Link was panting and was sitting on top of the Town hall looking over Ponyville for the orange and red blur that was the Cutie mark crusaders. He was now regretting lending them the bunny hood. He used his pictobox as a telescope, since he didn't have one himself, his gaze swept across the small town until it came to rest upon Sweet apple acres. "Maybe they went to their clubhouse." Link said to himself as he was being watched by a grey haired mare wearing glasses. "Excuse me Link. Will you please get down from there?" she asked him. He took his eyes off of the pictobox and looked at her. "Okay Mayor Mare. Right?" Link asked as he jumped off the building, rolling to stop himself from getting hurt. She gave him a stern look, "You mustn't do that, foals may try to copy you and get hurt."
"Oh. Sorry, I don't want anything to get hurt." Link said
"That's a good thing." Mayor mare smiled and entered the large building while Link went to Sweet apple acres.
-------------------Meanwhile somewhere in Canterlot------------------------
She had been walking for a while but had finally reached her destination, a large, remade, caravan made for her show. "Now Trixie will find out how this 'Magic mask' works." the blue mare said taking a mask out of her hat. She looked at the mask, it was all blue, had a pointy nose and strangely shaped ears, it's eyes were black with small blue circles for pupils, and a thin line for a mouth. Trixie stared at the mask disgustedly, "This has to be the ugliest thing Trixie's ever seen." she said throwing it on her bed. She stared at it and got an uneasy feeling, as if she was feeling guilty. She shook her head and used her magic to scan the mask. Her eyes widened when she discovered the cause of it's power, "There's a living soul trapped in that mask." she stared at it, "Why would somepony use another pony's soul!?" she said aloud before deciding to go to Celestia with this news.
She hesitated and turned back to the mask, "Trixie must witness it's magic for herself." she said walking back to the bed and raising the mask in her magic.
------------------------------Ponyville----------------------------
Link walked into the enormous apple orchard. He saw a sleeping Granny smith on the porch in her rocking chair. He decided not to wake her up and walked towards the Crusader's clubhouse. As he walked he heard a loud thump and instinctively rolled forward crashing into a tree. "You okay Link?" a deep voice said. Link looked over as apples cascaded from the tree he hit. "I'm fine Big Mac, this isn't the first time I've run into a tree." Link said laughing slightly, the red stallion looked at the tree, "The apples fell." he said. Link looked up to see only a single apple hanging there with the rest on the floor, "Did I do that?" Link asked, Big Mac nodded, "Eeyup. You're stronger than you look for such a little guy." he continued before continuing to buck the trees. "Bye Big Mac." Link said to him as he continued on, receiving a nod from the stallion.
Link walks for a few minutes until he reaches the clubhouse and hears fighting from inside, "It's my turn to use it!"
"You already used it Sweetie! It's mine!"
"Both of ya are wrong it's mah turn!" They continued arguing, Link ran up and opened the door. The crusaders looked at Link as they were pulling the bunny hood. Time seemed to slow down as the rabbit ears were torn off and the rest was broken in half. "Oops." the three said together as Link stared at the broken item, he sighed, "It's fine girls." he picked up the item and put it in his pouch, "Maybe Twilight can fix it when she returns." he looked at the three fillies that were looking at their hooves. He crouched down in front of them. They didn't look at him, instead they just said, "Sorry." and "Please don't tell Rarity/Applejack." from two fillies. He looked at Scootaloo, he could see a different kind of sadness in her eyes a familiar kind.
He stood up and walked over to her, "What's wrong Scootaloo?" the other two looked at them and went over to try and comfort their friend, "Is there something wrong?" they asked. Scootaloo looked at them and said, "Nothing's wrong." With a smile. She turned to Link with the same smile but it faltered upon seeing his face, he was giving her a sympathetic look. "I know something's wrong. What is it?" he asked her. She kept up her smile, "Nothing! Nothing's wrong!" she laughed nervously. Link looked at Scootaloo's friends, "Can I speak to her alone?" he asked them. They looked at each other then nodded, "We'll be waitin fer ya Scoots." Applebloom said as she left, "Yeah we'll be right outside." Sweetie confirmed. When they had left Link looked at Scootaloo, "What's wrong Scootaloo?" he asked a third time. She gave him an angry look, "There's nothing wrong!" He looks at her, "The eyes don't lie. You seem sad." Link said staring into her eyes. He saw her ears droop.
