Ghost Rider

CHAPTER 2: Ghostly Introductions

*POP*

If Houston still had a body, the journey he had just gone through probably would have made him sick. Once the gray had faded, he had seen...or maybe experienced more colors then he thought existed. That wasn't the worst part though, on his trip across dimensions he could have sworn it felt like a piece of taffy being stretched to its breaking point. As the world around him stabilized and came into focus he found that he was in some very worn down looking ruins.

There were beams of light pouring down through the holes in the roof, illuminating the specs of dust that floated lazily through the long hall. Tattered tapestries hung in between archways that led to doors that no doubt led to other rooms and passageways. Shifting to look behind him Houston discovered the last piece of the puzzle to guess as to where his current location was.

There at the far end of the hall were two adjacent thrones, worn down by time but still remarkable in their own right. On the right a throne of gold, and other subdued accents of yellow. On the left a throne of some form of dark granite, accented in blue and silver. It clicked all together at once in Houston's mind, this was the Castle of the Royal Pony Sister's. It was surreal to him but a revelation all the same, this was real and if it weren't for the circumstances surrounding his arrival his inner fan boy might have gotten the better of him. A loud clearing of someone's, no somepony's throat snapped him out of his epiphany.

"Welcome minions to the site of my defeats, a fitting place as any for my glorious return." Houston let his focus return on Nightmare Moon as well as his fellow shades. The one closest in the semi-circle to Nightmare herself spoke.

"Your Majesty, we are eager to serve. Should we set upon the tasks you gave us?"

Great, we have ourselves an ass kisser. Houston thought.

"Patience Conflict, you and the others will make introductions before I set you upon your respective tasks. First and foremost my new thrall I am Nightmare Moon. Bringer of eternal darkness, the true ruler of Equestria and soon all beyond it." Houston assumed since she turned to him that he was the focus of her attention.

“Since you are the fledgling member of our group young Ghost Rider how about you go first.” Had he been able to look nervous Houston probably would have, he had never done well with introductions.

“It is an honor Nightmare Moon, I am called Houston by those who know me.” Nightmare Moon simply scowled at this.

“No that simply won’t do, henceforth you shall be known as Betrayal.”

The hell did I do to be named Betrayal?

“As you may have guessed the shade to my immediate left is known as Conflict.” The shade in turn eyes brightened, and he floated a fair bit higher in the air at her acknowledgement.

“Greetings Betrayal, I am Conflict. Those poor souls who stumble upon me in their dreams and waking moments know me only by the havoc I create. I was once like you, a Ghost Rider. I flew the AC-130 as well, I met my end when morning broke in Iran on a failed mission, hundreds had met their ends by my hands before the reaper turned his scythe on me.” Having said his piece he drifted back into his original position alongside our collective master. The shade to the left of him, and to the immediate right of Houston let out a wail and let off an aura of deep blue.

“G-g-greetings Betrayal, I am Sorrow. Those who know my fate despair, better to d-d-die with dignity then on your knees. I flew the Ho-chi-mihn trail, but unlike C-c-conflict I did not die with my crew. I was captured by the Viet Cong, and in that dark hole in which they threw me I knew true s-s-sorrow as my body slowly withered away.” The shade to the right of Nightmare in our little circle glowed red before speaking, unlike the others his voice was deep and angry.

“I am Malevolence, be they friend or foe I hold no guilt in their destruction if they stand in my way. My passing is irrelevant, I care not for retellings of the past.”

And now I know the loose cannon on the team. Also lively lot this bunch, I wonder how I was recruited for this all star team of misfits.

The one to the left of Houston let out a cackle of excitement, before small sparks shot out in all directions from his being.

Must mean it’s his turn to speak, that or he has problems.

“I’m Deception, I can tell you and I are to be the best of friends Betrayal. We have oh so much in common I can’t wait to see you work. Oh or for you to see mine!”

A wild Mad Dog killer type has appeared! Oh joy.

With that the last of the group, and the farthest away from Houston spoke up. Steepling his bony claw like fingers together and tapping them together in a sequential rhythm.

“I’m greed, I like glory and stuff.”

At least he’s to the point. Also is it just me or did the monologuing of my fellow shades get shorter with each introduction. Huh weird.

It wasn’t until the silence had stretched out for more than a few uncomfortable moments while all the shades and Nightmare focused on him did he get the memo that it was his turn to reattempt his introduction.

“I’m Betrayal I guess. But I’m not really sure you picked out the right name, I don’t really feel like the Judas type.” The wicked mare of the night let loose a guttural growl.

“I’ll let your insolence slide just this once, if only to fill you in on how you're sorely mistaken. Did your crewmembers not trust you to keep them safe as you performed your duties? Did you not betray their trust when you failed in that task? Or should I enlighten you to the fact that I know more about you then I’ve lead on? I know how you slept with your best friends wife. Is that not the most heinous act of betrayal one can commit? I could go on but I think you get the picture my little abomination.”

Houston was floored by her comments. Perhaps he truly was the embodiment of betrayal. He never thought of himself as a terrible person but perhaps he had been.

“No...um that is quite alright I get the picture.”

“Good, now that introductions are out of the way I believe each of you has a task that I previously set you to.” With that the other shades dropped to shadows upon the floor and zipped out of the hall in all directions.

“As for you Betrayal I have a special task, the mare known as Rainbow Dash dwells not far to the north of here in a town known as Ponyville. You will go there, and through any means necessary break her or that blasted connection she has to the elements of harmony. She is the embodiment of Loyalty surely as an aspect of Betrayal you can understand why I have chosen you for this task. But before you go here is one last parting gift.” She closed the distance between them in a split second. If Houston could blink he would have missed her movement altogether. As she towered above him a pitch black crystal coalesced in front of his spectral self before embedding itself where his chest would be and slowly absorbed into him.

A wave of information darted and ricocheted inside his head, information on Ponyville and the Element Bearers as Nightmare Moon knew them. As well as the best possible ways to get the Element Bearers to sever the links themselves. But knowledge that shouldn’t be wasn’t the only thing that Houston was suddenly aware of, it was like a pool of energy made itself known to him. He couldn’t help but smile as the crystal informed him of all the new tricks he was capable of.

“Now go Betrayal, the plan is in motion. But be warned I do not tolerate failure.”

With that Houston felt himself drop to the floor as he had seen the others do, wrapping himself in shadows as he bolted out of the Castle. Weaving between trees in what he now knew was the Everfree forest, screaming towards his new mission.