//------------------------------// // The Malachite Stone // Story: The Legend of Zelda Friendship is Magic 2: Return of Majora // by MetalBrony823 //------------------------------// Birds were still chirping in the savanna and near a large pond, a loon was heard making it's beautiful call while swimming. Despite how beautiful the atmosphere and the environment was, it was still in danger. Wherever the malachite stone was, it had to be close by. The king of Agbaje specifically said it was a few miles north of where the city was. It would have to be in this peculiar area. The stone had to be here somewhere, but where? "We should split up." Said Zecora. "But proceed with caution in the grass." "Are you sure?" Asked Fluttershy. "If anything goes wrong," Said Thorax. "We should give out a signal to regroup. "No problem." Said Starlight. "We'll use our horns to launch flares in the sky in case something bad happens." "Good idea, Starlight." Said Mathayus. " of that happens we will all regroup to this very spot." Then everyone spread out to different directions in this Zebrican plain. Link and Colin were with Fluttershy, Spike and Twilight together and Rarity went with Applejack, Rainbow Dash went with Pinkie and Mathayus and Epona. Lyra, Bon Bon, Big Mac, Pip and Storm went as a group together, and Zecora went along with her elder brother. While looking around at his surroundings, it was Pip who heard a rather weird and peculiar sound, something like a low, musical chime or humming in a beautiful yet eerie sound. The colt stood perfectly still, and tried to listen for the sound again. It suddenly emitted after five long seconds, and he followed to where it was coming from. Cautiously, Pip was careful in the tall grass for any snakes, scorpions, siafu ants, aggressive lizards and other types of dangerous animals, like a leopard who would pounce on him from above him by tree. Every time Pip heard the musical chime, he knew he was getting closer to finding what possibly could be the Malachite stone. The least he can do was trust his ears and follow the sound some more. "Where is that coming from?" Pip thought out loud. All of a sudden, he tripped and it looked like some kind of root. Not only that, but he also saw a mint-green gem in front of him, and he knew exactly what it was. This gem was glowing like a shining beacon, or a light in a shore's lighthouse on a foggy day. It was perfectly round, like a gigantic, green, ball, and it looked absolutely stunning to his eyes. All of a sudden, a large, Male lion came from the bushes, and Pip was immediately frightened. However, he didn't do anything like eat Pip and devour him like a lion would see a snack, and Pip looked exactly like a perfect lunch for this big cat. Another striking feature was that is that his lion was not brown or yellowish color like any other lion, but a glowing green color like the Malachite stone here was glowing. He had glowing eyes qotjpit pupils and mist flowing from his body, and his mane was handsome. "I.. I mean you now harm." Pip said. "Please don't eat me." "Why would I eat a little colt like yourself?" Said the lion in a fatherly, deep voice. Taken aback, Pip thought he must have been dreaming to hear a talking lion before. "Did... did you just speak?" He Asked him. "Of course. Rest assured, you are not hallucinating or having a dream." The green lion said. "Abd please, do not fear me." The colt slowly got back on his feet and the lion easily towered over him. Thorax was just looking for Pip when he saw the green glowing big cat. "Pip, don't make any sudden moves." He quietly said to the colt. "Ah, the new king of the Changelings. We finally meet." Said the green lion. "You can talk?" Said Thorax. "And... how do you know about me?" It was just then Link noticed the green light from the distance. He and the others rushed over to see what that light was. Running as fast as he could, they all saw the green lion looking at Pip. "Whoa!" Link exclaimed. "Pip, stand back!" He was about to pull out either his Master Sword or the Great Fairy sword out and take out this glowing beast, but Adewale stopped him. "No!" He said, standing in front of him. "He is not a monster." "What are you?" Asked Pip. "I am Zaire." Said the green lion in a humble voice. He began pacing to and fro and he began talking some more. "The grand protector of all the creatures of Zebrica and it's territories." "Zaire?" Asked Twilight. "I