//------------------------------//
// Chapter 45: The Fish With the Masked Face 
// Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask 
// by Ganondorf8 
//------------------------------//

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
February 20, 2017
Chapter 45: The Fish With the Masked Face.

Just when I was on the verge of completing this temple--I still had to defeat the boss monster--I found myself dealing with one last problem that involved a Stray Fairy trapped in a bubble that floated within a powerful current. If I weren't careful, the current could pull me down the passageway, and there was no way of knowing where I'd end up. I could be sent back to the central chamber again or one of the other rooms, forced to make my way back, and wasting precious time. I knew that the upcoming battle with the boss would take several hours--it had been that way with the other two--so wasting time wasn't an option.

There was another factor I needed to take into consideration, and that was the well-being of the Stray Fairy. I could easily free it by popping the bubble with my fins, but then it would be at the mercy of the current. Unless it were a powerful swimmer or could use its magic to swim, it would get pulled down the passageway upon being set free, and its chances of surviving wherever it would end up would be minimal. I knew it would float towards me upon sensing the Great Fairy's Mask yet how was I supposed to use it given the fairy was trapped underwater and in a powerful current?

Leaving it behind wasn't an option despite a small part of my mind wanting to do so. While I had every intention of restoring Adagio's broken body--the version of her in this part of Termina--so that I could learn some additional information, that same small part still had trouble believing that she could help me due to what happened before. Those who I had encountered here who were foes in the world I called home were now friends, yet it was difficult sometimes to discern such a thing. Princess Twilight definitely experienced that for herself when she had to accept.

I guessed that I still had some pent-up anger towards Adagio over what she said to me during the Battle of the Bands. While her words ultimately didn't end up happening as she and her "sisters" were defeated when I was able to regain the use of my Equestrian magic, the fact that she said them still weighed down on my mind. She said that I would be forgotten by everyone, how they succeeded at conquering Canterlot High without any resistance, and my friends casting me aside in favour of Princess Twilight to be the sixth member of their band. I have gotten past such issues yet that one part of my mind just couldn't get over it.

Saving Adagio was necessary as aside from Her Highness and Pinkie Pie to an extent, she was the only true ally that I had to help me through Termina. Still, it was strange seeing a side of her that never existed back home all because she was evil there. In another world, like this one, Adagio didn't have an evil thought in her heart. Instead, her only purpose involved helping those who needed it, though she needed the help as Starlight Glimmer had shattered each version of her to pieces.

Why was I thinking about this now at such an important point on my journey? Perhaps I never really thought about it before until this precise moment or if I did, then my mind shielded me from such thoughts because of trying to figure out how to change everything back to the way it was. This was another thing I could talk to Princess Twilight about--after defeating the boss mind you since that was more important--since she could relate to it as well.

Speaking of Her Highness, she was about to bop me on the head when I was able to use my fingers to stop her from doing so. Her reaction was one of surprise as that was the first time I had ever done that since beginning this journey. " I was certain you were daydreaming again, Sunset, but I guess you weren't if you suddenly did that." She sensed something was bothering me as I didn't respond to her straight away, leaving her feeling concerned. " Did you think about Ganondorf again?"

" No." I answered. " I was thinking about how Adagio is so different in this world compared to what she was really like."

" Oh... That..."

" I figured you'd say something like that in response."

" You guessed correctly."

" Seeing the Stray Fairy trapped in her current predicament made me think about Adagio." I said. " Not in 'that' way but rather how she could be such a helpful presence whose kind words have guided us along the right path, and then you have the real her who cared only about gaining power just because of wanting admiration. Her personality is different as she is portraying someone else yet her appearance belies the truth that she was a monster."

Princess Twilight then flopped down onto my head. " That's something you need to figure out on your own, Sunset. As much as I would like to give you an answer, my hands are tied since it's a feeling that stems from your heart. I know I went through the same thing regarding seeing Tirek, Chrysalis, Trixie, and even Adagio, since all of them were antagonistic back in Equestria--the human world with regards to Adagio--yet like you, I have to find my own answers. Sure, we can talk about it--I know you're thinking that--but in the end, we have to solve this personal issue on our own."

" As the Princess of Friendship... Doesn't that go against your own creed."

" It does."

" Then why even say it!?"

" Because I have to even when it pains me."

" Sometimes, you sound so conflicted, Twilight."

" Guess I get that from you."

I wanted to roll my eyes but instead I chuckled a little. " Okay, so you have me there." I then turned my attention towards the Stray Fairy, who appeared to be okay in its bubble despite witnessing the conversation between myself and Princess Twilight. " I need to save it without it being pulled into the passageway but I just can't think of a solution. If I pop the bubble and save it before anything happens, I could wind up pulled by the current and end up who knows where."

" There is a simple solution."

My eyes narrowed. " What?"

" I'm surprised you didn't notice it though I'll admit it took me a few minutes to figure it out." Twilight answered. She got off my head, floated down to behind my back, and began pretending that she was wearing the Great Fairy's Mask by waving her hands near her head in a shimmering motion. " You need to pop the bubble then immediately take off your current mask and switch over to the other. That will convince the Stray Fairy to come to you and fight against the current."

" Can I do that?"

" Do what?"

" Change back into a human while underwater and switch to another mask?"

Princess Twilight nodded. " Yes, but why do you ask?"

I mumbled under my breath before answering. " No reason... no reason at all."

I was under the impression that I couldn't use anything underwater unless it was designed to do so. On my previous journey, I ran into that very problem when I had to learn how to fight underwater using only my shield and the Hookshot. My other items were unavailable much to my annoyance yet I somehow persevered. While I did eventually get used to it, my mind believed I couldn't switch out any items while remaining below the surface of the water. Princess Twilight pretty much crushed that belief to dust upon telling me that I could switch forms while underwater in addition to changing masks without needing to be on dry land. Suffice to say, I felt embarrassed about it.

Not that I wasn't ungrateful or anything but rather I should have realized that Termina even had different underwater mechanics compared to Hyrule. What worked in the latter wasn't the same as the former, and that meant I could've avoided certain problems earlier in the temple. Since I could now rescue the Stray Fairy by switching forms and masks whilst underwater, I had essentially made an idiot out of myself for thinking that I was stuck. Granted, Her Highness didn't see it either yet she wasn't the adventurer--I was--meaning I had to bear the brunt of such obvious blunders.

Mumbling under my breath again, I made sure Her Highness didn't hear me criticize myself for being such an idiot, but then I quickly focused on what needed to be done. If what she said was correct, I could pop the bubble, switch forms, and put on the Great Fairy's Mask all while underwater and in the span of mere seconds. It sounded like it was an impossibility but after everything that has happened so far, I wasn't about to ignore it.

Aiming my fins at the bubble that contained the Stray Fairy, I fired my fins only for them to bounce off the walls and quickly come back to me. It seemed that I needed to aim with precision or at the appropriate angle for it to burst. At first, I figured that precision was needed so I tilted my body slightly to the left and fired my fins again--they bounced off the walls leaving me feeling dejected. I then tried using the proper angle only for it to fail as well--both fins sailed over the bubble without even coming close to touching it. My only option was simply walking back a bit and see if I could pop it using some distance.

