Changeling Empire

Assassin is having a hard time fighting off Darkhorse Knight, due to his having a home advantage.

"You!", Dream Trixie screams running to Assassin. "You! Shining is in trouble!"

"What's wrong with Shining?", Assassin asks.

"He's just in trouble!"

"I get it already!", Assassin said. "This is a dream! Wake up, me! WaKe up! Wake up!"

Assassin slaps himself hoping to wake up.

"It's no use.", Darkhorse said. "I control this dream. You can't wake up by your own will. Be good and disappear!"

Darkhorse throws his net, which Assassin avoids.

"Hurry up!", Dream Trixie screams shaking Assassin.

"I know already!", Assassin shouts in annoyance as Darkhorse prepares to throw his net again.

"Cleaning? Do it later.", Darkhorse said to himself. "Hey! Do't open the door without permission!"

"Hey... What are you saying?", Assassin asks suspiciously.

"Damn it!", Darkhorse curse. "Damn ponies coming in. Your dream is dangerous! I'm never entering it again."

With a wave of his hoof Assassin wakes up.

"What's going on?!", Cadance asks feeling the castle shaking.

"We have an intruder! He seems to be after Shining Armor."

"Shining!", Cadance said running out of the throne room.

Tempest attacks Stalk with her martial arts skill.

"You've improved since we last met.", Stalk said easily dodging his attacks. "I believe that was when we gave the Storm King the Staff of Sacanas and those Obsidian Orbs."

Tempest throws another Obsidian Orb, but Stalk destroys it with a magical beam.

"Now, why didn't the princess done that?", Trixie asks in realization.

"I'm rather disappointed when I heard your redemption.", Stalk said. "You could've come to me and I would've repaired your horn. I could've given you even more power like this."

Lightning shoots down from the sky, piercing through the roof straight towards Tempest. Cadance jumps in time and makes a barrier to stop the attack.

"Ah, the false princess has arrive.", Stalk said in amusement.

"You're an artificial alicorn, are you?", Cadance asks.

"So you know of us.", Stalk said. "Indeed I am an Artificial Alicorn. You're replacement, weakling!"

"I'll show you weak!", Cadance shouts firing a powerful beam. Stalk simply shrugs and stops it with his bare hoof, but to his surprise he was actually being pushed back.

"What?!", Stalk shouts using his other hoof, but is still being pushed back. Not only that the armor on his hooves are starting to melt. Eventually Stalk is force to teleport of way removing his melted gauntlets. "Impossible, our records showed that you were nowhere near this powerful."

"You think I'd just lay down and cry over how easily I got captured or beaten?!", Cadance said. "I've watched Twilight save Equestria many times, while I just be taken a prisoner! Shining is also risking his life to the point of exhausting himself to death."

Cadance fires a large energy sphere. Stalk summons his sword to cut it down, but the large sphere splits into four smaller spheres around him and then explode.

"If I just do nothing and just let myself be protected, those I love will push themselves harder and one day may lose their life."

Cadance casts a water spell to soak Stalk up and then an electrical spell with the water giving additional damage.

"The Tirek incident haunted my the most! I sit in Tartarus, while Twilight fought Tirek and my husband nearly killing himself attempting a suicidal attack!"

Stalk summons lightning bolts to rain down on Cadance, but she summons a barrier made out of crystals which absorbs the attack and reflects it back to Stalk.

"Where is this power coming from?", Stalk asks in disbelief getting back up with cracks on his armor. "Even if she strengthened herself with love it shouldn't be enough to overpower me! Not only that those spells she cast. Most of them were lost in time and haven't been rediscovered. If I can't kill you with magic, the I'll just rip you apart with my bare hooves!"

Stalk charge towards Cadance at high speed and sword in hand. Stalk swings his blade towards the neck, but Cadance delivers a powerful kick sending Stalk crashing down through four floors. Cadance jumps into the hole she made.

"Is this the same princess I captured so easily?", Tempest asks appalled .

"I was just about to the same question.", Trixie said.

"Alright what training course did you give?", Assassin asks the comatose Shining Armor. "Right, he's in a coma."

