//------------------------------// // Chapter I: A deal with the devil // Story: Rise of the Ghostrider: A ride with the Devil // by KozLeMage //------------------------------// It was a dark room, the only source of light came from the light bubble handing from the ceiling. The walls were dirty like nobody cleaned up this place for a very long time. The room was empty except for a small table where a recording device was, a big mirror that was on the wall, and two chairs, each were positioned at each extremity of the table. Sat on those two chairs, were two people. One was a tall man, not very old but we can see that this person has went through rough shit. He had a dark skin, wore a long dark coat, his face was partially covered with a black eye-patch. The other person was a woman, she was in her late twenty’s and she had a bored look on her face. She was a beautiful fire-haired woman and she undoubtly turned a few heads in her past. She took her phone from the pocket of her leather jacket and checked the time. She sighed and rolled her eyes when she saw the impatience in the man’s glare. “Miss Spitfire,” He started, crossing his fingers under his chin, “I know you don’t want to be here, and believe me, me neither. But we were hoping that we’ll get your help, we know you have some information about… Him. This is actually the first time we encountered a threat this big and I know that, under the bad girl persona you wore every day, we know you actually want to help people. We saw it.” Spitfire rolled her eyes and put her hands in her pockets before leaning more comfortably in the cheap and back-breaking chair. She sighed but still glared at him. She knew he was right, many people were in dangers, that was a fact. But the information she has, they’ll be in a biggest danger if they knew all that. Was it worth it? She didn’t know that man, and the fact that she was taken in the middle of the night don’t make him win some sympathy points, that was for sure. He told her that he was working for a secret organization that protect our world from evil threat like the Abomination she had heard of, be she never heard of them before. To be honest with herself, she felt like he was telling her shit. “You know,” She said, straightening up in her chair, imitating his serious posture. “You’ve said that you helped a lot of people in the past, that you’re used to deal with threats like… That. But why did I never hear of you? I mean, if you guys had already saved the world countless time, people must know about this.” “This is because we don’t want people to know,” The mysterious man replied, “The society I’m representing prefers a… discretely approach.” “Of course, they do.” Spitfire chuckled. “But why me?” The man wore an interrogative glare at her question, she rolled her eyes and said, “Why do you need my help? I mean, I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one with this kind of… capacity.” “That is, indeed, true.” He said, “But on the other hand, you’re the only one we know of who had already crossed path with him. We’re watching on you for a very long time.” She scowled him and snickered, “Why are you annoying me just now then?” “Because, those are dark times, and we need all the help we can gather.” Spitfire frowned, she wanted nothing to do with it. It was in her past, and she wanted it to stay that way. She still had nightmare about it, but she didn’t had any crises in the past few months. She believed she could just put that in bag and throw it away. But it seems it’ll always come back, no matter what she does. “You wouldn’t believe me.” “Test me.” He said, a grin on his face. “I’ve heard the strangest things you could think of, nothing you’ll say will surprise me.” Spitfire sighed and looked at the ceiling. “So, where am I supposed to start?” She said, accepting defeat. He wasn’t’ going to leave her alone that easily, so let’s just get done with it, once and for all. And maybe, for once in her life, she could do something good. “Well, how about the first time you met him?” