• Published 9th Nov 2014
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The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time - Ganondorf8



Sunset Shimmer was simply enjoying a night indoors with her friends, but the magical energies of the human world which clashed in Rainbow Rocks has caused something unexpected to happen.

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Chapter 61: Shadow of the Spirit

Author's Note:

Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding the Legend of Zelda, the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and My Little Pony: Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks. These are the properties of Nintendo and Hasbro respectively.

Could this be the final showdown between light and dark of one person?

Cast appearing in this chapter.

Sunset Shimmer - Link/Sunset Demon
Spike - Navi the Fairy
Trixie Lulamoon - Koume
Queen Chrysalis - Kotake

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
April 15, 2015
Chapter 61: Shadow of the Spirit.

For a while, I felt like I was going to die inside of this Like-Like as it continued to consume me, but then it spat me out where I landed a short distance away. While I did sustain slight damage, I was alright yet I felt as though something were missing. The Like-Like itself then proceeded towards me, and there was no way I was going to allow it to swallow me again, so I decided to take out my Hylian Shield to deflect any additional attempts....which is when I came to the realization of what had exactly happened.

Spike had warned me about this a long time ago when we were exploring the Fire Temple, yet I never took it into consideration as my aim was simply avoiding it at all costs, and attacking from a distance. I then looked down at myself to further confirm my suspicions, and it turned out to be true.

" What happened to my shield and tunic?" I asked.

" The Like-Like has gone and eaten them up," replied Spike.

" I do recall you warned me that this could eventually happen if I were to get consumed by one of those things, and now I'm experiencing the result of what happens. I can't believe this especially since we're so close to the end of this journey," I said. Granted, the Zora Tunic has seen better days considering how many times I've been slashed about, but it was a gift from Hondo Flanks whose life I saved, so there was a lot of sentimental value attached to it.

The same was true with the Hylian Shield as it has been in my possession ever since I first purchased it back in Hyrule Castle Town after getting a pretty good deal rather than paying the full amount. Just knowing that my equipment has become consumed by this hideous blob was enough to make me really mad, but I'm at fault here for not being fast enough to avoid it in the first place.

" You can still get your gear back you know," said Spike.

" And how do I do that?" I asked.

" Even though the Like-Like has stolen your shield and tunic, it needs time to be able to digest them properly, so if you can defeat it as fast as possible, there is a chance it will drop what was stolen. It will have a foul smell, but it's better than losing the equipment for good. I'm guessing that you intend on going all-out against it, so that would mean you transforming just to prove a point? If the answer is yes then I hope you don't go and overdo it," replied Spike.

Actually, I wasn't planning on transforming, but since he did suggest it, I might as well go with it because I really need my equipment back, and defeating this thing immediately is what needs to happen before it's too late. Concentrating just like I did the last time, my pony ears and tail appeared which meant I really did have control over my changes, so with my increase in power, I unleashed a powerful burst of flame which melted the Like-Like.

" Was that a little too much?" I asked.

" If you were trying to alert those witches that you're in the Spirit Temple again, then my answer is yes," replied Spike.

" They most likely know we're here Spike, but I'm guessing they're shocked at sensing a sudden power surge. I didn't really go overboard with using my magic as what I used was still seen as rather weak, yet it did look and feel stronger than what I usually use. What's important is that my shield and tunic did not get digested....or burn away to ashes because of my magic," I said.

" If you did accidentally destroy your equipment, I suppose your only option would be to go to the Bazzar at Kakariko Village and purchase a new shield, and then travel all the way to Zora's Domain in order to get a new Zora Tunic from the Zora Shop as I doubt King Zora will give you another one. It will cost 80 rupees to get a replacement shield, but no discount this time around, and it will cost 300 rupees to get a replacement tunic because of the materials that are used," said Spike.

At first it didn't bother me because he mentioned 80 rupees, but then my heart sank when he brought up how expensive it can be to purchase a new Zora Tunic. While I can easily afford a new tunic, spending 300 rupees will put a serious dent into my wallet. I need that money for potions, and finding rupees is becoming more difficult as I progress through this journey.

I then turned my attention to where the Like-Like had melted away, and my eyes widened with excitement because lying in a heap on the floor was both my Hylian Shield and Zora Tunic.

" How about that? I didn't destroy either piece of equipment with my magic," I said.

" It must be a great relief for you Sunset Shimmer! I do advise that you not allow yourself to get swallowed again, or this is going to happen again. I didn't mention this to you before as I was certain you weren't going to get eaten up by one of those monsters, but I should say it now because of this experience.

If a Like-Like swallows you and steals your shield and tunic before spitting you back out, if you leave the immediate area whether intentionally or by accident, and then come back and defeat the Like-Like, you won't be able to get your equipment," said Spike.

" How come?" I asked.

" For some strange reason, when you leave an area, it somehow resets certain elements which includes monsters. So, if you lost your gear to a Like-Like then left and came back immediately afterward, the elements reset and the monster in question is treated as a different one entirely. Your equipment will forever become lost to you no matter what you try and do to get it back," replied Spike.

" That makes Like-Likes perhaps the most dangerous creature to exist in all of Hyrule," I said.

" When you put it that way then yes," said Spike. As if I needed anymore pressure to get piled on top of me in addition to what I already had, yet now I need to avoid this monster otherwise I'm going to constantly lose my equipment. I then walked over and picked up my shield and tunic which did have a slight odor, but something dawned on me which prompted a closer inspection of my current attire. I looked down where I discovered the Kokiri Tunic was my current tunic, so how did that happen?

I might as well not let it get to me, so I asked Spike if he would turn around while I change tunics for I didn't want him to see what I looked like without any clothes on. He agreed to my request where upon he turned and floated off in another direction leaving me to switch clothes. Upon removing the Kokiri Tunic and standing there, I stared up at the ceiling wondering just how much more of this perpetual torment I would experience before finally being done with it.

As of late, I wasn't suffering or anything like that as I had been at the beginning of this adventure, yet deep down I felt as though something big was going to happen which would result in me being tormented on an epic scale. Knowing that there was nothing I could do apart from wait and see what happens, I changed into my Zora Tunic before strapping the Hylian Shield onto my back.

