//------------------------------//
// The Revenge of Dark Hole, Part I - The Enemy Gives the Face 
// Story: Twilight and Blue Sword 
// by Rakoon1 
//------------------------------//

	Shining began to regain consciousness. A headache haunted him. It cost him to remember what had happened. He remembered the alley and the guard who accompanied him and, after that, nothing. He opened his eyes and looked around. It was night, but as there was moonlight, Shining vision was not obscured. He was in a clearing in a forest Shining knew lie close to Canterlot. He tried to move, but he couldn’t. He looked his hooves and saw they were tied to a tree with lime green goo. Shining perfectly knew that goo.

He heard a very familiar buzzing. He recognized it immediately because the creatures that made that buzzing were his known. A swarm of Changelings quickly surrounded him, watching him with a mischievous look. Shining tried to free himself harder, but that goo was too strong. He turned to the hideous creatures with insect traces which were looking him in a greedy way. It was obvious they wanted to feed from him, but it seemed that something prevented them.

"What are you waiting for?" Shining asked to the Changelings, in an invitingly way. "Go ahead, attack. I'm not afraid of you."

One of Changelings came and said to him: 

"We have orders to not feed from you. Consider yourself our guest of honor."

"I don’t know how you managed to get in Canterlot, but you can be sure you will not get away with it." 

And it was then that he began to hear a laughter. Upon hearing that, the Changelings distanced themselves from Shining and made way. Shining saw a Changeling approaching him. The Changeling was different from the others. He was greater, roughly the same size as Shining’s, and had similarities with Chrisalis, although he was a male version of her. He wore also a green armor. 

"I sincerely doubt about that... Captain Shining Armor” he said. “You know, you're not going anywhere."

"Who are you?" Shining asked, watching the Changeling. "You're not like the other Changelings." 

"But what an observer" Changeling commented with a certain irony. "In fact, I’m different from the other members of my specie. My name is Dark Hole and I am the King of Changelings."

That statement confused Shining who asked: 

"Sorry, but shouldn't the ruler of the Changelings  be a queen? Where is Chrisalis?"

"Let's say she was... dismissed from the service because of her incompetence" Dark Hole replied. 

There was a pause and then Shining said:

"If you are thinking to take my shape to invade Canterlot during the wedding, don’t hold your breath. My protective barrier will prevent you from enter in Canterlot and there are guards everywhere with orders to use the revealing spell in everypony. We are prepared for any attack you can do."

But Dark Hole just gave his evil laugh and then asked: 

"Please, do think you scare me with that? I prepared my plan carefully to overcome any obstacle that can intrude on my way."

"What do you mean?" 

"Your barrier may be powerful, but only if you fed it regularly with your magic, because, if you don’t do that, it will weak, despite nopony cannot notice that." 

Shining was stunned. How does Dark Hole knew that weakness of his protection spell?

"It is clear that those ponies just have to believe that you're feeding the barrier without them knowing that you're not actually there" Dark Hole continued. 

"And for that, you need to get me away for one of you can take my place" Shining concluded. 

"Precisely" Dark Hole replied. "You're so perceptive." 

"Well, I have to admit, it’s a pretty smart plan" Shining admitted. "But you're forgetting one thing. The revealing spell will ruin your plans. How will you keep the cover if the unicorn guards do the revealing spell to anypony who approach the castle, even a pony like me?"

Dark Hole sighed: 

"Yeah, this is really a problem. Or at least it was until a few months ago."

"What do you mean?" 

"You didn’t think a little strange that my reckless Changeling attack to your dear crystal ponies? 

Shining remembered what Dark Hole was talking about. It was that attack that settled the conditions necessary for him to find out about Twilight and Blue’s courtship. Shining really had been surprised by that attack, failing to realize the real reason for them having done so. But now Dark Hole mentioned it, the white unicorn could join all the pieces. 

"It was a distraction, wasn’t it?" 

"I love that reasoning of yours" Dark Hole replied cynically. "You're quite right. It was a distraction, designed to capture your attention and your guards’ and also to lower the crystal ponies’ moral enough to infiltrate in the Crystal Empire to get in the library and steal a book."

"Wait, did you do all that for a book?" Shining asked.

"I know it sounds ridiculous, but it was worth it, given what was in that book" Dark Hole replied.

"And that is..."

"A spell which protects shapeshifters from having their disguise revealed by a revealing spell."

Upon hearing that, Shining’s confident smile down.

"You're kidding, right?"

"You're here, aren’t you?"

Shining could not believe that. If that was true, then the Changelings could walk Canterlot unnoticed. They might even have been there since the beginning of the preparations for the wedding.

"The others will notice" Shining said. "If you or another Changeling occupy my place, you will not be able to interpret me perfectly. You gonna make a mistake."

"Chrisalis took Princess Cadance’s place for days and you didn’t notice" Dark Hole said. "Your sister was the only one who noticed that the little mistake of hers. The rest of you interpreted that as pre-marital stress. Don’t worry. I don’t intend to use your skin more than necessary. Fortunately, it’s only a way to something much bigger, having the wedding of the year as my big target. 