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, returning to the memories she had buried away. “It was ten years ago…” I was eighteen. You probably know who I was back then, I used to be the captain of the Wonderbolts… What? I have to say it for the record anyway? Urgh, okay well, the Wonderbolts were a team of bikers, we used to make big shows at L.A, N.Y, Canterlot… All that kind of stuff. We were like superstars, everyone loved us. We’ve done the biggest and the most spectacular stunts everyone’s ever done. And I was the captain. I used to be more confident and cockier than I am now, trust me about that. Fame and recognition, daily. It was great, and I loved every part of it. Everyone used to scream when I entered the stage on my bike. Every little girl wanted to be like me, and every dude wanted to be with me, you get it. Like this time, we went on a show at Canterlot with the boys, I just became the team captain and everyone cheered when I took the ramp and jumped over thirty cars. Boy, that was the stuff. I remember when a girl jumped on top of the barricade, outrun the security to run right at me and took me in a tight hug, she said she wanted to be like me, that I was her model. I forgot her name but I remember that she had rainbow hair, I’ll never forget that moment. Of course, when everyone loves you, it goes right through your head. When everyone’s saying that you’re the best, well you start thinking it. And back then, I thought I was the best. But the truth was that… All the money I made was to pay my mother’s medical bills. She had a… lung cancer. That’s what happens when you’ve been smoking a pack a day since the past twenty years. I was working hard, the more money I made, the more I thought I could save her. I was naïve of course, but I was young, the head full of dreams. And somedays I… was sick of it. I loved my mother, but I made a lot of money, and believe me, it was a lot of money. But all that went right for her and I couldn’t enjoy the money that I’ve made. Don’t get me wrong, I still had a nice house and impressive collection of bikes, but for an eighteen years old brat who thought that everything belonged to her, it wasn’t enough. It made me angry… Yeah, I know, I was a dickhead, but come on, you know that being young and having a lot of money doesn’t fit very well together. But all the things I was feeling back then brutally disappeared when the doctors told me that her cancer had reached the terminal stage… “I-I’m sorry what?” I asked to the doctor, my hands were shacking and for the first time of my life, I didn’t know what to say. “Her cancer had developed faster than we thought…” He replied to me, I could see he was sorry in his eyes, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was just an act you know? After all, he must say that to a bunch of people, every day. “She’s… In her room, if you want to talk to her.” When he said that I couldn’t help but chuckle, I haven’t spoke to her for months. Yeah, I was paying for her medical bills, but since we were always on tour with the boys, I never found the time to visit her, ever once. It’s a sad thought that all it took to be reunited with her was a cancer. He took a step on the side to let me pass through the door of my mother’s medical room. Never liked hospitals. Those places smell like… Death. And believe me, I know a lot of things about death. Anyway, I walked in and saw her, she wasn’t like I remembered her though. She had no hair left, she had lost at least forty pounds, and she was laying in a bed, a bunch of medical devices and stuff surrounding it. When she saw me, she kept quiet. She just glared at me, waiting for me to make the first step. I walked towards the nearest chair, and fell into it. “Hi mom.” Was all I’ve found to say. “Hello, Spitfire.” I remember that, when she replied to me, a smile appeared on her face. “How are you doing?” “Fine, I guess.” I felt guilt at this moment, I was never here for her, and she had dared to smile at me. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner, I-” “It’s okay, sweetie.” Sweetie… It’s been years since she had called me that for the last time. “I know you’ve been busy, but I watch every show you appear in…” She admitted to me, “It’s almost like you’re with me every day.” It had broken me. She was a lovely, caring woman, and I was just a brat who was never there for her own mother. Don’t need to tell ya’ that I felt like shit. The same afternoon, when I came home, my best friend Fleetfoot tried to cheer me up, but I wasn’t in the mood. I told her to fuck off so I could have some time alone. I spent the whole day alone, in my house. Well, it was more a mansion than a house actually, but let’s not go astray. I remember that I was working on my baby, and th… What? Oh yeah, my baby is my motorcycle. A Big Dog K9 fully customized by yours truly. It sure wasn’t the best motorcycle I had, but it was the first one I’ve bought with my Wonderbolt’s money, and it was by far my favorite. Anyway, I was working on it, when I heard footsteps in my garage. I remembered growling at that moment, I thought it was Fleetfoot coming back, or another