//------------------------------// // Attack on Canterlot and a New Decision // Story: Trouble Begins. // by Darth Redbeard //------------------------------//         When they arrived at where the explosion was, they saw the intruders attacking the Royal Guards that were holding them back. Babs soon noticed the flag and backed behind a pillar, remembering what happened last time she saw the flag. Shining brought up his weapon and took aim at the nearest attacker and hit him in the stomach.         “We need to get out of here!” He yelled. One of the attackers ran for Cadance, but Shining blocked him, punching the soldier in the face. “Keep away from my wife!” The two of them joined the others as they ran through the corridors. Rainbow looked outside and saw what appeared to be their planes attacking the city, setting many of the buildings on fire.         When they got around the next corridor, they saw the guards fighting another group of attackers. These attackers however were blocking every shot sent at them, as what appeared to be their armor was protecting them. The guard ran at them, only to be killed without any issues for the attackers.Everywhere it seemed, the attackers were breaking through the castle. As they began running for a secret exit, they were stopped by another group of attackers, led by Prince Blueblood.         “You traitor!” Celestia yelled. Blueblood just laughed as another person walked up beside him. Pinkie was shocked to see it was Pokey. He turned to Pinkie and just laughed.         “I told you that you’d regret refusing me, Pinkie.” He said, an evil smile on his face. Pinkie remembered yesterday, when he tried to have his way with her. It was the same day Spike and Sweetie Belle had their first date, that she forced him out of the bakery, after he tried to force himself on her. He yelled that she would regret it, but she never thought it would go this far. Before the attackers could do anything, they all ran down a secret passage, hoping to escape the attackers.         As they were nearing the exit, Spike tripped and got left behind. Sweetie Belle soon noticed her boyfriend wasn’t with them and looked back just in time to see a group of the Lennex soldiers grab Spike by his hair.         “Hey, let me go!” He yelled. He found himself being pulled away, as Sweetie Belle started running towards them, only for her to be held back by Rarity.         “SPIKE!” Sweetie holloward, trying to get free from her sister. ‘Don’t worry Spike. I’ll find a way to rescue you!” Both her and Rarity went out the secret exit, running for the train that was leaving for the western part of Equestria.         Back at the castle, the Lennex commander had just entered the throne room, as Spike was dragged in.         “So you’re the boy with the Dragon DNA?” He asked. Spike didn’t speak, infuriating the Lennex commander. He punched Spike in the stomach. “You will answer me when I’m talking to you!” Spike just spat in his face. “No matter.These two told us all about you.” Just as he said this, Sweetie Belle and Rarity’s parents walked into the room. “It’s time for you to serve your new masters, slave!” He walked out of the room as Magnum and Pearl went to the thrones and sat down.         “Equestria is now ours!” They exclaimed. “With the princesses gone, we will now rule this land the way it should be run. Get to the garden and destroy all the statutes that provide hope. We can’t have others believing they can win against us.”         “We can’t,” a soldier replied. “There something preventing us from entering. We tried to bomb them, but nothing happened.” Magnum and Pearl were upset by this revelation, but just sat on their thrones.         “Continue the march to Ponyville,” Pearl ordered. “Crush all in your path.” The soldier nodded and went to gather more of his unit. Pearl turned to Spike. “We will make sure you will never corrupt anyone ever again.” The two officers carried Spike away to the dungeon, both having a look of understanding on their faces about how to break him.         It was dusk by the time the train had reached Las Pegasus. Everyone was exhausted from what had happened today. The Capital was lost and one of their own was captured. For Sweetie Belle, it was a real hard blow for her, since all she could do was watch as Spike was dragged away from her. Twilight, Flash, Shining, and Cadance were not faring much better either. Spike was a member of their family, and was taken away from them just like that. Luna looked out to the ocean, and made a decision that would change the fate of Equestria.         “I’m going to try and find this Imperial Empire,” she said. “We need help, and maybe they’ll be able to give some support.” Celestia walked over to Luna and gave her a quick hug.         “If I know their leader,” she said. “He’ll give more than a little support. He’ll bring in the whole Imperial Army if he has to. They might even bring in fifteen Imperial Armies.” Discord laughed.         “That’s an understatement,” he countered. “Id bet on fifty Imperial Armies coming to help Equestria. Including the Emperor’s Guard. Heck, maybe even Guardian Force if they want to.” Celestia just shook her head at his statement. “Come on Celestia. I’ll bet 100 bits that  probably the largest Imperial force ever assembled will come to help us.”         “Alright, Discord,” she said. “You’re on.” They shook hands as Luna went to her personal boat.         “I need to do this on my own. No guards.” Before she could get on the ship, Sweetie Belle ran up to her.         “Take me with you!” She exclaimed. “I will not just sit here while Spike is held hostage by them creeps!” Luna knew why she wanted to go. Sweetie Belle wanted to do something to help Spike, and thought this might be the best way to do so. Before Rarity could protest, Sweetie stopped her. “I need to do this Rarity. I will do everything I can to get my boyfriend back.” Rarity just nodded, understanding that true love can overcome anything from what she heard. She just hopped that this would be one of those times. "Don't worry, Luna." Celestia told her. "Discord and I will make sure they don't advance any further until help arrives. The bright side, we will have support here in Equestria. We can hold until you return." "I'll make sure there'll be many surprises if they move beyond Ponyville." Discord said.         Luna and Sweetie Belle soon began heading west, hoping to find help, as the others went back to the other side of the city to prepare for any attacks. Rainbow Dash looked up towards the sky and saw the Wonderbolts fighting against the Lennex planes. It appeared that the Wonderbolts were winning, until the same Lennex planes she saw in Canterlot arrived and began shooting them down one by one. Right as the first plane crashed, Rainbow ran over to the pilots to make sure they were alright. She saw the captain, Spitfire, walk from her plane with some small cuts, but otherwise, fine.         “Captain, are you alright?” She asked. Spitfire nodded as the remaining of her pilots also walked away from their planes. Rainbow soon noticed that one was missing. “Where’s Soarin?” A final Equestria plane soon crashed a few yards away as the pilot climbed out and fell to the ground. She rushed over to him and pulled him away from the crashed plane as the rest of the Wonderbolts gave them their space. “Please Soarin, get up. Don’t do this to me, please.” She shook his shoulders, trying to wake him up. After a few minutes, Soarin began to wake up.         “Hey, Rainbow Dash.” He said. All Rainbow could do was throw her arms around his neck, grateful that he was alive. Soarin returned the hug, and began to get up with Rainbow’s help. After they got back to the city, Rainbow Dash couldn’t hold it in any longer and kissed Soarin on the mouth.         “I love you, Soarin.”         “I love you too, Rainbow Dash.”