Gadalik watched his mother anxiously pace around the living room in front of him as she fidgeted with a lock of her shoulder-length light purple hair twirled around her finger.

"Gale's taking so long…" she said. "You don't think he got hurt out there again, do you?"

"I'm sure he's alright," the teen assured her from his seat on the couch. "He told us it might take some time. Dad's only been gone for an hour."

She plopped herself down beside her son and heaved a sigh. "You're right. It's just… Ever since he was stabbed the other day, I can't help but imagine the worst every time he leaves without us."

"He can handle himself. And he's made good on his promise to keep a first aid kit with him, if it does come to that."

They both looked to the window when the clopping of hooves could be heard outside, to see a carriage drawn by two horses approaching.

Gadalik moved to go out, but his mother stopped him. She opened the door and yelled, "Hey! This is private property; you're not allowed here!"

The horses stopped in front of her house. The teen worriedly tried to pull Glacia back inside, fearing for her safety, but the woman wouldn't budge.

A bronze-skinned man, wearing a maroon vest over a white tank, and with a blue-violet scarf the same color as his mohawked hair wrapped around his neck trailing behind him, stepped down from the coach's seat. "Then why did you give me the key?"

"Gale!" She raced to her boyfriend and jumped into his arms. "You had me worried sick! What were you doing all this time?"

"Negotiating." He gestured to his ride. "It's all ours."

"The horses too?" Gadalik asked, leaving the porch to join his parents. He approached one, a dappled light gray stallion with white mane and feathering, holding a hand out to its muzzle.

It sniffed him, then pushed its snout affectionately into his palm, nearly knocking him over from the force. He chuckled and scratched the sides of its head.

"Yep. I think I'll keep the mare for myself, but you can have the carriage and stallion," his father answered.

"Aww! They're so cute," Glacia gushed. "How much were they?"

"I managed to haggle them down to a fair price. I named the mare Aristella. Gadalik, would you want to name yours?"

His son gave it some thought, still petting the dappled gray horse. "How about… Punsiv."

"Nice."

Glacia turned to her boyfriend. "Well? What are we waiting for? Let's take them for a ride!"

"Sure." The scarved man returned to the coach's seat and took the reins in hand.

Gadalik got in the back, and so did his mother. As they headed for the nearest town, he leaned on top of the door, admiring the speed at which they were travelling.

His father noticed, then grinned, whipping the reins gently to send the trotting horses to a gallop.

Glacia whooped as they raced down the worn, snow-fallen dirt road, her son laughing with excitement as the hooves and wheels kicked up slush around them. The wind swept his striped green hair back, and he breathed in the crisp cold air.

He remembered treading through this route last winter, on foot, to help the spirit of a little girl the next town over. He was grateful to have his family with him this time, and that he now had new transportation.

They passed through the town's gates before they knew it. Gale slowed down to give the steeds a break. "What say we grab something to eat?"

"Yeah, I was so worried about you that I forgot about lunch," Glacia admitted.

"Then it's settled. Let's find a place." He got them going at a leisurely pace until they reached a three-star restaurant. He took care of the horses outside, and they all went in to be assigned a seat. Everything on the menu looked great and was priced reasonably. "It's my treat."

"You're the best," his girlfriend chimed.

"Hi, there! New faces, I see," the waitress greeted them. "Are you here for the performance, too?"

"What performance?"

"There's a traveling stuntman setting up a course for this afternoon. Lots of tourists are coming to see him."

"That sounds like fun! What do you boys think?"

"Well…" Gale seemed hesitant.

"I'll pay for it," Glacia offered. "Gadalik, you'd like to see it too, right?"

"S-sure," her son answered. He was confused by his father's reluctance.

They arrived at the site to find ramps lined up from lowest to steepest, the spaces in between increasingly more distant and elevated, filled with hoops to fly through. There were trailers stationed in the back, guarded by security. Workers were securing the ramps and obstacles, following the directions of a tall man dressed in a crimson leather jacket the same color as his hair. A short red cape hung from his shoulders, ending just past his red-buckled black belt, blown back by the breeze.

"I'm counting on you all," he was saying.

"Gadolinium, there appears to be bystanders. Shall I ask them to leave?" a security member asked him, gesturing toward the family.

Gadolinium noticed them, his green gaze settling on the bounty hunter. For once, the stuntman seemed at a loss for words, trying to keep that confident grin despite the bead of sweat forming at his temple. "No, no, good sir; invite them over!"

Gale let out a breath and turned his back to him, walking off.

"Where are you going?" Glacia asked. "He's famous, isn't he? We should go meet him!"

"That's probably not a good idea…" her boyfriend warned her.

"Alright, mister, what's gotten into you?"

Gale bit his lip.

"Fine. Stay here if you want. I'm going to try for an autograph; maybe it'll sell." She followed the security guard toward the celebrity.

"Good luck with that," he muttered under his breath.

Gadalik looked between his parents, indecisive.

"Oh… Go ahead if you want," his father encouraged.

"No, thanks… You seem to know something about him. I trust you," the teen said.

Gale patted his head lightly. "It's nothing for you to worry about."

"Then what is it...?"

"Gale, I got his autograph!" Glacia sang, running up to show it off.

"Really? That's unlike him," her boyfriend said, amazed.

"And it's unlike you to show up," Gadolinium retorted, having followed the woman to them. "It's been a long time. You should've told me you'd be here; I would've sent a chauffeur."

Gale froze.

"What's the matter? Have I left you speechless?" he laughed.

"No… The words I'm looking for, I can't say, because they aren't appropriate for my son to hear," the bounty hunter replied with a halfhearted chuckle.

The corners of the taller man's mouth dropped. "...Son?"

The teenager raised his hand shyly. "Th-that would be me."

Gadolinium gave the spook an unimpressed once-over. "Isn't he a little old to be your son?"

"Excuse you," Glacia huffed. "Gadalik is still our son even if it's not by blood."

The stuntman looked between the parents. "...Huh. I never took him for a family-man." There was an edge in his voice.

Gadalik remembered what his father had revealed to him in a recent conversation: "And unlike Glacia, I never planned on having kids."

"What would you know?" she said indignantly. "You're just some stuck-up celebrity!"

"What?" The green-eyed man seemed shocked. "After all those years, he's never even mentioned me? Frankly, that hurts."

"Years? Gale, what is he talking about?"

Her boyfriend heaved a dismissive sigh. "Don't worry about it. It's over with…thankfully."

The daredevil scoffed. "What's your problem? Still upset about your father?"

Gale didn't bother looking his way, turning back to the horses. "Don't you have a show to prepare for? Or are you here to apologize?"

The taller man retreated a step, opening his mouth to respond, but then closing it.

"...Did we miss something?" Glacia commented.

Gadolinium straightened up. "Not at all!" he exclaimed, as if addressing a crowd. "He's right: I do need to prepare. But you're all invited to my trailer afterward. I'll see you there, my good fellows!"

After he strode away, she turned to Gale. "What was that all about?"

He patted the horse's neck, then finally faced them. "Remember what I told you before we got serious?"

She looked at their son, unsure if she should share it. "Yeah. What about it? You trust me, don't you?"

"Of course. It took me long enough, after what he put me through."

"You mean...that was your ex?"

He nodded. "I'll respect your decision to watch his performance, but count me out. Too much of my time was wasted on him already; I don't need to add to it."

"Ex?" Gadalik echoed. "What happened?"

"Nothing, for the past eight years. And I want to keep it that way."

"It kind of sounded like he wants to make amends…"

"Don't be fooled. He doesn't know how to."

"But eight years can change a person, don't you think?"

"Not him."

"How do you know?"

"...I guess I don't. But I'm not interested in finding out."

"What about closure? This might be something more important to you than you realize… I've seen ghosts who'd rather be stuck on earth forever than make up with an ex partner, and I don't want that for you…"

Gale laughed genuinely, and ruffled his son's hair. "You worry too much. If it'll help you feel better, I'll talk to him after the show, alright?"

"You're not trying to get them back together, are you?" Glacia asked her son, hurt by the thought.

"They were friends before partners!" Gadalik reminded her. "Who says they can't be friends again?"

Gadolinium rode down the final ramp, the end of it sending him up towards the flaming hoop.

The motorcycle didn't make it far enough. It was falling just shy of reaching it. Gadolinium gasped through his teeth, then stood on the seat of the bike and launched himself off of it, diving through the fire and landing at a slight angle on his forefeet with his knees slightly bent before tucking into a ball to roll with the impact. He stood upright, then bowed as the crowd cheered. After thanking them for showing up, his crew collected the motorcycle and Gadolinium basked in the applause for moments longer before heading back to his trailer.