team member who wanted to cheer me up. But, oh boy I wasn’t prepared. “Good evening, miss Spitfire.” It was the strangest voice I’ve ever heard, calm but sending a cold shiver down your spine. When I turned around to see who dared to entered my private property, I saw a man. Standing here with his cane with a skull on top of it. He wore a formal hat, and a smile… Boy, I’ll never forget that smile. “Who are y- No you know what, I don’t care.” I said, standing up to my feet to face him. “You’ve got five minutes to get the fuck out before I call the police.” “And not listen what I have to say?” I already hated that smug, haughty tone. “Yep, I don’t care.” I’ve replied. “That’s too bad then.” He said, walking towards the exit. “To think I came here to help you heal your poor, poor mother.” And that’s where, I’ve made the first mistake. “Wait!” I said, just when he reached the door. He turned to face me, still wearing that fucking smile. “Yes?” “I… What do you mean, help me heal my mother?” His smile grew wider as he walked towards me, I still remember the sound of his cane hitting the ground, resonating through my garage. “Let’s just say that, I maybe, can cure your mother’s cancer.” “Yeah, sure.” I rolled my eyes to show him I didn’t believed any crap he was telling me. “Believe me,” He said, “I can do a lot of things.” “Even if you can heal her, and that’s a big if,” I said, walking in his direction to stand in front of him, and he too, smells like death. “What’ll it cost me?” “Well, curing a cancer isn’t an easy thing to do. The price is a bit higher than you’ll expect.” He said, still smiling. “Whatever the cost, if it means healing my mom.” I replied to him with a scowl. “I’m pretty rich you know, whatever your price is, I can pay it.” He chuckled and his grin grew wider, and sinister. “I’m not exactly interested in your money.” I raised an eyebrow at his statement. He didn’t want my money? Bullshit, everyone wanted my money. But I decided to play along and I asked him, “What do you want then.” He glared at me, but I knew he wasn’t watching me. No, he was looking through me, he was looking for the only thing he was interested in. “Your soul.” He stated. I stood quietly in front of him. Did I hear him right? Did he want my soul? Who’s that freak? I laughed at him and turned around, “Dude you almost got me there. Listen pal, I don’t know what trick you’re-” But he wasn’t listening, instead he walked towards my workbench and took a curious look at my tools, “Tomorrow, your mother will be better, I swear it to you.” He turned to face me, and this time he had a scroll in his hand. He opened it in front of me and held it to me. “All you have to do, is to sign this.” I took it curiously and started reading it, but it was in a language I didn’t understand. Hell, I didn’t know if it was a language at all. “What do you say?” He asked me, handing me a strange pen. What do I have to lose? That’s what I asked myself, even if he was telling me shit, it was just a piece of paper. There was no way he could actually take my soul, right? Like I said, I was young, and I was dumb. “Okay.” And this, is my second mistake. His smile couldn’t be more sinister, but I didn’t care at that moment, I took his pen and started to write my name under the ‘contract’ he was holding me, but… “Your pen is broken.” I stated. Indeed, I tried to write my name but the pen didn’t wanted to work. “That’s because he needs blood.” He said, casually. A looked at him and raised an eyebrow but he stood still, still smiling. “Weirdo.” I’ve said, under my breath. I picked myself with the pen and wrote my name with my own blood… “…” “And? What happened next?” The man asked. Spitfire sighed and avoided his glare, she put her hand in her pocket an let out a pack of smoke. She took one and lightened it up, before putting the pack back in her pocket. “I would’ve thought that you’d hate cigarettes.” He said, a bit of a grin appearing on his face. “Do as I say, not as I do.” She said, taking a hit on her smoke. She knew she shouldn’t do that, but when you’ve went through all that she went through, it's not a cigarette that was going to scare you. “Well, I don’t really remember what happened next to be honest…” She said, taking another hit, slowly letting the smoke getting out of her mouth. “All I remember was waking up in my bed the next morning, like all this was just a dream.” “I see.” He nodded. “You know, you’re a bit strange,” I said, leaning against the edge of the table, “A sane person would think I’m crazy. I mean, a pact with the devil? That’s not shit you hear every day.” He