A.N: Hey readers, welcome to my new series, Rider of Young Justice. This is my second attempt at doing a fanfic series (first being Camp Cretaceous, check that out if you want). This story came to me when I was re-watching Young Justice. I had a stray thought of what would happen if some Marvel characters were in in the show and Ghost Rider was one of the first that came to mind. I love the Ghost Rider character. I love the hunter of the damned and guilty persona that he brings, he is one of the most powerful characters ever in Marvel comics and I was thinking of how Young Justice would play out if Ghost Rider was in it, which eventually lead into this story and series.

Now to clarify, this series will be broken down into 2, maybe 3 fanfics. With this one covering Seasons 1 and 2. 3, 4 and my own take on 5 might be some trouble as I live in Australia, and I can't access seasons 3 and 4 without paying for it but we'll see how we go. Also forewarning, this story will have graphic depictions of death, violence and coarse language, as well as sexual content and/or themes (no underage bullshit). And now without further ado, I present the first chapter for The Rider of Younger Justice.

Drifter

Gotham City Outskirts: 9:34pm, October 31st, 2008:

No P.O.V:

The shadows are a terrible place...especially in the city that is always encased in shadows. Gotham is a horrible, disturbing, blood curdling place. Where the very worst of humanity sprout like weeds and spread crime, death and mayhem like a plague. Men like Penguin and Maroni who would control the forces that are designed to keep people safe are now nothing more than puppets and thugs. Some like Scarecrow and the dreaded Joker, just seemingly love causing destruction and death for the sake of fear or fun. Tonight is no different for an unlucky convenience store worker. The Bat of Gotham may be someone for criminals to fear but he is not always around...and when he is gone...the scum come out to play.

"Alright...the money in register. Now! Before I blow your head off!" One of three robbers shout as he cocks a shotgun at the convenience store worker who is on the verge of crying. The other two men have their handguns and are trashing the place while jeering at the worker. The worker finally gives the robber the cash. "Sorry buddy..." The robber says as he fires the shell into the worker, killing him instantly. "Let's hit the road!" One of the others say as they run out. The robber with the shotgun laughs as he looks down at his handy work. All three of them hop into their pick up truck and head back to their hiding hole. Little did they realise of the black Charger waiting in the darkness. The driver's eyes unblinking as they stare at the robbers as they drive away. The criminals cheer at their handy work but none of them noticed the Charger's engine firing up and starts following them. The drivers eyes remains unblinking but turn a blazing orange as his hands tighten on the steering wheel.

P.O.V: Matthew

Finding these low lives was fairly easy. Instead of heading back to their homes for the night, they decided to go back to their little thieves den. Amateurs really. But the blood of that worker is on their hands and it must be paid...otherwise the other guy is just going to do it himself. I found the truck that they were driving and stopped in an alleyway opposite the abandoned apartment block. I cut the engine and hopped out, I see a single light on in one of the many rooms, must be where the robbers are. I walk across the road and enter the building, I walk up the many flights of stairs with little to no exertion. While I'm climbing, the happy voices of the robbers reach my eyes. I can just faintly hear them laughing about the dead worker. Anger runs through my body like a raging rapid, how can they just laugh while a man lies dead in his own blood. I feel a severe headache and a distant whisper of a thousand voices. "Hurry..." The voice says to me as I shake the headache out. I roll my eyes at the impatience. I reach the unit where they are and I wait by the door. "Tonight was a good night boys. Did you see that fucking guy, fucking crying? Ha...well he won't be crying anytime soon." I hear one of them say, possibly the one that did the deed. A scowl is etched into my face as I boot the door open, I didn't hold any of my strength back and the withered door just splinters in all directions from me.

The robbers blitz in a panic as I cross the room. One of the robbers spot me and goes to throw a punch but I grab him by his extended arm and throw him into a wall, the old plaster completely breaking. The other two are still coming too their senses as I walk slowly over to the one that killed the guy. I feel my eyes burning with a primordial rage, the other guy wants out. I see the the other robber charging at me but with my greater size and strength, I stop him and heave him up above my head. He stares down at my flaming eyes and I see fear and dread etch into him. "What are you?" He says in fear as I scowl and throw him through the window, watching him fall down screaming onto the pick up truck. The other guy seems pleased by my brutality. Fucking sadist. I hear a groan and see the killer trying to crawl to the doorway. I turn back and walk over to him and lift him up, throwing him against the wall as I stand inches away from his face. "I don't know who the fuck you think you are or who your dealing with. But you just made a big mistake." He tries to sound brave but it just sounds like a child trying to be tough. "Funny...I was going to say the same thing. You killed a man tonight, you laughed as you shot him and you laughed about it here. Time to pay for your sins." I say but he just laughs in my face. "Who the fuck do you think you are? Batman?" He says as I smile. "No...I'm worse." I say as my eyes blaze with fire. I groan as my skin starts to burn away, exposing my skull. I feel the other guy switch places with me, he is very happy and angry at the same time. That is a truly scary thought.