"You wouldn't understand." she said kicking the ground. "Try me." He replied sitting down. Link waits for Scootaloo to speak, "It's... I don't have any family." she muttered the last word, Link had barely made it out. "That's nothing to be sad about." Link began but stopped as she stomped her hoof, "I knew you wouldn't understand!" Link held up a hand to silence her, "My parents died in a war, I grew up surrounded by friends, the same as you. I've also lost my closest friend." Link said looking out the window shortly before smiling at Scootaloo, "I have many friends, including the ones I've made here. I couldn't ask for anything better." He said wiping a tear off her cheek, she returned his smile. "I guess you're right." she said "Come on let's not keep your friends waiting." he said opening the door for her. She walked out and they set off towards the town walking.
------------------------------Canterlot-----------------------------------
The five other mares boarded the train when they heard a loud scream. They missed their train to investigate, following the scream to a familiar caravan surrounded by guards. Twilight ran up to the guard in the front, "Excuse me sir, but why is screaming coming from there?" she asked the guard staring through her. "The owner of this caravan, Trixie, has been cursed. We are awaiting the Princess' order to apprehend the culprit." he said, his thousand yard stare never wavering. Twilight cocked her head, and exchanged a look with her friends, "There's no such thing as a curse. But could I see Trixie?" she asked the golden armored guard. He stood stock still before nodding and stepping aside, Twilight thanked him and entered the caravan as Applejack asked who the culprit was.
Twilight slowly entered the caravan, "Trixie? Are you alright?" she asked the wrapped up mound on the single bed. "Go away Twilight Sparkle, Trixie been cursed by that wretched ape. Trixie doesn't need to be more humiliated." the mound answered. "Trixie there's no such thing as curses and I'm absolutely sure that Link would never curse anypony, in fact he went through the trouble to break a curse cast on a family." Twilight reasoned. "No he did this to Trixie, and Trixie's powerful magic can't take it off." the mound replied earning Twilight's full attention. "Wait take what off?"
"His horrid mask, it's stuck and it... changed me." Trixie said the last two words softly. "It can't be that bad I mean." she froze as her magic pulled the blanket off Trixie.
"What! Link would never do such a thing!" Applejack yelled at the guard, "That is what Trixie said, she said that 'ape' and the only ape I know of is the one currently in Ponyville." the guard answered. "Nah that ain't right, Link couldn't do that!" the guard was about to answer when Twilight ran out of the caravan, Applejack pushed past the guard and ran to her friend, "What's wrong sugarcube?" she asked. "Yes what is wrong Twilight?" Rarity followed up. Twilight looked at them both, "We need Link. Now, Trixie thought it would be a good idea to put on one of his masks." The other mare's jaws dropped. "Which one? Ooh ooh was it the big guy that helped us carry that heavy box here?" Pinkie asked. Twilight shook her head, "No, I don't know which one it is. But she looks like a... Seapony." twilight said causing her friend's eyes to widen, Fluttershy spoke up, "Does she need water or does she already have it? Oh I should check on her to make sure she's okay." Fluttershy said trotting into the caravan. "I'll teleport back to Ponyville and bring Link back. It shouldn't take long." Twilight said to the others, who nodded in agreement, before her horn glowed brightly and she disappeared in a large lavender flash.
"It can't be that bad can it?" Rarity asked nervously, the other two mares looked at the caravan and Pinkie pie went in first saying, "Well she could probably use a good laugh!" Rarity and Applejack followed, the former entering last. They entered Trixie's room where Fluttershy was trying to give the mare water. "Trixie you need water or you won't last long." Trixie slapped the water out of Fluttershy's hoof, "Trixie doesn't need water, foal! Trixie just needs that filth Link to be sent to the darkest dungeon." she said as Rarity fainted upon seeing her. Trixie had gills on her neck, her color hadn't changed, she had fins sticking out of her forelegs and hindlegs and her tail had become all flesh and scales. Her mane was the same but snaked around her left leg. Trixie looked away from the four mares and rubbed her face. Her horn was still in the same spot, she had used every spell she knew to pry the mask off her face but nothing had worked, even Twilight had failed. Trixie felt a tear roll down her cheek.