smiled at her and gets up from his seat, he approached the mirror on the wall, and make a sign to whoever was on the next side of it. Spitfire wasn’t dumb, she knew there was people watching them on the other side of it. She watched TV. “I’ve seen a lot of things you know,” He said, “A man transforming himself in a green monster, a rich playboy who didn’t know what to do with his money making the most powerful armor that exists, beings from other dimensions…” He walked towards Spitfire as he was speaking, and grinned at her. “So, believe me, you making a pact with the devil is the sanest thing I’ve heard for a very long time.” She couldn’t help but imitate his smile, this man surely has some story to tell. Spitfire turned her head when she heard the door being opened, and she saw a man wearing a pair of glasses and a long white coat entering the room, showing her a shy smile. “Hello miss, I’ve heard you’re our new… recruit.” He didn’t know if he had made the right choice of word. “I guess I am…” She said, looking down at him. “And who the fuck are you?” “Oh, yes! Forget my manners.” He said as he held out his hand to her. She rolled her eyes but shake it anyway, “I’m the Dr. Bruce Banner, pleasure to meet you.” She was going to make a snarky remark about his nerdy look, but he turned to face the other man. “Director Fury…” He said, “It seems we have found it… Mr. Stark is heading there as we speak.” The mysterious man nodded and looked at Spitfire, “I’m sorry miss, but I have to go, I leave you in the most capable hand of Doctor Banner.” “Great.” She replied. She watched him go and closed the door behind him, then she glared at Bruce who took the chair Fury used to seat in. “What was that?” She asked him. “So…” He started, “You said that you woke up in your bed the next morning?” She frowned when she saw that he wasn’t going to answer her questions, so she just shrugged and took another cigarette. If she was going to tell the whole story, she needed it. “Yeah…” I woke up in a burst, my sheets were wet because of my sweat, and my head hurt like hell. I slowly sat on the edge of my king-sized bed, and took my head in my head. Was it a dream? Or did it really happen? I didn’t have to think twice that my phone started to ring on my nightstand, I took it, not bothering to see who was calling and I answered the call. “Yep?” “Miss Spitfire! Good morning!” I instantly recognized the voice of my mom’s doctor. “Oh, doctor. Hi.” I replied, my headache was still hurting me like hell. “I don’t know where to start,” He quickly added, “So I’ll get straight to the point.” What the fuck was he talking about? “Your mother, her cancer is… Cured!” I almost fall from where I was sitting, I jumped on my feet, in total disbelief. “No shit.” “We have no idea how it happens but, after the morning scans, we found out that, it was totally gone!” He said, with a cheerful voice. “How is it even possible…” I asked him. But truth is, I knew how. It was the pact I made with that man. He told me that he could cure my mother, and he did it. I didn’t care how he did it, he just did it. I didn’t realize I was smiling until I saw my reflection in my bedroom’s mirror. “C-Can I see her?” “Of course! We still need to keep her for more tests but, you can come any time you want!” I immediately ended the call, not bothering to say goodbye or something like that, took my keys on my nightstand, and ran toward my garage. I mounted my baby and started the engine, she purred as well as usual. I put on my helmet and didn’t waste any more time as I drove to the hospital… “Excuse me to interrupt you but… Can we skip the details and get straight to the point?” Dr Banner asked, still smiling at Spitfire. It seems to bother him to ask her that. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Spitfire asked, raising an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted to know how it happened.” “Yes but, we’re running out of time I’m afraid.” He said, checking the time on his watch. “Urgh, okay then… morron.” She said. Seeing that he wasn’t going to react at her insult, she took a big inspiration and continued her story. “Mom!” I screamed when I entered her room. She was sitting on her bed, and beamed at me when she saw me. She looked a lot better than the day before. “Spitfire!” She jumped from her bed and took me in a tight hug, “Have heard the great news?” I ended the hug and smiled at her, “Yeah, there’s going have a big discount at my favorite sushi shop!” She laughed and hit me in the shoulder, “Oh, you.” “No seriously,” I said, “I’m happy for you mom.” The smile my mom