P.O.V Change: Robber:

The would be hero's skin starts to burn away, fire seemingly starts to come out of the exposed throat and mouth. His eyes are blazing with fire as they stare back at me. The sight is making me piss myself. The fire completely incases the skull, making him look like the devil. "Look into my eyes." The demon speaks as it lifts me up higher on the wall. It's voice sounds like an echo of a lot of people combined into one voice, deep, booming and fucking terrifying. "Please. Mercy, please." I plead with absolute terror in my voice. "Your soul is stained by the blood of the innocent...feel their pain." I start screaming as I see all the pain that I've caused. The boy that I pushed into the river from my childhood. The woman on my 18th birthday. Many other women. A family of three that I killed, just for their car. And the cashier tonight. All of them, like fiery shadows that are clawing at me. I try to get away but they just pull me back in. I hear a demonic laugh and I see a fiery shadow of a skull just laughing at my suffering. I just hope that it ends soon.

P.O.V Change: The Rider

Good riddance. The scum falls to the ground as molten rock and fire solidify in his eyes. Shuffling is heard and I turn my gaze at the scum that the boy threw. I growl in anticipation, walking over to the soon to be corpse, I salivate at the prospect of his fear. Men fear what they don't understand...but they dread what they can't comprehend. Death by fire...my fire...is the most pure that these defilers of the innocent will ever be. I lift the human and turn him to me. The fear in his eyes is the most joy that I get out of my life and it is like an addiction that I never want to end. "Please, mercy...I didn't know that he was going to kill that guy...I don't deserve to die." He says in terror. I gaze into his eyes, reading his very soul...and he is a liar. "No mercy." I growl before lighting fire in my hands and gripping his mouth and the back of his head. He screams as I twist my hands. His hand does a full turn as his mouth is burned down to the bone. He drops dead as I start to walk out. My business is down.

I exit the building and see the corpse of the one that the boy threw from the window. He is getting more like me everyday. I was pleased with how he conducted himself, he is accepting his new fate more so everyday. However there are times, I want to just take control but his will is very strong... unusual for one so young. I drop a fireball on the corpse before walking back to the boy's vehicle. I get in and drive away. The vehicle's blower and wheels catch fire as I drive at breakneck speeds away. I see a sign and says, 'Bludhaven 14 miles', hmm. Must pay a visit.

Bludhaven: 10:12am, November 1st:

P.O.V Change: Matthew

"Ugh." I groan out as I wake up from the backseat of my car. I get out and see that I'm in a rundown place. I get my phone out and see that I'm in Bludhaven, Gotham's sister city. Great, he decided to go for a joyride while in control. "The guilty need punishing." I hear him say in my head. "We agreed to let you have control for a limited time, not to go wherever you want when you have the chance." I say back to him which makes him laugh. "You think you own this body...ha. You were but a corpse when I found you. The guilty do not stop when you want. I must deliver punishment to them. If you won't help willing. Than this body will become mine if I wish it so." He says threatening to me and I just sigh. "Ok, I'm sorry. Why are we in Bludhaven anyway?" I asked him. "I wanted to pay a visit...but it seems that we can't stay here anyway." He says which makes me perk up, he has never been afraid before. "I'm not afraid, you idiot! But I detected a magical signature when we arrived last night. If it wasn't for my quick thinking into giving you control again, they would have surely detected us." He says quickly as I shake my head from the ache of his shout. Should've known better that he isn't afraid of anything. "So...what do you want to do?" I ask with gritted frustration. He brought me here and now he wants to leave or is implying that he wants to leave. "We stay and found out who or what that magical signature is. If it's demonic or something else, we have to get rid of it. The innocent are always targets for magical entities...then we can go." He replies. I refuse to argue because knowing him, he's still going to go and find out. Regardless of my consent.

