Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction ❯ Ranma the Ghost Rider ❯ On the News ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Ranma the Ghost Rider

Chapter 2: On the News

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the major characters… this includes ol' Flamehead, Ranma and co, Keiichi, or the Goddess sisters.

Authors note: Questions, answers and how the story came about will be at the end of this chapter and if anyone has read or owns the Ghost Rider: Road to Damnation mini-series there are some references to it in this chapter somewhere.

Ranma had made it back to the Tendo household before dawn and turned back into Ranma before climbing back up to the window of the guest room. He opened it before climbing in and closed the window behind him. He quickly undressed then climbed into the bed before drifting off to sleep.

Several hours later

The house was once again full of life, Kasumi busy making breakfast for everyone, Soun reading his newspaper, Akane ready for school, and Nabiki was watching TV while holding a cup of coffee in her hands. Kasumi walked into the lounge.

“Is Ranma-kun still asleep?” Kasumi asked.

“Probably,” Nabiki replied. not taking her eyes of the television, “Do you want me to get him, sis?”

“Please.” Kasumi replied before going back into the kitchen. Nabiki put her cup of coffee down and left the lounge. She went upstairs and knocked on the guest room, waking Ranma up.

“Yeah?” Ranma asked groggily.

“It's me Nabiki, breakfast will be ready soon.” She told Ranma.

“Sure, I'll be down in a bit.” Ranma replied before climbing out of bed and got dressed but left his jacket off and headed downstairs for breakfast.

“Morning, son.” Soun said to Ranma.

“Can the son stuff, will ya?” Ranma told Soun irately before Kasumi came into the room with breakfast and placed the food on the table as Nabiki watched the news.

“Nabiki, breakfast is ready.” Kasumi told her younger sister.

“Just a minute. I need to see this,” Nabiki replied, mesmerized by the report on the TV

“What is it about?” Kasumi wondered and somehow Ranma knew it would be about the Spirit of Vengeance.

“Apparently somebody or something was caught on camera last night.” Nabiki said.

“So what?” Akane snorted.

“Whoever... or whatever it is left some serious burn marks on the roads and get this… He had no face. Just a flaming skull and his motorbike had wheels made of fire,” Nabiki related to everyone before she made her way over to the table and sat beside Ranma. After breakfast was over Akane headed off to school and Kasumi went into town to buy something for dinner, leaving Ranma alone with Nabiki and their father.

“So, son… er, Ranma, what do you plan on doing now?” Soun asked.

“Dunno. What are you up to?” Ranma replied with a shrug.

“Nothing at all.” Soun replied as he picked up his newspaper and continued on reading from where he left off. Nabiki dragged Ranma out of the lounge. “Ah, young love,” Soun sighed as he turned the page of his newspaper.

“What do you want?” Ranma asked Nabiki as she dragged him outside and looked at him with a stern look.

“Was that you on TV?” she asked.

“What makes you think that it was me?” Ranma replied, trying to dodge the question.

“You're the only one with a motorbike around here,” Nabiki told Ranma.

“I was asleep all night and do you really think my bike could do that?” Ranma lied, hoping she didn't find him out.

“...You're right. Sorry, that was silly,” Nabiki said before Ranma and Nabiki went back inside. Ranma went upstairs and got his jacket before going back downstairs and putting it back on and picking up his helmet.
“Where are you going?” Nabiki asked.

“For a ride. You coming with?” Ranma asked nonchalantly.

“What if I fall off?” Nabiki asked, with a hint of apprehension.

“You won't fall off,” Ranma replied before Nabiki nodded back and they both left the Tendo household. Ranma wheeled his bike round the front before getting on and starting it up. Nabiki got on behind Ranma.
“Hold on,” Ranma told her.

“Why?” Nabiki asked as Ranma sped away and Nabiki held onto Ranma for dear life.

“Where do you want to go?” Ranma asked his passenger.

“I don't know...” Nabiki replied as she held onto Ranma as he continued to speed off in the direction of Nekomi.

“How about the beach?” Ranma asked.

