Chapter Five: Plans and the Rise of an empire

Shadow Sniper was meditating at the Red base of 2fort and under the dark of the moonlit night. Until his master Sombra called out to him. ‘My apprentice,’ he said to him, ‘It is almost time.’

“I know master,” he nodded to his master, “And I have a plan.” He then got up and opened a portal to the Everfree Forest.

He walked through it and he was in the area of the Castle of the two Royal Sisters. ‘What is it here that can help you defeat Sparkle?’ Sombra asked his student.

“Not in the castle, master,” Shadow Sniper replied to him as he jumped down the canyon that borders the castle to the rest of the forest that ruin was facing, “It’s what’s under the castle that shall help defeat Twilight Sparkle.” He walked into a cave and there in front of him was the Tree of Harmony, but it had many dark plants called Plunder vines spreading quickly around it and far into the forest.

‘Plunder vines,’ Sombra said to him.

“Yes, I plan to take these vine’s powers and use them against Miss Sparkle,” he nodded to his master. He performed a spell on the Plunder vines, taking their dark magical energy and combine it with his own. As this was happening, the Plunder vines began to slowly wither into dust from having their energy taken away. He could feel the power of these vines and it was glorious to him. And with that new power combined with his dark magic, he would most certainly be able to crush Twilight Sparkle.

An hour past as Shadow Sniper had finally drained the last of the Plunder vines energy causing the plants to wither away into nothing but dust. He now felt even stronger than ever before now. “Yes! I feel the power coursing through my blood!” He roared just as a new Plunder vine suddenly came out of the ground, “What is this?” Then it started to move as if he was controlling it.

‘Interesting, it seems you have gained the power to summon and control the Plunder vines,’ Sombra said to his student with interest.

“How is this possible?” he asked as he made the Plunder vine disappear.

‘It must have been from taking the Plunder vine energy,’ his master replied to him. Shadow Sniper then looked at his hand for a moment and then gave out an evil smile under his double-cross com.

“And it might just help me against Sparkle,” Shadow Sniper laughed, “Oh this shall be rich, the Element of Magic shall be defeated by the magic she had already faced before.”

Meanwhile with Twilight…

Twilight was busy working on new spells and skills so she can be ready to fight the Shadow Sniper. She had to be ready for anything for she hasn’t fought something like this guy before. This made her worried as well for it maybe her first fight without her friends at her side. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. “Who’s there?” she snapped to whoever was at the door.

“I’m a friend,” a familiar voice said as a white Pegasus came from the door wearing a vest, a cloak, and a mask. He was a stallion with a reputation to show for it.

“White Lance, what are you doing here?” she asked him in surprise, “I thought you were looking for a friend of your’s.” They met before the Canterlot Wedding began and White Lance had fought Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings of for the girls so they could get the Elements of Harmony.

“I came back here to help you Twilight,” White Lance replied to her.

“I’m sorry White Lance, but Shadow Sniper is wanting me to fight him alone,” Twilight said to him.

“You don’t understand what powers this human is capable of,” he told her, “I have sensed great anger, hate, I do not think you can handle him alone.” she turned to face his masked eyes. The eyes appeared from behind the sky blue colored glass telling her that he was telling her the truth of a possible danger.
“Alright, you can help me White Lance,” Twilight admitted to him.

“I know a pony up north that makes armor out from the metal that comes from my fallen nation,” he said as he summoned a suit of armor with his magic, “And I asked him to make some armor for you.” Even though White Lance was a Pegasus pony, he is one of many Earth ponies and Pegasi that were born with magical abilities. He gave Twilight the armor as she looked at the armor’s helmet. She knew that White Star Pony armor was the strongest and lightest battle gear ever used.
“I’m not really sure if the armor can actually stand against the likes of the Shadow Sniper’s dark magic,” she said to him with a concern in her voice.

“You know all too well how strong my nations armor is and it is better than nothing,” the White Star Pony stated, “Oh, and I also had a friend forge a sword and shield.” He soon summoned her new sword and shield that was in the shape of the lavender Unicorn’s cutie mark with his magic. He then gave them to her. She used her own magic to grab the two pieces of equipment.
“Thank you for these White Lance,” Twilight thanked her friend.

