Ghost Rider VS Ghost Rider, continuity be damned

[Uncanny Orb]

John Blaze sat alone in a bar, a place he didn't want to be drinking a beer he didn't want. It wasn't hot in there but he was sweating so bad his leather suit stuck to his body, and no amount of beer would cool him off, for it had been 3 days since Zarathos had been loose, not since Brother VooDoo revealed who he really was to his friends and loved ones, and he wanted out. His bike was back at the studio, as was Roxanne “I'm sorry Roxy” he whispered to himself as he left the bar, Zarathos screamed in his mind “LET ME OUT!” He stumbled into an alley and as the sun went down he knew he'd lost the battle again “The world has been free of you for three days” he said aloud, then the transformation started, always slow, always painfull, he changed.
Zarathos merely muttered the word fool as he out stretched his hands and created a bike of pure hellfire between his legs, reving the engine so it screamed off the walls of the alley he laughed his demonic laugh and took off like a shooting star.

Across the city a young man astride a bike of his own was making deliveries, it didn't pay much but it helped with college. Dan Ketch had been a host of his own flaming skulled demon for a while now, but he didn't hate and fear him like Blaze did, in fact he welcome him knowing that he was good and fair and didn't want to rule this body, merely share it to create some justice in the world. As he sat waiting for the light to change a shot rang out, it echoed off the buildings unable to tell from where it came there were two more, out of a side street ran two men one waving a gun meanacingly at passersby to move or be shot themselves. It's time he thought looking down at the glowing medallion on his bike, as he reached for it down the street raced a streak of fire strait for the two men. “Ghost Rider?” he wondered aloud and touched the medallion. Woosh the transformation was fast and almost painless where once sat Dan now sat Ghost Rider on a sleek black cycle with flaming wheels. He watched as Zarathos didn't slow at all, but merely ran the men down then circled back and literaly consumed the men with a hellfire blast fron his hands, laughing maniacally the whole time, what is this creature he wondered, a brother? No this one did not serve justice, he merly killed these men for their crimes, killing humans can not stand and he raced after him.
If Zarathos noticed Ghost Rider at the scene he never showed it, he just streaked down the street and left the city, for he knew the police would be along, he didn't fear them he just knew that his brand of justice was not acceptable to them and they would hound him throughout the night. He had seen the the other flaming skulled demon back there, oh he'd seen plenty of demons in his history but none like himself. Using a passing car as a ramp he launched himself onto an overpass, his flaming chopper landing lightly he sat and waited for the other rider that was surely following.Ghost Rider spotted the flaming rider upon the bridge, he did not leap onto the bridge but rode right up the side of it landing right beside Zarathos.
“You killed those men, that is not justice or vengeance, it's murder and now you must face your penance.” Ghost Rider said barely containing his rage.
“Do not judge who you cannot sentence false Demon.” Zarathos warned, then peeled off inviting Ghost Rider to give chase. Back onto the highway they raced each biker picking up speed until passersby saw only what appeared to be two fiery comets race by, Zarathos unable to lose him and Ghost Rider unable to catch him.On and on they rode, leaving trails of fire across miles of interstate, zipping between cars, launching themselves off others clearing lines of traffic that John Blaze worlds greatest stuntman would never even consider.
“I have to stop him” thought Ghost rider “Before he kills someone else this night.” He reached and unclasped his mystical chain, it immediately formed into a ridged spear like weapon which he jambed into the forks of Zarathos bike, throwing him over the handle bars. Zarathos taken by suprise lost his concentration which was all that kept his hellcycles form, so the bike just disapeared as he landed on his feet but with the speed they were traveling he slid for yards, sparks flying from his riding boots. Ghost Rider launched himself from his own bike tackling Zarathos, all that was visible was a tangle of leather and fire as they tumbled down the road. Each rider staggered to his feet to meet his enemy head on, Ghost Rider flicked his chain sending the barbed links at Zarathos, he was stunned as the links punched through leather not effecting him at all, then watched as he plucked a single link from his skull and only laughed when he melted it in his hand. Zarathos charged Ghost Rider landing a punch that would have surely beheaded a mortal man sending him skidding down the asphalt on his back. They exchanged blow after blow, neither submitting or recogning any pain at all. By now a crowd had formed as traffic was unable to pass as these seemingly invincable specters battled there before them, they were terrified but unable to leave. Ghost Rider realized that trying to defeat this demon was fruitless, so once again he released his chain and sent it to wrap around his foe. Zarathos unable to move simply fell to the ground in the chains ever tightening embrace. Ghost Rider approached his helpless form. “You are powerfull but now you must face the evil you have done to others, look into my eyes and feel my penance stare.” Ghost Rider peered deep into this creature seeing deeds he had done, but there were victims he knew, the Avengers, had he defeated them single handedly he wondered? Hulk, and counless other heros, then were the criminals and killers, he hadn't just burned them with his hellfire, he killed them. Thats when Ghost Rider realized that he wasn't inflicting any pain on this Demon, he was actually laughing seemingly enjoying reliving these moments, but then suddenly Ghost Rider saw it, a soul, bitter and self pittying but a good soul none the less and his penance stare faultered and immediately a feedback of Hellfire sent him reeling back into the crowd. His mind blasted, the chain that held Zarathos went slack and he escaped it's grasp. “So you don't like my brand of Hellfire.' Zarathos mocked raising his hand to deliver a blast, when he was struck from behind by Ghost Riders bike sending him sprawling onto the pavement. “Cute” was all he said as he watched the bike come for another pass. Instead of jumping clear he leaped over the handlebars landing astride the bike stopping it before the fallen Ghost Rider he sent blast after blast into the crowd where he lay, unconcerned about the spectators, until Ghost Rider was unable to recover.
“I look forward to keeping this bike” he taunted as he watched the transformation of his enemy back into a human. “Only a child he muttered” raing his hand to deliver the killing blow. Inside his head Blaze screamed “No! He's a kid let him go!”
“You are so weak, fine I won't destroy him.”
Zarathos hadn't noticed that the sleek black cycle he once sat upon was now just a normal bike. Furious to be robbed of his prize he shrieked and smashed the bike with his fists, a small disk rolled lazily away from the scrap, he picked it up feeling some sort of power comong from it he slipped it into his suit and without looking back at his fallen foe he created his Hellcycle and streaked away laughing.
A short time later two policemen stood over Dan's fallen figure, “Better call it in” said the one, the other just stood there staring “Whats the Matter with you Badilino, you know this kid?”
“Yeah, I know him”
To be continued?
~Orb~

[GOD90]

That's pretty good!

[Uncanny Orb]

Thanks, I'm glad somebody read it.

[Nightdevil]

Keep going,GR rocks.

[Ultimate Movie-Man]

That's roockin!

[Uncanny Orb]

Cool, glad you liked it!

[FlameHead]

Awesome man. Why is it that I'm only hearin' about this now? You should have told us about it months ago.

Continue? Yes, please do.

[borinquenknight]

Freakin awesome! Definitely keep it coming.

[Syncos]

Loved it. Great imagery, the entire story.

[pinkfloydstarr]

that was surprisingly entertaining! i've always had the idea of the 2 GRs fighting but i've never been clever enough to come up with something.