Logan knew he’d have to confront them eventually. His whole life had been a series of confrontations. But this one, for once, was one he was looking forward to.
It was only going to be a matter of time before Principal Celestia and her vice principal found out he was back and around her school. And considering how he had parted ways with her, he was quite sure she’d be averse to his presence. Thus, with Luna likely seconds away from spilling the beans on him, Logan decided to handle them on his own terms. Additionally, if they were under the Sirens spell, he might even be able to break them out of the spell.
The idea of how he’d do that actually made him giddy.
He had heard a while back that wolves could smell fear. And he supposed, in a way, it was true; people have a way of stiffening up and sweating when frightened, and he could smell the unique chemicals that came with said sweat. But if there was one thing to describe the scent that even his human nose could pick up as he approached Celestia’s office, he would gladly describe it as fear.
Not even bothering with a knock, Logan opened the door and walked right in. Luna was shivering, her hands gesturing frantically. Logan couldn’t hear, on account of his ear plugs, but he was pretty sure she was saying something along the lines of ‘demon wolf man! Here to destroy us all!’ He couldn’t resist chuckling; it was really kind of adorable how frightened this version of Luna was of him, considering how smug her equine version had been back when she invaded his dreams.
The memory made him angry, helping his mood as Celestia’s eyes darted from her frantic vice principal, and widened upon seeing him.
Logan gave her a cheeky salute… before his hand caught the snow globe she threw at his face. He glanced down at the snow globe, before looking up at her with an amused glint in his eyes.
She was pointing at him, storming towards him as spit flew from her mouth. He could tell she was, among other things, demanding he leave her school and life forever, but… not a single word got past his ear plugs. A fact he made clear to her by scrunching up his face and pointing at his ears.
“W-What’s that?” he asked. “You want me to hit you with this snow globe?”
Her eyes widened, and Celestia realized just how stupid it was to get within range of him. She tried to back up, waving her hands and continuing to scream as Logan threw the globe at her. Luna dove for the phone, but as Celestia’ ducked, Logan’s well-aimed pitch smacked the phone right off the desk. It clattered, it’s gear spinning away. Luna gagged in horror, while Celestia seized a ruler off her desk.
“Oh, you want me to hit you with that?” Logan asked, locking the door behind him. “Well, who am I to disobey a princess like you?” he added with a smirk.
#
Twilight already knew Logan was a loose cannon. As much as she cared for him, he never ceased to aggravate and annoy her with his apparent need to disrupt every plan she ever had. But never before had she been so aggravated with his irrational – yes, irrational, she thought, go away inner doubts – hatred of her teacher, second mother and best friend.
Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash had just made sure their little sisters (or whatever Scootaloo was to Rainbow Dash in this world) were safe, when Sunset had barreled in indicating the door before mouthing ‘Logan,’ and ‘Luna.’
Instantly understanding, Twilight sprinted for the principal’s office, her skin paling to the point that she looked like Rarity. Without sound, her imagination churned up horrible sounds of combat and strife coming from the office door. What if Logan had gone too far? These versions of Celestia and Luna weren’t alicorns! He could seriously hurt them! He could…!
Twilight smashed into the door and fell backward. Locked! Of course. Twilight got up and banged on the door.
“Logan,” she snapped, despite knowing he couldn’t hear her. “Logan, open this door!”
The door clicked, and Logan opened the door, grinning like the morning after a night of passion.
“Why, hello, Twilight Sparkle,” he said, her face turning red as she could sense the teasing tone in his words. “Did you do your school work?”
Twilight shoved past him… and screamed. Celestia and Luna were tied back to back, their heads slumped like they were unconscious. An insane amount of scotch tape covered their mouths, looking like a spider had made its web right over their faces. Two massive welts cropped up on Luna's head, and Celestia's face was blue and white with bruises.
Logan’s hand clamped over her mouth, and he briefly removed her ear plug.
“Don’t draw the Sirens,” he hissed before trying to plug her ear back up. However, she smacked his hand away and squirmed out of his grip.
“I CANNOT believe you,” she exclaimed. “These versions of Princess Celestia and Luna haven’t done anything to you! Why are you so insistent on…?”
Logan scrunched up his face and indicated his ear plugs.
“What’s that?” he asked. “You’re saying you forgot about when they wouldn’t give us the crown back?” he grinned. “I thought you were smarter than that.”
Twilight growled like an actual wolf and lunged at him, trying to claw the ear plugs out.
“Whoa, hey!” Logan growled, easily pushing her back. “Alright, I get it; I went too far!”
“You're darn right you did!” Rainbow Dash’s voice screeched, before she lunged through the door and onto Logan as well. Carol raced in, prying Rainbow Dash off by the hair, even as Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie showed up, all gaping in shock at the unconscious forms of their principal.
