Legacy of the Howlite Howler

by JNKing

Chapter 3: The Chosen Ones

Pipp held up the crystal. “Someone ‘seriously’ needs to explain why this thing,” she shook the crystal. “Was so important that you had to ruin my whole show over it!”

“Trust me,” Zipp said, striding up to her sister. “It was.”

“You left me hanging there!” Pipp snapped back. “In the spotlight!”

“I cut you down!” Logan pointed out.

“Oh, wonderful, yes, thank you, who are you again?” Pipp demanded.

Before Zipp or Logan could even glance at each other, Pipp cut them off.

“No! It barely matters. You know why? Because now, every pony knows we can’t fly!”

For emphasis, she pulled out her phone, showing a video.

“A warrant is out for the arrest of the princesses,” a reporter declared, followed by an image of Queen Haven against a mugshot board.

“Pipp! Zipp! Save yourselves!” the Queen cried out, before posing for her mug shot.

Pipp lowered her phone, her anger fading to horror and sadness. “This can’t be happening,” she whimpered. “This is so not happening…”

“Pipp!” Zipp called, getting her sister’s attention. “Forget about all that. We can bring back magic; we can allow everyone to fly.”

“But if we’re gonna do that,” Logan added. “We need that crystal.”

Pipp tried to pull away. “Have you both lost your minds?”

Logan seized the crystal and pulled her so she was facing him. “The only thing we’ve lost is our tolerance for this crap!”

Pipp tried to pull away, but Logan gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him.

“How is any of this okay?” he demanded. “Pegasi, living in fear of their fellow ponies just because they don’t have wings? You and your family being forced to lie and deceive just so everyone doesn’t lose their minds? This isn’t what Equestria was founded on.”

Pipp wrenched herself away. “Well, what are we supposed to do?” she demanded. “We can’t change anything.”

Logan grinned as Sunny stepped forward. “Actually, we can,” she said, indicating the crystal again. “If that crystal is paired back up with another crystal with the unicorns, we can restore magic to the land.”

Pipp blinked, glancing immediately at Hitch, who shrugged with a look of complete confusion.

“It may be hard to believe,” Logan said. “But everything worth getting in life is always hard to achieve.” He gripped the crystal in Pipp’s hooves. “Are you willing to take a chance?” He glanced back as another siren sounded. “Or would you rather take the easy route, and put yourself in a cell alongside your mother?” With a quick twist, he wrenched the crystal out of her grip. “Make up your mind fast, because I’m not in the mood for patience. And those guards probably aren’t either.”

Pipp shrunk down as Logan brushed past her, Sunny, Izzy and Zipp giving her pitying looks as they followed Logan. As Pipp stared behind Hitch at her former kingdom, she lowered her head with a sigh.

“Ugh, fine,” she growled, turning to the group. “I know a way out. Follow me.”

Hitch blinked as she moved to the front of the pack. “Wait, what?! You can’t just… but I’m a sheriff!”

“Yeah?” Logan asked, before indicating Zipp and Pipp. “And they’re former princesses, and they’re leading this quest. What’s your point?”

“I, uh…” Hitch groaned, before reluctantly falling in line behind the group, as they followed Pipp out of the city and away from the guards.

#

As they left Zephyr Heights behind making their way across a daisy field to a massive tree, the group’s spirits remained surprisingly low.

“What am I even doing here?” Hitch moaned. “Hoofing it across daisy fields, looking for a magic crystal that doesn’t even exist…”

“It was going to be my best show ever,” Pipp bemoaned. “And now it’s all over! I’m a criminal! And it’s all because of…”

“Them!” they both hissed in sync, glaring at Izzy, Zipp, Sunny and Logan.

Logan just glanced back at them with a grin. “Hey, you two agree on something. Peace between breeds is getting more possible by the minute!”

Hitch and Pipp blinked at each other. “Did… no! We didn’t agree!”

“Yeah, totally wouldn’t agree with an earth pony,” Pipp agreed.

Logan just grinned. “And you agreed on disagreeing,” he pointed out.

“STOP IT!” Pipp snapped. “It’s not like you’re any better off. How do you even know where to find this ‘other crystal?’”

Zipp stepped up alongside Logan. “Aw, come on,” Zipp said. “You can trust me, sis.”

