The first thing to return to Link was his hearing… which was greeted by the sound of beeping.
The second thing to come back to him is his sight, as his blurry eyes actually started to see white… only for him to realize it is a white ceiling that he is looking at.
Link tried to rid himself of the spots in his eyes by repeatedly blinking… after which he pushed himself into a sitting position, groaning as he slowly moved to his place.
“How’d I get here? W-what that all a dream?” Link questioned himself vocally as he raised his hand to look at it. “Nope... I’m still here... in pony land.”
Link slowly sighed at this realization, right before noticing the triforce symbol marking the dorso of his hand.
“Wait… where are my clothes?” He asked himself as he realized that he was feeling drafty… and wearing an hospital gown that was a few inches too short for him, haphazardly joined with another one by a hurried sewing job. “Ah yes, the Manticore fight, it must've poisoned me somehow, why else would I have that crazy dr-”
At that moment, Link was interrupted from his conversation with himself, by something that landed in his lap before he could finish that sentence.
Turning his head down, Link raised an eyebrow as he reached over to pick it up and examine it up closely. It was a coin to be precise - which had on one side The Batters’ face, while on the flip-side had his strange crocodile form with his Add-Ons melting in the background.
Link sighed out loudly in frustration, will this day got any worse?
‘What should I do until then?’Link asked himself inwardly, while still deep in thought, scratching his chin concentration. ‘... Well, besides being Ponyville’s current forced protector? Maybe I should finally answer the sun princess’s calls? I mean, she’s been searching for me for ten years - no doubt she’ll be asking me why I’ve been avoiding her all those years.’
The groaning sound of the door opening in his room broke Link out of his train of thoughts.
Turning to see who had entered, Link saw a surprised dark-grey unicorn who was sporting an aging light-gray mane, her butt tattoo revealing itself to be a band-aid as she turned to greet him.
“Oh! You’re awake,” she said as she approached him, “we were afraid we wouldn’t be able to save you - you were a bloody mess when they brought you in.” She added with a noticeable amount of relief in her voice and face.
“How long have I been out?” Link asked with slight worry in his voice.
“A week.” She said.
“A week!?” Link yelled in surprise and shock, startling her by the volume of Link’s surprised response. Rising out of the cot, he quickly looked out the window…
Only to see Ponyville still in one piece.
‘This couldn’t be right, nothing has been damaged as if there hasn’t been a monster attack.’ Link thought to himself in shock, as he looked at the winter landscape greeting him outside the window.
“... Yes, a week... is something wrong?” She asked with confusion on her face.
Link looked again through the window, only to see once again, the town at peace… disbelief drawn up on his face.
“There hasn’t been any monster attacks? All week?” Link asked incredulously at the mare, who simply smiled at him in answer.
“Oh, don’t you worry, Princess Celestia has been keeping them at bay with the Royal Guard. Poor Princess, she’s been hard at work protecting us while you were asleep.” She approached Link as he kept his sights outside the window, making him turn to face her as she rose on her hind hooves to place her forehoof on his shoulder.
“I can see why she keeps asking about you. Although why you kept avoiding our princess is another question...” She said, her eyes showing disbelief at such a thing actually happening.
Link sighed softly before burying his face with his hands, then talking through his hands, “because I didn’t want to be known...” he said before going silent for a few seconds, “I’ve preferred being alone.”
“No one should be alone.” She said with a serene smile as she looked upon me kindly.
‘In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting to be treated as if I was one of them. She’s not asking what species I am, or where I'm from… did I waste ten year of my life because of senseless paranoia? I am feeling so stupid right now - and here I thought they would treat me like an outcast on sight.’
“Hey… uh… could you give me back my leather satchel? It’s got my things in it.” Link asked her purposefully, as he not only wanted her to change the subject, but also bought him time to be alone with his thoughts.
“Of course, I’ll go and get your gear for you.” the unicorn said warmly before she left the room - and him - alone with his thoughts and the silence of the room.
‘I think it's a good opportunity and the best time to change my life a bit for the better.’ Link reflected on his possible change of fortune, ‘maybe even try to get myself a nice home, trying to make the best of my situation until I find a way back home.’ His spirits lifted considerably as he realized this, ‘Heh, maybe Princess Celestia can help me? I really, really hope so, I want to see how is my family doing so badly.’
‘For now,’ Link thought to himself, ‘I have a lot on my mind as of now, and until I get a final answer concerning my way back to home, I’ll take this new responsibility now laying in my hands. For as much as I am needed, I will do my best to try and protect this town and anything that Celestia wishes of me…’ He felt a sense of satisfaction that wasn’t there before, plus a feeling of fulfillment, right as he thought ‘it will give me something to do, to use my powers for good.’
