The Lone Wolf of Equestria

by JNKing

Chapter 17: The Calm Before the Storm

Normally, the sight of a diamond dog in Canterlot would have caused a massive stir. Yet, Logan hardly looked the part anymore. He and the rest of the Mane Six happily strolled up the streets towards the castle, Logan’s wagging tail and cheerful expression a sharp contrast from the snarls and growls he had displayed beforehand. Needless to say, a few guards Logan had encountered weeks before were especially confused to find that writhing beast they had fought transformed into such a happy looking fellow.

“So, seriously?” Logan was asking Twilight, “You guys just… burst into song at any occasion?”

“Oh, the Creator loved songs and music,” Twilight said, “So, when Equestria was created, she made it so that any pony who ever lived here had the magic of music in them. When emotions are high, those around them join in a big musical number.”

“I honestly didn’t expect Logan to go with the flow like that,” Rainbow Dash added, grinning as she floated above the wolf with her wings, “Nice singing by the way.”

“You’ve heard me howling before,” Logan replied.

“I meant to ask about that?” Twilight noted, “How does howling work? Is it like singing, or…?”

“It’s kinda like a giant beacon,” Logan explained, not even remembering his previously tight-lipped attitude, “It lets other wolves know where we are, and what we’re up to. Think a giant letter that you just… sing to the heavens.” He chuckled, “It’s been around long before Myst uplifted us. Though, I’ll admit, we… weren’t quite capable of lyrics like that.”

“So, amazing,” Twilight gushed happily.

“So, on your first night here,” Fluttershy noted, “When you were howling at the forest… you were howling out for your parents, weren’t you?”

Logan’s grin faded by a fraction, but he nodded. “It… was stupid,” he admitted, “But, part of me was hoping… that I was somehow in the same land as they were. If I was, they would’ve answered back.” He sighed, shaking his head. “I was so dumb…”

“Don’t say that,” Fluttershy comforted, “It’s not dumb to be scared or worried.”

“Besides,” Rainbow Dash added in, “There were plenty of other dumb things you were doing anyway.” Logan gave her a small glare, but she just shrugged. “Sorry, but just because I’d probably kick the crap out of some pony who foal-napped me doesn’t mean it isn’t stupid.”

"Are you saying you're stupid?" Logan asked.

"Hey!" the blue mare muttered as the others laughed at his retort. Before she could come up with a better retort, some pony called out to the group.

“Logan Wolfe,” the voice declared.

The group looked up. During their talk, they had made it to the steps of the palace. And descending towards them was Luna herself. While the mares perked up slightly, the minute Logan caught sight of Luna, he bristled up, all traces of his previous positivity gone.

“Logan, easy,” Fluttershy said, trying to keep him from lunging, “She’s not going to do anything to you.” She looked up at Luna. “Right?”

“Sweet Fluttershy speaks the truth,” Luna said, her ears flattening at the look of hostility Logan was shooting at her, “I am not here to fight you, wolf.”

Logan just opted for another growl, his teeth beginning to show.

Luna took a deep breath. “I’m here to apologize,” she admitted.

Logan paused, his growl going silent, but his eyes narrowing and a tired sigh escaping his lips. The others glanced between the two.

“Now,” Luna said, “You attacked my sister. You attacked my subjects. Your temper is erratic and dangerous, and I will not stand by while those I love are threatened.”

Logan’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t speak.

“Princess Luna…?” Twilight asked with a grimace.

“That being said,” Luna continued, her tone gaining a more regretful air, “I was wrong to attack you in your dreams, especially for a crime my sister did not hold against you… and one I empathize with.” She looked Logan in the eye. “I know the pain of being separated from the ones who care for you. I spent a century trapped on the moon."

“Where you belonged,” Logan muttered. When Luna’s wings flared in indignation, his fur just spiked. “You assaulted me in my own mind! You denied me safety in my own soul! What kind of monster does that?!”

Luna opened her mouth, before a thought crossed her mind. Her mouth closed with a small click.

“A monster that I had hoped was purged from me,” Luna admitted solemnly. “To release even a portion of her wrath… and to judge you for acting the same as I have in the past was a mistake. A mistake I ask your forgiveness for.”

The Mane Six glanced at each other worriedly. Each of them remembered when they had asked Logan’s forgiveness; how he had rejected them and fled into the Ever-Free. But the castle – with the faded scent of wolves that Logan could still make out - was right behind Luna. And while the dark alicorn was looking at him with hope for a peaceful resolution, she also blocked his path, clearly not about to let them go through until he gave an answer.

For his own part, Logan looked tense enough to snap in half. Twilight could see his entire being struggling to make a decision; to either reject Luna’s offer of forgiveness like he wanted to; to turn away and storm off. Or to stay and hope that accepting her apology would get him closer to his pack.

