(Hello everypony, zebra, changeling and etc. I would've been working on the story but a thought crossed my mind and turned into a wall. So I'm breaking it down by posting it. Enjoy P.S this was my own fault. I brought the idea up and it didn't leave.)
Link was helping Rarity at her boutique, cleaning up and helping organize when a group of fillies ran in. "Hi Link!" They said in unison. Link waved and continued sweeping the main room. The fillies then ran up the stairs and into Rarity's room and after a few seconds Link could hear them yelling, "Cutie Mark Crusaders sleepover! Yay!" which was soon followed by a barely audible "Aww." Link shakes his head slowly and returns to sweeping when the door opens and Fluttershy walks in carrying a basket. "Hi Fluttershy." Link says from his spot. "Oh hi Link. Is Rarity here?" Link nods and points up the staircase. She thanks him and trots upstairs.
Several minutes after Link had finished sweeping and had put the broom away. Fluttershy trotted back down the stairs with three excited fillies in tow. "I thought they were sleeping over here?" Link said walking up to the four. "Rarity has a lot of work to do so I'm going to be taking care of them again." Fluttershy stated before smiling at the crusaders. "I can help if you want." Link said smiling. Fluttershy opened her mouth but was cut off by the fillies, "Ooh, yeah! Then you can tell us more of those stories." Scootaloo said, "Yeah and ya'all could help us fahnd our special talents!" Applebloom added, "And you could, um... What they said." Sweetie belle said pointing at her two friends.
"Oh well if you girls are fine with it I guess it's okay." Fluttershy softly said making the girls cheer again. Link and Fluttershy covered their ears until they stopped. "Let's get going then." Link said, when the ringing stopped, and held open the door for the others before following.
-----------------------------------Fluttershy's cottage-------------------------------------
When they arrived Link had seen the chicken coop and nervously stepped away from it. "What's wrong Link?" Fluttershy asked him worriedly. "Well I know how dangerous Cuccoo can be." he said staring at a chicken that came out of the coop. "Um, what's a Cuccoo? If you don't mind me asking." she said, hiding behind her mane. "So those aren't Cuccoo?" Link sighed in relief. "Those are chickens." the yellow pegasus said watching them peck at the floor. Link walked past them and entered the cottage to see the fillies chasing all the creatures inside.
"Oh, my. Girls please don't do that." Fluttershy softly exclaimed before flying towards them. Several minutes of coaxing she had gotten them to stay on the couch with Link while she put her animal friends to sleep. "So Link can ya'all tell us one of yer hero stories?" Applebloom said to Link who had stopped Scootaloo from taking his item pouch for the seventh time. "Which one do you want to hear?" he asked and recieved three different answers, "One with action!" the orange pegasus said, "No, one with romance!" the unicorn said making Link blush slightly, "Nah, one with a happy ending!" Applebloom said.
They agreed on Applebloom's idea and sat down around Link. He was thinking, searching for a story to tell that wouldn't traumatize the fillies. He finally settled on one, the ancient tale The Great Deku tree had told him about. The creation of the Master sword and the city in the sky. "Okay I will tell you the story of the Master sword. It was created in a very large city much like this place Cloudsdale." he began. The fillies leaned in, listening to his every word but Fluttershy had unknowingly stopped the story, "Come on girls it's getting late. We should get you to sleep." the crusaders then groaned in unison, "Aww do we have to?"
"I'm sorry girls but Fluttershy is right. If you want to find your cutiemarks then you'll need to be well rested." Link said
"But you were telling a story!" Sweetie said
"Don't worry I can tell you in the morning. I'm not going anywhere." Link assured with a smile.
They then quickly trotted up the steps and into Fluttershy's bedroom where they were put to bed by the kind mare. Link was the last to enter the room but he heard Fluttershy when she began singing. Link stood at the doorway listening to Fluttershy's amazing voice, I think I can play this on my Ocarina. Link thought as he pulled it out and began playing. When he finished he had noticed the singing stopped and he heard a single set of hooves clopping in applause. "That was beautiful Link." Fluttershy complimented with a smile. (You learned Fluttershy's lullaby! Play this soothing song to put anything to sleep. Sorry couldn't help myself.) Link looked at the bed to see three sleeping fillies,
Link and Fluttershy left the room, silently closing the door behind them. Link walked down the steps while Fluttershy floated down, they met at the couch. "I'm sorry Link, you can sleep on the sofa I'll sleep on the floor." she said lying down. Link shook his head, "It's fine. I've slept on the floor before, it's not hard for me. You can sleep on the sofa." Link said, but Fluttershy refused. "No, it wouldn't be very nice of me if I let you sleep on the floor." Link looked at the sofa and thought It doesn't look too small, we could both sleep on it. he suggested his idea which made her nervous, "I-I guess that's okay... I mean if you really want to." she said. Link didn't understand why she seemed more timid now than before but he didn't mind it.