"In this case...", Stalk said weakly grabbing an Obsidian Orb. "Let's see how she like this."

Just as Cadance lands Stalks throws his orb and with that Cadance turns to stone.

"Not so tough now are you?", Stalk said grabbing his sword and preparing the shatter it. He then sees the statue starting to shake and crack. "That's impossible..."

Cadance breaks out of her confinement with ease.

"H-how did you?"

"Simple...", Cadance said picking up a piece of obsidian. "After turning into a statue again by Gold Star, I realize I have to do something about it."

"Tempest can I speak with you for a bit?", Cadance asks walking to the broken horn unicorn.

"Here...", Temepst said handing Cadance an Obsidian Orb. "These are one of the few I have left."

"This is plenty enough.", Cadance said holding the orb and closing her eyes.

"I have the power to control and create crystals, but the problem is that I can't do the same on the ones I'm unfamiliar with.", Cadance said manipulating the obsidian to change shape and size. "After studying the orb Tempest lent me I now have proper control with this type of crystal now. In other words your orbs are useless on me now."

"This in inconceivable! Equestria should be defenseless without the Elements!"

"Gold Star was right about a few things. Equestria can't rely on the Elements on every problem.", Cadance said. "Now get out of my aunt's castle and stay away from my husband!"

Cadance extends her wings and with a powerful flap combined with her magic creates a miniature tornado which sucks Blood Stalk in and flies out of the castle. As it happens he drops a injector gun along with an Essence Bottle.

"Remind me not to get on her bad side.", Trixie said climbing down the hold as Cadance picks up both the gun and bottle.

"Looks like our enemies will have to think twice on calling you weak.", Assassin said. "Although I think you did more damage to the castle than the intruder."

"Sorry about that.", Cadance said blushing. "By the way have you figure anything out?"

"I think I know the truth behind this attack.", Assassin said. "Let's head back to the research lab."

"Thanks to that intruder all appointments have been cancelled.", Cadance said. "Tempest you handle the rest."

"I'll proceed with the restoration immediately."

"Dream Scape... by any chance...", Assassin starts. "You call everyone in the lab your fated prince. Isn't that right?"

"T-that's farfetched even for her! ", Trixie said.

"I did.", Dream Scape said.

"No way!"

"When guys are nice to me, I can't help but think that.", Dream Scape said remembering every hug she made to her classmates and declaring her love.

"I don't know if this is love or stupidity.", Cadance whispers to Assassin.

"I'm afraid those words have caused someone to turn into a monster.", Assassin said. "A prince who put all his romantic rivals into a coma, while attacking others just to increase his power in case somepony tries to stop him."

The trio confronts Sweet Dream.

"What do you want from me?", Sweet Dream asks.

"Well...", Assassin starts as the cleaning lady picks something up from the table.

"Hey! Don't touch that!", Sweet Dreams yells at the lady.

"Ah... I'm sorry!", the lady apologizes putting the object back and leaves.

"So, what did you want?", Sweet Dream asks sitting down. "I'm really sleepy right now. Can we do this later?"

"Then I'll get straight to the point.", Assassin said. "You're Darkhorse Knight, right?"

Sweet Dream makes no response.

"Well? Are you silent because you admit to it? Hmmm?", Trixie asks.

"Hey! How about saying something?", Assassin said grabbing Sweet Dream only to find Sweet Dream's body limp and not waking up.

"No way!!", Trixie screams as Cadance and Assassin stares in shock.

One ambulance trip later...

The trio finds themselves in a dead end.

"It wasn't him and he was the last suspect!", Trixie said. "Then just who is it?!"

"Pony feathers...", Assassin curse. "Looks like my only choice is to check through my dreams."

"You can't. Didn't Darkhorse already tell you?", Cadance said. "He's not entering your dream again."

"And we can't risk having you to go.", Assassin said. "We really are stuck."

"Then it's settled! The Great and Powerful Trixie shall go to sleep!", Trixie declares.

"No you're not! You'll definitely become a victim.", Assassin said. "Anyway, if you don't make it back, there's no way to convey the info to me."

