Max's eyes trailed lazily up and down and up again for almost a minute as a whinny and various noises of pain emitted from the relatively stupid sight he was beholding. He leaned casually again Sleepy Hollow's bridge post as he watched the spectacle.
"She's not going to let you ride her," he sighed.
Alistor was half laughing but half screaming as she was elevated and fell, only to fly up again waving her arms frantically from lack of stability. Below her, a large quadrupedal black and red highlighted Transformer kicked and bucked angrily. That wasn't what scared her in the situation.
Alistor was his occasional partner and the only other adult in Zeliria. It's kind of a funny story how she came to be but long story short, he saved her during the Industrial Revolution and apparently, it was her 18th birthday that day. Since America's adult age was eighteen...Zeliria wasn't extremely pleased about that but one could argue she was born at noon and he saved her two hours before so she's technically not eighteen depending on who thinks the day makes the number or the time.
After a while, Max clasped the bridge of his nose with a low goan. Alistor had climbed on top of Daredevil's sleeping form without realizing it and the giant awakened. He had to give her credit for trying to calm the Transformer, but Daredevil disliked everybody except her rider so of course she would put up a fight.
The Daredevil was a horse-like Transformer though she kind of reminded Max of a dark version of Elita combined with Optimus's masculine features in an equestrian pose. Blood red pupil-less optics with glowing red vents for nostrils and insect-like mandibles on the outside of her jaws made her appear intimidating...and that wasn't regarding the unusual streaks of bio lights that made her body seem like it had human blood running out of it. A red bladed mohawk was embedded on her helm to create the sense of a short mane while she supported a zebra thin tail though elongated with the same type of blade at the end. Her claws a deep red, both pede and servo, but her winglets supported silver claws despite being smaller. Special reins, horse-like as well, were attached to her cheeks while she had a jagged silver spine partially covered near the shoulder armor and base of the thick neck by a custom old 1700's saddle infused with bronze and gold. She held the practical humanoid form just like most other Transformers but she chose to stay on all fours out of loyalty to her rider.
The Headless Horseman was exactly as one would expect but Primus didn't raise him as a favor. Like Krampus, Horseman's awakening was that of a curse and Daredevil was a part of it. His real name was long forgotten but the Horseman was a Hessian mercenary who befriended Daredevil long ago, matched by their mutual love of death. Daredevil herself was apparently gray and red when she wasn't cursed and he, of course, actually had a head.
Together, they reigned terror on the early American colonies during the Revolutionary War and stories even Max knew of spread across the Eastern seas including Max's own home turf of the Indonesian clusters. So many mysterious deaths were at the hands of these two and Daredevil grew inseparable from her rider, carrying out any deed he asked and protected him. Unfortunately, the Colonists finally got their revenge and the femme couldn't carry out her duty to him. They managed to separate the two and beheaded the Hessian Horseman while the Colonists had their befriended secret alien companion tear Daredevil apart.
For crimes against humanity after both died no less than a few feet away from each other, Primus punished Daredevil and the Horseman to forever roam Sleepy Hollow's forest, never to leave and the only place elsewhere they both could go was the town of Sleepy Hollow itself. Every path they took away from the town would only lead right back. This, like Krampus' predicament, kind of backfired. The Horseman and the Daredevil loved to terrorize the tourists and the townspeople though they could not cross the bridge. That didn't really stop them as there was no rule of hopping over the river but it had to be a precise jump or else, they would fall into the river and be sent back to Hell or wherever Primus fetched them from.
People asked often why the residents wouldn't move and the reason was: they couldn't. Daredevil's curse impacted the town just as much as the devious duo themselves. Anybody who tried to leave would be chased and perhaps killed if not fast enough. As one could guess, very rarely did anyone succeed and the stories the survivors told were horrifying. Then again, what was more horrifying than a Transformer trying to buck a young adult off like a scared donkey.
"Alistor, are you okay?"
"This is kind of fun! You should try it!" She laughed, catching the beast's tail and swinging as Daredevil grew even more aggravated.
"I'd rather not die. You might want to hurry with your fun, the Horseman's going to be back soon."
Suddenly, Daredevil ceased resistance and pressed her audial fins back then forward as she stared near where Max was. She snorted and straightened herself, ignoring the panting form crawling back up her spine disheveled. A sword was suddenly put against Max's neck and he merely lifted his chin as a gloved hand clasped his shoulder hard.
"Sie sollten besser wissen, als hier zu betreten. Uns zu stören ist eine narrensuche. Sie werden nicht besser als die touristen," a shallow voice spoke.
"I try," Max remarked.
"Draufgänger, ferse."
The Transformer casually lied down and lowered her helm as close as she could to her rider before emitting a soft purr.
Max hesitantly began to turn around, the blade not moving from his throat as he faced his captor. Adorned with a tainted ghostly appearance not too different from Max's, the Horseman clutched his sword with murderous intent. He lacked a head but his body language told all. He was out for blood.
Like Max, his 18th Century gear was more pirate-oriented but Hessians sometimes had disguised themselves to blend better with the crowd to plan their hired assassinations accordingly. His black coat with encrusted shoulder and gauntlet armor meant he was often on the front lines but metal armor back then was rare so he must have made it himself. A very crucial parody to Max's appearance it seemed but who copied who was beyond either of them.
"You should not be here. Leave or else!" The Horseman snarled.
"Are you kidding me?" Max mockingly scoffed, "I have to make sure you idiots don't terrorize the residents here. When the locals heard that you raided and killed that Minicon, Hammershot, I was called in. What the hell am I supposed to do? Let you get away with it?"
The sword swiftly lifted away from Max's collared neck as the Horseman swung it professionally to his side. "You are not allowed to speak of Hell. You know nothing of it."
"I have a pretty good concept, trust me."