Fluttershy got on the sofa and layed in a comfortable position. Link saw the space left had been smaller than he thought. Link laid down at the edge of the sofa and waited for her to sleep before he moved to the floor. His dreams were filled with the memories of sleeping on Hyrule field next to Epona. Link was awoken by the sun's first light gleaming on his face. He was about to move when he felt something pressing against his back, he looked over his shoulder to see that Fluttershy had moved to the floor, not long after Link fell asleep. She was still sleeping so Link moved away from her without waking her up. He then went into the kitchen to grab some fruit to eat, when he opened the door he was greeted by a worried looking bunny.
"Hi... Um Angel was it?" he said to the bunny who began making hand gestures towards the front door that was still visible from the kitchen. Link didn't understand what the rabbit wanted from him, he was trying to figure it out when he remembered using the Mask of truth to speak with small animals. He quickly took out his mask and put it on, it's magical abilities activated immediately as he heard the rabbit speak, "... Crusaders went into the forest! Come on you hairless ape! Wake up Fluttershy and rescue them!." Link walked into the room where Fluttershy was still sleeping and shook his head, "I'm sorry angel. It's too dangerous to be in that forest, I'll get them myself." he said which angered Angel bunny as he began kicking Link's shin.
"Fluttershy can handle herself you-" Angel began as he continued beating Link's shin. "Don't call me names Angel." Link said which shocked the rabbit as his body stiffened and he stepped back, staring into Link's mask for the first time, "That is a scary mask... It isn't Nightmare Night yet!" Link nodded in agreement, "I know this mask is creepy. Now show me where the fillies have gone." Link said to Angel who crossed his arms and shook his head, "Not without waking up Fluttershy first." Link didn't want her or anyone or pony to be injured so he took off his mask and walked to the door, "I'm going for them. There's no time to waste."
----------------------------Everfree forest----------------------------
The crusaders were walking through the forest with the earthpony guiding them to Zecora's hut. "You sure we're going the right way Applebloom?" Scootaloo asked as she nervously looked around. "Yup, Ah've been t'Zecora's place hundreds a times." she assured as they followed the path. Unbeknownst to them there was a cluster of glowing yellow eyes following the lone fillies as they ventured onwards.
Link entered the dangerous forest known as the Everfree, following the only clue he had, fresh tiny hoof prints. They went deeper into the forest, Link was feeling a strange sense of nostalgia as he walked through the large forest, nostalgia and homesickness. He kept his mind on the task at hand: Finding the lost fillies. Link ran down the path feeling hundreds of eyes following him. They seemed menacing but not evil like the monsters in the Lost woods.
-----------------------------Meanwhile--------------------------
Angel bunny was shaking Fluttershy, trying to wake her up. A few of the other animals wake up and Angel tells them what happened. They help Angel wake up the sleeping pony, "Good morning my little friends. Are you hungry?" she asked them with a smile that quickly disappeared when Angel told her what happened. "The Everfree forest? Link went after them, they will be safe." she said, finding a reason to stay out of the forest while earning a disapproving glare from the white rabbit. He made a few gestures that pointed at the door, "I know Angel but the Everfree forest is really scary." she answered his gestures. The other animals started a cacophony of noises that strengthened Fluttershy's nerves, "I'll do it, to rescue the fillies, and to help Link." she said making the animals cheer while she galloped out the door.
-------------------------------------Everfree Forest------------------------------
The Crusaders had reached a clearing not too far from Zecora's home. Applebloom looks around, "Ah think ah may have missed a turn." she said to her friends. "What!?" they both said together "Hold on, I know where it is, we jus' have t'go back is all." she said to her friends, "So we're not lost?" Sweetie asked. Applebloom shook her head, "Nope. Let's go ba-" she was cut off by a loud growling noise. The fillies looked around the clearing as wooden wolves surrounded them. They huddled together as the Timber wolves started circling them, they watched the wolves for a second before screaming, "Help! Help us!".
