> The Rider of Equestria
>  by This-Is-A-Dead-Account
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Surprise
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

My name is Carter Slade, and this here is my story of a new world, new goals, and a new life. But before I get to that, let’s start from the beginning, when I became the Ghost Rider.

You’ve probably heard of the legends of the Rider, and how they delivered souls to ol’ Mephistopheles. I was the Ghost Rider before Johnny Blaze. Once a Texas Ranger, but got greedy. So, sentenced to death I was, but through the darkness a stranger came to me, and offered a deal that would free me. Became the Ghost Rider. Mephistopheles then sent me to the town of San Venganza, where I collected a contract that worth 1,000 souls. Knowing that these evil souls would cause hell on earth, I did what no Ghost Rider had done before: outrun the devil. Thus for the next 150 years, I hid the contract. I became known as the caretaker at a chapel's cemetery. I also made a fake grave belonging to myself to throw Mephistopheles off. When the new Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, came to his Father's grave there. I took Blaze, told him of the ghost rider and the hidden, and treated his wounds. Told young Blaze of the penance stare. The Penance Stare is an ability of a Ghost Rider to incapacitate victims. When in close combat, the Ghost Rider locks eyes with his victim and makes him or her feel every pain that that individual has ever inflicted on anyone else innocent in their lifetime. 

The next day, I told Blaze of the grave belonging to myself. Telling Blaze that the grave holds the contract of San Venganza and that it must not fall into the hands of Blackheart nor Mephistopheles. Later that night, Blaze came back to dig up the grave. I reveal to Blaze that the contract was in his shovel. Though my cautions Blaze to think about this, Blaze convinced me to let him go. I accepted this because Blaze wasn't doing it for greed, but for love which put him on my good side. I decided to go with Blaze, thus revealing myself as a fellow ghost rider and as Carter Slade. I rode with Blaze showing him the way to San Venganza. When we reached the outskirts of San Venganza, I gave Blaze my shotgun and told him to stick to the shadows. I rode into the distance, but not before saying to Blaze. 

“This is the end of the trail for me. I got nothing left, I could only change one more time and I was saving it for this. God knows I made my share of mistakes. I've been trying to make them right ever since. All I can do is hope he sees fit to give me a second chance.” Blaze thanked me, one of the last times in that world I was thanked, as I faded into the distance, but that wasn’t the end for me. No sir, I still have a lot of time left in me, in this new world called, Equestria.



It was dark and the wind was gently swaying the trees of a dark forest nearby, I felt… Different somehow, I gave myself a one over, everything seemed in order, but the only thing that was puzzling me is that I should have faded outta existence, I rose from my comfortable spot in the short grass. It was dark but I could see the landscape softly flowing in an unseen breeze. The light of the moon, so much brighter than I remembered, it was beaming down upon the land. ‘I’d better make myself acquainted with this new landscape’ I thought quietly, my horse was nowhere to be seen, but I could hold my own for a while. 

Placing my hat onto it’s preferred spot I made my way in a random direction, hoping that it would take me to a town, or some safe place where I could properly rest my head. Maybe my horse disappeared but not I along with it. Placing my fingers against my lips I let out a high whistle, when nothing happened, I feared that my companion was gone forever. That is, until I heard the soft clopping of hooves against damp grass, then he emerged, his dark brown coat could barely be seen through the darkness. But he could just be made out thanks to the moonlight that is. 

He slowed to a trot, and approached me, his eyes were larger in width but only slightly, his eyes were still brown but they were slightly larger. I approached him and placed my hand against his left cheek, admiring his new look. 

“Welp, we’d best get going now, old friend,” I said in a reminiscent voice. I climbed onto his back and we set off, his grunting and the sound of his hooves beating the ground like nature's own drumbeat. The world around us was a blur just like the old days, but I still had to keep my head low, Mephistopheles could sense me a mile away. But wherever I was, I hoped to god he couldn’t find me. The grass had turned into dirt, so it was very dry. The sun had risen a great deal while we were on the move, it looked close to the afternoon. We stopped near a town that was a good couple of hours after the ground had turned from dirt to sand, what I saw next had surprised me. Even to this day, I would never have guessed that my life would take this sudden turn. 

The town was filled with some sort of short horses (ponies I think) and they were all fixated at me with their mouths slightly ajar. They were all different colors with a variety of shapes and sizes. They looked like they were going about their day before they saw me. But what caught me even more off guard was when a horse that was wearing a sort of brown vest, it had a yellow coat with light brown and orange mane and tail, spoke. 

“What is that?” It said he said

‘Well’ I thought to myself. ‘This will be interesting’

Interesting wasn’t the word, painful, loud and awkward was the correct description of my current predicament. The words left his mouth taking on a heavy accent, his voice was rather high for a male. I did a once over of the town, it was a nice little settlement, from what I know anyway. I don’t know much either, I did hide for a good one and a half centuries from the devil. But my reminiscing was cut off by a hard tackle from a lightly tanned pony who bore a silver sheriff star.

“You… whatever you are, are under arrest for slavery of the very pony you were using as a beast of burden,” it said with a heavy accent. Knowing that it would get me in trouble, I spoke.

“You talking about my trustee steed?” I said as he stood me up. Well, I stood up because he was struggling. He placed handcuffs onto my wrists, I remembered for a moment of my old ranger days.

“Trustee? I see slavery, everypony else here sees it as well, don’t you lie to me,” he sounded surprised that I spoke, but his facial was kept neutral at all times. I was having a ball, I looked over to my horse and gave a quick sharp whistle, he then ran off and disappeared for the time being. The crowd that had just built up were murmuring, questioning about my horses disappearance. But that was the least of my worries, what happened next, that is to be seen.

I was taken off to a little dank jail cell, I didn’t mind it too much, but it smelled of sweat and there was a smelly musk. The sheriff didn’t mind the smell too much I guessed, he must of spent awhile in here every day, he would occasionally look over to me, which then I would politely wave. I let my head rest against a hay stack inside the cell, I fell asleep. He woke me up once to give me a bit of food and water, I didn’t really need it but I didn’t refuse. 

After eating I fell into another dreamless sleep, This little routine continues for about a week and with each day that passed he came in looking a little more stressed about something until I was woken up by the sheriff. I was taking a little nap, even though it wasn’t needed I had enough sleep and he looked even more stressed, he lowered his head and spoke to me.

“What am I gonna do with you huh?”

“You could let me out,” I stated.

“Then what? Let you roam free, I have no idea what you’re capable of,”

“Then give me to someone else, get me outta your hair, or mane,”

“Even if I did do that, who would I call? The Royal Guard would be too busy, and that there is the only authority that could help me in this predicament,” he slumped down, "This is just like that buffalo crisis, I can’t do anything right,” he said. Then, as if on cue the yellow pony with the brown vest came in.


“I can help Sheriff Silverstar, mah cousin is friends with the Princess’ protege, I bet they could help,” the pony said. The Sheriff brightened up.

“Excellent, thank ya kindly Braeburn, this will help alot. Maybe they can find out what race this thing is-” I cut him off.

“I’m what you would refer to as a human,” I knew a while ago that I wasn’t in america anymore, not even earth. But I knew one thing, this would be a fun stay.