But finally, with a breath paramount to jumping off the edge of a cliff, Logan breathed… and spoke.

“You really regret what you did?” he asked quietly, “Show it; help us talk to Celestia.”

Luna’s ears twitched, but he said nothing more. Realizing that was going to be the best she got, she gave a soft nod. She motioned for him to follow.

“With me, then,” she replied. And together, the Princess of the Night, the Mane Six and the Lone Wolf of Equestria journeyed inside.

Their journey into the castle was a silent one. No pony or wolf knew what to say.

As they reached the throne room, Luna gave Logan a hard glare.

“I may regret my actions,” she said ominously, “But if you continue to show hostility to my sister, I will not hesitate to defend her.” Her ears flicked and her voice softened. “She may not require my aid, but she is still my sister, whom I love with all my heart and soul. I would do anything for her.”

For his own part, Logan didn’t look surprised at that.

“As all pack mates should,” he admitted solemnly.

With her peace said, Luna nodded and opened the door, where Celestia was seated upon the throne.

The brighter alicorn’s eyes widened at the sight of Logan, but noticing Luna and the Mane Six next to him – with the wolf not at some ponies’ throat – caused her ears to flick in confusion.

“Sister,” Celestia said, her surprise hidden despite herself, “Logan Wolfe. My faithful student...” She glanced between them again. “What is the meaning of this?”

“It is time, my sister,” Luna said grimly, “He deserves to know the truth.”

Fear briefly flashed in Celestia’s eye, but Luna stood resolutely, while Logan glared up with determination. As if to add to it, the Mane Six stepped up to his side as well.

“Please, Princess Celestia,” Twilight begged, “I know that you told me not to let Logan fall to darkness, but he’s so miserable here.”

“We did what we could for him,” Applejack added, “But he belongs with his family.”

“Please, Princess,” Fluttershy concluded, “If there’s even a chance of him seeing his family again… let him have it.”

Logan looked up hopefully at Celestia, who looked, for once, like she was hoping he’d say something against them. But, with eight pairs of eyes pleading with her, Celestia sighed, and stood.

“Very well,” she said, motioning for Logan to follow her.

As Logan went in after her, a voice stopped him.

“Logan,” Fluttershy called. When he looked back, he saw hope in her eyes. “Good luck,” she said softly, before hugging him round his neck.

“Hope you get to see them again,” Pinkie whispered, joining in the hug.

Logan only hesitated for a second before hugging them back. With a final nod to the Mane Six, he headed inside, and followed the Princess of the Sun.

The walk to wherever she was leading him was silent. He wasn’t sure about Celestia, but it was certainly nervousness stilling Logan’s tongue. This was where she told him if he would get his pack back or not. The fact that he hadn’t exactly been behaving properly also made him wonder if she’d just force him to stay out of spite. Though her being unsettled by the idea of this meeting left a foul feeling in his gut.

By Logan’s count, she should’ve been happy if she could just send him back right away. He had certainly been enough of a pain for her. Or maybe she was nervous because the magic involved was really complicated.

Or, Logan’s mind whispered, she’s nervous because she can’t send you back, and knows you won’t take it well. But that idea started making his heart beat uncomfortably fast.

In five minutes, the two reached a large door. She opened it to reveal a room filled with glowing golden baubles, flowing and dancing around each other like planets in a solar system. Logan could only stare at the jewels in awe. There was an aura in here; similar to the one that shrouded Celestia. This was a place of great power; not a place for mortals like himself.

Celestia shut the door and turned back to Logan, who was still looking around the solar system model with a look of awe.

“So?” she asked, a shadow of a grin playing across her face.

He noticed her grin, and managed to tear his eyes away from the models. “Here at last,” he managed to say in an even tone.

Celestia followed his gaze up to the baubles. “I suppose you have questions,” she noted.

“Just one,” Logan replied, “Unless you plan on humiliating me or siccing your sister on me again.”

Celestia’s ears flattened. “Logan…” she started to say, but he raised a paw.

“No more excuses,” Logan said. “No more justification. Just tell me how I get back to my pack.” He stepped closer, a silent desperation in his eyes. “Back… to my family.”

Celestia was silent for a moment.

“You must understand,” Celestia said, “I told you the energy I conjured randomly pulled you into this world.” She hesitated. “I’m afraid, for the most part, that was a fabrication.”

Logan nodded. Celestia’s gaze went up to the baubles.

“The multiverse is an odd thing,” she finally began, her horn lightning up as the baubles began to glow again. “It is constantly changing; evolving as more and more universes are created, either by the decisions we make or the pieces of fiction others create.”

Logan’s eyes turned up, watching as one bauble drifted closer than the others.

“One day, not long before you arrived, I felt an odd energy surge from the multiverse; your universe was establishing a bond with mine.”

