Working with Ghosts

By Lennon (Geminiman) and Gauntlet (Shadowman)

Part Three: Forgotten Friends

Geminiman got up off the floor and felt his jaw. "Have you been here the whole time? It's been 15 years."

Bongun shrugged. "It not like I have a place to go back to. We ghosts do like to haunt places and this seemed as good as anywhere. Maybe you'd even remember me again. Or see me again! I had almost given up hope on that ever happening."

Geminiman paused. "How could I forget you? Or Munak? Or Sohee? Come to think of it, even the other Mechanical Maniacs forgot you existed. They acted like I was crazy when I talked about you (while I still remembered you)."

"It's nice to know where we stand," Bongun huffed.

Geminiman was taken aback. "Oh, Bongun. I'm so, so sorry. I really, really am. I can't even begin to apologize enough.."

"That's for sure. So what happened? I'd have accepted death as an excuse for your betrayal, but the fact that you've been here safe and sound has been as insulting as it is infuriating."

Geminiman sighed. He supposed he did owe Bongun an explanation. And he tried to give it. He really did. The mad robot General Cutman laid waste to the world and the masterless puppet Mesmerman made sport of his mind. Gemini left out the part where his love for Spark Chan was twisted into an obsession. That was well in the past and none of Bongun's business. Bongun seemed to accept that as well as could be expected, but his expression darked as Geminiman further explained that he was sent forward, and then back, in time by an incompetent robot who fancied himself time's guardian. During their trip they had taken care of General Cutman once and for all, but Geminiman had lost all the intervening years.

"You," began Bongun, "are the most bald-faced liar I have ever met!" Bongun seemed to spit at Gemini's feet. "What kind of story was that!? I've been haunting this place for over a decade and this is the shit you feed me!?"

Bongun slammed the crystalline robot against the wall. Without using his arms. Geminiman was getting nervous. He had never seen Bongun so angry, nor had he seen Bongun move things with his mind. Clearly he was now more powerful now. Gemini did not think it stemmed from a peaceful mind. Obviously something had gone very, very wrong in the intervening years.

"Bongun, I know things haven't gone the way either of us planned, and I accept that I'm to blame for at least some of that." Bongun tightened his spectral grip on the robot, but Gemini pressed on, "Why don't you tell me what's obviously bothering you and maybe there's smoothing I can do to help."

Geminiman looked into the ghosts' eyes and saw him struggling with his anger.

"If nobody can see you anymore, then I'm really the only person in a position to help. But I can't do anything if you crush me to death."

Bongun's eyes narrowed, but he let Geminiman go. Gemini let out a simulated breath.

"It's Munak. She's gone. And Sohee's not the same anymore. She doesn't even acknowledge me.

Geminiman was startled. "But she's been your loyal servant for ages! And Munak can't have just disappeared!"

Bongun scowled at Geminiman. "Well she had. And you'll recall Sohee merged with Sadako Yamamura."

"But she seemed to have control over Sadako!"

"Seemed to? She was stained with the angry spirit's consciousness. She began to take pleasure in petty cruelties her spectral nature afforded her. Eventually she came under the employ of one of your surface dwelling 'businessmen'." Geminiman raised an eyebrow at that. Bongun's scowl deepened. "Don't act as if that's unheard of." Gemini could only nod. After all, he had employed the three ghosts himself, however briefly.

"Because of your unreliability Munak and I confronted her ourselves, but she had grown more powerful than either of us suspected. My memories are hazy, because somehow she managed to temporarily banish me from this plane. By the time I manifested again, Munak was gone." Bongun's eyes lowered. "I looked everywhere for her, but cannot find her. As for Sohee," Bongun's eyes grew cold again, "that traitor ignores me now. I see her in passing often, but she refuses to even acknowledge my presence."

Geminiman frowned. "It seems as if our former friend is the only clue to Munak's disappearance. But if she's as hostile and powerful as you say then this won't be a pleasant conversation. We'll have to trap her."

****

Spark Chan and Needlegal both turned up to help Geminiman in his office after work hours to aid him in capturing Sohee. The others were off chasing a lead in Waveman's attack.

"I can't believe I forgot you. Or that cute Sohee girl. And she's gone bad? How could that happen?" Spark Chan shook her head.

"I guess we're all just eminently forgettable," Bongun said.

