A/N: And in this chapter, Johnny and Roxanne not only meet the caretaker, but they'd also do something else with him that wasn't seen before.
Ghost Riders: Rage and Vengeance
Chapter 5: Mastering the Riders
Sometime later, Johnny and Roxanne woke up to find themselves in a sort of church-like home with several cups of water prepared for them before the two quickly drank the cups as fast as they can until they were cool enough and walked outside to see the caretaker in front of a tombstone labelled, "Carter Slade: Into Paradise May the Angels Guide You".
"You two all right?", the caretaker asked.
"Yeah. We're good.", Johnny responded.
"Except for the fact that our skulls were on fire. Other than that, we're okay. Thanks for the water.", Roxanne added.
"Did you see our bikes?", Johnny asked before the caretaker only grinned.
"Did I say something funny?", Johnny asked.
"Ironic. We're big on irony around here. They're out by the shed.", the caretaker responded.
"Thanks.", Johnny thanked.
"They do.", the caretaker spoke.
"What?", Roxanne puzzled.
"You're wondering if your bikes look normal? They do. And to answer your other questions: last night did happen. It wasn't a dream and it will happen again.", caretaker responded.
"Who are you?", Roxanne puzzled.
"Question is, who are you two?", Caretaker responded before they left as Caretaker spoke further.
"You are the Riders. The Ghost Riders! Get used to it, kids. It'll be a lot easier. If you don't, I got a couple of nice, cozy spots picked out for you.", the caretaker advised before Johnny and Roxanne saw the bikes in the shed and then started on their way as the caretaker walked by them.
"They already saw you two.", Caretaker spoke.
"What?", Roxanne puzzled.
"They've seen you two now. They'll be waiting for you. You'll need my help if you two expect to last the night.", the caretaker warned.
"Last time we let a stranger help us, it didn't do any good.", Roxanne only refused.
"This ain't something you two can run from, kids. This day has been coming since you made that deal.", caretaker spoke before Johnny and Roxanne stopped and turned back to the caretaker.
"How do you know about that?", Roxanne asked.
"Congratulations. Your chances just went from none to slim.", the caretaker grinned.
Meanwhile, Matt was doing a report.
"Sources close to the investigation say that there may be a link between what happened here in downtown and the Broken Spoke massacre in the desert. I'm Matt Blaze on scene.", Matt spoke.
"And we're out.", the cameraman spoke.
"Captain Dolan.", Matt spoke.
"No comment.", Captain Dolan spoke.
"Is it true they found a connection between the massacre and last night's victim here at the city train yards?", Matt asked before noticing a body being carried off, especially darkened to a sickly blue, making him gasp in shock a bit.
"No comment.", Captain Dolan spoke.
"Off the record, captain.", Matt spoke as Dolan noticed a mark resembling a skeletal hand pressing down on it.
"Off the record? Back off.", Dolan responded before walking away.
"Well, that wasn't very nice.", Matt joked.
Meanwhile, the caretaker was speaking with Johnny and Roxanne as he was getting out a sort of stitch.
"The Riders are the devil's bounty hunters. Sent to hunt down anyone that escapes from hell. Sterilize that for me.", the caretaker spoke with Johnny looking as though he was trying to light it on fire.
"Sterilize. In the boiling water.", the caretaker responded.
"Right. Okay. A little confused.", Johnny spoke before he then put the string into the cup as the caretaker got out a sort of bottle.
"During the day you'll be normal. But at night, in the presence of evil..., the Riders take over.", the caretaker explained before Roxanne gasped slightly.
"I remember now.", Johnny responded.
"Me, too... Last night...!", Roxanne realized before it went to a flash back with the mugger panicking as he was forced to see his misdeeds, all of which formed into a skull made completely of fire and then Retribution demonically shrieking at the mugger, turning him to stone as the blue fires suddenly erupted to do so before striking at him hard enough to a point that he was shattered into pieces with a strike of lightning brought down only by her fists before it went back to the present, making Roxanne gasp and pant heavily in fear.
"There was some punk... and we could see all the wrong he'd ever done... and I turned it all against him.", Johnny responded.
"And that was right before I... turned him to stone and... killed him...!", Roxanne spoke, horrified by what happened last night before whimpering a bit.
"I don't know why, but... I couldn't think straight. Why was I so angry at him...?! I didn't even know him...!", Roxanne whimpered with slight sobs.
"The Penance Stare. It sears the souls of the wicked. It's the Ghost Rider's greatest weapon. All the Riders have it. Except for one. You.", the caretaker spoke.
"Me...?", Roxanne asked worriedly.
