//------------------------------// // Twilight's Promotion Pt 2 // Story: Logan and Carol; The Wolves of Equestria // by JNKing //------------------------------// As night fell, the ponies, wolves and dragon started to lose hope that Twilight was coming back. But just as they all gathered back outside the library, they became aware of a variation of Twilight’s mark appear, surrounded by six small white stars. The mark floated to the ground, bursting in a shower of light. When the light faded… they found their friend, sprawled out on the grass. “Twilight?” Applejack asked. “Is that…?” She tried to approach, only for Carol to hold her back. Both wolves were sniffing the air, their tails tucked. Something wasn’t right. Twilight shakily got to her hooves… and spread her new wings. Eight pairs of jaws slammed into the ground. Two tails followed as the mares converged on Twilight, cheering in wonder and amazement. Logan and Carol gazed at each other, utterly baffled as the mares cheered and congratulated Twilight. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Applejack declared. “Twilight’s got wings,” Dash laughed. “Awesome! I got a new flying buddy!” “Why, you’ve become an alicorn,” Rarity stammered. “I didn’t even know that was possible!” “Alicorn party!” Pinkie cheered, blowing a party kazoo. “You look just like…” Fluttershy started to say, before Logan cut her off. “HEY!” he bellowed. “WHAT’S GOING ON HERE!?” He jumped forward, sniffing Twilight’s wings. “You vanish on us; make us think you got vaporized,” Logan growled. “Now you come back with WINGS?” He looked around. “AND EVERYONE’S OKAY WITH THIS?! Did anyone miss the part where we spent SIX HOURS looking for her?!” He glared at Twilight. “We thought you died!” The six mares glanced at each other in realization. “So, you do care about me?” Twilight noted cheekily. Fluttershy saw the rage on his face, and yanked him back seconds before he could bite her. "Okay, wrong thing to say,” Twilight stammered, backing behind Rainbow Dash and Applejack as Logan nearly took another lunge at her again. “Wrong thing to say, I’m sorry…!” “This is NOT funny to me, Sparkles,” he snapped as Pinkie and Fluttershy held him back, and Rarity held onto Carol to keep her from charging as well. “You DO NOT mess with my emotions like that!" “Logan, she’s fine,” Fluttershy assured him. “She’s just fine; no one’s dead. Twilight’s fine… and…” She glanced back. “And she looks like a princess.” “That’s because she is,” a regal voice replied. The group turned to find Princess Celestia touching down behind them. Logan’s eye twitched. “You,” he grumbled. “Yes, me,” Celestia said with a slight huff, though not even Logan could make her smile fade. “But, a lot of what Twilight accomplished has been leading to this point. Since Twilight has come to Ponyville, she’s displayed the charity, compassion, devotion, integrity, optimism and, of course, leadership of a true princess.” “But…” Twilight started to say. “Does that mean I won’t be your student anymore?” “WHAT?!” The mares jumped as sparks flew from Logan’s fur. “THAT’S what you’re worried about, Sparkles?” he demanded. “Yeah,” Carol exclaimed, racing over to her. “I thought the whole point of this adventure was not to take destiny when it’s being forced upon you! Why else did you work so hard to get everyone’s marks fixed?! What? When you force new destinies on someone, you need to fix it, but when Celestia does, oh, it’s fine?” Celestia pursed her lips, but didn’t speak. “Oh, who are you kidding, Carol?” Logan growled. “Twilight’s always seen Celestia as perfect. Celestia could probably destroy the world, and Twilight would say it’s fine!” Twilight stamped her hoof. “I would NOT do that,” she snapped, before glancing at Celestia worriedly. “I mean… I wouldn’t have to, right? You wouldn’t do something like that, would you?” Celestia flinched back, her smile wavering. “I would not…,” she tried to say, but Logan raised a paw and bared his teeth in her direction. “You. Shut up,” he growled. To ever pony’s shock, Celestia actually backed up at Logan’s words, and went silent. He turned back to Twilight, who looked equal parts offended at Logan’s disrespect and surprised that Celestia actually obeyed him. Her surprise only increased at the softer look Logan gave her. “I want you to be honest with me,” he said. He walked up to Twilight, and looked her square in the eyes. “Did you want this?” He indicated her wings. “Did you have a choice?” She looked at her wings, and then at Celestia, only for Logan to pull her face back to him. “I’m not asking Celestia, I’m asking you!” he growled. Twilight thought over his words for a moment, then gave a nod. “Yes,” she admitted. “I was hoping… well, I always knew that Princess Celestia had plans for me. And now…” she sighed as Logan just looked more and more suspicious. “Yes. I want this. I wanted this ever since I first saw Celestia raise the sun. I may be