Glacia clicked her tongue. "That was a bit overboard. He could've stayed on the motorbike and that would've sufficed."

"I think that was the plan… Something went wrong," Gale said quietly.

"Well? Should we check on him?"

"Err…" The bounty hunter glanced toward his son, whose big blue eyes shone pleadingly. "Alright."

"This is the third time in a row something has gone wrong," Gadolinium was saying, frustrated. "Everything was prepared before we started. There's no reason for this…!"

"It must be the new-hire, sir," said one of the stage crew. "She found out your motorbike had a small leak in it. We believe it was intentional."

"Of course…" he sighed. "Vanessa?"

"Yes, sir?" answered a woman with olive hair.

"I'll have you know I checked everything before the show started, and there were no leaks. Things have been going wrong at the last second, ever since we hired you a few months back. Tell me… Are you bad luck?"

"Luck, sir? I don't know if such a thing exists…"

"I suppose you're right. Now run along; go tell the others I'm on the verge of firing you, so they'll quit telling me to."

Vanessa let out a relieved breath. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir!" She passed the trio coming in as she left.

"Gadolinium?" Gadalik called as he and his family entered.

"Hey, you made it!" The man tucked his longer bang behind his ear as he stood to greet them. "How did you like the performance? A slight setback, at the end, but it added to the stakes, I feel."

"You sprained your ankle, didn't you," Gale stated.

"What?"

"I can tell from how you were walking… Trying not to limp, but you were still favoring your left foot."

Gadolinium seemed shocked at first, then laughed. "I'm surprised you noticed."

"Well… When you find yourself facing off with people on the regular, you actively look for any disadvantage they might have for you to exploit."

"Still a scrapper, huh?"

"I've made it my career," the bounty hunter chuckled.

"Remember that time you stood up to our neighborhood bully when we were kids? Twisted his wrist so hard he cried for his mother!"

"It was either that, or let him punch your pretty little face in...which, looking back, I get why he wanted to."

"Ouch. Well it looks like people have already punched your face in."

Gale laughed. "I'm sure you do as well, underneath all of that stage makeup."

He grinned. "That's why I never leave without it!"

"You seem to be having fun," Gadalik remarked, smiling at the two.

"Err, yes… Your...family," Gadolinium said, glancing uncertainly at them. "Forgive me; I don't recall your names."

The green-haired teen stepped forward, offering a hand. "My name's Gadalik. I'm a spook...off-duty at the moment," he said, clutching the nullifier through his red plaid shirt's collar with his other hand. "Gale's been a father to me for five years...even if it's not entirely official yet."

Gadolinium shook his hand firmly. "Well met! Of course you all know my name. But you can call me Linny for short."

"Sure thing, Linny. This is Glacia," he continued, gesturing to the woman with a short yellow dress under a long sky-blue cardigan with dark purple trim, her hands gripping the strap to her shining gold leather crossbody purse. "She's been my mother for eight years."

Glacia glared at the daredevil, suspicious, with irises as red as her lipstick.

"My sincerest apologies for my behavior during our initial introduction, madam," Linny addressed her. "It is a great pleasure to meet you."

"...Madam?" she echoed, caught off-guard by his sudden politeness. She glanced at her boyfriend.

Gale gave an ever-so-slight shake of his head.

"A beautiful one, at that," Linny added. He spun on his heel to head toward the door. "Well, it was wonderful to meet you all again. If fate will have it, I'll be seeing you after the cleanup--ack!" The second he put weight on his right foot, he resiled.

"Sir, are you alright?" one of the crew asked.

"Peachy," the green-eyed man answered through gritted teeth. He sat down, massaging his ankle.

Gale approached him, crouching to inspect his ex's injury. "It's a bad sprain...but it's nothing serious. You'll be fine. Just put a brace on it to prevent it from worsening, since you and I both know you aren't going to stay off it."

"A brace? Leave it to me," Glacia chimed in, withdrawing a first aid kit from her purse.

"My, aren't you the prepared one?" Linny said, impressed.

She laughed. "With how often these two get hurt, someone has to be." The woman took a compression wrap from the kit and doctored his ankle. "That oughta keep it straight enough to let it heal, while also flexible enough to walk on."

He stood, testing his weight on it. "This is miraculous! You have my wholehearted gratitude, madam. If there is any way I may return the favor, be sure to enlighten me."

She smiled. "Charming, aren't you?"

"Only to those I deem worthy."

Glacia blushed.

"How much longer will you be in town, Linny?" Gadalik asked.

"I planned on packing up at first light," the oldest man answered. "But with the saboteurs, and my ankle being...as it is… I can postpone my next show and perhaps reconnect with Gale. If he will allow me to do so, that is."

They all turned to the bounty hunter. Gadalik's striped blue eyes looked pleadingly at his father, who gave a sigh of defeat.

"Fine by me," Gale complied with obviously-forced enthusiasm.

"We can help clean up if you'd like," Gadalik offered.

"Be my guest," the Linny invited.

They joined him on the set. From the crowd it looked much smaller. Gadalik was amazed by the sheer size of it; the ramp yet to be put away loomed over him. The hoop was being dismantled by the crew; others were wheeling the obstacles away.

"Send my bike for repairs, my good man," the stuntman directed.

"Right away, sir."

As the spook took the jack to wheel the final ramp to the rest of them, he heard a faint creak, and paused to listen.

It grew louder.

He looked toward the sound to see the ramp tipping his way, slowly at first until gravity sped it up. His heart skipped a beat and he found himself unable to move.

"Look out, kid!" Linny pulled him back just as the scaffolds gave way and the ramp toppled over with a loud crash where the teen had been standing.

"What on earth happened?" Glacia demanded, embracing her shocked son protectively.

"Someone must've loosened the bolts," Linny muttered.

"Someone… Y-you mean the saboteurs?" Gadalik asked.

"Most likely. It's strange… I've been cautious ever since the first incident occurred. I made sure my bike had fuel and that the ramps were safe beforehand... Yet somehow everything goes awry at the last minute."

"So abandoning your bike like that wasn't part of the show?" Glacia concluded. "I knew that was a bit much."

"I improvised."

"Do you have an idea of who might want to sabotage you?" the youngest prompted.

"I trust my team with my life," Linny said, "mainly because my life actually does depend on them keeping everything in order. The fact that I'm currently alive is a testament to their devotion throughout the years. So of course they blame the new-hire Vanessa, but…"

"But?"

"Since they started bringing attention to her, I've kept her at arm's length from anything and everything crucial."

"Hm… Could it be a deranged fan?" Glacia suggested.

"I doubt it. We travel, so unless they somehow followed us all this time unnoticed for the last three months, I'm going to rule that out."

"Do you have any enemies, or people who might want to hurt you?" the teen wondered.

Gale laughed. "Only everyone who's met him personally."

Linny scoffed. "Again, I trust my crew, and they're the only ones who've been around during every incident."

"Well, let's get out of here before someone gets hurt," Glacia said, grabbing her son by the elbow to guide him off the set.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Her boyfriend followed suit.

"W-wait!" Gadalik cried.

Glacia paused, letting him go.

"Linny, come with us," he invited. "I have shield tags, among others, to help keep you safe if your stalker comes after you. We would need to make a quick stop at our motel so I can grab them. That way, you could maybe join us for dinner…? I-if that's alright with my parents."

Gale hesitated. "…Sure."

"If you insist," Linny obliged. "It would be a good chance to catch up on the years passed. I'll even pay."

Glacia perked up at the offer. "Sounds good to me!"

"Uh... I'm not sure you'd want to do that," Gale warned him. "Our bill might be higher than you'd think."

"Nonsense," Linny scoffed. "I can afford it."

"If you say so."

The horses greeted Gale with cheerful nickers as he gave them each an affectionate rub on their necks before getting in the coach's seat. Linny moved to sit beside Gale in the front, but the latter quickly leaned over the seat to call back, "Gadalik, would you want to sit up here with me?"

The teen looked between the two. He preferred staying in the back, feeling safer there. But he didn't want his father to be uncomfortable, either. Although perhaps it would be a start at rekindling their past friendship, which he wanted to encourage.

When his son didn't to answer, Gale exhaled and freed the seat for Gadolinium. The others got in the back, and with a gentle whip of the reins, they were off.