Moving back several paces, making sure that there weren't any Skullfish lurking nearby, until I felt that I was in a good enough position, I fired both fins, popping the bubble that contained the Stray Fairy. The instant it became free, I grabbed my face, pulled off the Zora Mask to become human again, and immediately donned the Great Fairy's Mask only to discover one drawback regarding Princess Twilight's idea. She forgot that I couldn't breathe underwater like she could when I wasn't a Zora, and my lungs began to feel heavy like they were about to burst.

The Stray Fairy began to hover against the current it had been trapped in though it was struggling, yet I knew how it felt as I was struggling to keep myself from consuming any water and drowning as a result. No wonder existing underwater was seen as difficult for non-Zora and anyone who didn't wear the appropriate tunic. If I could guess as to how much longer until my lungs would burst, I'd say that I had about two minutes. Unless the Stray Fairy could reach and enter my body before then, I was going to drown--not the most glamourous way to go out--leaving Princess Twilight to mourn over her loss.

Her Highness then bopped me on the head and tried to say something but I couldn't focus on what she was saying as I was focused on not drowning. She then began trying in vain to pull me towards the surface and I quickly figured out what she was attempting to do, resulting in me slapping my forehead much harder than usual because of how stupid I was acting once again. I didn't need to be stuck underwater as the Stray Fairy would follow me anywhere so long as I continued wearing the Great Fairy's Mask. I could just swim to the surface, get out of the water, and wait for it whilst taking a much needed breather.

My instincts then took over--survival instincts that is--and I swam up to the surface, popping my head out just as my lungs were about to give up. " GASP!" It felt like I hadn't breathed in practically forever despite it only being about a minute. " That... that... that was without a doubt... the closest I've ever come to... dying under any circumstances. Not... not even the experiences I endured in Hyrule... can be compared."

" Sunset!? Why didn't you swim up to the surface?"

" You never told me to do that!"

" I thought it was obvious enough for you to figure it out."

I wanted to continue arguing but instead I slumped forward and floated on the water's surface. " I'm going to need to rest for a while before I can continue. My lungs almost burst because of all that pressure from the water overwhelming me."

" You won't be able to rest as the boss monster needs to be taken care of."

" Right... I forgot about that." I said. My body eventually floated over to a slanted walkway and out of the water leaving me feeling utterly exhausted but I knew that I had to keep on going since there was only a small portion of the temple left to overcome, namely the boss. " I don't think I'll be able to go in the ocean or any other body of water ever again after what just happened." I slowly climbed onto my feet and tried walking up the walkway only for my body to drop to its knees. " Shoot... I can't do anything like this."

" Maybe you should drink that red potion?"

I shook my head. " I'll need it for the boss so it looks like I'll be taking that rest after all."

Princess Twilight floated away and my first thought was that she was abandoning me all because I wanted to rest and she wanted me to continue. While she was gone, I felt a tiny presence float up towards me from behind before entering my body. The Stray Fairy had finally broken free of the current it was trapped in and had reached me leaving only the one left in the temple though I had no idea where to begin looking since I was more fixated on wanting to sleep. My eyes grew heavy and were about to close when they noticed something floating underneath the platform that was on top of the pillars.

It was another bubble and that meant the final Stray Fairy was within my reach but if only my body weren't so exhausted from almost drowning. If I had taken the initiative and swam up to the surface like I should have done right away, I could pop that bubble with an arrow, collect the Stray Fairy, and work my way over to the boss door without any problems, but that wasn't going to happen unless my body could regain its lost strength.

Just as I was about to fall asleep, Princess Twilight's voice echoed in my ear, snapping me to attention. " Sorry that I was gone for so long! Were you seriously trying to sleep given how close we are to finishing this temple and saving the Giant?" All I could do was slowly nod in response prompting her to shake her head feverishly. " If you didn't have me around to get you out of tough scrapes like this, you'd have failed this journey a long time ago."

" Not the best pep talk you've given me."

" Maybe not but I'm being honest with you."

" Where did you even go?"

Princess Twilight floated aside and behind her was a fairy that seemed confused. " I decided to see if I could find something to make you feel better, and upon noticing a pot on the floor, I tried picking it up only to fail as it was too heavy for me to lift up. So I flew into it in hopes of breaking it and while I almost gave myself a concussion, I broke it and released this one who followed me back here like a lost child."

" Didn't think you were so resourceful."

" I may be a princess--fairy in this world--but I'm not one who will just sit on the side and let someone else do all the work." Twilight said. " Now, this fairy will help you recover from your exhaustion allowing you to get up and finish what we started in here. I would suggest putting it into a bottle to use later on but you need to use its healing magic now. Don't worry about how it will go about doing its business."

" Uh, Twilight? I know how fairies work."

" You do?"

" I needed a couple of them to bring me back from the brink of death."

" Oh... Well, then this should be a familiar experience."

Princess Twilight then nodded at the fairy, her way of telling it that it was safe to go over to heal me, though it still looked confused as to what it was doing. It needed a few moments to figure out whether it wanted to help or not, a surprise considering these kinds of fairies always healed people without question, but then it floated towards my head before spinning around in circles, releasing what looked like magical dust. Normally, this process would restore health but since I was already at full health, the magic would simply remove my exhaustion, enabling me to get up and keep going.

The fairy continued spinning and went up and down my body several times before disappearing and I immediately felt my strength returning. Just like that, I stood upright with a new sense of purpose though Princess Twilight was shocked at seeing the fairy disappear.

It then occurred to me that Her Highness had never actually seen what happens when a fairy uses its healing powers. For reasons that not even I could explain, a fairy disappears upon completely healing its target, leaving nothing but a trail of fairy dust that quickly disappears into the ether. I wasn't sure if the fairy died or returned to a place where only their kind could go when it finished doing what it did, yet I always respected the sacrifices they made to ensure my continued survival. They were aware that I was the chosen one who was destined to save the world but it still felt disheartening whenever they did it.

I allowed Princess Twilight to perch onto my hand. " I know that was shocking to see but know that the fairy's gift wasn't in vain. I'm ready to finish things off but before that, I first need to free the final Stray Fairy so that it can join the rest of its kind inside of me."

Princess Twilight looked up at me with surprise. " You know where it is?"

I pointed to the bubble underneath the platform. " It's right over there."

" Oh."

" And here I thought it was going to be in a well hidden place." I said, taking out the Hero's Bow, nocking an arrow, and aiming at the bubble. " Guess this one hiding under the platform is the temple's way of giving me a freebie since we had to go through so much just to make it this far. In any case, the reward and Adagio's restoration will have to wait until we're done with what lies ahead." Firing the arrow, it sailed through the air, popped the bubble, and released the Stray Fairy. It immediately floated over to me thanks to the Great Fairy's Mask still on my face and it entered my body allowing me to take it off.

" That's all fifteen Stray Fairies."

" At least we don't have to worry about that."

" Do you have an idea as to where the Great Fairy's Fountain is back outside?"

I shook my head. " Not really as we didn't get to explore every last part of Great Bay."

" You may have to talk to one of the Zoras to see if they might know something." Twilight said. " Anyway, the walkway ends right here and turns into the green pipe that we've been following since coming this way so I guess there's one more switch you need to activate."

