Hi, everyone, MarcellusMiro66 here! The sequel to Skyfall and the prequel to Equestria War, this is the second / fifth installment in the MLP: FiM trilogy and the Titans Alliance series (respectively).
Taking place seven to eight months following the Canterlot Wedding, Twilight is haunted by nightmares about reverting to the dark side and Logan is harboring doubts about becoming a full-fledged hero, during which a new threat arises to threaten the Crystal Empire. The duo must face their demons in order to save the Empire.
Enjoy! If you can...
Dreams are wonderful things. Dreams can be found in your empire state of mind. Dreams subtly persuade you to let go of your fears and insecurities, proving to you that you are already secure. It takes control of your imagination and allows it to run riot, freely with consequences. However... There are no such things as no consequences. There are always consequences for committing sins; no sin goes unpunished. Those sins include dishonesty, disloyalty, and...treason.
Twilight's eyes and head shot open and up, glancing around to find herself back in the Canterlot Caverns. Shaking her head in horrified disbelief, her already increased panting increased tenfold as she searched for any means of escape but to no avail,
"There is no escape, young mare."
The voice inside her landscape boomed this statement loud and clear for Twilight to hear, but she wouldn't have any of it,
"No. No, you're wrong."
"Yes. Yes, I'm right."
Twilight panted in dismay as the voice continued, "There can be an escape from this prison – the prison held by your mentor... Princess Celestia."
No... No, it couldn't be...
"Embrace your inner villain. Let it drive you."
"No. No..."
"...to become the mare you were meant to be..."
"No... No!"
"...or be destroyed by the villains you call your friends. Do not fear...the spectre of fear."
"No! No! NOOOOOO!"
With one swift turn around, Twilight found herself face to face with the voice who was none other than...
"Logan?"
Suddenly, her "friend's" lapis blue eyes glowed bloody red as he smirked a sinister smirk, "Surprise, surprise, darling."
Logan menacingly cackled as Twilight backed away in horror and unleashed a final bloodcurdling scream,
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"AAAHHH!"
Twilight's entire body shot up and glanced around in fear, seeing nothing but her reflection in a mirror nearby. Safe to assume that she was in the comfort of her home, she sighed in relief and rubbed her head as she leapt out of her bedstead. Know that she had only a limited amount of energy, she decided to go stargazing and ignore her tiredness for now. She was so tired that she didn't realize that Spike was not only not sleeping, but also crying silently in regret; her being missing the month following the wedding didn't exactly help, either (1).
Heading outside towards the furthest balcony with her telescope, she positioned it to where she could see the Badlands. It wasn't unintentional; that one place was where the Changelings were banished to following the Canterlot Catastrophe...well, excluding the few rare ones that were reformed. Those few rare ones were Queen Chrysalis and her second-in-command...
Logan.
That particular name made Twilight shiver. Probably because it was the name of the most handsome Changeling she ever met. Probably because it was the name of the most dangerous enemy she ever met. Probably because it was the name of the first friend she ever met. Probably because it was all three. Definitely three. She eventually cried her sorrows out and slumped down to the ground in despair; she knew that all this was all her fault. She let the darkness (in the form of the dreaded Princess Lena Nyx) corrupt and consume her on that fateful day. That fateful day marked the fateful day of lies, betrayal, and broken friendship. The magic of friendship had been broken that day. She feared that it would be broken again. She needed comfort, she needed solace, she needed...
Logan.
She didn't know how, she didn't know why, she just knew...
Logan Lazuli was very dangerous, but Twilight Sparkle needed him. In fact, Twilight wanted him.
This epiphany alone made Twilight's eyes water up and hoofs bury in her face, regardless of whether or not they were clean and dirty. She yearned for his persistent presence to return to her. She needed – no, wanted – him by her side.
This wasn't love... This was lust.
This wasn't love... This was lust.
Of course, this was Logan's similar thought on the indirect matter at hand as he rubbed his eyes in tiredness; he had stayed up most of the months that followed the Canterlot Catastrophe attempting to perfect the peace treaty his Queen had concocted up as a means of making up for her previous actions. If she made a courageous comeback or sought redeeming redemption, it didn't exactly matter anymore; either way, the Changelings would always be remembered for the attempted invasion of Canterlot.