"It is weird that everyone forgot about you three, though," Needlegal added.

Geminiman paused in setting up the office. "Do you think there's smoothing to that?"

"Come on. The entire team forgets about three ghosts? Shadowman's memory might be bad, but everyone's? No, something's going on here."

Bongun shifted uncomfortably. Geminiman couldn't know what he was thinking, but maybe this thing wasn't entirely his fault after all. Instead of addressing that, however, the ghost turned his attention to the video. "Do you really think that will work?

Geminiman picked up the old VHS tape. "I think so. Sadako was attracted to people who viewed the video when she was purely herself. And this is the only copy left that we know of. I had the others destroyed."

"Why not this one?"

"The curse doesn't let that happen. Others have tried destroying the tape but it just reappears somewhere else. At least by keeping one copy in my possession I'd know where it is." Geminiman shrugged. "For the sake of the RPD reports, it's evidence."

"And now, hopefully, it'll bring Sohee to us," Needlegal added. "But not only the video. I went back to the ruins of your castle and retrieved some of the bricks that had fallen and the dirt from her grave. This should help draw Sohee here while Sadako is drawn by all three of us watching the video."

"I know the plan," said the ghost haughtily, "but the real question is what we do with her when she's here."

Geminiman frowned and put the tape into the antique video player. It played and Gemini set the volume lower. He made sure to put some of the dirt off Sohee's grave into the tape and a small part of him idly wondered if anyone would be angry with him for tampering with evidence. Likely not, Gemini concluded, since most of the department regarded this evidence as a bad joke. Spark Chan and Needlegal lit incense and candles. They had spent a lot of time connecting Geminiman's memory banks to a computer and printed off a picture of Sohee both before and after she had merged with Sadako. This was placed at both sides of the television. Spark Chan had suggested they also try a Ouija board, but Bongun would have none of it.

Truthfully, none of them were truly confident this would work. The Supernatural was deeply frowned upon or laughed at in the high-tech city of Monsteropolis and none of them felt especially spiritually connected. They were doing things they saw from various TV shows and movies and hoped something would stick. They pinned most of their hopes on the video, which was proven to attract Sadako. And on Bongun. The ghost of the nobleman placed both of his hands on the television.

"Sohee, my traitorous servant, I call thee. Come to your master! Sohee, my former friend, I call upon thee. Come to your master!"

Nothing happened. The team held their breath. Bongun looked behind him briefly before turning back to the television set.'

Bongun shoved his hands through the television set and seemed to fade, as if he were being sucked into the video tape currently playing. He shouted the last command, "Sohee, you will come to me!"

The candles went out and the television suddenly turned up to the maximum volume.

"Geminiman. You were wrong before. You can die."

A hand shot out from the television and grabbed Bongun. The ghost struggled, but the hand held him fast. Sohee kept talking, but it wasn't the voice any of them remembered. It was far colder.

"I've spent enough time in this world to realize that you robots have a kind of soul. Each of you robots is unique. Maybe you all start the same, but it has been my experience that each of you develops a unique personality that, if snuffed, is the same as dying. I can't say whether this soul is transferred to backups I hear you keep, but I know that each of you fears the day you'll be deactivated. Will you go to Heaven? Will you go to Hell? Or is it just oblivion for you? Even I cannot say for sure! But I can say that I haven't ever encountered the ghost of a robot yet. I long to."

Sohee shot out of the television set. Still holding Bongun the evil spirit floated above the room. Her eyes darted towards each of the robots. All recoiled in horror. She had the same face, the same smile. But her eyes had a sinister look to them.

Sohee tossed Bongun to the ground and floated around the room. "Tsk, tsk, Master Geminiman. This place is so dusty and unkempt. Even if I'm no longer your housemaid you should take greater pride in your place of business.

Spark Chan took a tentative step towards the bustling spirit. "Sohee, hun? Are you feeling well?"

Sohee smiled, but it didn't show in her eyes. "You know, it always surprises me just how much of Sadako is still inside of me. I actually felt it when the video played. And then I heard my former master call out to me and I found I just could not resist. Although I must say that I feel her other compulsion as well. That is to say, I feel as if I must end you all!"

Everyone took a step back. Even Bongun who couldn't possibly feer the threat.

Needlegal cleared her throat. "Actually, I don't see how you could actually kill us. We're all machines. It doesn't really work that way."