I moaned under my breath knowing that I needed to change forms yet again all because of having to push one measly switch. Even though this was most likely going to be the final switch that needed to be activated, I still didn't like the idea of having to become a Zora just for that. If only I could have been able to push them around as a human... that would have saved us some precious time not to mention ensure no awkward moments would occur.

Sighing, I walked up the pipe slowly--I didn't want to fall off into the water despite it being only a short distance back--until it turned to the right and stopped at the switch resting on top of the platform. To my left was the boss door--the golden padlock shining in the dimly lit room--and right below was a green coloured funnel indicating what would happen upon the switch's activation and the water allowed to flow through. Like Princess Twilight said, everything in the Great Bay Temple connected with one another like a machine. The one green pipe ended up right here in front of perhaps the most important door.

Had I not explored that one room and made my way down here, I would have been denied my goal of reaching the boss door, and instead be forced to backtrack until I either found the switch in question or ultimately given up out of sheer frustration. Good thing that alternative wasn't going to happen since I had activated the previous switch, yet the thought of needing to become a Zora still annoyed me to no end.

Taking out the Zora Mask again--I was really starting to hate switching forms in this manner--and placing it on my face, I squatted down and watched as my body parts shimmered and changed from human to Zora in an instant, and when the transformation had finished, I began pushing the switch allowing to turn before clicking into place and watching it fall down below, activating the funnel nearby. If there was one thing I was going to miss regarding this temple, it would be seeing so much water flowing around with a purpose other than being there for the sake of it.

Jumping across the funnel and onto the other side, I stood before the large door with the golden padlock. While I knew that I was going to make it to this point eventually, it was an absolute struggle given what I had to go through. To be perfectly honest, I still wasn't feeling one hundred percent despite being give a recharge earlier by the fairy. It had to do with the simple fact that it had been quite some time since I last slept.

My health wasn't the only thing that was important. I could go through the reminder of this journey without sustaining any injuries--the chances of that happening were so small that you could walk over it without even noticing--yet without sleeping to feel refreshed, I could collapse at any moment and that would especially be bad in an area filled with monsters. I desperately felt like sleeping but I knew Princess Twilight wouldn't have any of it. She would insist on finishing the Great Bay Temple before allowing me to sleep for what should be at least a dozen hours or so despite my protesting that I desired it right now.

" Sunset?"

" Yeah?"

" Are you ready to go through with this?"

I shook my head. " Not really. My body may be fine right now but I don't know how long I can hold out until I collapse. The last time I dozed off for any reason would have been sometime during the previous seventy-two hour cycle, and combined with the fact that time has been slowed down, it's even longer than that. My body really wants to sleep right now so that I can be well rested before going inside, but you would prefer me to get this over with."

" By defeating the monster on the other side of the door, you'll have rescued the third Giant."

" That won't do me much good if I lose consciousness."

" When we're done here, you can sleep for as long as you like."

" Not exactly the best reward in this scenario."

" You've got to keep your wits about you and not allow whatever lurks on the other side to kill you." Twilight said. " Again, you can sleep as long as you want when it's over but for now try not to if you can help it."

It was my mind that was preventing me from wanting to drop down, close my eyes, and sleep; my body felt the complete opposite, wanting nothing more than to rest here for a couple of hours and take on the boss monster afterwards. Unfortunately, time was once again against me since there was only less than thirty-six hours remaining. Sure, it sounded like an awful lot but when you include defeating the boss, dealing with the Giant, resolving any lingering issues, and anything that came to mind, it wasn't all that much at all. In any case, there was no reason to delay things any longer.

Reaching into my pocket--I did wear shorts while as a Zora much to my pleasure--I took out the Boss Key and stared at it for a few moments. I had never once ever took a closer look at one since they usually ended up being used soon after acquiring one, yet I was able to get this one a lot sooner than usual. The key itself was golden in colour though whether it was made of it or not remained to be seen. The top part of the key consisted of a large red gem with golden horns on either side, yet upon a closer inspection, you could barely make out a skull motif, indicating that it was a warning of what was to come.

Thrusting the key into the padlock and turning it, the chains broke off and the lock dropped to the ground making a lot clanking sound that reverberated throughout the room before the door slowly rose up. Walking into the next room, I was surprised to find that it was incredibly small and lacking much in the way of detail. It then quickly dawned on me that I needed to drop down the obvious giant hole situated in the center of the room.

" Guess we have to go down, Twilight."

" I'm surprised that this temple goes down much further than initially thought."

" Dungeon Maps don't show you everything."

" I calculate that dropping down that hole could take us quite possibly under the very ocean itself."

I sighed. " This reminds me of dropping down a similar hole."

" When did that happen?"

" During my previous journey." I answered. " I was in another temple called the Shadow Temple and when I entered its boss room, I witnessed a similar looking sight to what we're seeing right now, but while this room looks rather boring, what I saw back then was macabre at its absolute worst."

" Why was it called the Shadow Temple?"

" Because it was a place dedicated to the undead."

Princess Twilight's jaw suddenly dropped and almost fell to the ground in utter shock. " What!? Who in their right mind would make you go to such a horrid place? I know I haven't seen the kinds of things you have, Sunset, but to go through a temple dedicated to those no longer of this world?" As she regained her composure and closed her mouth, she could tell I had something on my mind. " It sounds like it wasn't the best experience."

" Not when you had the dead attacking you every five minutes."

Princess Twilight's jaw dropped again. " What!? Now I wish that I could have been there to stop you from going into such a horrible place. No wonder you've been scarred from witnessing such horrible things. I'm a terrible mentor for not being there to act as your guide."

I shook my head. " That was some time ago and that's besides the point. Just seeing this room shaped the way it is reminded me of what happened before, though I will say you were right in that going through a temple of the undead wasn't something I should have done, but I had to in order to rescue the one who was trapped there." I walked over to the edge of the pit and looked down below. It was pitch black though I could barely hear the sound of something swimming about. " Guess my initial suspicion of what this boss was correct though I had hoped to be wrong."

" Suspicion?" Twilight asked. " I didn't know you did that. What did you conclude?"

I jumped down into the pit and was immediately plunged into darkness. " You'll find out in just a few moments."

The pit was much deeper than I thought as it kept going and going as though I was going to fall forever. All around me was nothing but darkness with the occasional metal framework that provided a tiny glimmer of light though not enough to make me feel positive over what I was about to encounter. Looking down as best as I could, I could see an opening at the bottom indicating the end and soon I came out and dropped even further until landing hard on my butt on a large platform that was surrounded on all sides by water.

Picking myself up from the floor and looking around, I was surprised to see that this was massive in scope though the deep water told me that my suspicion was right. The boss monster was going to be some kind of giant fish, a real disappointment as I had hoped for something less predictable. Also, being in here brought back another memory though this time from the Water Temple. I knew that the boss was lurking somewhere in the water though I wasn't about to jump in and swim about hoping to find it. If anything, I planned on standing on this platform and wait for something to happen.

" It sure is dark in here." Twilight said. " And all of this water indicates that we'll be fighting some kind of aquatic creature."

" That's what I figured out."

" The boss is an aquatic creature?"

" More like a fish."

Princess Twilight then attempted to see if she could spot anything in the water but to no avail. " Whatever is lurking about out there isn't trying to be subtle. I suggest not going in after it until we know exactly what it is." She suddenly raised her hand to her eye upon hearing what sounded like gurgling coming from the furthest reaches of the room before floating over and landing on my shoulder. " I can hear whatever it is swimming about over there."

