Downtown

Rika sat perched on top of an old cage, her wings folded neatly behind her and dressed to kill. It was night time, but there were a few street lamps that provided some light. Her eagle eyes scanned the area slowly, waiting for her contact. This morning she had been contacted by a man asking for her service. after looking him up in the system, she had discovered he worked for an annoying group of thugs. But a job was a job. She made them pay half up front, and set up a meeting.

So here she was. She had been waiting for nearly an hour and was starting to consider leaving. Just when she was about to unfold her wings, she heard soft foot steps on the sidewalk. Slowly a man stepped into the light and looked around slowly. She stared at him for a moment, then dropped down.

As Rika approached the man, she watched as his eyes immediately went to her wings and his posture went from calm to surprised. Rika stopped walking and narrowed her eyes slightly. "Do you have a problem?" She asked lightly. The man blinked and shook his head. "No, just never seen a mutant such as yourself before." He replied. Rika rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Who do you want gone?" She asked, getting right down to business.

The man took several steps forward until they were much closer and handed an envelope to her. "Her name is Rebbecca Taylor, the daughter of Senator John Taylor. Their here in Gotham for a few days visiting family. We want to send him a message by killing his daughter." He explained and smiled. "Should be easy. All the information you need is right there."

Rika pulled out a paper from the envelope and scanned it over quickly, then pulled out a picture. She raised a brow and looked at the man. "This girl is thirteen years old." She said calmly. The man smiled once again and nodded. "Yeah, your point?" Slipping the paper and photo into the envelope she held it back out. "I don't do kid jobs. Find someone else to kill her."

He took the envelope back and looked at it then raised his gaze to her. "What? What happened to being a big shot killer?" He demanded. "I don't kill children." Rika said calmly in return. "Sixteen is the youngest I go after. Either call me back in six years or get someone else for the job." She finished, then turned to leave.

Frustrated, the man threw the envelope on the ground and glared after her. "We paid you half up front just like you told us to! You owe us a kill!" He yelled, then reached into his coat and grasped his revolver. Rika did not stop walking or even looked back. She just shook her head slightly. "I owe you nothing." She stopped moving when she heard him pull back the hammer on the gun. "You do not want to do that." She said lightly.

He gritted his teeth and raised the weapon. "You should had learn not to mess with us." Rika quickly shifted her weight to the side and spun away, dodging behind a tree just as he fired two rounds. Both bullets borrowed deep into the tree never to be found again for several years. Rika raised her hand and slowly a orb formed in her palm. "Stupid human." She growled, then darted out. He turned the gun on her as she darted into view. He fired a round but missed her shoulder by a foot.

She chucked the orb at him, and he started at it for like a second before his instinct took over and he dropped out of the way. The orb landed on the ground and exploded, sending dirt and grass flying everywhere. The human scrambled to his feet, now realizing how stupid he was to start a fight with a mutant. He started to run toward a old exhibit, probably once been home to lions, for cover. Rika ran after him, ready to kill him.

An orb appeared in each hand and she threw them both ahead of him at the cage. Both collided with the ground and the exhibit exploded, sending shrapnel everywhere. Rika quickly turned her side toward the explosion and held her arm up in front of her face as a shield. A large piece of metal flew straight at her and slashed across her thigh. It moved so fast and was so sharp that it managed to cut through her combat leather and cut her thigh open.

Lowering her arm she quickly looked around to find herself alone. Growling, she looked down at her wound and gently touched the sides. It wasn't deep, but it did hurt. Walking forward, she spotted blood on the ground and much more leading away. So he survived, but was injured.

The hunt is on.

The night air was kissing the sweat coming from the forehead of Johnny Blaze, drenched in his own glands of sweat. The nightmares continue, Johnny allows them to reoccur. Zarathos taking over the Ghost Rider entity, killing Roxanne and everyone Johnny Blaze was ever close with. Many lives being taken, flames engulfing Queens like a wave of hell flowing through the city's streets and devouring all of New York. The loved ones, former friends, turned into mindless zombies and ash. The nightmares continue, Johnny allows them for he fears no man. Satan himself would be afraid of Johnny Blaze if he knew everything going on inside of that head.

The window was open, fire escape ladder clanking against the brick of the apartment building. Now, clad in his leathers, Johnny has succumbed to the darkness which ever so deeply beckons for him, calling his name. Upon reaching the bottom, both booted feet planting on the pavement below, he now hears the roaring of a certain engine. Hell's motor, revving up and transforming right before his very eyes. Suddenly, the smoke devours his body transforming him into the one, the only Spirit of Vengeance known to every creature, every criminal as Ghost Rider.