Sohee's smile was wiped from her face and, in an instant, she had crossed the space between her and a stunned Needlegal and plunged her hand through the robot's chest. Needlegal convulsed, mouth agape.

"Breath. Electricity. Blood. Oil. Chi unites us all. The river of power. My own chi is strong enough to disrupt the chi of machines. Like so."

Needlegal convulsed again and Sohee smiled. It was almost cute. Spark Chan acted instinctively, shooting sparks at the ghost,. Sohee seemed to shift in place slightly and dropped the shaking Needlegal. "It appears as if you have a stronger chi than this one."

"Just stay back!"

"Sohee. Do you not recognise me?" Bongun stood. Seeing him pained Geminiman. He was in tears. One of his only friends through centuries had been completely warped. "Please come back to yourself, Sohee."

"I'm doing just fine, former master."

"Are you? Are these the actions of Sohee, my faithful servant and friend? Or are they the actions of the evil spirit Sadako Yamamura!?"

Sohee looked confused. Clearly the part of her that was still Sohee was fighting the malevolent presence of Sadako.

"Why have you been avoiding me all these years, Sohee? What happened to Munak?"

Sohee actually started to tear up. Geminiman resisted the urge to interject. so far he had brought this down on all of them. First by bringing them here and then by abandoning them.

"Mistress Munak is ... " Sohee wailed loudly. The robots all covered their ears. Perhaps they did have souls for how that cry haunted them. Bongun pressed on and hugged Sohee.

"Tell me, Sohee. I must know! Where is my beloved?"

"Gone. She's just gone."

****

It seemed that shortly after the war and Geminiman's abandonment, there had been a great psychic pull. The ghosts had felt it was their duty to investigate. They followed the pull towards a great building within the heart of the city itself. Only they saw the parade of spirits that also came to the building. Most of these spectres were old ghosts, barely hanging to the physical plane. Some were younger, though. All in all, there weren't many there. Being a city of science seemed to scare off most of the ghostly population.

Bongun was repelled by the building's defences, but Munak and Sohee were drawn inside. There a bald, evil looking man appeared to be conducting a dark ritual of summoning. He had the bell of the fox girl as well as pieces of cloth from someone within a large glass sphere. Sohee was eager to fight, Sadako's influence only beginning to show itself. She was not strong enough to break through the man's barrier.

Munak was stronger. She was horrified that the man appeared completely unmindful of the harm he was doing to the spirits around him. They were shredded by the containment barrier the man had created, like trees caught in a tornado. Slowly the figure of a younger man appeared within the sphere and the bald one cut his hand with a mean-looking knife. He took no notice of Munak until she was almost on top of him.

Sohee could hear her scream for him to stop. The man seemed surprised - perhaps he truly did not see her as she approached. Their struggle was brief and utterly lopsided. At first it seemed that Sohee would stop the bald man from doing whatever he was doing, but the man had managed to scrape his bloody hand over a stone tablet near him. The man inside the sphere screamed in outrage and, within moments, the bald man tore Munak apart with a swipe of his hand.

Sohee watched in horror as her injured mistress was caught up in the spiritual winds of the barrier spell. She fled as the bald man returned to his work and she never looked back. She vowed never to return to her master and slowly the part of her that was Sadako claimed more of her soul.

****

The story deeply affected Geminiman. He had never truly held himself responsible for his actions when he strayed from the straight and narrow. They had usually been a result of mind control. It wasn't his fault if someone like Mesmerman decided to play mind games, was it? Of course not. And yet ... and yet, he did not make the decision to force Bongun and his friends into his employ under any kind of manipulation. No, that was him. His arrogance. His overconfidence. His mistake. Geminiman couldn't blame this on any external force; he wasn't "Evil Lennon" or any such delusion. He hadn't intended any of this to happen, yet the fact that it did rested heavily on the crystalline robot's shoulders.

Geminiman, Needlegal, and Spark Chan walked the streets of Monsteropolis later that day with Bongun and Sohee trailing behind them invisibly. The three robots were in disguise; their so-called "human forms." It was a little known fact that the Mechanical Maniacs could remove their armor and pass as regular human beings. Spark Chan was the most recognizable, her "human form" retained her eccentric hairstyle. Today she wore a hat. Needlegal passed completely as human and was virtually unrecognizable outside of her bulky armor. Geminiman wore black pants, a black shirt with blue sleeves, a red headband, and a flowing red scarf.

