Logan’s second trip to the human world somehow managed to be worse than his first visit in a manner of five seconds. In that time, he stumbled through the portal, only for his still healing head to collide with someone. He hit the ground seconds before a strange force overtook him, making him feel like he was being split in two, which didn’t go well with the concussion he seemed to be developing from getting hit in the head with a sledgehammer.
Sunset fell back, having run right into him. Her glower turned to shock, and she scrambled back as lightning flared across his body. Logan shrieked and writhed on the ground, his form trying to shift between human and wolf. He realized that their fight had drawn a crowd: every student from the school. The Human Five, along with Twilight, were still in the front, Twilight being protected by the other five girls, and Rainbow Dash sporting a black eye. Further away, Celestia and Luna stumbled out of the building, their gazes rapidly switching from furious to confused and slightly fearful.
Unwilling to appear weak and helpless, Logan tried to force himself back up, making it to all fours before his form shifted between human and wolf again, sending another jolt of pain through his entire body. Forcing himself to stay conscious, he turned his head back to the portal. A white tendril of light was spiraling out of the portal, wrapping around him and likely causing the pain.
“Carol,” his thoughts hissed. "What's... happening?"
#
“I’m sorry, Logan,” Carol whimpered back from Canterlot. “I didn’t take the magic of the portal into account.”
The mares behind her were watching in shock as Carol collapsed in front of them, her lightning styled link disappearing into the portal’s surface, and causing it to glow bright white.
“Carolina!” Celestia cried out. “Please; shut off your power! There’s no telling what the mixture of magic is doing to the portal!”
“NO!” Carol screamed, clutching at the line. “I can’t… leave him…”
But then, she felt a new jolt travel through. The link turned a bright shade of gold, while Carol’s trembling ceased. Her form still flickered – sometimes human, sometimes wolf – but her breathing steadied, as did her stance.
“W-What’s happening to her?” Fluttershy whimpered.
“Sunset,” Carol whispered. “She’s linked in!”
#
While Logan struggled on the ground, Sunset watched the portal and the link spiraling out of it warily.
“What kind of magic is this?” she demanded. “Where is the Element?”
Logan grinned up at her. “You want magic,” he managed to growl out, before indicating the sparks flaring across his body. “I’m the best you’re gonna get right now.”
He winced, another jolt of pain rocking his core, but Sunset got an inspired look in her eyes as she gazed upon the lightning traveling across his body.
“I’ve jumped through too many hoops right now,” Sunset snarled, reaching for the link. “If this is the best I’m gonna get…”
Her hand closed around the lightning-like rope, and she gasped, lightning surging up her body and lightning her up in bright ruby red and golden yellow.
She doubled over, her hand gripping the line tight enough to turn her knuckles white. But slowly, she rose. And as she rose, her appearance changed;
Her hair burst into flames; her skin turned cherry red. The whites of her eyes turned blacker than Luna’s darkest nights. Her leather jacket and dress burned away into a dress of crackling flames. And she lifted her arms to the sky with a roar of victory.
Yet, as she rose up, so did Logan. The lightning around him stabilized, and his eyes grew wide in awe. Sunset peered down at her free hand, before grinning at Logan.
“It’s no crown,” she admitted. “But I suppose it will do!”
She let the lightning crackle through her fiery body, and fired additional bolts, the first two striking the human Luna and Celestia. They briefly struggled, before their eyes rolled up into their heads, and they went limp like puppets, only being held up by the strings of lightning trailing back to Sunset.
Logan huffed a chuckle, and turned to Twilight and the others.
“Twilight,” he barked, throwing a tendril of light to her. “Remember… what you’re capable of!”
Twilight gasped, before her eyes glowed, both from determination and Logan’s magic. She caught his link and turned back to the other five girls, who were watching Sunset spread her lightning; which crackled like flames, towards their fellow students.
“Girls!” Twilight said, as five tendrils of her own formed in her free hand. “You have to link with me. It’s the only way to stop Sunset now.”
“But what is going on?” Rainbow Dash demanded. “I got no idea what’s even going on.”
“Logan is kind of scary,” Fluttershy admitted. “And… is he a werewolf?”
