The Senbo-Wick train system found itself trapped in a web of darkness wrapping itself around the back passenger wagon, slowly encroaching on the proceeding wagons. Althalos had everyone trapped in the palm of his hand, strung up on the ceiling as the Abyss Clouds coiled around their bodies.
Tank and Leon flailed in their bindings, failing to break themselves loose. The clouds had no solid form, thus making them impossible to rip apart by conventional means. They've only heard tales of this technique from their superiors when they confronted the Dusknoir alchemist, but never imagined they would be trapped in its grip.
"L-Leon," Tank growled.
The Aron struggled and twisted inside his black cocoon. "N-Nope. Can barely move my legs."
"I have an idea, but it might take me a moment. If I can just reach for my glove…" Tank spun himself upside-down and squirmed to reach for his hidden glove.
Meanwhile, as the two Foresters plotted, Althalos raised his hand and clenched his fist, causing the walls of the wagon to bend. The noble passengers screamed and kicked harder in their restraints as the walls closed in near them.
"Consider this a necessary evil, my unfortunate socialites," Althalos said. "There's something far more sinister slithering upon this train, and it'd do us all a good night's rest if it were crushed into a bloody paste. Don't take this personally."
Gaufroi struggled to his feet, resisting the anchoring tendrils as they pulled on his arms and shoulders. "Cease your…agh! Cease your terror at once. I am a knight of the Senbo Kingdom, and I will not allow villainy to taint the voyage of this mighty vehicle."
Althalos glared at the Ursaring. "You concerns are admirable, but ultimately pointless. I'm doing you all a favor. This is my only chance to rid myself of that scourge that terrorized my crew and me." He raised his palm at Gaufroi. "Perhaps I should have you silenced here and now—"
"NO!" Althalos sidestepped a tendril of water slicing across the air and backed off. He glowered as the tendril retreated to the Vaporeon knight, who had parted with the armor around her tail which reformed back into flesh. "You're not hurting my mentor, villain. I don't care what you're rambling about, but you've already proven yourself to be this pest."
"You avoided my Abyss Clouds. That won't happen again." He flicked his wrist and fired tendrils of the black clouds at her.
Rikmai leapt from her perch and hopped along the booth seats, narrowly avoiding shadow tendrils. Each smack across the various surfaces allowed the clouds to spread to untouched parts of the train. Rikmai used her Aqua Tail to pogo off the entrapped floor without contaminating herself and flung herself onto the ceiling. Ice formed under her paws and stuck her in place
"Hold still!" Althalos fired a volley of Will-O-Wisps from his hand.
She twirled her aquatic tail and deflected the purple fireballs across the train, deftly batting them away from the hostages. "Scald!" She exhaled a torrent of boiling water.
Althalos swiped his hook and shielded himself behind a wall of Abyss Clouds. She's spry. With her species' ability to naturally take on the form of water, she'll be difficult to pin down.
"Althalos!" He glared over his shoulder and saw the Dukes gathering outside the infested wagon. Marsaili, with Terrick barely on her back, yelled, "Forget about them! We need to get out of here before The Ghost changes his mind!"
Gaufroi's eyes widened. The Ghost?
"No," Althalos said. "He's terrorized us enough. I crushed him once before. I'll make sure I don't let him get away again. This entire train will be his tomb!"
Hapi peeked out from behind Marsaili. "But what if something happens to you?"
Tank stopped struggling and tried to look over his shoulder, barely able to see who was behind Marsaili. "What the…?"
"We didn't come this far just to lose you, too," she insisted.
Rogier glared. "The kid's right! Terrick's a vegetable, Frank and Ainsley are dead, and Amos is probably dead. We can't lose you, too!"
Leon's eyes widened. "Seismic Frank?"
"Althalos, please!" the Dukes cried.
The Dusknoir, though barely able to express himself, felt himself pause for a moment. He almost let his control over the Abyss Clouds slip away, their inky bodies dripping away their form, but he tightened his fist and reaffirmed his grip. He sighed and pointed back with his hook hand.
"I won't hear another peep about this. I'll be fine. Just find a way to get off the train safely. If I can't protect you all, I've done a shit job as your leader."
Hapi frowned. "Mr. Althalos…"
Rogier stayed quiet for a moment, his face looking more thoughtful than normal, before grabbing his teammates by their clothes. "We're getting off this train." He dragged the pair backwards.
"What the?! Rogier, you idiot!"
"Don't touch me, don't touch me, don't—"
Althalos twirled his finger and slammed the door shut, using his clouds to bend the metal on itself. He sighed and shook his head. "Stay out of trouble, the lot of you." He glared back at his hostages and the unshackled Vaporeon. "As for the rest of you…"
Gaufroi forced himself to stand. "L-Listen, if there's something wrong, the Senbo Kingdom can help you. This isn't the way to solve conflict."
Althalos' hand lit up with purple flames. "As if I'd put my life in the hands of the ten damned kingdoms. Accept your deaths with dignity as I rid this world of a pest—"
An explosion lit up from the other side of the wagon, startling Althalos and his hostages. From the smoke, Tank grappled onto the luggage rack, wearing his signature forge glove. It steamed from the blast, and his dress was partially singed as a result, revealing part of his work overalls.
"Freeze-Dry!" Tank plunged his other hand into the corrupted walls and flash froze them in an instant. The ice spread over and shattered the Abyss Clouds, including the bindings around the passengers.
They fell from the ceiling and landed on the floor. Before the darkness could wrap around them again, Tank dove down and shattered it with a Freeze-Dry punch. The pathway to the next wagon was clear.
"Move, now!" Tank ordered.
No one hesitated to get up and race into the next wagon over. Raising up his arms, Tank slammed both his hands onto the floor and sent out a wave of ice all over the wagon. It travelled all the way to the hostages and released them from their bindings, including Leon. Everyone, save for the Aron, followed after the fleeing nobles.
Althalos growled. "Who the hell are you getting in my way?" He readied a blast of Will-O-Wisp.
Seizing his chance, Gaufroi let loose a ferocious roar and rose up. The weakened Abyss Clouds snapped loose and faded around him, allowing him to deal a heavy punch across the Dusknoir's face. He went flying back into the walls of the wagon while the rest of his clouds dissipated.
"Agh…" Althalos massaged his chin and glared at the Ursaring. "Stubborn old man."