"So...how did you and Gale meet?" Glacia asked Linny curiously.

"Hm. It was a bright summer day when Gale moved into my neighborhood. I was nine years old and he was eight. Would you believe he used to be taller than me?" Linny chuckled.

"Really? Huh. Never underestimate the power of growth spurts," Glacia laughed. "I remember when Gadalik had one. It felt like it was overnight when he was suddenly half a foot taller."

"You sure? He's still short," Linny commented.

"Excuse me?" she gasped, staring daggers at him.

"Everyone is short compared to you," Gale defended his son with a dismissive laugh.

"S-so about how you met," Gadalik interrupted, trying to keep things from escalating.

"Oh, yes," Linny said. "Gale and I hit it off from the start. He was the only one who never seemed to get upset when I spoke. Every other kid on the block kept their distance from me."

"Gee, I wonder why," she muttered sarcastically.

"Well, there was Harry," Gale reminded him.

Linny rubbed his chin. "Harry…? Oh! I'd forgotten his name."

"Who's that?" the teen prompted.

"He was a twelve-year-old who used to torment everyone. And I'm not one to endure that, let alone sit back and watch others suffer," his father continued. "So of course when I first saw him go after someone--Linny--I fought back."

"Heh. Harry was so humiliated to have lost the fight that he retreated to his house for an entire week," the other man laughed.

"He hadn't picked a fight with us since."

"Well… Yes, that is, when you were around," the older male corrected him. "When you weren't, it was a different story."

"...What? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"The others were probably threatened into silence. As for me, I tried to fight back but realized I'm more nimble than strong. So instead I managed to avoid him until you'd return. Even then, he'd give me rather unsettling looks whenever he'd pass."

"I wonder what drove him to act like that in the first place," Gadalik murmured.

"Well it's not like we can ask him. The unfortunate fellow grew sick and died a few months back, at the young age of thirty-one."

"Thirty-one?" Glacia shuddered. "That's only four years older than you are, Gale…"

"And three years older than Linny. At least we know who will go first," Gale joked, quickly adding, "Sorry...that was in poor taste. None of us will be dying anytime soon, if I can help it."

"I'll take your word for that, what with my saboteurs still amuck," the stuntman said. "I could use your scrappiness to fend them off, if it ever comes to that...just like old times."

"Count on it."

They stopped at their motel and Gadalik hopped out of the carriage. "I'll be right back," he promised, and went in. He paused at the door of his room, and felt tense. It was purely physical, however. Weird… Usually this happens as an emotional response, but I'm in a good mood right now. He glanced over his shoulder, not knowing what to expect.

Nobody was there.

He shook his head and unlocked the door, grabbing the duffel bag containing his spooks' supplies from the floor by the coat rack, and quickly shut it and left, not wanting to linger when the feeling unnerved him. On his way out, he spotted a woman with olive hair and golden eyes walking past him, going in. She looked familiar but he didn't give it a second thought, climbing back into the carriage.

"...Do you have any more things to tell me about Gale's childhood?" Glacia was saying, leaning forward. Her boyfriend seemed somewhat embarrassed.

"You know, it was the funniest thing," the oldest man answered, "that everyone in the neighborhood had respect for him but not me. And all the girls had crushes on him, despite how oblivious he was. I admit I was a tad jealous."

"I wasn't oblivious. I was just happy enough with you," Gale stated as a matter of fact, steering the horses back to the street.

Linny seemed surprised by the revelation. "That's the nicest thing you've said to me all day."

"Don't get used to it," the scarved man half-jokingly replied. "The keyword here is 'was.'"

He leaned back and crossed his legs. "Why do you rebuke me?"

"I don't. I was kidding."

"I could tell you meant it. I just don't get why; I never did anything to you."

The bounty hunter suddenly clenched the reins tighter, clearly disagreeing. They were almost past a fancy restaurant when Gale turned the carriage around, soothing the horses to a stop outside of it.

Glacia whistled. "Looks expensive."

"That's the point," her boyfriend muttered.

Their son winced, remembering who had offered to pay.

They got out; Gadalik grabbed the duffel bag that his staff and tags were in, carrying it inside with him. Even with the nullifier, the tags could be used so long as they were applied to something enchanted, such as the wood of his weapon.

"So...I think that's enough about me," Linny said once they were seated. "Tell me, how did you meet Gale?"

"Gadalik often travels far to reach haunted locations, and so I escort him," Glacia explained. "We first saw him turning some guy in the sheriff's office and, honestly, I couldn't get him out of my mind since. The third time we encountered each other, I asked him out. We've been together for five years."

"Five years? Hah. We've had seven...unofficially."

"We can't make time go any faster," she said defensively. "Just you wait. We'll be in this for life."

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too."

The woman put her menu down to glare at him. "And you think you compare to me?"

"I'm just sayin'. I don't even see a ring."

"And I suppose you had one?"

"Of course."

The purple-haired woman turned her boyfriend, speechless.

"That's exactly why rings don't prove anything," Gale pointed out. "Just look at us now, with no contact for eight years. A ring couldn't prevent that."

Now it was Linny's turn to be offended. "It proves intent."

"Actions are more important. Seven years is a long time, sure, but I left when I was nineteen. Being young and naive, I overlooked a lot of red flags in hopes that things could last forever, that I never had to overlook with anyone since. We don't need a ring to show we care. But we have the rest of our lives to get one."

She clung to him and stuck her tongue out at the oldest man.

He scoffed and crossed his arms. "Red flags? What are you saying? I never did anything wrong!"

"Red flag number one: refusing to acknowledge wrongdoings," Gale laughed rather scornfully.

"I beg to differ. I can acknowledge yours plenty."

"Red flag number two: being combative."

The green-eyed man leaned back in surrender. "Come on, now… Give me a break."

"Red flag number three: making me out to be the one in the wrong."

"Are you done yet?" he huffed.

"Dad...you kind of do seem to be the one on the attack, here... at least right now," Gadalik informed him.

Gale shrugged. "Hey, he quite literally asked for it."

"Well, what say we all enjoy our meals for now," Linny suggested, eager to shift the topic away from himself.

Gadalik felt bad for how much every little thing cost. He ended up getting the cheapest item on the menu, and sipped on water after finishing it. While he waited on the others, he took in his surroundings, then noticed a lone woman, perhaps his mother's age, discreetly watching them.

He recognized her as the olive-haired female he'd seen at the motel. With a clear head, he finally remembered who she was: Vanessa, the stagehand who had passed them after the show. When she saw he was looking at her, she quickly glanced away, her golden eyes staring intently at the menu.

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Gale got a basic meal of meat and potatoes, which wasn't that expensive compared to everything else. Glacia, on the other hand, nearly bled the celebrity dry with the sheer amount of deserts she picked out. Even people from other tables were eyeing the growing stacks of empty plates and bowls she left.

"This is--the best," she said between mouthfuls.

Gadalik shrunk in his chair with embarrassment from the attention, while his father laughed and picked some cake off her plate to try.

"I didn't expect such a monstrous appetite from a small woman," Linny remarked, dreadingly counting the dollars in his wallet. "She eats like she's rich."

"My mom is rich, actually," the teen told him. "She's descended from royalty, and the sole heir to their wealth and treasures."

"Is that so? Then perhaps I should have offered to split the bill instead of covering the entirety of it…"

"Too late," she sharply denied him.

When she finally finished, Linny forked over a stack of cash, barely enough to cover the cost, and Gale added a generous tip.

"Are you rich, too?" the stuntman asked.

"Not quite," the bounty hunter replied. "Lately I've been working for artifacts instead of money. But you'd be surprised at how much the rewards can be for the wanted."

They left the building, stopping just before reaching their carriage.

"I'll be staying at this hotel for the next few days, if you'd want to stop by," Linny welcomed them, fishing out a brochure from his pocket. "Farewell for now, my good fellows."

"Stay safe," Gadalik called after him.

"Well...I had a good time, at least after he stopped talking," Glacia chimed, patting her belly with satisfaction. "How about you two?"

"It went better than I expected it to," Gale admitted, "although that isn't saying much."

"What were you expecting?" his son wondered.

"Him to drive you two out of the restaurant. But Glacia handled him like a champ."

"Why, thank you," she giggled.

"I...think we should visit him tomorrow, if only to make sure nobody hurts him," Gadalik said quietly. "That ramp falling could have been fatal, especially had it happened while he was on it during the show. Whoever's after him isn't playing around…"

"It could've really hurt you, too," his mother agreed, angry on his behalf. "That makes it personal."

