//------------------------------// // Talking with Carter and a Demand // Story: My Little Pony: The Ghost Rider // by Big Imagination E //------------------------------// Daytime came around and we see Johnny and the girls heading back to the cemetery where the caretaker is. If he knew who they were at night they need more info as they can get to get one step closer to stopping Blackheart. "Sir. They know who we are." Johnny said. "Who's that?" He asked. "What? Everybody. You don't watch TV? What's the matter with you? Is this gonna end?" Johnny answered. "It'll end if you kids can catch him." He said. "Sir. Ever since we came here and met you I can't help but think that you seem to know more about our situation. What's really going on?" Twilight asked. The caretaker looked at them and can tell that they do need help stopping Blackheart by any means. So he took them to a grave that had the name 'Carter Slade'. "Carter Slade? Who is that?" Rainbow asked. "Legend has it he was a Texas Ranger. Man of honor. But suddenly he got greedy. Found himself locked up, waiting on the gallows. Stranger came to see him. Offering freedom. Space made a deal. Ended up a Ghost Rider." The caretaker explained. "What does he have to do with this?" Spike asked. "Remember that contract the stranger made with the people of San Venganza? The story goes that Slade was sent there to collect all the souls. But what he found there was so evil that he took the contract and rode off." The caretaker answered. "So in other words he stole it." Twilight realized. "Yes. He kept Mephistopheles from getting his hands on it. Some people say he was buried with it." He said. "But was he?" Applejack asked. "I don't know. What I do know is that Blackheart is coming, and he'll do anything to get it. Also the one called Celestia that he has isn't the only one who he kidnapped. He has someone else too. If he marries Celestia and takes her soul she will forever be on the dark side and never return home. That's why it's important for you to stay away from friends and family anybody he can use against you, because he will." The caretaker said getting everyone's attention. Then suddenly Twilight remembered what Mephistopheles said when he took Johnny's soul as the words echoed in her head. "Forget about friends. Well except the Main Six and Spike since they need their princess. Forget about family. Forget about love. You're all mine Johnny Blaze." Twilight snapped out of it and gasped. "So that's why he made us not see Roxanne at dinner and killed his dad. He was trying to prevent Blackheart from kidnapping anyone else and threatening us to find the contract with their souls!" Twilight realized. "It all makes sense now. So Mephistopheles wasn't trying to kill us...he was trying to help us the whole time!" Applejack agreed. "Why didn't I see that coming?" Rainbow asked. "But wait. If what you sir said is true then...Roxanne could be in big trouble. And hold on! You said someone else was kidnapped?! Who was it?!" Rarity asked. "I don't know who. But if you wish to save them then you must get to them before Blackheart does." The caretaker warned. The girls and Johnny nodded as they headed off to save Roxanne before it's too late. Back with Roxanne she went back to Johnny's place and looked for him. But instead of finding him she found Mack and scared the crap out of him. "Sorry! Sorry!" Roxanne said. "Ma'am, you gave me a start." Mack replied. "I'm looking for Johnny and the girls." Roxanne said. "Yeah. You and me both." Mack added. "Have you heard from them?" Roxanne asked. "No. But I heard they got in trouble. They got arrested, yeah? For what? Yeah, well, if this gets out in the press, his career is over." Mack answered. "Trust me his career is the least of it." Roxanne replied. "You know, you seem like a nice lady, and you're pretty and all but we were riding the gravy train on biscuit wheels then you showed up, everything went to hell. So why don't you go back to wherever it is you came from?" Mack frowned. "I can't go back. Not now." Roxanne replied. "Then tell me what the hell's going on!!" Mack yelled. "You wouldn't believe me if I did. Look, you don't know me but I love him. As for the girls they are my friends. So if there's anything you know that can help, anything..." Roxanne started. He suddenly he remembered something. "Ok lately, he's been reading these really weird books and they're messing with his mind. Then he's writing stuff down and staying up late. And he does it over here. You can go through this stuff, and I don't know if it means anything." Mack finished. But then the sun setted and night came in. During that time Stuart was packing up and suddenly he faced Johnny and the gang. "Where's Roxanne?" Johnny asked. "Dude. Where have you been? Everybody's--" Stuart said. "We don't have a lot of time. Where is she?" Spike interrupted. "She's out looking for all of you." Stuart finished. Back with Roxanne and Mack she was looking through the book he was reading and gasped seeing the horror that lies inside. "Jesus." She said softly. "Not even close." A voice said. She gasped and saw Blackheart coming towards her as he turned Mack into a skeleton. He also carried Celestia as she continued to quake in fear. Roxanne saw her and then it came clear who she was. "Wait. The girls said that they were trying to save someone...wait. Your Celestia! The princess they were trying to save!" Roxanne said. "Yes! Please help me!" Celestia cried. "Shush up you!! As for you Roxanne you have his heart." Blackheart said as he touched her skin. "I also took Shining's love. Now I'm gonna break it." Johnny and the girls finally made it back to his place and saw Roxanne laying on the ground and Mack's body. They immediately went to her but then Blackheart attacked them and they saw Celestia and tried to get her but Blackheart scared them and snatched her in his grasp. "Let her go you creep!" Pinkie yelled. "No! You come any closer and she dies!! And also...her too." Blackheart threatened. Wallow appeared and had Cadence in his grasp as she struggled trying to break free. The girls gasped seeing this. "Cadence!! You monster! You couldn't possibly go any lower or than that!" Twilight cried. Then Johnny turned into the Ghost Rider and grabbed him by the throat and trying doing his Penance Stare on him but for some reason it wasn't working. Blackheart then chuckled. "Your Penance Stare doesn't work on me! I have no soul to burn. I guess the Caretaker forgot to mention that, huh? Surprise! He sent you to bring me back. I'm not going back. I like it here!" Blackheart said. He then slammed him on the ground and Twilight blasted him with her magic as Johnny got up and recovered. But then Blackheart snatched her by the throat much to her horror and slammed her against the wall. “You truly think you can defeat me?” He asked menacingly. "Do you think that you and your friends are better than me? I don't know who's more pathetic, you or him." "Release her now Dark Boy! And let the princesses go!" Rainbow yelled. But Blackheart casted a spell on them causing them to be chained on the wall and turned back to Twilight. "Now, listen to me. And try to get it through that thick skull of yours. You all don't for my father anymore. You all now work for me." Blackheart started. "We never work for an evil maniac like you." Rarity said. "SHUT UP!!!" Blackheart yelled demonic. "Now Twilight. If you wish to see Celestia, Cadence and Roxanne again you will get the contract from the Caretaker. Bring it to me in San Venganza and maybe I'll spare their lives and I'll consider invites to my wedding. And, Twilight...do not make me wait. If you do then they will die." He then dropped her on the ground, released her friends and the two left taking the princesses with them as Celestia starting crying seeing her student injured. After they left everyone recovered and were so worried now. "What do we do?! Blackheart now has Cadence AND Celestia! If we don't hurry he'll kill them!" Fluttershy cried. "Girls. We have no choice. If we are going to save them then we need to get the contract." Twilight said. "Are you crazy!? We can't let that psycho marry Celestia!" Rainbow replied. "We won't. I have a plan. Let's head to the cemetery and get the contract." Twilight reasoned. So everyone decided it was time to get moving. There was no time to waste.