I can't belive how long this took me to write! I eventualy got tired of delaying it until I could write an awesome battle scenario to go with it, so I thought I'd upload the story part seperately. The actual scenario will be coming soon... ish. But yea, here's the plot part for those who want to read it. Also, on the advice of TGP, I'll be uploading a "Extra-readable content" thread for you to enjoy. It's going to be the equivalent of the lore from table-top games like Warhammer 40K, in the sense that it won't affect the way people "play" scenarios, but it's still pretty cool stuff for those who might be interested. Finally, this particular thread includes a lot of musical bits-and-pieces, so I've simply added links to the appropriate tracks.

~Bloodpool

Broadhoof Research Facility, Medical Wing. 11th of April, 6 AM.

The unconscious form of Shining Armour lay prostrate in a hospital bed, oblivious to the world, and oblivious to the conversation that was taking place at the foot of his bed.

“He’s in a stable condition now, Princess Celestia. We were lucky: We almost lost him on more than one occasion. In fact, at one point, he was technically dead. But like I said… We were lucky.”

Princess Celestia nodded. “You have performed admirably, Doctor. I have heard tales of your skill before, but I must confess that I did not truly believe them. But now? Now I can see for myself that they are but a shadow of your true talent.”

“You flatter me, your majesty. Still, I do not understand why you insisted on the augmentation process being carried out immediately. It was almost the death of him.”

The Sun Goddess frowned slightly at that, and in a noticeably more terse tone, she began to speak again. “I understand. Regardless, it had to be done, and my reasons are, frankly, none of your concern. Now, talk me through the changes you’ve made.”

“Very well, your majesty.” The doctor replied. “Well, firstly, the key weight-bearing sections of his spinal column have been replaced with artificial vertebrae composed of a metal alloy. That was the trickiest part of the whole operation; it’s also where we loose the majority of test subjects. Anyway, the changes to his spinal cord will allow him to carry heavier weights, for longer periods. We’ve also made changes to his muscular tissue. It’s been injected with a unique cocktail of chemical compounds that increase the force his muscles can exert by four times the normal amount. The imbued healing factor means that any tissue damage that might occur as a result is virtually non-existent…”

The doctor paused for a second or so as his patient shifted in his drug-induced sleep. After he was satisfied that he wasn’t coming round any time soon, he cleared his throat and continued speaking.

“…In simple terms, it means he can run further, jump higher and move faster than any other normal equine, without any long-term damage. In addition, we’ve also made a number of smaller changes. We’ve doubled the thickness of the optic nerve for enhanced vision, increased the effectiveness of his digestive system for a more efficient metabolism, heightened his sense of hearing, and various other changes.

We’ve also given him the Augmented Reality Cognition Assistance Neural Enhancement Implant, which will allow his brain to use subconscious areas as computation processors, as well as increasing his reaction speed by modifying how visual sensory information is interpreted in the brain, automatically adding informative overlays mentally. The display works on active elements in the field of vision, highlighting objects or areas of importance… I still don’t understand why you ordered us to carry out the procedure so soon. From a medical perspective, it was completely unnecessary, and caused undue risk that could otherwise have been avoided.”

“Whilst your dedication to the safety of your patients is admirable, doctor, I must once again remind you not to involve yourself in matters that do not concern you. You must learn to know your place. Now, do you have any more impertinent questions you wish to ask?” Celestia retorted icily.

Her question was met with an embarrassed silence.

“I’ll take that as a no, then. A wise choice, I think. You may leave now.”

The doctor blinked in surprise and confusion.

“But I’m not suppo-”

“I said leave. Please.”

With a shrug, the doctor relented. “…As you, wish, your highness.” Bowing low, he turned around and retreated quickly from the room. A whole minute ticked by in silence, the only sound that of the unconscious Captain’s slow, steady breathing.

Then, without warning, the shadows in the far corner of the room seemed to come alive, twisting and curling like a great cloud of black smoke. And out of that dark mist, Princess Luna stepped, as casually as if she had simply walked through a doorway. The black shadows closed up behind her, shrinking back into their original positions.

"Having fun, are you?" She enquired teasingly.

The Sun Princess barley acknowledged her sister's entrance, but she shrugged when Luna spoke, and replied.

"Not exactly... An interesting little stunt you pulled there. I've not seen you do that before."

"We- Sorry, I've been practicing."

"I can tell." Celestia remarked dryly. "Besides, you always had a thing for theatrical entrances." She continued.

"It's more fun that way."

"Evidently."

Luna's silver hoofboots clicked against the hard floor as she walked over to stand next her older sister, who was stood at the foot of the injured Captain's bed, staring at him intently.

"How is he doing?" Luna inquired.

"He's stable. The operation succeeded without too much trouble, or so they tell me. At any rate, we won't know for certain until he actually wakes."

