Equestrians in Termina

by MagicMissingno

#3, Restart

AN: Ready for more adventure in the land of Termina? I am. Now that I got those first two chapters out of the way this story will be much better paced.

---

Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy regained their vision slowly. They were surprised to see the town was back to how it was on the first day. Tatl spoke up in amazement. “Everything has… started over.” Curious, all three ran out a bit and looked up. The moon was further away from the clock tower. Tatl turned to Fluttershy. “How did you do that? That song you played… that instrument… Wait! That was the swordsman’s instrument right? The mask salesman said that if you got that then he could turn you back to normal!”

Rainbow Dash thought for a bit. “Still, it seems kinda weird. Fluttershy, why did you grab that thing anyway? How did you know that song?”

Fluttershy shrugged. “It sort of… called to me. When I picked it up I had a vision that taught me the song.”

“Well if you guys want your forms back then you’d best see that mask salesman.” Tatl approached the door that they used to get into the village. Rainbow Dash opened it and went inside with Fluttershy following her.

Inside was the mask salesman. “Were you two able to recover the precious item the imp had?” Fluttershy took out the ocarina from her bag and the mask sales man pounced on her and shook her violently. “Oh!!! You got it!” Rainbow Dash was about to charge up a bubble when he teleported without flashing to a large organ with way too many keys. “Then listen to me. Please play this song that I am about to preform and remember it well…”

He played six notes on the organ. Despite recently being shaken by a creepy man Fluttershy listened to the song. So for this song, I should play a high note, then a middle note, and follow it with a low note and then repeat it. She put the ocarina to her snout which once again turned it into a tuba-like instrument. Playing the song note by note, she felt like something was putting her soul at ease. Rainbow Dash also felt this feeling. After playing the last note, they each felt something, although it wasn’t as soothing as the song.

Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy dropped to the ground in pain. Two masks dropped to the floor as they glowed in a white light. A sharp pain tore thought their bodies as they felt the changes on their body. First were the hind legs. It felt like somepony was pulling them to stretch them and the hooves felt like they were getting separated at the tips. The front legs were pulled less but the separation on the hooves was much more severe. Their heads felt like they were getting rearranged.

Eventually the pain ended, but neither pegasus opened their eyes. They were too tired to do so at the moment. “O-oh my!” they could hear Tatl say, “Hey! You said that you could restore their original forms! Why are they not in the form I first saw them in?!”

“I don’t know,” The mask salesman said, “The melody should have healed them from the evil magic, but perhaps it was not strong enough to heal the curse that was placed on them.”

“Well stop staring at them you pervert! Get them some clothing!”

“Well I do have the swordsman’s tunic and a dress on hand.” Rainbow Dash felt something be put on her. It felt similar to when Rarity put a dress on her put it was a bit more fitting to her form. “It’s a good thing that tunic is one size fits all.” Fluttershy felt a dress being put on her. “Yes, that will do. Can you two open your eyes?”

The two pegasi winced and slowly opened their eyes. The mask salesman and Tatl came into view. They turn to look at each other and then their eyes widened. They had turned into humans. Rainbow Dash spoke up. “How, what, huh?!” Fluttershy just looked with her mouth wide open.

After being helped up by the mask salesman, the two humans looked at each other. Rainbow Dash had the same peachy hue that most humans had and stood at roughly five feet and two inches. Both of her sets of legs were a bit thick from muscles. She was wearing the same tunic the swordsman had been wearing and it covered her well. Her mane went down to her shoulders and was still a rainbow. Her eyes were the same shade of maroon from her pony form.

Fluttershy was slender compared to her friend. She stood at a petite four feet and seven inches. She was also peachy skinned but she wore a cannery yellow dress that matched her skin tone as a pony. The dress went down to her ankles. Her mane was very long, reaching to her knees. It was the same shade of pink from her pony form. Her eyes also retained the cyan color.

---

HOLD IT! Please do not change that browser page! Sorry for interrupting but I’m pretty sure I turned some people off so I am going to justify myself. Some of the stuff Link does in the game requires hands to do, like shooting a bow, so I was forced to turn the pegasi into humans. I promise that the human form thing will not be sexual. Now back to the story.

---

“So,” Rainbow Dash started, “would you mind telling us how to use this form? It’s not coming naturally like the Deku form.”

The mask salesman sighed. “This is going to take a while, and time is short.”

Then Fluttershy remembered what the scarecrow said about the song that manipulates time. She got out the ocarina and put it to her mouth and waited. Huh? It turned into a tuba last time. She played the song that manipulated time in reverse. “That should extend the time we have.”

“Yes, well I can see you already know how to hold things with your hands,” Tatl mused, “I know you were ponies before so I will help compare things. Your front legs are now called arms and your hooves are hands. The stringy things on your hands are known as fingers. The hooves you have on your back legs, which are still called legs, are called feet. Lastly the mane you have is called hair.”