... Zarathos has awakened!

Flames surrounding the skull, flaming red eyes staring into the dead of night, bullet shots run through his mind like a locomotive calling for him to help an innocent. Throwing one leg over the seat, Ghost Rider grips the handlebars of his Hellcycle while releasing a very intense, very evil laugh to echo throughout the darkened skies. Hell has been unleashed.

The Zoo, Gotham Zoo in particular, was normally a very quiet and peaceful spot. It had been abandoned for years now, the statues looking dead with rot, decay falling from its structure. The Zoo was once known as a place of happiness where families were brought together and shared many past times.. now, it remains only a tourist attraction. Known to all, now, as the former Gotham Zoo. However, it does remain a monumental structure, beyond its path lies murder, death, greed... and most of all, regret. The smell of death formed under Ghost Rider's nostrils as the mystical entity pulled up to the entrance gates. The decrepit Zoo in which many battles have taken place.. much like a warrior's burial ground.

The orange flames flared up once two gun shots were heard, bullets sent flying through the air towards another human being. Then, with unmatched brute force, the Hellcycle, commanded by the hand of Zarathos himself, drove through the gates of the Zoo sending the metal barricade down to the ground. Riding over it, Ghost Rider rode up the crab-like statue only to end up at the very top of the structure. Looking down upon the grounds, the entity noticed there were two individuals - one woman, the innocent, and the criminal... the one who would feel the wrath of burning souls, killed and assassinated by his command.

.. What a filthy rat bastard. The blood of the innocent wreaked around the criminal.

Narrowing the flaming red pupils housed in the skull, Ghost Rider let out a hideous growl only top catch the attention of the thug who was shooting. The man was hiding, hiding from orbs being hurled towards him which bombarded light rays that not only exploded on impact but blinded the victim as well... make him open for attack, vulnerable and defenseless. Suddenly, the Hellcycle released a roar before soaring off of the structure and flying into the air as if it had wings attached. That was when the infamous hell chain made its gruesome appearance as two thugs backing up their boss popped out from behind the structure ti shoot the woman.

"Guilty!" The only words coming from the mystical creature's mouth as he stared at both men angrily. Ghost Rider had landed right behind of the woman to act as her bullet proof vest... her extra set of eyes. However, the blood was stained on her hands as well he knew that her job paid the bills. A decent living is hard to find these days. That was the mind of Johnny Blaze thinking rather than Zarathos, who would not think twice about ripping everyone before him in half this very night. The bullet holes appeared on his left shoulder and his chest. Gripping the chain with both hands, he straightened it out whilst flames engulfed the chain link structure. With great force, the chain was hurled as it wrapped itself around the neck of one thug in which Ghost Rider pulled so that the thug was face to face with the real Grim Reaper.

"You.... Guilty!" Ghost Rider said, as he turned the thug back first to him. The thug knelt down from the losing struggle of trying to free himself while Ghost Rider pulled both ends of the chain only to nearly decapitate the man however Johnny Blaze connected with Zarathos for a brief moment before his entity took over completely. He still had some control over his powers of the Ghost Rider... of Zarathos, the blood thirsty mystical being which inhabited Blaze. The being agreed to only cut off the air supply to put the thug into a deep sleep by tightening the chain around his neck just a little. The partner watched, his sunglasses falling from his eyes as his black dress suit blew in the night air. The chain was hurled towards him only to land a direct hit in the head and knock the man out cold.

... Now was the time. He would end this miserable bastard's life and finally give the son of a bitch what he deserved. Pain and misery.

Ghost Rider slowly turned his head, looking over his right shoulder to meet the thug who was crawling for his dear life from the orb-like powers this woman possessed. However, the entity ignored her and made his way over to the primary target. Throwing the chain around his left shoulder, the metal links wrapping themselves around his spiked leather shoulders, Ghost Rider stood with both hands thrown out to grab the man by his shirt. Picking the scumbag up off of his feet, he held him high while his flaming red pupils stared into his eyes. "Your soul has been stained with the blood of the innocent! Feel their pain!... Look into my eyes." Ghost Rider said, his demonic voice low but deep and straight forward, creepy enough to make any human being wet themselves. Suddenly, the man looked on and the eyes of the entity started to show the true suffering and agonizing pain the victims of this man have felt and are feeling. Many past killings and wrong doings come into sight as the man let out a blood curdling scream only to be thrown down onto his side with ashes filling his eye sockets. Burning red ashes, the eyes only the guilty would have... his deed has been done.