Gaufroi rolled his shoulders and neck before pulling out his battle axe. "You should've just surrendered like I asked."
Pandora and Ursula backed up against the wall dividing the control room and back area. They couldn't take their eyes off the sparkling bounty hunter looming over them, his eyes fixed into a stern glare that teetered on emotionless and creepy. The way he stared at Pandora was so intense that she felt her soul being violated.
"Wh-What did you say about MacGyver? M-My grandfather?"
The Ghost narrowed his glare. "It is time to go, MacGyver. Do not make this more tedious than it has been." He reached for the Growlithe.
Ursula stepped in between them and growled. "Hold up! I'm not letting you lay a finger on her. Just who the hell do you think you are?"
He stared at the Toxicroak for a moment, his expression unclear on rather he was unamused or disappointed in her interruption. "Do not impede on justice."
"Listen here, if you think of hurting my friend, I'll—"
With barely a second passing, The Ghost backhanded her across the face and smashed her against the train wall. She crumpled to the floor with a cut on her face, likely from the metal spike on his hand. She twitched briefly before going limp.
"Ursula—" Pandora squeaked as the Shiny Lucario stepped forward, now towering directly above her. She gulped and showed a nervous grin. "Uh, can we skip the fighting? I bruise easily. I prefer a battle of wits, not violence. Well, that's a lie, but I prefer using violence without putting myself in…danger." She tried shuffling back into the control room, but The Ghost kept one hand over the sliding door.
"You were a difficult man to fine, MacGyver, but you can't avoid me forever."
"Excuse me, what? What are you talking about? I never met you before. And…are you blind or something? I'm clearly a girl!"
He bent down to her level. "No, you're not MacGyver. You're MacGyver. MacGyver escaped me for five years, but now I have you."
"F-Five years? My grandfather died when I was thirteen! Who are you talking about?! M-My mother? Are you talking about my mother?"
"It doesn't matter." The Ghost leaned in close to her face. "You are MacGyver. You hold the blueprint. The key to Logos."
Pandora clenched her teeth, subtly glancing over the insane bounty hunter's shoulder. She saw the poor train conductor still unconscious on the floor, or at least hopefully unconscious. If she didn't word herself carefully, she might end up like him.
"L-Look, you seem like a very…interesting fellow who's clearly suffering from brain damage. If you want blueprints, I have plenty to spare. Why don't you put the crazy away and we can settle this professionally—" She winced as The Ghost grabbed her by the hair.
"A land split by the terrors of war, sinking the artifacts and breaking the lineage. It takes a skilled hammer to mend the wounds of yesterday."
"L-Listen, I'm sure whoever offended you over your poetry was a jackass, but this doesn't seem like a healthy way to manage your issues. Might I suggest cackling loudly at nothing? A good ol' evil laugh to get the blood pumping? Works for me all the time—"
"HI-YA!"
The Ghost released Pandora and jumped back, narrowly avoiding a surprise chip from Ursula. Her hand smashed into the floor and bent the metal. She rose up and wiped the blood off her cheek, glaring at the murderous cowboy. He returned her glare with his usual stoic expression.
"Standing in the way of justice is unwise," The Ghost said.
"And sucker punching me is a one-way ticket to the morgue, buster!" Ursula kicked off the floor and crossed her arms into an X-shape. "You and me! Let's do this—"
The Ghost instantly raised his leg and stomped her out of the air. She coughed blood as the floor bent under her weight. He stepped over her and approached Pandora again. However, refusing to give up, Ursula grabbed his leg and kept him from moving further.
"What did I just say, you—" She was interrupted with a kick to the jaw, throwing her out the open door and slamming into the next wagon over. She collapsed onto the bridge, struggling to get to her feet.
"Worthless." The Ghost glanced down and saw Pandora dragging the unconscious conductor into the control room with her. He glared and followed after her. "This behavior is unprofessional of you, MacGyver. Cease your fleeing and follow me to—"
"HI-YA!"
The Ghost raised his arm and blocked another chop from Ursula. To his mild surprise, her attack caused his feet to slide. If he were anyone lesser, her attack alone would've sent him crumpling to the floor like a stack of toothpicks. Her hands were honed to kill.
She jumped away from him after a successful strike and took a stance. "Was that supposed to kill me? My master hits harder than you, and he's a walking fossil. Think you're tough because you beat up a defenseless Crawdaunt?"
He glanced at Pandora, who shut and locked the door on the control room. He focused back on Ursula and glared. "Words as crass as these scarcely see use from this vessel, so treasure this honor well. You…are a pain in the ass."
"Hurry, hurry! Inside!"
Rogier shoved Marsaili and Hapi toward the crate they used to hide away. He had Terrick loaded in first before squeezing Hapi down. The flustered Pignite buried herself around the protective pillows and secured herself as deep into the corner of the crate as she could.
Marsaili stepped inside, but reluctantly as she asked, "How is hiding going to help us?"
"I told you, I had a plan for getting in and off the train!"
"You never mentioned an escape plan!"
"That's because I knew you would yell at me if I told you."
"What does that mean?!"
"Just shrink yourself down." He raced to the other crates and pulled out the other goods. He grabbed preserved meats, a few ingots of metal, and the Westerberg lockboxes before dumping them all into the crate. "Make sure the pillows are secured around yourself."
"Don't have to tell me twice!" Hapi exclaimed, practically forming a cocoon around herself.
Marsaili packed the pillows around Terrick while struggling to get his antlers properly aligned. She was grateful they were in the winter time and not the summer, lest they be dealing with an entire bush. She glared at Rogier again and asked, "What about your plan requires me to be ignorant of it? And why are you not getting in?"
"You have to trust me."
"It's a little difficult to—"
"Althalos said we need to put aside our bickering and forge bonds of trust. Our team is half of what it once was. I am still a knight of Algus, and I was trained to protect my comrades! You will listen to me and let me do this!"
"…" Marsaili sighed and finally shrunk herself down until she was a mere plush-sized form. "Alright," she relented in a higher voice. "I trust you."
He nodded. "Thank you."
He lifted the crate lid and slammed it on, digging its loose nails back into the crate until it was (mostly) secured. After giving a lid a good tug, he nodded and raced to the cargo doors. He ripped the lock off and threw the sliding door open, staggering from the whiplash of wind hitting his face.