nervous about it… considering I can’t exactly… look to Princess Celestia for guidance as much, but…” “You don’t need to worry, Twilight,” Celestia assured her. “I’ll still be here to help and guide you. But we are all your students now.” Logan scoffed. “Not all of us,” he growled at her, before turning away. “Logan,” Twilight tried to protest, but Celestia held her back, not daring to risk Logan’s temper with more poorly thought out words. Logan briefly paused, but turned back to Twilight instead of the white alicorn. Twilight tilted her head as she saw pity flash in his eyes. “If you change your mind,” Logan said. “I’ll see what I can do to change you back; I don’t care how impossible that sounds.” He glared at Celestia. “Don’t let her lead you down a path you don’t really want.” With that, he left the group, heading back for the forest. Carol spared Celestia a grimace, before following after Logan. # The Canterlot Castle balcony was once stocked with ponies celebrating the wedding of Cadence and Shining Armor. Now they were gathered to celebrate the coronation of Twilight Sparkle. Logan watched from the outskirts of Canterlot as Twilight appeared on the balcony. Carol joined him just as Twilight locked eyes with them. Even from that distance, they could at least make out what she was saying. “Each one of you taught me something about friendship, and for that, I will always be grateful. Today, I consider myself the luckiest pony in Equestria. Thank you, friends…” she looked on Logan and Carol in particular. “Thank you, everyone.” “You gotta admit,” Carol noted as the ponies erupted into cheers. “She cleans up nice.” Logan shrugged. “I know something had to come about; what with Celestia caring so much for her.” He sighed. “I just… don’t know if Twilight was honest with me; if this is what she really wants. She’s always been so eager about learning; I’ve never heard her gushing about how soon she’ll become a princess. What if…” Logan glanced over at her. “What if Celestia’s just manipulating her again?” Carol pondered that. “Maybe Celestia isn’t as immortal as we thought,” Carol offered. “She said she lived for thousands of years,” Logan replied. “Sure, but… just because something’s long-lived doesn’t mean that they can’t die… or get tired.” Carol shrugged. “Maybe Celestia wants Twilight to take over one day; I mean, Twilight does care about others. She’s definitely the Alpha of the Mane Six. And she’s powerful in her own way.” Carol grinned as Twilight tested her new wings. “Maybe Celestia wants her to be her Beta, and eventually Alpha if something happens to her.” “What about Luna and Cadence?” Logan pointed out. “Technically, Luna’s ruling with Celestia, and Cadence has the Crystal Empire.” Carol grinned. “I’d call Luna the Alpha Male to Celestia’s Alpha Female, but… she’s female.” Carol glanced away. “I think.” Logan’s ears flattened, but he didn’t growl or snap. Instead, he just smirked. “You know I hate it when you imply that they’re right about something,” he noted. “I’d be more surprised if there was something about their culture that you didn’t hate,” she noted. Logan huffed. “I don’t hate Fluttershy,” he noted. “Nobody can hate Fluttershy,” Carol refuted. Logan laughed at that, but his pained expression didn’t fade. “Do you think…” Logan flinched, like he didn’t want to say it. But Carol glanced back up at Twilight, and connected the dots. “I’m sure she’ll come back,” she said. “Even if Twilight is… aggravatingly curious, I don’t see Celestia making her abandon her pack. And I don’t see her pack abandoning Ponyville just yet.” Logan’s tail wagged. “Well, someone’s gonna have to protect that stupid little town,” he admitted. “Now more than ever.” Carol’s gaze fractured, and she glanced down. More than you know, she thought to herself. # Queen Chrysalis strode through her newly minted hive, her eyes narrowed at what awaited her. “And what foolish creature has wandered into my hive this time?” Chrysalis demanded. “A most peculiar creature,” her drone admitted. “Unlike anything we’ve seen before.” The drone led her to the cocoon containing the creature. Despite being trapped in the green goop, the creature lifted his head up and flashed a distorted but bright, chipped tooth grin. “Well, if it isn’t the famous Queen Chrysalis; Queen of all changelings,” he noted. His grin widened when she tilted her head up proudly. “You coming to breed me, sugar teeth?” The smug smile slid off her face at his words. “Cuz you can make as many drones from my seed as you want.” “I don’t just breed with any insolent creature I capture,” Chrysalis said testily. “Tell me what worth you pose, creature, and why I should not have you fed to my young.” “Aw, how cute,” he said. “You honestly can’t figure it out?” He chuckled, his laugh ringing through the hive in a way Chrysalis’ own laugh couldn’t. She fidgeted. “What are you talking about?” she demanded. “Oh, please,” he said. “No need