The walk to the Everfree Forest was quite short….something that surprised Link.
Sure, they’d stopped once or twice so the tagalongs could pick up a few necessary items—Bon Bon had wanted to bring a strange black bag, and Vinyl had wanted to fetch her “bass cannon”….a terrifying looking machine that Octavia assured them had the abilities of mass destruction.
But aside from that, it was nothing more than a short trip to the forest, just outside the outskirts of Ponyville. Link wondered how ponies that were so innocent as these could live next to somewhere so potentially dangerous. The Lost Woods were far from harmless, but they also held no great threat to the safety of the forest children, and even then the Great Deku Tree had forbid entry without permission. He wondered, somewhat morbidly, if anyone had ever wandered in on whim and gotten lost.
It seemed easy to get lost in this place.
It wasn’t exceptionally dark, but something told Link that would change as they journeyed deeper. There was no defined path, so they were traveling somewhat blindly, guided only by the map. The foliage over head was incredibly thick, filtering the light into thin streams of gold, and vines draped down to ensnare unsuspecting creatures walking below.
Soon, the trees became so thick that the forest became pitch-black, like the last few hours before dawn. Both Vinyl and Lyra were now providing the light, their horns glowing with color—one magenta, the other golden brown. Bon Bon stood at attention, eyeing the woods around them with suspicion.
But so far….all was silent.
“Ugh!”
Well….mostly silent.
Link let out a weary sigh, glancing at Octavia. He still had no idea why she wanted to come so badly. She seemed to hate walking….especially on the muddy forest floor. In fact, in some ways she reminded him of Princess Ruto. A small smile flickered across his face at the thought. Yes….this pony and the princess of the Zora would most certainly get along.
“Hey, does anyone know what kind of creatures live in this place?”Epona asked, jerking Link out of his thoughts. Her voice was hushed, seemingly smothered by the darkness and the foliage all around.
“I do.” Bon Bon said. “But the ones we want to look out for are Timberwolves.”
“What are Timberwolves?” Epona asked.
“Well, you see—” Bon Bon began. The sound of a snapping twig caused her to slam her mouth shut, and she frowned, peering intently into the shadows. Link, following her example, held up a hoof to stop the group.
There were a few tense seconds of silence.
“Well, there’s your answer, Epona.” Bon Bon sighed.
There was a low, ominous growling from the trees. Dark, strange creatures emerged, pacing in circles around the six ponies. Link could barely see them beyond reach of the provided light, but he caught sight of rough, textured limbs, long, narrow snouts, and shining green eyes.
In short…..
They looked absolutely terrifying.
“These are Timberwolves?” Link said, keeping his voice low.
“These are Timberwolves.” Bon Bon repeated, sighing. “And they are not friendly.”
“Of course they’re not.” Link groaned. “Goddess forbid this quest should be easy.”
He craned his neck over very slowly, keeping an eye on the circling wolves. They didn’t seem keen to make any moves. He flipped his inventory open, biting down on the jaw of the KokIri sword….as that was the only way he could think of to hold it. It was the weirdest thing ever, but if it worked….well, who was he to complain?
He drew his head back, sliding the sword free of the saddlebag.
“Wait, WHAT THE—” Lyra yelled, staring at his sword in utmost alarm.
The loud, sudden noise seemed to irk and startle the Timberwolves, who leapt into action, snarling viciously.
Epona bucked the nearest one directly in the face, causing it to shatter into a million pieces. Bon Bon, to Link’s surprise, balanced on one of her back hooves and spun around, her outstretched leg hitting another squarely and sending it flying. Lyra, taking the opportunity, blasted the dazed wolf her friend had just kicked with a golden brown laser. Vinyl let out an insane laugh, and a massive stream of blue light issued from her “bass cannon”, accompanied by a truly terrible sound. To Link, it sounded like someone was torturing a cucco.
And Octavia…..well…..
Octavia let out a startled yelp, scrambling to the top of the nearest tree like a deranged squirrel.
Link readjusted his jaw, trying to figure out how he could swing his sword this way. It severely limited his range of movement, as well as countered every thing he’d ever learned about sword fighting.
As a kid, his method had consisted of swinging the sword wildly back and forth, hacking crazily at anything in his way.
And, for the most part, it had worked.
But once he had grown, the enemies he faced were considerably harder to defeat, and he began talking to others to try and learn more techniques. He’d actually learned the most from the Gerudo soldiers, once he’d gained access to their fortress. They’d taught him that a sword was nothing more than an extension of his arm, his arm an extension of his body. But now….well, he no longer had arms. Should he be thinking of the sword as an extension of his head—?
The snarl of a Timberwolf distracted Link from his thoughts, and he instinctively swung his head to the side as one of the creatures pounced at him. The sword—though time and use had dulled it’s edge—sliced neatly through the wolf’s front leg.
Epona brought her hooves down on another Timberwolf, pulverizing it. Octavia shrieked in terror, scrambling higher up the tree as a wolf pacing below snarled and snapped at her.