"Uh, Rogier? What was that?" Marsaili asked. "I-I can't see anything."
Rogier got behind the crate and pushed it near the open cargo door. He stopped for a moment and held his hands out in front of his face, almost like he was studying the land and taking measurements. "Hmm, yes…"
"W-Why do I feel colder all of a sudden?" Hapi asked.
"Wait…what are you doing?!" Marsaili snapped.
Rogier glared. "Sorry ladies, but no man gets left behind. I told you, I'm not abandoning my team."
"What do you think you're doing right now?!"
"Stay out of sight and we'll meet each other along the tracks in due time!" After getting a good survey of the land, he reared his foot back. "Keep your heads covered!"
"Rogier, you IDIOOOOOOOOO—" Marsaili's screams were drowned out by the wind as soon as Rogier kicked the crate out of the train.
He peeked out and watched the crate tumble across the ground. It was still relatively intact as it jostled over rock and earth, though he did see the lid splitting off and cracking into pieces. He was almost certain he saw an angry Wigglytuff bursting out of a pile of pillows and shaking her fists at him before collapsing due to dizziness.
"Ah good, they lived. That was totally the safest way to get them off the train!" He dusted his hands off and turned to the connecting doors, where another matter of issue was taking place. "Now then, time to help murder a sparkling killer."
Gaufroi charged down the wagon aisle and cut across the air with a swift stroke of his axe. Althalos dodged the first swing and fired a wave of Abyss Clouds before a second strike could be delivered. Gaufroi blocked them with his axe as he was pushed backwards into the sea of crowded nobles.
Nobles were struggling to evacuate the wagon, pushing and shoving on each other as they tried to flee through the narrow door. Some were even outright punching others to the ground to get through next.
Rikmai jumped onto the seating booths and yelled, "Everyone, calm down and form an organized path through the exit! There's no need to—" She flinched as Will-O-Wisps exploding overhead, further fueling the panic-stricken passengers.
Tank hung from a luggage rack and glared at her. "There's no reasoning with them!"
"I'm trying my best here! I never had to calm this many people down in a crisis!"
Gaufroi swung his axe down at Althalos, but the Dusknoir moved out of the way and phased through the seats. "Struggling to hit me? This space is far too narrow for you, good knight," Althalos taunted. "I, however, am bound to no such limitations!" He swiped his hand and fired an array of Will-O-Wisps.
The old Ursaring blocked them with his axe. Instead of dissipating against the metal, the flames were absorbed into the axe head. The purple glow radiated with an additional golden glow. He tightened his grip and raised the axe high over his head.
"Brilliant Splitting Revolt!"
Althalos didn't know why, knowing full well he could just phase through the axe, but something about it alerted him. A familiar feeling from months ago. He dodged out of the way as the axe came down, erupting in a geyser of purple flames and golden light as it torn through the seats.
Gaufroi whipped his arm and tore the axe from the floor, swing it at the retreating ghost mere milliseconds after landing the initial strike. Unable to dodge, Althalos blocked with his hook hand and bounced back from the shock of the attack. He dug his fingers into the wall and caught himself with some added Abyss Clouds.
He trembled from the scare and looked at his hook hand, which was snapped off and laying in the aisle. It was smoking with spectral flames lingering behind. Worst of all, despite being intangible during the hit, the axe still managed to reach his incorporeal form.
"…Most, if not all, of your moves can't touch Ghost-Types," Althalos surmised. He glared at the Ursaring, who straightened up and supported the axe over his shoulder. "That was Facade you just used. That axe was treated with a potion to bypass our intangibility."
Gaufroi narrowed his eyes. "Incorrect." He lunged at Althalos, who tried to turn intangible again, and grabbed him by the neck. The Dusknoir gasped and flickered back into corporeality. "My axe and my armor."
"How fascinating. For you to take such measures against limitations, I have no interest in seeing your motive." Althalos raised his hand. "Poltergeist!"
A purple hue surrounded Gaufroi's armor. With a flick of his wrist, Althalos threw the bear off and through the other booth seats. He clenched his fist and swung again, smashing Gaufroi against the wall and pressing him in.
"That's the tragic irony of armor and weapons. We use them to refine ourselves from our savagery, but all we've done is create new tools for allies and new exploits for the enemy." Althalos glared. "I have no such reliance on these things."
Gaufroi craned his neck and growled. "The weapon is only as dangerous as the one using it. Facade!" A golden aura surrounded him. He pushed his hands against the wall, fighting against the Poltergeist, before giving himself the leverage to leap off.
Althalos dodged the diving axe swing and moved to the other side of the wagon. "Gravity!" A dark sphere of aura surrounded his fist, to which he punched into the ground.
A gravitational field enveloped the wagon and pushed down on the unsuspecting passengers. Tank and Rikmai gasped and slipped from their perches, faceplanting into the ground. Gaufroi, who was still bent over from his dive attack, lost his balance and fell onto his hands and knees.
Althalos stood up, seemingly more accustomed to the increased gravity, and formed Abyss Clouds around his hand. "Enough of this foolishness. I'm going to crush you into paste." He fired the clouds at the downed knight.
"NO!"
To both their shocks, Leon leapt from the crowd and blocked the attack with his shield. A silver light reflected off the surface of the shield and fired back at Althalos in the form of shrapnel. Althalos raised his arms and blocked the counterattack which sliced across his cloak and body.
Leon stood his ground in front of Gaufroi. "I'm not standing by and letting anyone die so long as I can raise my shield."
Althalos glared. Wait a minute, that can't be right. Is this the same Aron that defeated Frank? He has the same shield and half mask he mentioned. He glanced over at the downed Smeargle. And that one managed to free himself. Are there Foresters on here, too?!
Gaufroi struggled to stand against the increased gravity. "How…are you moving through this?"
Leon stood on his hindlegs and gripped into his shield. "When you train for an all-defensive fighting style, you have to learn to handle any pressure and deliver it back."
"…" He grunted and used his axe to pick himself back onto his feet. "I don't know who you are, but I appreciate the assist."
Althalos growled. Even he's resisting Gravity. "Will-O-Wisp!" He fired the spectral fireballs at them.
Once he found his footing, Gaufroi swung the axe and sliced through the fireballs, absorbing them into the axe head. "If you are willing to, I would appreciate your assistance apprehending this fiend."