"There is."

"What?"

"I talk in my sleep."

"You lost to the Princess of Love?", an artificial alicorn asks before laughing like crazy. "Now this is just pathetic!"

Blood Stalk opens a vodka bottle and pours it to a glass with his hooves still shaking.

"She is more powerful than we originally anticipated. The incident with Tirek, Storm King and Gold Star just simply motivated her to improve. It put me through a terrible experience.", Blood Stalk said drinking the whole glass down.

"It appears Cadance is stepping up her game.", Gold Star said entering the room. "If that is the case then there is no doubt Celestia and Luna will do the same. No matter the Artificial Alicorn Project keeps on improving as time move forward, plus my End Game will put an end to all this."

Gold Star takes Blood Stalk's bottle and drinks it all down.

"Regardless I already increase Cadance's threat level to extreme.", Gold Star said. "I have a feeling what she did to Blood Stalk is just the tip of the iceberg."

Back in Canterlot Castle, both Cadance and Assassin watch over the sleeping Trixie.

"I've disconnected the orb from the headsets.", Assassin said to Cadance.

"Good, if we're not watching there is a good chance Darkhorse will reveal his identity.", Cadance said.

"This is Canterlot.", Trixie said in her sleep giving both Cadance and Assassin a brief scare. "My birthplace!"

"What clear sleep talking!", Assassin in amazement. "This might work..."

"I'm Trixie Lunamoon. Student of Princess Celestia and the greatest unicorn in all of Equestria.", Trixie narrates. "I usually work as a stage magician in my free time."

"Trixie, you seem pretty peppy today.", Dream Alicorn Twilight said dressed as a librarian. "What are you saving for?"

"Leave me alone! Working's my hobby.", Trixie said summoning flowers.

"Now that's impressive!", Dream Alicorn Starlight said. "That really gets to me!"

"What about you, Starlight? Any princess business going on?", Trixie asks.

"Not really. Things has gotten rather dull lately."

Trixie then sees a silhouette of an alicorn approaching.

"It's master! Master!", Trixie calls out excitingly.

The silhouette comes out of the shadow revealing to be an annoyed Cadance, albeit taller and have sparkling flowing mane.

"Trixie!"

"You completely forgot your target, haven't you?!", Cadance said in annoyance to the sleeping Trixie.

"Oh right. I came to find Darkhorse in my dream.", Trixie said remembering her assignment and starts looking around. "Where can he be? Darkhorse... Darkhorse... Darkhorse..."

She spots him on the castle.

"Ah! Hey's over there!", Trixie screams.

"You saw me? Then you're trapped in my Eternal Nightmare.", Darkhorse said.

"Cadance, make me an alicorn.", Trixie said in her dream causing Cadance and Assassin to fall down.

"That's not how becoming an alicorn works!", Cadance said.

Trixie steals Cadance's wings and puts them on her body.

"Those are mine!", Dream Cadance said as Trixie flies towards Darkhorse.

"Here I go!", Trixie said attacking Darkhorse. Trixie unpredictable way of fighting is giving Darkhorse a hard time as she chase after him all over Equestria. The two return to the castle with Trixie making her final charge. This time Darkhorse is prepared and punches her square in the nose.

"That hurt!!", Trixie screams in pain clutching her nose.

"In this world, everything is an image except me.", Darkhorse explains. "That includes you, transformed into an alicorn."

"What?! Just who are you?!", Trixie demands getting to his face. "I bet you think Dream Scape likes you! You're just some pathetic guy, right? Right?"

"What did you say?!", Darkhorse said clearly offended.

"Yeah! If you don't like that, then say your name!", the sleeping Trixie said.

"Oh! That's good, Trixie!", Assassin said. "Keep pressing him like that!"

"Fine. Even if I tell you, you can't tell anypony else.", Darkhorse said grabbing his net. "My identity is..."

Trixie keeps her ears open as the net comes closer and then she screams.

Cadance removes her royal attire and place them on the throne as they would get in the way when she fights.

"Good job, Trixie. We'll return you to normal soon.", Assassin said heading out first.

