Changeling Empire

"This is bad! Miasma is repeating the scenes over and over again.", Assassin Creed said. "If this keeps on going Celestia's psyche will break beyond repair."

"Then there's no choice. We have to sleep and draw Miasma into our dreams.", Shining Armor said. "I'll start just in case Miasma is hiding something else from us."

Shining puts on the headphones and lies down.

"You guards keep watch.", Storm Cloud orders two guards. "If something happens wake him up."

"While Shining Armor is playing the bait we must discuss our other problem.", Assassin said. "With Celestia in a coma and Luna in bad condition we have no one to move the sun and moon."

"I wish I could help, but my magic can't do something like that.", Cadance said.

"Why don't you do to the magic transfer method, like when you gave your magic to Twilight like cowards?", Storm Cloud said bitterly.

"We couldn't let Tirek get our magic and Twilight was the only one who can keep it safe.", Cadance points out.

"Safe?!", Storm Cloud shouts in rage. "You gave an inexperienced alicorn among one of the most powerful magic in all of Equestria. What would've happened if someone else like Gold Star knew about it?"

Cadance simply stares at Storm Cloud in silence.

"He would've taken her and used her for his experiments. He might've used her to improve his already mass-produced Dark Alicorns.", Storm Cloud said. "I don't see what so great about you alicorns. From what I've seen so far you've been nothing more that damsels in distress or victims."

With that said Storm Cloud storms off.

"While what he said is harsh, I'm afraid I must agree with him.", Assassin said. "The only reason we remained safe was because of Twilight and her friends. Eventually, the Changelings will turn them into our enemies and we'll have to face them. The question is are you strong enough to face them physically and mentally?"

"Twilight and her friends have always been the ones to save Equestria and now many threats knows this and will stop at nothing until they are gone or use them for their evil.", Cadance said starting to cry. "If I had the strength to protect you."

"This is your chance to make it up to her, but for now we must focus on the current matter at hand.", Assassin said.

"I'm worried about Shining.", Cadance said. "He's been talking to himself on how much of a failure he's been."

"Well he did get mind control by a weakest Changeling Queen, have his magic sealed my Sombra, have him magic stolen by Tirek, get kidnapped by the Changelings, wasn't around when you turned to stone and just got his sister taken by his former best friend.", Assassin points out. "It's a good thing he didn't see any of that or we would have done something suicidal."

"What do you mean suicidal?", Cadance asks in shock.

"Well, since you're his wife I best that I tell you.", Assassin said. "You remember Shining Armor charging his sword with his magic to deliver the final blow on Blast, right?"

"Yes."

"You see the weapons the Paladins use is made of a special crystal that not found in Equestria.", Assassin said. "The crystal absorbs the magic given from the user into a lethal strike. For example you can fire a four alicorn powered large blast straight towards Tirek and wants out of it unharmed, but if fire a small blast with the same about of power it would be fatal, in other words a piercing shot rather than a highly destructive blast. The crystal however can also absorb an alternate source of energy."

"What would that be?", Cadance asks.

"Life Energy. In other words your own life force.", Assassin said grimly. "While the process is similar to how we do it with magic, the downside is that after it is done the use will fall into a coma or worse death."

Hearing that word horrified Cadance.

"Shining Armor nearly did so and there's more."

Shining Armor weakly enters his room and grabs his sword.

"Shining, what are you doing?!", Assassin said coming out of the shadow. "You know a charge up with your life force means death!"

"That monster and that treacherous draconequus is heading to my wife and aunt-in-laws!", Shining said pulling his sword out of the sheath. "I'm going to end those two if that's the last thing I do."

"Even if you did finish off Tirek and Discord, you'll just leave your wife and sister devastated if you die.", Assassin points out.

"Perhaps, but I don't know what Tirek will do to them. He may just kill them!", Shining Armor attempting to charge up his sword.

"Stop!", Assassin shouts moving to stop Shining, but it was too late. Suddenly a needle jabs Shining's neck knocking him out. "What the?"