“If you can’t trust in him,” Twilight said, staring them straight in the eye. “Trust in me.” She gave them a grin. “Just like I trust in you.”
Some of the girls didn’t hesitate; Pinkie and Rainbow Dash bounded right up and seized a tendril, while Fluttershy and Rarity were slow on the draw. However, as they gazed into Twilight’s determined face, determination began to course through their features as well. And one by one, the human five linked with Twilight, quickly being shrouded in light.
Logan’s lightning was nothing like Sunset’s. It curled around them like friendly snakes, and made them glow in shimmering shades of color; purple for Twilight, blue for Rainbow Dash, white for Rarity, yellow for Fluttershy, pink for Pinkie and orange for Applejack.
“How in tarnation is that boy pulling this off?” Applejack mumbled in awe.
“Well, duh,” Pinkie said. “He’s a magic wolf.”
Applejack rubbed her temples. “I was hoping for a more reasonable answer,” she mumbled.
“I-I think it’s a little reasonable,” Fluttershy admitted, pointing at Logan as his wolf form glowed over his human form.
Logan rolled his eyes, before glaring up at Sunset, who in turn grinned down at him.
“You sure you wanna keep this up?” Logan growled at her. “My magic isn’t pony magic.”
Sunset grinned down at her new subjects, all of whom hung limply in her lightning.
“It’s good enough,” she declared, staring down Logan. “I don’t want to rule this pathetic little high school, Wolf. I want Equestria! And with an army of humans behind me, I’m going to get it!”
“Really,” Logan said, clenching his fist as lightning crackled around him. “And why would you want it?”
Sunset started to open her mouth, before Logan silenced her with a raised hand/paw.
“No,” Logan said. “Don’t bother telling me.” He grinned. “I’ll figure it out.”
Sunset tilted her head in confusion… before the full power of Logan’s links hit her head on.
Memories flared up between them. Sunset saw herself, studying tenaciously under Celestia. But she was frustrated. Tired. And when she came to Celestia, believing herself successful and deserving of praise, the alicorn turned away from her. Denied her the greatest prize to be given any student of Celestia: the title of princess.
As Sunset watched her younger self fuming in anger, she heard Logan’s voice.
“Revenge on Celestia?”
Sunset saw him across from her, staring at the memory like it was a battle plan.
“That’s what this was all about?” he asked.
“Not just Celestia,” Sunset snarled at him. “At that whole world.”
The memories followed her words.
“I was special,” she insisted. “Better than them.”
And yet, the unicorns around Sunset all looked on her with envy and anger. They mocked her to make themselves feel better. But Sunset kept her head high, even when Celestia gave her looks of disapproval, which did not help the envious glares from others.
“But even Celestia didn’t want to reveal this. They all hated me because I was better than them!”
The memory returned, of Celestia turning her back on Sunset.
“So, I’ll show them all!” Sunset growled. “I’ll show them what Celestia always denied… and what they mindlessly went along with. And I’ll make her regret turning me into her enemy.” She turned to Logan, only to find that the wolf was glaring at her. No longer in anger or hatred. But in disappointment.
“You think you’re the only one who hates Celestia?” he asked.
Before Sunset could hope to argue, her memory vanished with a flare. She found herself in a desert. Logan raced with other wolves, desperately fleeing humans in a van. The van made to run Logan over, before a familiar golden aura of magic seized him.
The memory shifted, showing Logan clutching his dead mother. Howling his sorrow to the moon. The memory went on to show Logan surrounded by ponies, all of whom either looked down on him or were afraid of him. The only canines he could relate to were either Carol, Timber Wolves, or Diamond Dogs. His way of life was gone!
The memory shifted one last time, showing the clinic he had woken up in. Inside, Celestia stood over Logan, who had taken Sunset’s place. Celestia was now smiling, as if everything Logan had just shown Sunset didn’t really matter. Logan even shared Sunset’s fuming look. And, why shouldn’t he? Celestia had taken Logan from his home! She had gotten one of his pack killed!
And when Logan launched forward, trying to sink his teeth into that godly snout… he was promptly beaten down and overwhelmed by the six mares guarding her.