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Link was still running along the path when he heard them screaming as the path slowly curved right. Link turned off the path and went straight for the screaming, he hadn't noticed the strange blue flowers that he ran through.
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Fluttershy had just entered and was softly calling for those that entered before her, "Girls? Link? Eep!" she jumped as she stepped on a twig. She was whimpering, as she continued calling their names. She stopped when she heard the fillies scream and out of fear for their safety she flew over the trees soon after she heard Link scream, this scared her more. She increased her speed to a near Rainbow level as she approached the clearing.
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Link was the first to arrive, he saw the wolves surrounding the fillies and closing in. He knew he couldn't attack with his sword just in case he accidentally hit the young fillies. Instead he pulled out a brown mask he looked at it and braced himself for the pain as he put it on. He fought the scream that had risen but couldn't stop it, it echoed throughout the forest. The timber wolves stopped circling and looked into the forest for the source of the noise. Loud, heavy footsteps sounded as a large brown creature wearing leather gloves, and leather boots walked in. The fillies were shaking even more when they saw this appear wearing Link's hat.
The wolves turned to each other before they attacked. The large, round, creature swung his arm, a flame surrounding it's fist, hitting one of the wolves in the chest, cracking the wood it was made out of before it flew into the forest nearby. it repeated the process to the others, before they attacked together. It ducked as the wolves tried biting it, breaking their sharp wooden teeth as they bit solid stone. The creature then bounced up above the wolves heads, they watched it ascend before crashing down. It shook the earth and scared off the remaining wolves before the being rolled itself out of the cracked crater it had made. It stood up and approached the shaking fillies who were trying to hide under their hooves. It reached out to grab them when a yellow blur swooped in and landed in front of them.
"Fluttershy!" the fillies said in unison as the named pegasus gave them a worried look, "Are you girls okay?" she asked, they nodded in answer, she gave them a relieved smile and turned back to the being towering above her. "You. How dare you take Link's hat, and attack these defenseless fillies." she loudly said to the creature, clearly shocking it as it raised it's hands and said in a deep voice, "I wasn't attacking them Fluttershy. I saved them from the wolves that attacked them." Fluttershy kept looking at the creature, ready to give it 'The stare', "Then why did you steal Link's hat?" she accused it. It looked up and shook it's head, "This is my hat. Fluttershy, I'm Link." he said before grabbing the edge of his face, a familiar glow emanating from the edges.
A flash of light, followed by Link holding a brown mask was what happened next. "Link? I heard you scream, I thought you were attacked. But I guess you did say putting your masks on hurt. I'm sorry." Fluttershy apologized, the fillies on the other hand were hopping up and down, "That was so cool Link!" They praised him as they retold what he had done. Link put his mask away when Scootaloo tried taking it. "It's fine, I couldn't let you get attacked now could I?" he asked them chuckling before he felt a strange sensation. Why do my arms feel so heavy right now? I wasn't cursed by a bubble. he thought to himself as the weight seemed to make him sag. The ponies noticed this and asked what was wrong, "I'm fine, I just feel really heavy." he said as he took a few steps forward. It feels like I'm wearing the iron boots. Is my shield crushing me!? he continued thinking as he trudged back the way he had come. Fluttershy trotted up to him and examined him as they walked, "Are you okay? You didn't get hurt did you?" She asked him Link shook his head as the weight on his body seemed to increase. Before he even reached the edge of the clearing he fell to his hands and knees, spots were dancing in his eyes. "Link! What's wrong!?" the fillies said as they crowded around the now prone hero.
"I don't know." was all he said before the world was enveloped by blackness as he passed out. Fluttershy and the fillies tried waking Link up, he didn't. They could clearly see him breathing but he was just unconscious. The fillies helped push Link's body onto Fluttershy's back so she could carry him back to her cottage. "What were you girls doing in the everfree?" She asked the crusaders as they walked back on the path. "We were goin' ta see Zecora. Ah thought that maybe we could help her, and find our cutiemarks." Applebloom said and the other crusaders nodded, "Yeah we just wanted our cutiemarks." they said. Fluttershy smiled, "Don't worry, you'll get them eventually." she assured them. They groaned, "Why does everypony say that? We can't wait." Scootaloo said with the others agreeing.
