Lockheart rematerialized inside her office, still staggered by the damage she had taken. Even her powers couldn't stand against a coordinated assault. Maybe Azrael had a point... As soon as she had recovered a bit, she pulled out her cell phone, only to find that Rainbow's lightning had fried it. She threw it at the wall in anger, and ripped her desk phone from its receiver. She took no time at all entering the number she wanted.

"That you, boss?" Thatch answered on the other end. "Did you have fun?"

"This isn't a game," Lockheart snapped back sternly. "We harshly underestimated our enemies. Fall back. Just take the subjects to have and bring them here."

"Wait, what?" Thatch wondered. "We're done, just like that?"

"We can't deal with these people by ourselves," she replied. "We need to regroup, prepare...and come at them with a much better plan."

Even across the phone line, she could feel Thatch's sadistic smile. "I think I have a few ideas..."

Daniel walked down the highway, as he had for the past day or so. As he moved, the empty plains made way for a tall mountain pass, and finally a dense forest. Eventually, as the moon finished its ascent through the sky and started its journey back down, he finally decided to rest. He found a nice grove right by the highway, slumped down next to a great oak, and closed his eyes to sleep...

So far, and not a hint of civilization in site, Luna noted. Are you sure you know where you're going? What you're doing?

In his mindscape, Daniel gave her a smart smile. You're seriously worried about not seeing a town? Didn't the pony version of this place require trains to get ponies to the next town over? This seems about right for a nice stroll.

My, you seem to be enjoying this, she noticed, smiling back.

Though there was no point in the empty space of his own mind, Daniel looked up...and truly smiled for the first time in a long while. Guess the long walk is getting to me too, in a different way. No civilization, but also no enemies, no battles, no bloodshed. For once in my life, however briefly, I can experience peace. And you know what? It feels pretty good. He looked back to Luna. Kind of ironic, now that I think about it. I've been fighting to protect some semblance of peace, but all I've done is create chaos. Heh. Guess I'm not good at my job, am I?

Luna looked away, but then chuckled slightly. Is that how you truly feel? she asked. Maybe you haven't done the best job, but if you truly want to protect others, just keep trying. You can make yourself better?

Can I really? Daniel asked, turning somber again as he summoned some astral mist. The mist had no real purpose in his mindscape, but he created the image for effect. Look at me. I am the warrior, the destroyer, not a knight in shining armor. And even if I do succeed...I couldn't protect what mattered...

Luna was slightly taken aback. Did you really care for me that much? she asked.

Daniel paused for a while before answering. Even with what little time we had...yeah, he replied. I saw in you someone I could relate to, someone who could share my darkness. If I had only been stronger...

Luna placed a hoof on Daniel's mental form. There is no need to be so hard on yourself, she reassured him. You did all you could. And for what it's worth, I am still here for you. The two embraced. The gesture was fleeting within Daniel's mind, but the emotions behind it were strong regardless.

Think it's time to rest, Daniel mentioned. We've got a long day ahead of us. Heck knows this mess won't clean itself up.

All of a sudden, Daniel's eyes shot open. For whatever reason, his instincts told him he needed to be aware. He looked around the forest, searching for some sort of danger that might have woken him from his slumber.

It didn't take long for him to find it, as he noticed Charade heading down the road, going back the way Daniel had come. Only, Charade didn't seem to pay him any mind. Daniel's dark clothes may have helped him blend into the woods and the darkness, but not enough to be invisible, especially not with the moonlight shining off his blue scarf. So, Charade just didn't bother to acknowledge him? Why?

As the reason started to click in his head, Daniel confronted the wizard. "Where are you going at this hour?" he asked in a sarcastically nonchalant tone.

Only now did Charade turn to acknowledge his presence...only to turn right back around and keep moving away. Or at least he did, until Daniel called out:

"What am I to you?"

Charade stopped in his tracks, and turned fully toward the grim reaper. "...what?"