... There was one more person to greet before finally leaving and she was standing right behind him.

Rika pressed down hard on the wound once, then raised her hand and adjusted her mask so it continued to hide her features. It was a little amazing that she managed to train herself to fight with a mask over her mouth and nose. Some might think it would be rather suffocating, but she taught herself how to breath properly. The only time it bothered her was when it was super hot out.

Slowly a orb formed in her right hand and she tightened her fingers around it. Her golden eyes scanned the area in front of her, then she slowly moved forward. The man couldn't had gone far. And he probably wanted to stay and attempted to put a bullet to her, if he was really stupid that was.

The sound of a loud motor reached Rika's ears and made her stop her search. She was defiantly able to tell it was a motorcycle, but she didn't really recognize the sound. Turning, her gaze snapped to the front gates just as they were broken down by a motorcycle. What the hell. She thought then turned her attention back to the task at hand, missing the rider drive up one of the statues.

Still holding onto her orb, she moved forward more until she heard movement behind her. She snapped around to see two armed men pop out of no where. She prepared to throw the orb, when the rider she had seen dropped down in front of her. She heard two gun shots, but neither reached her. And the man before her didn't fall. That's when she noticed the man had no skin or hair, just a skull. A flaming skull to be more correct. She stared long and hard the back of his head, trying to figure out what he was. Movement caught her eye and she turned to spot a third man hidden in the bushes.

Making the orb in her hand smaller, about the size of a human eye, she threw it hard. It sored quickly through the air and collided with the man's hand. It exploded on contact, and blew the gun up in his hand. His fingers and most of his hand were also blown off. Howling in pain the man held his other hand over his wounded one. He was so distracted he didn't see Rika run over and deliver a flying kick to his face. He stumbled back, hitting the tree behind him. Her hand flew to the sword on her back and drew it in one motion. Swinging her arm, she slashed his throat open.

She turned to face the rider as the dead body collapsed to the ground. Her gaze suddenly snapped from him, to the human on the ground before him. She started to walk quickly toward the pair, but she wasn't half way when the human was picked up. She stopped after a few steps when the rider spoke, and the human started to scream. She was supposed to kill him! He had attacked her in the first place, not this guy.

She glared at him he dropped the body. Looking closely, she saw the human's eyes had been burned out. Slowly her gaze moved back to the rider and she tightened her grip on her sword. "Nice little trick you got there." She said through her mask.

The night had fallen over the two power possessed warriors, the moon shining bright upon them, greeting them with sweet victory as the criminals lay unconscious. Well, a few of them anyway. Then, the voice of someone spoke to Ghost Rider as he turned to stare at the woman from before.. the woman he had lend a helping hand to. She had given him a compliment.. something he hardly ever received. With a tilt of his head, his flaming red eyes stared at her as if he could not hear her, as if he was just... staring. Suddenly, his flames went from bright fiery orange to a cerulean blue color which allowed the rescued person to realize he was calm. On that, he was calm. Ghost Rider didn't have many friends... perhaps she could prove to be a future ally in the war on evil.

Then, with the lift of his right hand and the pointer finger singling her out he pointed his gloved finger at her. "You... innocent." He said, as calmly and as straight forward as he could. The entity, the mystical being known as Ghost Rider was always a creature of few words. On that, he never spoke to anyone much aside from the occasional laugh in which his victims always feared when trying to escape his grasp. As insane as he may be, the man on the inside has a heart of gold. Some say monster.... others don't get the chance to say anything. His blue flames continued to burn, flowing through the night air like a wave of the ocean water as he stared at her. He had saved an innocent... what he was sent to do, what his main duty was after defeating Blackheart and The Hidden some time ago.

Ghost Rider turned his gaze upward to stare into the bright white moon that shone down onto the both of them. His teeth were an almost formed smile if one looked a certain way... he was happy that innocent blood was not shed on this night. However, it seemed this woman wanted to get acquainted after their unexpected allying with one another. So, with that, Ghost Rider soon fled away as the face of Johnny Blaze appeared before the woman. His flesh unharmed as well as the hair returning back onto his head. Johnny Blaze... hiding a mystical demon within himself. "I.. I'm sorry if I frightened you miss. I have a tendency to do that quite a bit. You can call me Johnny Blaze. You have a name?" Johnny asked, his human form now in control. His pale blue eyes scanned over his ally as she wore a full mask to hide her identity. Johnny, on the other hand, ignored the whole 'secret identity' ordeal. Most everyone knew who Johnny Blaze was anyway... his other half remained a mystery to few.