"What you just described in your actions was a very dangerous power that'd make the Penance Stare especially dangerous if used in conjunction: Retribution's Wrath. That power is a death sentence to those who are guilty. It even makes the penance stare either weak, which is rarely the case, or useful. The way it works is it leaves the guilty paralyzed, feeling the rage of their victims. And the more wicked the person, the more likely they will turn to stone for their wickedness.", the caretaker explained.
"Have there been any others with our "Ghost Rider" problem?", Johnny asked as his wound was getting stitched up.
"Been a few.", the caretaker responded.
"The ghost avenger...", Roxanne spoke.
"Last one was 150 years ago. Carter Slade was the name. In a little town called San Venganza. Nice town. Nice people. Till a stranger came along making promises... one deal at a time.", the caretaker responded.
"That guy we met... Could he be it?", Roxanne asked.
"That's right. His name is Demon Lord Mephistopheles. Or Mephisto for short. The point is, consumed by greed, they turned on one another... until the village of San Venganza drowned in its own blood..., their souls trapped forever in that godforsaken place.", the caretaker responded.
"What's this have to do with Blackheart?", Johnny asked.
"Blackheart? He sent you after Blackheart?", the caretaker puzzled.
"And the others. What are they, really?", Roxanne added.
"The Hidden. Fallen angels cast out of heaven by Saint Michael himself. They hide within the elements waiting for the end of days. You two better hang around here, kids. They can't come onto hallowed ground.", the caretaker advised.
"Thanks.", Roxanne responded.
"And thanks for the info. I feel much better now that we know we're the devil's bounty hunters.", Johnny spoke as he got up.
"Where you going?", the caretaker asked.
"Somebody we gotta see.", Johnny responded as he put the jacket back on.
"That's right. We haven't seen Maria since last night.", Roxanne realized.
"That's a bad idea.", the caretaker warned.
"It wouldn't be my first.", Johnny responded as he and Roxanne went out.
"Why'd you do it?", the caretaker asked.
"What?", Roxanne puzzled.
"Why'd you two make the deal?", the caretaker asked.
"We were kids.", Johnny responded.
"What'd you get in return?", the caretaker asked.
"Heartache.", Johnny responded.
"But now, we have a family to look after.", Roxanne responded.
"A family, huh? Say, uh... what if I were to give you some pointers about the riders within?", the caretaker asked.
"Really...? You could do that?", Roxanne asked.
"You'd be surprised what you can learn about riders like them.", the caretaker responded.
"But how do you know so much?", Roxanne asked before the caretaker then whistled for his horse, which then rode by with a whinny and stopped near him as two more horses accompanied it.
"I still got some rides left in me.", the caretaker responded.
Play Eminem Music: "Cleanin' Out My Closet" (Clean)
Then, the caretaker got on his horse before getting out his hat as his eyes then glowed fiery for a moment before he put his hat on with his skin then being shed off him as it burned off, revealing his skeletal look as there was now glowing orange dots in the eye holes of his skull, much to Johnny and Roxanne's surprise.
"Carter Slade...", Roxanne spoke in surprise before Carter nodded.
"Can you really help us?", Johnny asked.
Then, Carter's horse became just as skeletal and fiery as its owner before neighing.
"I guess we're supposed to get on those?", Roxanne guessed as she got on one horse while Johnny got on another.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's ride.", Johnny grinned.
Sometime later, the three were now headed for a desert.
"If you two wanna get back to your family, I can understand that. But there are a few things you need to know before you can go back.", Carter spoke.
"Such as?", Roxanne asked.
"Learning when to bring out your riders for starters.", Carter responded.
"We can actually do that?", Johnny puzzled.
"Once we stop, I'll teach you how.", Carter responded.
Soon after, both Johnny, Roxanne, and Carter arrived at the desert and stopped by before dismounting off their horses.
"First lesson, now. The host can gain control of the possessing spirit through concentration and manipulation of the fire element that exists within man.", Carter responded.
"And you think we can do that?", Roxanne puzzled.
"See for yourself.", Carter responded before Johnny then lifted his right arm and spoke up.
"I am speaking to the fire element within me. Give me control over the possessing spirit.", Johnny spoke before he slowly, gently opened his right hand with smoke seeping out of it before a ball of fire emerged from his hand.
Then, that ball of fire gradually, but quickly, spread through out his body, turning him into Ghost Rider once again, but this time, he was in control, astonishing Roxanne.
"You did it!", Roxanne grinned.
"Now, you try.", Carter responded.
"Me...? A-Are you sure?", Roxanne asked before Carter nodded to her.
"Okay...", Roxanne spoke before she closed her eyes and tightened her fists.
A moment later, blue flames coated her hands, which were now skeletal before Roxanne opened her eyes, which were just as fiery as Johnny's eyes, but blue before the rest of her body burnt the flesh off her body, turning her into Retribution once more before she looked at herself.