have heard about you. I... never thought that the stories were actually true." Another chuckle was heard from Zaire. "It is quite alright, Princess Twilight." Twilight perked her head up, curious if this spirit knew her name. "You heard about me?" "Yes." The green lion nodded his head. "You are the new princess of friendship and you have turned from an unicorn to an allicorn." "Do you know who we are?" Asked Fluttershy. "Of course, Fluttershy. You are one of mother nature's greatest children." The yellow pegasus blushed by that compliment and felt proud in herself to hear something like that. "Thank you." "How do you know about us?" Asked Link, letting go of the Master Sword. "I watch over all of Zebrica, and this stone." Zaire looked behind him. "This very stone is a grand protector and an object where I can store my strength, and bring piece through it." "So, you are a personification of the stone." Link realized. "Yes. Exactly." "Well, Zaire," Link began to ask him a question that the spirit might know will ask of him. "We are looking for any shards that was once the Fierce deity's mask from my world." Zaire just stood there looking at the heroes with his face unfazed and unchanged, and he didn't reply a word after what Link explained to him. "Do you know where we can find it?" "Bow to him," Zecora whispered in her ear. "What?" Link whispered back to her "He is a god." Adewale reminded him. Then he and his sister bowed down to the god, and the others followed afterward, and Link never felt so embarrassed like that before in his life, not paying his respect to a powerful god like this one, even if he is not from his world. Clearing his throat, The hero said in a timid voice: “I am so sorry. Please forgive me for being disrespectful.” Just then, the green lion went up to the hero. “Child,” he began. “There is no need to feel ashamed. You have the heart of the hero, Link. A true hero.” The Hylian raised his head and looked at Zaire with his Hykian face, and the green lion’s fade looked heroic and a little fatherly. “I can sense it inside your head that you are selfless and always put others before yourself.” “Link is an extraordinary creature, lord Zaire.” Said Adewale. “He has great courage as his greatest strength in his heart.” “Yes. Whenever there is a call for help,” Zecora added. “Link will do his best to answer their call. He sees to it that all evil will bend and fall.” “So, forgive me, Zaire.” Said Lyra. “But do you know where we can find the shards?” “Well, I certainly can help you with your quest. But, Link, you must be aware of the consequences of wielding that mask once it is prepared into whole.” Zaire warned the hero. “That mask hold a great power of dark magic within, and it will control you if you are not especially careful with it.” “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” Said Link. “And besides, i’m About to question if I should wear it myself.” He pulled out the great fairy sword again, and looked at the purple and green blade, shining under the sun. “Maybe this can help me, too.” “Your path is your own, Hero Of Hyrule. To defeat an evil creature such as Majora, you should never underestimate him and never let your guard down.” Link nodded his head to him. “Of course, sir. I never let my guard down.”mathematics he put the Great Fairy Sword away. “Still, I have to save my world, and this one.” “You wouldn’t believe what we have been through because of that mask.” Said Rainbow Dash. “He turned some of our own friends against us with evil magic, and turned them into his salves.” Fluttershy Said. “It was awful. We all had to fight princess Cadence, Prince Rutherford and the yaks, and some griffons whomwere brainwashed.” A cold shiver went down her fur. “I don’t know if I want to talk about it anymore.” And she gulped. Twilight and Spike we’re giving her comfort to make her more relaxed. “What she means is,” Said Bon Bon. “We have been given a lot of trouble by Majora and his horde of monsters.” “Now we need to stop him and the mask is possibly our only chance to be rid rid of him forever.” Said Rarity. “Please Zaire.” Said Pip. “It would be really helpful and we will be very grateful if you can Help us.” Then he felt the lion gently touch his head with his gigantic left paw. “Of course I will help you all.” Said Zaire. “But understand, the mask might not be the final solution.” A more serious look appeared on the god's face. "That mask has a