"Always the reckless type.", Gold Star said leaning on the window.

"Gold Star!", Assassin shouts activating his wrist blades.

"Hey now! I'm not here to fight and you should thank me.", Gold Star said. "If I hadn't done that Shining Armor would be dead."

"What's the catch?", Assassin asks. "You wouldn't do something like that without getting something in return."

"You got me. Not only did that needle inject him with sleeping drugs, but also something you would say impossible.", Gold Star said.

"What what would that be?"

"Creating an alicorn.", Gold Star shocking Assassin.

"But becoming an alicorn can only be done through certain trials like Cadance and Twilight did."

"Oh, you mean the weak natural way?", Gold Star asks. "I've seen their capabilities and I'm far from impress. Shining Armor will be the first of my Artificial Alicorns. They surpass the capabilities of the Natural Alicorns by a hundred making them obsolete or course there is still for improvement."

"You! You're the one who freed Tirek!", Assassin said in realization. "You to be the hero by defeating him and take hold of Equestria."

"That's the plan, but of course I always have a consolation prize should something go wrong, but I doubt I'll have any need of it from how things a progressing so far.", Gold Star arrogantly. "Oh and by the way, Shining Armor will slowly become an Artificial Alicorn should he give into his rage."

With that said Gold takes his leave by jumping out the window.

"You think what Gold Star said is true?", Cadance asks in horror.

"That's what we're here to find out.", Assassin said. "Should Shining become an Artificial Alicorn in the dream world, then there's no doubt he'll do the same here. I just hope it's a lie."

"I hope so too."

"By the way, what I told you would be his first nightmare. The other is rather complicated."

"What do you mean complicated."

In the hospital Luna sits on her bed still sadden over what happened. A nurse enters her room carrying a package.

"Cuse me, Princess Luna.", the nurse said. "There's this package for you."

"A package? From who?", Luna asks grabbing the package.

"I don't know it just appears out of nowhere and have nothing written on it aside for that package is for you and this seal on it.", the nurse answers.

Luna looks at the seal and widen her eyes. The seal has an LF on it. She quickly opens the package and finds books inside it. Luna picks one up to look inside and widen her eyes once more.

"These are..."

The two Royal Guards are playing chess and starts arguing over a bad move and attempt to take back, while Shining Armor sleeps.

"BBBFF!", Dream Twilight calls out enter Shining Armor's office.

"Oh, what is it, Twily?", Shining asks looking away from the window.

"You forgot your lunch.", Dream Twilight said handing Shining his lunchbox. "I'm amazed you became captain of the royal guards like that."

"She really got you, captain!", Dream Assassin said.

Shining Armor's smile fades as he realize something. 'Something's wrong. Twily was taken by Gold Star last week.'

""Hey, BBBFF. Actually... I'm actually getting married!", Twilight said with glee.

'Eh? Married?!', Shining thought in horror.

"With whom?", Assassin asks with Flash Sentry coming out of nowhere.

"With me.", Flash answers.

"From now on, I will no longer call you Captain Shining Armor...", Flash said to Shining. "...it'll be Big Bro Shining."

"Okay?", both Flash and Twilight ask together.

Shining drops his lunchbox in horror as the scene change to the Canterlot Wedding Area with Flash and Twilight wearing wedding garbs.

"Please be happy, Flash."

"Of course, Twily."

"And now... the kiss to vow the seal.", Assassin said wearing a priest garb.

A crowd come out of nowhere clapping as the two prepare to kiss.

"This is a big brother's nightmare.", Shining Armor said in despair, but then come to realization. "That's it! So this is lucid dreaming."

"Correct.", a voice calls out from behind Shining Armor.

Shining turns expecting to see Miasma, but instead what appears to be a male version of Nightmare Moon.

"You're not Miasma!", Shining said.

"Her? She came along just to help me get use to the new powers she gave me and to handle the more difficult victims like Celestia.", the creature said.