Bon Bon and Lyra went back to back, the former becoming a literal tornado of swiftly delivered blows, the latter using her magic to sheer through those who had fallen.
Link attempted to perform a spin attack, but his end result was extremely crooked.
It...sort of worked.
He injured several of the wolves surrounding him, but his center of gravity was different than he was used, and he misjudged the distance the attack would take him. His sword slammed into the bark of a tree, becoming stuck fast.
A Timberwolf slunk near him, growling, seeming to sense that he was temporarily defenseless. Link tried to let go of his sword so he could attack it as Epona and Bon Bon would, but he found out his jaw had cramped up, frozen around the grip. He jerked his head to the side desperately, but his blade had sunken to deep into the tree. The wolf lunged.
Epona brought her front hooves down hard, crushing it’s front leg into splinters. The wolf let out a high-pitched whimper, leaping back, away from her.
The rest of the pack seemed to have had enough now. They slunk back into the forest, licking wounds dripping green sap, some hopping on three limbs, or even crawling on two.
“Well.” Epona sighed, breathing heavily. After a quick glance over the group, apparently checking if anyone was injured, she turned to Link, raising an eyebrow.
“What happened with you?” She asked.
“Help.” Link groaned through his locked jaw.
“Well.” Epona said, giving a small smirk. “Happy you let the others come now?”
Link rolled his eyes, gesturing towards the tree. His meaning was plain….help me get out now.
Epona turned, balancing on her front hooves, and bucked the tree in which Link was stuck. By some miracle, her back hooves hit it just above where the sword was lodged, and the tree cracked in half, sliding over and crashing to the ground. Link staggered free.
“Jaw cramps are common in Earth Ponies that use their mouths all the time, especially if they’re not used to it.” Bon Bon assured him. “I’m sure you will. You just have to press here.” She motioned to where her lower jaw connected to her neck.
Link, though apprehensive, tried it—and his jaw unlatched, letting his sword drop to the ground.
“Thanks.” He said, wincing.
“Hey, can I see the map?” Epona asked. Link nodded, massaging his jaw, and handed it over to her.
“Looks like we’re not far from this castle place now.” Epona remarked. Link perked up, his ears jumping upwards.
“Then what are we waiting for?” He asked, tossing his sword back into his inventory pouch.
“Wait, real quick before we go…..” Vinyl interjected. “How the heck does that thing work?” She pointed a hoof at Link’s saddlebag.
“What, this?” Link raised an eyebrow, lifting the pouch slightly with a hoof. Vinyl nodded.
“This,” Link sighed, “once again, is magic. Everyone in my home village has one. In fact, when they become twelve, it’s a mark of age to receive an inventory pouch like this on their birthday. Because when they turn twelve...”
“Because when they turn twelve?” Vinyl prompted when he trailed off and didn’t continue.
“Nothing.” Link said quietly, shaking his head. “Let’s go.”
He turned around and began walking, answering Vinyl’s question in his head.
Because when they turn twelve….they never grow up.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After some time passed, they came upon the ruins they were searching for. They consisted mostly of tall, peaked towers, shattered walls, and dark windows like splashes of ink. Everything was bound down with weeds, vines draping and curling over the pointed roofs, shedding leaves over the scene. Link could tell this once used to be a beautiful, lively place….but now?
It was completely abandoned.
“Whatis this place?” Epona asked.
“Whatever it is…...it’s where Saria is.” Link said, checking the map again to be sure. He glanced over the canyon that separated them from the building, eyeing the rickety rope bridge that spanned across it.
“Who wants to go first?” Lyra said, hiding partially behind Bon Bon. “Too bad none of us are Pegasi.”
“Well, it has to be done.” Link sighed, putting a hoof carefully on the first slat. It creaked ominously, trembling beneath his weight, but held.
He took a deep breath, trotting with extreme caution, aware of the dangerous swaying beneath his hooves. This bridge was obviously not usedto the burden of a pony. Link wondered how many had come this way, and what this place even was.
Though the crossing was perilous, Link made it safely to the other side. It took a long time for the others to come, as Lyra took some convincing to make her cross. Epona went last, as she was the largest—and probably heaviest—of them all.
“Where are we?” Link asked once everyone was across.
“What is this place anyway?” Epona added.
“This...” A familiar voice said, “is the Castle of the Two Sisters.”
In unison, all six of the group whirled around, coming to face a pony only Link recognized.
“…...Sheik?” He said, gaping.
“The one and only.” Sheik replied with a small bow.
“What….are you doing here?” Link asked, recovering from his initial shock. He’d never seen Sheik as a pony. It was strange.
Sheik paused thoughtfully, plucking a chord on the harp he always carried. It was strange, the way he carried it with his hooves. He was standing on his hind legs, and Link supposed he should have expected, holding the harp in the curve of his right foreleg, while plucking the string with the tip of his left hoof.