The same six who’s human counterparts were standing not more than five feet away from them.
Sunset’s eyes widened. “You…” she stammered. “Celestia betrayed you too? And yet…” She stared at the human six watching them. “You still fight for them?”
“Because they have something you never understood,” Logan replied. “Something I’ll bet you’ve lived your life without ever experiencing.”
Sunset gaped at him in confusion, before the memories changed before her.
Rainbow Dash racing to aid Applejack with a bake sale, even when she had her own business going on. Applejack greeting Rainbow Dash with a smile and a laugh.
Pinkie, making a distraught Fluttershy smile with jokes and laughter.
Rarity, making dresses for all four of them.
Twilight showing Logan the book she had wrote on his travels.
Logan and his pack, feasting together. Talking and laughing like the family they were.
Celestia and Luna’s alicorn forms, pranking each other.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders, back on Equestria, working together in their search for their purpose in life.
And at the center of it all: Logan, Carol and the equine Fluttershy, all asleep in front of a blazing fire. Fluttershy’s hoof gently stroked the sleeping Logan’s head, even as the yellow mare dozed off. Peaceful smiles adorned their faces.
But Sunset didn’t just see each of these memories… she experienced them. She felt her heart swell with joy and happiness, the same way the friends in the memories felt when they were with each other. With each memory and surge of emotion, Sunset sunk lower and lower to the ground. Her hair returned to normal red and yellow. Her dress turned back to normal cloth. Her skin paled to amber. Her eyes turned white, slowly filling with tears.
“W-What’s happening?” Sunset whimpered, looking down at her hands as if seeing them for the first time. “W-Why couldn’t I have that? That… feeling; this… happiness?” She clutched at her heart. “I’ve seen so many sappy couples like that, but I’ve never…”
“Felt what they were feeling?” Logan asked. “That’s a pack bond, Shimmer. You ponies would know it as ‘friendship.’ That is where my power lies. It’s what makes us strong.” He shook his head. “How can you; a mare who has known only how to spread distrust and disharmony, hope to control a magic fueled by the bonds made with others?”
As he asked that, the lightning faded from her grip. Her strings over the faculty and students faded, and they clutched their heads, their eyes returning to normal. Slowly, they looked at Sunset, as if seeing her for the first time. As for Logan, he stood in his wolf form, snow white and gleaming with power, while Twilight and the Human Five stood nearby, similarly shrouded in white. Twilight’s form hadn’t completely changed; she still had her human hands and legs, but purple wings unfurled from her back, and the magic of her link with Logan centered around a glowing spot on her head.
“The magic of friendship doesn’t just exist in Equestria,” Twilight said, standing alongside Logan as they peered down at the distraught Sunset. “It is everywhere. You can seek it out, or you can forever be alone. The choice is yours.”
Sunset looked at Logan and lowered her head in defeat. Logan then turned to Fluttershy. The two regarded each other, Logan with amusement, and Fluttershy with awe and slight excitement. Logan glanced back at the portal.
“Carol?” he called. Seconds later, a dull version of Twilight’s crown shot through - the original Fall Formal crown. Along with several white pearl-like crystals. Logan tossed the crown to Rarity, before gently pressing the crystals into Fluttershy’s hands.
“Whatever that can buy,” he said. “Make sure it helps your animals get good homes.”
Fluttershy gripped the crystal and looked up at Logan with a smile. She jumped forward, and wrapped her arms around Logan’s neck.
“Of course,” she stammered out, unable to say much else. When she finally released him, she brushed a tear from her eye. “I’m… sorry I was afraid of you,” she mumbled.
Logan grinned. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he replied. “Hopefully our next meeting will have… better circumstances.”
Fluttershy giggled, but nodded regardless, while Logan turned to leave.
“Wait!” Sunset pleaded, reaching for him. “You… you’re right. All I’ve done ever since I got here is drive others apart. I don’t know the first thing about friendship.”
Logan gave her a look of pity, while Twilight smiled.
“I think…” Twilight said, before turning to the Human Five. “They can teach you.”
Sunset looked at the five girls, each of them giving her worried, yet also hopeful looks.