---------------------minutes later----------------------
Fluttershy had taken Link's sword and shield off of his back carefully and set them next to the bed she placed him on. She had checked his temperature, It was fine, she checked his body for injury, a few scratches, she had no idea what had happened. She left Link in the bed and trotted down the steps to an anxiously waiting group of fillies, "Is he okay Fluttershy?" Sweetie asked, "He's not hurt is he?" Scootaloo inquired, "Was it our fault?" Applebloom asked, making the other two more concerned. "No it wasn't your fault, he's fine. But I'm going to get Twilight so she can check using her magic. Do you want to stay with Link or do you want to come with me?" she asked them. they exchanged looks and answered, "We'll stay here." Fluttershy nodded and left while the crusaders stared up the stairs.
------------------------------Library-----------------------------
Fluttershy walked into the library as a purple dragon began organizing books. Twilight, meanwhile, was speaking with the rest of their friends, Pinkie pie was laughing and had frosting in her mane, Rarity was complaining about fabric she was cutting that had been ruined by the earthquake, Applejack was just saying that it shook down half of the apples in the entire orchard, while Rainbow dash was flying from shelf to shelf, searching for the newly released Darinng Do book. "I'm sorry this earthquake did these things, but I don't know what happened or why it was so short." Twilight was saying. Pinkie Pie hopped over to Fluttershy, "Hi Fluttershy! Did you feel that earthquake!? It happened while I was frosting a cake, it made me slip and I got covered in frosting!" she excitedly yelled as the other mares noticed her, "Hi Fluttershy. How're the gals?" Applejack asked.
Fluttershy smiled, "They are just little angels. But I came to get Twilight." she said and Twilight walked up to her, "What do you need Fluttershy?" she asked
"Well there's something wrong with Link." she said gaining the attention of everyone in the room.
"What happened?" Rainbow dash asked and Fluttershy told them what happened, and what she heard the crusaders say they saw Link do as a Goron, Rainbow dash was smirking at the strength the goron had. With a single bounce it had shook all of Ponyville. "Okay Fluttershy, let's go." Twilight said, her horn beginning to glow. "Wait!" Rarity yelled, Twilight's horn stopped glowing as she turned to the white unicorn. "What is it Rarity?" she asked. "Well you mustn't go without us. We're worried about Link as well." Rarity said. "Yeah, he could be real hurt." Applejack agreed, "And I can bring a get better soon cake!" Pinkie Pie yelled before pulling out a box that had the cake in it out of her tail.
The mares ignored the abilities of Pinkie Pie as Twilight nodded, "Okay, hold on everpony." she said before her horn glowed brighter and enveloped them in it's lavender magic light. When the light disappeared there was no one in the library. The light reappeared for an instant in Fluttershy's cottage, scaring the fillies slightly but they calmed down when they realized it was just Twilight and her friends. "Rarity!" Sweetie belle yelled as she ran up to her older sister, "Applejack!" Applebloom did the same. "Rainbow dash!" Scootaloo copying the others. "Hey squirt. How's my number one fan?" Rainbow asked Scootaloo who smiled widely, "I'm doing great! Link saved us from timber wolves!" she said as the other two fillies began retelling their morning. Twilight, Spike, Pinkie, and Fluttershy meanwhile climbed the steps and entered Fluttershy's bedroom seeing a bundle underneath the covers. Twilight walks up to the covers and uses her magic to pull them off.
What was under the covers shocked everyone into shocked silence, even Pinkie had nothing to say. What lay under the covers wasn't Link but a small light brown colt with a blonde mane and tail. He was wearing Link's boots, hat and his tunic. Pinkie Pie was the first one to speak, "He is so adorable!" she yelled which surprisingly didn't wake up the colt. "I didn't know he could do that." Twilight said after she blinked a few times. "Is that Link?" she said to no one in particular. "I don't think we should wake him up." Fluttershy said, her eyes glued to the little colt. Pinkie ignored her and started jumping on the bed, "Wakey, wakey Linky!" she said while still jumping. He slowly woke up and Pinkie jumped off the bed and stood in front of him. He opened his eyes, they widened, "Pinkie? You look so much bigger! What happened?" he said before raising a hoof to rub his eye, he noticed it before he hit himself.
