internal injuries.

The Ghost had one foot pressed down on Frank's chest and one hand gripping his wrist. He dug his foot down on Frank, pushing it up to his neck. The Throh tried to cry out, but couldn't even breathe. No air could pass through his throat while the inside of his mouth spilled fresh blood.

"Y-You…You…" Frank strained.

The Ghost narrowed his eyes. "Do you know why I let you run your mouth about your little theory?"

Frank tried to lift his head. He tried to scream and shout in vain of reaching out beyond the valley. "Al…Al…Altha—" The Ghost jammed a gun into Frank's mouth and pushed his head back down.

"Because in the end, it's all pointless noise. After all…"

Frank's eyes widened as a silver light shined from inside his mouth. He looked up into The Ghost's dead eyes that reflected the glow of aura. His gaze, so glassy and vacant, that Frank could see his own terrified expression in the reflection.

"A corpse can't speak."

Althalos and Hapi flew down into the valley where the hideout was. Just as they descended toward the ground, Althalos stopped to a gunshot in the distance. He had been hearing a lot of fighting in the distance, plus plenty of gunshots, but this one…hit different.

A shiver traveled up his body as he glanced over his shoulder. He couldn't see anything but the flickering remnants of a silver light.

"What…What happened?" Hapi asked as she examined the Dusknoir's tense expression.

He narrowed his eye for a moment, clenching his hand with dark particles raging around it, before looking ahead. "It's not much farther. We don't have a lot of time left." He continued down into the valley and kept telling himself not to look back.

The Ghost stood up as his bloodied gun crumbled from his hand. He touched his face and felt a splash of blood over the left side of his face. He ran his fingers against the tainted fur and stared at the smear in his hand. He looked down at the corpse under his foot, shrouded in dust from the blast.

"People like you are the reason Virdis lost its way." He kicked the corpse away with barely an expression.

A tumbleweed rolled by just as The Ghost's hat fluttered down from the sky, landing perfectly on the ball of dried plants. He picked it up and set it down upon his head before looking out into the distance where Althalos fled to. He narrowed his eyes and detected the two auras fleeing into the valley.

"But that's all going to change." Hands resting in his pockets, The Ghost walked after the runaways with the tumbleweed bouncing along behind him.