Logan turned to them. “Will you guide her?” he asked them. “Show her what she’s missed this entire time?”
Rarity glanced at the others, before stepping forward.
“We will,” she declared, before shooting the hopeful Sunset a coy look. “Although I do expect some sort of apology for last spring’s debacle.”
Sunset rubbed the back of her head nervously, only for Logan to put a paw on her shoulder. The light around him dimmed enough, to the point that he resembled an ordinary wolf. He glanced towards Principal Celestia, who had gone from scared to dumbfounded, staring at Logan as if she was trying to process how the thug that had beaten her, her student and her vice principal up was now a talking, magic wolf.
“I know the hatred you feel for Celestia,” he told Sunset. “I let it consume me… just like you did.”
Sunset looked down. “I can still feel it,” she admitted.
“It won’t leave you,” he told her. “Just as it hasn’t left me. Just don’t let it blind you to the wonders life can still provide.” He nodded at the Human Five again.
Sunset wiped the tears from her eyes, and rested her head against Logan’s. Then, the wolf turned to Twilight. Twilight lingered briefly on the edge, staring back at the five girls.
“I know we were only friends for a short time,” she said. “But I’m gonna miss all of you!”
The five girls waved goodbye, and as the light faded from their bodies, Twilight and Logan walked in together…
#
…and promptly got dog-piled by the mares waiting for them on the other side.
“Twilight!” “You’re back for real this time!” “Knew you could do it!” and “Don’t ever worry us like that again,” jumbled together. Celestia had no words, simply covering the cheering group with her feathers and nuzzling up to Twilight. Logan squirmed out of the pile and limped over to an exhausted Carol, and the two checked each other over, while Luna and Cadence examined the mirror for any damage.
Luna sighed, grabbing Logan’s attention.
“Did we break it?” Carol asked.
Cadence glanced at them. “Unfortunately,” she said. “The portal closed ahead of schedule. We’ll have to wait thirty moons to see if it will reopen.”
Celestia’s ear pricked, and she pulled back from Twilight, giving another look at the mirror.
“Sunset Shimmer,” Celestia asked quietly, her eyes gazing from Logan to Twilight. “Was she… alright?”
Logan looked back at the mirror, his ears flat. “She…” he said. “Has some issues to work through.” He turned back to Celestia, and a shimmer of the grudge he still had briefly flashed in his eyes. “Don’t expect her to come back until she’s ready.”
“And until she is,” Twilight added. “She’s been left in good hands.”
There was a pause.
“What are hands?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Carol’s eyes widened. “Logan, how much have you told them about humans?!” Carol demanded, promptly a burst of laughter from the younger mares. Celestia, however, kept a wistful gaze on the mirror. Logan found himself joining her, and while the girls talked about Twilight and Carolina’s adventure, the wolf and the alicorn stared at their reflections, which shimmered softly with the mirror’s remaining magic.
“What was it like?” Celestia asked.
Logan huffed in confusion.
“Meeting some pony who lost faith in me?” Celestia prompted. “Some pony who… hates me…?”
“She doesn’t hate you,” he replied.
Celestia turned her eyes from the mirror to him. “No?” she asked, hope cracking her otherwise stoic tone.
“Not the way I…” Logan started to say, before pausing again.
Celestia watched him struggle, wondering what he would decide on. The way I used to? The way I do? Anything was possible for the Lone Wolf.
Finally, he just sighed, as if giving up. “I don’t think she ever really made friends, or had a pack,” Logan admitted.
Celestia bowed her head. “Yes, she was always more wrapped up in her studies,” Celestia admitted. “More interested in learning the mechanics of something rather than experiencing it for herself.”
“She really was like Twilight, wasn’t she?” Logan noted.
“In some ways… yes,” Celestia said. “But in other ways… no.” Logan glanced up at her. “I guess you could say Twilight was my second chance. And Sunset was the reason I grew so close to her.” She shut her eyes. “After I failed to help Sunset, I was determined to never make the same mistakes with Twilight.”
Celestia looked back at her student, who was currently arguing with Carol while Rainbow Dash watched excitedly.
