//------------------------------//
// Chapter 47: Around Town 
// Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask 
// by Ganondorf8 
//------------------------------//

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
March 6, 2017
Chapter 47: Around Town.

Adagio Dazzle's choice of words immediately got me to think about this "ultimate mask" that her fellow Great Fairies had convinced me to acquire as a means to combat the mask worn by Starlight Glimmer, Majora's Mask, the source of all the problems the world of Termina was suffering from. I had my doubts over wanting it because it reminded me of how I allowed great power to consume me. Possessing some power was necessary if someone wanted to overcome a great evil but then they themselves would become the very thing that they sought to defeat. The cycle of darkness would continue on in a new form.

Back then, when I placed Princess Twilight's crown on my head, I gained tremendous power but it cost me my humanity, and I changed into a monster, one that cared for nothing but her own twisted desires. My original desire was to prove Princess Celestia had been wrong to deny me the chance to become an alicorn but that quickly changed into wanting to rule all of Equestria with an iron fist--hoof. If not for Her Highness and my friends--who were my enemies during that point in time--defeating me and freeing me from the shackles of my own hatred, I could have lived a much different life.

Had I gone on to conquer Equestria with my teenage army--it still made me cringe just thinking about how pathetic that sounded--I'd have ruled unopposed, crushing any who tried to resist, and without the Element of Magic, the other Elements would have been completely useless. Of course, it would have lead me down a path where I lost all sense of wanting to rule with the kind of grace an alicorn represents and became a tyrant who eventually would get overthrown by those I had supressed with my reign. The cycle would eventually lead whoever overthrew me to believe they could do a better job and thus the cycle starts over again.

Just thinking about what could have been shivered me to the very core. If this ultimate mask was as evil as I had been told and I were to place it on my face, what was to stop me from being consumed by it and becoming the very thing I once became? Sure, I had changed a lot since those days, but what if it wasn't enough and that I could easily be tempted by power given that I had tasted it once before? What if my willpower wasn't enough to avoid temptation? Was it worth risking everything I had done to change my life just to give myself a better chance of defeating Starlight? 

" You seem to be confused." Adagio said.

" Your words have re-opened some old wounds."

" I did not mean to make you question yourself."

I shook my head. " No, it's not that but rather I am afraid that if I were to claim this 'ultimate mask' and wear it, I'll end up becoming the person I used to be before friendship changed me for the better, a monster who cared for nothing but power. It took me a long time to reach my current place in life and to lose it because of one mask would be too much for me to be able to bear it."

" While it is true that this mask possesses great evil, it also possesses great good." Adagio said. She cupped her hands together and an image appeared before my eyes though I couldn't tell what she was trying to show me. " If you are strong enough in both body and mind, you will be able to control the power of this mask and make it your own." The image then became clearer and I could see someone who looked like me but was taller, had a slightly demonic appearance, and glowed in an ethereal light. " It changes the wearer into a dark version of their true self armed with demonic power beyond mortal comprehension."

" Can it stand up to Majora's Mask?"

Adagio nodded slowly. " It was created long ago to serve as a sister mask to the one worn by the masked imp though it became lost to the ravages of time." She moved her hands apart and the image of the warrior disappeared leaving me wondering what its significance really was. " While destiny has tasked you with saving this world from the evil perpetrated by that imp, you are not tasked with acquiring this one mask. If you believe that you can defeat the imp without needing such power, then that is what shall come to pass. But, if you believe your own abilities cannot suffice and seek it, then you must risk everything to acquire it."

I had hoped that she wouldn't have put it that way but she did and that meant needing to decide whether or not it was worth my time to get it. While the full extent of Starlight's power had yet to become known, I did believe I had enough power to be able to stop her from destroying Termina using the moon. Everything I had done so far had proven difficult and pushed me to the limits of endurance both physically and mentally and I overcame such challenges by believing in myself--being able to pony up during those situations would have been preferred but I won't let that be an issue.

But, if my power wasn't enough and Starlight was in fact far more powerful than she appeared, perhaps acquiring this mask would be in my best interest. With such power, I could stop her and save not only this world, but the one that I called home and Equestria, but if I succumbed to the power and became a monster, I'd never be able to forgive myself. After seeing what happened with Twilight Sparkle when she became Midnight Sparkle during the Friendship Games, the prospect of losing myself to the darkness was too strong for me not to ignore, and for that I felt fearful of it.

Adagio was trying to show me that it was possible to control this mask and use it wisely but the thoughts of becoming a monster were too influential in my mind. Such fear like that also had a negative connotation to them and it involved Ganondorf. While he obviously had no connection to the mask, he could use my doubts to his advantage and somehow coerce me into becoming his servant. I'm not sure how he would pull that off but I wasn't about to question his power. Another thought then crossed my mind. What if the power within this mask wasn't enough to deal with the likes of Ganondorf?

Sure, it sounded like it possessed great power, but then he himself was power incarnate. Also, would the Triforce of Courage that was inside of me react to the mask and cause further complications? So many factors were at hand and they were doing nothing but causing my overall confidence to shatter.

I finally dropped to my knees in despair. " Gah! I just don't know what to do!"

" It is a very difficult decision to make."

" I'd like to be able to sleep on it seeing as my body is on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion." I said. " But now, I just can't stop thinking about what will happen if I were to wear that mask and lose control, becoming a monster who desires nothing but destruction."

As tears began trickling down my cheeks, Adagio's voice began to soothe me. It felt strange considering who she was back home but here she was saving me from succumbing to despair and further torment. " I did not mean to make you suffer so much when you have already endured great anguish, young one. The mask you seek possesses a terrible burden that only the strongest are able to resist and use as their own." She then looked down at Princess Twilight, who had been silent this entire time and smiled before lurching forward with her hand held out. " I can sense you have something on your mind you wish to say, little fairy."

Princess Twilight floated over, landed on Adagio's hand, and began to talk. " Is this mask absolutely necessary for Sunset to acquire in order to stop Majora's Mask? We've been hearing mixed messages from the other Great Fairies about how dangerous it is and that it could corrupt her, yet it could prove to be the one thing that can overcome the power Starlight possesses. I mean no disrespect here but I wish you would make up your minds!"

" I admit that we have made it difficult for the young one."

" Then why bring it up?"

" She is destined to save this world but must go through incredible hardships." Adagio answered. " Such is the way fate works. My aim here is to tell you, young one, that while the mask possesses evil power that can corrupt one's soul, it can be used for good and such power would prove devastating against the power of the imp. But, I am not able to provide you with a solid answer. The remaining Great Fairy shall show you the way."

Princess Twilight wasn't thrilled by that answer. " You're just going to let Sunset suffer until we find the last Great Fairy? Why not just come clean right now and give her the answer she needs so that she doesn't have to suffer this torment anymore?"

Adagio shook her head. " It is beyond my power to answer it. I am merely the Great Fairy of Courage, she who provides guidance for those who have need to overcome great trials that may loom ahead and be too much for them. The final Great Fairy specializes in helping with matters of the heart and the young one's resolve regarding the mask falls well within her realm of giving you an answer."

I finally spoke up. " Then I'll find her."

Princess Twilight was surprised. " Sunset? Are you sure about that?"

I nodded my head. " If this is what I have to deal with, Twilight, then I'll endure until we find her. No doubt she'll have been shattered to pieces like the others and scattered throughout the temple in the final region, but if she can give me the answer to this mask, I can hold out until then."

Adagio suddenly raised her hands and the entire fountain began to glow brightly, forcing me to cover my eyes so as to be blinded by the brightness. When everything settled down and I could see clearly again, she had floated to the ground and stood before me as though she were human herself. I didn't think she could do something like that but then her powers in this world were different compared with what she was capable of in Hyrule. " I apologize for doing that, young one but my heart felt as though you needed some comfort by someone who could relate to you on a personal level."