"Then we'll check on him tomorrow," Gale gave in.

They made it to their reserved motel, which was a bit run down, but cozy. Gadalik had his own room while his parents shared another.

He went to lay down in bed, recounting the stories of his father's youth. Unable to sleep for his curiosity--and hunger, from the small portion he'd eaten at the restaurant--he climbed out of bed and left his room, heading for his parents'.

"Dad...?" he called in a loud whisper, knocking lightly. Unlike his mother, the bounty hunter was a light sleeper.

After a few seconds, the door opened. "Gadalik?" the man yawned. "What is it, bud?"

"I was thinking… About Harry… I mean… What happened to him…?"

"Linny said he died."

Gadalik shook his head. "Before that. He terrorized the kids in your neighborhood, but did he ever stop?"

His father rubbed his eyes, humming thoughtfully. "He and I did fight a few more times later on, mostly since I intended to--tried to, at least--protect everyone else. I managed to fend him off every time, but after news got around that he was moving away, he pulled a last hurrah."

"How so…?"

"I was taking the trash out as I usually did, the night before he moved. That's when he ambushed me. Hurt me pretty bad. It was the first time he actually bested me," Gale admitted. "I haven't told Linny about that, though, so keep it between us…"

The spook nodded.

"I haven't seen Harry since. He moved, and that was that."

"I see…"

He yawned again. "Is that all you wanted to know?"

"Y-yes, thank you…"

"Then I'm going back to sleep… Goodnight. I'm here if you need anything."

"I know. Goodnight," Gadalik said, and returned to his room. His father made sure he made it inside safely before shutting the door.

Upon his stomach growling, the teen went to the fridge and reached for the bag of apples he'd brought with him, rinsing one off at the sink to snack on. His nullifier glinted in the fruit's reflection. Wait! Harry died around the same time Vanessa was hired… If Vanessa really is innocent, then perhaps Harry's spirit is to blame? The nullifier works so well that I forgot ghosts existed…

Gadalik remembered the instructions on how to safely remove the enchanted pendant, and placed it on the middle of his chest as he attempted to channel his magic into it. It can take up to ten minutes. He was too high-strung to eat as he impatiently counted the seconds, his mind reflecting on that day's events for clues. He remembered the ramp nearly falling on him; he had assumed it was a belated result of the saboteur's attempt to harm Linny during the show, but now he wondered if he himself had been the target instead.

"Geez, Gadalik, have you slept at all?" Glacia gasped upon seeing the dark rings around her son's eyes the next morning. "What were you doing all night?"

"Worrying," he answered honestly. "I can't stop thinking about that saboteur. I have a bad feeling that Linny's in danger… Perhaps we all are. We need to check on him as soon as possible--"

"Relax, bud. Accidents happen. That doesn't inherently mean somebody caused them," Gale pointed out. "You know me: I'm always on the lookout. If someone were after us, I would've noticed."

Am I reading too far into things? No--I can't take any chances. "That's just it: you can't notice ghosts. Only I can, but the nullifier would prevent me from it as well. If he's being haunted...I think the saboteur might be Harry's gh--ughn…" His stomach growled rather loudly, and he winced from a sudden cramp.

"Did you eat at all?!" his mother cried. "Forget about Linny and ghosts and saboteurs or whatever! Come on. There's a cafe in the lobby." She practically dragged him there.

"I'll catch up," Gale called after them, seeming thoughtful.

The spook sat with his mother at the table. Vanessa was also the one who found out the fuel leaked on the ramp...just before the ramp fell. And she's the one who saw that the fuel leaked in the first place, when it nearly caused Linny to crash. Perhaps she saw the real culprit in action, ghost or not.

"What do you want for breakfast?" Glacia asked him.

Her son stared at the menu, then caught himself zoning out. He sighed and slid it to her. "You can order for me."

She eyed him worriedly, but chose pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream for the both of them. "Would you want to take a nap after we eat?"

He shook his head. "There's no time. Who knows when--or who--they'll target next. We need to check on Linny as soon as we ca--" a yawn escaped him.

Glacia pulled out her enchanted pocket watch. "Time won't be an issue if we slow it down enough."

Right… He remembered how she'd first used it to let him recover from overusing his magic. Without his nullifier, he could feel the faint presence of distant spirits as usual, and his eyes were keen to the plane of existence ghosts retreated to when invisible. Gadalik looked out the window toward the nearest one.

"Don't even think about it, mister," she chided. "You can't face any ghosts if you haven't slept!"

"Err… I guess you're right. But we can't use the watch either; it'll shorten your lifespan, so we should only use it if we absolutely need to. We'll check on Linny… Then, once I know he's okay, I'll get some rest. Alright?"

She sighed. "If that's what it'll take, so be it."

The pancakes arrived.

Gadalik felt better once he finally got some food in him. He paced himself since he knew that eating as quickly as he had the urge to would make it hard to keep down.

Gale came in. "After I feed the horses, we can leave whenever you're ready, bud."

They finished eating and began to leave when he saw the golden-eyed woman take a seat a few tables away.

"What is it?" Glacia asked, following his gaze.

"The one, over there… I'm certain she's in Linny's crew. M-maybe she knows something about the saboteur. I… I'm going to go ask."

She reluctantly agreed, keeping an eye on her son as he approached the woman.

"Hi, there. Vanessa, right? I saw you leave Gadolinium's trailer yesterday. My name's Gadalik," he introduced himself.

"Ah, yes, you're the boy Linny mentioned. Gale's kid, right?" she replied, gesturing for him to sit across from her.

He hesitantly obliged. "Y-yeah. How did you know?"

"Ever since the intermission, Gale was all he talked about. His mind was blown from finding out he had a family. 'Make sure everything's perfect!' he told us. 'I can't afford any mishaps in front of them!'"

"But...there was a mishap," Gadalik reminded her.

"Oh...you noticed? He salvaged it wonderfully, though, didn't he?"

"Y-yeah. I was just wondering if you knew what caused it."

"I found a leak in his bike's fuel tank. It must have lost too much to reach the hoop."

"S-so I've heard… But...leaks don't just happen, you know? Gado--err, Linny--said there was a saboteur. Do you...have an idea of who it might be?"

"Not a clue," she sighed.

"Is there any reason you can think of why one of your coworkers might have it out for him?"

"Not at all! Linny may not be the most respectful guy, but he pays us more than enough to compensate for that," she explained. Then she looked down almost guiltily. "I've only worked for him for a few months, so maybe I don't know him well enough to gauge this yet, but...it's almost as if he doesn't care how much he profits from his shows; a good percentage of it always goes to us."

"I see…" That's why she could afford to eat at that fancy restaurant. "So...what brings you to this motel?"

"It's the cheapest place that isn't infested with bugs," she laughed. "I splurged on dinner last night, but normally I try to be frugal."

"Why the splurge?"

"W-well, to be completely honest… I was following Linny. I-I just wanted to make sure he was alright--w-with the saboteur after him!"

The spook tilted his head slightly. Is that really the reason?

"Gadalik, your father's waiting on us," Glacia called.

"Coming," he answered. "It was nice officially meeting you, Vanessa. I'll...see you around."

"See ya."

He followed them outside toward the carriage, when Gadalik felt the presence of a spirit grow closer. The spook opened the door to get in, then hesitated halfway when he realized it wasn't changing direction. "W-wait, Dad…"

"Hm?" Gale looked back. "What is it?"

The teen found himself paralyzed. Instinct told him to run, but he wanted to be certain whether it was truly after him or not. He stared off, trying to get a visual on it. While he could tell which were closer and farther than the others, he hadn't honed his sense enough to gauge how far they were location-wise.

The man got out and went to check on him. "Everything alright?"

The presence became overwhelming, but his father unintentionally blocked his sight.

At that moment the horses panicked and charged forward at full speed.

Gadalik was completely caught off-guard and didn't have time to find a proper hold on the carriage; he felt his mother's hand grip his sleeve from the seat beside him, but the fabric ripped and he fell out backward into oncoming traffic, hitting his head harshly on the road.

He must have blacked out for several seconds; he came to, disoriented and shaken with his head throbbing. Rolling over and getting unsteadily on his hands and knees, the teen looked up to find Glacia had taken the reins to stop their horses, then got out and rushed toward her son.

His relief was short-lived when he heard hooves from a stranger's cart quickly approaching. He held his hand out toward it and attempted to summon a shield. Magic sparked from his palm, when his vision blurred and he felt too heavy to hold his position. Sinking to the ground, he squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself.

