//------------------------------// // Second third day and beginning of third first day // Story: A Mask Named Majora // by Dihinner //------------------------------// A large shake in the ground awakened Link and Epona, who were sleeping in the clock tower. They both looked at each other and nodded; they had a job to do. And that job was to find the current incarnation of laughter. When the two left the tower, Link checked the position of the sun. They had about sixteen hours before the moon caused the horrible, crushing end. The streets of Ponyville were quiet, empty and depressing. Link remembered the first time cycle; this was a mirror image of it except for one thing. This time, Link was a unicorn. The mysterious helmet that Laughter gave him had given him the powers of a unicorn, but removed the strength of the shoe thing, which was in Epona’s possession. Link had noticed that he had a feeling to go to a nearby bakery. Epona suggested that the helmet may give directions to the current Elements of Harmony. After a quick five minute walk, they arrived at the building knows as ‘Sugarcube corner’. The inside of the building was just as depressing as the outside. The building was deserted, except for a sad pink pony sitting by the cash register. She gazed silently at Link and Epona before staring back into nothingness. Epona, feeling sorry for her, asked what was wrong. “Do you know what’s going to happen?” the pink pony asked. “No, I’m afraid not,” lied Epona. Her and Link decided it was best to avoid suspicion until the right time. The pink pony sighed. “The moon is going to crash into Ponyville.” Epona blinked, “oh. Well, it’s not all bad right?” The pony shook her head, “Twilight said that we’re all going to…” the pink pony’s voice trailed off, trying to stop tears. Epona looked at the sad mare, “hey, don’t worry. I’m sure everything will turn out fine in the end.” The mare shook her head again, “no, it won’t. It’s too big and everypony is going to die.” Epona took a step back. She looked back at Link, who was staring at the floor. He looked up and shrugged. According to him, the pink mare was the current bearer of laughter. Epona sighed, “Look, we know how to stop the moon and we need your help.” The sad pony looked at Epona. Determination was in the brown filly’s eyes. “How are you going to stop it?” Epona smiled, “well, we can’t do it this time, or probably the next, but we will eventually. You see, we have all the time in the world.” The pink mare stared quizzically at Epona. “But, you said that you didn’t know it was going to crash just a minute ago.” Epona shrugged, “a second ago for you could be a month for us. We have something that can help. My friend knows what’s going on better than me so, Link; care to tell her what’s going on?” Link shrugged and told the mare, whose name was Pinkie pie, about Majora and the theory on how to prevent the moon fall with the fabled Elements of Harmony. He spoke of the harmony spirit, Laughter, who had become the monstrous Vinis Umbra. Pinkie pie stared at Link. In her time of being one of the elements of harmony, she had never known the story of the original. The one pony who she could think of that might was her friend, Twilight Sparkle. After Epona thanked Pinkie pie and reassured her that everything will turn out alright in the final end, her and Link left to go to the library again. “Well, I guess we talk to this Twilight and she tells us more about the legend huh?” asked Epona. Link nodded as he continued to walk down the path to the library. Upon arrival, they saw that much of the library was in ruins. “What happened here?” asked Epona to no one in particular. A loud thump came from the upstairs and a purple unicorn franticly bolted down the stairs. Her mane looked like it had been through a windstorm. This, Link assumed, must be Twilight. Twilight stared at the two, just two days ago, she recalled them taking out a book from the library, but something was off about them. She just couldn’t tell what. “Excuse my appearance; it’s been a rough past few hours.” Epona nodded, “yes, it has. We’re here to ask something about the Elements of harmony.” Twilight froze, and then nodded, “what do you want to ask?” “We were wondering if you knew the story of the original Elements of Harmony. From what we know, you are one of the current,” said Epona. Twilight stared at Epona and Link. She noticed that Link’s skull shined occasionally, like it was polished metal. Shaking her head and assuming it was just a trick of the light, she answered them. “I’m sorry but, I don’t know the entire story myself. I would tell you to meet a wise pony on top of the mountain but, giving the circumstances, it’s useless now,” said Twilight. Epona nodded, “I guess she’s right Link. Not much we can do this time huh? Well, I’m ready when you are.” “What are you..?” started Twilight as Link took out his pale blue ocarina, and played the notes for the song of time. The notes reverberated throughout the library and the city, sending the two back to the interior of the clock tower. Epona, this time still on her hooves, shook her head. “I think I’m getting the hang of this time travel stuff,” she said as she stumbled around slightly. Chuckling softly, Link opened the doors and saw the busy streets of Ponyville once again. He and Epona spoke briefly about what Twilight had said about going up the mountain to meet this ‘wise pony’. After they decided to do it, they gathered supplies and stopped at the base of the mountain. “You sure about this? Like, I know what you did at Snowhead Mountain back in Termina but, this is a really big mountain…” said Epona as she gazed at the mountain. Near the top was an opening for what looked like a cave. ‘That’s where the wise pony must be,’ thought Link, ‘all we need to do is get up there and ask him the story. Maybe then we can go find the other missing Elements of Harmony.’ With that thought in his mind, he and Epona set out to scale the mountain and continue to find a way to beat Majora and stop the moon… ************************************************************************************* “… Visitors? You’ve been watching them haven’t you?” said a quiet voice on top of the mountain towards the sky, “well, I guess they could use the help. But be careful, your appearance may frighten them.” A thunderous laughter echoed throughout the mind of the wise one, “seriously Loyalty, be careful. I cannot bear to lose another one of us again. They saved Laughter and now they are on their way to see me. If you prevent them from saving the little ones then I swear…” “Swear what?” came the crackling voice from far above the sky along with bones crunching together, “you’d never go through with it Kind. I know what you did with the Hydra was stunning but me or anyone else? I doubt it.” Kindness sighed, it sounded like a howl of a sad wolf, “Just don’t frighten them Loyalty, ok?” “Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.”