//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: The Defese of Canterlot // Story: Equestria Wars Episode IX: Revenge of the Consortium // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// Dusk was on the front lines with Charming and the Main 6, except for Rainbow. She had a pair of binoculars as she was on lookout for the enemy army. The pendant began to glow as the voice said, "Danny could be trouble. Watch him closely as he bears Unicron's spark." the voice faded as Dusk spotted the enemy in her binoculars. "Alright, here they are!" Dusk shouted. She then hands the binoculars to Charming Thunder and he looks through them and sees them. "Alright, they approach," Charming Thunder ordered. "Everypony, to your battle stations!" The others begin to take positions and the soldiers went to their positions. The AT-ATs began to fire their guns against the assault group. Darkbine began to charge ahead as a group of troops began to advance. They see Canderous Tanks beginning to fire back. A few AT-APs began to fire at the group, which took cover. Charming Thunder and Dusk took cover as the enemy approaches. The AT-AP fires at their direction, but Charming Thunder used his magic to repel the blast. The fighters along with the Souless One flew over them as the battle raged on. "AT-STs, take out those AT-APs." AT-STs approached Charming Thunder's position and opened fire on the walkers. "Hold on!" Danny's voice reported from Charming Thunder's communicator. "Attention all units, we have a problem." "What is it?" "Lightning’s not leading the fighter assault! I repeat: She’s not leading the fighter assault!" "That’s odd," Dusk replied. "She could be trying to find a way to avoid the assault." "No way. We would have picked up her fighter’s signal. I think she’s on the ground!" "If she is, we’ll find her soon enough." Charming Thunder and Dusk came out of cover as they drew their weapons as Droid Commandos approached. Charming Thunder used his magic lightning from his horn and fired it towards them. Droideka MK IIs came in rolling over the scraped commandos. "Take cover!!" Dusk shouted as she and Charming Thunder ducked behind ruble. The droidekas began to fire over their heads. Once the firing stopped, the droids walked up to the rubble when suddenly, a grenade was thrown out. The grenade exploded electricity on them and permanently shuts them down. The duo pressed on and continues to slice some droids as they joined up with the assault forces. A Canderous assault tank approached and fired at the group. Some were caught in the shot as others took cover. "Is an uplink placed here?" Charming Thunder said. "Yes, Charming," Darkbine said. "Call them in when you're ready." Charming Thunder took out his communicator and contacted the TIE Bomber squadron then ordered, "Lock on to these coordinates and drop bombs there." "Right away, sir," a pilot replied. The group then held off the droids while the bombers start their run. They heard the bombers approaching and took cover as they dropped bombs on the droids and tanks. "Bombing run successful, sir." Droidekas fired from behind along with droid commandos. Reinforcements walked through the smoking tank and fires at the group then engulfs them in a circle. They then held their fire but kept their weapons trained on them. They were about to pull the trigger until their eyes turned from red to green. They began to salute to Dusk and she smiled. "Father did it!" Dusk shouted. "Protocol Zeta is in effect! All droids engage the traitors!" The Commando Droids and Droideka MK IIs began to open fire against the Infantry forces and the Vehicles. Some pony soldiers of the Phantom Consortium began to turn to the enemy and fire at them. "Father must have informed the Consortium of his return. Loyalists turned against enemy." "This battle just turned to our favor now," Charming Thunder replied happily. His communicator beeped as he answered it. "Charming, I think I know what Lightning is planning," Danny reported. "She is heading the castle with an attack force! She could be trying to take the throne while we are distracted!" "Makes sense since she is a coward. I’m heading back now with a squad." "Me and Rainbow are on our way back as well. We will need to stop her!" Charming Thunder then turned his head to his squad and gestured him to follow. They then ran to the direction to the castle gates. --------------------- Lightning Dust, six Purge Troopers, and a large squad of ponies who were loyal to her had past the main gate after killing off some guards. Their forces made into the castle and when they got inside, they opened the throne room doors and see Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance. The three Princesses looked at Lightning in surprise. Lightning smirked and waved her hand, 4 cages were lead inside. The Princesses’ eyes narrowed as Lightning used them to locked them inside. They tried to use their magic but it failed. However, the victory was short lived when she heard someone walk in. Lightning looked and see Charming. She smirks as he draws his lightsaber. "So you must be Lightning Dust?" Charming Thunder said. "Well, look who came," Lightning replied. "I hoped you would come." Charming Thunder charged, but regretted it when a ghostly hand grabs Charming and pulls him into a cage. He loses his lightsaber and tried to use his magic but it failed. Lightning started to laugh in victory and glee. "I took you all down by myself! Now, I will become the only Queen of Equestria! My coronation will begin immediately!" "Coronation Lightning?" a voice said. "This is bad comedy." Lightning’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the door. She sees Danny with lightsabers drawn and smiling evilly. Rainbow was next to me with a blaster pistol in her hooves. "L-Lord Danny!?! Phantom Consortium! I am your true leader now! I order you to attack Danny!" Danny smiled evilly and puts away his lightsabers then grabs a hold of his medallion. Suddenly, a sword appeared in front of him and grabbed it. The Pony Troops were nervous to see him and slowly began to pull back. "Your return is too late! The Phantom Consortium is now loyal to me! The Reign of Lightning has begun!" "And now it will end!" Danny replied with hate. "Destroy him!" The Purge Troopers began to advance onto him. He took his sword and charged at them. He slashes one of them half then stabbed another. One of them fired a blue energy missile at him, but he dodged it and fired a storm of lightning at three of them and their circuits exploded. The last one tried to grab him but he cuts its left arm off and then cut the right leg off, making it fall. He then stabbed the center of it and it died. The pony troopers became more fearful. "Cowards! Is there no pony left who would challenge this…this pretender to the throne!?" "Fight your own battles, Lightning Dust!" one of the troopers replied. "Unless you’re a coward!" "Lightning Dust, your mockery of a reign is over!" Danny shouted in hatred. He then shocked Lightning Dust with lightning. She screamed in pain and falls to the ground, dropping the remote that she had to hold the cages. It explodes and the cages opened, no longer using their Anti-Magic effect. Lightning began to cower in fear as he approach her with his sword. "Lord Danny…please have mercy! I beg of you! I thought you would want this!" "Mercy!? YOU DARE ASK FOR MERCY!! No! I’ve made many mistakes in my past but this is one I don’t plan to make again!" He began to raise his sword preparing for his strike. "No…please! Have mercy!!" "She asks for mercy Danny!" Charming Thunder said. "That’s enough!" Danny ignored him and readies her strike on Lightning Dust. He swung down and was about to hit her until his attack was blocked by a white sword. He was surprised when he saw the blade being held by Charming Thunder. "No! She doesn’t deserve death!" "You DARE protect the one being who would kill or sell you out for her own life!?" Charming Thunder paused for a moment before he replied, "Yes..."