" Okay, you can come back now," I said.

" That took a lot longer than previous tunic changes," said Spike.

" I was just having one of my private moments of thought," I said.

" Nothing wrong with experiencing that as everyone gets one of those every now and then," said Spike.

" Do you think I'm going to suffer some more?" I asked.

" The path of a hero is never an easy one Sunset Shimmer, and you have witnessed a great deal of heartache and torment. I know this is probably not what you want to hear, but you still have more hardships left. You just can't allow such feelings to shatter your confidence because you've worked so hard, and it would just be a travesty were you to falter at the final hurdle," replied Spike.

" You answered my question, and that is what I must accept," I said.

" I hope you're not upset," said Spike.

" No, it's to be expected given what I've witnessed, yet you told me the honest truth, and for that I appreciate it," I said. I'm glad Spike decided to be honest with me instead of pretending to make me feel better. Rainbow Dash's fate is one such suffering I'm still going through because I could have done something to save her back then, and I still have to deal with Ganondorf.

I suppose these heroic moments did need to be counteracted by negative feelings so as to balance it all out, but deep down I wish that it didn't have to be this way. When I was ready to resume exploring the Spirit Temple, I placed the key into a pocket, and opened the portcullis which lead back into the room with the rolling boulders.

In the meantime, I was still being watched by the two witches, and my suspicion about them reacting to my sudden power increase was expected. If they hadn't been underestimating me before, they were now especially since I have control over my transformation.

" Did you experience that surge?" asked Trixie.

" Never have I felt anything like that before," replied Chrysalis.

" What do you suppose could be behind such power?" asked Trixie.

" It must be the forest girl," replied Chrysalis.

" Impossible! There is no way that she can possess that amount of magical power! We have been studying her for the last seven years, and came to the conclusion that she was no match for us or the Great Ganondorf," said Trixie.

" Have you forgotten about her ability to transform in a similar manner to what you and I are capable of? She is able to become stronger in both strength and magical prowess by gaining the ears and tail of a pony, yet despite the ridiculous notion in becoming part horse, this cosmetic alteration belies the fact she has a tremendous power inside of her.

It's one which not only exceeds our own power, but also equals that of the Great Ganondorf. He has already experienced this other form of the forest girl back when he was on the verge of claiming the Triforce, and since then it became apparent she had trouble maintaining control of this power," said Chrysalis.

" Yes, I remember this information now," said Trixie.

" She would lose control of her emotions which resulted in a psychotic transformed state," said Chrysalis.

" With that kind of emotional breakdown, her power was left unchecked, and only those who were able to match up to that power were able to hold their own until she was forced to revert back to her weaker self. However, judging from what we just experienced coming from the lower level, the girl has somehow gained complete control," said Trixie.

" If she has control over this other form, it will no doubt cause problems for the Great Ganondorf," said Chrysalis.

" Correct, so we now must double our efforts even more," said Trixie.

" I am not certain if our combined power will be enough to kill this forest girl given how she has been defying all expectations since the beginning. I hate to say it, but this girl just cannot be stopped at the rate she is going," said Chrysalis.

" Then perhaps we have no choice but to ask for some assistance," said Trixie.

" Do you suggest asking the Great Ganondorf?" asked Chrysalis.

" No! If he were to learn that all of this had happened because we didn't take of the girl seven years ago, he would have no further use for us, and we'll both wind up being killed as a result of being deemed worthless in his eyes. Already does he question our efforts to get things done, and for that we can't afford to turn to him for help which means we have to rely on the she-demon," replied Trixie.

" This bodes ill for the both of us," sighed Chrysalis.

" It is perhaps the one thing I would never want to consider, but because the situation has become worse given the girl has now mastered her stronger form, we are at a point where we must rely on extreme measures. The she-demon is just as powerful as she is, or perhaps even stronger, so we need to use her in order to do away with this child once and for all. Of course, the logical way to approach this would be to expect the girl to be weakened as a result of battling against the dark version of herself.

It really doesn't matter whether she destroys that accursed demon or not! Either she is killed by her other self, or we kill her due to being exhausted from killing the she-demon. Either result shall benefit us greatly, and in the grand scheme of things, the Great Ganondorf's reign carries on without end," said Trixie.

" That would mean convincing the she-demon to fight on our behalf," said Chrysalis.

" We don't need to do anything given how she is going to engage her other self regardless," laughed Trixie.

" I see where you're going with this. That demon will carry out our wishes without even realizing it, and all we need to do is watch them destroy one another, or at the very least witness the forest girl suffer so much pain and anguish that we can finish her off, and not have to rely on the true depths of our power. However, we must not forget and ignore her inner power....you know the one I speak of right? What the Great Ganondorf desires from her," said Chrysalis.

" You don't think that will play a factor do you?" asked Trixie.

" I have no doubt in my mind about how it has often given her the strength to overcome even the most dire of odds, and yet she is completely unaware of possessing it in the first place. Ever since the Great Ganondorf laid his hands upon the Triforce, I did suspect something was amiss because he always kept mumbling to himself about how he needed to get the other powers to gain complete mastery. For a long time, I just assumed he said that figuratively, but now I believe there was a much deeper meaning behind it.

Could it be that one essence of the Triforce has somehow found its way to the forest girl? It would explain where she had gotten so much courage ever since awakening from her seven year slumber. Before she was sealed away, her actions were seen as reluctant, and not wanting to accept her destiny," replied Chrysalis.

" And now she desires nothing more than to awaken the Sages," said Trixie.

" Such a sudden change in thinking just doesn't happen overnight," said Chrysalis.

" If the girl does have one of the essences, and figures out how to tap into it....combined with her transformation, she could have the potential to conquer this world on her own were she to consider it. For such a young child, her potential is near limitless! I suggest that we prepare our special guardian for I am certain it will be needed," suggested Trixie.

" Yes, for the girl must not be underestimated again," said Chrysalis.

The room with the rolling boulders once again caused me trouble where I found myself being knocked around a few times, and while it wasn't enough to kill me, it was rather inconvenient regardless. Spike told me that if I needed something to heal my wounds, I could go outside where that oasis was, and summon fairies which I can use my empty bottles to capture them.