A while later, she returned with Links’ clothing, pouches and the rest of his things - all in the grip of her magic - as she moved it towards him, with Link reaching up and taking them before placing them on the cot.
“Thanks” he said with a smile. I needed to keep this with me at all costs, it would have been really bad if anypony managed to get my equipment out of my pouch’s pocket dimension.
“Ok, we’re done here… but before we allow you to relax… the Princess is here to see the hero who saved that little filly, and she wishes to congratulate him,” the nurse explained with a warm smile and a wink, before leaving the room.
As the nurse left the room, she opened the door and said “he’s ready to see you, your Highness” before letting inside a tall slender mare with a white coat, a rainbow mane and tail that moved without wind, and a stylised sun on her flanks - not that he was looking that hard at it or anything - before the realization of what he was paying attention to entered his mind, causing him to look away in embarrassment.
This must be Princess Celestia, as she was portrayed in that history book, and she was sporting a large, warm smile on her lips... and a knowing look in her eye, that Link felt was a little too mischievous for his comfort.
On her forehead was a large and sharp looking horn, and folded at her sides where wings that looked like they might have belonged on a swan rather than a pony.
As she moved, Link noticed that she hadn’t come alone… since a little filly was trying hard to not be noticed by him - which was rather odd to be honest - only to realize…
‘Why does she have scales and fangs, along with a wolf-like muzzle and tail in her pony body?’, Link wondered in awe as he looked at her - who, pretty much like Celestia - also sported a pair of wings and a horn, with her mane and wolf tail flowing like a constant night.
Her coat was midnight blue, with dark purple patches over her fur, while her eyes were blue-green as she stared shyly at him from her perch behind the large pony.
As Link observed her further, he noticed that there were discreet green markings all over her face and barrel - making her look like that game he loved to play when a teen, the wolf Okami… only with a dash of Link’s wolf form from Twilight Princess.
On her back, though… there were night blue and sun yellow flames floating above her back and around…
The Twilight mirror!? he screamed internally in shock, his eyes widening slightly at the implications.
Despite the strangeness of the child next to the Princess, she looked rather adorable… especially as she tried to hide behind Celestia’s hind leg with an effort.
“Greetings, hero of the Everfree. I am Princess Celestia Caelum Australis Everfree; and this charming filly is my niece... Princess Trinity.” Celestia introduced herself as she shifted aside to fully reveal the filly - whos’ eyes widened in surprise as she noticed her hiding spot had moved aside - showing her in full. She quickly hid back behind Celestia’s hind leg.
Celestia chuckled warmly, “it seems she is a little shy at the moment,” before turning her gaze back to Link’s face, right as she smiled, saying, “I wanted to thank you personally, for helping my subjects when they got lost in the forest… all this week I feared I would never get the chance to thank you in person.”
“To be honest, I only watched over them to be sure they made it. The forest’s magic did the rest.” Link said.
Link turned his sights back at the young hybrid filly, as he wondered…
‘Why does she have the mirror of twilight on her back? Was she a displaced much like himself? But he shrugged the thought aside, considering ‘No, that wouldn’t explain the part about her being Celestia’s niece. There is something strange going on here…’
Afterwards the Princess asked Link as many questions as possible, about who he was? Where he was from? And if he had a place stay. Needless to say at the last question Celestia rose an eyebrow at his answer and then an offered a room in the palace.
Now Link isn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth…. Pun unintended.
After Celestia and Trinity left, the next people to visit, was the yellow filly and her parents.
“How are you feeling?” The mother asked.
“A little sore, but i’m doing alright.” Link said with a nervous smile, the mother nodded.
“Alright, Moon Dancer, what do you say?” The father said sternly.
“I’m sorry...” Moon Dancer said as she avoided Link’s gaze, she was even tracing the floor’s tile patterns with her forehoof.
“And?” The father said to encourage his daughter.
Moon Dancer levitated the Stone Mask out of his father’s pouch, handing it over to Link. “I only wanted it for my project… and since you dropped it… I thought...” she said.
“You still should of asked instead of taking it from him.” The father said.
Link remained silent as it wasn’t his place to get in the way of a father and a daughter.
“I’m sorry…” Moon dancer repeated making Link gently sigh at her.
“It’s alright. I’m just glad I managed to get you to safety.” Link said as he placed the mask into his pouch. “Why did you need it though?”
“It was on today’s lesson on how to detect magic in objects, I wanted to challenge myself and seek out a magical stone with a face that no pony could find. I got an A+ not because of the mask, but that I discovered a new species.” She said as she giddly tapped her hoofs together. “I-I mean I discovered you..” she said after realizing her mistake.
Link couldn’t help but chuckle at her innocence
After a short discussion, the parents left Moon Dancer alone with Link, the two played games that she liked. Link of course allowed her to win most of the games, except for checkers.