“Can I?” Pipp demanded. “You’re the one that got Mom thrown in jail!”

Zipp grimaced, but sighed. “Look, once we get our magic back, the whole kingdom will be so excited, they won’t even remember what happened.”

“That’s right,” Logan noted. “You’d be a hero, Pipp Petals. And that’s worth a bit of pain and strife.”

Pipp hummed, looking away, before Hitch stepped up towards Sunny.

“Well, let’s get one thing straight,” Hitch added, pointing at Sunny. “After this whole escapade is over, you are gonna march back home to Maretime Bay with me. Is that clear?”

Logan bristled, growling at the stallion, but Sunny waved the dog off before nodding solemnly to Hitch. “Crystal,” Sunny replied.

“Good,” Hitch said, shooting a smug look at Logan. “Because this badge…” he pointed at his chest. “Means I’m the…”

“Sheriff?” Logan asked, peering down at his chest. “Cuz right now, it looks like you’re an authority without a badge.”

Hitch blinked, before looking down. “WHAT?!” he screamed, searching around. “No-no-no-no, where’s my badge!” He looked up at Logan. “Wait a minute… diamond dogs like shiny things!” He glanced at Izzy, who was wandering around the tree with a bemused expression. “A-And so do unicorns!” He glared at the two. “Alright, which one of you took it!”

Logan just crossed his arms with a grin, while Izzy blinked.

“Oh, you know,” she noted. “I thought I saw a shiny badge-y thing on the ground a few hours ago.”

Hitch gagged. “A FEW HOURS?!”

Logan chuckled. “So much for the role of sheriff,” he mused.

“Eh, it’s probably for the best,” Izzy agreed, moving to Hitch conspiratorially. “Between you and me, buddy, that badge was creating an unhealthy power dynamic.”

Logan cackled at Hitch’s look of disbelief. However, his cackling faded when he looked back at the tree… and noticed something.

The others paused, spotting it as well: a golden wolf-like figure. It gazed at them with eyes filled with longing… and sadness.

Pipp glanced between Logan and the wolf. “Is that, uh… another diamond dog?” she asked.

Logan pushed forward. “Stay behind me,” he replied.

The girls gathered behind Logan, while Hitch - despite his arguments - stepped up next to Logan, ready to help him fight. But the wolf figure didn’t fight them. Instead, it turned and walked away.

Despite himself, Logan followed after it, watching as it cleared past the daisy field and went into some sort of forest. Curious, Sunny ventured after it, followed by Izzy, Zipp and Logan.

“Guys?” Hitch demanded.

“Zipp!” Pipp hissed. “We don’t know what that thing is!”

“Logan does,” Sunny insisted. “Right Logan?”

“I…” Logan shook his head, but followed the beast all the same.

As they delved into the forest, however, a sense of unease fell over the group. The trees seemed to arch over them, like hands about to seize them and drag them to some unknown fate.

Despite their arguments, Pipp clung to Zipp like a security blanket, and Zipp put a wing over her sister protectively. Similarly, Hitch and Sunny stuck together, and with no one else to cling to, Izzy almost hopped onto Logan’s back. Logan, however, remained transfixed by the pearly wolf, who continued to lead them deeper and deeper into the forest.

“This place’s sparkle is all wrong,” Izzy whispered. “It’s like… mahogany, but old… and hurt.”

“We should go back,” Hitch insisted. “I don’t like the look of this place.”

“Me neither,” Pipp whimpered. “I’m so not getting good vibes.”

Sunny looked to Logan. “Logan?” she whispered. “Maybe we shouldn’t…”

But then the wolf looked back at Sunny. And Sunny gasped as other ponies stepped up next to the wolf. All of them shimmering and almost made of mist. But worst of all… they were ponies Sunny recognized.

Rarity. Applejack. Rainbow Dash. Three of…

“T-The Guardians of Harmony…” Sunny whispered.

The others gasped, watching in awe as the pony spirits turned, continuing to lead them forward. With curiosity now infecting the others, they pressed forward, almost in line with Logan as they eventually made their way through the forest… and to a cottage.

But the cottage looked barren - alone and forgotten, with trees and moss growing over what used to look like a quaint little home for an animal lover.