Upon hearing that, the anger began to boil Shining a lot and he shouted, as he kicked to get himself free, but he wasn’t successful: 

"Don’t you dare to do anything to my sister, your bastard!" 

"Relax, I will not harm her" Dark Hole secured to an angry Shining. "But believe me when I say she can do a lot for me. Although I’m already having what I want."

He laughed and turned back to Shining, taking his shape and turning to one of the Changelings with Shining’s voice: 

"You, come with me. We cannot strike the eye and the sudden disappearance of a guard will raise suspicions."

"Yezz, Your Majezzty" the Changeling answered, becoming the guard who had brought Shining to the trap. 

And then Dark Hole and the Changeling began to walk away with the Shining shouting to the king: 

"You're not gonna get away from this easily! You'll regret it bitterly!"

"I doubt it, my dear" Dark Hole replied as he walked away. "I really doubt." 

Dark Hole and Changeling headed to Canterlot. When they reached the city entrance, the guards that were keeping it blocked the way and one of them said: 

"Sorry, captain, but we have to proceed with the procedures." 

"Of course, you are completely at ease" the impostor Shining said. 

Then the unicorn guard started doing the revealing spell on Dark Hole and on his Changeling, but they didn’t revert to their original form. After the guards allow them the entrance, saluting to Dark Hole, without knowing who he really was, the King of the Changelings and his companion followed path. 

"You know, it tastes so well we don’t have our weaknesses and they don’t turned against us, don’t you think?" Dark Hole asked to the Changeling. 

He nodded and they continued.

They went to the castle, entering after being subjected to another failed revealing spell, and Dark Hole told to the Changeling: 

"Let's split up. We cannot draw attention. Once we do that, invent an excuse and get out of Canterlot and then returns to keep watch our guest."

The Changeling bowed and walked away. Dark Hole walked through the halls when Cadance appeared, bringing Gleaming upon her torso. 

"Oh, you're here" Cadance said, approaching. "You took so long. Is there something wrong?"

"Uh, no, dear" Dark Hole replied. "I'm just making sure everything is fine. I want to ensure that Twilight and Blue’s wedding goes well."

"Well, I know that you will do a good job" Cadance said assertively. "Just let me heal those headaches of yours that you must be feeling right now." 

"It’s not necessary. I'm perfectly fine."

"Really? Well, thankfully. So I think I and Gleaming gonna sleep. Do you want to give a kiss to daddy, dear?"

Dark Hole didn’t like foals, much less give them kisses, especially knowing who was the father of the foal in question, but he had to keep his cover. He prepared to kiss Gleaming’s forehead, but then she began to cry, making Dark Hole stop.

"Looks like she's very grumpy" Cadance said, using her magic to get the little filly and starting to lull her. "I think it’s better get going to the bedroom."

She gave a kiss on Dark Hole’s cheek and walked away with Gleaming. Dark Hole hastened to clear Cadance’s kiss, a little disgusted. He hated those corny things. That baby foal could have also ruined his disguise. It seemed really foals could feel the danger. He just hoped that didn’t ruin his plan. Of course, the best he had to do was avoid contact with her, which would not be very difficult, considering that the wedding was to take place in two days.

In the next day, Dark Hole tried to interpret what he knew to be Shining’s personality: a nice and friendly stallion, always ready to help a friend with a smile and somepony who always followed the rules. Of course, the hardest part was doing all this, especially when it was having to deal with Twilight, Blue and Cadance, striving to the most for they don’t discover anything, due they were Shining’s closest ponies. Fortunately for him, the final preparations kept everypony busy.

It was soon dusk and taking into account that Shining was Blue’s colt of honor, it was his duty to prepare the bachelor party. But of course now it was up to Dark Hole. Of course that was part of his plan. Along with some friends from the Royal Guard Academy, Dark Hole led Blue to a bar for his bachelor party.

They told stories, laughed and drank while sitting at a table. It didn’t take long for the stallions started to be drunk due to the alcohol they were consuming. Of course Dark Hole strove to not drink too much. His goal was almost within his reach.

"Dude, I can’t really believe you're going to tie the knot, Blue" Summer Sun said, between hiccups.

"Yes, I always thought you would be still a gallant stallion" Silverweed continued. 

"And moreover with the little Twilight" Dark Night said. "Are you sure you want to let your sister marry this conqueror, Shining my friend?" 

"I trust Blue and I know he will not hurt Twilight" Dark Hole replied, trying to pretend a more or less drunken air. 

"And I'll try not to disappoint you, brother" Blue said to Dark Hole. "You bet I will." 

"Oh, I know that" Dark Hole replied, somewhat grimly. "You can be sure about that." 

In the castle, in Twilight’s room, she was celebrating his last night as single mare with Cadance and their friends from Ponyville, Cherry included. They were talking animatedly while Spike walked from one side to the other, serving drinks and ensuring that all of them were comfortable, as well ensuring Gleaming was comfortable and sleeping in her crib.