"Have you told Cadence?"

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"She doesn't need to know. Besides, it would not be fair to inform her until we are sure that he'll survive."

"I think she can handle it. She's tougher than she looks, we both know that."

"...I can't argue with you there. Regardless, I don't think we need to worry her with... This." Celestia said, gesturing towards the prostrate form in front of them.

"She has enough to worry about as it is." She continued.

"I know... Still, I think she should be told. She is family, after all."Luna retorted.

"She will be told when I deem it appropriate, and no sooner." Celestia replied sharply.

There was a long, uncomfortable silence.

"We should leave now. We have much to do." She said.

With a blinding flash of orange light and the smell of burning ozone, Celestia vanished.

Luna lingered in the room for a few seconds longer, before the shadows swelled up like a dark tide, enveloping her in a cloud of inky blackness. Within a second, the shadows subsided, slinking back into the corners of the room, leaving it empty once again.

---------------------

Town hall, Ponyville. 13th of April, 1:30 PM.

Commander Blackheart was not having a very good day. He pressed a hoof to his forehead and struggled valiantly to maintain his composure. It had been a long, difficult day so far, and it wasn't getting any easier.

Maybe they'd let him retire soon, who knows. He was getting old, and he knew it. There were already streaks of grey appearing in his black mane, and he wasn't as fit as he used to be. Still, his mind was still as sharp as ever, and he could fight just as well as the rest of them.

He let out a long, exasperated sigh, before levitating the mug of coffee he had so kindly been provided and draining the whole thing in one go. The bitter, slightly acrid taste of the coffee made him feel a little more alert.

Placing the mug back on the desk with a thud, he leaned forward across the desk to get a better look at the five ponies arranged in front of him. Two mares and three stallions.

He realised that he had absolutely no idea who any of them were; with the exception of Captain Stardust of course, who he had worked with on more than one occasion, although he knew fairly little about the grey pegasus, save the fact that he was a good solider, an excellent scout, a charismatic leader and a reasonably likeable pony in general. In truth, Blackheart didn't feel like he needed to know any more.

The other four, on the other hand, he knew next to nothing about, save their names and their rank.

He hoped to Celestia that they hadn't sent him complete idiots.

"Right." He snapped. "What's the situation."

Captain Sure-shot stepped forward, saluting smartly.

"We've set up camp in the park sir. It's just about large enough to accommodate our troops, and it’s just down the road from here, less than a minute's walk away."

"Good. How are the residents taking it?"

"Quite well, actually. Most of them seem friendly enough, and more than happy to help."

"Good, good. Let's try to keep the relationship positive, ok? Remind your units that we are guests here, and that they should be on their best behaviour as a result. I don't want this situation getting any more difficult than it already is... Captain Stardust, did your scouts find out anything useful?"

The grey pegasus snapped quickly to attention, and gave an impeccable salute.

"Yes sir. We've got some information on the target, but it's not much. All we've ascertained from aerial sweeps of the forest is that, wherever the target is, it's not visible from the air.

We've been asking around the town, trying to find somepony who might be able to lead us there on foot, but we've not had much luck so far. I don't much like the idea of blundering about in the forest until we find something, but that's all we can really do at this point."

"Damn... Well, I'll write to command, ask if they've got anything in the archives that might help... I'll send for a cartographer, although I doubt it'll make much of a difference. The area's way too densely wooded to map like that. In the mean time, continue the aerial sweeps. We might just get lucky."

"Understood sir."

"That will be all. You may leave now, all of you. I have a letter to write."

---------------------

Town Plaza, Ponyville. 14th of April, 9:50 PM.

Commander Blackheart was not a short pony, coming in at about two-and-a-half inches above the average height for stallions of his age, but he felt tiny compared to the newest arrivals.

He'd never had believed it if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. Standing in front of him were twenty of the tallest soldiers he had ever seen. They looked at least a foot taller than any other pony he had seen in his life, practically rippling with muscle.

With thick, ruby-red armour plates covering almost every inch of their bodies, they reminded him of large boulders. Huge. Solid. Immovable.

The helmets they wore had a design he'd never seen before. Encasing the entirety of the head and face, the helmets prevented anyone from seeing whether the owner was male or female, old or young, dead or alive. Emblazoned upon the brow of their helmets was a strange emblem he hadn't seen before. It was a simple black circle inside a slightly larger yellow one. Other than that, they wore no other identifying markings, so it was impossible to tell who, or what, they were.

One of them stepped forward, the blood red plume on his helmet signalling that he was probably the leader. As he stepped forward, some of the soldiers around Blackheart took a hasty step back. Blackheart refused to move, however. Whoever, or whatever these things were, he wasn't about to let them intimidate him, although he noted, with some relief that Captain Stardust was still by his side. Whatever this... Thing was, he didn't like the idea of facing it alone.