"Fine...but first, I need to eat, piss and fill up the car. Because of you, it's nearly empty." I say as I start the car and head to the nearest gas station. "Whatever." Damn, he has some attitude. I drive and find a gas station with little to no customers, perfect. I park and start loading gas in. I look around waiting for it to fill. In my daydreaming, I see another car rock up to the station. A man hops out and walks into the station, I notice his height, green eyes and very straight moustache. He glances at me and continues on. As I put the pump back on the rack, my head starts aching. "Turn around." He tells me, not bothering to argue, I turn and see the car that man walked from and see a young girl, maybe 11 or 12 in the back. She is staring at me with wide eyes, with wonder or fear, I couldn't really tell from where I am. I see a doll that is on the ground, under the window. Deciding to be a Good Samaritan, I walk over, despite the voice telling me no. I pick up the doll and hand it back to the girl. Seeing her up close, I can see the similarities between her and the man, possibly her father. She is staring at me in wonder. "Here you go." I say while smiling. "Thank you, do you need some water?" She asks and I stare at her with a ponder look. "For the fire." She says as my eyes widen. "Fascinating." The voice says, almost in awe. "Zatanna." I hear a voice say and I see that the man has come back, with an angry scowl on his face. "What are you doing?" He says as he shoves me away. The voice is growling at me but I reel him back in. "I'm sorry sir, she dropped the doll and I just gave it back." I say as back up away from the man. "Well, thank you. But now leave." He says as he stands between me and the girl, who has gone quiet. "Sorry to disturb you sir...have a good day." I say as I walk to the store to pay for the gas.

I pay the cashier and I walk out to see the man and the girl, Zatanna drive away. I see that the girl is still staring at me. She is quite unnerving. "Homo Magi...it's been 2 centuries since I last saw and felt one." The voice says in amazement. "What the hell are they?" I ask as I hop into the car. "Subspecies of Homo Sapiens. They evolved with a natural affinity with the energies of Chaos, Order and the energies of the Earth. Magical humans." He tells me as I ponder that bit of news. "How did the girl see you?" I say as I look up into the rearview mirror and see a flaming skull staring back. "She has the potential for great power. She didn't see me per say but merely the hellfire magic, she is an extraordinary individual. If trained right, she could hold the power to become the most powerful sorceress this world has ever seen." He says as I nod. "You figured that just by looking at her?" I ask. "I didn't look at her, I read her soul. Souls are powerful mediums. Not only are they the truth about a person but they hold their entire life force. For homo Magi, that is tenfold. I saw the potential that she has. In time, she could become a match for me in magical strength." My eyes widen at that particularly, but something is still not making sense. "Why didn't the man notice you if the girl did? Assuming that they are father and daughter." I ask. "He is trained, his magical senses are more attuned. The girl is being trained but not at the man's level yet. I was able to hide from him but the girl's magical potential allowed her to glimpse at my magic." He finishes and I just nod, I don't understand like him so I'm just going to leave it at that. "Let's go. We found the magical signature, now let's get out of here." I say as the voice just grumbles.

Gotham: 1:49pm, November 1st:

The drive back was long, but quiet enough. The voice decided halfway through to have some quiet time with himself. That was fine with me. My mind was trailing back to the girl earlier. Whether the voice wants to admit it or not, the girl saw him...saw me. I have never told anyone about him or what has become of myself and that girl discovered me based on pure luck. It's a daunting feeling. I tried not to think about it but somethings are hard to forget. I know that particularly well. I arrive home to my mother's apartment. I walk up the withered stairs to the apartment. I enter and see just a heap of mess. Shoes, clothes, food wrappers, toys etc. I sigh and start picking up the rubbish. I hear a cry and see my sister, Luna, in her crib. "Hey, baby. Come here." I whisper lovingly as I lift her up. "You're ok, big brother Matty is here." I say as I sit down on the ruined couch. A syringe catches my eye as I sigh in frustration. Luna cries a little, almost in respond to my sigh. "It's ok. It's alright." I say as I rock her back and forth. She starts to sooth and soon falls asleep. "Children are always the first to suffer. I hate that." The voice says as I place Luna back in her crib. For the first time in a while, me and the voice actually agree on something. My father was never there for me, my mother is a druggie. I learnt to raise myself and now Luna is going through the same thing. But I'm here now and I'll be damned if I let her became what I had to become to survive.

"Matty...you're home." I slurring voice sounds as I turn and see my mother walk out of the hallway. Her hair is in shambles, her clothes are just thrown on and she has a bottle of cheap beer in her hand. "Yeah. I got caught up with something last night." I say to her as I walk over and help her into her chair. I subtly take the bottle out of her hand. "How are you feeling?" I ask, just out of habit really. "Oh you know. Doing ok." She says as she leans back into the chair. "Have you taken your medication today?" I ask, hoping that she says yes. "Sorry honey, I've been really tired, I haven't had the chance." I nod at her answer before walking into the kitchen. I glance at her as I prep her a sandwich. She has severe bags under her eyes. Needle entries on her arms. I shake my head in disbelief. She said that she will go sober, but what can you expect. I pour a glass of water and I sneakily place her medication in her food. I know that she won't take them willingly so I resort to this shit.

"Here you go, you need some food." I say as I hand her the sandwich and the glass. "Thank you, honey." She says quietly as she bites into the food. "She is hanging by a thread." The voice says to me but I ignore him. I've had this discussion with him multiple times but I still refuse to listen. She can be helped, she can get better. The voice doesn't think so but I hold onto that hope.