I didn't think there was a fairy fountain out there, so I needed to find out more which meant asking Spike as soon as I had a free moment. Such a time would come right away, for when we reached the locked portcullis, I decided to ask my question before continuing further into the temple otherwise I'm likely to forget.

" There is a fairy fountain out in the desert?" I asked.

" Legends say that a long time ago, this region used to be filled with life where it was just like Hyrule Field, but harsh weather conditions would transform it into what you see now; a land where nothing is capable of growing, and those who dwell here suffer. The fairy fountain at first managed to survive the transition, but eventually it was abandoned.

Even though it was abandoned a long time ago, it's said fairies will appear at the oasis as though being beckoned whenever someone is able to make it fill up with water. It used to be quite a famous spot where people and other creatures would go, so maybe you have something which can make water appear," replied Spike.

" If I can make it rain then I wouldn't need to leave the desert, and then come after getting some potions. You know, I just realized that I could have used this oasis back in the past, and not risked everything against that Iron Knuckle which almost killed me," I moaned.

" You could have, but you never thought of it," I said.

" How was I supposed to know when you didn't say anything?" I asked.

" Because you never asked," replied Spike.

" Then again, I'm not sure if I would have made it to the oasis seeing as those Leevers move about, and there are the cold winds which blow about at night which make it even more dangerous. I'm not surprised at you knowing of this ancient fairy fountain given that you are a fairy yourself, so it would make sense for you to know the location of every fountain that exists in the kingdom," I said.

" Yes, I do know where all of them are, but that only relates to the regular fountains," said Spike. The way he said it like that made me think that the Great Fairy didn't want her fountains to be known. Plus, Spike never did mention once the locations of the Great Fairy, so that backs up his claim. It made me realize I should have been using them from the beginning, yet I didn't consider it because of being stubborn, and also not being used to Hyrule.

If I had been using fairies to heal my wounds, I could have saved so many rupees. I then slapped my head really hard which made Spike wonder why I just did that, but I told him it was just in reaction to my own incompetence. Deciding to get back down to business, I used the small key and unlocked the portcullis where I opened it, and entered a narrow room which featured some very fancy torches on the right-hand wall. There were a couple of jars on the floor which looked suspicious, and my fear was that they were enchanted.

" This room seems too quiet even though those torches do make it feel brighter," I commented.

" Do you recall when we were here in the past, you assumed that we had reached a dead-end?" asked Spike.

" Yes, and it turned out that I needed to climb up a very long wall," I replied.

" The same principle is applied here as at the end of this room is a place where you can climb up to the next floor," said Spike.

" Before I go and do anything, I'm going to shatter those jars from a distance," I said. I could use the Fairy Bow, but then that would be rather cumbersome given how narrow the room is, so I decided that my magic would work instead. Firing two small fireballs from my fingertips, I shattered each jar which produced rupees, but hearts were what I preferred seeing as the Like-Like had damaged.

That's when I wished that I hadn't thought about that particular monster, for as I started to walk forward, another one fell down from the ceiling. " You've got to be kidding me!?!?"

" Keep away from it unless you want your equipment stolen again," said Spike.

" I was hoping to never see this thing ever again, and here it is just to torment me even more," I moaned.

" You don't plan on transforming just to defeat one monster that hasn't even noticed you yet?" asked Spike.

" That would be a waste not to mention I don't have much room, so I'm going to use my magic instead," I replied. No matter what decision I chose to use, there was no way another Like-Like would swallow me up, and cause me to lose my shield and tunic like what happened earlier. I then blasted it with magic which defeated it, and when it dissolved away to nothing, it left behind two red rupees which I picked up because I could do with some extra money.

Upon making my way over to the wall that I had to climb up, I decided to look upwards as you never know if something is either on the wall, on the floor above ready to jump down, or something else entirely. The coast was clear by the time I had finished checking, so I began to climb up which didn't take that long to accomplish given that I still feel good despite the unfortunate incident earlier.

When I reached the next floor, I found myself staring at what appeared to be a mirror, yet I assumed it was some kind of statue given the glass was located inside of a snakehead statue like the ones at the beginning of the temple. Lining around the wall were a number of sun switches, yet I couldn't push them towards the light. " What do you suppose that mirror is used for?"

" I'm guessing those red handles on either side of it will allow you to push it around in a circle, and shine sunlight on all of those sun switches. One of them is bound to unlock the portcullis over there, but the other ones could either provide treasure or traps. There is no way of knowing which switch is correct, so you'll need to shine light on each one until we can continue onwards," replied Spike.

" According to the Dungeon Map, there are a couple of chests in here," I said.

" That means at least two sun switches will give you some kind of reward, but that still leaves the other three," said Spike.

" Looks like I'm going to have to guess which one unlocks the portcullis, and hopefully get those treasure chests the first two times I'm wrong. By the way, what is with that shadow over there on the other side of the mirror?" I asked.

" That's an invisible monster," replied Spike.

" I thought we were done with all of that back in the Shadow Temple?" I asked.

" You did find those invisible chests before you took on that Iron Knuckle," replied Spike. Guess the Spirit Temple featured some remnants of where I had been prior to coming here, so I had no other choice which prompted me to take out the Lens of Truth. When I raised it to my eye, I could see the invisible monster was a Floormaster, yet so far it hadn't noticed me.

At least it wasn't the other one which likes to drop down from the ceiling, but this one had its own share of troubles what with its ability to split into smaller pieces. Spike then came up with an interesting idea, and proceeded to tell me about it. " You could use your magic or perhaps the Master Sword, but why not try using your Biggoron's Sword instead? It does have a better reach than the divine blade in addition to being twice as strong, and besides you do need to use it more often otherwise you wasted your time getting it."

" That's a pretty good idea, and I do want to destroy this monster in a quick fashion," I said. The only problem I was going to have with his idea was that I need two hands for me to use it properly which meant putting the lens away, or somehow putting it down on the ground long enough for me to defeat the Floormaster. No, I don't want the lens getting damaged, so I needed to handle this another way.

" Do you want me to hold the lens?" asked Spike.

" I'm not sure if you can given that it is bigger than you are," I replied.