... What a wild night. Such an awkward moment put the best foot forth as this woman now knew who the flaming skull of vengeance really was.

As the man before her turned, she fixed her eyes on his and stared back at him. If he was a mutant, then he had one weird mutation. The power was neat, very powerful. As he lifted his hand and pointed, she raised her sword to hip height on pure reflex. When she understood his movement wasn't hostile, she lowered the blade again.

Innocent? She tilted her head slightly, still looking him in the eye. Obviously he didn't read the paper, or he wouldn't be calling her innocent. She watched the transformation closely, and again tightened her grip on her blade. When it was over, she rolled her eyes slightly at his words. "Do I look frightened?" She asked calmly. Rika went silent for a moment, then answered. "People call me Raven."

Rika walked over to the two unconscious men and glared down at them. Morons the lot of them. Did they really think they could force an assassin to do something? She raised the sword and placed the end on one of the men. She tightened her wrist, preparing to kill him, then changed her mind. These two could live, and they can report that the Raven didn't do kid jobs.

She sheathed her sword and knelt down on one knee. Taking a dagger out of her boot, she grabbed the man's coat and cut a long strip of clothe off. She wrapped it tightly around the wound on her thigh, wincing as she tightened it, then stood. "So." She said lightly as she walked back in front of Johnny Blaze. "What was with the whole guilty innocent thing?"

Johnny watched as she did a very clever thing by slicing a piece of the thug's coat off to tighten around her wound. She had a sword, she must've been a very decorative individual or she was a cold hearted killer, an assassin to most. However, he did come to terms with someone having a job... not like she could just easily kill him anyway. Narrowing his blue eyes as she made her way back towards him, he was now put on the spot by her question. he was never good at answering questions but this is one question he knew the answer to. "Yeah, that.. well, Raven, I don't really tell anyone about myself. I like to remain a mystery. But... as Johnny Blaze, as the stunt cyclist standin' before you, I guess you deserve to know something..." Johnny replied, starting to walk towards her, only to end up beside of her. Putting his hand on his chin, he released a sigh before lowering both arms to his sides, soon after folding them across his leather clad chest.

"I'm called Ghost Rider. That thing you seen a few minutes ago was the demon Satan himself put into me. I'm like a.... bounty hunter, you could say. I know, it's hard to believe, but do try and keep up." Johnny said, mocking her intelligence as he gave a slight chuckle. He happened to recall telling Roxanne this very same thing, kind of different, but still the same concept and the look on her face as he continued to go deeper into what he really was. The moon shone down on the both of them, giving Johnny a feeling of ease and relaxation as he soaked in the rays of the big white symbol in the sky. "The innocent/guilty bit, that's my job. My father was killed before my very eyes and when I received this... such an awesome power, I made a vow... a vow to protect the innocent and destroy the guilty. As Ghost Rider." Johnny said, explaining to her how he turned a negative thing into a positive. Many people would choose to run a muck with their hellish powers, but Johnny... he remained a good soul in which he is using his powers to defeat evil, instead of help it.

... This was becoming a long night.

"So... what brings you to Gotham Zoo? Just lookin' for trouble and it found you or... what?" Johnny asked, trying to add some life to this dead night. His blue eyes stared into hers, trying to figure her out, yet failed. Biting his lip, he felt this was becoming awkward and that if she didn't answer soon, he would just leave her to her own problems and get some sleep. Try to anyway, unless the nightmares start to reoccur.

Stunt cyclist? Rika didn't have a clue who this guy was, since she didn't watch the sports channel, but she wasn't going to tell him that. She may be an assassin but she wasn't rude. Well, not often. She ruffled her feathers as he moved to her side and folded them neatly behind her.

She kept silent as he explained himself, and raised a brow slightly at the Satan bit. Satan, really. This guy certainly was a little strange, but she couldn't not believe it. There were a lot of strange powers in the world. When he insulted her, she narrowed her eyes slightly and snapped her wings.

"I see." She said softly when he finished. "That's pretty neat. It's good the humans have someone protecting them." Rika added, lieing a little. She never really wanted humans to be protected, since she believed them brutes who needed to suffer. But again, she was going to keep that to herself.

"You can say that." Rika said with a slight nod of her head, thinking up a quick lie. "I heard there was a gang meeting here tonight, thought I'd drop by and ruin the party. Through getting slashed wasn't part of the plan." She glanced down at the bandage around her thigh, which was slightly wet with her blood now, then turned her yellow eyes back to John.