“My… universe?” Logan asked, staring at the bauble as wisps of energy coursed around it and Celestia.

Celestia nodded. “I’ve had many visitors in my lands; creatures from alternate universes, and it appeared that, for whatever reason, your universe was going to start sending its own people over. I chose to act – to find a way to prevent such a transfer, and if that failed, to be prepared; before I would, once again, be left scrambling to attend to a lost and confused creature that had been taken from their world and spat onto my land by some otherworldly power.” She gave him another look. “From what you described when you arrived, it sounded like I would also be risking contention with humans that would make your stay here seem tame.”

Logan’s stance became less confrontational. “Yeah,” he admitted, “Yeah, the humans would have wanted to conquer anything on your side.”

Celestia thankfully didn’t even crack a smile.

“When I began to take steps to halt their process,” Celestia continued, “There was a reaction.” She shot a pulse of magic to the bauble, and it flickered ominously. “Whether the humans knew I was trying to stop them or fate itself wanted them to succeed, I do not know. But the portal completed itself. It was highly volatile and unstable, but it was still complete. I had to use all of my power to keep it from destroying my surroundings, and I still barely got it to manageable levels. At first, I meant to just find a way to close the portal and hopefully halt any attempts at something on the other side getting through. But then… I saw your world.”

The bauble glowed, and in its reflection, Logan could just see the faintest glimpse of the humans. He could see the square field where he had been beaten. He could see the humans still repairing the damage that they had done to escape. Logan’s ears flattened when pity flashed on Celestia’s face.

“I saw you display incredible bravery against an oppressive master.” Her head bowed. “It was the reason for my… unusual action towards you when you last visited Canterlot. You had been exposed to so much harshness and violence, I had hoped that kindness and a gentle hoof would show you that I was not like the humans you encountered.”

“Why?” Logan asked, “You said that you were trying to keep us out.”

Celestia’s horn flickered, and the bauble shivered in her magic grip.

“Do you remember the accident that brought you here?” she asked, turning away from him.

“I was… saving my pack mate from a car. I thought it hit me.”

“It didn’t,” she said quietly.

Logan’s eyes narrowed. “Then what put me in a four-day coma?”

She looked back up. “I had just watched you endure cruelty that no child should have to suffer. And just as you were escaping, one of those horrible men tried to take your victory from you. I couldn’t stand by.” She sighed. “In the heat of the moment, I called upon the last reserves of my magic, and attempted to pull you out of harm’s way. But I used too much magic. I…” she winced, but pressed on. “I pulled you through the portal by mistake.”

Logan’s gaze didn’t betray his emotions at the time. “What happened next?” was all he said.

Celestia watched him carefully before continuing. “The strain of pulling you through an already unstable portal was too much for it to handle. It collapsed. You were through at that point, lying unconscious on the ground. I would have tended to you right then and there. But what happened next prevented that.”

“Uh huh?”

“When the portal collapsed, it created an energy outflow that increased the air pressure. It began crushing you; that’s why you woke up with broken bones. You would’ve died if I hadn’t taken drastic action, so I did the only thing I could think of at the moment: I sent you to Ponyville. Your resemblance to the Diamond Dogs would’ve caused a stir around Canterlot, but I believed if I sent you to a more remote part of Equestria… my student could take care of you until I figured out what to do about it all.”

Logan stared at her. “This whole time…?” he finally said.

“Yes,” Celestia said, careful to keep her tone sincere. Yet despite that, Logan’s fur spiked in suppressed anger.

Logan breathed. “Why didn’t you say that when we met?”

Celestia looked up with sorrow in her eyes. “I didn’t tell you then because I didn’t want Twilight to know about this kind of magic. The multiverse is a very unpredictable thing; rules, morality, boundaries of civilization are constantly changed and altered there. The creatures that arrive here; they are unpredictable. Some days we are blessed with heroes, or creatures with good hearts such as yourself. Other times, we are cursed with foul villains that seek our destruction and enslavement. And no matter what universe has Twilight Sparkle, one thing about her is certain: her curiosity is incredibly dangerous.”

Logan huffed. “No kidding,” he mumbled.

“For her to know that you were the byproduct of an attempt to study and counter something beyond any level of magic she’s studied would pique that dangerous curiosity. She would have attempted an imitation – possibly allowed your universe to send one of your dreaded humans into our world - and it was almost uncontrollable when I was merely trying to stop it. If I just told her you coming here was nothing more than a failure, as opposed to a deliberate action that could have been viewed as a success by her, then she would not have tried to replicate it.” She looked out the window. “And, to my knowledge, she hasn’t.”