“Anyways,” the mask salesman started, “I give you this mask in commemoration of this day. When you wear it you will once again attain the form of a Deku Scrub, and when you remove it you will turn back to humans.” Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash bent their knees to pick up the masks, getting some weird glances from the other two in the room, and put them in their own bags.

“Well, I guess we better practice moving,” Rainbow Dash said, “Otherwise we’ll never get back that mask from the Skull Kid.”

“WHAT?!” The mask cried. In quite literally a blink of an eye he was shaking Rainbow Dash. “What have you done to me?!” In another instant he was holding his head. “If you leave my mask out there something terrible will happen!”

“Um, we… we already know that… Please tell us just what that mask is.”

The salesman calmed down and stared at Fluttershy. “Yes, I suppose you two could use an explanation. The mask stolen from me is called Majora’s Mask. It is an accursed item said to have been used by an ancient tribe during hexing rituals.” Fluttershy was already shaking. “It is said that an evil and wicked power is bestowed upon the one who wears that mask. According to legend, the mask was so powerful that ancient ones sealed the mask away to prevent its misuse.” Rainbow Dash gave him a glare.

If it was sealed to prevent misuse then how did he get it and why does he want it?

“I went to great lengths to get that legendary mask, and when I finally had it I could sense the doom of a dark omen brewing! It was that unwelcome feeling that makes your hair stand on end, and now that imp has it… You must get that mask back before something terrible happens! I’m begging you!”

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. “We’ll do it, but not for you. We have forms to regain and a home to get back to. Besides, we can’t just leave a world to come ruin.”

“Really? You’ll do it for me?” Both humans sighed and nodded. “I was certain you would tell me that.”

Yeah, begging to us makes you look REALLY certain.

“You’ll be fine, surely you can do it. Believe in your strengths… believe…”

Fluttershy turned to leave but Rainbow Dash said something. “So you’re gonna let us leave with nothing to protect ourselves? If you want us to get the mask that you lost then we need something to kick flank with.”

“Oh right, the swordsman did have a sword and a shield.” The mask salesman pulled out the items from nowhere. “You should take them.” He gave them to Rainbow Dash, as well as a sword sheath to hold the two items on her back. “It would be best if you practiced with that sword before using it.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and put on the sheath to store her sword and clipped the shield onto her back. The sword was short with no real design to it other than a blue hilt that was too small to hold with both hands. The shield was different with an actual design. It had a blue background with some gray details. The most striking part of it was the red birdlike creature in the middle of it. Fluttershy thought it looked like a falcon swooping in for its prey. Beneath it were three small yellow triangles that were positioned to form a bigger triangle.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy turned to the door and took a step forward. Rainbow Dash had difficulty with the step but she managed to stay steady. Fluttershy was not as lucky and landed on her face. Rainbow Dash staggered to her friend and tried to help her up, only to fall right on top of her. This is gonna be tougher than I thought.

Tatl flew over to them. “Maybe you two should stick to the Deku form and go see the Great Fairy. I’m sure she’ll have something to help you get used to being humans.”

Rainbow Dash got off of Fluttershy and pulled out the Deku mask. She put it to her face and in a bright flash she turned into a Deku Scrub once more. Fluttershy did the same. They tried walking and they didn’t fall.

---

Once outside Rainbow Dash looked up at the sky. She saw that the time was now nine in the morning, judging the sun’s position. “We were in there for an hour… so why isn’t it noon already?”

“I guess when I played the… um… Song of Time in reverse it made time go by half as fast.” Fluttershy mused.

“Well if you two are done remarking about time,” Tatl started, “We need to see the great fairy about getting you used to being humans.”

The group once again headed to the north section of town. Fluttershy noticed that the creature that fallowed them last cycle was fallowing them again. They made their way to the cave from last time to see that the great fairy was broken again. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy took off their masks as the last… fairy fragment came to the fairy. The Great Fairy once again erupted from the fountain with her haunting laughter. Fluttershy fell on her rear when she tried to move behind Rainbow Dash.

“Young ones of new shape, allow me to assist you.” Once again, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were bathed in light. After a while it stopped. “Try to move now.” Fluttershy stood up and then walked with no difficulty as Rainbow Dash ran about the room. “I have given you the power of adaptability. Any items you come across your quest will now come naturally to you and moving in your new forms should be no problem.”

Rainbow Dash stopped running and jumped up. “Now this is awesome! I’d still prefer being able to fly, but I think I like this form too now that I can use it!” She turned to Fluttershy. “So how do you like it?”

Fluttershy looked to the ground. “It’s… nice.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Maybe I should rephrase that. How do you like it, really?”

Fluttershy shifted in her dress uncomfortably. “It’s just… I feel defenseless. When I was a pegasus I could use The Stare in an emergency to stop an attacker and run away, but in this form I don’t think I can use it.”