magically dark power in itself, and if you are not careful." then he went up to Link. "You will lose yourself to it's power, possibly for all eternity." A little bit more doubt appeared on Link's face. He was thinking maybe the mask is a bad idea after all, then he realized that he had to do something to take down Majora to protect everything he ever cared about, and everyone he had ever loved. Not to mention Princess Zelda, who is probably still a hostage by that vile, demonic spirit right now. Who knows what will happen to her if she is not saved in time. "Look, I want to save Zelda, the princess and ruler of my world. Without her, Hyrule will fall into disarray." Link stated. "My friends, my family, and everyone I ever care about in both Hyrule and Equestria will be in grave danger if I do not do something to stop Majora." "What about the Great Fairy Sword?" asked Rainbow Dash. "I've seen what this awesome weapon can do." "I know." said Link. "But what if that doesn't work?" "Come on, Link. You already got a dark weapon, that stone that Midna gave you before." Colin reminded him. "Yeah, but still. Majora is way more powerful than Ganondorf." Link reminded. "What about when the Master Sword was powered up to it's full potential?" asked Epona. "You easily defeated Ganondorf with the sword in that state." "Yeah but, you guys have seen what Majora is capable of." Link pointed. "He could turn all of you guys next, or all of Zebrica under his control, and I don't want anyone else to fall under his dark magic like Cadence, the yaks, and some of the griffons." Twilight was the next to speak and she said: "There will always be another way to take down evil. We're friends, and our friendship is what makes us strong." "We'll always find a way to take down Majora." Lyra added. "And hey, I think Majora is afraid of you and your power." "Maybe." the hero remarked. "But, he's still getting stronger every minute. Who knows when his power will reach to the max?" "You'll have our help." said Spike. "That's what we're here for." "You're friends speak very wisely, Link." said Zaire. "I know you can rid both worlds of this demonic menace. You're greatest weapons are your courage, bravery, and a golden heart." The hero was flustered and touched to hear that. He knew the lion spirit wasn't wrong about those things. "You are never alone, not as long as you have your closest friends on your side, and as long as you are all together, you can overcome any obstacle that stands in your way." Link was a little silent for a moment, and didn't know what to say in reply to this majestic god. "I'm just... worried." "it is perfectly normal to have doubt in your life." Zaire continued. "But, i'm a hero, and I shouldn't have a doubt in myself." Link said "It is perfectly normal. Remember, the state of Equestria and Hyrule rests in your courage, and your bravery." Link began to feel a small confidence coming back to him. He was certainly the bravest person in his home, and he has saved it from a great evil before, along with Equestria. "Okay. But still, I need to protect Equestria and my home from Majora. Please, Zaire. Please show me the shards." "Very well, young hero." the green lion said. "Do follow me." then he escorted all the heroes to where the mask shard was from there. It was not a very long walk from where the malachite stone was, and the green lion was walking majestically, especially with the surrounding, misty aura around him. It was deep in the Songo Jungle, and there was a glowing piece of purple flashing like a beacon. Everyone knew exactly what this meant. "There it is." Said Pip. This shard looked like an eye, an eye without a pupil in it. Link picked it up and put it in his special pouch for safekeeping. Thus, it was another shard from the mask collected. It was a sign that they were all one step closer to complete the whole mask, and kill Majora. "There." Mathayus said. "Just a number of pieces to go." "Where else can we find them, mighty Zaire?" Asked Okove. "And how many are there in my beautiful home?" Zecora added. "There are two more mask shards out here in beautiful Zebrica." Said Zaire. "Although, you all have to look for the rest yourselves. I am certain you can all be alright with my help." "I'm sure we can, too." Said Twilight. "The shards are probably corrupting the parts of Zebrica they are in now." "Well we best better hurry if we are going to save Zebrica from any more