" I didn't know you could do that."

" All Great Fairies can do this." Adagio said. " We just choose not to unless we believe it to be necessary. I can only remain like this for a short period of time as retaining this form does cost me much magic but I shall help you further by addressing the concerns in your mind."

" The final region?"

Adagio nodded. " That and your concern about items, but first the final region of Termina, where my sister resides. Many centuries ago, there was a kingdom that existed to the east of the place known as Clock Town. This kingdom had its problems like other kingdoms would but it was a kingdom stained with blood. A terrible war would engulf everyone and destroy them leaving nothing but an empty wasteland that even now lingers to this day." She waved her hand and an image of a desolate place appeared and I immediately turned away because of how horrid it looked. " None but the dead and anyone who is foolhardy enough reside there."

" The undead? How is that possible?"

" I do not know the answer as it is beyond my power."

" Then I'll need to speak to someone who might know."

" Seek out the gravekeeper and a cursed one who covets knowledge." Adagio said. " They shall guide you much further once you enter the land of the dead, but there is something you must acquire first otherwise you will not be granted entry. A mask that represents those who linger in death is needed and can be given to you by two individuals who bear a grudge with the ranch owner."

I was shocked when she said that. She was referring to the Gorman Sisters, the two whom Applejack mentioned when she said she suspected foul play at Romani Ranch, yet couldn't blame them as there wasn't any proof of their involvement. It took me a moment to realize that they were the two who attacked her wagon when she attempted to make a delivery to the Milk Bar after I helped out Apple Bloom. The masks they were wearing... was that what I needed? How could a pair of ranch hands get their hands on masks like that? Unless they actually went to this desolated kingdom, I couldn't help but question it.

Then again, it did give me a reason to pay them a visit. After what they tried to do to Applejack, I had been wanting to see them again to give them a piece of my mind, yet now I needed to so that I could progress further on my journey. Was I being too hard on them? I didn't understand things from their perspective and their actions could be a result of wanting to have similar success to that of the ranch--though their attempt at robbery weighed down my desire to want to talk to them. I also wanted to know how they felt about their relationship with their brother, Gorman, and why he chose to leave them in the name of seeking fame?

" Is that the only mask I need?"

Adagio shook her head. " There are two places that have now become open to you, young one. One is a building in the swamp and the other is a building here in the ocean. Both places house terrible curses that must be vanquished, yet they can only be conquered within the first day of the three you have. You have what you need now to conquer them and it is the one in the swamp that houses a mask, the other will grant you more wealth." She looked at her with a powerful stare and I couldn't look away. " There are other masks and items that can aid your quest back in Clock Town. Seek them out for the final prize and to better prepare for the coming trials."

" Anything else?"

" The power of gold from the mountain people shall enhance your power."

" I think I understand that."

" Finally, speak to the questionable man in town who runs a strange shop." Adagio said. " His appearance and demeanour belie the truest compassion within his heart, yet it can only be seen when one from his past reveals all." Her body started to glow and I began to reach out with my head when she stopped me with her own. " I cannot continue using this form so now I shall take my leave of you. You require rest, young one, and so it shall be granted. Come back and see me whenever you feel weary."

Adagio disappeared for a few moments before reappearing as her true self and laughed as she disappeared back into the fountain. The information she had given me was much more expansive compared to her fellow Great Fairies--they were really strict when it came to telling me what I needed to know--though some things filled my heart with dread knowing that they involved putting aside my differences towards certain individuals. I knew she was referencing Iron Will when she mentioned "questionable man" as he owned the Curiosity Shop, yet I left him on bad terms believing he was a scoundrel. Maybe I had underestimated him all along.

She also mentioned about me going back to Clock Town to pick up any masks and items necessary for my quest. To be honest, I wasn't fond of the Great Fairies being able to read my mind and tell me what I was planning on doing, but I did appreciate the reminder in case I were to forget. What was perhaps the most intriguing information revolved around the two buildings that were cursed according to her words. The only thing that I could think of that revolved around a curse in this video game world were those golden spiders I had heard about from the family afflicted by them--whether I destroyed any or not was something I couldn't remember.

In any case, I knew what I needed to do. I needed to spend an entire three day cycle acquiring masks and upgrades throughout Clock Town before paying a visit to the home of the Gorman Sisters before heading to the final region of Termina. Though, since I still had one more day before needing to reset time, I supposed I could get started once I was finished resting so that I could have more time available to get what I needed.

The first thing I was going to do before anything else was take that much needed rest. My body was mere moments away from collapsing from exhaustion--I'm amazed I held out longer than I did--and it needed recharging otherwise I'd be of no good to anyone. I was fortunate that Adagio said I could sleep here. Had I chosen to sleep outside, a random monster could have attacked me due to being too weak to retaliate. Or, if I had made the choice of going back to Zora Hall, my body wouldn't have made it because of being too exhausted. At least I would be safe in here--understatement of the year--until the next day.

Propping my back up against the wall and slumping to the ground, I drifted off to sleep while Princess Twilight nuzzled up on top of my head and fell asleep as well. I soon began to dream and already I could tell my subconscious would be tested because of who was waiting for me.

I was anticipating his presence because of what happened a few minutes ago when I suffered a mental breakdown during my encounter with Adagio, and I knew that I needed to remain strong and prevent him from taking advantage through use of his words. Sitting on a throne in front of me was Ganondorf himself, a cruel smile on his lips, his eyes staring deep into my soul, the dark aura that surrounded him made it difficult for me to breathe, my fate his to determine.

He continued staring at me until he finally spoke, his voice echoing all around me. " Child... we meet again in this place, the realm of the dream, the place where nightmares abound interspersed with dreams. I know that you suffered emotional trauma most recently all because you fear a great power." At this point, I had come to understand that he could foresee events long before they happened, so I didn't react when he mentioned what he knew. " Hmph! It seems that you have grown wise to my very presence, child. It is a sign that you are slowly but surely living up to my expectations of you."

" What do you want this time?"

Ganondorf laughed. " Such a bold statement coming from you." He closed his eyes, turned his head away from me, and suddenly I was impaled from below by what appeared to be a large spike made of darkness that came out of nowhere. " Do not forget your place, child! It is by my will that I allow you to live! Were my benevolence towards you be weaker than what it is, you would have died the instant you set foot into this world, your loved ones would have mourned the loss with heavy hearts." He laughed again before continuing. " I find it delicious that a mere mask would damage such a frail mental state."

" It has more power than anything in this world."

" Yes." Ganondorf said. " In this world, yet I am from the future, from Hyrule. This mask's power is great but it pales in comparison to me, but perhaps you could make it become equal to me were you to control its dark power. Yes... That would be most ideal as it would let test you to see if you are worthy of being my servant."

" Even if I did manage to control it, I'd never serve you! Never!"

Ganondorf laughed again. " You have just recently displayed the kind of despair that makes you perfect to serve me, child. You fear losing yourself to the darkness that once coated your heart in a twisted stain that power itself became your only desire." He snapped his finger and the spike disappeared only to be replaced by shackles that immediately chained my arms and legs before pulling me towards him, stopping mere inches from his throne. " You believe your life is better but the truth is something you continue denying. You are still tainted by the darkness that corrupted you. Nothing you can do will ever remove it."

I struggled to break free of his shackles but they were far too strong for me. " I didn't think that the taint would be permanent. I"

" Hmph! Then you thought wrong."

" But I can still live with it."

" True but can you afford to lose yourself were you to claim the power of the ultimate mask?"