"Prince...", Dream Caste yawns drawing a picture of a prince and princess in the lounge. "Hurry and come for me."

"That is your dream, isn't it?", Assassin asks entering the lounge with Cadance.

"Well ever since I was just a little filly, I always had the same dream."

"Huh?", Assassin asks not getting it.

"A dream about the prince.", Dream Caste explains. "He would appear when I'm in a pinch, and gently say this, "I am connected to you by date. So someday, we will definitely meet.""

"That's why, whenever someone is nice to you, you always call him your fated prince.", Assassin said getting the facts straight.

"But that's not okay, is it?", Dream Caste said. "My words have hurt somepony. He has become a terrible monster."

"To protect you, I came to tell you the truth.", Assassin said turning around. The stallion who is making you suffer in your dreams... His name is..."

"Assassin, she's asleep.", Cadance interrupts. Assassin turns and finds Dream Caste fast asleep.

"Oh, come on!", Assassin shouts running to Dream Caste shaking her, but gets no response. "This is bad... At this rate, she'll fall into a coma too!"

Miasma returns to Celestia' dream and sees Celestia still weeping, but not only that her mane is pink and her cutie mark is gone.

"It seems you've forsaken your alicorn magic and your immortality.", Miasma said. "Too bad you can't age instantly to dust, but then again what do I know about immortality. You're the first to given it up."

Miasma pulls out a injector gun and place the Daybreaker Essence Bottle in.

"Don't worry, you'll feel all better once I turn you into Daybreaker.", Miasma said preparing to inject Celestia, when suddenly a blue beam blasts the gun out of Miasma's hoof. "So you survived after all, Luna."

Luna appears before Miasma spreading her wings and powering her horn in an intimidating stance.

"Leave me sister out of this!", Luna warns.

"Is that suppose to intimidate me?", Miasma asks. "I beaten you to a bloody pulp on our fight fight and electrocuted you a minute away from death on our second confrontation. I may not be as powerful in the Dream World, but what makes you think you'll beat me?"

"My mother fought impossible odds before, but not once has she given up and neither will I.", Luna answers. "I just need a reminder."

Miasma makes the first shot, but Luna avoids the attack by transforming into a shadow.

"What the...", Miasma said before being interrupted by a buck from Luna straight to the chin.

"Nowhere to run this time.", Assassin said as he and Cadance enters the lab.

"You!", Darkhorse said in shock. "Why are you here?"

"You have no place to run, Darkhorse. Or rather Sweet Dream!"

Darkhorse change into Sweet Dream. "How did you know?"

"We were surprised when we heard it from Trixie.", Assassin said. "Earlier, you appeared to go comatose here."

"But when I called the hospital just to be sure, they said you woke up and went home.", Cadance said.

"I thought you would suspect me, so I faked it.", Sweet said.

"That's the other question. I understand your classmates and the others, but why Dream Caste? Don;t you love her?", Cadance asks.

"You don't get it and you call yourself the Princess of Love?", Sweet Dream said. "She likes me. She thinks I'm her fated prince. Yet she smiles at other men. Even that Royal Guard, or you, even that weirdo professor. It was so painful. I wasn't able to sleep for days. Then after receive this power from Miasma, I made my move. I trap Dream Caste into eternal sleep and have her all to myself in the Dream World."

"You know I've seen all kinds of love from good to bad, but your case it's pathetic level.", Cadance said.

"Hey, now.", Sweet Dream said. "What are you, a pathetic alicorn, looking down on me for?"

Sweet Dream injects himself with the Nightmare Moon essence changing to Darkhorse Knight.

"That pisses me off.", Darkhorse said firing a powerful magical blast at the two. Cadance blocks it with her crystal dome, but was still blasted out of the building.

"He's stronger than the intruder.", Cadance said.

"He gets stronger of each person having a nightmare, can use their magic and have the power of an Artificial Alicorn.", Assassin said. "My guess right now is that he is on the same level as Tirek after taking all the magic including Discord."

"So we're basically screwed."