Logan set down his quill and made his way to the balcony, his intention of stargazing made crystal clear. It was a Equestria custom, taught to him by a certain young unicorn filly. Twilight was quite open with her affinity for gazing upon the stars, and she was evidently eager to teach him all the wonders of stargazing. It was during the night of stargazing that Logan felt something warm up within himself; there was something about Twilight that made him rather weak. Maybe it was her pair of moderate purple eyes. Maybe it was her two-tone mane of purple and pink. Maybe it was her determination, wisdom, and roundabout innocence. Maybe it was all three. Definitely three.
Logan never quite understood the concept of stargazing until now; it was quite surprising and refreshing. What was also refreshing was the fact that Twilight remembered him after all those years apart. It comforted him enough to suppress his revenge desires towards Princess Celestia.
Still...
"If you could only know
What we really are..."
Logan's head suddenly shot up at the mysterious new voice: a female voice,
"What we really are..."
Logan tore away for his short-lived stargazing and listened to the voice repeat the mysterious mantra,
"If you could only know..."
"What we really are..."
Logan trotted back into his office and, in a flash, the repetitive roster of mystery music lyrics was embedded in his deep skull,
"What we really are..."
What who really is? Who is we? What are we? So many questions, so little time – considering the circumstances he and the rest of his fellow Changelings were in. And by the rest of his fellow Changelings, he was most likely referring to his Queen... Who was supposedly eavesdropping on him as of now,
"My Queen?"
Queen Chrysalis's eyes widened upon being found out and cursed underneath her breath, "Yes... Logan?"
Logan smiled softly, knowing that his Queen had difficulties getting used to the new first name basis, "The peace treaty is close to perfection. The kingdom is also this as well. We are considered to have luck on our side, considering the circumstances the rest of us have been through for the past few months."
Queen Chrysalis smiled proudly, "Yes, we were lucky. However... If only the citizens of Canterlot knew the real reason for my revenge before reason – "
"Mom."
Chrysalis instantly shot Logan a bewildered look at his straightforward statement. Only on the most rarest occasions did he call her Mom; he never did call her this ever since... His sister was his dearly beloved and the only other pony he solely cared for with the exception of herself and Twilight. It was quite the devastation for Logan when he learned of his sister's wrongful imprisonment in a glass mirror. He immediately assumed that the fault was Princess Celestia's, as she was known for unknowingly creating her own demons. Nightmare Moon, Discord, and even that all-mighty centaur Mom had told him at night could attest to that clear cut fact. What wasn't exactly clear to him until now was this: his sister's imprisonment wasn't Princess Celestia's doing,
"What happened to Dad wasn't your fault. It was his decision to sacrifice himself for us. It was his decision to absorb the last of that foul energy. It was his decision to ensure that his legacy would in the hands of capable Changelings like us. It was his decision – his and his alone."
At this point, Chrysalis's eyes were watering up and Logan's first instinct in response to this was to hug her like the loving "son" he was. He did so, and his action worked, albeit not for long. Eventually, she felt guilty all over again,
"Still... I didn't get to tell him that I love him."
"Mom, you are making the same mistake that Princess Celestia made seven months ago."
"What same mistake?"
"Assuming that Changelings do not love," Logan smiled, "Which we do with each other; we just never express our emotions fully. I am probably the only one here – with the exception of you, of course – who fully recognized the importance of love and friendship. 15 years ago... I decided to go on my own patrol when you ordered the Changelings to triple their security measures. It was then that I stumbled upon a young unicorn filly crying upon the realization that bullies were present, undermining her confidence (2). One guess who that unicorn was?"
"Twilight Sparkle," Queen Chrysalis caught on.
"Yes. She told me that these bullies were getting on her nerves, so I flew out to do the same. When I returned, she was asleep in her bed, a smile visible on her nuzzle. When she awoke, she and I talked throughout the night, talking about how she and I are not entirely different. We both wanted to have a purpose in the world that needed heroes."
As Chrysalis listened to Logan's rousing speech, she felt her guilt take a backseat and a dive at the same time. She knew that, at a young age, her son was categorized as misguided, mistreated, and misunderstood to name a few categories. It was during the time where she was getting used to the concept of proper parenthood, so the first things naturally went through a few speed bumps. Once she got the hang of it, however, she was a mature mother...for the most part. Even though she was a no doubt in her right mind psychopathic conqueror, she still loved her son regardless.