I didn't have an answer for him because what he said was true. While the darkness inside my heart disappeared when I helped my friends defeat the Dazzlings, I knew that I had been tainted by that very darkness and that it would forever remain a part of me. Such a tiny amount of taint could easily seep forth, corrupt every part of my being, and change me into a monster worse than Sunset Demon. Had I been trapped by Ganondorf all because of actions I took long ago? Had my desire to become an alicorn by any means become the bane of my existence?

Those questions had answers to them. Ganondorf knew about my past and was using his manipulation to coerce me into thinking that embracing power and darkness was my destiny, and that resisting such urges showed that I was delaying the inevitable. I won't deny that my desire for ascension involved stealing knowledge, breaking into a forbidden section within Canterlot's Royal Library to learn dark magic, and choosing to steal a sacred relic meant to protect Equestria from those who would try to conquer it. Those early actions created my evil taint with becoming Sunset Demon the icing on top of that.

Despite this, I couldn't allow myself to become that person. To do so would mean betraying everyone who had been there to guide me. I knew what I had to do now and it was the likes of Ganondorf who convinced me. The ultimate mask that the Great Fairies told me about... I needed to obtain it and control its power despite the immense risk involved. I had to prove that I could resist the taint in my heart and instead embrace it. How was I going to do that? It was a question to which I couldn't even begin to figure out an answer.

My daydreaming hadn't gone unnoticed by Ganondorf and he chose to take advantage of it. " You have decided to seek the power of the mask, haven't you?" His ability to read minds wasn't surprising to me either though it was inconvenient as it meant I could hide nothing from him. " I knew you would come to that conclusion. It does make things all the more interesting for me."

" Why do you want me to serve you?"

" Hmph! I know all about what you have achieved, child. The potential you possess is one that cannot be ignored and yet you allow such potential to waste away all because you choose to hold it back in the name of family. I can mold you into becoming a powerful warrior, one whose dreams can become a reality, one whose power can never be rivaled by anyone, one who can wield divine power."

I could tell he was referring to the Triforce of Courage though he wasn't being cryptic this time. " I can make my dreams come true through my own current path." I said. " Sure, it will take me a lot longer than what I was hoping for but the journey is worth it."

Ganondorf responded with a single word. " Ascension..." My sudden reaction made him laugh as he knew that he gotten through my defences. " It is the one thing you still desire even after all this time. You desire to become a princess, one who wields great power and is revered by those around her, yet it can never be as you still possess doubt over whether it can happen because of actions committed by you. That is why you went to extreme lengths to acquire power. You wanted to prove yourself worthy. Look at what you have to show for it, child, nothing but a broken dream that lingers in the thrall of despair."

Tried as I could to refute his words, I couldn't help but agree that he had a point. " I'll become an alicorn someday."

" Heh... Such a pitiful response, and yet I knew you would say that."

" I will become an alicorn."

Ganondorf laughed and clenched his hand into a fist, revealing the Mark of the Triforce on the back of it. " This is what true power is like, child. You possess a portion of the power that I wield, yet you refuse to embrace it and instead fear it. You cannot understand what you have as you choose to live in fear all because of what you once were, a monster who had everything and cast it aside for nothing. You will soon realize that destiny is something that cannot be denied no matter how much you struggle against it. The only way to change destiny would be to go beyond expectations of mortality."

" What does that even mean?"

" It seems I have my answer already... as I was expecting."

" Huh!? What are you getting at now?"

Ganondorf lowered his hand and pointed his finger at me. My own hand then lurched forward and the Mark of the Triforce began to glow brightly. " This is the power you wield and it is one you shall soon embrace, child, whether you desire its blessings or not. To sever yourself from this destiny would involve death, a factor that you would never consider, the only means of giving up the golden power of the Triforce. When our next contest is upon us, I know you will have embraced courage and use its power accordingly. It is this that shall guide you to the ultimate mask. Do not betray my expectations."

His image then disappeared from my mind and I was plunged into an endless void of darkness with only my own body being a source of light. Every time I had an encounter with Ganondorf, my stress levels would get worse all because his words were getting to me. Some of the things he said this time did have a ring of truth to them and I for one wasn't about to deny them, yet I couldn't allow myself to be swayed otherwise I would become who I used to be, a monster who cared for nothing but power. Still, my desire to become an alicorn existed in my heart and was a dream I yearned for. It was a desire that burned the brightest of all within me.

And then there was what he said about the Triforce of Courage that dwelled within me.  Other than me sharing a portion of his power--such a thought made me want to throw up endlessly--he said I would embrace its power before our next contest. The reason I acquired it during my previous journey was because I displayed tremendous amounts of courage and overcame even the most incredible of odds that others would have fallen to. Did it mean that I was to succeed because I had courage on my side? Was I to acquire the ultimate mask because of my courage and control it? Ganondorf's words were confusing but also began making sense, a terrifying thought indeed.

Dawn of the Final Day - 24 Hours Remain.

I woke up not with a scream but rather as normal, Princess Twilight surprised that it happened that way given what usually happened when I slept. While my body definitely felt better after sleeping for what must have been eight hours--this was going to become a trend--my mind didn't feel the same way. Ganondorf's words still weighed down on me and I felt compelled to explain things to Her Highness. I was anticipating her not liking me agreeing with what Ganondorf said about my desire to become an alicorn but she needed know everything that happened within my subconscious.

Her Highness listened to my explanation without saying a word until I had finished. " I definitely don't like the idea of you agreeing with him on something, Sunset, as that's a sign that he could further manipulate you, but I appreciate you being honest with me."

" Guess being a princess is still something I want but have repressed it for so long."

" You just need to be patient with it, that's all." Twilight said. " I know you're worthy to become a princess as you've done so much since you changed your ways, but it will come when fate feels that you're ready. I know that probably isn't all that reassuring but it's the best I can give you."

I smiled. " Thanks, Twilight."

" I'm curious about what he said regarding that Triforce you have."

I held out my hand though the mark didn't appear. " I figured that the reason I got it is because of my courage and for doing things no one else would ever try. I risked my life for the safety of others and overcame incredible challenges to get to this point." I looked closely at my hand before lowering it down. " I figure that my courage will ensure my success in the future along with acquiring that mask." I looked at Princess Twilight who seemed confused at what I was saying. " I know not to rely on a mystical force because that's just being ignorant but you have to admit it does make a lot of sense when you think about it."

Princess Twilight shrugged her shoulders. " I suppose that's true but I wouldn't put too much thought into it. For now, I suggest continue on as you have done and not worry too much about what Ganondorf told you, but I must disagree about the ultimate mask. We should get the opinion of the final Great Fairy first as she supposedly knows more about this mask than the others do. That means rescuing the Stray Fairies hidden inside of the final temple."

" I'm not going there yet until I get some more masks and upgrades."

" Adagio said you need to be prepared for the coming trials."

" The question is how best to approach everything."

Princess Twilight floated back and forth for several seconds, thinking of an idea, and then suddenly flying in front of my face. " I know what you can do to start off. Adagio brought up the Curiosity Shop so why not go there and see what Iron Will has to offer? Now, I know you're not thrilled about paying him a visit because of what happened last time but remember that he doesn't recall the encounter as we've reset time on a few occasions."

" I did act like a jerk because of what I thought of his business."

" Yes." Twilight said. " Iron Will's shop may be sketchy at best but he isn't an evil person. It's like Adagio said, he has compassion in his heart despite what his appearance and actions suggest, but we should still be weary just in case."

" There's just one problem."

" What's that?"

" His shop doesn't open until 10:00pm at night and the sun just came up."

" Not to worry." Twilight said. " You can kill some time in Termina Field by farming for rupees--you need to put more into the bank--and when you're done, you can warp ahead to the evening by playing the Song of Double Time, a song you haven't tried yet or haven't used that often."