" You don't know for certain until you give me a chance," said Spike. The Biggoron's Sword needed both of my hands to wield it, so I had no other choice but to hand over the lens to Spike. As soon as he was holding it in his hands, he dropped down a great deal before struggling to keep himself flying because of the weight.

He can hold it for probably about 20 seconds, so I ran forwards towards the Floormaster where I swung the Biggoron's Sword which slashed it in half. This ended up destroying it completely without it being able to split into pieces, but I had no time to figure out what happened as I ran back to Spike and caught him just as he started to fall.

" This sword just obliterated that Floormaster," I said.

" I told you that it was twice as powerful as the Master Sword," said Spike.

" Yet it needs to be held with both hands which does leave me vulnerable as I can't defend myself from attacks using my shield while holding it, but on another note there are no additional monsters in this room, so now I can focus on pushing this mirror around until the right sun switch gets activated. I'm guessing that I have the strength to push it without needing the Silver Gauntlets, but I'll attribute it to them being what makes me capable of doing this," I said.

" When you push the mirror, it moves around one section at a time if you know what I mean," said Spike.

" I think I understand," I said as I walked over to the left side of the mirror. I then grabbed the red handle, and gave it a push causing the mirror to move around until it came to a stop in front of a sun switch. Light was coming from a hole located above which shined on the switch where it burned away leaving a small treasure chest that dropped down from the ceiling. " Wow! I wasn't expecting the switch to just burn up when exposed to sunlight. Do you suppose that will happen when I move the mirror around to the other switches?"

" Most likely although the real switch will glow and smile," replied Spike.

" I'm hoping I don't have to shine the sunlight on all five switches," I moaned. Grabbing the handle, I pushed the mirror along where it shined light on the second switch which burned away causing a second small treasure chest to drop down. While I was tempted to kick open each chest, I had to continue pushing this mirror along, so when the light shined on the third sun switch, its eyes opened wide and it grinned. This was the correct switch, and it caused the portcullis to unlock, yet I was curious to know what was in the two small chests.

" Are you going to see what's in them?" asked Spike.

" I might as well," I replied.

" Be careful as you don't want to succumb to anything due to curiosity," said Spike.

" You suspect a trap inside one of the chests?" I asked.

" It wouldn't be all that surprising given those witches will do anything in order to kill you," replied Spike. I should have ignored the chests and moved onto the next room, yet I just couldn't keep myself from seeing what was inside. I kicked open the first chest which produced a recovery heart, so that wasn't so bad as I needed a slight pick me up especially after the Like-Like issue.

Then I kicked open the other one where I was suddenly sprayed with a blast of cold air which froze me on the spot, and when I tried to say something in response, I couldn't for every part of my body was frozen.

" Sunset Shimmer!" shouted Spike. I remained stuck like this for about ten seconds before the ice shattered, and I became free although I was shivering like crazy.

" The cold....why did I have to experience the cold again? I haven't felt this experience since I got frozen back in the Ice Cavern," I said.

" I did warn you," said Spike.

" And now I expect you'll be bragging about it?" I asked.

" No, as this is something that I wasn't expecting, so it shows the witches are taking this very seriously. I think the intention was for you to have sustained a lot of damage, and that kicking open that chest while your health was low would have been enough to kill you by freezing you to death. Don't allow this unfortunate experience to stop you from opening chests up as I'm sure you won't see this happen again for some time," replied Spike.

" I have no intention of stopping to open up chests," I said.

" Want to warm up using your magic?" asked Spike.

" You took the words right out of my mouth," I replied. Sitting down on the floor and concentrating, I then became surrounded by flames which looked like I had set myself on fire, yet that wasn't the case for my resistance to fire as well as my affinity towards it will prevent me from succumbing.

I chose to sat there for a few minutes as that spray was really cold, and I didn't want to start sneezing as a result. When I was done warming up, I got back onto my feet, and opened the portcullis where I found myself in a very familiar room....one which I haven't been in for seven years. " This is the main room which means we've come full circle, but where do we go from here?"

" If we take a look at the Dungeon Map, we'll see where we need to go," said Spike.

" Okay, let me take it out," I said as I did exactly that. The map revealed that we needed to go up the stairs in front of me which will then lead us towards the portcullis, and the rooms located on the left side. It was essentially a mirror image aside from the fact that going left will lead to a chamber where we can climb up even further, and reach the highest level.

" A shame that this map doesn't show where the locked portcullises are, so we have no idea as to when we'll need a key. In any case, we might as well see where these stairs lead to, for standing here isn't going to do us anything." I then walked up the stairs before stopping in front of a locked portcullis, so was it possible that I missed a key somewhere?

" The key we need should be in this area," said Spike.

" We could have missed it earlier," I suggested.

" No, you've opened up every possible treasure chest that we have encountered so far in the temple, so the chances of missing one is zero, but it does mean we need to do some quick searching to find what we need," said Spike.

" When we were on the other side, I thought that the hands of this desert goddess would give me a reward. I mean, Fluttershy did say I needed to fulfill her obligations, but so far we've only been to do this outside where we found the Silver Gauntlets," I said.

" Maybe the other hand in front of us will yield something," suggested Spike. Turning my attention towards the left hand of the desert goddess, I could see the crest of the Triforce on it which indicated that playing Twilight's Lullaby would do something, but then some kind of dark aura near where we found the Dungeon Map caught my attention, and I had a sneaking suspicion the she-demon was behind it.

" Look down there," I said.

" You mean at that dark aura?" asked Spike.

" The very same, and I don't need to be told what it means," I replied.

" Guess you should investigate it as you can't keep delaying it any longer," said Spike.

" Just remember we need to play Twilight's Lullaby on top of the goddess' left hand, for I think it will result in us getting the key we need to be able to explore the rooms on the left side of the temple," I said. Rather than run down the stairs and jumping to the lower level from a more safer height, I decided to jump straight away which did cause me to experience some slight damage, but I shrugged it off as I walked over to the dark aura that belonged to the she-demon.