---------------------------Ponyville----------------------------
Link was walking around with the crusaders and a white unicorn named Vinyl scratch. They were sitting outside of a restaurant, Vinyl had a daisy sandwich, the crusaders each had hay fries and Link had a few slices of apple pie. "Seriously Link, why don't you get something besides fruit?" Vinyl asked the hero. He looked at her floating sandwich then turned to the hay fries and continued eating his pie, "Well I don't think hay and flowers will sit well with me, in my world we don't eat those." he said finishing a slice of pie. "What do you eat then?" the dj asked. "Well we eat many things, fruit, berries, mea-ahem other kinds of meals." Link corrected himself before saying something he'd regret. "Oh your ponies are weird. So they don't talk?" she asked, Link shook his head, "And there isn't any unicorns or pegasi?" she continued, again Link shook his head.
"And they don't have stereo's? Or turntables?" she continued, Link shook his head a third time. He stopped when he heard galloping, he turned to see Twilight gallop to a stop in front of Link, "Link Trixie put on one of your masks, we need you to get it off." she said, Link dropped his fork and put a handful of bits on the table, "That's to pay, it was nice speaking with you Vinyl but i have to go help." he said following Twilight as fast as his legs would take him. Twilight stopped and let Link catch up, "Why don't you put on your bunny ears?" she wondered, "They broke." he said as he continued running, "We'll never get there in time and i don't have the energy to teleport us both back." she said, an idea hit Link, "Twilight you teleport to Canterlot, I'll meet you there." he said as he reached into his item pouch.
"What are you planning on doing?" she asked. He pulled out the goron mask, "It's either this or I ride on your back all the way there." Twilight didn't want Link hurting anypony with that mask but she was also curious about it. She thought it over before coming to a decision, "Hop on my back, I want to see what that mask can do but it might take too long." Link nodded and put the mask away, jumping onto her back as they ran. As they ran Link occasionally hit Twilight's flank and apologized for it countless times, "Sorry it's kind of a habit." he said explaining that was how all riders got their horses to speed up, "Well you should stop doing that, it hurts and I'm sure Epona doesn't like it one bit." Twilight scolded Link as they neared canterlot.
They arrived to the caravan as guards circled Link, "You are under arrest for cursing an innocent pony." a mare said "He's here to fix it, he didn't do it anyway!" Twilight said to the guards as Link took a step and one lowered his spear. Link took a step to the right, the guard kept the spear trained on him. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a stone mask. He raised it to his face and seemingly disappeared to the ones watching. As they searched he and Twilight entered the caravan. Link nearly stepped on Rarity as she had fainted again. Applejack was trying to keep Pinkie from blasting her party cannon in the small room while Fluttershy had sat down next to the first Zora pony, Trixie. Link approached and was slapped by the mare's, now slimy, hoof. "How dare you curse Trixie! You shall fix this now!" she yelled at Link as he rubbed his cheek. "I was going to now hold still." he said as he grabbed the sides of her face and tried to pull, it didn't come off. Twilight began to panic, "Oh no it's stuck on there! What are we going to do!? Maybe if I use a powerful spell it'll help, but what if it doesn't work?" she spoke to herself as Link grabbed his Ocarina.
"This should do it." he said as he began playing. The notes echoed far and wide every pony in Canterlot heard the song, and it brought back memories for each of them. Twilight remembered being accepted to Celestia's school for gited unicorns, meeting her friends, and every moment she's been with all five of them. Rarity remembered the day Sweetie was born, growing up with her, and meeting each of her friends, and being part of Shining armor and Princess Cadence's wedding. Applejack remembered returning to Sweet apple acres after she had gone to Manehattan to live with her aunt and uncle orange, meeting her friends, the day Applebloom was born, and every moment spent with her. Pinkie remembered every party she ever had, meeting her best friends in the whole world, and making others smile, Fluttershy remembered Rainbow dash standing up for her in Flight school, meeting her other friends, and meeting Angel.
The notes penetrated deep into Trixie's subconscious, revealing old happy memories, perfecting her first magic spell, earning her cutie mark, being given the Caravan and her costume, and approving parents telling her how great she was and how powerful her magic is. As the final note hit, Link opened his eyes at the sound of clattering. He looked down and picked up the Zora mask, he put it away and looked at the six mares in the room, they were smiling as the memories returned to their minds. They each wiped a few tears away, Fluttershy broke their silence, "That was beautiful Link." the others agreed besides Trixie who stared at the instrument, "Where did you learn that song?" Twilight asked, "I learned the song from the Happy mask salesman, this is the Song of Healing, I used this song to put two restless souls at peace." he said putting the Ocarina away. "Thank you." this small act of gratitude gained the attention of those who knew the mare behind the words.