" Then we'll just have to wait."

" I don't need to tell you that you'll need to be a Zora if you plan on fighting this thing." Twilight said. " Also, do you see the four pots nearby? I think they will each give you arrows to use so it looks like being a human is also necessary. I don't know if you'll have to constantly switch between forms but I suppose we will know shortly once this creature reveals itself before us."

Switching between forms constantly... I wasn't looking forward to that though on a different note, I could hear the sounds of bubbles coming from below the surface. The boss monster had either detected my presence or was sensing Princess Twilight, yet either way, it was beginning to move closer perhaps in a bid to make a sneak attack. As it continued getting closer, the bubble sounds continued getting louder until it began getting quiet again until I could no longer hear it. Was it trying to psyche me out so that I would be caught off guard, or was it trying to get some distance before making an attack?

I concluded that the latter was the most likely option and I turned out to see something charging at me in the water before it jumped out. In that one moment, I felt like I was in that one movie that featured a scene where a giant aquatic creature leapt from the water in an attempt to get over a human standing below. Yet, this wasn't like that by any stretch. The creature leapt out and was shocked at the mere sight of it.

Yes, it was a giant fish as I initially suspected, but I wasn't expecting it to look so hideous. It's face looked like it was wearing some kind of metallic armour as a means of protection but I quickly realized that it was a mask much like the other two bosses. A giant eyeball was sticking out of the mouth of the fish, an obvious weak point if I ever saw one, though rather disgusting as it shouldn't be there in the first place. Aside from these odd features, it looked just like a regular fish--its fins were pretty worn out--despite being bigger than any fish I had seen in my entire life.

The monster landed in the water and began swimming around and I turned myself around to see where it was. It wasn't difficult to spot since its giant fin stuck out of the water giving away its location, but before I had a chance to do anything, it suddenly charged towards the platform, ramming the side with its face, flinging me into the water. I had to act fast and climb back out before anything could go wrong but it when I was pinned between two rows of giant teeth with an eyeball staring at me, blinking, pulsating, throbbing, enough for me to want to scream over how disgusting it was.

For a few moments, I tried my best to break free of the powerful grip the monster had on me yet I was too distracted by the eyeball--just looking at it from such a close range made me want to throw up--but eventually it spat me back out though I did sustain some damage.

" What in the world is that thing?" I asked as I climbed back onto the platform."

" That was Gyorg, the Gargantuan Masked Fish."

" Did you say Gyorg or George?"

" The first one." Twilight answered. " Anyway, I'm sure you already know that you need to hit the eyeball in its mouth in order to destroy it, but it won't be easy to strike since it moves around underwater and can avoid many projectile attacks. It will occasionally leap out of the water in an attempt to ram you with its massive body though you can avoid this by standing on the edges of the platform. When it rams into the side of the platform, you'll fall over unless you stand near the center in which case you'll land on the platform again."

" How am I supposed to hit its eyeball?"

" You'll need to become a human and hit Gyorg with arrows until its eye gets exposed."

" That explains the pots nearby."

Princess Twilight nodded. " Yes. This won't be easy as it can either ram the side of the platform or jump over it at any given moment so you need to act quickly and shoot arrows without letting up. If you do end up getting knocked into the water, get back out immediately otherwise Gyorg can and will bite you in an attempt to swallow you whole. I don't know why but there's something about this that feels odd, like, there is more to this battle than appearances suggest."

" Guess we'll come to that bridge eventually."

Grabbing my face, I pulled off the Zora Mask, flipped back my hair, and switched over to the Hero's Bow just as Gyorg charged and rammed its head against the side of the platform causing me to fall over though I managed to grab hold of the edge before pulling myself back up. Princess Twilight was right about this thing attacking at any given moment so I needed to watch its movements carefully. Luckily its fin was easy enough to spot though it would disappear from time to time to confuse me. Yet, ripples in the water would also help me locate its position without too much trouble.

Since I only had a limited number of arrows, I needed to make sure that each shot counted. I mean, I had extra arrows in the pots if Princess Twilight was correct--I knew she was as why doubt her now--but those were for an emergency if my initial arrows got depleted.

Gyorg then popped up out of the water and I began firing arrows at it, striking each time though they didn't seem to faze it in the least. I was fortunate in that it was a large enough target that I couldn't possibly miss unless it were swimming at incredible speed though this only seemed to happen upon charging, but then it suddenly dove down below the surface and I lost track of where it was. How could I lose something that big!? And yet, I was slowly starting to figure out how this particular monster behaved. By hiding in such a manner until it was ready to strike, I would become paranoid over when it would do so.

Bubbles appeared in different places indicating that Gyorg was moving but I dared not fire arrows in case I ended up missing. It was essentially a game of patience where I had to wait for it to make a move before countering with one of my own. All of a sudden, it began charging towards the platform and my reaction involved moving to the edge in hopes of not getting hit, but when it leapt out of the water, it knocked me onto my stomach before landing in the water again. No doubt about it... Gyorg's body was painful as its shabby body was dry and that meant I could suffer some serious burns.

Getting back up, I barely had a chance to wipe the dirt off of my tunic before Gyorg rammed into the platform, knocking me into the water. This time, I couldn't get back onto the platform in time and the monster got me in its mouth again, its powerful grip pushing down even harder since I wasn't a Zora now. I then noticed blood trickling down in front of me and I quickly looked up to see that my hands were bleeding resulting from holding up its mouth. I couldn't afford to lose the use of my hands as I needed them to fire arrows so that meant giving in and allowing Gyorg its chance of inflicting more damage on me.

It spat me out several seconds later and I landed on the platform. " How are my hands, Twilight? Are they okay?"

Princess Twilight didn't sound so optimistic. " You definitely lost some blood there when its teeth came bearing down on you, but lucky for you that you chose to let it bite you instead of continuing to resist it. If you had kept going, I'd say that you would have lost them completely within the next ten seconds."

" I definitely felt the strength difference."

" Being a Zora grants you some extra power."

" Should I use that potion?"

" It's a little early in the battle to give you an answer."

Looking down at my bleeding hands, I could see that while they were bleeding, it wasn't as serious as I thought. " I'll likely wince in pain from time to time but I need to keep going if I hope to beat this thing." Gyorg then rammed the side of the platform and almost caused me to fall into the water again but instead I dropped onto my knees. " Doesn't it know when to give me a chance to plan my next move."

" Like I said, you need to be quick." Twilight said. " Patience is still the key here, Sunset, so don't lose your composure unless you want Gyorg to finish you off. You could fire arrows at it when it's attacking though that would require incredible reflexes."

Raising my bow, I aimed at the water and waited for Gyorg to reappear. " I'll do whatever I have to in order to prevail." I quickly looked behind me in case it was planning on striking while I was looking the other way but there were no bubbles. " You know that patience was never my best characteristic but then I am a fast learner." I needed to be because if I allowed my temper to judge my actions, I'd be utterly helpless against this monster.

When Gyorg raised its fin above the water's surface, I fired more arrows, wincing because of my hands, that struck its body though they still didn't seem to do anything--it acted like it was immune to them--but then it went underwater before jumping over me though I managed to avoid it in time, yet my foot did get struck by its fin on the way down. I hobbled about for a brief moment before focusing on the masked fish again--since my foot was barely nicked, it hadn't gotten broken although I would feel the stinging sensation for a while.