wore dropped a little as she told me in a hushed voice, “Isn’t it a bit strange? I mean… getting cured just like that?” I avoided her look and let out a nervous laugh, “Ahah, well, who cares? You’re better now, and that’s the most important thing.” Her smile returned as she told me, “Yes! And the doctors said that I will be out tomorrow!” “That soon?” “Well, if I’m not sick anymore, they’ve got no reason to keep me here, am I right?” Her laugh was contagious so I laughed with her, “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. Hey, we’ve got a big show in the city tomorrow, I can get you a ticket in the front row if you want.” Her smile couldn’t be wider as she took me in another hug and screamed, “I would love to!” So here I was. My mother was cured and it was the only thing I cared about. When I told the boys, they weren’t believing it. Fleetfoot looked like she was going to cry, Surprise wanted to throw a big party… I swear to god, this gal’ wants to party anytime she can, and Soarin said that we needed to go to the bar to celebrate that, and of course, we did. And here it comes. The big day, it was the biggest show we’ve ever done in New York. Of course, I didn’t know at that moment that it would be my last but… Yeah. I woke up early this morning, eat a nice breakfast, did a bit of sports, wanted to keep the shape you know? When I arrived at the arena, paparazzi and reporters were surrounding me and I was forced to make a few interviews so they can let me in peace… Okay, okay, straight to the point, sorry, I get it. I was in the private room, preparing myself for the big show, when I heard someone opening the door, when I looked who it was, I smiled and walked toward her. “Hi mom.” “Hi sweetie.” She greeted me, looking even better than yesterday. “Ready for the big day? I’ve heard that you’re going to jump over a helicopter!” I laughed and smiled as I told her, “Just between you and me, it’ll be three helicopters.” “Aren’t you a reckless girl.” My mom said with a chuckle. “Aren’t you a bit concerned?” I taunted her. “Not at all.” She said, “I know you can do it.” That’s how my mom was, she always believed in me. Always. We were interrupted by Soarin who knocked on the door before letting his head pass, “Yo, Spit! Get ready, starting in ten minutes!” “I’m coming!” I told him. I turned to face my mother and kissed her on her cheek, “You better not miss anything!” “I wouldn’t dare.” I leaved the room, dodged a few more paparazzi and I joined the boys who were waited for me. It was actually the greatest moment of my life, as I went down the ramp on my bike with the others, everyone cheering, and as I look to the front row, I saw my mother, smiling at me. It all went quick. The helicopters landed on the grass of the stadium through the big opening in the roof. I lit up the afterburners, and jumped at an incredible speed. The thing I was feeling at that moment… man. The energy, the adrenalin, the rush… I landed perfectly on the other side, the crowd went wild. They were all chanting my name. ‘Spitfire! Spitfire! Spitfire!’ Like I said. I was the best. “Is… this the day your mother died?” Dr Banner asked her. Spitfire glared furiously at him, but kept quiet. She sighed and asked to him “Can I have a… coffee or something?” He smiled and nodded, he made a sign to the mirror, and a minute later, a girl came in with the drink she asked. Spitfire took a sip and smiled. Black, just like she loved it. “After the show I told her to wait for me outside…” She finally said. “Yo Spit!” Fleetfoot was calling me just when I was going to leave our private room, “We’re going to have a drink with the boys, wanna come?” “Sorry Fleet’, I kinda told my mom I was going to spend the day with her.” I said with a apologetic smile. “No prob’ dude,” She said, “I get it, better make up for the lost time, right?” I smiled at her and leaved the room. As always, I had to make my way through the paparazzi that was surrounding me, but I was in a such great mood that it didn’t bothered me like always, I even found it funny for once. I reached the main gate of the stadium and saw her, waving at me. But I saw something behind her. As I narrowed my eyes to see it better, a cold shiver went down my spine. It was him. The dude I sign a contract with. What was he doing here? Then, everything went cold around me when I saw what was coming. I ran toward her, but it was too late. A truck had lost control and ran into the sidewalk. At least ten people were standing on the sidewalk at that moment… including my mother. I stood there, the world was evaporating around