“You’re welcome Twilight,” White Lance said as he left the library to herself. She then looked back at her armors helmet and had some new confidence. With the White Star Pony helping her and the new armor that will protect her in the battle, she might stand a chance against the Shadow Sniper.
‘But I have to think of a plan,’ she thought to herself. She then got right back to her books.

Back with the Shadow Sniper…

Shadow Sniper was meditating while controlling the Plunder vines he had just summoned with his new powers. He was starting to enjoy it as he began to spread them across the map. ‘Shadow Sniper,’ Sombra said to his student, ‘this is the last day before the duel.’
“I know master,” he nodded as he released his grip on his Plunder vines, “And I shall make sure she shall fail in front of an audience.” He snapped his fingers as a group of Plunder vines appeared each holding a different class of mercenary.

What he was doing was transforming every single mercenary in the map into his kind of soldiers of war. They were a part of the audience that would be watching the duel. But he started sensing another force joining in the duel. “Master, I sense a presence that shall join with Twilight Sparkle in the duel,” Shadow Sniper explained to his master.
‘Yes, I sense it too,’ Sombra said, ‘And it’s a presence I haven’t felt in over a thousand years.’

He began to let the Plunder vines’ grip on the mercenaries go. And they had been transformed into the loyal soldiers he sought with their eyes green, and their minds changed to serve their new lord and master. “Even so, we shall crush it and Miss Sparkle,” Shadow Sniper said with confidence.
‘Be careful my student,’ Sombra told his best student, ‘This force is just as powerful as you are.’
“Yes master,” he said to him as he turned to his new soldiers.

“Alright you bloody fools, I am going to train you all on how to fight in both the old and the new ways,” he barked to them, “And we shall defeat the corrupt Red and Blu administrations and build an empire. Do you all understand what we are going to do?”
“Yes lord Shadow Sniper!” they all replied to him.
“I have some books on our new ways,” he said to them as he presented a large number of books, “I want you all to study for the day. Tomorrow we are off to the duel against the killer of my master.”

Yes lord Shadow Sniper,” they said as he pulled them into groups. As they studied, Shadow Sniper was busy working on mastering the Plunder vines. And he soon found out that the more Plunder vines he summons, he is able to become more powerful. Within just an hour, he has mastered the Plunder vines. Now, he was ready to face Twilight Sparkle and this new force himself, but at the same time he has to take responsibilities for his new empire he has forged.

He plans to return to this world after the duel even if he did lose and start the campaign to crush the Blus and the Reds for good. After that, he sees the responsibility to maintain the empire, help advance human technology, science, industry, and weaponry. But he knew that destroying Red and Blu won’t be easy because he needs a way to get the mercenaries on those teams to defect to his side. Though he knows that this was all for possible futures. The plan he is more focused on is to defeat Twilight Sparkle.

Back in Equestria…

Twilight, her friends, and White Lance were discussing a plan to stop the Shadow Sniper. Even though White Lance was the strategist stallion, but he wanted to hear the plans that the girls have. But they don’t know what he and Twilight should do in the duel. “White Lance, do you have a plan?” the lavender Unicorn asked him.
“He may know I have joined the fight so he is going to be more careful when he fights you and me,” the White Star Pony said to the girls, “So, I’ll try to keep him distracted while you can strike the Shadow Sniper from behind.”

“But what if it doesn’t work?” the orange Earth Pony known as Applejack asked him.
“I’ll think off something,” he replied to his friend.
“Well, the duel is tomorrow so we have to get a plan quick as some of us get some sleep,” the white Unicorn known as Rarity said with a yawn, “Goodnight everypony.”
“Goodnight all,” Applejack said as she and Rarity left. The other girls went home as well, but when White Lance got home, he went to his training room to train for the night.

With the Shadow Sniper…

He was still training with the Plunder vines when the timer on his watch went off. “Well, time for them to finish up,” he said to himself. He went into the former Red base as he saw that they were finished with the books. “Excellent work men,” he said to them as they turned to face him in surprise, “The duel is tomorrow.”
“What do you want us to do my lord?” one of the scouts asked him.