After watching it ram into the platform again, I winced before firing a couple more arrows--my hands would no doubt be a detriment--though when the second arrow hit, Gyorg's eyeball suddenly expanded like an inflatable beach ball and dangled out of its mouth. It was just as disgusting up close as it was when I saw it inside its mouth but then the fish tilted towards the platform before coming to a complete stop inches away.

" Uh... What is it doing?" I asked, confused by what I had just witnessed.

" It's eye is vulnerable to attack!"

" Huh?"

" Shoot arrows at the eye to damage it!"

" Oh... right." I said sheepishly before firing more arrows despite the pain. When the first arrow hit Gyorg's eyeball, it got bigger just like what happened against both Odolwa and Goht--it still creeped me out whenever it happened because of how pulsating it acted--and then even bigger upon the second hitting. A third arrow made it even bigger before the eye suddenly popped and Gyorg went underwater. " No matter how many times I see those eyeballs increase in size, I just can't handle the gross factor."

" At least you damaged it."

" Yeah, but now I need to find it again."

" Gyorg will attack soon enough when it feels like it."

" That's what worries me the most." I said. And sure enough, Gyorg did attack by leaping out of the water though this time it landed on the edge of the platform and stared down at me with its eyes piercing my soul. It then tried to bite me though this failed as it wasn't close enough. " Since when could it do that?"

" It must have additional attacks that come up whenever it gets damaged."

Since it failed to bite me, Gyorg lurched back slightly and leapt over me, knocking me to the ground again before diving back underwater. Already this battle was taking its toll especially my demeanour since it kept on using cheap shots to get its point across. Getting back up onto my feet, I aimed my bow and waited for it make another move, a difficult task now as it was spending more time swimming about underwater, and I didn't know if my arrows could hit it down there. It lifted its fin up from the water only to quickly drop it back down and would repeat this constantly leaving me feeling annoyed.

After waiting long enough, I fired several arrows out of frustration, each one missing its target, my hands causing me to wince from pain, but I wanted to keep firing arrows though a timely bopping from Princess Twilight got me to calm down. I acted stupid for that brief moment, once again allowing my anger to get the better of me. If it wasn't for Her Highness being there to keep under control, I could have potentially ponied up for the wrong reasons like what happened on my previous journey.

Back then, whenever I was on the verge of death or feeling angry, I would gain my pony ears and tail, and while that was normally seen as a blessing, it became a curse since I couldn't control myself. I'd eventually gain control though it took a serious amount of concentration yet things were different in this world. If I were to pony up here in that manner, there was no telling what would happen regarding my attitude.

Gyorg rose up from the water again and began swimming around to the other side of the platform. I had a feeling it was going to ram the side again in a bid to knock me into the water so that it could bite me again, and it did just that by charging forward though it jumped over me instead of ramming the side. When it splashed down, I fired a few more hours--I winced again due to my hands--striking it in the back yet it kept on moving making me realize that several arrows were needed to expose its weak point.

When it rose back up again, I fired a few more arrows only to discover that my quiver was suddenly empty. Had I already used up my initial batch of arrows? I could have sworn that I had at least twenty on my person coming into this, but perhaps I didn't count as good as I should have. Gyorg's eyeball came out of its mouth and it floated over towards the platform yet without any arrows, all I could do was just watch it float there until it regained consciousness. Princess Twilight then bopped me on the head to remind me about the pots on the platform that most likely houses additional arrows--I hoped she was right about this.

Switching over to my sword briefly, I smashed the closest pot, revealing a bundle of ten arrows. It may not have been much but it was enough for what I needed. Picking them up, placing them into my quiver and switching back to my bow, I shot the eyeball and watched it expand before popping leaving Gyorg to swim back down underwater until it was ready to attack me again. I knew it would only be a matter of time before so I switched back to my sword again and smashed the remaining pots until my quiver was filled to the brim with arrows--I really needed to upgrade this thing so as to avoid this in the future.

" That was a close call, Sunset."

" I really need a bigger quiver."

" Like I said before, you need to go back to Clock Town and see if you can find one."

" I'll do that during the next three day cycle."

" Speaking of cycles, I've noticed that Gyorg is rather predictable with its behaviour." Twilight said. " I was honestly expecting something different to happen considering you've inflicted a lot of damage against it at this point of the battle."

" I'm not about to complain about it."

" I know but I just think it's strange how it repeats the same cycle of attacks over and over."

Gyorg then leapt out of the water and landed on the platform catching me by surprise. " Maybe you shouldn't have said that, Twilight!" I couldn't hit its face at this close of a range as the mask-like armour looked like it could repel any kind of frontal assault. " I need to get around to its side and shoot its body before it goes back down underwater." I tried to run only for it to jump forward and knocking me into the water. " Glub... glub..." I had to get out quickly not because of what lurked below the surface but because I couldn't breathe.

Unfortunately, the masked fish caught me with its mouth and once again I struggled to keep its teeth from clenching together. As it swam around with me in its gaping maw, I chose to allow it to damage me as I knew resisting would mean my hands getting even worse. I felt the gnashing of its teeth clamp down on my shoulder, arms, and stomach--all in that order--a couple of times before spitting me back out. Blood oozed out from my body and dissipated after a while in the water leaving me disgusted though also weak.

Climbing back out of the water, I was a bloodied mess though I could still function--albeit with a weakened body--but at least my hands were safe. I knew it was wrong to sacrifice one part of my body in favour of another but I needed my hands to use my bow, the one weapon that actually worked against this thing. Taking out my bow and aiming at the water, I struggled to hold it up due to my body losing a lot of blood.

" I... I... can't keep this up."

" Use the red potion!" Twilight shouted. " Don't wait too long that you'll die before you can."

I nodded and attempted to reach into my pocket to pull it out. " It's harder than it looks when your body is wracked with pain." Just as my hand touched the bottle, Gyorg rammed the side of the platform, though while the potion didn't drop into the water or anything, I ended up doing so and that meant getting back out quickly. " Glub... glub! Glub! GLUB!" I quickly got back out just as Gyorg lunged forward, missing me by a mere inch. " Gasp! Okay! This is just getting ridiculous!"

" Maybe you should knock it unconscious before taking the potion?"

Now why didn't I think of doing that? The instant Gyorg popped up from beneath the water, I fired arrows repeatedly making sure not to let up--I had to make sure to only use up half of them just in case something happened--until its eyeball came out and it floated over towards me again before stopping. From there, I shot the eyeball three more times and then the masked fish dove underwater again, but something else was now happening.

I could see it throwing a tantrum underwater by swimming about incoherently and my first thought was that I had won the battle, but that thought quickly disappeared when it began to ram the side of the platform repeatedly as though it had lost all its senses. When the platform began trembling as a result of so many impacts from Gyorg's ramming, I thought this was its attempt at knocking me into the water, but then I discovered the real reason behind its ambition. I didn't think it was possible that the masked fish would do something that effectively changed the battle but it did.