Good thing that I spoke to that scarecrow at the time about those secret melodies that related to the Song of Time. If I hadn't inquired about them--with the proper encouragement from one of the earlier Great Fairies--I'd have been forced to wait until tonight just to see Iron Will. I was beginning to understand how important the ocarina was despite not using it as much as I should have. The new songs that I had learned on my journey I had only played when they were needed leaving me struggling to remember how the notes went. I needed to play them more often so that they became ingrained in my mind.

Standing up and taking out my fish-bone guitar, I was about to play the Song of Soaring before quickly realizing that I couldn't warp away unless I was outside--this was a mechanic from my previous journey that I remembered and didn't appreciate--so I quickly walked outside to see that the ocean was as beautiful as ever thanks to it no longer being afflicted by the evil that had radiated from the temple. In my mind, the thought of the ocean going back to normal upon resetting time still bothered me along with Rarity losing both her eggs and voice, I knew it needed to be done.





" So what would like Tingle to do?" Pinkie Pie asked.

" We want you to display some laughter." Midnight Sparkle answered.

" Laughter? Is that all you want from Tingle?"

" Yes."

" I was actually expecting an impossible task that would surely have resulted in my untimely death." Pinkie Pie said. " Wow! Glad that isn't going to happen otherwise I would have refused your request and ran away as fast as my legs could carry me." Sunset Demon wasn't amused by her antics though Midnight Sparkle seemed impressed though there was no telling what she was thinking in her head. " So, you want Tingle to show off her humourous side? To be honest, I don't know too many jokes as I've spent my time creating maps to help out my father but I can use humour by relating it to my life."

Midnight Sparkle waved her hands indicating that she wasn't too picky. " Whatever works best for you. Remember, you need to show true honesty with your laughter otherwise we might think you were trying to deceive us. You should keep that in mind as my companion doesn't have the best of attitudes at times." She rubbed a nasty bruise on her neck that she received when Sunset Demon grabbed her earlier and threatened to kill her. " She has a very short temper so I suggest you get it right the first time."

Pinkie Pie then turned to face the she-demon to see if what she had just heard was true and the expression that came from the demon was true. Sunset Demon looked like she was about to lose control of her emotions and fly off into a fit of rage against anyone within her personal space, yet Pinkie put on a brave face knowing that a potential map sale was hanging in the balance should she please these strange creatures. She began thinking about how best to approach the situation but couldn't come up with anything so she thought deeper--even scrunching her head in hopes of coming up with an idea.

After looking like she was about to explode, Pinkie came up with something and threw confetti all around much to the surprise of the two demons. " I just came up with the most brilliant idea ever and it relates to what I just said about humour relating to my life. Tingle dresses the way she does because I believe that I can become a fairy one day just like Mrs. Fairy, yet my father says I should act my age, but why should Tingle? This outfit gives me a lot of comfort and it represents the fairy folk. Other people have said Tingle resembles a frog rather than a fairy but they are wrong. Tingle is the reincarnation of a fairy!"

Both Sunset Demon and Midnight Sparkle looked at each other in surprise before the former decided to speak out. " What in the world was that supposed to be?"

" That was Tingle's attempt at humour."

" It was pathetic!"

Pinkie Pie was shocked to say the least. " What? You think Tingle's humour was terrible?"

Sunset Demon nodded. " It's like you weren't even trying to pass yourself off as a comedian. My companion gave you a chance to display some humour but it seems that she was wrong to assume that you could deliver in response. I was thinking of using more persuasive measures but that would be wasting my time so how about I just kill you? I know it would mean losing one of the Elements of Harmony, but then you can easily be replaced. Laughter is the weakest of the Elements anyway since the others actually do something other than make it into a joke."

" Are you sure we should kill her?" Midnight Sparkle asked. " I could ask her to come up with something else."

Sunset Demon shook her head. " It's obvious to us that this map maker didn't live up to the potential that was expected of her. A shame really as the others all displayed characteristics of their Elements while she couldn't even muster up a basic joke." The she-demon walked over until she stood next to Pinkie Pie, raised her hand, it began to glow in a bright light, and raised it above Pinkie's head. " Besides, when Sunset Shimmer resets time, none of this is going to matter since everything will go back to normal before we even arrived. I had refrained myself from acting in such a manner but your lack of understanding condemned you."

" Normally, I wouldn't advise this but you do have your way with words."

" At least you understand now."

" In more ways than one."

Sunset Demon smiled cruelly. " I'll make this quick. I may not have the same strength I had before thanks to this world but I know that I can kill this pathetic excuse of a girl with just one chop to her head." The she-demon raised her hand again before dropping it only to have Pinkie catch it with her hand. " What!?" She tried to break free of the sudden grip placed upon her hand but she found herself unable to budge. " What's this? Why can't I break free of your grip? You couldn't possibly possess a hidden strength."

Midnight Sparkle wasn't amused. " Are you trying to be funny?"

" NO!"

" Really? Then I'm at a loss for words."

Pinkie Pie's face turned bright red, her eyes opened wide, and bared her teeth. " Do you think Tingle is weak? Worthless? Unable to hold her own in battle? Is that what you're saying!? I was trying my best to fulfill your request yet you treat Tingle in such a horrible manner!?" Her face turned a brighter red, her eyes became bloodshot, and her teeth grinded much to Sunset Demon's surprise and Midnight Sparkle's curiosity. " Ha! Anyone who thinks Tingle is weak is asking for their death wish!" Steam began spewing out from her nose--it was an unusual sight--like she was about to explode and her temper only continued to grow. " I'll make you regret mocking me!"

" What are you doing?" Sunset Demon asked.

" This is Tingle's angry face!"

" Didn't think you had in you."

" You angered Tingle and now you must pay!" Pinkie Pie shouted. " Come on! I'll teach you a lesson you won't soon forget!"

Sunset Demon turned her face away from Pinkie and began giggling to herself though she tried really hard not to, but then she turned back and burst into a hysterical bout of laughter that made her cry tears of darkness that burned the ground upon impact. Her laughter would continue on for several minutes, much to the surprise of Midnight Sparkle, but eventually stopped upon which Pinkie calmed down and released her grip on the she-demon before dropping to her knees. Sunset Demon quickly checked her hand to make sure it wasn't broken or anything before reaching down, grabbing Pinkie's outfit, and lifting her up.

" That worked out better than I had hoped."

" You wanted Tingle to get mad?"

Sunset Demon nodded. " Someone very close to me learned that someone just like you was capable of losing their patience were they to be mocked and would unleash their anger in a manner that makes it funny because they couldn't be serious about it. I knew that manipulating your emotions by threatening your life would result in you losing your temper, but you certainly gave me a surprise when you snatched my hand like that. Your little display just now was absolutely hilarious."

" Did Tingle pass your test?"

" It looks like you did." Midnight Sparkle answered.

" Yippee! Now Tingle will sell you one of her maps!"

" We did promise and so we shall."

Pinkie Pie then took out a selection of maps and dropped them on the ground. " Tingle has designed many maps as a means of helping out my father. Each one is intricately detailed so that you can find your way to any location you desire. So far, all of my maps have been a hit with customers with the exception of this one." She picked up a map that appeared to be covered in some dirt though she quickly rubbed it off before presenting it. " I don't know why no one wants it but if I were to make a guess, it would be because they were afraid of venturing to a place where the dead roam freely."

" Did you say 'the dead'?"

Pinkie Pie nodded. " Only the craziest of people would go there."

" Or someone dressed in green would."

" Mrs. Fairy might go there because she did look like she was ready for battle."

" Then we shall take that one."

" Forty rupees."

" Done."





After warping back to Clock Town from Great Bay, I immediately ran outside into Termina Field by taking the southern exit--the guard standing there didn't stop this time because of me being in an adult-shaped body as opposed to my regular and Deku Scrub bodies--and started cutting down clumps of grass in my bid to earn some rupees. I had no idea how many I needed because of not knowing what it was Iron Will was selling that Adagio said I would need but I wanted to make sure I had enough and not have to go back out to the field to collect some more in case I was short by a few.