Tatl sighed. “Rainbow Dash has a sword. She can protect you if I think correctly.”

“But… she has never used a sword… How can she defend anyone with it?”

“OBJECTION!” Rainbow Dash cried as loudly as she could, resulting in stares from the other three in the room. “Sorry, I just wanted to say that ever since I read that story about a lawyer named Just Ice. Anyways, I’m sure I can practice with the sword before we run into the wild. Is there a sword training place around here?”

The Great Fairy nodded. “There is a swordsman school nearby. If you go south and then head west you should come across it. You’ll need some rupees to get lessons from him though. Check the bushes for some, people tend to drop their spare change there.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Alright, let’s go!”

---

As Rainbow Dash ran through the place looking for spare change, Fluttershy decided to finally get a look at the place. From her vantage point in the cave she could see a few things. There were two trees that looked a bit barren. Looks like they had the running of the leaves already. In all honesty there wasn’t much to see. Grass was growing, there was a dirt path, a launchlilly was on the ground, a human foal was shooting a purple balloon, but one thing stood out to the pegasus. A tiny man in green tights was floating on a red balloon. Fluttershy didn’t have time to think about the anomaly as Rainbow Dash ran up to her.

“Hey Fluttershy, I think I got enough rupees for some lessons.” Rainbow Dash held her small wallet containing about twenty tiny green gems. “Let’s go to the swordsman school so I can use this sword to protect us.”

Rainbow Dash ran on the path so quickly that Fluttershy couldn’t keep up. Tatl noticed this and flew in front of Rainbow Dash, causing her to stop. “Slow down! Fluttershy doesn’t seem as fast as you.” Rainbow Dash looked behind her and saw Fluttershy running up to her. She panted and put her hands on her legs after she caught up. “I take it you’re not that good of a runner.”

Fluttershy was busy catching her breath so Rainbow Dash answered for her. “Actually, it does make sense if you think about it. I’m the fastest pegasus in my world and Fluttershy was rather poor at flying.” Although that is somepony else’s fault. “Sorry Fluttershy. I’ll pace myself so you can keep up.”

The three continued to head to the west part of town. They reached it quickly, despite walking, and found it to be plain. To the left was an ally with several shops and to the right were two buildings. One of the buildings was a post office and the other building was a swordsman school. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walked in and looked at place. The floor was tan with some darker spots. On the left side was a large coin-like object hung a few inches from the ground. There was a man in the far back with gigantic hair that covered his eyes and looked like a large bag from a distance. He also had a mustache and both pieces of hair looked like they could have been made from rope. He wore an open vest and blue slacks. It was worth noting that he had a large amount of chest hair. Behind him were some trophies and a large slab with two symbols that were foreign to the pegasi. The man stood up.

“Young ladies, this is a school for learning the ways of the sword. Where are you trying to go?”

“Actually,” Rainbow Dash started, “I’m looking to practice being a swordsman, or whatever the term is for the female version of a swordsman.”

The swordsman was about to deny her training, but then a thought crossed his mind. “Very well, I will give you lessons, but on one condition. You must answer me this. Why do you wish to learn the ways of the sword?” He wanted to know if she wanted to become a swordsman just to be a female swordsman or if she had a good reason.

Rainbow Dash answered in a serious tone. “My friend and I have a task set for us and I need a sword to protect us. I have never used one before so I need training.”

The swordsman thought for a few seconds, and then he looked at Rainbow Dash. “Grab a wooden sword and shield and we will begin.”

---

After two hours of training, Rainbow Dash was really good with a sword. She could thrust, parry, block, and slash with skill that impressed the swordsman. He coughed and looked at her. “You seem to have a natural talent. Perhaps you can use the spin attack.”

Rainbow Dash looked at the swordsman. “What’s the spin attack?”

The swordsman chuckled. “It is a strong but difficult attack to pull off. Step back and I’ll demonstrate.” Rainbow Dash stepped back and the swordsman put his sword low to the ground for two seconds and then spun his entire body around. “Now you try it.”

Rainbow Dash got in the same position, but her sword glowed blue. She performed the same attack, but a blue circle surrounded her. Everyone in the room looked at her in amazement.

“You, you mastered the spin attack on your first try! It took me a year to get it right!”

Rainbow Dash put her hands on the back of her head in a relaxed position. “I guess it’s because I’m so awesome. Anyways, thanks for the lessons. How much do I owe you?”

“For the lessons given, I ask for five rupees.” Rainbow Dash pulled out her wallet and took five rupees from it and gave it to the swordsman. “Thank you.”

“Hey, it’s no problem.”

---

Zecora was standing at the edge of the Everfree Forest with Twilight Sparkle at her side. “The guards said it was safe to return to my home of wood, but something in my mind says there has been an act of no good.”