Leon seemed hesitant to comply. He wasn't even thinking of jumping in until he did. He knew the longer he stayed near Gaufroi, the sooner he might find out about who he really was. Even so, given the sudden turn of events, it was better to have him as an unwitting ally.
He dropped back onto all fours and attached his shield to his side. "I'd be honored, Sir Gaufroi."
Althalos groaned. "Riveting. Will-O-Wisp!" He engulfed his hand in spectral flames and fired volleys of them at the pair.
Gaufroi charged through, using his axe as a barrier. "Brilliant Splitting Revolt!" He casted the blade in golden light and swung at the Dusknoir.
"Abyss Clouds!" Althalos formed a shield of darkness and absorbed the impact. He snapped his fingers and infested the destroyed booths with the clouds. "Abyss Clouds: Hellbat!"
The infested debris levitated off the ground and became engulfed in spectral flames. They soared above like bothersome Zubat and descended on the knight and thief. Gaufroi jumped back and sliced them apart while Leon sheltered himself behind his shield as the debris slammed into him.
With the commotion mostly contained, Rikmai picked herself up and struggled to stand in the Gravity. "E-Everyone! Hurry, while you still can!"
Her cries gave the pinned nobles the motivation to crawl to safety. As soon as they crawled out onto the connecting bridge, they could feel the gravity's effects lifting, allowing them to flee into the next wagon over with no trouble.
Tank grabbed hold of a booth seat and lifted himself up. "We have another minute until the Gravity wears off."
"Will-O-Wisp!" Althalos compressed a cluster of flames into his hand and fired them like bullets at Gaufroi and Leon.
Leon swatted the possessed debris away and jumped in the way of the flames. "Protect!" The green barrier projected off his shield and dispelled the fireballs while also staving off the flaming debris.
"Abyss Clouds: Hunter Shadow!" He slammed his fist on the ground and extended his shadow under the barrier.
Tendrils of darkness shot up from beneath and attempted to ensnare the duo. Gaufroi grabbed Leon and tossed him out of the way before slicing the tendrils apart with his claws. He raised to full height and roared. Swords composed of orange light appeared and circled around him, clashing against each other before releasing a burst of energy.
"Swords Dance!" He took his axe and charged at Althalos. "Chip Away!" The edge of his axe gleamed yellow.
Althalos ducked under his swing. The axe sliced across the wall and peeled back a layer of metal. Althalos fired back with an uppercut and blasted the knight into the opposing wall with a concussive blast of Will-O-Wisp.
Gaufroi rebounded off the wall and fell to his knee as the spectral flames dance over his armor and skin. He lifted his gaze and glared at the towering Dusknoir as flaming debris surrounded him.
Althalos narrowed his eye as he felt the gravitational burden lift itself. He glared at the fleeing nobles, who felt the weight lift from them as well and hurriedly cleared out the wagon. "Tsk. None of that. Gravity." He snapped his fingers and expanded the gravitational field over the wagon again.
Leon, however, raised his shield as the field passed over him. "Mimic!" A counterwave echoed off his shield and disabled the brief moment of increased gravity.
Gaufroi lifted himself and bolted straight for Althalos before he could retaliate. He rammed his shoulder into the ghost and pressed him against the wall, keep a tight grip over his wrist. "Just give me a reason to break your arm."
Althalos growled. "You have no idea what's lurking on this vessel."
"That's for Senbo law to decide. For now, I'm placing you under arrest—"
"Dynamic Ice Breaker!"
A ball of ice slammed into Gaufroi's side and knocked him away from Althalos. The Dusknoir watched in disbelief as the knight went sliding down the aisle before turning to the opposite end of the train. Stepping out from the broken entrance, Rogier stomped down and slammed his fists together.
"Oh yeah! Perfect hit!"
"Rogier?!" Althalos yelled. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be escaping with the girls!"
"Don't worry, Boss! I threw them out of the train a moment ago!"
"You what?!"
"You can thank me later."
"Thank you?!"
"You're welcome."
Althalos slapped himself in the face and groaned. "Rogier, I told you not to get in my way. You need to—"
"Sorry, Boss." Rogier stepped forward and cracked his knuckles. "I didn't follow you this long just to leave you behind. We've been through Hell and back together, and I'm not letting you stay behind in our shadows. You're the boss, Boss, and I will proudly follow you even if death comes our way."
"…" He groaned and faced down his opponents. "I'm in no position for an argument." He lit his hand with spectral flames. "Very well. We'll tear this vessel down piece by piece until we've expunged it of our pest problem."
Rogier glared. "It'd be an honor, Boss."
Gaufroi picked himself off the ground and growled. "You've got to be kidding me."
Leon ducked behind his shield. That guy again. Big Bad Rogier.
Rogier clenched his fist and reared it back. "Let's get this party started! Dynamic Ice Breaker!" He generated a much larger ball of ice and struck it with gusto.
Leon and Gaufroi were barely able to dodge of the way, but the attack was on a collision course for the back of Rikmai's head, and she was focused on getting the last of the passengers out the door.
Tank noticed this and gasped. "Look out!" He jumped between her and the Ice Ball, raising his forge glove like a shield.
"Huh?!" Rikmai gasped.
The Ice Ball exploded against Tank's arm, but the force ripped him off the ground. He slammed back into Rikmai, and the two went flying out the wagon door in an explosion of ice particles.
"Tank!" Leon yelled.
"Rikmai!" Gaufroi shouted.
Althalos punched the wall and spread his Abyss Clouds over the wagon again, this time sealing off both exits in their webs. He coated his hand in the clouds and set them ablaze. "You can worry about them later. If you two plan on getting in our way…"
Rogier crossed his arms and activated Dual Chop. "Then this is going to get messy."
Gaufroi and Leon glared back at the two and raised their weapons. The knight growled and said, "You made a grave mistake challenging me to a fight."
Tank and Rikmai crashed through the doors and ended up in the next wagon over. The fleeing passengers and those originally in the wagon sprung from their seats and made a mad dash to the wagon over, leaving the knight and thief the only ones remaining inside.
Tank rolled himself to his feet and groaned. "This train's going to get unbearably crowded at this rate."