“There is much happening in this world.” He said by way of reply. “Momentous events are unfolding…..andyou, hero chosen by the gods, have crossed both time and space to get to this land. Fear not. You are here for a reason.”
“What exactly is going on in Hyrule?” Link asked. “And Equestria, for that matter?”
“Only time will tell.” Sheik said, the one eye that was visible on his face closing meditatively. “But you must travel across this world in search of those you knew in Hyrule. Many familiar faces will join you on this journey….and only when it is complete will you return to whence you came.”
“Can you at least tell me why the Ocarina of Time isn’t working?” Link sighed. “Well, it’s working, but none of the warping songs are working.”
“Evil clouds this place...clouds many places in this land.” Sheik responded. “When—and only when—that evil has been defeated, then one by one the sacred songs will be restored.”
“Thanks.” Link said. It was hard to get a straight answer out of Sheik, and when one did manage to do so it was merit of a celebration.
Sheik nodded, then turned to leave.
“Wait—can I ask one more question?”
He then paused, hesitating….and gave a nod.
“…….where did Navi go?” Link asked.
“Well…..perhaps, she is closer than you think.” Sheik’s response was thoughtful, as if he himself was pondering the answer. Then, in a flash of light and smoke, he disappeared.
“So….who the heck was that?” Lyra asked.
“It’s a long story.” Link offered, the same unhelpful answer he was getting tired of giving.
“Of course it is.” Bon Bon sighed. “Let me guess—he’s a friend of yours.”
“I really wish Sheik could give a non-cryptic answer for once.” Epona groaned.
“Well, at least know we sort of know why we’re here.” Link said, turning back to the castle. He trotted forwards, entering the building carefully.
He found himself in a long, dilapidated hallway. Or was it a throne room?
At the end a shattered throne sat, draped with cobwebs. Tattered tapestries hung from the walls, waving in a faint breeze. There was a massive, jagged hole cut in the ceiling, and the outside sun shone in, hazy with dust.
Everything was perfectly quiet…..
“Saria?” Link called softly, stepping further in. “Are you here? Saria….”
He trotted carefully over the threadbare carpet, it’s faded colors nearly hidden by age and grime. He coughed as his hoofsteps sent up clouds of filth, and paused a second to wave it away from his face.
“...Link?”
At the call of his name, Link whirled around, finding himself staring at a pillar.
“Saria?” He said.
Saria emerged from behind it, her face streaked with mud and tear stains, her hair full of twigs and leaves. She began running for Link, then tripped over the uneven ground and fell.
“Are you okay?” Link asked, galloping over to her.
“I’m not!” Saria cried, standing again….on her hind legs. She stretched out her arms—no, now they were forelegs—a question in her eyes.
“What happened?” She asked tearfully. “What’s….what’s wrong with me?”
“Sssh.” Link said gently, hugging his friend. “It’s nothing bad, I promise. It’s hard to explain, but as you can see, I look the same as you do.”
“Where….where are we?” Saria sniffed.
“This is the Everfree Forest.” Link said. “Well, it’s a castle in the forest.”
“Why do you look so weird too?”
“It’s pretty tough to explain.” Link said. “But I’ll tell you everything once we get back to the town. I promise.”
Saria hesitated a second, then nodded. Link helped her climb onto his back, and she wrapped her forelegs around his neck to hold herself steady. Link turned, trotting back to the others, who stood just outside the castle’s entrance.
Link smiled.
Everything would be okay.
As if it was listening, the ground gave a feral growl, beginning to shake.
Link stumbled over the rolling and pitching floor, nearly falling over. Saria screamed in fright, squeezing her eyes shut.
The ground beneath Link’s hooves split open, revealing a black chasm below. Link gave a yelp, leaping to one before he fell, trying desperately to keep his footing in the earthquake.
“Watch out!” Epona shouted. Link glanced at her, and saw the group pacing the edge of the earthquake, trying to figure out how to get in. Strange….the earthquake was in the castle only.
Link suddenly had an idea. He crouched on the ground, keeping low to hold his footing.
“Heads up!” He shouted to Epona. Then, detaching Saria’s forelegs from his neck, he bucked her high into the air.
Saria screamed, flailing desperately as she soared across the ground. By some miracle Link had been able to aim just perfectly, and Epona leapt up and caught the child.
Link began running towards them, stumbling across the trembling ground. It seemed almost as if the earthquake was starting to calm itself, and he glanced behind him at the widening crack in the ground. Then he slammed into a wall.
Link reeled back, blinking confusedly. There….was nothing in front of him. What had he hit?
He tried to dash forwards again, again hit the same invisible barricade. The contact sent millions of iridescent ripples spreading across empty space, briefly outlining the obstacle. It certainly was a barricade, spreading from one wall to the other and completely blocking his path. Link pounded a hoof against it, but jerked it back when it shocked him.
“Link!!!” Saria cried, still clinging to Epona. “Look behind you!”
Link whirled around, his eye immediately catching on the split in the ground. Something….was rising from inside it.
“…..Ganon?” Link gasped.