"What am I to you?" Daniel repeated. "Clearly you don't think I'm a threat. Pretty sure you'd care about running into your adversary. So what do you think I am?"

Charade was silent, but the uncovered half of his face said everything. He wasn't trying to hide anything; rather his eye showed a sea of confusion, like Daniel's query broke his understanding of what he thought was a simple concept. Like the poor sap who gets a whole bunch of conditional questions in response to what should have been a simple yes or no question.

Daniel continued. "And what were Azrael and Baphomet to you? What were all those people you killed in those experiments to you? What is your daughter to you?" Every question fueled a burning rage inside of Charade as he struggled to understand what Daniel was talking about.

"I think I finally understand now," Daniel began. "I understand why you still want to empower Trixie, even though she's horrified by your actions. I understand why you ever thought this was okay. You completely lack empathy; you have emotions, but you cannot perceive the emotions of others. Guess your mad scientist business is so much easier when you see others as soulless objects. Those poor people you killed? Disposable. Your successes? Mere tools. Me? Hmph, why should you care? Your daughter? Just an object you happen to care for, like a beloved stuffed animal."

As he said all of this, astral mist swirled around him, and he slowly walked toward the magician. As he finished, he formed his scythe. "You've shown just how dangerous a person like you can be. Really, this world is better off without you." He lunged forward, ready to strike Charade down, but the magician simply teleported away. He reappeared behind the grim reaper, and threw a card at him. It cut into his back, and exploded.

"Dammit..." Daniel cursed while on the ground, making Charade smile slightly in arrogance. That smile quickly faded, however, as the grim reaper simply got up like he was unharmed. "I just got this jacket."

He shot off an astral blast while Charade was off guard, blowing him into a nearby tree. While he was shocked, he rushed the magician again. Unfortunately, Charade came to his senses early, and teleported away. He once again reappeared and threw an explosive card...only for Daniel to simply catch it.

"You have some cool tricks," Daniel retorted, "but they just don't compare to true power. Maybe you shouldn't have exiled your toys."

Daniel threw the card back, but Charade teleported out of the way. As the magician did this, however, Daniel shot off astral spikes in a random direction. Sure enough, Charade reappeared right in the spikes' path, getting himself pinned to a tree. Daniel released him, only to grab him from behind and hold his scythe blade to his neck.

"I should kill you right now," Daniel told him, clearly willing to go through with his declaration. Charade began to panic.

NO!

Suddenly, a bright light shone from Daniel's eyes, and when the light faded, they were green. Not the malicious green of his nightmare eyes, but the calm blue-green of the eyes Luna had in life. He released Charade from his hold. The magician held a hand to his throat as he gasped for breath.

"May I ask, what purpose do you have in this forest?" Though Daniel's body spoke, it was Luna's voice that escaped his lips.

"My daughter..." Charade began. "I caught word that those fools in the government had taken her. I must get her back, or all my work will be for nothing..."

"Then go. Go to your daughter." Charade looked back at the grim reaper one last time, then teleported away.

Daniel shut his eyes tight, and when they reopened, they were blood red once more. Why did you do that!?

What you were about to do crossed the line into cold blooded murder, Luna explained. I won't allow you to kill someone who cannot properly fight back.

I keep forgetting how naive you ponies are, Daniel shot back. You've seen what that man has done. He can't be allowed to do as he pleases. And his daughter would be much better off without him by this point. Really, after what he's done, he might as well BE dead to her. Trust me, Luna, you will regret stopping me today.

Are you threatening me!? Luna asked, aghast.

Of course not, Daniel replied, but now he's free to do something far worse. Perhaps my actions were wrong, but I could have solved a lot of our problems by killing him here.

That is not the way of a guardian, Luna scolded. I thought you said you wanted to fight so others could enjoy peace.

Daniel turned away from her. I also told you that I'm no knight in shining armor.

Author's Note

It's hard to tell if I'm writing Luna right, mainly because I'm dealing with alternate Reflections Luna, not the princess we know.