Before Link ever left the forest, he had never seen a horse before.
He was raised to believe that horses were rare but sacred animals, for they perfectly embodied what the Kokiri admired most about nature- pure, unbridled freedom.
When he saw his first horse, he was in awe. That was at Navi's prodding and it occurred after his first visit to what was known simply as Castle Town. He met a girl only a year older than he was named Malon, and she got to talking at him about where she came from: a ranch not too far from town. When Link heard she took care of the horses, his eyes lit up.
So, naturally Navi decided his quest could wait a day or so and had him change course to meet the amazing animal for the first time. That was the same day he met Epona.
The horses he met then were nothing like what the creature in front of him was though. It was a butter colored pegasus with a pink mane and the kindest eyes he had ever seen in his life.
"Po ketch se la les, sera?1"
Link was also reasonably confident the horses he knew did not have an apparent language. Nothing like what this huge pegasus was using, at least.
The pegasus took a few steps towards him, and he felt his muscles try to tense up. He took a few deep breaths to try and keep himself relaxed. If this creature wished to harm him, it probably would have done so already.
"Esi, esi2..."
Link did not know where his weapons now were on the off chance he had to defend himself. He was too weak to get his masks, and they were literally just a few feet away from him!
He was put a bit at ease when the pegasus seemed to pick up on his emotions, for she let out a quiet "Eep" and stopped.
She pointed at the jug of water with one hoof, then at him. "Arkaloola?3"
Link stared silently. The pegasus held the hoof near her mouth and pantomimed gulping down a cup of something.
Ah.
He nodded hesitantly. She smiled gently, and took a step towards the other room again.
"Un seka.4"
Link watched as the pegasus entered the other room, his eyes wide. He really had done it, hadn't he? He actually escaped the Lost Woods! He only had to nearly die to do it, but it was better than being cursed and mugged.
Well, on second thought...
Link's eyes wandered to the coffee table in front of the couch he was set up on. He could see both of his ocarinas. He frowned when he saw a crack in the one his best friend had given him. Provided it was not too deep, he figured he could fix it with proper adhesive.
He barely had to spare a look at the Ocarina of Time. So long as it was there was all that mattered to him. Link figured that the Ocarina of Time was completely indestructible. He accidentally left it on a seat that was then taken by a very large Goron gentleman, so he figured if being sat on by an especially large rock person didn't break it, nothing would. So far he was correct.
His eyes wandered up when he began to notice a creeping feeling; the feeling he would get when someone was watching him...
...and it suddenly felt like someone had punched him in the gut. It was the rabbit he nearly killed that was eyeing him with a mix of caution and relief.
Link just felt awful. He had come very close to hunting what must have been a pet of some kind. Had it gone and fetched him help when he was attacked? If that were the case, Link knew then just how close he came to death. Had he loosed his arrow, no help would have come, and he would have died.
A dark voice in the back of his mind wondered if maybe that would have been the better thing to occur. It was the sad part of his mind that was perpetually depressed after everything he had seen in his young life. Link did all he could to fight it, though. He never let the depressing thoughts rule his mind. When he felt too sad to go out, he got up and went out anyway. When he felt like crying, he would laugh instead. When he felt no interest in the world around him, he would clean. Link was not particularly intelligent when he first arrived in this new land, but he did know one thing well, and that was how to fight, because when you're going through hell, you should keep going.
In the other room, the pegasus was humming softly.
Twilight loved writing, especially to Princess Celestia. The Sun Princess was like a second mother to her and was always good for a conversation.
She smiled a bit while she continued to re-write her letter. Once, when she was a few years younger, Twilight was sitting in on court with Celestia just to the side of her throne. It was a typical day up until the end, when she called one of the last petitioners to the stand. It was a filly that couldn't have been more than six years old.
So, of course, Celestia smiled warmly. "Welcome, little one. What is your reason for coming to court today?"
Twilight could not recall the filly's name, but she remembered what happened next. She reached out with a math book.
"I need help. I can't figure number three out. Can you help me?"
Celestia's guards were well acquainted with her soft spot for foals, and so they did not move to dismiss the child. Shocking absolutely nopony in the room, Celestia got off her throne and approached.
"Well, what's the question?"
"Forty four and twenty-two."
Celestia smiled. "Wow! That's a tough one. But you're a smart filly, so how about we try this: What does four plus two equal?"
The filly concentrated hard. "Six?"
Celestia nodded. "Very good. Now, what does four plus two equal?"
The filly eyed her in confusion. "Six."
Celestia nodded again. "Now, what does forty four plus twenty two equal?"
The filly looked dejected. "I don't know."
Celestia booped her nose. "Yes, you do. You just told me."
Twilight, to her credit, did not jump in and scream the answer in the filly's face, though she really wanted to.
Fortunately, the light came on in the child's head, and she grinned. "Sixty six!"
Celestia applauded. "Very good, my little pony."
The child gave Celestia a hug for her help before her parents finally caught up to her, took her back, and begged Celestia's forgiveness. The Princess told them the child had done no wrong, and was welcome any time.
When Twilight finally returned from her musings, the re-written letter was completed. Sure, she shaved a few of the pleasantries from it, but it still said what it needed to say. Now to send it. She powered up her horn, focused her magic, and...
"Twiiiiiiillliiiiiiiight!" called a certain young drake from another room.
His call startled her enough to accidentally burn the letter to a crisp. This time was different though. You ever have one of those days where you're trying to send a letter to the sun goddess, and you accidentally send it into an active volcano instead?
No? Just Twilight?
With a growl, Twilight got yet another piece of paper ready, and then went to tend to the young drake. And possibly send him into the volcano too. She hadn't decided yet.
End of Chapter