Even though I felt compelled to touch this aura, I held back instead as I suspected I'd get corrupted in some way. The aura then disappeared as though it had never been there, and then silence gripped the entire room....just the mere thought of it freaked me out, but I needed to stay strong as I must defeat my other self once and for all. Ironically, her voice began to echo out across this area, and I had no clue as to where it was coming from, yet the obvious notion was that she was indeed here.

" I've been waiting forever for you to finally come here," said Sunset Demon.

" You chose to be cryptic after our previous encounter in the Shadow Temple," I said.

" Maybe so, yet you were able to figure it out without much trouble which I'm glad otherwise I would still be waiting. I don't want things to be too easy for you Sunset Shimmer, and if that were the case then where would the fun be? Speaking of fun, you must be so thrilled over the fact you've managed to gain control of that little transformation of yours.

Yes, I sensed your sudden increase in power, and it was obvious to conclude how it happened. It does make things all the more interesting as I was afraid that you weren't going to take this seriously, and that is something I'd rather soon avoid," said Sunset Demon.

" How do you figure that?" I asked.

" When I defeat you for good and claim your life as my very own, I want to be remembered as having done so while you were fighting at your full potential. While you may think of me as being devoid of honour, you'd be completely wrong about that. I'd feel empty and devoid of a true victory should I defeat you without being given a worthy challenge, so I'm grateful that you mastered controlling that transformation just in the nick of time," replied Sunset Demon.

I never would have guessed that she had an understanding of honour, for my previous encounters against her indicated that she preferred to use deceitful means with which to kill me. Maybe her experiences have changed her perspective on things, but I couldn't rule out the possibility that this was just a trick designed for me to drop my guard.

I didn't noticed the dark aura coming from the goddess statue behind me, and peering out of its stomach was the she-demon herself where she raised her hand as a means of preparing to attack me. Luckily, I could see her shadow overlapping mine, so it was enough for me to jump aside and completely avoid her attempt to inflict a serious wound.

" Figures you would try to sneak attack me," I said.

" It shows how much you've changed since the Water Temple," said Sunset Demon.

" I'm stronger now than I was back then, and I will make sure that I'm the one who survives our final encounter! Even though I wish that we didn't have to resort to fighting in order to solve our differences, but I know trying to talk you out of it is going to do me no good as you'll merely refuse to listen to my words. My life is my own, and you have no right trying every possible measure to claim it for your own.

If you desire Equestria, this world, or any other because of your desire for power, then do so without needing to kill me and take over my life in the process. You've got an existence now Sunset Demon, so why don't you leave me to enjoy my own? I promise I'll never bother you again personally, yet the same can't be said about Twilight and the others," I said.

" Oh I could have my own life, but yours is the one I want more," said Sunset Demon.

" Why?" I asked.

" You used to be Princess Celestia's prized pupil back in Equestria, and had a deep hunger for power prompting you to study the forbidden dark magic. Had you chosen to stay on that path instead of changing directions, you could have become the most powerful alicorn who had ever lived! When I came into existence courtesy of the Element of Magic, what you desired became my desire, and I was determined to make sure you continued down the path which lead to acquiring more power," replied Sunset Demon.

Most of what she had to say I chose simply to ignore as it was the same rhetoric she had been using from the start, and I was personally getting sick and tired of her claiming that my change in life was the worst thing I could have done. That's because she was stuck with a past mentality which refused to acknowledge that I was different now, and that nothing was going to take me back there.

" Are you finished?" I asked.

" Guess my ramblings have been heard by you before," replied Sunset Demon.

" It's the same repetitive nature coming from that mouth of yours, and I'm fed up with having to hear it all the time. My life is my own to make, and I have chosen to move on from my troubled past though doing so one step at a time. My past is not today which makes you someone who shouldn't even exist anymore," I said.

" And that's why I have a problem with you. If only you didn't meet Princess Twilight and the rest of those so-called friends, then you would be ruling over Equestria right now with an unstoppable army. I suppose none of them can be blamed for something you caused, for if you hadn't stolen the Element of Magic, you wouldn't have been influenced to become such a good person," said Sunset Demon.

" If I hadn't taken her crown, you wouldn't exist," I said.

" I rest my case," smiled Sunset Demon.

" What does that mean?" I asked.

" You alone are the cause of these problems which have affected both you and me, so naturally your existence prevents anything from being done about it. I'll make sure things get back on track when I assume your life, and make you become the woman that destiny wanted from the very beginning. It does mean you will die of course because two people can't share the same body, and what I have right now just doesn't suit me like a flesh and blood vessel can.

My spirit plus your body with all of those magical powers you've got will make the perfect being who can conquer any world that she desires no matter what kind of resistance tries to stop her. I'm aware you have no plans to go through with this idea of mine, and that is where this fight of ours has to come into play," replied Sunset Demon.

" I'll ask you one last time to forget about all of this," I said.

" A tempting way of looking at it, but you know what my answer is going to be, so I say we get down to business. I too have acquired a new form, and I'm very eager to show it off because you might as well bear witness to greatness before your life becomes lost. Think of it as my own powerful transformation, but on a much different level. I'll make sure to reveal it in due time, but for now why don't we warm up unless you really want to see it, so I can make an exception for you," said Sunset Demon.

Deep in my heart, I felt dejected knowing the she-demon had no desire to change her current path, and for that we were fated to fight to the very end with my life hanging in the balance. I was nervous about the fact that she now possessed a stronger form, but would my own be enough to defeat what she is capable of becoming, or would this be it for me?

In any case, this would be the most difficult experience I've had to deal with, and I knew much worse was coming because Ganondorf was still waiting for me in his castle. All of a sudden, Sunset Demon fired a blast of fire from her hands which prompted me to respond in the exact same manner, and both fiery bursts dissipated upon contact with one another. We both then fired a second volley of fire magic which ended up with the exact same result, so that meant a stalemate before we had even really gotten started.

" I guess that means the time for talking is over?" I asked.

" Wasn't it obvious from when I used my magic?" asked Sunset Demon.

" Yes, I suppose so," I answered.

" In another time and place, we could have resolved this difference of opinion where you would have willingly chosen to resume your old life....the existence that represents me, and not have to fight like we're about to do right now. Yet you choose to remain stubborn until the very end, and that conclusion is going to be coming up within a matter of minutes. A shame really as you could have become the ruler of this world, Equestria, and countless other domains.