“What in tarnation is wrong with you?” Applejack tried to declare. “Beating up the principal? This is gonna…”
“They were brainwashed,” Logan snapped, shoving Twilight back and regaining his feet. “One of them threw a snow globe at me; I threw it back!”
“Did they also throw a ruler?” Pinkie asked, indicating the scattered supplies that lay scattered across the room. “Or the pencil? Or this pen? Or this picture of Sunset on last year’s fall formal? Or…”
Pinkie’s voice didn’t have any anger to it as she listed the various weapons that had been used, but the glares the others shot Logan had more than enough to compensate.
“Oh, so angry,” Luco's voice mocked from outside.
The group turned to see Sunset hauling a bound Luco to them. Fluttershy brought up the rear, Blazy on a leash and straining to stay close to Spike, smiling at him hopefully even as Spike tried to put as much distance between himself and the bigger dog as he could.
“So, malicious,” Luco taunted. “So bitter!” He laughed. “You should really get that anger out, like your little girls did. Slap him around, stomp on his feet… That Siren song is nice, but man does it make people cranky, huh?” He giggled at the glower Logan shot him.
“Alright, enough!” Logan barked, and there was a boom in his voice that made both Twilight and Rainbow Dash back up, though both still glared at him mutinously. Logan pointed at the Humane Five. “You five, Carol,” he ordered. “Get him in here, then guard the outside; make sure the Sirens aren’t listening in. If you hear music, plug up your ears and get us to do the same.”
Applejack grimaced, but glanced back at the hallway. Rainbow Dash stormed out.
“If they are pulling a brainwashing spell,” she warned. “I’m going to let you get brainwashed, and then I’m gonna kick the spell out of you.”
“Just get to it,” Logan snapped at her, driving her out the door.
With a grunt, Carol and Sunset set Luco down next to Celestia. Fluttershy tied Blazy next to Luco. Luco gave her a grateful nod, nuzzling at Blazy with his head before double-taking Celestia’s tied up form.
“Oh,” Luco noted, observing Celestia and Luna’s unconscious bodies. “We got us a bondage party? I hope you brought plenty of lube.” He licked his lips, scanning Twilight’s chest and causing her to gasp and cover herself. “Chrissy Cue has made me a little more comfortable with girls on four legs, but I can appreciate my version of a classic.”
Before Twilight could shout at him, Logan instantly stepped up and punched him hard enough for him to pitch backward, but Luco just laughed from his new position on the ground.
“Oh, my goodness, Logan,” he declared. “I didn’t realize you two were a thing!”
Logan nearly raised his boot to stomp him, but Sunset stopped him.
“Wait,” she said. “We’re here to free Celestia and Luna, not just beat him up.”
Logan grimaced, and even Twilight fumed silently, but when both of them looked at each other, an understanding passed between them.
“At least gag him,” Twilight asked.
Luco gave Sunset a quick grin… which was rewarded with a stomp to the head.
“Looked up your skirt,” Luco mumbled, his eyes spinning as the group turned away. “Totally worth it,” he added before Logan seized the tape dispenser and taped his mouth shut.
With the crazed pirate silent for now, Logan and the girls focused their attention on the principals.
“Now, big question,” Sunset noted. “How do we cure them?”
Twilight crossed her arms before brightening. “I got it!” She turned back outside. “Girls, get in here.”
The five started to file in, but Logan stopped Carol. “Keep watch, okay?” he asked her.
She nodded, standing guard as the six girls assembled before the principals. Logan crossed his arms.
“Alright, Sparkle,” he said with a grin. “How would you handle this?”
“Just watch,” Twilight replied, turning to her friends. “Alright ladies; let’s show this wolf how we do things.” Twilight declared, holding hands with Rainbow Dash and Applejack, while they held hands with the other girls. “Friendship… is MAGIC!”
Silence reigned. The principals sat unchanged. Luco tilted his head and turned to Logan with a shrug, though Logan ignored him, a smug grin forming on his face.
“And… nothing happened.” Logan noted.
“Oh, shut up!” Twilight grumped.
“Yeah, I don’t wanna agree with Logan, but…,” Rainbow Dash noted. “Weren’t there supposed to be… rainbows and lasers and stuff?”
Twilight let go of her friends’ hands, looking down. “I-I don’t understand. We’re all together again; why isn’t it working?”
Blazy barked. When the group looked down at her, the larger dog slid the same trumpet Logan had used towards him. She wagged her tail and panted hopefully before glancing at Luco, her eyes big and begging for love.
“Hang on,” Sunset noted, picking up the trumpet. “When you guys defeated me, Logan was drawing magic from the portal and his own pack link. The siren’s magic comes from music…” She rubbed her chin, before turning to Logan. “Maybe…?”