“Are you sure your bike has enough fuel?” Nabiki asked.

“No worries,” Ranma replied before thinking about how he used to ride the plains of Hell trying to get to the gate… to his freedom but every time they came and stopped him just before he made it.

“The beach it is then,” Nabiki replied with a smile.

“Okay,” Ranma replied as he planned a route to the nearest beach in his head but his mind kept wandering back to his time spent in Hell riding across the plains of Damnation.

Flashback

Ranma sat on his bike riding across the plains of Hell, melting steel and burning rubber trying to get every ounce of horsepower out of the pistons going hell bent for leather trying to reach the gates and to his freedom.

“Almost there...” he said to himself as he saw the gates but would not dare to look behind him because he knew what was chasing him, the usual suspects always chasing him were the Shining Klan and the Gang of Nine, the Ribbon Kings and the old Horned Gentry and the Rhymers on their boats of skin.

“Almost free at last!” he shouted as they hunted him down for sport and for the amusement of their lord and master, when they finally caught Ranma they tore the bike right from underneath him and proceeded to rend and rip him apart and it started all over again...

End Flashback.

“Ranma! Hey, Ranma!” Nabiki shouted at Ranma.

“Huh? What?” Ranma asked.

“I've been trying to get your attention for ten minutes.” Nabiki told him.

“Sorry… I was remembering something.” Ranma replied.

“You want to talk about it?” Nabiki asked.

“No, not really… We'll be cutting through Nekomi.” He told Nabiki so she knew which way they were going to a beach, as they cut through Nekomi they passed a certain temple that three goddesses and one mortal reside in. In the temple Urd suddenly looked around just as her youngest sister Skuld, goddess of the future, walked into the room where Urd was.

“What's wrong, you old hag?” Skuld asked.

“A Ghost Rider just passed here,” Urd replied.

“The Ghost Rider is just a myth,” Skuld replied.

“Oh, really? I know a story about the Ghost Rider,” Urd told her youngest sister.

“Tell me then,” Skuld asked as Urd leaned back in her seat.

“You just said the Ghost Rider is just a story,” Urd replied.

“Just tell me the story and I'll figure if I believe it or not,” Skuld told her oldest sister.

“Okay then… There's a story they tell in the darkest depths of the pit of a Rider, melting steel and burning rubber, going hell for leather on those vast black plains out between the Acheron and the Styx. But there is another with him, one he hates beyond imagination. One he makes suffer, as he himself has suffered… and so he will continue, until the ending of the world, and every night they take him down, the Shining Klan and the Gang of Nine, the Ribbon Kings and the old Horned Gentry, they rip and they rape and they ruin, but nothing they can do can still his roars of fury, his howls of righteous rage at the injustice dealt him. By this wicked world of Hell, Earth and Heaven… the other one screams too. According to the legend, it's hard to tell who screams the loudest.” The eldest Norn said.

“How do you know the story?” They youngest Norn asked.

“It's actually an updated version of the story and I've heard the stories from a few demons,” Urd replied, outside the room where Urd and Skuld are stood Keiichi and Belldandy.

“Belldandy, what is a Ghost Rider?” Keiichi asked.

(AN: correct me if I'm wrong here so I can change it if I have to)

“A Ghost Rider is someone who sells their soul to the devil for some reason and they are cursed to become the Spirit of Vengeance, but those who break the deal between them and the devil are sent straight to Hell where they try to reach the gates of Hell and their freedom and are hunted for game and sport as they try to escape. There have been many Ghost Riders over the ages,” Belldandy told Keiichi.

Meanwhile Ranma and Nabiki had arrived at their destination and Nabiki got off his bike before Ranma switched it off and got off of it.

“What if someone steals it?” Nabiki asked.

“Relax. No one's going to steal it.” Ranma replied.

“Are you sure?” Nabiki asked Ranma.

“I don't know about you, but I'm hungry.” Ranma replied, changing the subject.

“...Me, too.” Nabiki replied, tucking the suspicion in the back of her mind before they went to find somewhere to eat. They went into a nearby restaurant.