It turned out that cut grass did not grow back unless I were to leave the area and come back again so I had to enter and exit Clock Town in rapid fashion several times over for the grass to reappear so I could use my sword to cut it down for rupees. I even defeated a large assortment of Chu-Chus that came too close earning additional rupees though my heart didn't enjoy it because they weren't really bothering me. To be honest, the process would have gone by a lot quicker had I just found some random treasure chest and collected whatever rupee rewards had been stashed within it.

If there was one good thing about doing all of this, it was the fact that I could collect more rupees now than I could before. If I hadn't deposited 200 rupees at the bank before setting off for Snowhead, I'd still be carrying around the basic wallet instead of the "Adult's Wallet" I received from Fleur Dis Lee as part of her special promotion. I still couldn't believe that she wanted me to deposit a grand total of 5,000 rupees in order to get another prize she has in addition to the wallet. You'd have to be downright insane to want to deposit that much without ever taking it back out unless you had a really good reason.

At the pace I was going, I'd need to go through several three day cycles dedicated only to earning rupees before I could reach that number. I guessed it was my fault for not being more diligent about it otherwise the amount would have been a lot less than what it actually was.

By the time I was finished with what amounted to "rupee grinding", I had amassed a total of about 120 rupees. I hoped that would be enough to purchase whatever Iron Will would be selling though part of me still had trouble trusting him all because his business was questionable. I recalled what happened when I visited his shop during an earlier cycle of time and learned how what he sold were goods stolen from other people. I grew mad at him because he had taken advantage of the unfortunate though now that I took Adagio's words into careful consideration, I realized that he was merely a middle-man, one who sold things without caring where it came from.

Still, why have your shop open late at night? Surely that would be enough to convince the town militia that something was strange about the whole premise, but I supposed they had their own problems what with dealing with the moon looming overhead and a town that was on edge because of said moon.

Once I was satisfied with the amount of rupees I had collected, I grabbed my face, took off the Zora Mask, and flipped back my hair--I didn't want to deal with Iron Will as a Zora as I would have looked completely out of place--before taking out the Ocarina of Time from the pouch on my belt. I took a few moments to remember how the Song of Double Time was supposed to work before playing it and desiring to move time forward until it was around 10:00pm that night. The magic of the song then swirled about me and I felt like throwing up because of how strange I felt but just like that, nightfall had come.

Night of the Final Day - 8 Hours Remain.

While I didn't want to skip several hours just because of wanting to visit one shop, time was once again not on my side. I felt saddened knowing that my hard work throughout the past three days would be destroyed upon resetting time but it was something I had to accept. At least I had the information of all my accomplishments recorded in the notebook I had received from Sonata when she changed me back to normal so I didn't have to worry very much--the pain was still pretty real though.

Running back into town and to the west side, I made my way over to the Curiosity Shop, opened the door, and went inside where I became surrounded by the knick-knaks that were scattered all about. If there was one thing I didn't want to see again more than Iron Will, it was his junk though in his eyes it was treasure that could be sold off to make a profit.

Standing behind the counter was Iron Will himself yet it was the strange bag on the counter that piqued my interest. " Come in!" He waved his hand to signal that he wanted me to come closer so I walked forward until I stood across the counter. " You picked a weird night to come here what with the moon falling and all, but it's none of my business to tell you how you live your life. Now, do you happen to have something you'd be willing to sell to me? I will pay you a lot of money, I kid you not."

I knew I was interested in the bag but my brain was interested in something else. " Do you happen to be selling a mask?"

Iron Will was taken aback. " A mask!? I was plannin' on selling it tonight but something else came up instead, I kid you not. Anyway, let me ask you again. Do you happen to have something you'd be willing to sell to me? It doesn't matter what it is so long as you are willing." I shrugged my shoulders in response causing him to frown though he quickly changed his tune when he looked over at the bag that was next to him. " Well, perhaps the opposite is true and you want to buy something from me."

" What is it?"

" I'm doin' a special sale. Come check it out!"

" Okay..."

" Tonight's special bargain was stolen from the Old Lady who resides in the Bomb Shop further up the path." Iron Will said. " I did not steal this bargain from her, I kid you not, but rather it was the work of a greedy thief who thought she could swindle me. She sold it to me and demanded a ridiculous amount of money in the process but I wasn't about to let her order me around so I forced her to accept the amount I would take."

" What did she want for it?"

" 150 rupees."

" Seriously!?"

Iron Will nodded. " No way was I going to pay her that much so I dropped it down to 50 rupees, I kid you not." Iron Will answered. " She threatened me all because I was dealing with stolen goods but I am just a middleman doing his business. I don't care where the items come from so long as they can be sold. Sometimes, I wish that I didn't have to deal with her so much given how vexing she can be, but she does come by often and delivers."

" Am I to assume that this is a Bomb Bag?"

" Yes."

" Thing is, I already have one." I said as I pointed to the Bomb Bag on my belt.

" What you have there is the smallest sized bag and judging from your face, you wish that you could have more bombs, right?" Iron Will asked. The expression on his face by that point was really creepy and I had every mind to walk out on him, but I needed to give him a chance so I nodded. He clapped his hands together, reached over and grabbed the bag, and pulled it closer to me. " This Bomb Bag holds more bombs than that one of yours does so if you happen to enjoy tossing them about then this is for you, I kid you not. Given what's going on outside, I'd rather take care of this quickly just in case something weird happens."

I stared at the Bomb Bag in his hand. It had a silver rim around the top while my current one had a bronze rim. While I hadn't used bombs all that much since leaving Snowhead, I didn't want to have to rely on using the Blast Mask since that inflicted damage to me. " Okay, you've gotten me interested in your item." I said. " But, I will only pay you within the actual price that is sold over at the Bomb Shop. I've no intentional of being cheated out of a potential item I need."

Iron Will smiled. " Ah, you're a true business woman. Very well. I shall sell you this Larger Bomb Bag for 100 rupees. They sell it over at the Bomb Shop usually for 90 rupees but I am sure that will be okay with you."

" I'll take it."

" Huh? You will?"

I nodded. " Given what's going on outside right now, I doubt that any of us are going to live to see the next sunrise, so I might as well buy it while I can and use it to my heart's content before everything comes to an end."

" Works for me!" Iron Will said. I handed over the 100 rupees--I am so glad that I grinded outside in Termina Field--and he in turn handed over the Bomb Bag. " You can hold up to thirty bombs in that bag as opposed to the twenty your old one could hold. Why don't you leave that old one on the counter? I'm sure someone else will come in here looking to buy one and I can sell it to them for a slightly less amount." While his morals were questionable, he did have a good point about my old Bomb Bag no longer being needed on my person. I placed it on the counter and he took it aside. " By the way, you can buy an even larger Bomb Bag somewhere out there, I kid you not."

" Do you know where?"

Iron Will shrugged his shoulders. " All I know is that one of those Business Scrubs sells one though since they all look the same, it's next to impossible to figure out which one of them has it, I kid you not. If I were to take a random guess, I'd say the one who operates in the mountains would be your best bet."

Thanking him for everything, I walked out of the Curiosity Shop and looked down at my new Bomb Bag. Sure, it was stolen goods given that the Bomb Shop was supposed to have been selling it, but since I purchased it rather than some shady person, I had essentially mitigated the robbery that occurred earlier. Iron Will's regular customer that he mentioned earlier was no doubt Lightning Dust, the prancing woman who robbed the Old Lady when she walked through North Clock Town--though I prevented it during a previous cycle--yet it appeared that not stopping her resulted in Iron Will selling the Bomb Bag.