The next thing he knew, there was silence aside from the ringing in his ears. He felt someone take hold of him; he opened his eyes to find they were moving at normal speed through a world that was still. "Mom?"

Time resumed when he was out of harm's way, and he confirmed it was Glacia, the chain of her enchanted watch wrapped around her wrist. She set him down to check him over. "Are you okay?!" she cried. "You're bleeding…!"

"I am…?" He felt the back of his head; it was dry.

She withdrew a handkerchief from her purse and pressed it under his nose. He held it there, then inspected it, surprised to affirm that the white cloth was turning red from the contact.

"Are you guys alright?" Gale called as he ran to their side.

"I-I think so…" his son stammered uncertainly.

"You don't look so good… Come on, there's a clinic up the road. Let's get you checked out."

Gadalik didn't protest. He moved to follow them back to the carriage, but stumbled at the first step.

"Careful," Glacia said, steadying him.

Despite his mother's help, he couldn't balance. He didn't make it very far before he was too exhausted to keep standing.

She looked back at him, concerned. "What's the matter?"

"I'm just...really tired," Gadalik mumbled. The blood-stained cloth fell from his hand and he collapsed.

"Whoa, there!" His father caught him.

His sight became clouded and he felt Gale's hold on him tighten.

"Gadalik! Stay with me, bud…!" The uncharacteristic panic in his voice was enough to jolt his son out of it, if only briefly.

Despite the teen's effort to keep conscious, his injury combined with the lack of sleep made it impossible.

Muffled voices became somewhat clearer. Gadalik recognized them as his parents'. He forced his eyes open, then groaned and held his aching head from how bright everything was.

"Hey, bud," Gale said from beside him. "How are you feeling…?"

The teen tried to sit up, but began falling back, propping himself on his arms. He was on a bed in a small room with medical equipment lining the walls. "Where am I…?"

"The nearest clinic."

"Is he up again?" Glacia called, then hesitantly approached their son. "Hey, big guy…! Do you know what month and year it is…?"

What kind of question is that? "N-November--the sixth… Nineteen fifty-seven. Why? H-how long was I out?!"

Gale laughed. "I assure you it hasn't been a year--only a couple hours. You did wake up a few times before now, but you were confused, and asked the same questions each time before passing out again," Gale informed him. "You were saying something about a ghost being nearby as well. I noticed you're not wearing the nullifier; maybe you weren't delusional."

"Really? Huh. I don't recall any of that..."

"What's the last thing you do remember?" his mother prompted.

His mind was still hazy. "We were in the carriage… A-and… there was a ghost--coming right for us…!"

"A ghost? Is that what the problem was?" Gale figured.

The younger male nodded. "It must have spooked the horses...I'd fallen out of the carriage. We were going to check on Linny…! H-have we heard from him at all?"

"Who cares about him," she snapped. "You're hurt!"

"I care…!" Gadalik forced himself to his feet. "None of these incidents were accidental… His bike, the ramp...this--" He shook his head, then winced from the motion. "I think...that ghost is trying to kill us… Gadolinium might be dead right now for all we know…! We have to--get going--" a wave of dizziness washed over him and he tipped over.

"Relax, bud," Gale said, holding him up and gently guiding him back to the bed. "I called him and he's on his way here right now."

Gadalik sighed heavily. He didn't sense a spirit nearby, so that was one less thing to worry about at the moment. Glancing once more at his surroundings, he wondered, "Why ask me the date…?"

"You have a severe concussion. They want us to check your memory every now and then… But you'll be alright. Confused as you were, you answered every question the doctor asked correctly, and your reflexes are fine."

"A little too fine… Like you were on edge," Glacia added. "Almost kicked the doc's face in."

"I-I don't remember seeing the doctor…"

"That's to be expected," his father assured him. "You're doing great, all things considered."

"Yes, but for how much longer?" she asked her boyfriend. "If a ghost really is after him… Well, I'm not taking any chances. Gadalik, you're staying in our room tonight. And if anyone comes near you, so help me, I'll--"

"We meet again, my good fellows!" Linny burst through the door.

The woman yelped with surprise, spinning around to kick him with all her might.

He managed to dodge. "Egads!"

"D-don't sneak up on me like that!" she cried. "I could've really hurt you--not that I care…!"

"Well, he's in the right place if he did get hurt," Gale jokingly pointed out.

"I'm already hurt," Linny replied, gesturing to his ankle. "Now why did you call me here?"

"My son was worried about you."

The crimson-haired man turned to the spook, then lifted an eyebrow. "What on earth happened to you?"

"Never mind me," Gadalik sighed. "Are you okay?"

"Well, of course! She couldn't touch me."

"I don't mean just now…! What about your saboteur?"

"Not a thing since what happened to the ramp. Why?"

"Thank goodness," Gadalik breathed. "I… I think your saboteur is targeting both of us. Perhaps you and I could...lure them out, by sticking together for the next few days..."

"...You mean in that rutty motel?" Linny gasped, disgusted. "And I thought Glacia was rich."

"I'm rich, but not stupid enough to bankrupt myself on something we'll only stay in for a few days," she said haughtily.

"If you're willing to pay for us to stay in a room at yours, Linny, you're welcome to," Gale laughed.

"The nerve! After how much your meals cost..." he grumbled.

"S-sorry…" Gadalik murmured.

"Huh? For what? You barely ate anything."

"And just what are you implying?" Glacia huffed.

"That you're a glutton," Linny replied simply.

She recoiled. "W-well you're a jerk!"

"Let's not degrade ourselves with name-calling," Gale sighed.

"Linny...I was thinking," Gadalik began, "that--if you and I are both targets--it would be better if I...stayed in the same room as you… F-for protection… That is, I'll protect you, should it come after us. I-I have shield tags."

Glacia scowled. "Uh-uh. Not a chance; he's a bad influence."

"How so? He seems like a nice kid," Linny said..

She facepalmed and dragged her hand down to pinch the ridge of her nose.

"You need to be resting for the next couple days," Gale sided with his girlfriend. "And even after that, you're not meant to exert yourself for the next couple weeks. You're in no condition to fight."

I have to try…! He moved his legs off the side of the bed, then slowly slid down to stand. The second he was upright, the world seemed to tilt and he caught himself on the mattress.

"Bed, mister!" his mother demanded.

For once he didn't obey her right away, looking up at Linny, who eyed him doubtfully.

"Gadalik," his mother repeated, stretching the name into a warning.

He swallowed hard, then righted himself, wobbling for a moment but then standing tall. "I'm alright," he assured her.

"No, you're not! You're lucky I don't make them keep you here. You think you can face ghosts in your current state?"

"I can at least use shield spells," he answered, carefully walking toward the door. "All that matters right now is making sure he's safe…"

"Him? What about you?"

"I'm fine…!" he insisted, turning to look at her. His vision blurred from the motion and lightheadedness returned at full force.

Gale caught him as he fell over. "You can hardly stand up..." the bounty hunter pointed out quietly. "Know your limits, bud."

Gadalik looked away from him, remembering the spirit of a little boy he'd helped move on. "How about this… If a ghost comes, I'll call you. You can use my staff to fight it, while I can tell you where it's at; I can do that while resting."

"That could work…" The scarved man looked at his girlfriend. "Are we letting him, on those terms?"

"I guess, if it'll ease his worries," she gave in. "That boy won't relax until he knows everyone is safe."

"Linny?" Gale asked.

"Fine, he can stay in my room," the taller man agreed. "But what if Gale doesn't get here in time to help? Mayhaps he should stay with us as well."

The bounty hunter frowned.

"Actually...that's...not a bad idea," Gadalik said.

"What? Me, staying in the same room as Linny?" His father stared at him incredulously. "You're...kidding, right?"

"Please…? I can't do this without you..."

Gale softened at that. "Alright, bud."

"Why don't I join in, while we're at it?" Glacia threw her pretend-hat in the ring.

"My place, my rules," Linny put his foot down, then winced from his ankle. "Gale and his kid can stay temporarily. Gale permanently, if he wants to--"

"Not gonna happen," his ex interrupted. "I'll stay as long as Gadalik does, but only because he wants me to."

"Well I'm gonna visit so much I'll practically live there," she growled at the stuntman.

"Good luck with that," Linny scoffed. He turned to the other males. "Ready to head back when you are."

Gadalik leaned on the wall for support as he made his way to the door.

