Reaper: Grand Charade

by Ise no Kami

Alone

In the middle of nowhere, a small crack formed in the earth. It grew and grew, opening up into a fissure wide enough for three people to fit through, falling into the raging fires of hell that flared from within. A dark red claw grabbed on to the edge, hoisting Baphomet up from the abyss. His short time in the world beyond hadn't helped his sanity, and had in fact given him a new outlet for his madness. Within the fires of hell, he had seen another demon, one he knew on sight to be that red-haired girl he'd seen in the city. He recalled this image, and smiled darkly. He would destroy this world and build a new one upon its ruins, ruling over all...and she would be his queen.

---

Daniel's eyes slowly opened as he struggled his way back to consciousness. What he saw was...surprising, to say the least. He was lying on grass at the edge of a park, under the shade of an oak tree. All around the park, mile high buildings spread out for quite a distance in every direction. The park in front of him was filled with people, each taking in this small patch of nature. In front of him, a mother played with her child on a nearby bench, not even noticing the groggy stranger waking up behind them.

"They can't see us."

With a start, Daniel turned to see Charade standing in the shade of another nearby tree. "It's another little trick my magic gives me, one I've used to 'teleport' objects other than myself. While my spell lasts, we cannot be heard or seen, except by those also under its effects."

"What do you want?" Daniel asked, going on the defensive.

"I just wanted to fill you in on what's been happening in the last month," Charade replied. "It's the least I can do to thank you."

"Thank me? For wrecking your home and all of your work?"

"Oh, that is a shame, but it's brought about much more positive developments," Charade mentioned, before telling Daniel everything Azrael had told Shimmer. "In fact, I just received news implying my daughter one of those who have acquired powers due to your meddling. Sadly, those government fools have captured her, and appear capable of holding her...but that won't last long. Still, that's not the only good thing to come out of all this. Thanks to you, the cap has been blown off the magic well, and it's pouring out far more magic than it ever did when I was using it. My dear Trixie may have power now, but if I can simply get her to that well and soak her in its magic, she could rival the power of a god!"

"Yeah, because of course you can," Daniel replied flatly. "Is your daughter all you care about? Do you feel nothing for all those corpses I saw lying in a damn pile in your lab? Can't even imagine how your 'precious daughter' felt when she saw that mess."

"True, those deaths were a shame," Charade admitted, "but so long as I can give Trixie as much power as I can, nothing else matters."

"Really now," Daniel shot back. "One more question, then: do you truly believe your 'precious daughter' will want the power you're giving her after everything you've done to get it? Do you really think that she'd want anything covered in so much blood?"

"...she wasn't supposed to know," Charade grumbled. "I would never show my daughter such a gruesome scene. Even so, now that she knows, I'm sure that she'll understand that this has all been for her benefit."

"She won't understand crap!" Daniel roared, flaring with astral power. "How many times in a row do I have to tell you that until it makes its way into your thick skull!?"

"If that is how you believe this tale will end, then our conversation is at an end," Charade replied nonchalantly. "However, I know my daughter far better than you do. I know she'll see things my way in the end." He snapped his fingers, and the crowd finally noticed the two. Though they were surprised at first, they soon began cheering the blue magician. Charade pulled off his half mask, turned to the crowd, and raised his arm to the sky as he took in the praise. "Yes, thank you, thank you everyone. So sorry this is a one time thing."

Daniel's hand flared with astral energy, but Charade halted his assault with a subtle gesture. "Don't be so hasty, boy," Charade warned him. "You wouldn't attack me, the Great Gramarye, in front of all my adoring fans, would you? No, that wouldn't reflect well on you at all."

"Aw, that's cute," Daniel chuckled. "You actually think I give a crap." He raised his arm, and shot forth an astral spike. Charade disappeared before the attack could connect, leaving the crowd to flee in terror from the psycho and his killer magic blasts.

Charade reappeared nearby once the park had cleared out. "Well, I guess I did misjudge you," he noted. "Bravo. Simply bravo."

"Go to hell," Daniel simply replied, before Charade disappeared once more.

Daniel started to leave himself, but something stopped him, a voice echoing in his mind.

Do you really care so little for the people you wish to protect?

In the metaspace within Daniel's mind, the soul of Luna stood behind him, staring him down with a judging glare.

Daniel didn't even bother turning to her. Why should I? They've given me no reason to bother with them...

---

I was an outcast on my world from the moment I was born. Everyone despised my dark powers, and treated me like the monsters that roamed the wilds. They shunned me, abused me, and left me for dead at the mercy of those same monsters. Some cities even formed mobs to directly try to kill me. And, as I'd find later, this animosity wasn't restricted to the world of humans. Heaven, hell, the world of magic, no one wanted anything to do with me.

In light of all this, I was forced to fight back. I developed my dark powers, smote those monsters that tried to prey on me, and showed those who tried to attack me the true terror they were dealing with. And so I fought against every single living being in my world for every second of life I had...

...until Lucifer revealed himself, and tried to take me under his wing. Right away, I realized that even he was another enemy of mine, a petty fool who saw me only as a weapon. To be honest, he barely even tried to hide his intentions. I had no love for the people of my world, but I wouldn't let myself be used to destroy them, not when their crimes were only against me. And so I raised my scythe against him, my first battle that wasn't in self-defense.

Eventually, I found out that, by killing Lucifer, I too would die. Now, doing so simply sent us to Equestria and removed this restriction, but at the time, I still went along with it without a second thought. So what if I died saving the world from Lucifer? No one would miss me. Hell, they'd probably celebrate my death just as much as his. Good riddance...

---

As Daniel finished this flashback, he looked back at Luna, who was horrified by his story. Were the people of your world really so cruel?

More than you know, Daniel replied, fading out of his metaspace and back into the real world. I'll make sure the common people don't die, but after that, screw 'em. It's not like they've done anything for me...