to play dumb, Chrissy. My kind created your kind. Surely you could recognize a human when you see one?” Chrysalis gasped, as did her drones. Granted, the being was somewhat humanoid, yet there were things about him that gave Chrysalis pause; such as the monkey tail that wagged cheekily from inside the cocoon. Or the opposable thumbs on his toes. “How dare you speak such falsities,” Chrysalis growled, pointing her horn at his face. “I should take your tongue right now!” “Silencing me won’t silence the truth,” he replied. “Granted, I may not be the one that sketched out your incredible designs, or gave you your sultry voice, but I am part of the species that made them. Ponies. Changelings. This entire country. And that means…” Chrysalis gasped as he broke free from his cocoon, and stood before her. “That what you should be saying… is ‘thank you,’” he said. “Thank you?” Chrysalis asked, her ears flicking as she sensed magic at hand. “You’re welcome!” the man replied with a bow. “Wh… I would not dare thank…” Chrysalis tried to say, only for the man to chuckle, a song starting up around him. “I see what’s happening, yeah. You’re face to face with a creator, and it’s strange. You don’t even know, how to feel. You’re adorable! He booped her on the nose for emphasis. Well, it’s nice to see that characters never change.” He pulled her close, beginning to tango. “Open your eyes; let’s begin. Yes, it’s really me; a human – breath it in. I know it’s a lot: the fingers, the bod. When you’re staring at – well – a kinda god. He spun Chrysalis into her drones and began to dance. What can I say except ‘You’re Welcome!’ For your rocks, your power, your sky; Hey, it’s okay to say, “You’re Welcome!” But I ain’t just another pony guy! “Hey!” To the Changelings shock, the human sketched out with two thumbs… and the rocks fell away, revealing blue sky above. “What has two thumbs, and painted the skies When you were sketched to this high “One of these guys!” he said, pointing at himself before clapping and painting again. Fire crackled before them as he sung; “When the nights got cold, Who drew you fire for down below “You’re looking at one, yo,” he said with a laugh. He pointed just as the sun flew overhead. “Oh! Also, we drew up the sun. “You’re Welcome.” “To help Celestia bring you fun. Also, we sketched out the breeze. He stripped off a Hawaiian patterned vest he was wearing and fanned it, the breeze knocking Chrysalis down. You’re Welcome! To cool your face and shake your trees!” Chrysalis stared in dumbfounded shock as her drones started to dance along. “What are you imbeciles doing!?” she demanded. “I don’t know,” one drone replied. “It’s like love, but… musical!” Chrysalis tried to stop it, but there were a horde of changelings between her and the human, all currently bouncing him along like a rock star while he continued to sing, squirting water from a thermos he yanked from his belt. “So, what can I say except, Your Welcome?” For the water, the lakes, the sea. There’s no need to pray it’s okay; You’re Welcome!” It’s just a human thing like me “You’re Welcome!” “You’re Welcome!” He paused and hopped off the changelings, sliding next to Chrysalis. “Well, come to think of it,” he noted. “Guys, honestly I could on and on I could explain every natural phenomenon Your rocks? Your grass? Your ground? That was humans! Just messing around! Faust took a pen; then a pad of paper. Drew out some lines, now we got pony caper! What’s the lesson? What is the takeaway? Don’t mess with humans when we’re on the breakaway!” The man broke out of the hive and displayed the land before them. “The tapestry here of the world, Is a map that the humans unfurled. Look at this all, we made all of it happen. He started dancing in place. Check out this move; I’m tipping and tapping! He brief scat-sang, while eyeing the now smiling Changelings. Even Chrysalis was slowly getting into it, bopping her head to the beat. Well anyway, let me say, You’re Welcome! “You’re Welcome!” the changelings echoed. “For the wonderful world, you know. Hey, it’s okay – it’s okay, You’re Welcome! “You’re Welcome,” Chrysalis echoed back. “Oh, come to think of it, we gotta go,” the man noted, before continuing. Hey, it’s the day, to say “You’re Welcome!” “You’re Welcome!” the changelings echoed back. “Cause I’m gonna need your help! I’m taking a wolf away, You’re Welcome! “You’re Welcome!” “A nasty, annoying insolent whelp!” “You’re Welcome!” “You’re Welcome! “You’re Welcome!” The changelings chanted, hypnotized. “You’re Welcome…” The man started to drawl, before… “Wait!” Chrysalis said, turning to the human. “You said, ‘wolf?’” “Mm-hm,” he replied. “Logan Wolfe?” she demanded. “The Lone Wolf of Equestria?” “Taking him out to dinner, desert and torture,” the man replied with a bounce. Chrysalis’ face broke into an even wider grin. “Consider the changelings at your service,” she said with a bow. The man grinned. “Well… thank you.”