3rd P.O.V
Johnny was asleep on his bed, dreaming about a life where he's in an empty space, and he didn't know where he was.
Johnny: "Hello??? Anyone?!"
???: "Johnny? Is that you?"
Johnny: "Roxanne? Where are you? What is this place?"
Roxanne: "I'm right by the door."
Johnny: "Door? What the hell are you talking about?"
Johnny then noticed a strange looking door, as he slowly walked to it and reached the door, but he then stopped thinking that it could be a trap. He was not sure if he should open the door, but what choice did he have? He opened the door to see it was a nice open field. He walked around the field to see the beautiful sunlight, the soft green grass, and the crystal blue skies. What he also noticed was Roxanne and the rest of the Avengers with him.
Johnny: "You're here..."
Peter: "We wouldn't miss this for the world, Johnny."
Eric: "No matter if we're Avengers or Rivals, we'll always stay family."
Ruby: "How about we just enjoy the moment, Johnny?"
Johnny: "Sure, Red, why not?"
They all enjoyed the moment, laying on the grass, enjoying a peaceful time together. It was a moment of prosperity that brought them all together. But sadly, that moment lasted long to see the others, RWBY, JNPR, and Roxanne to fade away into dust, leaving Johnny to try and get to them before they fade away.
Johnny: "No, no, no, no!"
The skies then turned dark as the grass died, and fire surrounded Johnny, turning that land into Hell, as Mephistophiles stood above him as a giant, laughing maniacally before Johnny as he sees the fear in his eyes.
Johnny: "No... this can't be!"
Mephisto then blew a wave of hellfire at Johnny as he began to burn away, and the Ghost Rider arrised from the flames, roaring in pain, agony, and feeling he lost it all.
Minutes later, Johnny then wakes up, eyes widen, and sweat forms on his forehead. He turned around to see that it was all a dream. He looked around and saw Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Roxanne, in his bed with him asleep. Luckily, they were all asleep, so he had hoped that he didn't wake them up.
He then gets up out of bed and walks to the kitchen to get a beer from the fridge and drinks it. He then turned to see Velvet was up as he freaked out.
Johnny: "Woah, Velvet. You scared the hell out of me."
Velvet: "Is it bothering you again?"
Johnny eyes widened as Velvet could easily figure it out with the beer in his hand. He then sighed and knew he had to give in.
Johnny: "Yes..."
Velvet: "Johnny, you know you can tell me about it."
Johnny: "I know it's just... I'm not getting the right amount of sleep that I should be getting. I don't know why, but it feels weird."
Velvet: "Johnny... it will be ok. How about for now you just get some rest, ok?"
Johnny: "Yeah... That will work."
Velvet then took Johnny's hand as they both walked to bed and went to sleep while the others were still asleep unbothered by the noise.
Timeskip
Johnny wakes up to see that it is morning. He then gets up to see the other girls up.
Blake: "Hey John."
Johnny: "Hey, Blake."
Ruby: "You feeling ok? Velvet explained what happened, and we're worried."
Johnny: "Yeah... I'm just not really feeling it, y'know. I'm just not sure about everything that's going on. It just feels like something is messing with my head."
Weiss: "Well, you're in luck because we had a mission to get to, but you're taking a break since my sister is taking you to therapy."
Johnny: "Heh, well as much as I want to join you on the mission, I will go because I can't let this nightmare get the best of me."
Yang: "Don't let it get to you, ok?"
Johnny: "Don't worry, Blondie, I won't."
Johnny then gets up and goes to the bathroom to take a shower. He starts to think for a minute of why he was getting the visions and dreams of everyone he knew as demons.
He then got his jacket and walked inside the car. Winter turns on the engine and drives him to the therapist.
Winter: "So Johnny... Has Zarathos ever responded?"
Johnny: "No, not really. He's been rather quiet. I don't know why, but something feels off."
Winter: "Oh, ok then. Still, I want you to be careful out there when you're done, ok?"
Johnny: "Yeah, I will."
Winter then stopped the car, as Johnny then kissed Winter goodbye as he left the car.
Johnny: "Ok then, love ya."
Winter: "Love ya more, John."
Winter then drove away as Johnny then entered the therapy place, ready to start a new..... or so Johnny thought.
Elsewhere
Mephisto was sitting idly by in his throne, watching Johnny from aside, as he sipped his wine, and smiled menacingly. His son, Blackheart, then walked to him and kneeled down.
Blackheart: "Father, I wish to speak with you."
Mephisto: "You may speak."
Blackheart: "Just when can I find that Rider and kill him? I want him to pay for taking away my chance to the throne and for him defeating you."
Mephisto: "Patience, my son. Zarathos hasn't awakened just yet. But soon, he will in due time, with a little help from a certain friend of mine."
Blackheart: "And when he awakens?"
Mephisto: "He is of your choice of killing."