“Seems like a good place to eat.” Ranma told Nabiki before they went inside and sat at a table and it wasn't long before someone took their order.

“That was fast...” Nabiki said.

“Yeah,” Ranma replied as they waited for their order to arrive.

“What's your view on this Ghost Rider?” Nabiki asked.

“Why do you call him that?” Ranma asked though he had been called Ghost Rider before by Satan.

“Whoever or whatever it was left no trace of anything except burnt marks and disappeared like a ghost.” Nabiki replied just as their order came back. They both thanked the waitress who brought their food to them and the both ate in silence, once they finished their meal Ranma paid and they left the restaurant and wondered around aimlessly.

“Where do you want to go now?” Ranma asked Nabiki who replied by shrugging her shoulders.

“Why don't we just wander around for a bit?” Nabiki said to Ranma.

“Sounds good,” Ranma replied.

“Why don't you tell me a little more about yourself, Ranma,” Nabiki asked.

“Not much to talk about really,” Ranma replied trying to avoid the subject.

“Come on, everyone has something to tell,” Nabiki said to Ranma who still tried to avoid the subject.

“I don't have much to tell,” Ranma replied to Nabiki's question, hoping she'd drop the subject.

“Fine then,” Nabiki replied dropping the subject but determined to find more about Ranma later. They wandered around taking in the sights of where they are at the moment.

After spending most of the day at the beach, Ranma and Nabiki head back to Nerima and once again cut through Nekomi right past the temple and Urd sat in the lounge and sensed the Ghost Rider again.

“I'd really hate to be on the wrong side of the Ghost Rider.” Urd said just as Keiichi walked into the lounge.

“Why?” Keiichi asked.

“You see the Ghost Rider is better known to us as the Spirit of Vengeance…” Urd told him.

“Belldandy already explained that to me,” Keiichi told her.

“The Ghost Rider takes on a human appearance most of the time except in the presence of evil and mortals that have committed crimes meet the Flame-Headed Spirit of Vengeance and get their asses kicked… big time.” Urd told Keiichi.

“Gulp,” was all Keiichi could say, meanwhile Ranma and Nabiki made their way home when Ranma noticed a sign out of the corner of his eye, a sign that said the name Ghost Rider.

“Shit, they found me already?” Ranma asked himself silently, not wanting Nabiki to ask any questions. They finally arrived back in Nerima and went straight to the Tendo household and stopped the bike outside. Nabiki got off the bike before Ranma switched his bike off and wheeled it round the back and Nabiki followed him, when he put his bike away both of them went in through the back entrance and found Kasumi in the kitchen.

“We're home.” Nabiki said making Kasumi stop what she was doing.

“Oh my, father was panicking because he didn't know where you were, Nabiki.” Kasumi told Nabiki, who was about to speak when Ranma stopped her.

“It's my fault. I asked Nabiki if she wanted to go for a ride on my bike and we ended up at the beach,” Ranma explained.

“I'm sure father will understand.” Kasumi said when Soun walked into the kitchen and saw Nabiki and hugged her in the blink of an eye.

“Daddy, can you let me go?” Nabiki asked.

“I was just so worried! You left without a word about where you were going.” Soun wailed.

“Don't worry Mr. Tendo, Nabiki was with me. We just went to the beach.” Ranma told Soun who quickly hugged him.

“...Get off.” Ranma said coldly.

“Let go of him, Daddy.” Nabiki said and Soun let go of Ranma and smiled at him.

“I'll call the priest… we have so much to plan for the wedding.” Soun cried.

“Wait a minute! I'm not ready to get married and I bet Nabiki thinks the same also.” Ranma told Soun who then looked at Nabiki.

“I have to agree also, Daddy.” Nabiki replied before Soun burst into tears.

“My own daughter has turned against me.” Soun cried.

“Is he always like this?” Ranma asked Kasumi, pointing down at Soun's wretched figure.

“Usually.” Kasumi replied sweetly.