"That's not exactly inconspicuous, hun," commented Spark Chan.

Geminiman blushed. "I haven't actually reverted to my unarmored form in a long while. I have to admit the outfit doesn't exactly lend itself to covert work. But I doubt anyone will recognise me."

"We're supposed to be staking out this mysterious building. I have Gaderham on speed dial so we can get a subpoena in case we find anything," said Needlegal with an air of irritation. Geminiman had been set to break in and simply fight whomever he happened to find in the building. "Remember, we're officers of the law and have procedures to follow."

Geminiman sighed. "Yes, of course. You've said so before." Bongun and Sohee merely glanced backwards. Needlegal knew she had no chance of stopping the ghosts from barging in and if they went Geminiman would be quick to follow. The three robots split up. Needlegal made sure to take Bongun with her and have Sohee follow Spark Chan. It was best to split up all the impulsive members of the team.

"We're on a stakeout. It may be some time before we see the man you followed up here. You must be patient."

Bongun seethed. "Right. Patient."

It was several hours and Bongun's anger turned sullen. Sohee began to revert to her former, upbeat self to a degree. Spark Chan still felt uneasy about the change she saw in her and couldn't bring herself to stand too closely to the ghost. Geminiman was very quiet. Needlegal felt certain that he would barge in if she didn't think of something to stop them; some legal way to get inside of the building. But how? Even if it was true, it wasn't exactly against the law to "murder" a ghost. Perhaps she could get something on forcible confinement, but on whose word? A ghost's? And this person just appeared in a cage? No, there was nothing there either. She had to think of something else.

It was several more hours before the bald man exited the building. He was accompanied by a large man with jet black hair and a full moustache and a green haired secretary. Sohee tensed and Spark Chan has to restrain her.

"It's him," hissed the ghost.

Needlegal's eyes narrowed. The man was exiting in a limo. She supposed it would have been too much to hope that it was some random nobody. She put her arm right around Bongun as he started to step towards him.

"Let go of me, woman."

"We do this right, Bongun. We do this with a plan."

"What kind of plan? Do you have one? If not I'll get my revenge. Right now."

Needlegal could feel Bongun mentally pulling her arm away. She thought fast. They needed a way into the building. A legal way. They weren't vigilantes who could just barge in. They had to have a reason. Needle doubted this man had anything incriminating about him; any reason to get a warrant to search the building. But there was none! It's not like there was a wanted criminal in there or a fire or -

Needlegal smiled to herself. "Tell me, Bongun. You wouldn't happen to have any money, would you?"

Bongun stiffened in surprise. "My family's riches are my own! Munak and I ..." Bongun trailed off as he suddenly remembered that he had lost Munak. The ghost looked down and Needlegal wished she could have just let him attack whoever that bald man was.

"Just how much money are you speaking of?"

****

Missiles rained down from a nearby rooftop shattering glass and sending debris to the streets below. The robot laughed as cars crashed into each other as the drivers reeled in shock from his surprise attack. The blue robot leveled his Long Tom Cannon - a large gun that replaced his entire left arm - and blew a gaping hole near to the top of the building.

"Kill now for Elysium awaits!" roared the robot as he flew into the building to cause even more havoc.

Needlegal, Spark Chan, Geminiman, and several other Police bots arrived shortly afterwards.

"Secure the area," ordered Needlegal, "we're going inside after Artilleryman."

"Yes ma'am!" The well - trained officers saluted her and ran off to their duties. Needlegal cringed upon seeing the destruction and forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. Geminiman was already running into the building and Spark Chan was trailing after him.

So impulsive. It's like this, every single time.

Needlegal followed him. She saw Geminiman exchange angry words with some robotic guards.

"We are perfectly capable of securing the area," Needlegal heard the guard say.

Geminiman bristled. He was normally a fairly calm person, but this time he felt his honor had been tarnished. He had little patience for simple minded machines that could only concentrate on their job.

"I'm an officer of the law and I'm ordering you to - "

"What seems to be the trouble here?" interrupted Needlegal.

"We do not require your assistance, Ma'am," said the robot guard coolly.