Alistor raised her hand from Daredevil's spine shakily as she still had the wind kicked out of her. "Me...too."
"Why do you care, Max Jacova? You and I know better; we are superior to these peasants. We are pirates! We take what we want and there is no stopping us."
The Guardian huffed, "We are but there is a line that has to be drawn at killing people for no reason. And although I couldn't give two shits about the adults, the kids are what concern me. You've been killing entire families to where I had to go in and save the children from their deaths. I have ten kids from Sleepy Hollow on Zeliria because you can't get enough of the horror in your victims. That's where there's the problem."
"I do what I must. That's why I am here. Why else would this curse allow me to be stuck here if not to do what I've always done...as punishment?" The Horseman scowled.
The Horseman snapped his gloved fingers and Daredevil rose up and practically pranced to his side. She stood over him, eyeing Max as she snorted. She barely glanced back as a cry and a blur of a form fell from her rear.
"I...I'm o...kay."
The Horseman whistled from the hole where his neck would have been, "Ferse."
Daredevil obeyed and bent her elbows to lean down, allowing him to climb upon her shoulder plating to the base of her limber equus-like neck where his custom saddle awaited. He held on tight once he was seated as Daredevil whinnied and rose up, stomping her servos and pedes in the dead grass almost playfully.
"Oh my god!" A sudden female voice yelled. Alistor was kind of out on the ground beside Max so that made it obvious it wasn't her who called.
The voice drew their attention and Max's eyes widened as Daredevil growled. The Horseman began to laugh, "Well, ein opfer erwartet."
Daredevil shook her head angrily and reared, smoke pouring from the nose ridge as her mouth illuminated within by bio lights which made her more demonic than ever. The Horseman pulled out his sword and raised it. Before Max could stop their charge, Daredevil galloped towards her victim with little to no hesitation.
The poor woman screamed as the devilish horse-like Transformer was directed at her. She ran across the field, glancing panicked back at the oncoming form.
The Horseman grabbed a rope attached to his saddle and hooked in on the horn. He got off his seat and swung to lean on the side of Daredevil with his rope supporting his risky move. Almost horizontally hanging beside the waist of his partner, he used his spare hand to wield his weapon and as they drew closer to the woman, he whipped it behind him in preparation to strike.
The woman had only a second to see her doom before Daredevil surpassed her and the sound of metal slicing through skin echoed to Max who looked horrified. The body tumbled a few feet but the head rolled until it hit a stake on a fence line and blood drizzled from the severed neck. Daredevil slid to a halt and the Horseman landed perfectly onto the grass before making his way towards the body then to the prize. The head was penetrated by his weapon and lifted for the Horseman to examine thoughtfully.
If he could smirk, he would have. "Another piece for my collection. Unless you want her, Max."
"Son of a bitch!" The Guardian yelled, running up to him, "Why did you do that!?"
The Horseman put down his sword to rest beside him with the head still attached and made an open-arm gesture of disbelief. "What do you mean 'why did I do that?' Did we not just go through my purpose? I'm a hunter and they are my prey. I am the ghost of this forest that haunts every acre and decides the fate of those who trespass. What part of that did you not get?"
Rubbing the bridge of his nose again, Max sighed, "Fuck it, never mind."
The armored rider slapped his hands against his thighs, slightly tapping his calf with the dead head of the woman before approaching Max, stopping next to his right side. He snarled, "I find it ironic you have a problem with what I do. If I recall, you used to be a hunter as well, behind the eyes of the law at only eleven years old. What's so different now that you can't appreciate the death of those you know damn well don't deserve what we worked our asses off for?"
The Guardian growled, "What happened in the past is not relevant now. I grew up, I changed willingly because Zeliria knew I could use my skills for more than the pirate life."
He felt the Horseman roughly grasp his arm, "The past always matters, especially in the eyes on the beholder. How many people know what you've done or have you ever bothered to tell them? When they find the truth out, how do you think they will react knowing the person they trusted was nothing but a petty thief and a cold-hearted killer? My deeds don't seem so bad compared to yours, now do they?"
Max remained silent as the Hessian mercenary chuckled darkly, "You aren't any more different than I. I'm just not the one who organizes my mess and keep some things secret in the process. Der, der gegen monsters kämpft, Max."
The pirate frowned, "Just take Daredevil and go home."
It was unexpected for Max to brush him off like that...for free but the Horseman bowed at his success and called for his steed. "Draufgänger, zeit nach hause zurückzukehren."
The equestrian-like Cybertronian snorted and did a roundabout circling all three humans until she let the Horseman mount her again. Max just stared more so at the ground than acknowledge the large Transformer while Alistor finally came to.
The girl waved at Daredevil with a shy smile. "No hard feelings?"
Daredevil froze mid step and targeted her, suddenly breathing harshly to blow her off her feet. When Alistor fell back down, the femme returned to formation and twitched her ears back while giving a victorious grunt. She purred as her master patted the neck plating.
"Das ist mein mädchen. Gutes mädchen. Weiter!"
Off Daredevil went, running towards the leafless dark forest as thunder roared overhead. The Headless Horseman cackled madly as she neighed, leaving Max and Alistor in the dust. At the bridge of Sleepy Hollow, Daredevil jumped over the river and fled into the forest, their silhouette disappearing into the dreaded fog surrounding their domain.
Alistor frowned, "We shouldn't speak of this to the kids, huh?"
Max shook his head as continued to glare at the entrance to the forest where they had vanished. "No, I'd rather not."
AN: Daredevil, for those who don't know, is the canon nickname for the Headless Horseman's horse and in some versions, it's Brom Bones' horse's name which often debates whether or not he's the Horseman in the story. Here though, Daredevil and the Horseman are separate entities as Daredevil is a Transformer because I thought it would be a fun twist.