The platform began sinking into the water and that meant my one safe zone was about to become lost. It also meant that I could no longer fight Gyorg as a human but rather I needed to keep going as a Zora. I had no idea whether it would leave me alone long enough so that I could change forms or decide to try and eat me at the earliest opportunity as a means of killing me so I made the decision on my own.

Putting the bow away and taking out the Zora Mask, I placed it on my face--I didn't squat down this time as there was no point--and watched as my body parts shimmered and changed from human to Zora in mere seconds--I also watched the platform sink down to the bottom of the pool of water. Dropping down to the bottom myself, I was surprised to see that there was much more down there than previously assumed. Everywhere I looked, green pots were scattered all around along with some strange holes that could be hiding just about anything at this point.

" Okay... things just got weirder."

" Looks like you won't be needing to use arrows for the duration of this fight."

" Maybe not but it does mean needing to get in close range if I am to assume that I need to rely on my Zora abilities."

Princess Twilight nodded before floating onto my shoulder. " Those green pots will help you restore your magic so it doesn't take a genius to figure out that you'll be relying on your magic barrier extensively. I don't know if Gyorg is vulnerable to it or not since its weak point is the eyeball but if not then you can use your barrier for an increase of speed until you either run out of magic or choose to stop consuming any."

" So how do I fight it now?"

" First of all, you need to avoid the tiny fish that spawned out from its mouth."

I was taken aback by that. " Really? Gyorg had fish in its mouth?" I looked around to see if I could spot any and sure enough, they were swimming around the masked fish who appeared to be waiting for something to happen, each one looked pretty menacing, like a miniature version of Gyorg. " I'm guessing those things are going to be hounding me until I either take them down or end up getting bitten so much that I bleed to death."

Princess Twilight nodded though she had a grim expression on her face. " Not the most glamourous way of explaining it but essentially, yes. You can use your magic barrier to destroy them easily and they may even produce recovery hearts. I'm sure Gyorg will spawn them every now and again so make sure to watch out for them as they move fast."

" And Gyorg itself?"

" Take a look at what just appeared to our right."

I looked at where Princess Twilight was pointing at and my eyes widened with surprise. " An exploding mine!? Oh no... no, no, no, no." It was starting to become clear that I needed to use it in order to expose Gyorg's weak point. " You have got to be kidding me!? I have to use that in order to beat it!?"

Princess Twilight nodded. " I'm afraid so although we need to wait and see what it does first."

" I think we're about to find out." I said. Gyorg opened its mouth and a powerful vortex began pulling in everything--including me--so I began swimming in the opposite direction to avoid getting sucked up. Eventually, it would come to a stop, leaving me feeling pretty exhausted and Gyorg started moving around again with the small following along. " I almost got sucked by that powerful vacuum!"

" That explains why you need to use magic."

" It does?"

" Yes."

" Okay, I get what you're saying." I said. Whenever it tries to suck me into its gaping maw, I need to use my magic barrier to give me an extra burst of speed. I also take it that I need to use my barrier to snap the chains those exploding mines are connected to?"

Princess Twilight nodded. " You need to aim carefully when using those mines. You only have a limited number until more come up from those holes in the ground so be sure to make them count. If Gyorg is using that vortex when you cut the chain, it should send the mine into its mouth resulting in its eyeball getting exposed. That does mean having to get up close if you want to get it in there."

" I was afraid of that."

" Oh, and you need to break the section of the chain that has the orb-like object on it."

Looking at what Her Highness was talking about, I could see an orb located at the bottom of the chain link that connected the mine to the floor. That was easy enough to do since my fins were powerful enough to break just about anything. The only problem was that I needed to break loose a mine when it appeared practically next to Gyorg for it to suck the thing up into its mouth. That was definitely not going to be easy as one slip up would cost me dearly.

After swimming about for about a minute, Gyorg stopped and looked in my direction, its small fish minions swimming towards me. I began to swim away with them in hot pursuit and they proved resilient as every time I changed direction, they would do the same thing like they were attracted to my presence, yet this couldn't continue otherwise I'd be wasting my time on them instead of the real target, that being the boss monster. So, I came to a stop and activated my magic barrier, the small fish swam right into it without even trying to get out of the way and disappeared into thin air.

I then looked at Gyorg, thinking it would come after me in retribution for destroying its "babies" but it just continued staring at me and didn't move. Did it seriously not care about what happened? Such a heartless gesture meant it wasn't going to get any mercy from me, but I wasn't going to act all crazy as I needed to think this over carefully. As Princess Twilight said, only a few exploding mines were available so I had a few chances at getting Gyorg to swallow one, yet what if I were to release some for the sake of it? That should cause newer ones to appear, enabling me to get one that would appear next to the masked fish.

There was a mine slightly ahead of me so I swam over and knocked it with my fin, the chain snapping and the mine rising up and out of the water before exploding moments later when it touched the ceiling. Another one then popped up close by though not where I wanted it to be--it needed to be near Gyorg--so I swam over and broke the chain, sending it upwards before another appeared, this time right in front of it. Now I needed Gyorg to open its up and suck up the mine when it gets cut.

Swimming up to the mine, I broke the chain just as the masked fish opened its mouth yet I was too slow in activating my magic barrier and swim away. My body got struck by the mine just as it entered the masked fish's mouth--it hurt immensely--yet it exploded within and caused Gyorg to tilt over and expose its eyeball again, the force of the explosion pushed me back and into another mine, causing it to explode and seriously injuring me. By the time I swam back over, the masked fish was still unconscious, yet even when underwater, its eyeball looked disgusting beyond all measure.

" What happened!?" Twilight asked. " How did you get hit by one mine and caught in the explosion of another?"

" Luck, I guess."

" Look at you! You've got second-degree burns all over you!"

I looked down at my body and saw that the burns were quite severe but I ignored them and focused on Gyorg. " This usually happens when I get caught in explosions but I can easily shake it off and continue going--at a weaker pace but still going." Swimming over to the comatose body of the masked fish, I struck the eyeball a few times using my fins as swords before the thing popped, allowing Gyorg to regain consciousness, yet it didn't move from its spot. " Is it stuck in that one spot now or is it trying to trick me into getting close so that it can get a piece of me?"

" I'm not sure but you need to use that Red Potion, now!"

I nodded. " Yeah, I think it's time to use it."

" Then why did you attack Gyorg before drinking it?"

" I know more about boss monsters than you do, Twilight."

" Oh? In what way?"

" They don't stay unconscious for very long when their weak point is exposed." I answered. " If you don't take advantage and attack it, they will recover and you'll be forced to go through the entire process again, and cause the fight to carry on a lot longer than necessary."

" So that explains..."

I smiled before reaching into my pocket and taking out the Red Potion. " I was taking a risk attacking the eyeball given my current condition but it was worth as Gyorg is one step closer towards being defeated." There was one problem I had and that was when the bottle is uncorked, there was a high chance that the liquid inside would flow out and dissipate into the water leaving me with nothing and being on the verge of death all because of my current location. " Guess I've got no other choice." I uncorked the bottle and chugged down the potion before it could evaporate. " Blech!"

Princess Twilight looked concerned. " What's wrong?"

" That was the most repulsive potion I've ever had the pleasure of going down my throat."

" It couldn't have been that bad."

I stuck out my tongue in disgust. " Whoever brewed that concoction obviously didn't use the right ingredients or if they did, then they didn't preserve them long enough, an absolute must so that the properties are able to flow freely."