Sunny covered her mouth. Not just any animal lover…

They stepped back as the spirit of Fluttershy appeared. Seemingly unaware of her surroundings, she left food that scattered into dust when she left, made nests for birds that didn’t come, and hummed quietly to herself as she left the cottage behind, joining her fellow guardians and the gold wolf.

Her curiosity rampaging, Sunny almost got ahead of Logan as he followed the spirits out of the forest and into a ruin. Once proud buildings now lay overgrown and taken by the trees and plants. The few lingering signs of civilization were so overgrown and ruined that how they had managed to remain recognizable was a mystery.

Cautiously, the six friends made their way through the ruins. They saw the spirit of Rainbow Dash gaze at what looked like a wrecked clubhouse, with a faint poster depicting her and her team of Wonder Bolts.

They saw a forest of apple trees, almost standing guard around the wreckage of an old farm. The spirit of Applejack tipped her hat in solemn silence.

They saw an old bakery that almost looked made out of gingerbread. The spirit of Pinkie Pie was waiting for them, bouncing into line with the others.

They saw an old carousel, that the spirit of Rarity briefly ventured out to, trying to touch before her hoof started to turn to smoke, and she reluctantly returned to her friends.

Finally, the group made it to ruined and overgrown castle, which was dominated by a large golden oak. The spirit of Twilight stood, regarding the tree that had taken over the castle. Next to her was another wolf, this one a bright white, like a living sun. They turned and smiled at the golden wolf, before the Guardians took up formation alongside Twilight.

The golden wolf turned to Logan, gazing at him and his pony friends with longing.

“Finally…” she whispered. “You came…”

Logan shook his head. “Who… are you?”

“A last echo,” the golden wolf whispered, looking back at the Guardians. “A message… to those willing to hear it…”

Sunny crept closer. “What happened?” she asked.

The golden wolf gazed sadly up at her. “Time,” she replied. “The greatest enemy of all. No matter how long you try to keep peace and harmony… time will eventually come to claim you.”

She gazed sadly at the Guardians, as they withered and aged into elderly mares… and eventually faded away into mist.

“At first, they were revered as heroes,” the gold wolf sighed. “Then legends… and eventually, gods.” Her tail tucked. “But just as time took us away, it also took away the impact of our lessons. All words not spoken by the Guardians or their allies were decried as heresy. Our lessons, originally meant to inspire harmony and love, were used to justify war and hate.” She turned back to the ponies. “That is the cycle of history; when good rises up, evil will eventually rise up to overthrow it. But good will always come back around. Now, just as the Guardians triumphed over evil before, the time has come for new heroes to repeat the cycle.” She gazed at them. “All of you… must continue the Guardians’ work.”

Hitch gasped. “Us?” he stammered. “But… we’re not… we can’t…”

“We just met each other!” Pipp protested. “We’re not some… team of heroes. We couldn’t even…” She looked down. “We couldn’t even keep the respect of our kingdoms.”

The golden wolf crossed over to Pipp, and lifted her chin.

“Twilight wasn’t a hero when she started either,” the gold wolf assured her. “She didn’t think she needed friends. None of them knew each other for more than a day before they defeated Nightmare Moon.” She looked to the others. “All you need… is the willpower and the resolve. And the reminder that the only way for evil to triumph, is for good souls to do nothing.”

Logan swallowed, while Sunny and Zipp held themselves higher. Hitch and Pipp looked at each other in doubt, while Izzy just gazed at the gold wolf in awe.

The wolf turned back to Logan. “Please,” she whispered, her voice becoming desperate. “Promise you will try. Promise you won’t do nothing.”

Logan’s face hardened, and he stood tall. “You have my word,” he said. “I will fight to make this right.”

Sunny stood next to him. “I will too.”

Zipp stepped up. “And so will I.”

Izzy tilted her head, before noticing the others looking at her. “Oh!” she stepped up. “Me, too. Yeah.”

Hitch and Pipp gave each other another worried look, before Hitch sighed. “I’m a sheriff,” he said, stepping up. “It’s my job to keep the peace. And I always complete my job.”

Pipp groaned, before stepping up as well. “I guess I can help too,” she mumbled.

The golden wolf smiled all the same, before dissolving away into mist herself. Leaving the group to ponder what she said, in the ruins of their former heroes.