“Then you kick her out,” Logan said, his voice lacing with anger. “Talk to me in private later, order her not to…” Logan sighed, looking back at the bauble. “I’ve been angry at you for so long; assumed that you wanted my kind as slaves. And this whole time, you were just trying to protect what was yours?” He shook his head, his voice gaining a measure of shame to it, “Do you have any idea how much easier things would’ve been if you had just told me that?”

“So, you’re saying you wouldn’t have bitten me and spent your entire visit here bitter and paranoid of conspiracies?” Celestia asked, a touch of a teasing tone in her voice.

“Yes!” Logan exclaimed before actually wondering about it, “No?” he offered hesitantly. He sighed. “I don’t know,” he finally admitted. “But my people have spent our entire lives just trying to be left alone. I understand wanting to protect what is yours.”

Celestia gave the smallest fraction of a smile. Though it faded when he spoke again.

“What about my pack?”

For the longest time, Celestia was silent.

“Logan…” she began, but his fur was already beginning to spike.

“Celestia,” he whispered, “How do I get back to them?”

Celestia looked back at the bauble, where they could see the humans going about their business. One was running up, waving his arms and yelling something. She sighed, and flared her horn. The bauble extended, a smaller, more manageable portal opening.

“Logan, this is the only link between your world and mine,” Celestia said, “If you try to go through, it will leave my world exposed; the humans will have a chance to go through and wreak havoc upon my world.”

Horror crossed Logan’s face, but he briefly stamped it down. “I can be quick,” he said, his paws already positioning themselves to run through the portal, “I can…”

“Even if you could get through before they notice the portal is open,” Celestia continued, “I would be abandoning you to a hopeless fight. These humans subdued you before; they would have killed you without my interference.” She shook her head, and began to close the portal. “I’m sorry, but it’s simply too…”

The portal flickered, destabilizing.

“Unsafe…” Celestia noted, her attention and even Logan’s being grabbed by something happening on the other side. Cautiously, Celestia increased the portal size…

And they saw the wolves lunging from the forest; tearing into the humans.

“Burn this hellhole!” one of the wolves was howling, “Burn it all.”

“Find any captives,” another wolf added, “Don’t leave any wolf behind!”

Logan gasped. “Mom…” he whispered, his eyes alighting on a dark red wolf in a brighter red cloak that had spoken about finding captives. “MOTHER!”

The wolf turned, spotting him through the portal. A million emotions shot through her eyes at the sight of him. But then…

BOOM!

Several wolves were flung aside as the humans returned in force. Logan saw rockets flying, forcing the wolves back.

“Drive them back!” another human was yelling. “The reactor’s showing positive. We have to keep this portal sustained!”

The mother wolf glanced over at them with horror before her eyes narrowed in determination. She shot right for the portal, dodging bullets and rockets along the way.

“Stop!” Celestia cried, her horn flaring. “No!”

But Logan leaped onto her, gripping at her horn.

“That’s my mom!” he screamed.

“Logan, stop!” Celestia pleaded.

“Logan?!” the mother wolf screamed. “Logan, I’m coming! Hang on!”

“Reaper!” several wolves cried out in protest, but she didn’t stop. She cut aside a human that got in her way, and she jumped for Logan…

Right as a human caught her by the tail.

“NO!” Celestia screamed, her horn flashing with light.

Lightning sparked, and the entire room shifted. Logan was hurled to the side, as the portal vanished in a blinding flash of light.

“MOM!”

Everything vanished in an explosion of smoke and light.

#

Celestia pulled herself up, blinking and coughing. Smoke had filled the air, and at first, she couldn’t make out her canine companion.

“Logan?” she asked. “Logan, are you…”

“No…” she heard him whisper. “No-no-no…”

Celestia fluttered her wings, batting the smoke aside. But when the smoke cleared… she gasped as what she saw.

“Oh, Faust above…no,” she whispered, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes.

Logan was sitting on the ground. His front paws had changed to arms, and were curled around Reaper, wrapping her red cloak around her like a shroud. She was shivering, barely breathing. And as for her lower torso…

“Logan,” Celestia whispered, “I… I’m so sorry.” She shut her eyes. “I didn’t…”

Logan bashed right by Celestia. He tore out of the room and raced away, his fatally wounded mother still tightly clutched in his hands.

Author's Note:

I'm guessing I'm going to have to include the "Death" Tag on my story soon enough.

Sorry for the delay as well; my second job asked for me to come in earlier.

Thanks as always for reading; hope you enjoy.

Comments

[Foxbrony]

So glad you updated again, I couldn't wait for the next chapter!! Keep up the great work.

[Element of Power]

i.imgur.com/PC055.png

[AvoidingFever17]

“Oh, the Creator loved songs and music,” Twilight said, “So, when Equestria was created, she made it so that any pony who ever lived here had the magic of music in them. When emotions are high, those around them join in a big musical number.”

Heh
Love you faust!