Forsaken History I: The Steel Driver

In what seemed to be the Ghost "passing out", was actually something far more... Interesting. His consciousness was dragged deep within himself, as if some force demanded he appear before it. Once his eyes opened, he wasn't in a hospital nor did he appear to be in Greater Ottawa anymore.

The sky was a deep crimson red, the land was barren for no tree, no flowers could bloom here. What had once looked to be small ponds of water were now ponds of fire and blood. The heat from the red star seemed to bake everything under the stars watch and care. As he turned around, there was a mountain looming in the red hue of the land's light. 

"This place... It looks so familiar and yet... like a hellscape unlike anything I could've..."

The Ghost's thought was interrupted by the loud slam of something in the distance. As he moved towards the sound, steel I-beams were on the ground in a line, as if... Another loud slam put the Ghost on the defense as he made his way forwards. However, the noise had seemingly stopped at what seemed to be a tunnel carved through the mountain. The Ghost peered into the dark tunnel, trying to find what was making such a ruckus. However, a gale force wind slammed into his chest launching him backwards. He slammed into the ground and rolled to a stop. However, he quickly got onto his feet in his fighting stance, but as he looked, he saw above the mouth of the tunnel were the words, "Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad" had been seemingly carved into the mountain's face.

As his eyes looked back to the tunnel entrance, a pair of glowing red eyes pierced the mountain's dark gaze over the land. The Ghost watched what could only be described as a six-foot-tall, two-hundred-pound pure muscle, oxen of a man marching towards him. The exhaled breath of his nostrils let out vents of steam as the man slammed a pair of sledgehammers down onto railroad spikes as he walked. Songs of labored steeldrivers began to rise in a dark tone as giant of a man approached him. As he did get closer, the Ghost dropped his defensive posture. 

"I-I... I know you." Stammered the Ghost in an absolutely baffled and awe-struck state of mind. His eyes affixed upon the man now towering over his meer five-foot-nine-inch stature. The man's breathing was labored and each exhale left a warm sensation on the Ghost's face. 

"You know me?" Started the oxen of a man in a thick, heavy southern accent, "Not fucking likely." He raised the two hammers to strike the Ghost but was caught off guard when the Ghost caught his hammers by the handles and called out to him.

"YOUR NAME IS JOHN HENRY. THE AMERICAN STEEL-DRIVER FOLKLORE LEGEND." Started the Ghost with a yell, "You came to Summers Country, West Virginia for work, but not of your own accord. You were one of many convicts sentenced to the railroad building of America. You died after beating a steam-powered drill and your heart gave out." The Ghost looked up at the man, "So yes... I do know who you are, John Henry."

The man nodded slowly, eyes loosening their stiff look of betrayal they'd portrayed just moments before. John Henry lifted the two sledgehammers away from the Ghost before speaking to him. "Here I thought all Americans had surely forgotten my name." 

"I will and have never forgotten who you are." Said the Ghost as he looked at the American Legend. 

"Probably wondering why I brought you here, right?" Asked John as he set his hammers down.

"Yes sir, I am wondering about that."

"Hans. You adopted families' great predecessor, the first of your line. He did explain that new people would be watching you right?"

"Yes sir... although, I'm failing to see how you tie into the abilities."

John shook his head and bopped the Ghost on the head lightly. "Use that mechanical mind of yours that he refused to stop bragging about. What do trains and your abilities have in common?"

The Ghost thought for a moment, then looked up. "They were the first of their kind. While experts say trains have no transfer case or differential, they had to transfer steam compressive energy into forward and backward motion as well as keep each wheel rotating at the same speed." 

"Seems Hans was right about you." John said with a light chuckle. "What I'm going to do for you, is far stronger than that of any vehicle's diff and transfer case you've ever known. The technique is called "Epicyclic Gearing". This technique will allow you to transfer the full power of that will, into pure, unfiltered, heavy-hitting strength. Do keep in mind, this technique does come with immense backlash. You'll have more power here than in the transfer case aspect of your abilities, but it comes at a significant risk to your body. Think you can handle it?"

John looked at the Ghost skeptically as he finished speaking. As he did, his skepticism was met by the Ghost taking a deep breath and engaging the new facet of his ability. "Underestimation of me.... is exactly what cost Rothschild his arm... Make no mistake, I shall be a Hero of Perseverance and Indomitable Willpower."

John smiled and grasped the Ghost arm in a type of handshake. "I'll be holding you to that... Ghost of Ottawa. I'll be with you from now on, no more of this kind of meeting."

"That'd be great." Said the Ghost. However, John looked at him and poked his finger into the Ghost chest. 

"You go out there, and when you face him, show him the Legacy of Forgotten American Legends. We all stood up for something, now it's your turn to redefine our history, our hopes and dreams. Do this for us, for yourself and the future to follow you."

"I swear to you, John Henry. I shall do more than that. I shall immortalize the past and the present for the future's sake."

"Good. I'm counting on you."

The Ghost's eyes snapped open to find himself being carried out of the lab. He stopped the scientists and tech-ceo from taking him to hospital. As he stood up fully, the auburn sun glinted just right for Dr. Madie Sue to see the Ghost and what she could only describe as the vestige of John Henry standing beside him, both with their fists clenched, staring out into Greater Ottawa. As Dr. Sue moved towards them, John turned his head towards her with a grin and put a single finger up to his lips with a smile as he vanished from her view, allowing the Ghost to head into the city unaided and stronger than he'd left it.