"I have some things to get from Glacia's room, and then I'll meet you guys there," Gale said. "Go on ahead, bud."

Gadalik managed on his own, occasionally resting against the wall, to follow Linny to his room. The stuntman unlocked it and the spook immediately went to lie down on the red-cushioned golden-rimmed couch, unable to stand for much longer with how dizzy he was.

"Yes. Sure. Make yourself at home," Linny muttered. "It's not like I planned to sit there."

"S-sorry..." The teen forced himself up on his arms, which trembled under his weight. His vision clouded. Gadalik closed his eyes and got to his feet...then collapsed to the floor.

"Geez, kid, don't die on me… Come on. Up you go."

Gadalik felt himself lifted off the ground. Then after a few long strides he was dropped onto a plush mattress.

"If you're this tired, you can stay on the bed until I'm ready to sleep," Linny said.

Gadalik hummed in acknowledgement, then passed out once more.

He woke up maybe an hour later, more mobile than before thanks to the nap. The teen noticed his duffel bag beside the bed, then retrieved his staff to prop himself up as he made his way back to the living room.

Linny was on the couch, hunched over a large sheet of graph paper that was spread out on the coffee table in front of him. He was muttering to himself; as Gadalik neared, he could hear numbers and the degrees of angles.

The stuntman noticed him. "If you're looking for your father, he went to hang out with Glacia until you woke up," he informed the spook before resuming his calculations.

The teen hesitated, then peered over the table. There were sketches of ramps, and measurements of them. He was writing out problems. "Is that for your next show?"

"Yes."

He isn't as talkative now that it's an audience of one, is he, Gadalik thought. He sat down in the chair and watched him do the math. "Trigonometry? And...physics," he recognized the equations.

"Yes, and yes."

I guess it's something he would need to know if he's dealing with ramps. "You seem like such a natural on set," he commented.

"A natural? Heh... If only. I work hard to be good at what I do."

"What motivates you?" he asked curiously.

The stuntman placed the pencil down and stood up, gesturing widely across the room as if addressing a crowd. "The thrill of the risk! The pride of survival! The recognition of time and effort!" The answer sounded rehearsed.

"...Do you ever worry about getting hurt, or worse...? I mean… what with your saboteur and all?"

He paused. "My good fellow… What is death but part of life? Those who fear dying, are afraid of living!" he said in the performance voice Gadalik had grown used to.

It was such a stark contrast between how he sounded when the teen had first awakened; he now suspected it wasn't genuine. "Hey… You're not on set right now. Between you and I...are you okay? I mean...risking your life all the time must take its toll on you. A-and with someone actively trying to harm you…"

Gadolinium exhaled through his nose after a moment, then sat back down. "The recognition makes it worth it," he said, dropping the act. "After all, I managed to draw Gale's attention again."

"You two seemed to be having fun together yesterday, even if my father was a bit sore at you. I can see why you'd stay a couple for seven years."

"Unofficially."

"R-right… How many, officially?"

"Six. It just took us until the second year to realize that the first year was romantic."

"Can I ask what caused the breakup…?"

"His father was killed when he was nineteen. Everything between us fell into a downward spiral after that."

"Oh…"

He sat back on the couch, arms folded behind his head. "So what's your story with him?"

"Me? My mom already told you how we met…"

"Yes, but what made Gale change his mind about kids? Were you just a package-deal with your mother?"

The spook gaped at him, dumbfounded. His first instinct was to argue, but instead the teen stared at nothing, his entire relationship with his father being put into question. Was I…?

"What?" Linny seemed confused by his reaction.

Gadalik shook his head, then whimpered in pain from the motion. He rested it in his hands. "It--it hurts…"

"...Kid?"

"I… I need to lie down…" He got to his feet, then staggered, leaning fully on his staff to keep from falling, although he didn't dare take a step.

"Geez. C'mere, you. Back to bed." He moved to pick him up, but stopped when the door handle jiggled. Gadalik glanced up to see Gale come in, who stopped in his tracks at the sight, his blue- and red- violet eyes assessing the situation.

The spook quickly looked away. Then he remembered what happened at his birth-parents' house. It's better to talk it out, he decided.

"I got him," Gale said, picking his son up with one arm behind his shoulders and the other under his knees, then carrying him to the bedroom.

Once he was settled in bed, the spook gulped, then dared himself to ask, "Why did you change your mind about wanting kids?"

The bounty hunter was taken aback by the question. "I-I didn't. I'd still prefer not to have any, for the time being. We've been over this before…"

"What about me…? Was I just a...a 'package-deal' with Mom…?"

"Package-deal?" He couldn't help laughing at how ridiculous that sounded. "What on earth gave you that idea?"

"Err…"

"It was Linny, wasn't it," he guessed. "Sounds like something he would say. Don't take anything that comes out of his mouth to heart; he doesn't have a filter. As for the answer… You're different," Gale explained. "You were twelve when we first met--nearly a teenager--not a baby or a toddler."

True...

"Of course Glacia wouldn't date anyone who doesn't accept you… But remember, I never wanted to be in a serious relationship in the first place, after what happened with Linny. Glacia's the one who pursued me; if having you as my son were an issue for me, I would've rejected her--not the other way around."

"Oh. Right…" Gadalik was slightly embarrassed for forgetting. "S-sorry…"

His father patted his head. "You're a good kid, Gadalik. As far as deals go with your mother, you're like a bonus prize."

The teen felt his cheeks grow warm. "Th-thank you…"

"Now get some rest, bud. I'll be in the living room if you need me; just say the word." He got up to leave, flicking the light out and glancing back at him in the doorway before exiting, the door partly ajar behind him.

Gadalik woke up after perhaps a half-hour. He could hear the two men's voices from the living room, and couldn't help but listen.

"...And then the car sped out of my control," Linny was saying. "I nearly ran someone over because the saboteur had cut the brakes. He was fine; I avoided hitting anyone. But, boy, did he make it clear I'd be the one in danger if we ever interacted again."

"Heh. I'm sure he's not the only one who made that clear," Gale replied.

"I don't get why he was so upset. Nothing hurt him. And if his daughter could forgive me, why can't he?"

"His daughter?"

"Grace--a little red-haired girl. We've been penpals ever since. Honestly, she's the only person besides you who doesn't hate my guts." He hesitated. "You... don't hate me, do you…?"

"No. I don't hate anyone; that takes too much energy."

"Gee, thanks," he muttered sarcastically. "So...how do you feel about me?"

"It's...complicated. When it was good, it was great. But when it was bad, well… Let's just say the scale tipped too far in that regard. And I know you don't intend to harm anyone, but that doesn't change the fact that your behavior is harmful."

"My behavior? What exactly about it is harmful?"

"Things like...calling my son a package-deal with his mother. That wasn't cool, Lin."

"Well what else would you call it?"

"Nevermind what it's called--it's bad to imply that I'm just tolerating him for the sake of being with his mom. You don't know my relationship with them."

"Of course not. That's why I asked him."

"That's not the point," Gale said, frustrated. Then he took a breath and sighed. "You really haven't changed at all, have you?"

"Well, you've changed a lot," he countered. "Forgive me for wanting to know more about your current life."

"That's not how you--" the bounty hunter caught himself, then retried, "You can't just ask someone if they're--" He gave up. "Ugh. You're impossible."

"Where are you going?"

"To make sure my son's alright. And to get away from you."

"Hey! What did I do?"

Gadalik heard footsteps grow closer to the bedroom. He pretended to be asleep, not wanting his father to know he overheard anything.

The door creaked open, and there was the brushing of wooden chair-legs across the soft carpet to his bedside, followed by a faint thud as Gale sat in it. He felt the blanket pulled up to cover his shoulders, and then tuck under him slightly.

"Dad…?" Gadalik called.

"Hey, bud," his father greeted him. "Did I wake you?"

"N-no…"

"Do you know what month and year it is?"

"Yes… November, of 'fifty-seven."

"Good. That's right."

"How are things with Linny…?"

"No sign of the ghost yet. Do you sense one?"

"Not right now… But I meant...how are things between you?"

His father looked away, biting his tongue.

"Is it that hard to make peace with him…? I think he really does want to be back on good terms with you..."

Gale sighed. "I know he does."

"Then why don't you...?"

"Trust me: I'd love to be on good terms with him."

"But…?"

"You might be too young to understand… But time doesn't always make things better, or worse. If something hasn't worked in the past, it won't work in the present, either, if nothing's changed about it."

"But what about closure…?"