"Well, Twilight, tomorrow will be your magical day" Rarity said. "Do you feel prepared?" 

"Of course she is prepared" Rainbow Dash answered. "It’s Twilight we're talking about, and it was she who prepared the wedding." 

"I don’t know, Rainbow, I don’t feel very confident" confessed Twilight. "I think I have a lot of nerves."

"Well, that's normal" Cadance said. "I felt the same when my wedding day with Shining approached. Of course the nervousness increased more when the Queen of the Changelings kidnapped me and locked me in the caves beneath Canterlot."

"I also felt quite nervous when it was my wedding" Cherry said. "But when I saw Big Mac waiting for me at the altar, smiling, all my nerves disappeared." 

"Yeah, I also felt the same" Cadance said. "That's when we are sure it is with that stallion we want to spend our lives." 

"Oh, that’s so romantic!" Rarity exclaimed. 

"That was the most beautiful words I've ever heard!" Said Pinkie, crying, pausing and then continuing with a cheerful tone. "Although I also read novels with a more or less similar speech." 

"Well, that’s really... soppy" Rainbow Dash said. "I hope I never fall in love in life."

The others laughed about what Rainbow had said and the pegasus with the rainbow mane asked: 

"What's funny?" 

"Oh, sugar cube, that’s virtually impossible" Applejack said. 

"Yes, we all ended up falling in love eventually" Fluttershy said. 

"And that's a fact" Rarity said. 

"Yeah, like the fact that a parasprite ultimately become a million and devours all the food, making the ponies leave the village where they are and find a new place to make a new village" Pinkie Pie said. 

"That's something you cannot predict, Rainbow" Cherry said. "I also didn’t predict I would fall in love with Big Mac."

"Yeah, you can believe completely and totally I’ll never, ever fall in love" Rainbow said. "I already have my passion: my future career as Wonderbolt." 

"Never say never" Rarity said. 

As they talked, Cadance looked Twilight and noted in her thoughtful air, which didn’t provide good thing. 

"What's up, Twilight?" She asked him. 

"I just have a bad feeling" Twilight replied. "As if I’m sensing that something will happen tomorrow." 

"The only thing that will happen tomorrow is that you're gonna become a very happy mare by going swear eternal love to the stallion you love" Cadance said. 

"But what if something happens? So much can happen during the weeding."

"You are suffering in anticipation and that doesn’t make you any good. Nothing will happen. Security is tighter then the one in my marriage with your brother. We have Shining’s barrier, not to mention the revealing spells and a very close watch of the Royal Guard. Nothing will happen."

"I hope you're right, Cadance" Twilight said, still unsure. "I really hope."

At the bar where Dark Hole, Blue and others were, the bachelor party was ending. Everypony said their goodbyes and left in the order to reach home or their hotel rooms to rest for the next day. When Blue and Dark Hole were the only ones left, the first asked to the latter, somewhat clumsy, typical of somepony drunk:

"Hey, how about another drink? A drink between the groom and the colt of honor."

"Are you sure?" Dark Hole asked. "I think we should go back to the castle to stay in conditions for the wedding tomorrow."

"Shining, come on, you know me" Blue replied. "You know I can handle alcohol very well. Better than you, actually."

"Well, if you are so sure" Dark Hole said. "I'll get two drinks for us." 

So Dark Hole went to the counter where he asked two drinks to the employee. Once they were ready and have been delivered, Dark Hole looked around to see if anypony was seeing and summoned a small bottle with a blue content that he poured into one of drings. Using his magic to levitate them, he returned to the edge of Blue and handed him the drink where he poured the bottle, which Blue took using his magic. 

"To you" Dark Hole said, raising his glass. "Do my sister happy." 

"You be, my friend" Blue said, toasting. "That’s precisely what I intend to do."

Then they both drank their drinks with Blue drinking it fast, while Dark Hole gave only small gulps, before putting the glass down. Blue also put his glass down, using his cheerful smile for a moment before his face contorting. 

"What?" Dark Hole asked. "What’s up, Blue?" 

"I'm not feeling very well..." he said, panting. 

"But what are you feeling?" Dark Hole asked. 

"I don’t know, I feel like if I’m throwing up my guts" he said. 

"Well, so let’s go to the bathroom" Dark Hole said. 

He helped Blue go to the bathroom of the bar. But when they got in, Blue moaned in pain and said:

"Shining, I think I will not hold."

And having said that, he fainted. Dark Hole sighed and, with a smile on his face, dropped Blue who fell on the floor. His somniferous had resulted perfectly. So two ponies got out from the cubicles, but they were not ponies.

"Take him, use the back door and be discreet" Dark Hole ordered the two Changelings. "The last thing we want is to call attention to ourselves when we are so close of our goal."

The two Changeling took Blue and began to drag him out of the bathroom. Dark Hole then turned to the mirror, contemplating Shining’s face, and said:

"I'm so close. Tomorrow is a big day, the day where I will have power and quenched my thirst for revenge. It’s time to the third step."

And then he gave an evil laugh, while changing his form to Blue’s.