“Well Scout, since you asked, I want three snipers, two soldiers, pyros, and spies, four engineers, three scouts and heavies to stay here in case the Reds and Blus try to reclaim this map,” he told them as he got in front of a Medic. He looked at him dead in the face. “And I am leaving you in charge Medic.”
“Th-thank you lord Shadow Sniper,” he thanked in loss of words.
“Don’t get emotional on me, Medic,” the black hearted sniper said to him, “And that goes for the rest of you as well.”

“Now the rest of you will come with me as an audience,” he continued, “Am I understood!?”
“Yes lord Shadow Sniper,” they all replied to him.
“Be ready for tomorrow,” he finished. They took it as a sign to set up around the map. Shadow Sniper gave them shifts to keep watch around the map.

During the night he was planning for the duel. “Mister Sniper,” a mysterious voice said to him. He quickly pulled out his katana feeling a possible threat.
“Who is here, in my own office?” he asked the voice to attack at a moments notice.
“Please, Mister Sniper I mean you no harm,” the voice said as a pale man with dark grayish hair, cosmic green eyes, and wearing a grayish-blue suit appeared from the darkness.

This man had a briefcase in his left hand. He was somebody that he had never seen before. “Who are you?” he asked him, “You don’t look like someone from the Blus nor anyone that I am familiar with.”
“Who I am is not a matter of importance right now,” the man replied to the new economic emperor, “But my employers have an offer for you.”
“Well then, tell your employers that I am busy at the moment,” Shadow Sniper said to him, “I will hear their offer my after my matter of importance is crushed.”

The man looked at him curiously before saying to him, “Very well then, but they shall not keep this offer held up for long.”
“I shall keep that in mind,” the new economic emperor said as the mysterious man faded into the darkness. He put his katana away and got back to his plans. And just a few minutes later, he has a plan. He is sure this plan was perfect.

And yet he had to be prepared for this fight. He doesn’t want to suffer the same fate of his master. He has to keep his opponents on the defensive. His plan was to surround their fighting area with his Plunder vines to make him stronger than his enemy. He hopes to have the advantage over the duel with this plan.

But the Reds and Blus are also a serious issue to his plans. He knows that they will be a threat to his empire. They will most likely try to reclaim 2fort from him. But at least he is going to leave a defensive force while he is at the duel. After the duel, he shall start making plans to conquer the two teams, take control of the world while making an alliance with the minor teams like Grn, Yellow, and Purple.

He also has to get ahead of the world in technology as well. And he has an idea to do just that. “Spies, report to my office at once,” he said to them on the inner com.
“You called us lord Shadow Sniper?” a Spy asked as he and four other spies appeared from the shadows.
“I have an assignment for you,” their emperor replied to them as he handed the spies a portfolio, “The Reds and Blus here in Mannworks are having trouble fighting the machines.”

“What do you want us to do about it my lord?” the Spy asked taking the portfolio. They began to look through the layout of the map of Mannworks.
“The Red and Blu administrations are doing nothing to help them,” Shadow Sniper replied again, “I want you to give them an offer; you create and share the plans to your mech suits, and join our empire, in return we can pay you great respect while helping you protect Mannworks.”
“Of course lord Shadow Sniper,” the Spy nodded to him as they left his office. Everything was falling into place for the Shadow Sniper.

He privately spoke to the Medic he has left in command of 2fort while he was going to be at the duel. He told him to convince the Reds and Blus in the trade maps to join their empire. They were going to need more mannpower to take on the Reds and Blus that oppose them. This and Mannworks were going to happen while he is at the duel. He is going to make sure that this empire survives.

To be continued...

Author's Note

Okay sorry for the long wait guys I was pretty caught up with my arts, other fanfics and so on. But I added a little joke in the story I'm sure you will find it. And I'm also sure you this new character that has come to Shadow Sniper with an offer. But anyways, that's all I will have the next chapter ready when I can get to it.