"No problem Great and Powerful Trixie." Link said smiling, Trixie shuffled nervously. "Trixie... apologizes for taking your mask. Trixie will not do it again." Link put his hand on her shoulder, she flinched but let it stay there. "It's fine, now." he turned to the others, "Let's get something to eat!" they laughed, "What? I didn't get to finish my slice of pie, I'm still hungry." his stomach grumbled in agreement. They laughed harder and filed out with Link behind the others, "Have a nice day Trixie." he said before leaving. "Trixie, thanks you Link." she said one last time before laying down and covering herself in her blanket before throwing it at the wall, it was still slimy.
----------------------Back in ponyville-----------------------
Link had gone with Twilight to the Tree-house/ library while the others went to their respective homes/jobs. Link sat on the couch as Twilight sat down in front of him. "Link can you tell me the puzzles those 'Temples' had?" She asked eagerly. Link nodded and pulled out the broken bunny hood, "Can you fix this?" he asked holding the four pieces in both hands. She looked at them, "What happened?" she asked as she levitated the broken bunny hood. "Well..." Link trailed off as he thought of an excuse, "I... rolled into a tree... and the ears got caught on one of the branches." he lied, unconvincingly. Twilight gave him a curious look, "Right, well this shouldn't be too hard." she concluded as her horn began glowing brightly and the bunny hood's seams closed connecting the ears to the base.
"That should do it." she said levitating the hood back to Link, "Now tell the truth, what happened to it?" she asked nicely. Link chuckled sheepishly, "So you didn't buy it?" she shook her head, "I'll tell but only if you promise not to get anypony in trouble." he said crossing his arms. She smiled, "Okay I won't get anypony in trouble. I promise." she said raising her right hoof. "I'll hold you to that." Link said as he told her what happened, excluding the chat with Scootaloo. "Well as long as you forgive them their sisters should as well." the unicorn said walking over to a bookcase, taking down several books in her magic. "I should really reorganize these books. SPIKE!" she called for her assistant from next to Link. "What is it Twilight? Oh hi Link." he greeted Link from the top of the steps, Link waved back, "Hi Spike."
"Spike today we're going to re organize the books and I need my number one assistant to help. You can leave if you want Link." Twilight said to Link, he nodded and left. He heard Spike complain. "I guess I should test the bunny hood out, maybe-Aah!" Link yelled and fell forwards, unable to roll from the weight on his back. "That was not cool." Rainbow dash had landed on him, "Well at least I had a soft landing." she said looking at Link and flying off of him, "Sorry Link I was trying out a few new moves. Are you okay?" she asked him as he stood up and dusted himself off, "I'm fine Rainbow dash, it didn't hurt... much." Link said as Rainbow dash left to finish her stunt and Link equipped his bunny hood. "Let's see what Rarity is up to." he said as he began running, at the same speed. "What? Why aren't I going faster?" he asked himself before taking it off. Did breaking it make it lose it's magic? he thought before looking back at the library, I'll tell Twilight about it later. Link thought before sighing and putting the now strangely useless mask away.
------------------------------A short walk later-----------------------------------
Link arrived at Rarity's boutique, the large structure still strange to him. He knocked on the door and heard Rarity's voice sing, "Coming!" She opened the door, "Link! Do come in, I'm busy working on a project right now but you can play with Sweetie belle." she said walking into her inspiration room/ bedroom leaving Link in the main room with Sweetie belle, who was drawing at a table. Link walked over to the table and sat down cross legged across from Sweetie belle, "Hi Sweetie, what are you drawing?" Link asked, Sweetie spat out the crayon and beamed at Link, "Hi Link, I was just drawing a banner for the Crusader's clubhouse." She said looking down at the paper and putting a hoof to her chin, "Hmm. It's missing something." Link looked at the picture, it was the same image they had on their capes, a pony inside a shield. "It looks good to me." Link said. They both stared at the banner before Link heard Rarity, "Idea!" Link looked at Sweetie, she shrugged. Link left Sweetie to find what was missing while he investigated what Rarity's new idea was.
He cautiously opened the door, remembering the last time he did he was assaulted by fabric. He didn't see fabric flying around the room but instead saw Rarity standing in front of a paper and a crayon was sketching something across the page. Link walked behind Rarity and looked at the design, it was a very elaborate dress. "Link, would you be a dear and allow me to work?" Rarity kindly asked Link, he nodded and left. Rarity waited until she couldn't hear his foot steps anymore, "He mustn't know about the gift I've made." She said using her magic to lower a box from it's hiding place. She opened the box to reveal a pair of boots, they had a golden wing emblazoned on each side of the boot, "Maybe I could have Twilight enchant these boots so they'll fit him in seven years." she said remembering what Link had been through. She smiled and put the boots back. "I'll give them to him on his birthday... Whenever that is."