Next Day:

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful par for the voice wanting to go out and hunt. I told him that we'll wait until dark before going out. I hate doing it but it's better to satisfy him than to argue. When I put Mom to bed, I hold made sure that Luna was comfortable before leaving. I exited the apartment and made my way to the garage. The voice kept telling me that blood had been split and that punishment has to be exacted. Basically the same shit that he says every night. I started the car and drove out of the garage and away from the apartment block. Good distance away...I let the voice take control.

Gotham Rooftops: 11:06pm, November 2nd, 2008:

P.O.V Change: Artemis

Dad decided that I needed another 'training lesson'. I can't help but love and hate the guy. After that debacle with Jade and her false promises, Dad has decided to up my training and that usual entitled harsher punishments for failure. But still, I pushed forward to please him, even when I don't want his approval...at least not anymore. He was always cruel even when we were back with Mom. The training was all he cared for, dinner at the table were tense affairs not times of joy or fun. Jade always hated him, never really saw him as a father. Just someone to hate. I can see why she ran but a part of me hates her for leaving me behind.

Never mind that now, no point in complaining about it. Dad decided to send me out to 'engage targets from a distance while under the cover of darkness'. I have done this training numerous times. The only difference is that he is sending me out alone and with lethal arrows. He expects me to kill. Killing is something that I've done before, I don't like it but it's better than what he'll do to me if I don't. I was currently watching a gang of thugs in one of the back alleys of Gotham. The thugs were having a weapons deal. Dad explained that I was to follow them, eliminate them and take the weapons. Seems simple enough. The thugs made the deal and semi auto guns were traded, as well as two bazookas. I can see why Dad wanted them. I see the thugs with the weapons head back to their truck to leave. I had fired an arrow at their wheels to keep them there. However, I had missed. "Damnit."

I say in gritted frustration as the truck begins to leave. I hop across the rooftops and fire a zipline arrow down to the street. I zipline down above the truck and jump off the line, at the same time of firing an arrow piercing arrow into the truck's engine. Bringing it to a complete stop. I landed in a combat roll a few yards away from the truck. The I see thugs three in the vehicle. Two in the front. One in back. One of them decided to point their machine gun at me just as I loaded one of my arrows. Suddenly I hear what sounds like an engine roar. I look past the truck and see an old Charger sitting just down the street.

I hear the thugs scrambling for something as one thug gets in the back and loads one of the bazookas at the Charger which is now speeding its way towards the truck. The thug with the bazooka fires a shot at the Charger which explodes. The car flips as the front wheels and blow are lit on fire. What happens next shocked me to my core. The car landed back on its wheels, which all are now coated in flames. The engine's blower is also on fire and just seems to be sprouting flames. I watch in awe as the flaming car rams into the truck with enough force to send it a few yards sideways. It almost appears on top of me. I retreat back to a dark alley and watch as flames coat the road, surrounding the truck in a ring of fire.

I peer through the fire as the thug with the bazooka tried to run only to trip and be pulled back behind the truck. I hear bones breaking and muscles being torn apart. The other two thugs try to escape out of the truck only to be beaten down by a figure. One of the thugs is pulled back to the Charger as the figure opens it up and drops the thug in. The other one had decided to brace the flames and run through. His screams are blood curdling as he runs towards me. I panic and try to hide but he finds me and trips over the sidewalk. "Help me! Please help me!" He screams. I go to run but a flaming chain wrap around him and pulls him away from me before I can grip his arm. The man is pulled into the flames as he screams echo across the street. The figure I saw before is standing menacingly in the fire almost like it doesn't affect him. And for the first time, I notice why. The figure is like a demon, a flaming skull with bright flaming eyes. Crack like streams that run down said skull. A black driver like jacket with a white upside down 'U'. Black pants and black gloves. Dread and terror fill my gut as I gaze at the demon-esque figure. The monster turns its attention to me, and I feel the full weight of its gaze on me. It's presence and position in the fire give new meaning. I've never been religious but looking at that thing make me believe in the Devil. The monster turns around and walks back through the fire to the Charger. It gets in and drives back where it came. A trail of flames is left behind as the hellish Charger drives off into the distance.

I run into the alley and sit behind a dumpster as I try and get my breathing back under control. Dad told me that Batman was the most intimidating person that he ever fought. Well Dad, I didn't even fight whatever that was, and it was the most terrifying thing that I ever saw. I climb the fire escape of the building behind me and hop across the rooftops before coming to my dad's safehouse. "Well...where are the weapons?" He says from his seated position. I stare back at him. "What do you know of a guy with a flaming skull?" I ask him and for the first time in my life...I see my father afraid.