They would eventually be there, if the Banette kept trudging forward in his seemingly mindless state. That fateful drop that the rushing water was heading for. Rhodes dreaded going there... usually. In this case, he found himself nervously looking forward to it. If coming to the river itself got that kind of reaction out of the Banette... perhaps the place of Slasher’s death would put everything together. Maybe something would finally make sense.

The rumbling falls could be heard. Rhodes kept his distance from Gnasher, but still followed him. At this point, the ghost moved on his own with purpose. It didn’t even seem to matter to him whether Rhodes was there or not, which may have been fortunate, as it allowed the boy to observe without feeling endangered.

“... Bring her here, I’ll do the rest... no questions, got it?” Gnasher recited, just as he stopped. He had neared the edge of the falls, simply staring into the distance.

If Rhodes had to guess, that was regarding Sandy. Slasher’s last order to the gang, though one Rhodes wasn’t present for, to take her and throw her from the cliff. Of course, he only later learned it was all premeditated for his boss to take a shot at Shroomsworth. The very idea that he was lied to like that upset Rhodes to think about. He approached behind the seemingly dazed Banette, flipping through the options in his mind. Revenge was but a forceful slip of his claw points away, right into the Banette’s puppet-like body.

He considered it. Closer and closer, Rhodes crept behind Gnasher. He still seemed to be mumbling to himself, but it was no longer coherent. Rhodes lifted one of his claws, leaving it poised to strike. It would only take a bend of his elbow, then a shove forward, and it’d all be over...

… But he couldn’t. Rhodes’s claw wouldn’t even lift into full position for such a strike, simply trembling in its attempt. It wasn’t in him to do that to anyone; especially in this case, when the Banette hardly even seemed self-aware. It always scared him that anyone else in the gang could.

Given this chance by Rhodes’s reluctance, the Banette... took a step forward. Toward the cliff. “... S-so that’s...” he managed to say clearly, relative to all the previous mumbling. It sounded less flat and entranced than before, as though he was coming back around, though in a dazed state. He gazed down into the destination of the falls below. It wasn’t dark and abyssal as it was on that one snowy night. The sun shone upon it, revealing the entire incline and the mild mist of falling water below. “... That can’t be right..!” he exclaimed with sudden worry, followed by incredulous laughter.

The Banette’s sudden regaining of senses left Rhodes on edge. What would happen now? Did he do the right thing in bringing Gnasher here? The young Sneasel took a nervous step backward... he may even have needed to run away, if it turned out to be...

“I’d never try to kill somebody! It... it can’t be me...” Gnasher exclaimed in defiance, only to wind down and sink to his knees, overlooking the cliff just ahead of him. After a moment, he reached up to touch that patch that was sewn onto his face. Then, he turned his head, facing Rhodes in shock, particularly gazing upon his scar, “You... I was a downright scumbag to you... I’m sorry.”

In any given person’s lifespan, they’d never expect someone who antagonized them to come back from the dead and apologize to them. Rhodes was just as shocked and confused as anyone would be. But... it was like he felt before. This was different. “No...” Rhodes began, retracting his earlier step backward. He wouldn’t be running away from this. “He wouldn’t ever say that. I feel like... you’re right. You can’t be him!”

“But I remember it! All the things I did! I arranged to have that Deino thrown off this cliff! I was gonna kill that Merchant just ‘cause I wanted his money!” Gnasher admitted in a panic, pulling himself to his feet and turning to face Rhodes. “That ain’t even the worst of what I remember doing, kid... I shouldn’t be alive!”

“You didn’t!” Rhodes shot back, stamping his foot in defiance. Nobody deserved to think they shouldn’t be alive, especially for a reason like that. “I knew the guy who did all that stuff! He never felt bad about any of it... he liked it. He hurt people for fun, and used us just to get what he wanted... then he hurt us too. I...” Rhodes trailed off. Dredging up such memories was beginning to make him tear up. “... I knew the stuff he was doin’. I knew him better than anybody! If he were really here right now, he’d...”

“He’d try to kill you...” Gnasher responded, finishing the thought. It would have been foreboding, if not for the self-deprecating tone he took. He lowered his head and gazed to the side in thought, “He’d kill you for talking to him like that... I ain’t gonna do that. I’m... different.” It clicked in Gnasher’s head, at that point. He seemed to get it.

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Part 9 of "The Pulled String" by