----------------------------------Sugarcube corner-------------------------------
Link had left Rarity to her work while Sweetie had gone by the time Link had returned from Rarity's room and had gone to see Pinkie. He opened the door to hear crying, loud crying. He then saw Mrs. Cake run up the stairs followed by her thin husband, Pinkie stood at the counter, she waved at Link when he entered, "HI Link! What are you doing here? Oh! Are you here to help me work!? Or maybe you're here to babysit the baby cakes? But they needed me to babysit them next week, unless they're going on vacation early!" she gasped "They still don't trust me?" she asked looking down, Link shook his head, "I'm not here to babysit, and they did say you could babysit them next week right? That means they do trust you, so don't be sad." He reassured Pinkie, instantly she perked up and gasped again, "I just realized! I don't know your birthday!" Link scratched his chin, "Well It's, the twenty-first day of the second month." He answered. Pinkie smiled, "Okie dokie lokie! Is there." she stopped as the crying got louder, "Hold on a sec." she said galloping up the stairs, Link followed.
Pinkie had run into the room where the source of the crying was. Link entered soon after, inside both cakes were each holding one foal, Mr. Cake was carrying a pegasus colt, and Mrs. Cake was carrying a Unicorn filly, both foals were crying their hearts out. "Pinkie, we need you to stay downstairs and watch the store while we put Pumpkin and Pound cake to sleep." Mrs. Cake said, putting the unicorn filly in a crib, her husband doing the same with the pegasus. "You don't need my help?" Pinkie asked, they nodded, "Yes we need you to take the orders until they go to sleep." Mr. Cake said Pinkie smiled and hopped downstairs, Link approached one of the cribs and looked over the bars, the unicorn stopped crying and stared at Link. It looked at him and tilted it's head and giggled pointing a hoof at Link's ears. The Cakes' gaze moved from Link to Pumpkin and back to Link, then to each other as Link pulled out his Ocarina.
He began playing. In the silence after the final note the Cakes each put a hoof on Link's shoulders, "Thank you Link. You saved us some trouble."Mr. Cake said "was that Fluttershy's lullaby?" his wife asked. Link nodded and looked back into the cribs for a short whileand drank the remainder of his Romani Ranch milk. He sighed, "I need more milk and maybe I can find a potion brewer." he mutt before leaving with the Cakes. They thanked him and gave him a cupcake for helping them. He ate it as he left ered as he walked back to the Library. Inside Twilight and Spike had finished and Twilight was reading a book with a large stack of other books to her right, "Excuse me Twilight, I think the bunny hood's magic is gone. It's not working." Link said holding said hood out.
Twilight grabbed it in her magic, "I think I can find a spell to fix this." she said before looking outside, "It's getting late, we should get to sleep." she said as she grabbed a few more books, one of which was called 'Enchanting the advanced guide.' Link nodded and removed his equipment before laying on the couch, Twilight blinked at him before saying, "Link, I set up the second bed, it's upstairs, second door on your left." she said, Link nodded and grabbed his equipment before walking up the stairs and entering the room, inside was Spike sleeping in a basket along with two beds, one had a star print on it's blanket. That's probably Twilight's bed. he thought as he laid his equipment under the bed and climbed in.
His dreams were the same, that mix-matched creature, Discord, laughing on a throne in Ponyville. Everything was strange, the ground was checkered, the day shifted to night and back every few seconds, buildings were floating upside down, and next to the throne was Majora's mask, floating and shaking, causing six ponies to turn to stone. Discord and Majora laughed, it was a triumphant laugh.
-------------------------Canterlot------------------------
Celestia was sleeping soundly, having pleasant dreams before they shattered and revealed Ponyville in chaos with Discord on his throne and a mask floating next to him, the mask shook and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, turned to stone, floated and danced around. Both entities laughed as the day turned to night. A shaft of light flew through the night sky and hit the mask before a large being that emanated power appeared at the source. The chaos around him didn't effect him at all as he swung a massive sword that sent a blast out, hitting the mask and shattering it. She saw that behind the being was a faint outline of a small human boy. "Link." she whispered as her dreams returned.
(Well here's the next chapter. And a cookie for anyone who can figure out what Link's birthday is.)