Elsewhere
Therapist: "Johnny? Where have you been, Johnny?"
Johnny: "I-I don't know. I just don't feel like my mind is in the right place right now."
Therapist: "Hm, interesting. And how do you not know where your mind is?"
Johnny: "You see, I've been trying some things to figure out whatever the hell is going on with me."
Therapist: "Did these "things" ever work for you?"
Johnny: "Honestly, no."
Therapist: "And how did it always end for you?"
Johnny: "Bad, it always ended very bad for me, Ms Hugh."
Ms Hugh: "I see. Bad is still progress, Johnny. How have the headaches been a scale of 1-10?"
Johnny: "It's always been a 10, because it never goes away. It feels like something is trying to get out or in."
Ms Hugh: "Ok then. How about your nights? How have those been?"
Johnny: "The nights...? They've always been confusing, and long."
Johnny's P.O.V
Because when I'm drinking myself to sleep, my brain goes pitch black like a midnight highway. Where I'm driving in the middle of nowhere, I'm just gone. Hurtling through this great big nothing until dawn comes. And when I don't drink.... the nightmares find me.
I'd always wake up feeling scared and helpless, hoping it wasn't real, I just don't feel like I'm safe around people. So most nights, I drink. It's like if you fill up a motorcycle with gas, you can see up farther ahead. But if you fill up a brain with whiskey, it has an opposite effect. Every sip empties you further until your eyelids drop, and you see nothing, go nowhere. That's where I like to be, in my happy place... nowhere.
I know I shouldn't be like this. I got everything I needed, my wives and my friends, even my team. Living in Vale is a safe place to be. We have a roof over our heads and enough money in the bank to not have to worry about groceries. Should be enough Yeah?
But then there's always something gnawing at me from the inside like a termite hollowing me inside out. All of them hollowed out places are filled with anger, sadness, agony, and dissatisfaction.
Exit Narration
Johnny: "Ok, that's probably about it for the day, right, Doc? Is our time up?"
Johnny then gets up and gets his jacket off the hanger. As he is about to leave, the therapist then stops him for a bit.
Ms Hugh: "For now, I will let you go. But you have to say it."
Johnny: "Do I have to?"
Ms Hugh: "Just this once."
Johnny just sighed and said the words, feeling like it would annoy him later.
Johnny: "My name is Johnny Blaze, and there is no such thing as monsters."
Ms Hugh: "That's good. Now feel free to head home now, Johnny."
Johnny: "Thanks, ma'am."
Ms Hugh: "Before you go, I want you to know that those words will help you, Johnny. Here's a prescription I'd like for you to use. Head over to the pharmacy this afternoon. These pills should help with your nightmares."
Johnny: "Thanks, Doc."
Ms Hugh: "Anytime."
Johnny's P.O.V
As I walked on the concrete side, I saw a police officer drive his car over to me, with a smile that caught me off guard.
Ryder: "Where you headed, Blaze?"
Johnny: "Just walking to the pharmacy, Sheriff Ryder."
Ryder: "Just walking, eh? You walk everywhere now. People are saying that you're scared to be behind the wheel."
Johnny: "Yeah... don't remind me."
It happened last week. In the middle of a night ride, I thought I saw something or someone as I fell off the bike, rolled at least 50 yards. Results were fractured skull, severe concussion, hematoma, and swelling on the brain. I had to get a painful surgery for this. Ever since then... things haven't been right. Both physically, mentally, and emotionally. But now it is a new day, and I'm not going to let this get the best of me ever again.
Johnny: "Look, I'm not here to waste my time. Plus, I already apologized for swinging at you."
Ryder: "That's not the point, Blaze. I just paid a little visit to the neighbor. Mrs Danvers said she's been calling for her dog all morning. Pim-Pim, I'm sure you know Pim-Pim. Little yapper that never shuts up."
Johnny: "Yeah, what of it?"
Ryder: "You see, Mrs Gunderson said she hadn't seen Pim-Pim. Not since she let him out for a whiz near dawn. Then she checked the mail and found shoved in the mailbox. Poor pup's neck was broken, blood and flesh everywhere. But I guess you don't know anything about it."
Johnny: "Nope, not a thing, Ryder."
Ryder: "Very well. I will be on my way, you stay safe, Johnny."
I then saw Ryder drove away, and I headed into the pharmacy. According to what it says, objects might be closer than they appear. It just makes me imagine if my whole life was like that, like you can't trust your eyes. But there's no such thing as monsters, right? I just need to keep repeating what the doctor said, and I'll be fine. As I was looking around, a pharmacist then asked me if I needed anything.
Pharmacist: "Need any help there?"
Johnny: "Yeah, I think a little help is what I need."
Timeskip
After I got my prescription, I walked out of the pharmacy and walked outside. I just kept thinking. No matter how many drinks I have with Qrow or with the boys, no matter how many times I spent with the family or my wives, I still feel so disconnected, so numb.