"Tell me, can Celestia do this?", Darkhorse asks focusing the sun rays into a deadly laser beam firing on them.

"Can Celestia do that?", Assassin asks nervously.

"No, she can't! Run!", Cadance screams avoiding each shot.

Assassin launch a sneak attack from behind only to crash onto a shield. Assassin attempts to cut through only for his weapon to bounce off.

"Shining Armor's shield was never this strong!", Assassin said jumping off.

"Don't you get it? I am capable to using the full potential of magic and use them better than their original owners.", Darkhorse said.

"At this rate we'll be killed!", Assassin said dodging another shot.

Luna shapes the shadows around her into blades at attack Miasma at once. Miasma summons her own blades and quickly blocks them off.

"You were gone for a day!", Miasma said in frustration. "How could you have improved this much in a day?"

"I'm afraid that's a secret.", Luna said. "And right now I have lives to save."

Luna closes here eyes and six stars circle around her. The stars energy transfer to Luna horn and she fires a large powerful blast straight towards Miasma. Miasma immediately creates a barrier to block it and struggles to do so.

"If I can't stop it, then I'll just drain it!", Miasma opens her mouth in an attempt to drain the magic from the attack, but nothing happens.

"It's useless, magic draining only works on living beings not magical objects.", Luna said. "If it was possible Tirek would've simply drained the Alicorn Amulet of it's magic as well."

Miasma screams as the blast breaks through her barrier and engulfs her completely. As the smoke clears Miasma still stands albeit severely injured.

"Not bad, it looks like I'll have somepony worth fighting after all.", Miasma chuckles in amusement. "Don't get cocky. I'm not at my strongest in the Dream World, our fight in the real world will be much different. I'll be waiting."

"And I'll be coming for you.", Luna said.

"Here's another thing. There was another reason why we stole Twilight Sparkle.", Miasma said. "You recall giving your alicorn magic to Twilight along with Celestia and Cadance."

"Yes, what your point?", Luna asks.

"Watch this.", Miasma said creating a screen of Twilight's fight against Tirek.

"It appears we are at an impasse. How about a trade, Princess Twilight?"

Luna widen her eyes in shock and realization.

"That's right! Tirek possess the magic of everypony in Equestria along with Discord, excluding the alicorn magic. The combine power of you, Celestia and Cadance is nowhere near that level, yet when at the hands of Twilight Sparkle she fought to a stand still with Tirek, perhaps possibly overpower him."

Luna knew Twilight Sparkle was special, but she never knew she was this powerful.

"Now tell me, how is it a mere unicorn that turned into an alicorn have the magic that surpass the combine might of all three alicorns, two which happen to be daughter of Lauren Faust.", Miasma asks. "There can only be one possible explanation. Twilight Sparkle is the reincarnation of Lauren Faust herself, which means having Twilight Sparkle is like having Lauren."

Miasma could only laugh as she fades away from the Dream World leaving Luna in shock.

"For now, I have to wake everyone up by breaking their nightmares.", Luna said shaking what Miasma told her aside for now.

"Cadance!", Shining scream seeing his wife being restrained by two Artificial Alicorns.

"Shining!", Cadance said weakly.

"Shining Armor.", Gold Star said appearing from the mist. "Behold, the last moments of your loved one's life."

Gold Star raises his flintlock.

"No! Stop!!", Shining screams moving to stop this, but it was too late as Gold Star fires. Cadance's crown falls to the floor landing near Shining's hooves.

"S-Shining...", Cadance said closing her eyes one last time.

"Cadance!!", Shining screams in despair and rage. "Gold Star..."

A dark aura surrounds Shining Armor as his rage seethes.

"You heartless beast...", Shining roars consuming himself into darkness.

"It certainly wasn't easy spiriting her away.", Gold Star laughs. "Go ahead. Hate me. You hate me enough to wish death upon me, don't you?"

"You... You'll pay for this..."

Wings are slowly growing out of Shining Armor back, while his body slowly grows larger.

"That's it! Use your rage! Your hatred! When they are at the peak you will become the Perfect Artificial Alicorn... No, the Perfect Alicorn!"