Rikmai shakily picked herself up. "Tell me about it. You good—" She passed a glance at him, but froze upon getting a good look at his body. "Uh…"
"What?" he asked, confused. He looked down at himself and saw the remains of his disguise were ripped to shreds, revealing the camouflage uniform hidden underneath the tattered cloth. He narrowed his eyes. "Of course."
Rikmai jumped back from him and growled. "Forester!"
He stepped away and raised his hands. "Okay, I know what you're thinking, but shouldn't your attention be on the active threat in the other wagon?" he asked in a calm voice.
She glared. "Sir Gaufroi can handle that. You, however…" She whipped her tail, transforming it into water. "You and the Foresters are on our priority list. The attempted assassination of a royal family member isn't something that can be overlooked."
He gritted his teeth. "I understand you're doing your job, but let me explain."
"Come along quietly, and I'll concede."
"I'm afraid I can't do that."
"Then I'm afraid you're resisting arrest. Last warning: surrender immediately, or I'm forced to take you down."
He groaned under his breath. "Why must things be so damn complicated?" He reached behind his waist and pulled out a battle hammer with a short handle. He spun it in his hand a couple times and banged the hammerhead against a nearby seat. "Have it your way. Time to open the forge."
The first passenger wagon received word of a strange commotion happening on the opposite end of the train, stirring concerned murmurs among the wealthy elite not helped by the occasional shifting and rattling.
"Goodness me, what is happened down there?" a Pinsir asked, dabbing his forehead with an embroidered handkerchief.
"Bandits aboard and running amuck?" a Swanna suggested worriedly.
A Darmanitan in a suit chortled at the notion. "Preposterous. This is simply an effect of the new train system. Old bumps and rattles on this newfangled transportation. No evil deeds are being committed—"
A wagon door burst off its hinges as a Toxicroak flew down into the aisle with blood smeared across the left side of her face. It sent everyone into a raving panic as they rose from their seats and ran to the opposite ended doors.
"I was wrong! I was terribly wrong!" the proud Darmanitan cried as he scrambled to get out of the wagon.
While the nobles pushed and shoved at each other to escape, Ursula picked herself off the ground and wiped her lip. "Cheap shot."
The Ghost stepped into the wagon with his arms folded behind his back. "Disappointment after disappointment. Just like a circle. Nothing but an empty cookie jar of discarded dreams. You must be exterminated."
"I don't know what fancy talk you're trying to pull—" Ursula crossed her arms and activated Dual Chop. "But it ain't working on me!" She kicked off the floor and lunged at the bounty hunter.
He ducked under her attack and shot his leg up into her stomach. She coughed blood and flew up into the ceiling. When she came back down, he struck her with a roundhouse kick to the face, knocking her through several rows of booth seats. She picked herself up, holding her aching head, before feeling her Anticipation going off. The Ghost fired a Dragon Pulse at her. She rolled out of the way and covered herself as the debris exploded, throwing her into the other wall.
The Ghost pulled a piece of wheat out of his coat and bit down on it. "Pray, forgive me for overlooking your inferior intellect."
Ursula pushed herself up and brushed the ash off her disguise. "You got something to say?"
"We are the cogs of the past and future, turning with the wheels of time as the here and now tugs at the rope of tug-a-war for dominion over the just and the outdated. We are but children aware of the world, thus we must educate the uneducated to determine who is fit to live and reside."
"…" Ursula glared. "I have no idea what you're saying. Brick Break!" She lit her hands up with energy and charged at him. "So let me introduce you to the language of violence! HI-YA!"
The Ghost stepped out of reach of her attack and threw a hard punch into her face, flipping her backwards. He stomped his leg down on her chest and bashed her into the floor. "So predictable." He reached down and grabbed her by the head. "Let me put you out of your self-inflicted suffering—" He immediately jumped back and avoided a surprise Brick Break from her.
Ursula jumped onto her feet and wiped her lip. "Buddy, you have no idea who you're messing with." She crossed her arms together. Green and white energy mixed and coated her arms. "Xalted Charge!" Keeping her arms crossed, she broke into a powerful sprint toward the bounty hunter.
The Ghost merely sidestepped and let her run by, though she kept running until she struck the end of the train. The impact caused the entire wagon to rumble and shake, causing even The Ghost to staggered slightly. When Ursula pulled from the wall, an X-shaped dent was left in place.
She rolled her shoulders and lifted her arms again, this time generating a white and blue coating. "Xecution Style!" She stomped the ground with thunderous force and broke into a ferocious sprint.
The Ghost clanged his spikes together. "Metal Sound." An ear-piercing soundwave generated from the spikes and bounced off the walls of the train.
Ursula stumbled to a stop and growled as she tried to block out the noise. "AGH! Cut that out!"
With her stunned, The Ghost whipped out a gun and charged his shot. "Die." He fired the concentrated Steel Beam from the barrel.
Ursula sensed it and barely intercepted with her empowered chop. The beam split into four and carved along the walls and floor. "That won't work!" She charged at him again.
The Ghost disposed of his crumpling gun and morphed his spikes into metallic claws. "Metal Claw."
Ursula jumped and came at him like a buzz saw. He crossed his claws and blocked her first hit, then struck back against her second strike. They briefly knocked each other back before going at it again. They traded chops and claw swipes, unintentionally destroying the furniture around them with wide swings. Ursula's chop smashed through an undamaged booth seat and reduced it to splinters while The Ghost's claws shredded through the floor whenever he missed a downward swing.
"You possessed the strength of Regigigas, but the mind of an uncultured heathen," The Ghost said. He sidestepped her next strike and channeled Dragon Pulse into his hand. "Whoever this master of yours is, they were an inadequate teacher."
He slammed his attack into her stomach and blasted her to the other end of the wagon. She slammed into the door, which crumpled against the impact. She fell back into the connecting bridge and looked up. She could see the escaped passengers peeking through the tiny window in the door. Thankfully, everyone was out of danger, but for how long?
She pushed herself up and growled. "Don't you spit at his name. He's more of a man than you ever could be."
The Ghost glared. "Such paltry retaliation, but hardly worth the effort to respond. You are a mere extra while I stand as the lead. You are not even worthy of being fodder to my presence. Wither away in a hole like the worthless tree you are."
"Finally, some trash talk I can actually understand." She widened her stance and empowered her arms again. "You think you're all that?"