He stared at the hoof then raised the other one, he looked between them, then looked at the others in the room then back to his hooves. He was as shocked as they were. Pinkie was still smiling and picked him up, "I didn't know you could turn into a colt! you're so cute!" she said while Link was unused to being carried this way. "I can't." he said, Twilight immediately started writing on a scroll, the quill flying across the page. She finished it re-read it and floated it over to Spike, "Spike send that letter to the Princess immediately." she said, he nodded, opened a window and burnt the scroll. The leftover dust was blown out the window and flew on an invisible wind towards the castle in the distance. "You can't? But you just did!" Pinkie was still carrying Link.
"I don't know why I'm like this! Can you please put me down?" he asked Pinkie who complied. She set him on the floor, Link immediately tried to stand on his hind legs but fell onto his back. "Does this mean I have to walk on all fours?" he said to himself as he rolled back onto his new hooves. "I think so." Fluttershy said watching Link as he tries to walk but stumbles. "This is hard!" he muttered as he stumbled again. I've been turned into an adult, a goron, a zora, a scrub, even a Deity but this is by far the most difficult thing I've ever done. He thought to himself as he slowly learned to walk.
Two minutes later Link had gotten the hang of walking. The mares in the room congratulated him with an applause, and a laugh from Pinkie. "What's taking ya'all so long?" Applejack said before entering the room. "What in tarnation?" She said when she spotted Link. He smiled sheepishly, "Hi Applejack." he said, his voice and his clothes had been the only thing that didn't change. She stared at him and stifled a laugh. "Ah'm sorry. It's just you look so cute as a colt." she said making Link blush. She stuck her head out the open door and yelled, "Hey everypony come look at Link!" the sound of flapping wings and several hooves resounded in the room as the others entered. They all froze when they saw the colt. "Hi." he nervously said from the extra attention he was being given.
Rainbow dash was the first to break the silence with a laugh followed by a thud from her falling on her back. Rarity was still staring while the crusaders ran to him. Link still stood a good three inches above them. "Yer a colt now?" Applebloom asked while the others poked him to see if it was real. "Yeah do you have a pony mask?" Scootaloo asked poking Link's side, he shook his head, "No I don't know why I'm like this." he said. "Well I think you make a handsome young colt." Rarity said. Link blushed at the compliment, Link was about to say something when he felt his tunic being raised from the back. He pulled away from Sweetie who had lifted up Link's tunic, her eyes were wide. "Sweetie belle! That's no way to treat Link." Rarity scolded Sweetie. She ignored her and ran to her friends, they huddled and she whispered something. They then looked back at Link with the same shocked expression. Link was getting nervous, "What's wrong?" he asked, successfully keeping his voice from shaking.
"You don't have a cutiemark!" they exclaimed. The other mares exchanged glances before Rarity moved Link's tunic, revealing a light brown flank, devoid of any cutiemarks. They stared at it. The longer they stared the deeper Link's blush became. Spike opened his mouth and raised a finger but stopped, held his stomach, and burped a small fire that turned into a scroll. Twilight caught the scroll with her magic and undid the seal, she read it a few times before looking up. "What is it sugarcube?" Applejack asked her. "Well Princess Celestia wants to see Link. She says she may know what happened to him." She answered. Link walked up to her, "So when do we leave?" he asked she looked around and replied, "Right now." Link was about to ask what she meant when a bright flash enveloped them all.
The flash reappeared and Link saw that they were in a throne room. He saw the others bowing, he looked up and saw Celestia sitting regally. Link nearly jumped in surprise but instead copied what the others did. "You may rise." she said. They all rose and Link felt her gaze on him. He saw a grin spread across her face, "Is this Link?" she asked. Twilight nodded, "Yes Princess Celestia, this is Link. We don't know what happened to him." Celestia kept her grin, Link could tell she was thinking something. That was when he realized he still had his item pouch hanging by his side. He reached in and tried grabbing the mask, but he couldn't. A few failed attempts happened before he reached his head inside and lightly bit it to pull it out. The mask of truth. He sat on his haunches and used both hooves to put he mask on. He turned it's gaze to Celestia and heard her thoughts, "He looks adorable." Link blushed underneath the mask, Celestia giggled knowing what Link had heard.
(Part 1 done.)