//------------------------------// // Ponyville // Story: Legend of Zelda: The Equine Link // by CarmenColor //------------------------------// Link stumbled through the undergrowth, trying in vain to follow the path left by Zelda and Ganondorf. The moon had risen awhile ago, but he had kept going, hoping that the trail he followed was still theirs. The forest was creepy, even by Link's standards, and he was beginning to feel uneasy. The place felt unnatural somehow, even though the things around him were the same things he'd seen in every other forest he'd ever been in. Suddenly, Link felt a stabbing pain in his right fo-...er...hoof. He looked down, and found that he had a thorn imbedded in the flesh. Uncertainly, he tried to remove said thorn, but his lack of knowledge about how to be an equine was making it difficult. Finally, he decided to pull the unwanted object out with his mouth, but not before his vision began to blur ever so slightly. He felt slightly dizzy, and figured that the thorn had probably contained some sort of toxin or poison. He knew it was bad, but he couldn't do anything about it. He'd lost his supplies in the fall, except for his sword and shield, so he had no potions or fairies to heal himself with. He stumbled onward, hoping, praying that he would find someone to help him. Every step brought him further and further from lucid thought, and he swayed like a drunken man...or pony... Whatever had been in that thorn had been very potent. Finally, after a while of simply trying to stay upright, Link felt his legs buckle beneath him, and the ground came up to meet him very fast. He was unconscious before his head hit the dirt. -LOZ-MLP- When he awoke, Link found that he was no longer laying face down in the dirt. In fact, he was actually laying in a bed, and a comfortable one at that. A cold, wet cloth was draped on him forehead, and he could see someone...or sompony walking around the room, which looked like a house of some kind. The pony noticed that he had stirred and walked over to him. As it came nearer, Link found that it was not a pony, but a zebra, something he had only ever seen in books. She replaced the cloth on his forehead. "You are like no pony I have ever seen. The things you possess have an unnatural sheen." The zebra's speech was odd, but the message was carried through. Link looked over at his sword and shield, which lay next to the bed. "I am not of this world," he said to the zebra, "I am on a quest to find and rescue princess Zelda from an evil power." He looked into the zebra's eyes, but saw none of the usual confusion. "I believe that this world and the one that I come from are sisters." The zebra's eyes widened ever so slightly. "You are The Hero of space and time... To delay you would be an awful crime," the zebra said, "but if you seek help in your fight, there is a powerful unicorn by the name of Twilight." Link blinked, confused for a second. "Where can I find her?" Link was already getting out of the bed and slinging his sword and shield onto his back. "If she is who you want to see, I can lead you through the Everfree." Link nodded, a look of determination of his face. For a second though, he looked confused. "How do you know who I am?" "There are tales from old Zebraican times, that tell a story in our usual rhymes. The old goddess Epona, ruler of all, has a sister, Hylia, who is rather tall. On two feet she walks to another place, her bipedal stature not fit for this space. They say that she rules a far distant world. I believe it should be universe, from what I have heard. But there are more legends, not told to most, who tell of a prophecy that would turn our worlds to toast." "W-what?" "Your destiny, my young colt, is near set in stone. You must not let the evil lord king take the throne! For an evil power dwells in this land, one that could be used by both hoof or hand. Quickly, we run, for we must find the one! The one who can be of aid, if only you can persuade..." "Please, just lead me to her!" Link said. The zebra nodded, and the two galloped out of the house and through the trees. Swiftly, they ran between the trees, for both of them knew that time was likely of the essence. They came to a town, and though Link was used to people staring at him in his bright green garb, today he wished only to get away from them and to find this "Twilight" person...er...pony. Finally, the zebra led Link to a large building that looked like it had been built into a tree. He thanked her and ran up to the door, not bothering to knock before walking inside. To his surprise, it was a library, but it also looked like a home. He raced up the stairs, eager to meet this powerful pony. He rushed through the door at the top of the steps, accidentally slamming it against the wall. On the other side of the doorway, Link saw a purple pony that had a deep blue mane streaked with magenta highlights. "Are you Twilight?" He looked up at her face, and noticed something rather odd. Something that he thought was impossible, but then again, he was a human turned pony in a technicolored world. Nothing seemed truly impossible anymore. This pony, though...she had a horn. She wasn't at all like any normal pony Link had seen. She was a unicorn. "Yes, my name is Twilight. Twilight Sparkle. Who are you?" she said, "I've never seen you here in Ponyville before." Link hesitated. "My name is Link and...well, you should probably sit down..." -LOZ-MLP- "...and so I have to find Zelda and save her from Ganondorf." Link finished his explanation and Twilight sat for a moment, deep in thought. "You are the Hero of Time and you come from another universe," she said, and then her face lit up, "The ancient texts! They speak of something like this. Um, lets see...'The Hero of Time will come to the one who's friendships have saved the land. Each of them must help the other to find what their corresponding goddess did not, and unlock the ancient power sleeping within them to defeat the evil lord.' The Hero of Time is obviously you, and the 'one who's friendships have saved the land'...that's me. It has to be. Me and my friends have overcome obstacles and evil in Equestria time and time again." "Now that we know who's involved," Link said, "what are we going to do about the rest of the riddle? 'Each of them must help the other to find what their corresponding goddess did not.' What does that mean?" "Well, I suppose that through Princess Celestia, the goddess helped me find friendship and the magic of it when my friends and I defeated Nightmare Moon. I have no clue what the implications are on your side though..." Link looked over at Twilight again, and noticed something rather odd. "What's that?" Her circled around her, looking at her flank. "My cutie mark? What'd you mean?" "I mean what is it? What does it mean?" "Well...my cutie mark represents my aptitude for magic, and the five stars around it represent my friends, who each posses one trait of friendship that they shared with me." Link nodded, and looked back at his own flank, which he now noticed was adorned with a very familiar symbol. "The Triforce!" he exclaimed, "it represents courage, wisdom, and power. Powers that the goddess Hylia bestowed upon me. That must be what I have to help you find about yourself, and you have to help me find those friendship things." "Well...now that we know what we have to do...how do we do it?"