Her son in question noticed his mom in deep contemplation and smiled once more, "Do you understand now?"
Chrysalis could smile proudly at the Changeling General she could call her son, "Yes, Logan. I do."
The two of them shared a sincere hug, and a picture was being painted. A picture of perfection and poise was on the painting canvas. When you paint a picture, a moment lasts longer. Unfortunately, that moment didn't last long enough as Logan suddenly gasped out in horror and collapsed to the ground. Chrysalis herself couldn't do anything except for watch on in confused fear as her son writhed around in the floor in agony. She eventually caught the attention of a Changeling Guard, practically screaming at him to get immediate aid as she comforted her son.
Logan could hear the female voice again as he heavily panted:
"If you could only know
What we really are..."
"What we really are..."
Nighttime was supposed to be a moment of silence for most ponies; this was, unfortunately, not one of those times. Princess Celestia was reading over some of the sent letters when the doors blasted open, revealing one of her many Royal Guards,
"News from Northern Equestria! Uh... Your Highness."
"Yes?"
"I am simply to tell you that it has returned."
Princess Celestia gasped and nodded in ruefulness, turning to her second Royal Guard, "Find Princess Cadance and Shining Armor."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Princess Celestia began to write an urgent letter to Spike concerning her faithful student, "My dearest Twilight, you must come to Canterlot at once."
Logan's eyes shot open and he leaned forward; he instantly regretted it as his back began to ache and groaned in painful response. He saw that his hoofs, forehead, and midwaist were wrapped up in white bandages. There was nopony in the room besides his mother, who was slumped over on a chair and sleeping her heart out. Presumably not for long because she was beginning to stir,
"Mom?"
Chrysalis's eyes blinked open as she smiled at her son, "Oh, hello, Logan. I see you have awoken."
"Yes, I have," Logan rubbed his head, "What happened to me?"
"What indeed happened to you?"
"You mean you don't know what did?"
"No, except... You began to feel pain."
Logan's eyes widened and he glanced away from Chrysalis in response. His face grimaced as he began to reminisce about the events prior, during, and following the attempted annexation of Canterlot. He attempted his hardest to remember what could've been the cause of his presumed anxiety attack, but the only thing that came to mind was...
Oh, Celestia.
"Mom," Logan glanced back to Chrysalis, "I need you to do something for me."
"Anything for my son," Chrysalis stood up with a determined look.
Logan smiled at her as he reverted to his pony disguise: a mane of navy blue with violet streaks, a coat of light grey, a pair of eyes of lapis lazuli, and a cutie mark of a lapis lazuli gemstone in the form of a teardrop,
"Make me disappear."
("Writing's On The Wall" – Sam Smith)
I've been here before
But always hit the floor
I've spent a lifetime running
And I always get away
But with you I'm feeling something
That makes me want to stay
I'm prepared for this
I never shoot to miss
But I feel like a storm is coming
If I'm gonna make it through the day
Then there's no more use in running
This is something I gotta face
If I risk it all
Could you break my fall?
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here, I'm suffocating
I want to feel love run through my blood
Tell me is this where I give it all up?
For you, I have to risk it all
Cause the writing's on the wall
A million shards of glass
That haunt me me from my past
As the stars begin to gather
And the light begins to fade
When all hope begins to shatter
Know that I won't be afraid
If I risk it all
Could you break my fall?
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here, I'm suffocating
I want to feel love run through my blood
Tell me is this where I give it all up?
For you, I have to risk it all
Cause the writing's on the wall
The writing's on the wall
[Chorus:]
[2x:]
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here, I'm suffocating
I want to feel love run through my blood
Tell me is this where I give it all up?
How do I live? How do I breathe?
When you're not here, I'm suffocating
I want to feel love run through my blood
Tell me is this where I give it all up?
For you, I have to risk it all
Cause the writing's on the wall...
A/N: (1) = Twilight being missing for the past month following the wedding is not only because of her PTSD, but because of her playing an important part in Teen Titans: Civil War (an upcoming installment).
(2) = This is a brief description of Chapter 12 in Skyfall, detailing Twilight and Logan's first meeting.