Oh well, I'll just make this quick as I had to wait here a lot longer than I wanted to," said Sunset Demon. She then lunged forward thinking that she could catch me off guard, but to her surprise, I was no longer standing in front of her. I had moved faster than she was able to keep up with me, and was now standing to her left where I let her have it with a fiery punch which scarred her face.

The resulting blow sent her flying into the goddess statue before crumpling to the floor, but I knew that wasn't going to defeat her as she was much more resilient than that. She quickly got back onto her feet, and the expression on her face showed frustration, but was quickly replaced one of intrigue. " How did you do that!?!? I know that I was faster than you, yet somehow you were able to move with a speed which I couldn't see."

" Like I said, I'm stronger than I used to be," I said.

" Don't let one lucky punch give you an ego boost," said Sunset Demon. She proceeded to swipe at me with fiery fists which I managed to avoid at every turn, and when she followed this up with a kick using flames to make it stronger, I responded by using earth magic and create a shield protecting me from harm. The she-demon felt annoyed by my quick reactions, and began getting faster hoping she could connect, but I continued countering everything she was doing.

Eventually, I decided to take control of the situation by using earth magic to trip her up with some boulders before trapping her inside of a rock prison. I knew this wouldn't hold her for very long, yet it would give me some extra time to inflict more damage which should make this battle end quickly, and not allow it to drag out.

I was determined to ensure that it would be me who will end up surviving, but I knew that relying on underhanded tactics would make me no better than her. I then used my fire magic on the she-demon by pelting her repeatedly with fireballs non-stop before she broke free of my rocky prison where she looked rather mad. " How is it that you're doing this to me? I should be more powerful than you because of the darkness around here, yet you have overpowering me at every turn."

" Maybe it's because you're not taking this seriously?" I asked.

" Heh, so you know that I have been holding back, and not using my real strength? I wanted you to use up all of your power, then I could unleash my new form without fear, and kill you before having to get serious," replied Sunset Demon.

" I figured as such because you don't know me as much as you think," I said.

" Don't patronize me Sunset Shimmer!" shouted Sunset Demon.

" Unlike you who has chosen to become stuck in the past, I've chosen to move on with my life. Granted, I've had to deal with issues which relate back to my past, but for the most part my future is looking really bright," I said.

" I wouldn't say it like that, for you know that I have achieved a new form just like you have. Viewing me as being stuck in the past is your opinion, and I must educate you on why you are wrong. Guess it's time for me to showcase my transformation, and I hope that you respond with your own in kind. It would be much more epic if both of us fight using our strongest forms," said Sunset Demon.

" There's no way for me to refuse is there?" I asked.

" Unless you want to die right here and now, then the answer is no," replied Sunset Demon.

" Yeah, I guess as much," I said as I closed my eyes and concentrated. It didn't take me very long for my pony ears and tail to appear, and when they revealed themselves, I was ready to defeat the she-demon, yet I knew not to be overconfident. While my strength and magic have increased, I can only maintain this form for a short period, so I'm hoping to get this over with before I end up changing back because of running out of time.

Even though I'm like this now, my weapons should still be available to me as before, and would include the new magic spell which I acquired from Adagio outside in the desert. I'll probably get labelled a coward by Sunset Demon for using magical protection in the form of a shield, yet it could be my means of surviving should the situation turn heavily against me.

" Just looking at you makes me laugh," said Sunset Demon.

" These ears and tail are a reminder of my connection to Equestria," I said.

" Equestria huh? You mean the same world which shunned you all because Princess Celestia denied you the right to become an alicorn when you wanted it? I'm surprised you would want to use a power from a place that is no longer your home, but then I should have known better considering how you secretly long for the day where you will get a chance to return. Yes, I'm aware you want to go back to Equestria, yet if you did then you're liable to be arrested because of that one incident which hangs over your head," said Sunset Demon.

" I'm willing to accept such a fate," I said.

" Really? Well, I wasn't expecting something like that to come from you. Guess you have changed just like you said, yet the fact that you gain horse features upon transforming still proves how pathetic the whole thing is. When you became me upon wearing Twilight's crown, the resulting form was truly demonic! These wings, horns, claws, and even the eyes are such a major improvement over what you've got there, but I suppose it's the best that you can really do," said Sunset Demon.

" Are you ready to do this, or am I going to have to listen to more of your senseless drivel?" I asked.

" Quite the eager one aren't you? All right, I'll show you what I've managed to achieve, and then you'll wish that you hadn't abandoned the dark path. Actually, you should wish to stay alive given that I'm going to finally take what should be mine," replied Sunset Demon. She clenched her fists and stood in a stance which made her look like she was powering up or something, but then she suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs which made me want to cover my ears as it was so piercing in that regard.

As I stared, the she-demon's wings grew larger resulting in spikes growing out from the tips. An additional pair of arms then appeared which quickly gained in muscle mass along with her current arms, and this was followed with her pony tail changing into a demonic one that swished around as though it were alive. Finally, her height increased slightly along with her flaming hair growing more vibrant than before, and her skin tone got a little darker.

Sunset Demon had truly become a demon given what just happened to her, and I could sense the increase in both her strength and magic as a result. I went with a more simple transformation, and she decided to go insane with hers just to prove that she wanted to be better than me in every possible way.

" So this is what you managed to achieve," I said.

" Admit you're jealous of what I have become," laughed Sunset Demon.

" I would call that form hideous, but that would be seen as an insult," I said.

" Still able to use some snide comments even though you know that my power is greater now?" asked Sunset Demon.

" No, we're probably as strong as each other," I replied.

" I guess the real answer will come within a matter of moments," said Sunset Demon. The expression in her face was one that made me nervous, but I had to remain strong otherwise she will kill me before I can make an appropriate response. Deep down, I knew that she was stronger between the two of us, yet I believed that this would be my battle to win because this world still needs me to save it, and I need to return everyone here back to normal, and return us all to the human world.