Twilight’s eyes brightened. “You might just be onto something, Sunset,” she exclaimed, seizing the trumpet.
“Really?” Sunset asked in elation, as Twilight pressed the horn into Logan’s hands.
“Logan, do you remember when you used this in the gymnasium?” she asked, speaking before he could reply. “Well, do it again.” Her eyes narrowed. “And don’t throw it at them.”
Logan glowered at her, but a glance at Rainbow Dash and Applejack got him to sigh in frustration. He stood before Celestia and Luna, and took a breath. His lips fitted over the trumpet, and he blasted it. Once again, lightning spurted from the trumpet, circling in a shock wave around the principals.
Luco watched, intrigued, as the principals shot up, their eyes widening and their nostrils flaring as they tried to gasp through their gags. Their eyes flicked between the girls and Logan, particularly widening at the sight of Luco next to them, before they settled on glowering at Logan.
“So…” Applejack asked. “Did it work?”
Sunset leaned towards them. “Her eyes aren’t glowing green,” she noted.
“One way to find out,” Pinkie declared, before bounding forward and ripping the gag off Celestia’s mouth. The pink girl crouched down, hands over her fingers, while the others flinched away from Logan, expecting a round of profanity from the principal for his second assault on her. Celestia took a deep breath, and looked Logan straight in the eye.
“I hate you.”
“I hate you more,” Logan refuted. “Are you still brainwashed?”
“No,” Celestia answered. “But I truly do not think that you understand the sheer devil fire that burns in me when I think about you now.”
“Eh, probably not,” Logan admitted, causing the girls to stare at him. “My hatred is more ice; like a glacier hiding a blizzard.”
“Poetry aside,” Twilight snapped before crouching down to look at Celestia. “Please-please forgive us for this, Principal Celestia. Logan is… well, he’s a jerk, but I swear, he’s not here just to make your life miserable.”
Celestia blinked slowly at Twilight. “So, can I assume you’re here to help my students?” she asked.
“Depends,” Logan growled. “Are you still brainwashed?”
“I’m not brainwashed,” Celestia snapped, pulling against her restraints. “I knew those Dazzlings were up to something, but after they sang to me and Luna, there was some odd… veil, over my mind, keeping me in the dark. It’s gone now… but I’d feel a lot better about it if I wasn’t tied to a chair,” she added frostily.
“Again, we’re really sorry,” Twilight insisted.
“Logan’s only here to help us,” Sunset promised. “Then he’ll leave with the Sirens.”
“Happily,” Logan added.
Celestia sighed. “Well, it’s not like I have many options,” she admitted, before fixing Logan with a glare again. “But mark my words, ‘Logan.’ A day of reckoning is coming for you. Something is going to happen soon; very soon, and it will make you re-think who you are and how you act around others!”
Logan strode forward, and for a scary moment, Twilight and Sunset feared that Logan was going to punch her again. Instead, he crouched down and stared her in the eye.
“Do you want to spend the rest of my time here tied to that chair?” he asked quietly.
Celestia was silent, though her glower had the force of the sun behind it. She shut her eyes with a sigh.
“No,” she admitted. “Would you please cut me loose?”
Logan stepped back, and with a nod, Twilight and Rarity cut the tape from Celestia. But, the second she was free, she lunged forward, her fist connecting with Logan’s jaw, snapping his head back. Rainbow Dash bit back a cackle of laughter, everyone shooting a nervous look at the silhouette of Carol, who spun around, staring at the door with a suspicious look. However, Logan caught himself, and rubbed his jaw with a grin. He fixed Celestia with a more appraising look. He chuckled.
“I was hoping you’d have some spice in you,” he noted, cricking his jaw.
“I did need to repay you for your last assault,” Celestia snarled through gritted teeth. “Be thankful I don’t do worse.”
“Be still, my beating heart,” Logan taunted, rubbing his jaw one more time before straightening up. “So, can we get back to saving the school from sirens?”
“Yes,” Celestia replied frostily, cutting her sister loose. Luna almost lunged at Logan, her eyes flashing, but Carol banged the door open, fixing them with a glare. Luna fumed, but Celestia guided her behind her desk, settling herself down before them. The Humane Five joined Carol outside, and Logan locked the door behind them, leaving Logan, Twilight and Sunset with the principals; Spike, Luco and Blazy watching on.
“So, to recap…” Logan said.
“The Sirens likely have everyone in this school under their spell,” Sunset reported.
“The only exceptions would probably be us, Snips, Snails, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo,” Twilight added. “We either got them to stop listening to the music, or they heard Logan’s counter spell.” She turned to Logan. “Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash made sure their sisters had their ears plugged, and we did the same for the two boys. As long as we keep our ears plugged around here, we should be able to keep the Sirens out of our heads.”