me. All I could hear was the muffled sound of screaming. But I couldn’t even move my leg. Soarin grabbed me by the arm and screamed something at me. I didn’t understand. Then it was Fleetfoot, she looked horrified, but I didn’t understand what she told me either. The world was fading. Surrounded by the dark, all I could see was a face… His face… “…” “…” “It… must’ve been awful.” Banner said, looking at the ground. Spitfire quietly nodded, holding back her tears. She didn’t want to cry in front of him. Besides, it happened ten years ago, she had made her mourning long ago. “Yeah it was… Have you ever… Lost someone you care about?” Spitfire asked, her head down, looking up to look at him. “Yes, I have.” He said, looking away. She sighed, it must’ve been hours she was here and she started to be tired of it. “Thanks for sharing all of this Miss,” The doctor said, “However, I’d like to-” “I know what you want.” She stopped him from finishing his sentence, “You want me to tell you about the first time I… Transformed.” She added, no emotions in her voice. “Yes please, it’ll be very helpful.” “Well, for that…” She stretched her arms and crossed her legs, “We have to take a little jump in time, three years after that to be exact.” I was lying on my couch, an empty bottle of tequila on my side, watching the TV. Those three years haven’t been really kind to me. I drank, a lot. Since, I became more irresponsible, and someone running away from their responsibilities isn’t someone you can rely on. So, to make it short, I was fired from my position of Wonderbolt’s captain. Yeah, it hit hard, and it resulted in me drinking even more than I already was. But even if I had hit rock bottom, my friends were at least still here. Speaking of which, I heard my front door open. Not the one of my house, because I had to sell it. All of my bikes too. I just kept my baby, I would never sell it, even if it’s a question of life or death. I heard her closing the door of my apartment, putting of her shoes of, and heading toward the living room, where I was. “Spit…” Fleetfoot said, watching me lying completely drunk on my couch. She sighed and picked up the empty bottle of tequila to throw it. She took a sit on the couch and I moved in a sitting position while my head was spinning. “Spit,” She repeated, “You can’t go on like this, I mean just look at you.” I turned my head to look at the mirror handing on my wall and I saw on of the most beautiful young woman I’ve ever saw, and next to her, it was me. Big bags under my eyes, my skin became livid from the lack of sunlight, and my eyes were red. “Why don’t you come live with me?” She asked me, again. She already proposed it many times, but I always declined. She was my closest friend and I loved her but, I wanted to be able to ruminate on my fate, I needed it. I didn’t reply and instead, gets up from the couch, heading toward my kitchen to take a beer from my fridge. “Ya’ can’t always ran from it you know?” Fleetfoot said, she had followed me to the kitchen. “It seems I’ve done a great job this far.” I replied to her, taking a sip of my beer. “Spitfire, stop being an ass and listen to me.” I sighed but I did as she told me and glared at her, putting my beer on the table. “This…” She gestured towards me, “Isn’t you! I don’t recognize you anymore! I know it must’ve been hard but… It’s been three fucking years! You have to move on!” I knew she was right. I was glad she was here for me though, I couldn’t hang out with Soarin and Surprise as much as I wanted to, but Fleetfoot always had time for me. If we weren’t friends for all those years, I maybe could have fall in love with her, who knows. I sighed as I sat on a chair next to my table, and she did the same thing, “I… I’ve got nothing left Fleet’. Just look around you, I haven’t just lost my mother, I lost everything that I have.” “And who’s fault is that?” Of course, Fleetfoot thought it was only my fault, and I couldn’t blame her for that. But when she said that, his face appeared in my head. It was his fault, not mine. Fleetfoot sighed, getting me out of my thought, “We’re going out tonight, with the others. You’re welcome if you want to. They’re worried about you, you know.” I just rolled my eyes, “I’m glad they didn’t forget about me.” It was Fleetfoot’s turn to roll her eyes, “Don’t be like that, you know you’re still our friend. Nothing is going to change that.” She was right, after all the things I went through with the boys, we were almost like brothers and sisters. “So, you’ll come?” She asked me. Feeling like I was trapped, I gave up and shrugged my