I guess this situation was adding more pressure onto my shoulders, but I'm used to it given that I am the chosen hero. The she-demon then cracked the knuckles on all four of her hands, and got into a battle ready position. " Ever since you used that form of yours to almost destroy me back in the Water Temple, I needed to find a way to counter it, and this is what I came up with. You should be grateful that what you allowed me to achieve is going to be what ends up killing you."

" We'll see what happens," I said.

" Do try to last long enough," laughed Sunset Demon as she lunged at me with even faster speed than what I used, yet I managed to engage in a grapple with her where we ended up in a stalemate almost immediately. Right away, I could tell that she was stronger than ever, and my own power was barely holding on, but I needed to prove to myself that I could overcome anything no matter the odds against me.

Of course, this proved difficult as she had an extra pair of arms that she was using to punch me repeatedly in the face, and my own arms were grappling with the other pair. I was forced to take numerous blows which I saw was a major disadvantage, yet to her this was the greatest experience she had ever felt. " I'm impressed that you're holding me back, but you know that you can't keep it up for long."

" I won't give up!" I shouted.

" Oh, but you will within a matter of seconds," laughed Sunset Demon. Sadly, she had a point because those blows to my face were really weakening me, and after taking too many of them, I broke off the grapple and tumbled backwards where I crashed into the wall before slumping to the ground. The she-demon then decided to use her fire magic which came out as rocks of magma which I struggled to run away from as she was anticipating my every move, and eventually one of them connected with me.

What I was feeling when it came to pain was unprecedented, yet I continued running for I needed to get some distance. " You're lasting a lot longer than I expected Sunset Shimmer, yet this is beginning to get boring for me as all you've been doing is fleeing. I was expecting you to give me a real challenge, yet you've proven to be lacking in that department."

" I just needed some distance," I said.

" Of course you did, but that isn't going to help," said Sunset Demon.

" It could depending on how you look at it," I said.

" No, it really won't because I can strike from anywhere I want provided that I use the shadows," said Sunset Demon. She slammed all of her arms into the ground where they moved along through my shadow, and grabbed me which prevented me from moving. However, I was able to take out the gem containing Nayru's Love, for I had a feeling it was the right time to use it.

" Wow! This new form of mine is certainly something! I've completely overpowered you in every imaginable way, and you just couldn't keep up despite those boastful claims. Truly have I lived up to the name of Sunset Shimmer because I have proven that power is what you should have gone after instead of choosing friendship. If I had transformed much sooner, I would already be assuming your life right now, but I suppose it was just a slight delay on my part."

" This isn't over yet you know," I said.

" Says the girl who has been ensnared by four arms," laughed Sunset Demon.

" I still have one more trick," I said.

" Oh please! I know what weapons you have on your person based on our last encounter in the Shadow Temple, and even though you could have used them against me, they wouldn't have really made any kind of difference," said Sunset Demon. I was hoping she would say that as it meant I now had a legitimate reason for what I was about to do.

I activated Nayru's Love and despite not performing the necessary poses, the magical shield still surrounded my entire body which caused the she-demon to let go of me, and her arms suddenly felt tremendous pain. " What in the world is this supposed to be?"

" Nayru's Love....a defensive spell," I answered.

" Since when did you get something like that?" asked Sunset Demon.

" Not too long ago, but the one drawback is I can't use magic while this barrier is active. It lasts only two minutes and I am protected from every kind of attack, so you can't do a thing to me until it wears off," I replied.

" The fact that magic becomes unavailable to you is just too delicious of an irony," laughed Sunset Demon. While that was somewhat true, I was now safer from her attacks for a couple of minutes, so I need to rely on more physical combat if I hope to defeat her for good. I then realized the Master Sword could still be used as it isn't magical, so I drew it from the scabbard, but the she-demon noticed my actions, and kicked the divine blade out of my hand where it slid across to the other side of the room.

" I remember what happened back at the Water Temple, and you're not about to repeat those actions. Now that you no longer have a sword in your possession, and those weapons of yours are next to useless against me, I just need to wait for that magical barrier to disappear, and then you will be mine once again."

" Who says I don't?" I asked.

" You don't have the Master Sword right now," replied Sunset Demon.

" No, but I do have something that will work just as well," I said. Upon saying that, the she-demon lunged forward wondering what I was talking about, and then I drew out the Biggoron's Sword and swung it at a very close range. There was no way I could have missed, yet I ended up letting go of the sword where it landed in the same general area as the divine blade....guess this was meant to happen again given how long it's been since the last time I was clumsy with a weapon.

Sunset Demon reeled backwards due to the Biggoron's Sword cutting deep into her body, and she lost a lot of strength in the process in addition to a lot of blood....or would that be darkness considering what she is and all. At first she clutched the wound with one of her hands, but then chose not to where the wound dripped with blood/darkness which did look disgusting. Then again, I've done the exact thing because of not wanting to display weakness.

" WHAT!?!?" yelled Sunset Demon.

" Weren't expecting that were you?" I asked.

" How is it possible you managed to inflict such a deep wound against me in my transformed state? Still, I was really careless given how you managed to surprise me twice with both that sword and the magical barrier, and now look what happened. I've lost a lot of blood thanks to this wound, so I have no other choice but to retreat for the time being, or maybe just limp away because this is painful.

I'm not going to give up though because your life belongs to me, but I'll be back later provided this wound doesn't end up getting worse than it already is. Heh, guess you survive for the time being Sunset Shimmer," replied Sunset Demon. She then turned around and walked into the nearest shadows she could find, and left behind a trail of darkness behind. Given how the wound I inflicted on her looked really serious, I have a feeling her chances of survival are slim, but for now I could relax despite having taken a lot of hits in the process.

" Are you okay?" asked Spike.

" That was too close for comfort," I replied.

" Good thing you can transform of your own free will otherwise that would have been a lot worse. Both of you didn't notice, but you were giving off a lot of energy which was causing this room, and the entire temple to vibrate. If you had kept going for just a while longer, your immense powers would have brought this place down," said Spike.

" If she wanted to embrace her demonic form, then what she became was successful," I said.

" To think that could have been you," said Spike.

" I'm glad otherwise I doubt I would have been able to forgive myself," I said.