“Of course, we can’t just walk around without sound from now on,” Celestia noted.
“Which is why we’re going to take them out,” Logan said.
Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “Even if they are magical creatures, I would rather you not murder them in…” Celestia started to say.
“No one’s murdering anyone,” Logan countered. “They’ve got these weird necklaces with red gems on them. I saw them absorbing some kind of mist after we broke up the fight in the gym.”
“There was a fight in the gym?” Celestia asked, her mouth agape.
“Not important,” Logan refuted. “If we destroy the gems, they won’t be able to absorb energy, and I’m betting they wouldn’t be able to use their powers. They’d be even less of a threat than Twilight without her horn.”
“Hey, Logan?” Twilight asked.
“Yeah?” he replied… only to get smacked again. He didn't even flinch. “Point proven,” he replied defiantly.
Twilight gritted her teeth at him, before Sunset jumped in. “That may still prove difficult,” she noted. “The whole school is under their spell. If we just walk up and try to break the source of their power, the entire school body will try to stop us.”
“Just like you tried to have us take over this 'Equestria' for you?” Luna noted drily.
Sunset flinched and fell back, while Twilight continued to ponder.
“It looks like their magic had an influence on music, though,” Twilight noted. “Rainbow Dash said that she and her band gain pony traits when they perform.” She rubbed her chin. “What if we played a musical counter-spell that broke their control and left them defenseless?”
“If we’re going to free everyone,” Celestia noted. “We’ll need them all to hear it.” She glanced at her PA announcer. “Should I tell everyone to gather somewhere?” she offered.
“Not yet,” Logan said before Twilight could. “The Sirens saw us fighting. They might know what’s going on.”
As if fate was answering him, Carol poked her head in.
“They’re watching,” Carol whispered. “Haven’t approached and aren’t singing, but they see us.”
The group looked at each other, before unanimously donning ear plugs. Logan still had his tub of wax, and quickly fashioned plugs for Celestia and Luna.
“Don’t let them near,” he warned Carol. “If they approach… tell them their friends never looked for them back home.”
Carol tilted her head.
“They really didn’t, and I’m curious what they’ll do.”
Carol nodded and ducked back out, while Logan applied his own ear plugs, even adding some to Blazy, Spike and Luco.
Luco grumped as Celestia pulled out a pad of paper and offered pens. The pirate king struggled to see what they were writing.
“If they get too suspicious,” Twilight wrote out. “They might try something drastic.”
“Need to catch them off-guard,” Logan wrote out.
Celestia pondered it before writing. “Battle of the Bands? Your friends are signed up already, and the whole school will be gathered to watch. You use the counter spell to free my students, another one of you breaks their power in the confusion, and then all of you magical creatures go back where you came from and leave my school alone!” Celestia gritted her teeth as she wrote, and her pen punched a hole into the paper instead of a period.
Logan and Twilight glanced at each other, before Twilight meekly wrote down. “Yes, ma’am.” She pondered for a moment, then added. “Problem: One of us needs to be officially in the Battle of the Bands.”
Rolling her eyes, Celestia held out her hand to Luna. Luna scrambled away and returned with a clipboard with various names written on it. Logan made out Rainbow Dash’s name before Celestia wrote his and Twilight’s names underneath Rainbow Dash’s.
Logan cocked an eyebrow at them, but Celestia just glowered back at him. Twilight picked up her pen one more time.
“Make sure we’re in the bracket in front of the Sirens," she wrote. "We’ll hit them with the counter spell, and when the Sirens step up and try to reform their spell, Logan and Carol will break their pendants.” She caught Logan staring at her and shrugged, adding, “It’s what you do best; don’t get mad at me!”
Sunset, however, lifted both her thumbs up with a hopeful grin. The other four glanced at each other, before nodding. They had a plan. And it was time to execute. First order of business, telling the others.
They stood and moved to walk out, before Celestia grabbed Logan’s arm. Silently, she mouthed. “This better work.”
Logan fumed and stormed back to her. Twilight tried to stop him, but he yanked his arm away, looming over Celestia.
“Let me make myself perfectly clear,” he warned her. “I don’t like you. I never have. The Sirens are the only reason that I’m here. And I’m going to get rid of them.” He leaned closer, ensuring she could read every word on his lips. “Get in my way, and you’re gonna have a much bigger problem than some stupid sirens.”
Celestia instinctively backed up, and even Luna flinched under Logan’s glare. He rose up, and then walked out of the door, followed by Sunset. Twilight gave Celestia an apologetic look before shutting the door behind her.
As Logan turned back to her, she lifted up her own paper.
“After this,” it said. “We are going to discuss this. VERY thoroughly.”