Sometimes, when I hear the roar of an engine on a distant highway, something makes me tense up, giving me a feeling like I want to vomit. Maybe it's the memory of the accident. Where my brain might as well be a bunch of rotten cobwebs. I don't remember crashing, but my body does.
And that feeling. That scary, tense, nevershredding, and horrifying feeling like its the noise of a highway. I kind of like it, but it's super painful. The highway noise... I keep trying to ignore it, at least for now....
Meanwhile, in 3rd P.O.V. Location: S.H.I.E.L.D Headquarters
Director Fury, Phil Coulson, and Agent Mack were having a conversation about some supernatural phenomenon going on. That one of the Avengers Johnny Blaze has been trapped into some kind of dream realm.
Coulson: "Will he be able to escape?"
Fury: "It depends. We're not sure if that spirit thing he has will wake up, but if so, then he will be fine."
Mack: "Anything on the other Avengers?"
Fury: "RWBY and JNPR are on a mission with Banner, Parker, Castle, and Murdock."
Coulson: "What about the others?"
Fury: "Sent on missions by Oscar. But enough talk, we have a guest over."
Mack: "And who might that guest be?"
The director then introduced them to a girl who was a devil known as Trish. She worked with the Devil May Cry agency for quite a while. She had a way with lightning, combat, and guns.
Fury: "Gentlemen, this is Trish. Trish, this is Agent Coulson and Agent Mack."
Trish: "Pleasure to meet you, boys."
Mack: "And why is she here?"
Fury: "She can sense the cases of supernatural, paranormal, or ominous type of threats that arrive. Maybe she can help us find our Avenger/Rider. Would you be willing to help us, Trish?"
Trish then lowered her glasses and raised an eyebrow at Fury, giving her the "what do you think?" Look. Fury nodded and assigned her the mission, Trish agreed and went on her red motorcycle and drove away to track the Ghost Rider out there....
Elsewhere
Johnny was helping out with his dad, Nero, and his step-father Barton. They both were repairing the van with Nico. Johnny, however, was having a bad ominous feeling about everything that something wasn't right.
Barton: "So hot-shot, you ever think about how your life could've gone a million different ways? You leave your driveway five seconds later, and you ignore the phone calls. Not to mention, you choose a different restaurant for take-out, and you decide to watch TV instead of make love, why is that?"
Johnny: "I guess it's just my mind playing games with me, Barton. Makes me feel like I'm going crazy, am I?"
Nero: "Is it about the crash, buddy?"
Johnny: "Well... It's about everything. Somehow, it feels I token a wrong turn."
Qrow: "Johnny, Johnny, calm down. You're a good husband to my nieces and those other girls. You're a great friend and business partner, can't you see? You're living Remnant's nightmare."
Johnny then turned around a little suspicious about what Qrow said. Qrow then said that he was living Remnant's dream, which Johnny said, but yet again, a bit suspicious about everything that's going on.
Johnny: ('Something just isn't right...')
Another Timeskip in Johnny's P.O.V
As I got back from work. I then had visions of Yang and Ruby as demons. It almost made me vomit as I quickly ran to the bathroom and barfed inside the toilet. It made Yang and Ruby concerned, same for Weiss and Blake as they walked to me, and I just knew something was not right. I then noticed something was off, and the necklaces I had given them were rings.
Johnny: "I don't remember giving you girls those rings."
Blake: "Johnny, are you feeling alright?"
Johnny: "Just what's going on here? What is this?"
Yang: "Johnny, are you ok?"
Johnny: "Stay back whoever you are."
Soon, I then heard a knock at the door, I then ran to the door and quickly opened it to see a man in a black cloak, smiling at me.
Johnny: "Who are you?"
Zeb: "Names Zeb, I hate to break it to you, but those ladies aren't your wives, and this isn't Vale."
Johnny: "What are you?"
Zeb: "I'm a magician, a scout sent by others to find you, and help you escape this illusion."
Johnny: "What are you talking about? Is anything you're saying making sense, or are you lying?"
Zeb laughed at me. It left me confused as he then explained to me that I was the one really living a lie. As soon as he continued talking, the police car then ran him over into a tree. It left me surprised to see if he was OK. Ryder then stepped out to let everyone know that everything was fine.
Johnny: "Ryder, what the hell! Me and him were just talking. Have you lost your damn mind?!"
Zeb then reached over to me, his hand glowing a familiar flame, as I heard a familiar voice.
"Johnny..."
Johnny: "Zarathos? Is that you?"
"Take it....take the flame, take back what was stolen away from you...."
I then nodded and grabbed the flame. I felt a surge of power, as it all came to me, this was not Vale.... it was a lie! All of it was, and I was trapped in this prison for far too long, I then felt the power back. As my outfit changed and the Ghost Rider returns!
To be continued...