Needlegal nodded curtly. "Be that as it may, Monsteropolis law states we have an obligation under the law to pursue terrorists wherever they are - including places of business. By halting our progress here you are aiding and abetting a fugitive putting your employer - Mr. Holzenbein - in a very actionable situation." The guards looked uneasy, as if consulting several different subroutines. "Now if you'll excuse us." Needlegal had to suppress a smirk and she pushed past the group. The others followed.

They gathered inside of an elevator and the building shook again. That was when Bongun and Sohee reappeared.

"This was well thought out, my lady," commended Sohee.

"I still do not see the point in this subterfuge," growled Bongun. That was all right by all the robots, though. Trying to explain it to him would be an exercise in futility.

It had been a very desperate ploy. And one that wasn't entirely legal. Using Needlegal's connection Bongun hired Artilleryman to hit the building giving the group the excuse they needed to enter without a warrant. After all, they had a criminal to catch. Artilleryman didn't ask questions and Needlegal was grateful. With any luck he'd be gone by the time they got to the top of the building without even knowing the Mechanical Maniacs had been involved at all.

Artilleryman had seemed happy to do this job too. Bongun didn't question him about it, but Needlegal had to wonder if the mercenary knew something they didn't about this Holzenbein. And, as it turns out, it was Mr. Holzenbein himself who had "killed" Munak. It appears that being a respected businessman involved in interplanetary affairs didn't stop him from pursuing bizarre rituals. What in the world could such a man be after?

"Whatever this turns out to be, it'll be at the top of this building. According to my research, Holzenbein lives up here whenever he's in the city."

Sohee nodded. "Yes, it was at the top of this structure. We will find his place of power there. But be ready. We were not at the time and it was to everyone's great sorrow."

Bongun growled. "This Holzenbein will face my wrath."

"And mine," Geminiman agreed. "I do not know what he's been doing here, but whatever it is, it ends today."

The Mechanical Maniacs exited the elevator at the top floor with Sohee and Bongun following invisibly behind them. Sohee led them all by tugging at them at various times and they soon caught up to the destruction Artilleryman wrought on the building. Spark Chan hoped Artilleryman hadn't actually gone ahead and killed the man. He was supposed to have just teleported out before being caught and Spark didn't like the idea of someone dying just because a ghost may have seen them do something over a decade ago. They needed to investigate things first.

The path of destruction seemed to have knocked down some pretty impressive high-tech doors and led elsewhere where, hopefully, Artillery had made his escape. The Mechanical Maniacs followed Sohee into the chamber.

"This place reeks of evil," whispered a still-invisible Bongun.

"There!" pointed Geminiman. "The glass prison!" The crystalline robot rushed over to the spherical object while the others fanned out, investigating the area. There was an old man in tattered clothes contained within the seamless glass. The old man seemed to come awake from a long sleep and stared at the robot for a time.

"It'll be all right," said Geminiman, "We're here to help you."

"Oh?" said the man, "Mister Geminiman? You're here to help me after all this time, eh? I must say that I had quite given up hope to ever see you people again." Geminiman blinked in surprised and the old man looked outward towards the other robots. The room was large and filled with arcane objects and sigils.

"I think you may find something interesting under the cloth covering Mr. Holzenbein's black altar over there," rasped the old man loud enough that Spark Chan headed over to see what it was about. The old man lifted himself higher up, trying to get a better look at Spark Chan as she lifted up the cloth laid over the altar. The female robot gasped and quickly placed the cloth back down.

"There's someone under there!" Spark Chan said unsteadily.

"What!?"

The old man nodded and settled back into a more comfortable position. "Yes, Mr. Holzenbein is quite into human sacrifice. Now I don't suppose you'd let an old man out of his prison, hm? After all, I just helped you find some incriminating evidence and I'd rather not be here when Mr. Holzenbein returns from your little distraction."

Geminiman stared at the old man. There was something about him that the robot didn't link. "Why are you in there, old man?"

The old man smiled, but his eyebrows knitted up conveying an irritation despite his smile. "Come on, now. There isn't much time!"

"Look at this," called Needlegal. Geminiman walked towards her and away from the old man in the glass cage. Needlegal held up a strange doll that resembled her. There were dolls for all the members of the Mechanical Maniacs, and Crorq, as well as several high ranking members of the city council.

"What's going on here?" asked Geminiman hotly.

"Isn't it obvious? Mr. Holzenbein constructed those using his magic and pieces from your armor in order to exert a certain amount of influence over you and other officials. I didn't think it was possible, but by using pieces of your armor he was able to attach those dolls to you without the use of blood or hair. It's rather ingenious, actually."