I'm sorry, Mama
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to make you cry
But tonight I'm cleanin' out my closet (One more time!)
"Whoa. I'm in control...! I could get used to this.", Roxanne spoke, her voice just as distorted as from when she became Retribution last night.
"Maybe. But there's a lot about the spirits that you two don't know, so let's get started.", Carter spoke to Johnny and Roxanne.
I said I'm sorry, Mama
I never meant to hurt you
I never meant to make you cry
But tonight I'm cleanin' out my closet (Uh)
Then, later, Carter spoke to the two riders.
"The next step is to master your hellfire. We'll cover the basics first to be sure you get on the right track. First, raise your hands and try concentrating your hellfire into your palms.", Carter responded before Johnny and Roxanne did so, each ball of fire forming in each of their palms.
"Now what?", Ghost Rider asked.
"Try shootin' your flames at those cacti.", Carter responded before Ghost Rider and Roxanne then shot out fireballs from their hands into the cacti Carter gestured to, blasting through them.
"Whoa.", Roxanne spoke before Carter turned to Roxanne.
"There's also another way to use that, but we'll get to it in a moment.", Carter spoke.
"So, what's next?", Roxanne asked.
"The next step to mastering the hellfire is to use it to transform anything into your indispensible advantage. This is otherwise known as haunting.", Carter spoke.
"Like this, right?", Ghost Rider asked as the horse then became coated in flames and became all skeletal as well before it neighed.
"All right. Not bad. Now for me.", Roxanne spoke before her horse got coated in blue flames and turned just as skeletal before neighing.
"Not bad. Next up is Mystical Weapon Projection. Personally, I prefer long-range attacks. For that, I use my trusty rifle.", Carter spoke as he then got out his rifle (which then got coated in flames and haunted), aimed it at one of the cacti and fired at it as it shot out a fireball, which hit it.
"Do you have your trusty weapon?", Carter asked.
"Right here.", Ghost Rider responded before he got out his chain and lit it on fire before swinging his chains and then lurching them toward one of the cacti, grabbing it and hardening it to stone before letting go of it.
"It's a good thing I had this with me.", Roxanne spoke before she got out the chain, coated it in blue flames, and then lurched it like a whip toward another cactus, this time splitting it down the middle with naught but a singe down the line as smoke escaped from it.
"Next up is self-size alteration. Logically speaking, it enables you to adjust your own body size through sheer force of will. Never really used it myself unless I had to.", Carter explained.
"Self-Size Alteration, huh? I wonder...", Roxanne spoke before she then concentrated while clenching one of her fists as smoke then started to swirl around Roxanne before they completely covered her just as she then started to grow in size.
"Hey... This isn't half bad.", Roxanne spoke in amazement before she now found herself giant-sized as the smoke then cleared away.
"Wow...! I'm so big and I feel so powerful.", Roxanne spoke in amazement.
"Maybe. But if untrained in this size, it may not help much.", Carter responded before Ghost Rider then decided to try his hand and grow just as big as Roxanne.
"I can see why Roxanne liked this, I can feel my power growing stronger.", Ghost Rider spoke in amazement.
"Hey. Join the club.", Roxanne responded.
Then, later, the two riders were back to normal size.
"And the next step is where we really put hellfire to good use. It's called Hellfire Manipulation. It allows us to do more with it than use it transform something. It can also be used for a lot of things. Like so.", Carter spoke before then raising a literal wall of fire, surprising both riders before lowering said wall.
"Now, let's see what you can do.", Carter spoke before Ghost Rider then turned to Carter.
"Step back.", Ghost Rider spoke before Carter and Roxanne did so as Ghost Rider then took a deep breath and breathed out fire with a roar like a living flamethrower.
"Not bad. And you?", Carter spoke to Roxanne.
"Well..., here goes.", Roxanne spoke before she then produced a decently sized blue fireball and launched it up before clenching her hand, causing it to explode in size while also raining down multiple fire blasts, landing on the ground in strange wonder.
"How was that?", Roxanne asked as she and Johnny turned back to normal.
"Beautiful.", Carter spoke before he and his horse turned back to normal, too.
End Eminem Music: "Cleanin' Out My Closet" (Clean)
"Of course, there is one more you have to at least know about before you go. It's called Sin Manipulation. With this one, a soul can be purified. But there is a side effect. It leaves the victim emotionless. So be careful when you use it.", Carter warned.
"I will.", Roxanne assured.
"We will. Thank you.", Johnny added to Carter, who then nodded before he rode on his horse, leading the way back for Johnny and Roxanne.
A/N: Bet you didn't see that coming, did you? Well, either way, it was also definitely a surprise to see him train the two riders, wasn't it? Even more so that Carter would reveal himself so soon. Who knows what'd happen now? At least now, Carter is being more integral to the story. :)