"I am superior to you. I am The Ghost, and you are nothing but a future bloodstain. Interfering with my justice is a crime that cannot be—"
"Oh, shut up, you moron!" she snapped. "If you're going to waste all your energy preaching about nothing, why don't you get to the actual killing?" She smirked. "Oh, unless you can't kill me. Maybe those hits earlier were just flukes. Perhaps you're weaker than you let on."
"Petty insults are tantamount to weakness."
She turned away and shrugged. "And yet, here we are. Can't even defeat MacGyver's bodyguard."
"…Bodyguard?"
"Yep! I'm sworn to protect Ms. MacGyver and make sure you don't get your hands on Logos! So sorry, but you've already lost. I've already killed hundreds who've tried to wrestle that information out of her."
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Your aura is still and unwavering. You're not lying?"
She glared back. Master Kauffmann always said a strong will can make even the most baseless lies sound true. I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about, but if I can get him to focus on me instead of Pandora, that'll buy us sometime. Still, what the hell does he want with Pandora?
"Oh, totally. So, if you want her, you'll have to get through me." She raised her empowered arms again. "Unless you have doubts you can be me—" She gasped as The Ghost suddenly got up in her face.
"Very well."
He struck her with a strong uppercut to the chin, knocking her into the air. He grabbed her ankle and swung her down into the floor before bombarding her with multiple blasts of Dragon Pulse. Before Ursula could retaliate, he kicked her hard in the stomach and sent her sailing across the train, slamming her head against the wall.
The Ghost spat out his wheat and pulled a gun from his coat. "His knowledge will lead us to new possibilities. Removing you is but the crumb of the great bread of life that one must sacrifice in the name of a delicious bite. And I am The Ghost." He aimed and charged up his shot. "That is absolute."
Ursula pressed her hand against the wall and shakily picked herself up. She panted heavily, feeling like she was about to vomit. The slightest head tilt felt like she was about to collapse. She pressed her other hand to the wall, steadying herself, and took a deep breath.
"You think I'm done?"
The Ghost glared. "Death is absolute. You are but a wine bottle to be smashed over the head of corruption. I exist to keep the balance of Virdis in check, but now priorities have changed. This is the direction to be taken for a healthier tomorrow. So long as our ideals prevail, my justice is absolute."
"…" She glared over her shoulder. "Must be easy for you. Someone born with natural ability and talent. Does the word failure exist in your world?"
"I am the absolute."
"That a fact?" She straightened up and patted herself twice on the cheeks. "Do you know what they call me?"
"I don't care."
A smirk stretched over her lips. "You should."
"Die." The Ghost fired his shot.
Ursula immediately ducked and let the beam pierce through the wall. "Bulk Up!" A red aura surrounded her. She rose up and flexed her arms, expanding her muscles and ripping the sleeves of her suit to shreds. "This is the results of hard work!" She stomped the ground and sprung up into the ceiling before divebombing toward The Ghost.
He dodged, narrowly avoiding a chop attack. He felt the wind rushing around her as if she sliced into it. He dealt her another kick and knocked her across the train, but noticed she rebounded from it much easier than before. She skipped of the floor a couple times before landing perfectly on her feet.
"Xtinction Catapult!" She crossed her arms and charged them with energy. She kicked off the floor and launched herself at The Ghost in a tight, spinning aerial roll.
The Ghost ducked just as she came into range and unfolded herself, performing an X-shaped slice into the air. He prepared to strike with an uppercut, but staggered as the entire wagon suddenly ripped apart behind him. He turned around and found an X-shaped scar at the end of the wagon, spreading partway across the walls, too. Ursula was a good meter or so from the wall, yet the pressure of her attack alone left such a gnarly gash.
"They call me…!"
The Ghost found himself on the receiving end of a powerful Brick Break directly applied to the top of his head. Ursula buried his face into the floor, splitting the metal open under the weight of her strength.
For the first time in a long while, The Ghost experienced an attack that actually hurt him.
"The Heaven Splitter!"
"Abyss Clouds!" Althalos snapped his fingers and summoned a wave of black clouds from behind himself, surging toward Gaufroi.
Gaufroi grabbed a destroyed booth chair and threw it into the clouds. The darkness entangled around the debris, allowing the knight to charge on by with his axe raised. "Chip Away!"
Althalos dodged the swing as it sliced off another chunk of the train. He lit his fist with Will-O-Wisp and punched the knight into the stomach. "Abyss Clouds: Hell Storm!" A burst of flaming darkness exploded from his fist and propelled Gaufroi down the wagon.
Gaufroi swung his axe into the floor and anchored himself against the flaming tornado. He growled, feeling his skin hiss from the prolonged exposure of heat. "Hammer…Arm!" He reared his arm back and threw a heavy punch into the center of the whirlwind. The force blew the darkness away and gave him enough time to step out of its path. "Swords Dance!" After quickly powering himself up, he sprinted at Althalos.
The Dusknoir raised his hand and, with a snap of his fingers, possessed the loose debris around him. "Poltergeist!" He thrusted his hand and sent it flying.
Gaufroi raised an arm over his head and charged through the hail of junk. "Brilliant Dark Justice!" The edge of his axe glowed with a mix of yellow and purple energy, slicing through debris from brief contact.
Althalos jumped back and barely avoided the slash. He could feel his stomach tingle from the closeness. The energy crackling off the blade's edge was brief, yet unnerving to his ghostly body. It didn't feel like a Normal-Type move at all.
"…You lied."
Gaufroi stomped one foot forward and, with his axe still in mid-swing, swung it back at Althalos. The Dusknoir crafted a barrier of darkness, absorbing the impact and ensnaring the axe. He winced as the energy crackling off the axe's edge penetrated the dark barrier.
"You're the one who made guesses," Gaufroi said. "I never said I didn't have something for ghosts. Night Slash!" He let go of his axe and took Althalos by surprise with a claw swipe across the face.
"GAH!" Althalos staggered back and shielded his face. "B-Bastard! Will-O-Wisp!" He opened his stomach and fired off volleys of flaming wisps.
Gaufroi crossed his arms and took the repeated blast of spectral flames. Again, they heated up the inside of his armor and made his skin burn. His body could only handle so much, and he became engulfed in the ghostly pyre. He clenched his teeth and stumbled back on his heel, struggling to glare through the cloak of flames.