shoulders, “Sure.” She beamed at me as she gets up, “I’ll send you the address, I have to go now, still got work to do.” I winced at that statement but didn’t say a word, I accompanied her at the door, and we hugged each other as a goodbye. Few hours later she did what she was going to do as she send me the address of the bar they were hanging out. I tried to fix up my face a bit, makeup to hide the bags under my eyes, I brushed my hair for the first time in weeks and put on my best leather jacket. “Come on,” I said grabbing the edge of my sink, speaking at my reflection in the mirror, “Get your shit together Spitfire.” I nodded and tried to smile at myself, but it seemed forced so I quickly gave up. But then, I felt something… strange. I looked at my hands, and for a second, I almost thought they had become red, like they were burning, but it wasn’t the case, they were the same as always. “You’re imagining things, girl.” I said as I finished preparing myself. I took my keys and closed the door behind me as I leaved my apartment. I headed towards the underground garage, and opened up the box were my baby was. “Oh no.” It wasn’t there. She wasn’t there. I looked around, like a huge motorcycle like this one could be hiding anywhere, but I didn’t find it. Instead I heard a laughter resonating through the underground. I thought I was going crazy until I heard the engine of my motorcycle purring. It came from outside. So, I headed toward the back exit of the garage and arrived in a dark alley, behind the apartment complex I was living in. She was there, in the middle of the alley. I walked cautiously towards it, and, just when I was going to mount it, approving to myself the fact that I was going crazy, I saw him. Standing a few feet away from me. I frowned, a glare filled with rage as I pointed my finger in his direction. “You.” “Good evening, Spitfire.” He said to me, smiling like he always was. I looked away and mounted my bike, I wasn’t in the mood for any of his shit right now. “I’m here to collect my debt.” He said, walking towards me. I tried to accelerate, to get away from him as far as I could, but I found myself immobilized. “I don’t think so.” I barked. “But we made a pact, right? That you signed with your own blood.” “And you didn’t respect it.” This time, his smile dropped, and he frowned. “I’m really hurt to hear that, my part of the deal was to cure your mother’s cancer, and I did it.” Why couldn’t I move? “You killed her!” “She was going to stand in our way.” He stated, his smile was back. I growled, “Why are you here?” “Oh, Spitfire,” He chuckled, “I’ve always been here, since you’re a child. I always had a… big interest in you.” He walked in circle around me, and I couldn’t even move. “Los Angeles, New York, Canterlot… I watched you every time. I’m your greatest fan.” “Why?” I asked. “It’s like, watching an investment that keeps growing and growing… Until the day you cash in.” He finished, his smile growing as he walked right next to me. “That day is today Spitfire. Find the one known as Sombra, and destroy him.” What the fuck was he even talking about? Sombra? To destroy him? “Find him yourself and get the fuck off.” He chuckled, “It doesn’t work like that, you’re under contract, do you remember? If you succeed, I’ll return your soul.” I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, I don’t think I’m doing it.” This time his face deformed itself and his smile grew wider, much wider. “You don’t have a choice.” He tapped his cane on the back wheel of my bike, and it launched itself way faster that it normally could. The world was passing by at full speed as I had to squint my eyes, but it was a strange feeling, I was going at a speed normally unattainable with a motorcycle. I didn’t saw where I was until the bike stopped itself and I flew over the handlebar and landed on the ground. The fall didn’t hurt me at all, but I felt burning from the inside, and I screamed as loud as I could. I felt my skin melting because of the fire burning under it. Soon all I could see watching my hands was my skin disappearing, only letting me to see my bones. I screamed for help, for anything. But no one was here as I was burning from the inside. And suddenly, all the pain I was feeling was gone. Just like that. Instead I felt… good. I got up on my feet, and saw on the windows at the other side of the warehouse… I saw a monster. That thing wasn’t me. A skull, coated with flames. Staring right at me. And the worst of it was that… I enjoyed it. And the only thing that was on my mind at that moment was to find this Sombra. And destroy him.