“Sunset helped me be a better mentor for Twilight… or at least better than I was with her… and she’ll likely never know it,” Celestia said sadly. She looked back at the portal. “I’d give anything to see her again. To thank her for what she taught me. To let her know that I forgave her… even before she left. And that… even if Twilight’s taken her place… there’s still a spot in my heart for her.”
Logan watched Celestia carefully, but he had a feeling that he could force Applejack to stand next to him, and he wouldn’t have caught a single attempt at manipulation or lie coming from the white alicorn. He looked back at the mirror.
“You love making me feel like a jerk for hating you, don’t you?” Logan noted.
A small chuckle escaped Celestia’s snout. “You shouldn’t feel forced to forgive me for my sins,” Celestia replied. She gave him a coy look. “Although…” She glanced over at Twilight and Carol as their argument grew more pronounced.
“Logan did WHAT to Principal Celestia?!” Twilight exclaimed.
“She was going to kick us out!” Carol refuted. “And besides, we got the Element from her anyway!”
Celestia glanced at Logan again. “It sounds like Sunset isn’t the only one who needs to make amends for the mistakes they made on the other side of that portal.” She gave the portal another glance before looking at Logan with that coy look again. “Of course, it may be damaged, but I’m still here…”
“Keep on dreaming,” Logan said, already walking away. “It’s gonna be a cold day in Tartarus before I apologize to any version of you.”
“Tartarus isn’t technically the lake of fire your kind may know it as,” Celestia noted teasingly.
“Doesn’t matter,” Logan replied. “I’m not apologizing.”
Celestia tried to catch him with her magic, only for him to jump away. Twilight saw Logan break out into a run.
“Logan?” she asked, before glancing at Celestia. “Princess?”
“Twilight, am I not owed an apology?” Celestia asked teasingly. “He did assault my human counterpart.”
Twilight and the other girls grinned at each other… only for Carol to jump away and join Logan.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Carol declared. Their pack link flared to life, and before the girls knew it, the two wolves had raced from the throne room, their pack link increasing their speed so that even Rainbow Dash had trouble keeping up with them.
“You guys get back here and apologize!” Rainbow Dash demanded, racing after them.
“Eat my tail, Dash!” Logan shot back defiantly.
The other princesses watched on, laughing as the Mane Six chased their wolf counterparts. Celestia watched Luna and Cadence gallop after them, eager to see the results of the chase. However, Celestia paused, sparing another glance back at the mirror.
“My dear Sunset,” she whispered. “I hope you find happiness… wherever Logan has left you.”
#
“Br, it’s colder than I expected,” the man grumped, staring around the purple mountains. “Seriously, this is Tartarus? Where’s the lakes of fire and ominous pipe organs?”
“Take this seriously, King Luco, for once in your life,” Queen Chrysalis chastised, following him through the gate, along with Tempest and a tiny changeling drone. She was glancing around, nervousness fighting to expose itself on her otherwise stoic face. “This is where the most ancient, evil creatures are imprisoned.”
“And again,” Luco insisted. “Where’s the elements of torture? I was expecting devils running roosters out through barbed wire, or being roasted in cheese fondue! At least being forced to sit through endless opera recitals!”
Tempest slumped her head with a moan of regret. “You better bring me the Lone Wolf,” she grumbled. “Or I’m going to swear this was a giant waste of time.”
Luco grinned back at her. “Have faith, my beautiful unicorn friend,” he replied, striding closer into Tartarus. He noticed a giant black dog with three heads glowering at them. But instead of feeling fear, the man smiled and clicked his tongue at the dog.
“Thorax, be a dear,” Luco said. But before he could finish, the tiny changeling stepped forward… and transformed into a deer.
Luco laughed with glee, clapping his hands. With a grin, Thorax levitated a bag of treats to Luco, who offered one to the giant dog. The dog paused, intrigued by the human’s lack of fear, before the smell of the treats got its three heads to drooling.
Luco tossed treats to each of the heads, before tossing additional ones off to the side, causing the Cerberus hound to lumber off in the direction of food. He grinned back at his posse.
“Now then,” he said. “Let’s go shopping for minions.”