Althalos rubbed his eye until the pain subsided, then glared at his flaming adversary. "Poltergeist!" He inspirited more of the debris and clenched his fist. The debris attracted into Gaufroi and condensed around him like a tight shell. With a flick of his fingers, Abyss Clouds rose up and ensnared the scrap shell.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the darkness constricted around the trapped Ursaring, slowly working its way toward crushing himself. However, before he could get too comfortable, the inside of the shell rumbled and shook. The Will-O-Wisp flames hissed from inside the darkness, and a pair of red eyes pierced through.
Althalos' eye widened. "Wha—"
"RAAAAAAH!" With a swing of his arms, the darkness dispersed from around Gaufroi and sent the debris scattering all over. He stomped his foot down and growled like a savage Pokémon. The spectral flames continued to engulf him, yet he hardly seemed to notice.
Althalos grimaced and summoned flames in his hand. "Guts…"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wagon, Leon was contending with Rogier. The Aron hid behind his shield while the former knight came down on him with a flurry of punches. He braced his stance and resisted Rogier's strength.
"You're a tough brat, but not tough enough! Dynamic Punch!" Rogier reared his fist back and threw it, exploding with energy.
"Protect!" Leon projected the barrier over his shield and absorbed the attack. The force cascaded off the barrier and rattled his surroundings. He huffed through his nose and asked quietly, "What the hell are you all doing on the train?"
"None of your business!" Rogier threw another Dynamic Punch, this time connecting with the shield and throwing Leon into the wall.
Leon braced himself before bouncing off the wall and landed on a destroyed booth seat. He panted lightly and said, "You said earlier…that something happened to half your team. Seismic Frank…you said he was dead?"
Rogier growled as frost formed over his hands "Got something to say?"
He clenched his teeth. "To think my efforts to get that man arrested ended in his escape and execution, I'm not sure how I should feel. Even so, people like you working with him? I don't see much room for sympathy."
"I don't need your charity. Dynamic Ice Breaker!" He condensed an Ice Ball in front of his fist and struck it with Dynamic Punch.
Leon ducked behind his shield again. He braced his stance as the Ice Ball slammed into him and dragged him across the train. His body ring from the impact even before he crashed into the wall. To think Melissa took that attack to the back once, he was grateful for strengthening his defenses.
"Dynamic Ice Breaker!" Rogier fired another Ice Ball, this time ricocheting it off the walls and ceiling.
Leon activated Protect and let the Ice Ball exploded against his barrier. However, when he dropped the Protect, Rogier came barreling toward him with Dual Chop. Leon deflected one strike, but was struck in a blind spot and knocked away, dropping his shield. Rogier leapt at the Aron and crashed down on him with a Dynamic Punch at the ready.
"Sorry kid, but the law of nature comes first!"
Leon immediately curled into a ball. "Metal Burst!" He released a blinding flash of light and exploded shrapnel from his body.
Rogier growled and backed off as the metal particles sliced into his skin. "Sh-Shit!"
Leon pulled himself up and spat on the floor. "Law of nature? Let me show you how much stronger I've gotten." He sprinted at Rogier as his body took on a metallic sheen. "Full Metal Crash!" He threw his body weight into the Poliwrath's stomach.
Rogier gasped, feeling the air being knocked out of his lungs. His feet slipped from the ground, and he slammed into the wall over a pile of furniture. It felt like someone tied a large bounder to a chain, spun it around, and swung it directly into his gut while he wasn't looking. He could feel what little lunch he had churning inside.
"S-Stupid…brat!"
He tried to grab Leon, but he jumped away in time. Leon slid next to his shield and kicked it upright, strapping it back to his side. "So long as I stand, I will be the shield of my friends. I won't let anyone take the fall."
Rogier struggled to his feet, visibly huffing through his nostrils. "It's never that easy…"
From the other end of the train, Althalos was thrown toward the pair, forcing them to dodge out of the way. He skidded off his back before rolling himself back into the air. "Abyss Clouds!" He clenched his fist and coated the floor with darkness.
Gaufroi, empowered by Guts, charged toward the Dusknoir. He jumped over the corrupted floor and came down on him with his axe. Althalos narrowly avoided it and punched the Ursaring in the face with a flaming punch, but the knight remained unfazed. He pushed back against the attack and seized Althalos by the arm.
"Dynamic Ice Breaker!" Rogier rebounded off the floor and fired the Ice Ball into Gaufroi's head, knocking him off balance.
Althalos snapped his fingers and used Poltergeist on the surrounding debris, throwing it down on Gaufroi. The knight recovered at the last second and slashed through the debris in one stroke. Althalos raised his arms against the wind pressure from the swing.
"Brilliant Dark Justice!" He reared his axe back and lit the edge in a stronger purple-yellow glow.
"Dual Chop!"
Right as Gaufroi swung his axe at Althalos, Rogier stepped in between them and caught the axe by its edge. He grunted, feeling the blade digging into his palms, but hardened his stance to keep the attack at bay. Althalos glared and fired flaming Abyss Clouds at Gaufroi.
"Protect!" Leon jumped over Gaufroi's shoulder and projected a small barrier to absorb the attack.
"Stupid brat!" Rogier pushed aside the axe and thrusted a Dynamic Punch.
"Mimic!" Leon hid behind his shield before Rogier's fist connected. His body trembled from the power exploded against his kite shield. He dug his feet into the floor and held out as best as he could. Once he felt the kinetic force subside, his shield glimmered silver. "Full Metal Mirror Counter!"
Rogier and Althalos braced themselves as a shield fired off metallic shrapnel and blew them back. Althalos caught himself in the air and shook his head, but Rogier slid across the ground in a dizzied daze. As he tried to stand, he would fall back over on his face while muttering incoherent grunts.
Althalos glared. "He combined Rogier's Dynamic Punch with Metal Burst. No wonder it didn't affect me."
Gaufroi massaged his jaw before standing up. "Thanks for the save, kid."
Leon panted heavily, still rattled from Rogier's attack. "Any time."
Althalos summoned Will-O-Wisp again and said, "You have no idea what I'm willing to do to keep my team safe. If you continue to oppose me any longer, I may have to skip the pretenses and jam up the wheels to this vehicle."
Gaufroi pointed his axe at him. "As a knight of the Senbo Kingdom, I won't allow any harm to fall upon my king's subjects."
Althalos sneered. "You really think you're in any position to tell me the glory of the Senbo Kingdom?"