The lavender unicorn looked at Zecora. “What do you mean? The manticores have been relocated and nopony got hurt during the process.”

The zebra shook her head. “Seventeen hours have passed since I have seen Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash. I do not mean to make you alarmed, but I still fear they might be harmed.”

Twilight was about to ask what she meant but was interrupted by a voice. “Hey, have y'all seen Rainbow Dash anywhere?” Twilight and Zecora turned to see their orange earth pony friend Applejack. “She was supposed to be helping me out at the farm an hour ago but she didn’t show up. I know she’s lazy and all, but she never backs out on a promise.”

“Well Zecora saw her last,” Twilight started, “and that was seventeen hours ago when she and Fluttershy went in to help with the manticore problem.”

Applejack looked worried. “Do you think something bad could’ve happened to them?”

“That is what I fear too. I think we should search for them, what about you?”

Twilight nodded. “But we should tell the princess. She can send her royal guards to search the woods better than we could. Besides, it’s getting late and it’s nearly impossible to see in those woods at night.”

Applejack nodded. “I’ll head to Rarity’s and Pinkie Pie’s places to tell them about the situation.”

The two ponies walked off. Twilight came to her tree library and opened the door. “Spike, are you awake?”

A groan was heard and a small purple dragon came down the spiral staircase in the library. “What is it, Twilight? I’m trying to get some sleep.”

“Sorry Spike, but I need to get a letter to the princess.” Spike got a scroll and a quill and waited for Twilight to begin.

“Dear Princess Celestia, during the manticore relocation Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy went missing. Zecora saw them seventeen hours ago before they went in. I ask that you send some of the royal guards to help search for them in the Everfree Forest. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.”

Spike took in a deep breath and burned the scroll to send it. After thirty seconds he burped out a scroll and opened it up. He cleared his throat and read it.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle, while I don’t often send the royal guard to find missing ponies that can defend themselves I will make an exception in this case due to a concerning detail. From what you told me of Fluttershy, she knows the forest well and would not simply get lost in it.” The fact hit Twilight like a piano getting dropped on her head. Fluttershy, despite hating the Everfree Forest, knew the place like it was her backyard, and it technically was. Any other pony might get lost but Fluttershy could find the path easily. Spike continued reading. “I will send four pegasi guards to search the forest tomorrow. Hopefully they will find Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash alive. With concern, Princess Celestia.”

---

Every now and then I will put in a “meanwhile in Ponyvile” to show how the other ponies are doing. It’s like the Peach interludes from Paper Mario, but more frequent and sometimes have foreshadowing in them.

Anyways, in the next chapter we get to go to a swamp, but not before learning some music.

Comments

why didn't you make the human form a mask?

[MagicMissingno]

150904
It never crossed my mind.

[Souldin]

Hold on one second, why does the mask salesman have Link's sword and shield? No, more importantly why does he have Link's clothes and a dress?I...I don't even...Completely ignoring that I will do as per usual and start with what’s good about this chapter.

The improvement from your two prior chapters was not as great as I was hoping for but none the less apparent. Pacing is much, much better and there was a lot more detail allowing me to picture the people and actions a lot clearer than I was able to in previous chapters. Each scene deserves the amount of time it receives within the chapter and is generally well written. I like the inclusion of scenes from Ponyville, a nice little touch to this fanfic which already seems to be doing all it can to breathe some originality into the crossover genre, and I feel pleased as punch that I was able to predict Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash becoming humans instead of ponies (and at that I feel the appearances you have given the two characters are quite fitting).

You may have had your reasons, you may have separated it by a scene break, but you do not, I repeat, you do not ever add in an author’s note in the midst of a chapter. Unless you, the author, are voicing as a narrator within the story itself, and thus are a part of the story, you should never take your readers out from your story. You may have thought it to have been important but it could have easily been put at the beginning or end of this chapter. Other areas for improvement that I will point out are the flow of your sentences and your use of the word fallow instead of follow. I don't need to explain the latter but as for the former, quite a few of your sentences feel brief and end abruptly, and are easy to notice when they are as such (for an example check out the first three sentences of your first paragraph).

Though it is not the best written there happens to be a lot about this fanfic I can state I enjoy, and you happen to be adding and improving things quite often as the story progresses. I feel comfortable in knowing that this story will keep on improving and as such my enjoyment upon reading it will keep on growing. Great job, keep up the good work!

[MagicMissingno]

153645
Thanks for the review as always, and darn it I need to stop writing fallow!

Also, the reason why the mask salesman has all that stuff is because he's the mask salesman. The mask salesman is basically the Zelda universe equivalent of Pinkie Pie, you don't question what he does. After all, he knew about the moon and other stuff in the game and practically teleported to change positions.

[iFiredone]

Yea don't question the mask man
Epic chapter I neee more