darkness." Said Rarity. "Only a matter of time before that ruffian brute, Majora, comes and brings a mighty world of chaos to Zebrica." "And you don't mean my kind of chaos, right?" Asked Discord. Everyone looked at him, not really looking amused by what he just said. "I think we all know the answer to that question, Discord." said Fluttershy with her left eyebrow raised. "Sorry." "Oh, don't worry about that," said a familiar voice. Out of black smock, Majora appeared in a slightly dramatic entrance like in a Broadway show. "Because I can bring chaos in the snap of a finger." "Majora!" Mathayus shouted. "begone, monster!" he pulled out his sword and shield. “Not you again!” Thorax Said before chanting into a gorilla monster. Zaire began to growl cautiously at the evil spirit, showing his sharp an deadly teeth, just about ready to maul Majora to shreds. "So, you are the evil spirit known as Majora?" said the green lion creature. "That I am, Zaire. Now I will unleash more fury and mayhem across this world." With a snap of his finger, he conjured three ice wizzrobes, and five moblins next to him. “I will be having the Malachite stone now. Surrender it to me, and I will let you all live.” “You’ll never get our precious stone, you foul demon!” Adewale shouted at him like a barking dog. “The only way you will get the Malachite stone, is to take it from our dead bodies!” Majors let out a sigh of disappointment, and he said: “I was afraid you would all say that.” He then barked to his troops: “Kill them all!” Just like that, the right enemies charged at the heroes, but then Zaire sprung into action, and gave out loud, Bond-chilling roar from himself, and went through the first moblin. And clawed at him. Next, Zaire sliced his claws at the remaining enemies, and they disappeared into purple dust. Majora was certainly terrified by what he just saw. He probably found a creature that can match his power, or close to his power. He never looked so scared in his life since the Hero of Time had the Fierce Deity's Mask with him to defeat him all those years ago in Termina. "Now you will have to deal with me." Said Zaire. "Prepare yourself!" Majora was about to make his mistake, but in the speed of light, the green lion pounced on the spirit, pinning him on the ground with his massive paws. Fear was certainly overcoming his emotions, and his jaw dropped in disbelief to be pinned down by a magical lion. “My goodness. That was incredible.” Fluttershy remarked. “He was going fast.” “Now, Leave Zebrica at once, and never set foot in it again. Or you will have to suffer my wrath!” Zaire roared right into Majora’s face like he was about to eat him. Just then, Majira emitted a loud, cackling laugh from himself and he replied: “I think not, Zaire. Soon, this land will be mine, too.” Then he disappeared. “He’s gone again!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “Do not worry. He can never get the malachite stone.” Said Adewale. “Those with evil,and wicked hearts cannot touch the sacred stone, just as those with evil hearts cannot touch the Master Sword.” “I hope you’re right, Adewale.” The yellow Pegasus mare said to herself. “But, He can still cause disorder and darkness across Zebrica.” “Fluttershy’s right.” Said Storm. “We still need to find him.” “Not a problem for us.” Said Bon Bon boldly. “Good luck all of you.” Said The green Lion. “You should head for Veeneeza next. It is the home of a group of Buffalo who are known to roam and live in. That is where you should find the next shard.” “Good. Thank you, Zaire.” Link bowed again. “You are welcome. Glad to be of service for you all.” “Wait, can you help us some more?” Asked Pinkie Pie. “Like I have once mentioned to you all, you have to do this yourself. But fear not, I will be watching you at every step of the way.” Then he began to disappear. “Go to Veeneeza.” There was an echo at the last phrase before he disappeared into thin air. “That was interesting.” Said Fluttershy. “But still, we need to go back to Agbaje and warn King Zuma about what we saw.” “She’s right. Then we gotta go to Veneeza, and looked for that shard, too.” Thorax added. “Wherever That May be.” “We can ask the king.” Colin suggested. Then they all went back to Agbaje to inform King Zuma, and Zecora’s Friends and family about what happened near the Malachite stone. They all need to act fast, for Majora will cause a very grave destruction only Zaire himself knows what.