" But look on the bright side. The potion is doing what it's supposed to do."

I looked down at my body and watched as the burns disappeared and my hands recovered from what happened earlier. " Even those bite marks from Gyorg are disappearing, but I still say the potion tasted terrible. Next time, I should purchase from the proper makers rather than going with bulk." Once my wounds had properly healed, I turned to face the masked face who had since spawned out more fish that began swimming in my direction. I quickly activated my magic barrier destroying them only for it to suddenly deactivate. " Crap! I must have used up more magic than I thought. I'm completely tapped out!"

" Then smash one of those green pots before Gyorg figures it out."

Swimming towards the nearest pot, I extracted my fins and was about to smash it when Gyorg suddenly swam forward, knocking me down to the ground before stopping on the opposite end of the room. It felt like I had gotten hit by a ragged truck given its shabby body--if I hadn't used my potion, I'd have surely died from that--but when I started to get back up, it charged forward again yet I dropped to the floor avoiding its charge.

Looking up, Gyorg returned to its original spot though now another exploding mine had risen from the ground in front of it. I got up, swam forward and waited for the masked fish to open its mouth though this time I knew that I needed to avoid the mine. Breaking the chain, Gyorg opened its mouth and began sucking in everything around, yet I stepped aside--more like stumbled--and watched as the mine entered its mouth and exploded causing it to tilt over on its side again and exposed its eyeball. Since I had no idea how long it would stay unconscious, I fired my fins, scoring a few more hits, causing Gyorg to get back up before I swam back to the green pot.

Smashing it, I picked up the magic jar and just in time as the masked fish sailed past me again though the small fish it spawned out were able to attack me this time. Their tiny teeth proved annoying as they bit different parts of my body along with slowing me down because of their combined weight. I responded by activating my magic barrier, destroying them in an instant, leaving me to brush off any remnants that happened to cling to my body.

Looking around the room, I could see that no exploding mines were near Gyorg so that meant breaking the chains of the ones currently available and hope that one ended up rising in front of its position. Swimming around and using my barrier sporadically to give me enough speed without consuming too much magic, I broke as many chains as I could--the mines rose up and exploded upon hitting the ceiling--yet none were spawning where I needed them. It was getting to the point where I was feeling discouraged when another appeared right in front of Gyorg though it decided to dash forward--I couldn't believe it!

I was about to turn around and swim back but Gyorg suddenly swam the other way, catching me in its mouth, forcing me to once more struggle to keep its teeth from clamping down on me though now I could hold my own since I was a Zora. The masked fish moved about in an erratic manner hoping it could make me lose my concentration but I managed to refrain from giving up, and it eventually spat me back out though I did take some damage.

When Gyorg stopped by the exploding mine, it opened up its mouth, and I swam forward, breaking the chain, causing it to swallow the mine, exploding inside, and tilting over before sticking out its eyeball. Rather than use my fins this time, I decided to attack the eyeball using my magic barrier since I had nothing else to try--my fins were effective though I felt it necessary to use magic just this once--and I couldn't miss. The first two strikes caused it to inflate to even bigger proportions, yet the final hit burst the eyeball entirely, causing Gyorg to start flopping about on its side.

" What is it doing now?"

" I think you won, Sunset?"

" Really? What makes you think that?"

" The water is draining from the room and if I didn't know any better, I'd swear Gyorg was shrinking."

I thought Princess Twilight was pulling my leg especially regarding the shrinking bit so I looked at Gyorg who was indeed shrinking down in size--more like it was shrivelling up as a result of being out of the water though that still didn't make sense--whilst splashing about even with the water draining from the room. Had I actually defeated this monster? Could I finally leave this place at last? Or, was there more to come?

My answer came when Gyorg disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke, leaving behind a heart container that got tossed to the left, and its mask that bobbed up and down in a portal that would take me to the strange place where I would go whenever one of the giants was rescued. Dropping to my knees, I breathed a huge sigh of relief knowing that my ordeal was finally over, and it was one of my most difficult battles yet. If not for the Red Potion, I'd have died at the final hurdle. Having the means to restore health was a blessing and would be something I'd definitely utilize seeing as there was still one more temple remaining.

Upon getting back up, I ran over to the Heart Container and picked it up, the warm feeling instantly enveloped around me and my strength returned. Since there was nothing else to do, I walked over to where Gyorg had fallen and looked at the mask that appeared. It certainly didn't look friendly, much like the monster itself, yet something about it made me feel really uncomfortable. I'd been collecting the masks of the bosses yet I had no idea what their true purpose was. Would they enable me to defeat Starlight Glimmer? Could I use the power of the bosses for my own? Could I summon them somehow?

All those questions and more had no answers to them yet I had to carry them around until their true purpose became known to me. At least I didn't have to look at them every now and then--that alone would plague me with nightmares--though remembering that I had them was important. Picking up Gyorg's Remains and lifting it above my head, I suddenly changed back to normal and watched as the mask rose up into the air before everything went white.

When I could see things again, I knew that I was back in the place of the Four Giants, the mysterious pillar that was surrounded by strange colours, but now the colour was pink as opposed to the green and blue from the previous times. While it certainly looked beautiful, my eyes were focused on the giant standing in the distance. The giant just seemed to stand there without wanting to step forward so I tried calling out but to no avail. Perhaps the giant couldn't hear my voice seeing as it was massive compared to me and that my voice couldn't reach up high.

" That didn't work."

" Maybe we should wait for the giant to come forward?"

" I hope Cadance doesn't take too long."

Princess Twilight was shocked. " Huh!? Cadance!? What makes you think she is over there?"

" Think about it!" I answered. " The first giant was Principal Celestia with the second one being Vice Principal Luna, so if my theory is correct and the connection continues to stand, then Dean Cadance is the third one though that does make me wonder who is going to be the final giant."

" An interesting theory."

" It might not even be accurate."

" Don't sell yourself short, Sunset." Twilight said. " Let's just wait for the giant to walk forward so that we can see who it is." As if on cue, the giant stepped forward and continued to do so until stopping and looking down at us with a powerful gaze. " It looks like your theory was correct."

Standing before us was Dean Cadance, the dean of Crystal Prep Academy--though I wasn't sure what her position was now due to the events of the Friendship Games--wearing the same kind of swimsuit worn by the previous giants, yet hers was a bright pink that reminded me of love for some reason. Symbols adorned both her face and arms much like Celestia and Luna before, a powerful aura radiating from her body, hair flowing about like a lovely veil. Cadance was without a doubt the most beautiful of the Four Giants thus far, a reminder that her Equestrian counterpart--according to Princess Twilight--was known as the Princess of Love.

Dean Cadance then smiled before speaking in a booming voice. " You have endured much hardship, chosen one, yet you were able to release me from the wicked creature whose mask I was sealed inside of. With my rescue, you now only have one more of us to free before we will be able to do what must be done."

" I've been meaning to ask one of you about that."

" The last giant mentioned something about fulfilling your one desire before coming to help me."

" You were denied an answer last time and believe that I shall give you one?"

I nodded my head. " Well, yes."