"Ingenious!?"

Spark Chan frowned at her doll. Pieces of their armor could have been easily obtainable after any one of their battles. She saw that the dolls were all modeled after their old armor, but there were very precise details. Whoever made these took a great deal of time making sure it was done properly. "Did he use these to tamper with our memories? And our perception? We've changed our armors just recently; is that why we can now see Bongun and Sohee?" Geminiman gave a start. Was it really possible that this mess wasn't entirely his fault? That he had been manipulated again?

The old man winked. "Bingo! Right on both counts, Ms. Spark Chan. And now if you'll just release me ..."

"You're trespassing," said a hard voice at the door. The team turned to see a well build older man. Tall and muscular under his business suit. He wore glasses and wore a stony expression.

"Mr. Holzenbein, I presume?" Geminiman asked with a sneer.

Needlegal took a step forward. "You are under arrest, sir."

Holzenbein seemed genuinely confused for a moment. It took him a second to take in where Needlegal was standing. When he did he smiled. "Ah, I see. Been poking around where you shouldn't be, I see."

"Come quietly. There's no need for you to be hurt," Spark Chan said warily.

Holzenbein smirked. "Hiding behind the cloak of the law? Even when you've brought a couple vengeful spirits here? And when you're planning to release Xelloss from his confinement? "

Geminiman turned in astonishment. "Xelloss!?"

The old man smiled slyly. "I guess the cat's out of the bag. Oh, don't look at me that way, it's not like I deceived you just now. I just didn't think you'd actually release me if I told you who I was."

Bongun and Sohee reappeared and positioned themselves on either side of Holzenbein.

Geminiman could hardly believe this was Xelloss. "What happened to you? You're an incredibly powerful monster ... how could you have been trapped like this?"

"I happened to him," Holzenbein replied as he casually took off his jacket and tie.

"Stay still! I'm warning you," said Spark Chan as she leveled her electrode at the man.

Holzenbein gave her a level look and simply dropped his jacket and tie on the floor. He began to unbutton his shirt. "Xelloss is a hard man to pin down, but it isn't impossible. I spent a long time scouring various places he's been sighted for a hair here and a scrap of cloth there. Eventually I had enough to preform a binding. But I needed something else. Something to draw the fellow to me. That's where a certain fox girl I seduced came in handy. She tracked down a unique item that could summon spirits, I know you were involved in that affair. The one with the zombies?"

Bongun and Sohee gave a start. "You were involved in that incident!?" screamed Bongun.

Spark Chan blinked. "Wait, what did you do with the fox girl?"

Holzenbein smiled sheepishly. "A man does have needs. She was instrumental in tracking down that item of power and delivering it to me. It's a pity it was destroyed when I brought Xelloss here. Using her as a sacrifice, of course." Holzenbein smiled widely at the hero's shocked reactions and he put his shirt on the floor. He revealed large muscles. He then took off his glasses and set them off to the side, on top of his neatly stacked pile of clothes.

"I'm afraid her death was necessary. At the time I needed her power to bring Xelloss to me and .... well, she was more animal than girl. We don't cry about killing animals for food and this wasn't much different."

"Wasn't much different!?" Geminiman shouted, barely containing his anger. "She was a living being!"

"You're one to talk," Holzenbein scoffed, "Weren't you affiliated with the Scissor Army? You have a lot more blood on your hands than I do."

Geminiman seethed. "I was controlled, but you ... you're a monster!"

Holzenbein walked away from his clothes. "I suppose it would interest you to know that it was I who sent that tape to that old police chief. I knew they'd put you on the case and I needed time to prepare Xelloss' cage. I wasn't expecting this pretty thing to merge with the ghost of Sadako Yamamura."

Sohee's eyes widened. "It was you!? You were responsible for what happened to me!?"

Holzenbein laughed. "Oh please. I'm not the one who told you to merge with a wicked spirit. You can't hold me responsible for that. But it did further impress upon me that you robots needed to be kept away, which was why I cast a spell of repulsion and forgetfulness. I made you blind to all magic ... but I guess it wouldn't work after you changed your bodies. Such a pity. Still, I have an offer to make you."

"An offer!?" scoffed Geminiman. "What makes you think we'd accept anything from you!?"