I needed to stop the robbery for him to sell that mask but I also needed 500 rupees and my current wallet wasn't enough. I needed to find out where I could get my hands on the largest wallet available in Termina. Speaking of money, I walked back into South Clock Town to deposit the remaining rupees at the bank otherwise they would be lost upon resetting time--I really needed to deposit more money there to get that other reward--and upon finishing my business, I took out the Ocarina of Time, played the Song of Time, and began to get pulled back through time's flow while loose objects flung themselves from my body.

Dawn of the First Day - 72 Hours Remain.

The instant I regained my composure, I looked up at the moon and saw that it was back at its highest point, indicating that time had once again started over. My heart wept because my hard work in Great Bay had now gone back to how it was before I arrived, yet my brain told me to continue. Since I planned on visiting the two cursed houses because Adagio said it would give me a mask and more wealth, having extra time would prove beneficial so I played the Inverted Song of Time to slow down everything around me--I was really glad that I learned about that secret from the scarecrow.

" That worked out better than I thought."

" You handled Iron Will much better compared to what you did before." Twilight said. " Though why did you agree to pay the 100 rupees? The Bomb Bag was only 90 rupees and was stolen goods so essentially, you robbed yourself a little bit."

" Ten rupees wasn't really much of a difference."

" So it wasn't the principle of the thing then for you?"

I shook my head. " It was my own way of making it up to Iron Will after the way I treated him last time. Sure, his business is questionable at best and borders on being downright illegal but he only acts as a middleman and doesn't know where the items he gets come from. At least he chewed out Lightning Dust for trying to scam him when she wanted a ridiculous amount for the bag. To be honest, I was hoping he was going to sell me that mask."

" That wasn't going to happen."

" How do you figure that?"

" Iron Will had that mask for sale because you prevented Lightning Dust from robbing the Old Lady from the Bomb Shop." Twilight answered. " Because he wasn't able to sell you a stolen Bomb Bag, he had to go with the next best thing, that being the mask. Besides, even if he was selling that mask instead, you wouldn't have been able to afford it because the price for it was far more than what can be placed in your wallet."

Princess Twilight was once again correct. My wallet at the time could only hold 99 rupees--children's wallets were limited--while the mask itself was worth 500 rupees. There was no way Iron Will was going to sell it for any less than that, and it meant I needed to upgrade my current wallet to the largest size possible. I had an idea as to where I could get one thanks to Adagio mentioning it. I had to go to those cursed houses in both Woodfall and Great Bay. I had no idea which one would give me a mask or great wealth so that meant going to both and finding a way to break both curses within a limited amount of time, again according to what Adagio said.

" Where should we go next?"

" You have plenty of options."

" Such as?"

" Let me list them off for you." Twilight answered. " You could go to the Town Shooting Gallery to get a bigger quiver, the Milk Bar to help out Miss Pommel with that sound check though it involves going there at night, checking out those cursed houses, trying some other games available around town, leave town and deal with the Gorman Sisters, or go and pay a visit to the mayor's residence."

" What was that last one?"

" Visiting the mayor."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. " Twilight... We went there early on this journey and we couldn't do anything to stop Mayor Mare and those other people from arguing over whether they should flee town or host the Carnival of Time. I don't think going back there to see it all again will give us a better incentive to figure it out."

Princess Twilight's face lit up. " I wasn't talking about that."

" Oh? Then what?"

" There was another door in Mayor Mare's office we never entered so why not go there?"

Of all the choices Princess Twilight provided, she would insist on going to the one place where authority resided. Heh... That was just like of Her Highness to want to go somewhere like that. While I wanted to go to one of the other places, information was also something I needed so that I could better prepare myself for the coming trials. Besides, it probably wouldn't be a long conversation anyway as I was certain that Mayor Mare's husband--we knew she had one in this world because it had been brought to our attention several times--had better things to do than to speak to a child who pranced about in green cloth.

It took me a few moments to remember the exact location of the mayor's residence--it had been a very long time since I was last there--and upon recalling where to go, I decided to simply walk over there instead of run. After all, I could slow down time to give me more freedom to get things done rather than be on a strict time limit. I could also get a better look at all the different shops I had often ignored because of not knowing more about them.

Heading into East Clock Town by walking down to the southern entrance and heading left, I looked at the different shops and concluded that this part of town was akin to an entertainment district what with how many game shops there were. Aside from the Town Shooting Gallery, indicated by a large Octorok motif above the door, other shops included "Honey and Darling's Shop", that featured a new challenge every day, a "Treasure Chest Shop" that was in the shape of a chest, the "Stock Pot Inn" where visitors could spend the night before moving on to their next destination, and the mayor's residence.

The mayor's residence was located at the north end of East Clock Town so I walked along the path, avoiding one of the Bombers, who seemed to be acting weird around me for some reason like he had something he wanted to say. I thought about talking to him but chose not to in case he thought me weird because I wasn't part of their group. Leaving him to deal with his own problems, I entered the mayor's residence and came face to face with a woman who seemed very colorful in terms of her mannerisms. If I didn't know any better, I could swear that she was trying to flirt with me.

I asked her who resided in the room to the right--her left--of her desk since I already knew who resided in the other room. She told me that this other room was Monsieur Aroma's office and that he was currently busy dealing with both business regarding the carnival and a personal crisis. I could go inside and speak to him though the woman suggested that I might not get a chance since Monsieur Aroma was expecting another person to come by later.

Since I only needed to speak to him for a couple of minutes anyway, I could easily squeeze myself in-between his other contacts without disrupting his schedule. Walking over to the door, I was about to reach for the doorknob and open it when Princess Twilight began bopping me on the head.

" Why don't we peek through the keyhole first, Sunset?"

" Good idea. I don't want to go in there without knowing who could be on the other side."

" Just be sure that woman over there doesn't view it as weird."

" To be honest, she really creeps me out." I said. Looking through the keyhole, I could barely make out Miss Pommel sitting on a chair in one corner of the room, but it was the fairly large man sitting in the next seat who proved very surprising. " Is that Monsieur Aroma!? He's huge!"

Princess Twilight looked through the keyhole to see for herself. " No wonder you said that, Sunset. That's Troubleshoes!"

" Who?"

" I've not met him in person but Applejack--the pony version--told me about him when she came back from Appleloosa." Twilight answered. " He's a pony who had been cursed with bad luck because he believed his cutie mark was wrong--it was in the shape of a horseshoe--and caused destruction every time there was a rodeo over in Appleloosa. He was mistreated and was viewed as a menace but thanks to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, he was able to embrace the special talent his cutie mark represented, being a clown who made other ponies happy with his antics."

" And there he is as the husband to the mayor."

" This world continues to be full of surprises."

" Shall we go in?"

Princess Twilight nodded. " Yes."

Opening the door, I walked inside only for both Troubleshoes and Miss Pommel to look at me with cold expressions at first but quickly smiled before they continued talking with each other--I couldn't understand what they were talking about but it looked serious given how Troubleshoes constantly lowered his head in disappointment. I thought about interrupting them but chose not to in case either of them took offence. They would continue with their conversation for few more minutes before Miss Pommel began reading a magazine she had been holding in her hand when I first came in while Troubleshoes turned his attention towards me.

He looked me over a couple of times, making me feel slightly uneasy, before he began talking. " It's not everyday that a child comes in here to speak with me directly on their own without an adult supervising them. Are you here on a field trip?" I tried shaking my head to indicate no yet Troubleshoes ignored me an kept talking. " This is my office though it doesn't get as many visitors as my wife does. Unless you are here to talk about potential carnival performances, then please go to the front desk and make an appointment."

I shook my head. " I'm not here for an appointment."

" Really? Well that's a relief."