"…" Gaufroi narrowed his eyes.
"You know the sins of your own kingdom, don't you? I wonder if your protégé, the Vaporeon, knows. How many of your own men have been left in the dark about the Senbo Kingdom's secrets?"
Leon's eyes widened. Secrets?
Gaufroi kept a stoic face, though his grip tightened around his weapon. "Is that a threat?"
Althalos aimed his flames at him. "That all depends on your next move."
Leon could sense the tension in Gaufroi's stance and hear the growls vibrating inside his throat. He was no stranger to Althalos' words, knowing his own bias against his home kingdom, but the idea that there's far more than even he knew was staggering.
What is Althalos talking about?
The longer Ursula and The Ghost traded attacks, the more of the wagon they stripped apart. With both sides having a fair evaluation of the others potential, they were putting out more and more of their strength to guarantee defeat to the other.
The Ghost, in particular, whipped out his guns and fired off numerous Steel Beam shots at Ursula, who proved to be swifter than her bulky physique led to believe. She bounced off the walls and floor precisely to dodge his attacks and closed the distance to land another crippling blow.
He blocked one her chops, but the force knocked him off his feet and slammed him in the front of the wagon. The scars left behind by Ursula's powerful attack caused the walls to bend back with just a little pressure. He could feel the wind outside breaching the interior.
"Such ferocious power." He straightened up and dusted the metal shards off his hands. "How does one such as you obtain this kind of strength?"
Ursula sprinted at him with Brick Break. "Lots and lots of chopping! HI-YA!"
He dodged her attack and watched it shred through the wall, dealing the blow needed to take half of it out. It snapped off and bounced away into the environment with the sound of a distant clang.
"Fascinating. Dragon Pulse." He channeled draconian energy and fired it into her.
Ursula crossed her arms and slashed the beam apart. "I'll keep fighting until my last breath!"
The Ghost formed his Metal Claws. "Show me the depths of your spirit. Extreme Speed." His body briefly vibrated before disappearing.
Ursula gasped. "Wha—"
Suddenly, she was launched back by a flurry of metallic slashes striking her from multiple directions. Dozens upon dozens of attacks assaulting her like a swarm of Ninjask, cutting her skin and ripping into her disguise. At the end, she was grabbed by the throat and slammed up against the wall before being punched in the stomach. She coughed blood into her attacker's face, who merely stared at her with his cold glare.
"You're tenacious, Heaven Splitter. You are truly one of the strongest Pokémon I've encountered." He shook his head. "Yet you are still a drop in the world of strength compared to absolution. So long as my goal remains absolute, I shall remain absolute. For I am The Ghost."
She grabbed his arm and growled. "What do you get out of this? Why all this effort just for her?"
"My purpose in this is irrelevant. It is only the cause that matters." He glared toward the engine room. "Speaking of, I've wasted enough time with you."
"W-Wait—"
He slammed her on the ground and grabbed her by the head. "This is nothing personal. It is simply the way things are."
She clenched her teeth. "You…!"
"Pray that your skills are remembered in the afterlife." With a twist of his hands, he made the move to snap her neck.
…
…
…
…Why wasn't there a snapping sound?
The Ghost's eyes widened as Ursula fought back against such a mundane action for him. The veins and muscles in her neck throbbed as she resisted his strength. She turned her head just enough to glare right at him with fury.
"Oh, you've screwed up now!"
Pandora hurried away on the controls, trying to make sure she memorized the train's mechanisms. She took occasional glances at the unconscious conductor, whose face was shoddily patched up from the medical kit stashed in the control room. If she weren't in a rush, maybe she could've done a better job about it.
"Worries for later." She placed her paws over the panel and examined the levers. "Okay, I have a basic idea of how the train operates. We just need to get Tank and Leon, and we'll ride home free." She lay her paw over one lever in particular. "Once we've disconnected, I'll use this to speed us up and get away from the knights. Easy peasy."
Her ears perked up to the sound of thrashing and banging coming from the next wagon over. She had nearly forgotten about her friend who was fighting for both their lives against the mad bounty hunter, but it only occurred to her the noise of the train had drowned such conflict out. Why did it sudden sound so much closer—
Her eyes widened as something came flying through the door and snapped it off its hinges. She jumped out of the way as The Ghost flew into the control room and slammed into the control panel. He had blood dripping from his nose and mouth.
"Xalted Charge!"
The Ghost shook his daze off and flipped back onto the controls as Ursula came barreling into the room, ramming against the control panel and denting it in on itself. She lifted her gaze and scowled before lunging at him. He tried to dodge, but she grabbed him by the coat and shoved him against the front window.
"I've been beaten down by Pokémon fifty times your size! You think I'm afraid of a scuffle with a murderer?!" she yelled. She reared her arm back and activated Brick Break. "Get real!"
The Ghost backhanded the window and shattered it in one blow. Due to Ursula throwing her weight against him, they both fell out onto the front of the train. He dug his Metal Claw down and anchored himself. Ursula gripped into the rivets as she slid down to the nose of the train. Her adhesive skin kept her from sliding further.
Finding his balance, The Ghost stood up and glared down at her, his coat fluttering in the wind. "You will never overcome my absolute potential."
Ursula pulled herself to her feet and growled. "Bring it on, bastard! I ain't done yet! HA!" She lunged at him.
The Ghost leapt back onto the top of the train and ran off. Ursula landed and scrambled up top. When she reached the top, she felt a sudden jolt through the train. The vibrations felt like they were getting stronger, and the sound of the wheels rolling across the tracks grew louder. She wasn't sure if she was imagining things, but it was on the low end of her priorities as she chased down the sparkling bounty hunter.
"Get back here, you jerk!"
Pandora picked herself off the floor and shook her aching head. "We're not even going to have a train left if those two reduce it to scrap metal." She groaned and massaged her temples. "Just need a moment to think…"
CLANG!
She yelped as one of the levers rattled onto the floor and rolled into the wall. Slowly, she turned around and stared at the controls, only now taking in their current state. With all the roughhousing between Ursula and their unfortunate guest, the control panel was crushed in on itself with the levels bent or snapped off and pulleys ripped clean off.
The only thing that was still operational was the core's engine, and she could feel the train speeding up.
She stared at the smashed panel with wide eyes. "I might need more than a moment."