"You?" Holzenbein frowned. "No, I have no use for a pretty boy robot or a pouting ghost. I'm afraid you both will have to go. But as for these lovely ladies, well ... " Holzenbein leered at Spark Chan. "I must say there's always a place in my organization for pretty girls."

"You pig!" Sohee lunged at the depraved businessman and, without seeming to think about it, he raised his hand and shot a vibrant green beam of light cleaving the ghost in half. Sohee fell to the ground, stunned. Within a heartbeat Bongun appeared at her side. Half a second later Holzenbein was on the ground as well, gutted from one of Needlegal's projectiles.

"What did he do!?" shouted the electric based robot master. She turned to confront a serious looking Xelloss.

"I don't look like this for nothing. He's been draining me all these years. I'm on my last legs and he's stolen almost all of my demonic power! Don't take your eyes off that man, you fools!"

Bongun sobbed beside Sohee, the latter fading away in his arms. "Sohee, no. Not you too. Not after I've found you again."

Sohee tried to smile. "It's alright, master. I will join my mistress in the next world. Goodbye. It was my honor to - "

A green beam silenced her and sliced into Bongun. The latter screamed as Sohee faded away. Holzenbein lifted himself off of the ground.

"Well, that was more foolish than I expected. Now perhaps you'll reconsider my offer?"

Spark Chan tried using her electrical power again and Holzenbein let himself be hit. In a moment he got back up again and began laughing. Geminiman and Needlegal both shot at him and, within moments he lifted himself up again, completely unharmed.

"He's used my power to make himself immortal," Xelloss screamed, "You should have freed me when you had the chance!"

Needlegal immediately turned her cannon and shot the glass cage the monster was trapped inside. It shattered easily and Xelloss was flung to the ground. Holzenbein merely laughed and launched into an assault. He pummelled Needlegal into the floor.

With a scream Bongun used his power to grab a hold of the villainous man, but Holzenbein was somehow able to resist and shot a beam at the surprised ghost. Spark Chan tried her powers once again, but couldn't stop Holzenbein now that he was moving. He easily began beating her, laughing all the while.

Geminiman sent several copies to attack Holzenbein, but the real one found its way to the emaciated Xelloss.

"Why didn't that work!?"

"I desired my freedom, but that glass prison was merely my cage. Although I'm out, he's still connected to me." Geminiman glared at the monster. Even like this Xelloss was still manipulating them. The old man smiled ruefully. "He's using a variation of the Pledge Stone. That's where a monster and a human make a pact. The human becomes immortal, but is bound to the monster. Holzenbein used an ingenious variation of his own design where he forcibly bound my power to him, draining me constantly as needed. He's used my power not only to obviously give himself a body at its physical peak and as a weapon, but as a power source for his black magic. Fogging your memories for one, and diverting attention away from himself to say another. You have no idea how depraved this man is."

"Then how do we stop him?"

Xelloss gave him a look of exasperation. "Destroy the stone of course! He keeps it somewhere in this room, where he thought he was at his safest. " Geminiman hit himself on the head. It was pretty obvious when he gave it some thought. He then had to spin around because Holzenbein was almost right on top of him.

"Getting distracted are we? Can't have that."

Geminiman took a quick surveillance of the room and generated more copies. Spark Chan had suffered damage to her midsection and appeared to be struggling. Needlegal had a damaged arm and took shots at Holzenbein. Bongun seemed to have trouble staying in focus. Had Holzenbein managed to hit him with one of his green blasts? Geminiman hoped not.

Holzenbein flew at Geminiman and the robot ducked aside just in time to dodge a hit that smashed the wall behind him. "Give it up," cried Geminiman, "just look around! The police are coming and they'll see all of this! It's over!"

Holzenbein just laughed and shot beams of energy at the body and the dolls, destroying all of them. His black altar was scorched, but no trace of the body was left. "I've been doing this for decades. You didn't think disposing of evidence would be a problem for me, did you?"

Holzenbein kicked Geminiman and shot at him with small busts of energy. The vicious man took pleasure in prolonging Geminiman's pain.

"I'm afraid you all waited too long to come here! Had you come right after I sealed Xelloss up I would have still been too weak to do anything to you, but now I am invincible! I have power! Real power!" In a mad glee the man shot lighting from his fingertips, injuring everyone in the room. Needlegal screamed as parts of her flew off. Spark Chan joined her as she tried - and failed - to redirect the mystical energy the same way she would normal electricity. Xelloss screamed less in pain and more in frustration. Freedom was so close and yet he could do nothing.