" I came here looking for information."

Troubleshoes ignored my words again before lurching closer to me making me feel uneasy. " Could it be... Are you the expert person-finder I hired? Hmmm... You're a lot younger than what I was expecting but I suppose beggars can't be choosers."

Did he just call me a "person-finder"? I had no idea what Troubleshoes was talking about but it sounded like he was confusing me with someone else. It was beginning to appear that my desire for information was being thrown under the bus and I was being dragged into something that had nothing to do with me. He continued looking at me as though he were expecting me to confirm that his suspicion was correct yet I couldn't nod as I wasn't the one he was waiting for. How could anyone confuse me, a person armed with a sword and shield, for some kind of detective?

I had to tell him straight. " Sorry, but you've mistaken me for someone else."

Once again, he ignored what I had to say. " Yes, you are indeed the one I hired. I won't question why it took you so long to get here but at least you made it. The others I hired all failed to turn up anything but perhaps you will be able to succeed where they have failed." He leaned back on his chair and reached out for the bookshelf behind him before picking up a mask that had been on the shelf--I never noticed it being there until now--and placing it on his lap. " You definitely have the characteristics I've been searching for, a face of a true professional. I know I'm right about this because you have that desire burning on your face."

" Um..." I said, trying to come up with an excuse. I needed that mask but how could I get it without agreeing to his request? That's when I realized that I had to go along with this ridiculous notion of me being a "person-finder". Knowing there was no other choice--the mask was top priority--I sighed and resigned myself to this ridiculous fate. " Yes, I'm the one you've been waiting for though my appearance can be misleading to some." I felt utterly humiliated after saying all of that. " What do you need from me?"

" The person I want you to locate is my son, Kafei." Troubleshoes said. " He has been missing for about a month now and all attempts at finding him have failed. The weird thing is that he was supposed to be getting married one the day after the Carnival of Time to the daughter of the Stock Pot Inn's owner, yet he just vanishes into thin air leaving his fiancé without a groom and her family on my case as they think he has stood her up."

" Sorry to hear that."

Troubleshoes rubbed the bridge of his nose. " I didn't mean to take my aggression out on you."

" Who is Kafei?"

Troubleshoes was shocked. " You know him, my son, Kafei, don't you?" I shook my head and he was shocked again. " You don't? Really? I was to assume that everyone knew about him given that he is the son of the mayor of Clock Town. Well, I suppose it doesn't really matter considering you're here and all. As I mentioned already, my son disappeared about a month ago and it's gotten me worried to no end. Just look at me!"

I looked at him and didn't see anything wrong. " You look fine."

" I most certainly don't!"

" If you say so."

" I can't get food down my throat and I've lost five pounds though I'm sure it's more." Troubleshoes said. " If this keeps up I'm likely to waste away to nothing. Anyway, this is where you come in. I want you to find out what has happened to Kafei."

" Is that it?"

Troubleshoes shook his head. " I want to you to present me with any information about his whereabouts. I don't care what it is so long as it is from him. Before you leave, I want you to take this mask. It's in the shape of my son's head hence why I call it Kafei's Mask. You need to wear this mask in front of as many people in Clock Town as possible to learn all you can about where Kafei could be. I doubt everyone will be willing to talk but I am hoping they will be considerate and speak up."

He handed over the mask and I took a closer look at it. It had blue coloured hair with a rather unusual hair style--it looked really stupid in my honest opinion yet I kept quiet so as to not offend Troubleshoes--yet the face itself was simply a pale complexion with three dots--one for the mouth and two for the eyes--leaving me to think that this wasn't the best interpretation of this missing character. Despite my hesitation towards getting involved to begin with, I had acquired another mask to add to my collection, and moving one step closer to getting the ultimate mask even though I had doubts over it.

Promising Troubleshoes that I would do a good job, I was about to turn around and leave when the door to his office suddenly swung open, and standing there in the doorway was none other than Big Macintosh, who seemed very annoyed given his expression. His attire told me that he was some kind of big shot and reminded me of what he wore when I encountered him during my previous journey. Knowing that things were about to become very testy, I retreated to the corner, choosing to stick around to see how things would pan out as it looked like he was going to have some choice words for Troubleshoes.

" Monsieur Aroma! I am Gorman!" Big Macintosh said boldly. " Your receptionist allowed me to enter your office when I told her that I had an appointment with you though I don't see why I had to wait this long just to get an audience with you."

" My apologies for the delay, Gorman, but I've been getting swamped with so much lately."

" You're a busy man much like your wife."

" If only that were true."

" What do you mean?"

" My wife has been stuck in that meeting next door ever since we opened this morning." Troubleshoes answered. " This is the third day in a row that the representatives of the Carnival Committee and the Town Militia have been arguing with each other, and my wife just can't seem to figure out a way to end their bickering. If only she could find some inspiration then she could get them to give it a rest. Something like say, a couple getting married for example."

" Ahem... Well... In any case, it has been some time now."

" Yes, it has. Now, why did you want to see me?"

Big Macintosh walked towards Troubleshoes stopping mere steps from his chair. " I wanted to say thank you for allowing my troupe to perform at this year's Carnival of Time. I was also hoping to go over some last minute details regarding our opening act."

"  Oh dear... Gorman, I'm afraid there has been a change of plans."

" Really? Granted, the opening act by my troupe was created at the last minute, but I suppose we could rely on a classic performance..."

" It involves the performance..."

Big Macintosh looked confused. " I don't quite follow."

" They've canceled. In fact, they canceled when the mayor's residence opened for business."

Big Macintosh began glowing bright red, his teeth were clenching, and looked like he was about to explode. " What!? Are you being serious, Monsieur Aroma!? Please tell me this is nothing but a prank in an attempt to test my patience." Troubleshoes shook his head slowly and Big Macintosh was completely beside himself. " Why has the carnival been cancelled without warning?"

Troubleshoes breathed heavily. " Let me explain things. The Town Militia believe that we should flee Clock Town before the moon above us crashes into town and destroys everything in its destructive path. From there it goes into a lot of detail that would take far too long for me to explain it so I'll give you a basic summary. The performance this year has been canceled and will not be happening."

" No... It can't be true."

" It is."

Big Macintosh slammed both fists onto Troubleshoes' desk, startling everyone in the room. " This is an outrage! Why would they cancel the carnival all because of what those idiot soldiers say about the moon!? Monsieur Aroma... You must be joking! I've come all this way with my troupe to perform and now I have to tell them that they aren't going to be doing anything because it's been canceled!?"

" I am not joking."

" GAH! How could this have happened!?"

" That's enough, Gorman." Troubleshoes said. " The decision has been made and will stand whether you like it or not. There will always be next year provided that we all live to make it given what's falling from on high. I'd love to continue with this conversation but I have more important things to take care of."

When Troubleshoes said that, I immediately bolted for the door just in case Big Macintosh was about to lose it even further. When I closed the door and was back in the hallway of the mayor's residence, a loud scream came from the other side, causing the receptionist to run over to see what happened. I knew Big Macintosh could lose his temper given that he had to deal with trouble that both Applejack and Apple Bloom created as a result of their actions, but I never guessed he would explode in such a fierce manner. It was like I had watched a completely different person in there as opposed to who lived at Sweet Apple Acres.

I did have sympathy for him because of his situation. I'd have done something similar if someone had told me that my troupe couldn't perform because the show had been canceled for reasons they didn't understand. Who knew what he was going to say to them but I hoped he wouldn't do something and regret it later on. Troubleshoes didn't mean to make him upset and was in quite the bind since he was the bearer of bad news, yet I must admit he remained calm despite having a screaming man in his face.