It marched towards him until it was just a short distance away, where it finally halted.

The entire plaza fell into an awkward, tense silence. The heavy breathing of the helmeted pony made it sound like some kind of machine.

Then, in a deep, emotionless voice, it spoke, the sound slightly muffled by the enclosing helm.

"I am Titan-01. Sandstorm. Awaiting further instructions."

"Who... Or what... Are you?" The Commander replied.

"I am Ti-"

"Yes, I got that part. I want to know who you are." Blackheart said, gesturing to the entire group of red-clad monstrosities behind the one with the plume.

"We are The Sandstorm."

"...Never heard of you. What's your name, soldier?"

"I am Titan-01."

"...Yes, I know. That's not your real name though, it's just a designation. What's your actual name?"

"...I am Titan-01. I have no other name."

"...Right... Uh... Your rank then?"

"Sergeant."

"Regiment?"

"Sandstorm."

"Can't say I've heard of you lot before."

"Understandable. Our first deployment."

"Um... Ok. Sure... Why are you here? Did command send you?"

"Affirmative. Ordered to report to you. Await further instruction. Provide you with map."

A scroll of paper was dropped at the Commander’s hooves. Picking it up with his magic, he unfurled it. His eyes widened in surprise for a split second, and then filled with steely determination.

"Right. Captain Stardust, go and spread the word. I want your unit formed up and ready in this square within the next half hour. You've got a job to do."

---------------------

Everfree forest, Exact location unknown. 10:45 PM, 14th of April.

The town stank of undeath. The crumbling buildings, the cracked paths, the wilting flowers, the rotting food; everything was surrounded by the smell of decay and death.

And then, of course, there were the corpses. Some shuffled slowly in and out of the dilapidated buildings, while others simply stood in place. Rotting, decayed, but still very much alive... Or at least, they possessed some bizarre, twisted, bastardised imitation of life.

Private Whirlwind suddenly found herself in a valiant battle against the urge to vomit. The acrid taste of bile rose in her throat, and it was only through impressive fortitude that she managed to prevent the contents of her stomach being spewed all over the ground below.

Despite the fact that she, and her squad-mates, were high up in the branches of a gnarled and twisted tree, the sound of retching and the acrid smell of fresh vomit would surely alert these... Abominations to their presence.

As the feeling subsided, she looked to her right, towards were her commanding officer was perched upon a particularly thick branch.

As always, Captain Stardust seemed totally unaffected. Sitting motionless, his eyes were fixed on the vile sights below. Searching. Assessing. Calculating.

This was normal behaviour for the Captain. The conspiracy theorists within the unit had come to the conclusion that he was actually some kind of robot, despite the fact that no one had any evidence whatsoever.

Whirlwind felt that common feeling of subdued, slightly fearful awe that all officers seemed to attract from their troops.

Looking back at the scene below, Whirlwind steeled herself. If the Captain could look upon that vile, decaying town without reacting, so could she.

As she watched those horrid, vile things shuffle about like cripples; she wondered what terrible thing they must have done to earn themselves the horrendous punishment that was the curse of living death.

Without warning, a low hiss sounded from her left. With a start, Whirlwind jerked her head around, and saw the source of the noise.

Captain Duskweaver was looking down at the scene with an expression of outrage and hatred. His lips were drawn back in a savage snarl, the dim light glinting off his pointed teeth, of which the Night Guard were so famous for.

Duskweaver, like the rest of the Night Guard, was a Thestral: a sentient creature resembling a cross between a pony and a bat. They were rarely seen outside of the Night Guard, and each and every one of them was sworn to the service of Princess Luna, the Moon Goddess and Guardian of Dreams. They were vicious, cunning and strong, and they were all fanatically devoted to the Princess of the Night.

Duskweaver growled angrily. "These... Creatures. They are abominations! They defile her majesty's night with their very existence! We should tear them limb from limb and feed them to the crows!" He hissed.

"Come daybreak, and you'll get your chance." Stardust countered evenly.

"I look forward to it. We will annihilate these undead vermin! "
Redline growled.

Whirlwind, on the other hand, felt nothing but a creeping sense of trepidation and fear in regards to the coming battle. A chill wind blew through the forest, and the seeds of fear crept into the hearts of many.

At daybreak, there would be blood.

865823
I bet Shining never asked for this.
[youtube=iYA6Y67NXMc]

865823 So, Shining Armor's going to become one of the Titans?

866159
Nah. He seems like a combination of Adam Jensen from Deus Ex: Human Revolution (plus note the video clip ) and Subject Delta from BioShock 2.

Quick explanation- Jensen because he got remade into something better from basically death, plus augs- tons of augs. Subject Delta because Delta is built to be powerful like the other Big Daddies, but retains free will and much of his basic form instead of armor. Which is what it seems Shining is compared to a Titan.