“Well, I'm off to take a bath.” Nabiki told everyone before she went upstairs to take a bath. Soun went back to doing whatever he was doing and Kasumi went back to work in the kitchen. Ranma went back outside to think about what to do now that he had been found.

“I've already blown my cover and I can't let anyone get involved… What am I going to do?” Ranma asked himself and soon lost himself deep in his thoughts when Kasumi tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.

“Are you all right Ranma-kun?” Kasumi asked breaking Ranma from his thoughts.

“Huh? …Oh... Yeah…” Ranma replied before he went up to his room to think about what course of action to take. He waited until dark so he ccould become the Ghost Rider once more and sighed before laying on the bed, when there was a knock on the door.

“Bath;s free now.” Nabiki said.

“Right,” Ranma replied before gathering his bath items together and left his room and went to take a bath but changed the sign so that people would know that he was in the bath room, meanwhile downstairs Kasumi and Nabiki were talking about Ranma.

“So... what is he like?” Kasumi asked.

“Well, he's kind of a diamond in the rough and... I think he's hiding something from everyone,” Nabiki told her older sister when Akane stormed in.

“PERVERTS! THEY'RE ALL PERVERTS!” Akane screamed before dropping her bag and stomping upstairs.

“What's up with her?” Nabiki asked.

“Shouldn't you tell her that Ranma is using the bathroom?” Kasumi told Nabiki who realized what Akane would do and took off after her younger sister and just about managed to stop her.

“What?” Akane asked.

“Didn't you seen the sign on the bathroom door?” Nabiki asked and Akane looked at the sign on the door.

“Oh... Is dad using the bathroom?” Akane asked.

“No, Ranma is.” Nabiki replied as the bathroom door opened and Ranma came out dressed once more in his biker stuff.

“It's all yours now, Akane.” Ranma told the youngest Tendo before going back to the spare room and sat back down on the bed. He put his head in his hands and once again sighed and desperately waited for night to come when Kasumi called out that it was tea time making Ranma get off the bed. He went downstairs and sat beside Nabiki with Akane once again glaring at him. Kasumi came in with the food and placed them on the table before sitting down and everyone else dug in. Once tea was finished Akane went upstairs to do her homework, Kasumi went back into her domain leaving Ranma with Nabiki and Soun.

“Nabiki seems quite happy getting to know Ranma,” Kasumi said to herself as she washed up.

After everyone had fallen asleep Ranma did what he did the previous night, when Ranma was quite a distance away from the Tendo's and leaned back bringing the front of the bike up and turned into the Ghost Rider and leaned forward leaving a trail of hellfire in his wake when an open top car pulled up beside him.

“HEY, GHOST RIDER!” the person shouted and Ranma looked at him.

“How do you know me?” Ranma asked, disguising his alarm.

“Seen you around in Hell.” The person in the open top car replied and looked on as Ranma sped forward and turned the bike round and unhooked the chain ready.

“I'M NOT GOING BACK!” Ranma shouted as he started his bike back up and played chicken with the car.

“Just hear me out Ghost Rider!” The demon said as he swerved to avoid Ranma as he threw his chain and it wrapped around the waist of person and Ranma yanked the chain pulling the demon out of the car and dragged the demon behind him before stopping and gets off it and made his way to the demon.

“Start talking, demon.” Ranma told as he stood in front of the demon.

“Did you really think you escaped, Ghost Rider?” the demon asked Ranma who kicked the demon.

“What does he want with me?!” Ranma asked.

Authors note: Thanks to those that have reviewed and special thanks to my pre reader and editor DarkTwilight…. R&R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How Ranma the Ghost Rider came to be: After buying the first issue current run of Ghost Rider & the Road to Damnation I got hooked on it and asked around my friends if they had any back issues of Ghost Rider and I was glad when one of them did so I asked if I could borrow them and the reply was yes… so as collateral I lent my friend my entire back issues of Fred Perry's Gold Digger (yes that also includes the black and white series that took me ages to find), I went through several different ideas including Spring of the Drowned Ghost Rider… stupid yes I know and it evolved into the story it is now.