"Bud… What's there to close? There's nothing between me and him anymore. Looking back, it wasn't healthy when there was, either."

"But you haven't talked at all about your breakup," his son pointed out.

"You're really adamant about this, aren't you...?"

"Please… Talk it out. F-for me." His striped blue eyes gazed into his pleadingly.

"Ugh, I can't say 'no' to that face," Gale caved in. "Alright. We'll talk about it...maybe at dinner. I'll be cooking for everyone, so Linny can't complain. Afterward he says he's taking the bed, and you can have the couch."

Gadalik pushed himself up. "The couch is surprisingly comfortable," he remarked. "Where will you sleep?"

"I'll make a pallet next to the couch."

"You're okay with being on the floor…?"

"Well, there's no way I'm taking the bed with Linny in it."

"Oh… Right."

He leaned back in the chair and stretched his arms. "Well, I guess I'm gonna start dinner now."

"Mom will eat with us, right?"

"Of course. We don't want her poisoning herself if she eats her own cooking," he laughed.

Gale brought the food to the table and took a seat by his girlfriend, who was staring Linny down as she purposely took a huge bite.

The stuntman didn't seem to notice her at all, too focused on his meal. "Excellent culinary skills, as always!" he complimented Gale.

"Thanks." The other man's heart wasn't in the reply. His light red- and blue-violet eyes kept flicking between his son and his ex, his mouth opening as if to speak but then shutting as he stared at his plate after each time.

Linny noticed. "I know that look. What's on your mind?"

Gadalik and his father exchanged a glance. The spook nodded encouragingly.

"I...think we ought to clear the air between us," Gale answered. "Maybe talk about what went wrong all those years ago."

"Oh come, now. It rarely went wrong between us," Linny dismissed the idea.

Glacia leaned forward in the chair. "Is that so? Tell me, what were things like when you dated?"

"Hm. Well, Gale spent most of his time at my place, if we weren't out camping or competing with each other."

"Competing?"

"Oh, just fun athletic things. Races, parkour, sparring… One on one sports here and there. He was slower than me, but a lot stronger. He never slacked off when it came to working out."

"Still doesn't," she agreed.

"We talked about our plans for the future… I was okay with kids, but he was dead set on not having any, so forgive my reaction to discovering he has one after all."

"It took a lot of convincing to get him to date me, and it's not because I had a kid," Glacia said. "He mentioned an ex that hurt him pretty badly… So forgive my reaction when I found out that was you."

"All's forgiven, m'lady."

"What else did you plan on?"

"Hm. We talked about where we'd live. He never moved in with me, though, no matter how many times I asked him to."

"Ugh, tell me about it!" she related to him. "What was his excuse back then?"

"He said his father needed him to help around the house." There was an edge to his voice.

Gale froze mid-bite and glared at him. If looks could kill, Linny would have perished right then and there.

"So...why your place?" Gadalik quickly chimed in to keep the peace.

"Because my house was bigger...and I had maids...and I didn't have parents."

Gale set the silverware down on his plate. "My father welcomed you as his own."

"No he didn't. He kicked me out and said I wasn't allowed back."

"Yes--after you insulted my mother."

"How could I insult her? She's dead."

"Saying it was disgusting to keep her urn is an insult," Gale stressed. "And that doesn't scratch the surface."

"But it is disgusting. You can't be mad at me for stating facts."

Gale took a breath, then released it, sitting back with a hand rubbing his temple. "I can't deal with this right now. Please excuse me." He stood up and went for the door.

"Wait," Gadalik cried. "This is progress… You stayed even through all of that, right?"

"Yes...and I regret it," his father replied. "You see what I had to deal with? He hasn't changed at all."

"And what exactly did you have to deal with?" Linny challenged him.

"You, thinking there was never anything to deal with!" he exclaimed, exasperated. "I tried--so many times--to explain how your actions are hurtful, and all you had to say for yourself was--"

"Stop stressing about it; I didn't mean any harm."

Gale laughed humorlessly. "Exactly. You always wanted things back to normal no matter how badly you messed them up. If you somehow caused the world to end, you'd say the same thing. Well let me tell you something… I'm over my father's death. And I'm over you. I only agreed to talk to you because my son asked me to, but honestly, I have nothing more to say."

Linny got defensive. "Funny how everything was fine until it came to your father...!"

"It wasn't fine, and it wasn't just him! This was a constant throughout our relationship. But his death was the worst thing I've ever gone through, and your blatant disregard for my grief was the final straw."

"So I'm the bad guy for wanting you to stop moping around all day? What exactly was I supposed to do?"

"Maybe try comforting him through it?" Glacia spoke up. "His grief is my grief. Just as we celebrate each other's wins together, we also mourn together."

"You want me to mope around with him? No, thank you."

"That's not it at all! Ugh. I can see why he left you. Under all that charm, you're heartless." She left her seat to stand by her boyfriend, wrapping an arm around his flank. "Come on, Gadalik," she called to their son. "Let's get out of here."

"But… The ghost…" the teen said hesitantly.

"I'll be back," Gale promised. "I just need some air."

His parents walked out, Glacia nearly slamming the door between them.

Linny glared after them, completely confused. "I don't understand what their problem is…"

"Healing takes time," Gadalik said. "We're not saying you should've felt bad with him… We're saying you should have been there for him until he wasn't feeling so bad. Nobody can bounce back to normalcy so soon after such a tragic event. Haven't you ever lost someone you cared about before...?"

"Not especially."

Gadalik winced. "What about your parents? You said you didn't have any?"

He shrugged. "They're famous actors with busy schedules that require them to travel to different filming locations. The few times they were home, they spoke more to our housekeepers than to me, if at all."

The spook gaped at him. "How can you say that so casually…?"

"How else should I have said it?"

"I-I mean… Their absence never bothered you…?"

"Why should it? I'm not one to dwell, unlike your parents. It's as though they enjoy being upset. If they don't want to feel bad, they should just stop feeling bad. It's that simple."

Gadalik felt a pang of sympathy. "Is that how you live...?"

"Of course, my good sir. Never let the world keep you down; the show must go on!"

"This... isn't a show," he said quietly. "Nobody can prevent themselves from feeling bad when it's warranted… Not even you. You're choosing to repress it all, but sooner or later it'll start manifesting itself when you least expect it. I know…because that's how it's been with me recently."

"No offense, but you and I are nothing alike." Gadolinium had dropped the stuntman act. "I never repressed it… It never went away. I'm just choosing not to dwell on it."

"It never went away…?"

"Nobody cares whether I live or die… So I have to care. I have to keep going, else it'll catch up to me. Every time I falter during a show, that part of me hopes I won't make it. But I haven't let it slow me down."

"You... can't keep running from your feelings forever… That isn't healthy."

"I'll have you know my health is of utmost importance to me. My ankle was the first injury I've gotten in a long time."

"I don't mean physically…! I mean..." The sentence trailed off when the spook suddenly was overcome by a sense of unease, which gradually strengthened from his core. "A ghost…" He stood up, wobbled, then fell to a seat again before he could reach his staff.

"A ghost? Where?"

"So you really can sense me? I was beginning to doubt you." The spirit of a burly man in his early thirties became visible. "You never noticed my presence before. Still, I couldn't take any chances. You survived me scaring the horses, but it looks like it rendered you useless. Even with your sight, you're no threat to me anymore. I could snap your neck right now and put you out of your misery..."

"Harry?!" Linny exclaimed, quailing. "What's your problem with the kid? He has nothing to do with us!"

"If he's truly a spook, then he's the only one who can stop me. I have to stop him first."

"Well, he's barely alive, so I'd say you already succeeded. Forget about him… Why have you been sabotaging me all these months?"

"I never taught you a lesson all those years ago… What better way for a stuntman to go out than during a show? Honestly, though… You're like a cockroach: impossible to kill. So I'll just have to squash you right here and now."

"S-stop!" Gadalik managed to reach his staff and moved unsteadily between them as the ghost made a fist that enlarged and hammered down at the two. He placed a shield tag on the weapon, and while it defended them, the spell shattered out of existence from the impact. "No matter who you are...a ghost's unfinished business will never be murder."

"Who says I care about my unfinished business?"

"You'd rather stay on earth forever…? After your victims are dead, what next?"

"Then I'll find new ones," Harry laughed.

He flinched. "Why...?"

"Yeah! What's your deal with me? I never did anything wrong!" Linny huffed, unafraid.