"So you're the true culprit!", Shining Armor said. "Miasma is nothing more than an accomplice."

"Correct, I'm the improved version of Nightmare Moon.", the stallion said. "You may call me, Darkhorse Knight."

"Tell me, were you the one who put Snooze's students to Eternal Sleep?", Shining asks.

"Correct, however I started attack others hoping to keep you off my back.", Knight said. "Students of Snooze being the only victim would be too suspicious."

"Where did you get this power?", Shining asks. "Only Princess Luna should be able to enter another pony's dream."

"You should thank your dumb sister for that.", Knight said changing the scenario to Tirek's defeat.

Gold Star entered one of his tantrums clearly upset that his plans to be a hero failed, but another pony in a shape of an alicorn covered in red robes merely smile in amusement. Behind her are a swarm of robotic mosquitoes.

"That fool, Tirek!", Gold Star screams in rage. "He should have ended them rather then let them go!"

"That's just how my master do things.", the red robed alicorn said.

"You seem rather calm for this loss, Dark Reaper", Gold Star said.

"Loss?", Reaper asks. "They may have defeated my old master, but thanks to his distraction the swarm was able to gather magic samples from every single ponies in all of Equestria, along with Discord's and Tirek's, and here comes the last batch carrying samples of this Rainbow Power."

The last batch of the robotic mosquitoes return to the swarm as the Mane Six departs to return the magic.

"As much as I despise the usage of machinery.", Reaper mutters. "I cannot deny their usefulness."

"Oh course they are useful!", Gold Star said. "The Elements of Harmony only affects living organic beings. They have no effect on non-organics like our Automatons."

"With these samples I should be able to replicate the magic within.", Reaper said.

"Artificial Magic. They definitely will make the natural kind obsolete."

"And they'll help improve your Artificial Alicorn Project."

The whole scene then change to black.

"It can't be...", Shining said in terror.

"That's right! I now have Princess Luna's magic or rather an improved copy of it.", Knight said. "To think I gained the power of an alicorn."

"Well your time of enjoying it comes to an end.", Shining said grabbing his sword and charge forward. Darkhorse Knight fires a magical beam a Shining Armor, which he blocks with his sword. Shining however was shocked at the sight of the beam.

"That's Celestia's magic!", Shining said.

"I almost forgot, for each victim having a nightmare my power grows and not only that I can also use the magic of the said victim, but only better.", Knight explains. "At the level I'm at right now, I'm just as powerful as a fully powered Tirek and I can still get stronger."

In the real world Shining armor starts moving like crazy due to the fight in the Dream World, unfortunately the guards are fast asleep, thus they cannot wake Shining up.

Darkhorse conjure up a net and toss it to Shining Armor trapping him.

Cadance raise the sun up with great difficulty.

"Even with my aunt magic combined with my own I still had a hard time raising the sun and lowering the moon.", Cadance said panting.

Assassin then receives a call from his orb and picks it up.

"Chief!"

"What is it?", Assassin asks.

"The Captain has fallen victim as well!", the guard screams.

"It's not much, but at least we know what we're dealing with thanks to the recording.", Assassin said pacing in the thrown room with Cadance sitting on Celestia's throne.

"An Artificial Alicorn with the power of Aunt Luna.", Cadance with worry.

"Not only that, but this Darkhorse Knight gets stronger for each victim having a nightmare and also have that said victim's abilities.", Assassin said.

"Which means he now have Shining's shield magic along with many others.", Cadance said. "He's too dangerous to fight in the Dream World."

"There is some good news though.", Assassin said. "Considering what Darkhorse said it's safe to assume he was a regular pony like me or Shining, plus he got his powers recently which means we're dealing with someone in Equestria. We just have to find the true identity."

"I'm going back to the research lab.", Assassin said to Cadance. "Everything started there, so it a good place to start."

The nurse enter's Luna's room only to find the patient gone.