Dean Cadance looked up at the sky for a few moments before looking down at me again, the smile on her face looking brighter than ever. " I cannot tell you everything, chosen one, but you are entitled to know something given that you have done so much already. We have a friend who has lost their way and you are the only one who can save them from the evil that currently clouds their mind. This friend... meant a lot to us long ago but our duty commanded us to shun them, cast them aside, but our actions condemned us as our friend grew jealous and we were forced to protect the creatures of this world."

" That must have been hard for you all."

Dean Cadance nodded. " We were bound by our duty to protect this world though our hearts wished we could have helped our friend." I then noticed tears trickling down her cheeks and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. I tried saying something in response yet she raised her hand before wiping the tears. " This all happened ages ago so there is no need for you to be worried for us, yet I do appreciate the concern."

" The previous giant also mentioned something about helping the Skull Kid." I said. I was surprised that I still remembered that.

" Am I to deduce that you were told that I would have the answer?"

I nodded my head. " Yes."

" The one who has caused so much pain does not yet realize it but they are doomed to perish."

" How come?"

" The mask that they wear... It is not natural. It is not meant to exist." Dean Cadance answered. " And yet it does and has caused destruction, pain, misery, and even death to the innocent who never wished to suffer in any way, yet they have no choice for the mask has power beyond their understanding. The masked child, the Skull Kid, as you call them, may still yet survive if the mask is removed of its power before the worst comes."

" Really? The mask can be removed?"

Dean Cadance nodded. " The Skull Kid will not remove the mask of their own free will as the power within has corrupted their soul, yet should you awaken the last of us and call us forth to the appointed place, our power combined with yours may prove enough to save them."

" Is there anything else you can say?"

Dean Cadance slowly shook her head. " I am afraid that you will need to learn the rest of your answers from the final giant." I had a feeling she would say that but at least she wasn't being cryptic about it compared with the previous giants. " The journey shall be difficult and many hardships await but this is the destiny that fate has cast upon you. I can also sense a great evil that seeks your heart."

I knew she was referring to Ganondorf but I doubted she knew of him since he doesn't exist in this world. " Yes..." I began. " This evil desires to make me become its servant because of actions in my past that I regret ever doing, and while I've resisted its desires, it hasn't been easy for me."

" You must remain strong against such adversity."

" Easy for you to say."

" I am aware that this evil haunts even your dreams." Dean Cadance said. " It the very nature of evil itself to plague the minds of those who struggle internally with their own judgement to take advantage of their weaknesses. So long as you remain true to your current course, you shall never succumb to evil's taint." She then lurched her head forward to get a closer look at me--prompting me to back away a little--and I could see the runes on her face and arms glowing. " Evil... I sense another who is just like you." Dean Cadance suddenly paused for a moment before continuing. " I can no longer sense that presence."

" What does it mean?"

Dean Cadance shook her head. " It is something that I cannot answer but what I do know is that you shall be tested soon enough so prepare yourself accordingly. Before the presence became lost to me, I also sensed a presence who is like your fairy companion." She rubbed her head as though she wasn't sure of what she sensed. " You have only just freed me from my prison within the dark mask and so what I sensed may not be so."

" I guess that's it then?"

" You must return now to the world and free our friends." Dean Cadance answered. " Do not allow evil to cloud your judgement, chosen one, or this world shall be destroyed in the flames of chaos." She then stepped back behind the veil that had previously hid her appearance from me and then everything turned white again.

She sensed another who was like me? I could only think of one person who fit that description but that was an impossibility. She died some time ago after being defeated by me, the one true Sunset Shimmer, and no longer plagues me as she was a remnant of the past. Then again, evil could never truly be defeated as it always found a way to return and this particular person had a nasty habit of doing so. Dean Cadance said that she could be wrong and I hoped that was the case, but then what of this other presence she felt? She said it was like Her Highness but again could be mistaken.

If this other presence was who I thought it was, that was also an impossibility. That one disappeared when Twilight Sparkle was able to overcome the darkness that had corrupted her and was able to take my hand despite initial hesitation. To be honest, I didn't know if she had truly conquered that demon. It could still be somewhere inside of her mind, waiting for the perfect opportunity, the desire to finish what she started being the thing keeping her alive. No... I had to get rid of such thoughts as all it did was remind me about the problems I had when I had to deal with my own inner demon.

In my heart, I chose to believe that Dean Cadance was wrong, and that what she sensed wasn't anything to be worried about. Would my decision cost me later on? I didn't know for sure but I would find out when the time came.

When my vision came back to me, I floated down slowly from the sky and landed on the platform that Rarity had been standing on at the back of Zora Hall. Looking around to see if she was still standing there, my heart sank upon realizing that she was gone. Perhaps she went back inside? She did regain her voice again so she could be holding that rehearsal she and the other band members wanted to do before the now cancelled concert--I thought it was a waste of time since Coloratura knew it would be in vain. Still, I suspected they were waiting for me to come since I had assumed the life of their fellow band member.

I was about to walk forward when someone spoke to me from behind. " You have done well, Sunset Shimmer."

I turned around and was shocked to see the giant turtle behind me. " WAAAAH!" Wait... It wasn't freaked out by the fact that I was pretending to be a Zora? Could it be that it knew all along that I wasn't the real Mikau? What kind of mystical powers did this turtle possess to know about that?

" Do not be surprised." The turtle said. " I knew that you were using a special magic to assume the guise of a Zora and one who meant a great deal to the one whose song awoke me from my slumber. I did not wish to tell her the truth as it would have crushed her heart so. You need not worry about his soul as it can now finally rest in peace yet you must never tell his people of what truly happened. It is something they are not yet ready to know. Perhaps one day they shall know the truth of the Zora warrior's sacrifice but for now let them believe he still lives among them."

" And what about you?"

" Now, I can continue resting in peace. I too must abide the laws of ancient times and again merely watch from my deep slumber."

" Will you protect the Zoras?"

The turtle nodded its head. " The guardian of the ocean has been restored and shall now watch over them as it has done since the beginning of this world. If the Zora have need of me then I shall appear and aid them as I have done for you. Sunset Shimmer, you have saved the ocean but the evil that haunts this land has not completely vanished, thus your mission must continue until you either succeed or die."

I sighed knowing that what it said was true. " That's my lot in life I suppose."

" Then I wish you luck."

" Thanks."

" Before I return to my slumber, I wish to enjoy Lulu's voice a bit longer." The turtle said. " I think the gods can permit that. Hyeh, hyeh, hyeh." It then turned to the left and began looking out at the ocean leaving me to wonder how best to respond to what it said about listening to Rarity's voice.

In the end, I couldn't think of anything nor did I really want to. If anything, I wanted to get as far away from the turtle as possible not because its size was intimidating but because it was sounding rather disturbing based on its laughter. Before going inside Zora Hall, I thanked it for everything it done for me and it made a loud noise, its way of appreciating my thanks though I could have gone deaf--it was incredibly loud--and with that done, I walked forward and into the hall where I was surprised at what I was seeing. Everything looked completely different, like they went all out or something.

I had a feeling that the Indigo-Gos were serious when it came to their performing and what I was witnessing definitely proved that point. There was no doubt that I was going to have to do my very best at playing Thunderlane's--Mikau's--guitar otherwise I could embarrass his legacy as well as expose me for not being an imposter. I only had one concern on my mind at that point and that was wondering where the band was. I didn't see any of them on the stage so had something gone wrong?