Leaving the mayor's residence, I began to ponder over my next course of action and decided to get a larger quiver. Since I had run out of arrows on many occasions due to the heavy reliance I had with my bow, getting a larger quiver was an ideal decision. I had no idea what kind of challenge I had to accomplish to acquire it but I wasn't going to rest until it was done even it meant spending a small fortune in rupees. Before entering the Town Shooting Gallery, I quickly ran outside the eastern gate--the guard once again stopped me because he needed to see my sword--and cut down clumps of grass until I had about 60 rupees.

Running back into Clock Town and turning left, I walked over to the Town Shooting Gallery, opened the door, and went inside where I came face to face with a large pool of water with a counter between me and it. I had never seen anything like this before, even at official archery tournaments, but perhaps this was common practice in Termina? I couldn't see anything lurking about below the surface yet there was some kind of presence that made me feel really uneasy.

" Welcome to Clock Town's famous Shooting Gallery!" I almost jumped out of my boots when the owner of the place suddenly called out but I refrained from doing so and turned to face him only to see he wasn't anyone I knew. " It's not often a child comes in here to play but as long as you've got rupees, it doesn't really matter how young you are. I can tell that you have a burning passion in your eyes, one dedicated to shooting targets, am I right?"

" I have been using a bow an awful lot, yes." I answered.

" Right! Then this here is the game for you."

" How do I play?"

" First, you need to pay 20 rupees for one game." The man answered. I handed over some rupees and watched him pocket them. " Now then. Octoroks are going to pop out of the water and hitting them is how you win, but you need to hit red ones to score points as hitting blue ones will take away time. You'll have roughly fifty seconds to hit as many as you can and you'll have unlimited arrows."

" Sounds simple enough."

The man laughed. " Perhaps but the Octorok pop up in different formations and don't stick around for very long. You've got to be quick if you want those points. Oh, and don't worry about fearing you'll be attacked by them as that won't happen. These Octorok have been trained by me personally to never attack so there's no need to freak out or anything. If you can score 39 points or more then I'll give you something nice, and if you manage to get a perfect score, I'll throw in an additional prize. Judging from your appearance, I'd say getting the perfect score might be out of your reach."

I frowned in response but allowed it to slide. " Can I play now?"

" By all means."

I walked up to the counter, took out the Hero's Bow, and nocked an arrow. " Ready."

" The game begins when the whistle blows."

Raising my bow and assuming a stance, I waited for the whistle to sound off--it was pretty nerve-wracking--and when it did, the first set of Octoroks popped out of the water, and my first reaction was to defend myself as I though they were going to shoot rocks at me from their mouths. Instead, they simply floated there on the surface, waiting for me to shoot them down with arrows. I quickly recovered and shot each one before any could drop back down below the surface. Another three appeared with one being blue in colour compared with the other two who were red. Recalling what the man said, blue was bad so I only picked off the red ones.

This sequence would get more difficult as the game progressed with some Octoroks appearing behind others, preventing me from hitting unless I took out the ones in front first, and even then that involved avoiding the blue Octoroks. Five then suddenly popped up in a plus-sign formation with all of them being red with the exception of a single blue on the far right so I avoided it and shot arrows though I couldn't get to all of them in time. I was fortunate in that I had an unlimited amount of arrows otherwise my shots would had to have been perfect every time, something I still had problems with.

It also became apparent that the further the mini-game progressed, the more Octoroks would come out with each formation. One group in particular that popped out of the water consisted of seven Octoroks with only one of them red and the rest blue. This one red happened to be in the top left corner so I struggled in shooting it down. I fired a dozen arrows in rapid fashion with most missing my target and breaking into pieces upon contact with the back wall. I accidentally hit one of the blue ones which meant time was taken away and when I finally hit the red one, the rest went back down only for seven more to appear.

Perhaps I should have practiced more so as to be able to shoot targets quickly instead of wasting seconds trying to come up with a strategy. This next group had blue Octoroks on each corner with the three in the middle being red, an easier formation so I managed to shoot them all, yet when the next group appeared, they had a much different formation. Now the red ones were in a diagonal line from top right to bottom left with the blue ones occupying every other possible space aside from the bottom right. Now I was beginning to understand why the man said I wouldn't be able to get a perfect score. They were popping up way too fast for me to shoot them with arrows.

After what felt like an agonizing fifty seconds, one more formation popped up of nine Octoroks and aside from the blue one in the middle, the other eight were red--most likely to give me a last-ditch effort to earn enough points--so I began shooting arrows at them only for a whistle to echo about. I looked at what Octoroks remained in the water and I felt dejected as there were four left that sank back down below the surface. (1.)

" That was certainly an interesting performance." The man said. " I've never seen anyone shoot arrows the way you do."

" Guess I still need some practice."

" Not many can fire arrows at such a rapid pace."

" Really?"

The man nodded. " It takes either someone whose absolutely crazy or has impeccable skill to be able to do that. I see you as being a mixture of the two but don't see my words as an insult but rather as a form of constructive criticism. Just give me a moment to tally up your score." He began writing something down on some paper he had next to him and I began to feel nervous wondering if I had succeeded or failed because of my questionable skill. " Now would you look at that? You managed to score forty points. To be honest, it looked like you were going to score even less but guess I was wrong."

I was just as surprised as he was. " I actually did it!?"

" Yep."

" Must have been luck."

" Whatever it was, it served you pretty well. Not bad for your first attempt at this game." The man said. I walked over to the counter after putting my bow away and he reached up for a shelf before taking down what appeared to be a large quiver. " I did say I'd give you a prize for scoring 39 points or more so here it is. This here Large Quiver can hold more arrows in it than your current one does. It can hold forty arrows as opposed to thirty and it has this silver rim on it that looks so much nice than that bronze one your current one has. Let me take that old quiver off your hands and in return you get a better one."

The man handed over the Large Quiver after I gave him my old one in exchange, and I couldn't believe that I succeeded in completing that challenge. Sure, I didn't get a perfect score but then it wasn't my intention to get a perfect, but at least having this new quiver around meant not having to worry about running out of arrows especially during a tough situation. It would be nice if I could get my hands on an even bigger quiver but I was satisfied with this one.

Placing the quiver on my back by slinging the strap over me, I turned and was about to leave the Town Shooting Gallery when the man suddenly coughed to grab my attention. I thought he was going to make me pay some kind of hefty fine for doing something wrong so when I turned around to look at him, he was smiling from ear to ear, and I was confused by his choice of mannerisms.

" Is something wrong?"

" I forgot to promote the other gallery via advertisement."

Did he just say "other gallery"!? I thought there was only one shooting gallery in Termina, not two. " There's another gallery?"

The man nodded. " It's not as well known as this one because of where it is, but the Swamp Shooting Gallery has its own unique challenge that can be just as difficult as the one I have around here. You can find the place on the way to the Southern Swamp yet you need to go off the beaten path if you want to find it. The guy who runs it happens to be a friend of mine though his thick accent does make it difficult for people to understand him. Oh, and if you happen to be a fishing fanatic, there's a fishing pond next to the gallery though I don't know what kind of fish they have in there."

Thanking him for the additional information, I walked out of the Town Shooting Gallery, and into the street where I immediately stopped so that I could think about my next course of action. I had a lot of different things I could do before resetting time but I had no idea what order I should tackle them in. Staying in town would allow me to help Miss Pommel with that sound check she mentioned but then that would deny me a chance to check out those cursed houses in Woodfall and Great Bay respectively. Combined with now having to look for someone in town whom I've never seen before, I was starting to get overwhelmed again.

I had about six different tasks to take off and I couldn't decide on what to do. While this wasn't as stressful as say fighting against a powerful monster, it was still pretty stressful and one that could cause me to suffer from a mental breakdown. Gah! Which task should I handle first?

(1.) I chose to have Sunset face my own custom formations, different from what the actual mini-game does.