Holzenbein didn't realize just one of the group was not screaming. It was only when he heard a smashing sound did he realize his mistake. The bald man whirled and saw his black altar smashed into the ground revealing a large steel vault embedded into it.

"I found it!" Bongun cried out. "Destroy this vile creature!"

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Holzenbein shot out at the spirit and ripped into him before Bongun had time to move. Geminiman was already on the scene. Needlegal had been too injured to really move, but she tried her best with her good arm and showered the vault and Holzenbein with needles. Spark Chan was also mostly immobile. She was trying to get Xelloss out of the room. Geminiman split into several copies. Holzenbein shot two down before Needlegal struck him down once more. Before he could recover Bongun flung him to the other end of the room. The Geminimen readied their lasers as Holzenbein got up.

There wasn't an explosion from the stone itself as Geminiman destroyed both it and the small vault containing it, but both Holzenbein and Xelloss screamed in pain. Mystical energy shot out of Holzenbein and set tapestries and books located around the room on fire. Holzenbein withered before the stunned robot's eyes. Much to his surprise, Xelloss seemed to grow paler and thinner. The crystalline robot thought the power would rush back into the monster, but it seemed to be gushing everywhere else, like an artery that had been cut open. The twin terror grabbed a collapsed Bongun and rushed out of the room before it caved in on itself.

Bongun was placed beside Xelloss. The ghost was fading now and the monster was hardly breathing.

"How did you know where the stone was?" asked Spark Chan.

"It was Munak and Sohee. At the last moment I heard their voices." The ghost turned to the robots. "Thank you ... my friends."

Geminiman looked down. "You don't blame me?"

"I did for a long time. But now ... no. It was that lunatic that caused you to lose your memory of us all. Besides, nothing good ever comes from carrying a grudge into the afterlife. Farewell. All of you. May we meet again far, far in the future."

Bongun disappeared leaving Xelloss gasping and wheezing on the floor alone. Geminiman had mixed feelings looking at what he had become. Xelloss had been a pest most of the time, but there were other times where he was a true menace. He was once responsible for turning Geminiman into a monstrous Gemini-thing in a bid to turn him to the monster race's cause. When they first met him he was on orders to try and bend reality itself to another master's cause. And he had heard about what Xelloss had done during the war. Yet looking at him now caused Geminiman to feel a small amount of pity for the dying creature.

"I suppose I should thank you as well. Even though I may not survive this misadventure. Holzenbein drained me for years and, the truth is, that even before you destroyed his Pledge Stone I would likely have had nothing left in a few more years. Even if I live it may take centuries to recover from the damage he put me through."

Needlegal shifted uneasily. "Do you think you'll survive?"

Xelloss smiled. "Is that concern, Ms. Needlegal? I'm really not sure. It's funny, we monsters want nothing more than to bring nothingness to all things, but at the end I feel that .... I don't really want to die."

The group was quiet for a moment. Xelloss' eyes glittered mischievously. "Oh don't feel sorry for me. I'm very hard to kill. I may be back someday."

"You're leaving?" Spark Chan frowned at this. She had an impulse to try and help the old man, even after everything he'd done.

"Of course! I have my freedom now. If I die, it'll be in my home. Not here, where I don't even belong."

Spark Chan felt slightly stung by that remark. Geminiman stiffened. "Xelloss, given that we might have saved your life, I feel as if you owe me a favor."

Xelloss chuckled a bit and then coughed. "A favor, eh? Well, if it's something I can grant I swear to grant it. If I survive this I'd be indebted to you and I'd rather not have that. What can a dying monster do for you, Mr. Geminiman?"

"If you live I never want you to return to this world. In fact I don't want you to ever show your face to me or any of my friends, or any of their friends ever again."

Xelloss smiled widely. "What an easy request to grant. It's so considerate of you to understand that I'm in no position to do anything harder than that! And the answer is ... of course. I'd like nothing better than to never see any of you or this world ever again. So I guess this is goodbye. Farewell ... my friends."

Xelloss visibly gathered his strength and, slightly slower than he used to, shifted out of phase with their reality and disappeared for the last time.

Part 3 - End