" Sunset Demon still hasn't been taken care of, so you can't celebrate just yet as she could attack again, but she may choose to hold back as that wound you gave her was a pretty severe one. I always knew you had it in you Sunset Shimmer, and what you did proves that you have what it takes to defeat Ganondorf. You could still get a chance to go back into the past and pick up some extra things, but I don't think it will be necessary," said Spike.

I knew that I wasn't ready for the Evil King despite the positive words from my fairy partner, but I knew he remained a constant threat which was hanging over my head. Even though I should have taken a rest seeing as I had experienced a mighty battle, I wanted to continue, so walking back to where I entered the central chamber from, I noticed a Hookshot plate on the ceiling that was underneath the stairs, so taking out the Longshot and firing the chain, I made my way up to where I was before this whole mess started.

" Looks like I need to jump onto that hand," I said.

" Be careful as your target is small, and if you miss or go too far with your leap, you will end up falling down to the ground," said Spike.

" I just noticed the face of this desert goddess," I said.

" Despite having to fulfill her obligations in order to earn rewards in the form of treasure chests, you should know that the desert goddess is seen as an evil deity in the eyes of all people across Hyrule....with the sole exception of the Gerudo. They worship this goddess although she is viewed as inferior to Ganondorf in their eyes, for he is seen as the greatest man in existence.

I know Nabooru didn't see it that way given how she saw him as a murderer who desired power above everything else, yet she couldn't do anything about it as their laws state that the lone male must become their king. He was born into the role, and he used it to gain political influence which allowed him to kill the old king as he was granted access to Hyrule Castle," said Spike.

" If I can defeat him then peace will return," I said.

" Of course you will," said Spike. There was a reason as to why I said "if", and that's because I wasn't sure if I could do just that. I won't know for certain until I actually confront the Evil King, but the fear of dread was still there even though I did say to Sunset Demon that such notions weren't going to hold me back.

Right now, the focus is on jumping to this hand without missing otherwise I'll get hurt, and have to come back up here again. I jumped onto the hand although I did almost overshoot by moving forward upon landing, but least I made it so now I needed to figure out where the treasure chest will appear.

" Once I play Twilight's Lullaby, where do you suppose I'll need to go to find the small key?" I asked.

" I'm going to guess and say the other hand of the goddess," replied Spike.

" You really think so?" I asked.

" Saria did say that the hands will yield rewards, and you are about to perform an obligation for this goddess by playing the song passed down by the royal family because the crest requires it," replied Spike. I couldn't argue about it, so I took out the Ocarina of Time from my pouch, and played Twilight Lullaby which caused a chest to drop down from the ceiling.

It landed on the other hand as expected which was quite a distance away from where I was standing, yet I did have some methods I could use to reach it. The Longshot should be able to reach that chest, so I can pull myself over to it. Or, I could jump onto the hand from the other staircase. In the end, I decided that going with the first option would be my best bet.

" Will the chain reach the chest over there?" I asked.

" It should be able to," replied Spike.

" You don't sound very certain about it," I said.

" The Longshot's chain goes twice as far as the old one did, but there is still a limit on how far it can go before snapping back. I would suggest standing at the very edge of the goddess' hand before firing so that you can connect to the chest," said Spike. It looked like a simple enough distance, but I choose to take his advice so I inched slowly to the edge making sure not to go too far.

Once I was certain this was as close as I could get without falling off, I fired the Longshot's chain which sailed across the room before smacking into the chest on the other side, and I got pulled along in the process. Once my feet were safely on the hand, I kicked open the chest, and took out a small key which was going to be used for that portcullis back the other way.

" I really don't like backtracking," I sighed.

" You'll be doing it a couple of times in this temple before we're done," said Spike.

" Just like all the others," I moaned.

" But you got used to it in the end," said Spike.

" Maybe so, but I still don't appreciate it," I moaned. Jumping down from the hand of the goddess statue, I rolled along the floor as I landed which caused me to not suffer any damage, and then I made my way back over to where the Hookshot plate was that was located underneath the stairs. From there, I fired the Longshot pulling myself up to the slightly elevated level before walking up the stairs until I was standing in front of the locked portcullis.

Before entering the next room, I turned around due to being curious, and I saw what looked like a switch behind me along with another small chest. I had a feeling it contained nothing but a small rupee amount, and that switch probably causes another chest filled with rupees to fall from the ceiling, so I chose to ignore both things and opened the portcullis.

This next room was exactly like the one on the opposite side except it's leading me to the left instead of right. Unlike that room though, there was a Beamos that was looking around for someone to shoot with its laser beam, and I was just such a person who would make a nice target for it. " I'm surprised that it hasn't noticed me yet even though I'm so close."

" It lacks depth perception where it can only see at one angle until it notices something entering its space, and then it will adjust its angle accordingly until whatever was there has been destroyed completely, or has gone out of range where it will resume looking around at its regular angle. Just so you know, a Beamos can only see so far before it gets deemed out of reach.

I believe that its range is about 10 metres which is pretty good, but that should give you an idea as to how far away you need to be if you want to avoid the laser it fires from its eyes," said Spike. Since I was in a safe spot, I took out my Bomb Bag where I pulled out a bomb, and tossed it at the Beamos where it exploded leaving behind some more bombs which I picked up. Since there were no more monsters, I opened the portcullis where I entered a room that lacked much in the way of a floor, and instead there were a couple of thin walkways.

" What kind of chamber is this?" I asked.

" Be careful Sunset Shimmer as we're alone in here," replied Spike.

" Is that the Anubis monster we encountered seven years ago?" I asked.

" Yes, and there are three of them this time in addition to a Beamos to your left. Remember that you can only use Hylian magic instead of your own in order to defeat these monsters, but you do have Fire Arrows which can destroy them without any trouble. The only thing to be careful of is getting attacked by their fireballs all at the same time, and combined with the Beamos in here firing its laser beam, you'll take quite a lot of damage," replied Spike.

" So I should focus on the Anubis first?" I asked.

" That would be a wise decision," replied Spike. Before I could even do anything, the three Anubis as well as the Beamos all noticed me in the room, and instantly attacked me with all of their projectiles. Given how close I was to each of them, I've probably got about less than five seconds to make some kind of reaction....

To Be Continued.

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