"It if means getting Cadance's revenge, I'll do it. I'll fall into darkness and become the Perfect Alicorn. Cadance, forgive me... I can't honor your wish..."

Darkness completely consumes Shining Armor and he finally transform into the Perfect Alicorn.

"Shining...", Cadance said getting back up, shocking everyone.

"What?! You should be dead!", Gold Star said.

"You have caused enough damage.", Luna calls out causing Gold Star and his two Automatons to disappear. Cadance walks over to the fallen Shining Armor.

"Shining, I can feel your pain and suffering.", Cadance said hugging her husband. "Whenever I'm in danger and there was nothing you could do about it you feel like you betrayed the very cutie mark you bore. I too share the blame for it is because I always play victim to the point you sold your soul to the darkness itself. You're willing to do anything to protect, but now it is my turn to protect you. I don't want you as the Perfect Alicorn, I want you as my knight in shining armor."

Beneath the helmet shed tears and returns the hug.

"From now on, let us protect each other.", the two said together as the light engulfs them.

Starlight could only back away in fear from Chrysalis.

"This time has come for me to end Equestria once and for all!", Chrysalis declares as her body once more transform into a large tree-like being with tentacles and a scarier face. Starlight backs against the wall and Chrysalis approach her. Starlight could only close her eyes awaiting her fate, but notice that nothing happen. She opens her eyes and finds herself in the Changeling Kingdom.

"Do not be afraid Starlight. I am now here.", Princess Luna said appearing before Starlight. Suddenly the pre-monstrous Chrysalis emerges from the wreckage of her throne hissing in anger.

"This is...", Starlight said remembering this scene.

"After seeing what became Chrysalis you blamed yourself for what happened to her.", Luna said. "As much as I despise her for what she had done after seeing what was done to her. I too feel sorry for her. Nopony deserve such a fate, not ever her. Although this is a dream this is a change to make things right."

Starlight nods and walks over to Chrysalis and hugs her.

"I know about your past and why you feed on love.", Starlight said to the surprised Chrysalis. "It is because you were never loved by your family. You fear your powerful mother and I too am scared at her capabilities, but that will not stop us from being your friends... no, a family you always wanted."

Hearing those very words got Chrysalis to cry and hug back. Chrysalis' body glows and explode throwing Starlight Glimmer off of Chrysalis, to be caught by Luna's soft magic. The two look up and see Chrysalis' new form.

"This is a dream right?", Starlight asks.

"A dream and perhaps a vision of the future.", Luna said. "However healing Chrysalis' empty heart will be much more difficult than in this dream."

The solar ray laser stops firing much to everyone's confusion.

"What happened? I was having fun!", Darkhorse said trying to cast the spell again. "Why am I suddenly losing power?"

"Something must've happened in the dream world.", Assassin said. "I don't know what, but this is our chance!"

"Right!", Cadance said as the creates six golden rings and launch them on Darkhorse one at a time. The rings then make a sharp turn back and strikes Darkhorse Knight simultaneously creating a massive explosion.

The exhausted Darkhorse reaches for the broken injector gun and essence bottle.

"D-Dream Caste... We'll have a fun dream together...", Sweet Dream said before falling unconscious.

Shining Armor and Flash Sentry escorts the cuffed Sweet Dream to the prison carriage.

"Even though they were nightmares, I slept rather well.", Trixie said stretching her body. "So we don't have to worry about anymore nightmares?"

Shining Armor place Sweet Dream inside the carriage as Dream Scape burst through the crowd.

"Excuse me. Let me see him.", Dream Scape calls out. Flash tries to stop her, but gets pushed aside easily.

"Sweet Dream.", Dream Scape calls out through the bars. "I'm sorry. I'll be wait. Not for my fated prince, but for you to return."

"Dream Caste."

"It's a promise.", Dream Caste said as the carriage leaves.

Luna sits on her throne pondering over what Miasma told her.

Cadance an essence bottle and injector gun that Blood Stalk dropped to a blonde unicorn.

In Celestia's room, a crown is thrown hard to the wall shattering it to pieces.