The daredevil's words seemed to anger the spirit. "You and the other snobby rich kids make me sick! I don't know why your boyfriend defended them...he was respectful to me, unlike you and the others. But he isn't here to protect you, now, is he?"

"If you only target rich people, go after his girlfriend instead!"

Gadalik looked over his shoulder to face him, shock overriding the pain in his head. "L-leave my mother out of this...!"

"I don't care if they're rich; I care if they think they're better than everyone else!" Harry corrected him. "I'm reminding them that they're just as mortal as the rest of us."

"Heh. You think I'm unaware of my own mortality?" Linny laughed. "Good sir, I live for the danger! And your attempts at sabotaging my shows have only made them more successful when I come out unscathed!"

"This time I'm not toying with you," he said, swiping a giant flat hand at them. Gadalik prepared another shield tag, but due to lack of coordination from his injury he was just a moment too late; Linny pulled him back at the last second, and the spirit had instead swatted the staff out of his grasp. It landed across the room.

"Now what?" Linny asked.

"Ghosts require strength to interact with worldly objects…" Gadalik informed him. "He's going to need some time to regain it. Keep him talking… I'll get the staff."

He gave an affirmative nod. "So, you're convinced we view ourselves superior?" Linny addressed Harry. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Do you even have to ask?" the ghost exclaimed. "All of you were too good to give me the time of day when I first moved there. Nobody looked my way until I made them!"

"Rich as I may have been, they avoided me too."

"Not at first! They all flocked to you because your parents were famous. They only began avoiding you when you treated them terribly!"

"Me? I was an outcast just as you were! They only came to me for my parents, but when they were never around, the kids lost interest. I was alone--until Gale came into the picture."

Gadalik was halfway to the staff, moving as fast and carefully as he could without collapsing.

"Don't act like they never tried to befriend you! I watched you drive them all away with your rude remarks. You say the most disrespectful things, then act like you're the victim when people react negatively to it."

"You're calling me disrespectful? You're the one who threatened and beat up every kid on the block--including Gale, who you admit treated you well!"

"That was after I was left with no other option!"

Gadalik was three yards away from his weapon. That's when Harry took notice of him, despite Linny's attempt to keep him distracted.

He readied a shield spell in his hand when the spirit moved after him. The shield once again protected him, but dispelled after. Gadalik's head pounded from the strain of using magic with his injury. "I...I can't…" the spook's consciousness faded.

"...id… Kid…!" Linny woke him.

He opened his eyes to see the ghost swinging down at him...but he was drifting off again. He felt the man pull him out of harm's way.

"C'mon, kid! Snap out of it!"

"Th-the shield tag…" he managed to say, fishing it out of his pocket. "Just...put it on the staff…"

Linny complied, blocking his next attack. He gave an interested hum, then twirled the weapon like a baton. "I could get used to this."

"What's going on in there?" Gale's voice sounded from the other side of the door.

Harry froze, then turned invisible, although the spook could still see him.

"Dad!" Gadalik cried.

"Bud?" The handle turned, but the ghost threw his hand back to lock it. "Linny, open up!"

"I can't exactly go to the door right now," Gadolinium answered.

Gale growled and kicked the door open, to find the other man holding the half-conscious teen. "Lin, if you've hurt my son, I swear--"

"It's Harry," Gadalik interrupted.

"...The bully?"

"He's a ghost--th-the saboteur…"

"I can't see him," his father replied with frustration.

"I'm right here," Harry growled, shoving the bounty hunter aside. "Stay out of this. It doesn't concern you."

"If you're trying to kill my son, it does concern me…!"

"And what am I? Chopped liver?" his ex huffed.

Gale rolled his eyes, then faced the ghost. "Everyone just calm down. We're not children… Gadalik is innocent; let him go, and we'll talk this out like adults."

"Yes, we aren't children… But the years haven't changed us at all: you're still butting into situations that don't involve you. It seems your son takes after you in that regard. But we settled our score before I moved away... My issue lies with your boyfriend."

"Ex," the bounty hunter immediately corrected him. "For good reason."

"Huh. Maybe you have changed, by growing enough sense to leave him."

"Um… I'm right here," Gadolinium pointed out. "I hear every word you're saying. And I still don't get why you're upset with me."

"It's probably because you insult everyone you come across," Gale stated as a matter of fact. "And if that doesn't offend them, your insensitivity will."

"Ugh. Are you talking about your father again? Get over it already."

"No. I'm talking about you. Stop deflecting."

Gadalik shrunk; he wasn't used to seeing Gale so fed up.

Harry awkwardly looked between the two. The teen saw this opening and, with the time his father and Gadolinium bought, he managed to recover and wrap a confinement spell tag on his weapon, aimed, then launched it at the ghost. A wave of dizziness washed over him right as he did so; his throw was sloppy.

The spirit saw it coming, and dodged, not paying the injured spook any mind. "If you hate him so much, Gale, why are you defending him?"

"I don't hate him. But as insensitive as he may be, at least he has no ill intentions, unlike you," the scarved man answered.

"Intent or not, he and I are both harmful. At least I have a reason to be. What's his excuse?"

"It's...the same reason as you," Gadalik told the spirit. "You're upset because nobody cared about you, so you made them care, by threatening them… And… Nobody was around to care about Linny, either, until he made them--by putting his own life in jeopardy. Neither of you had anyone to teach you better."

"That's wrong… I cared," Gale disagreed, "about both of them. But they were too absorbed in their own problems to reciprocate." He turned to the other adults. "That's why you had to 'make' them care...because you felt entitled to their respect when you did nothing to earn it."

They all stared at him, speechless.

"You know how to gain respect? By actually hearing what people tell you, even if it goes against what you believe is true. Yeah, it might hurt, but it gives you the chance to learn and improve yourself. Be better, instead of fighting and justifying your behavior."

Linny watched him a moment longer before looking away, brows furrowing as though he were trying to conjure an argument.

Gale didn't bother waiting on it; he passed the other men and helped Gadalik to his feet. "You alright, bud?"

"I-I will be," the spook answered. He looked up at Harry, who seemed torn. "It's...never too late to make amends with those you've hurt. Whether or not they forgive you, you'll feel better having that closure."

"What about the ones who've hurt me?" the spirit growled.

"Talk to them. Torturing these people will never satisfy you, because the initial pain involved isn't physical."

"And what if they're not sorry? When words fail, the only other option is to take action against them."

"No… There's another way you can get your point across: by leaving them," the bounty hunter said. "If talking to them doesn't work, hurting them won't either. If you remove yourself from their life, though, they can never hurt you again."

"But that's only if talking doesn't work," Gadalik reminded them.

Gale looked towards Linny, then sighed. "You're right, bud. It's worth talking first...if they'll listen, for once, without making excuses."

"Making excuses…?" Linny echoed. "Is that all I've been doing?"

"Yes."

His green eyes shifted to the ground, as he reflected on everything. "I...suppose you're right."

"Suppose?" Harry laughed. "He is right."

"I hadn't realized… It was never my intention to hurt anyone. And although I don't understand why it hurts you, I do...feel bad...that it does." He looked up at the other adults. "I always did. And...I hate it. I hate that I hurt you, and I hate feeling bad about it…so I tried to stop doing both, but, somehow, I keep screwing things up." He fell to a seat, defeated. "I… I'm sorry. Truly, I am."

Gale softened. "Lin…"

"Huh. This is the first time I've seen him remorseful," Harry commented. "I didn't think he was capable of it."

I knew he had it in him, Gadalik thought, relieved.

"And if I'd squashed him earlier, I'd never get to see him like this." The spirit turned to face the youngest males. "I'll take your advice… I'm off to talk to the rest of them. If they're as guilt-ridden as this guy, it's much more rewarding than killing them. Thanks." Harry flew away until the spook couldn't sense him anymore.

"Linny…?" Gadalik called gently.

The stuntman didn't answer, hunched over in the chair with his forehead propped on his hands.

Gale approached him. "Hey… Talk to me, Lin."

Gadolinium sniffled, then laughed humorlessly. "I really messed everything up, didn't I?"

"Heh… Yeah."

He ran his hands down his face to wipe his green eyes before sitting back, taking a breath. "You were right… But… It isn't that I'm not hearing you. I just...don't know how to be better. And I wish I could be. I still love you, Gale. If I could go back and redo everything how they said I should, maybe we'd still be together."

"Well...we can't go back. The damage has been done, and I've moved on from it."

"I know…"

"But we can still go forward, as friends," Gale continued, extending a hand to help him up. "This is a good first step."