//------------------------------// // Chapter II // Story: The Legend of Zelda: Friendship is Magic // by Multi Personas //------------------------------// The Legend of Zelda: Friendship is Magic Chapter II I said nothing, but I kept my eyes on it, watching it's every movement. The smile on it's face faltered a little when it saw that I am still in attack mode. Rustle rustle. The bushes that the thing in front of me rustled again and I tensed up again and let out another growl. I’m still not sure why I growled, it just felt right. “Yo, Twi! Where are-” the voice stopped when another thing broke through and found itself looking at me. This thing was even weirder than the first; it's mane had every color of the rainbow, and it was a light blue. It didn't have a horn but I could see wings on it's back. Again I tried to hide my surprise. “Um, Twi? Why is she out here?” This “Twilight Sparkle”, looked over at her rainbow maned friend and shrugged her shoulders slightly, then turned back to me. “Are you lost?” she asked as she took a step forwards. I instinctively stepped back and let out another growl and barred my teeth like I saw other animals do when they try to look intimidating. The purple horse flinched and stepped back, but her friend jumped in front of her and took a fighting stance like me, and tried to put on a scary face, letting out a deep growl. It probably would have worked if she didn't have a rainbow mane. Just something about it made her less scary and made me not take her as serious. “Rainbow wait!” the purple horse suddenly exclaimed, putting a hoof in front of the one called “Rainbow”. Fitting name I suppose. The purple horse looked at me and put on a kind smile. “It's ok, we're not going to hurt you,” she said in a kind voice. The tone of her voice made me feel that maybe she wouldn't hurt me... then again I would like to see her try to hurt a horse like me, she didn't look that strong and her horn wasn't sharp, but it could probably poke an eye out or something if she stabbed hard enough. “Can you understand me?” “Yes,” I risk saying. This seemed to brighten up her mood. “Oh good!” she said with a big smile and she let out a sigh. “Ok, but what are you doing out in the Everfree?” “Where?” this put a look of confusion on her face. “Um, the Everfree Forest?” Twilight said gesturing to the forest around us. “What part of Hyrule is that in?” this only made her even more confused. “Hyrule?” she asked, sitting down and rubbing her hoof on her chin. “I've never heard of Hyrule.” “What?” it was my turn to be confused. “What do you mean you've never heard of Hyrule. It's one of the most improtant countries there is!” “Really? Well I’ve studied almost every map that had to deal with Equestria and those around it, but I’ve never seen a Hyrule,” Twilight said, putting a hoof to her chin. “Equestria?” I ask. “I've never heard of the place.” then and idea popped into my head. “Wait! Do you work for Ganondorf?!” “Who?” Rainbow asked. “Don't pretend you don't know about Ganondorf, everybody knows about Ganondorf!” “Yeah? Well I don't. Who is he?” she asked. “He is the Prince of Darkness and Thieves. Are you sure you've never heard of him?” I ask. Maybe they are telling the truth. Unlikely, but still. “I don't know who you are talking about, but he sounds like a chump,” Rainbow said with a roll of her eyes as she too sat on the ground. I slowly eased out of my fighting stance, but I kept standing. “Ganondorf is no chump,” I say. “Furthermore-” I was however cut off by some groaning coming from behind me. “Link?!” I shouted as I turned around and saw Link moving and groaning. “Link! Link?!” “Whoa. What is that?” I heard Rainbow ask from my right “I've never seen a creature like that before,” Twilight said from my left. I ignored the both of them and nudged Link with my nose, trying to get him to fully come around. “Come on Link, wake up!” He slowly opened one eye and I felt a big smile appear on my face. “W-w-who?” he asked, groggily. “It's me, Epona!” “E-Epona?” “Yes!” He fully opened his eyes, then closed his eyes and rubbed them, opening them once more. He slowly sat up and just stared at me with his mouth open. “It's me, Link! I don't know what happened but- GAK!” I suddenly found myself wrenched forwards to Link and I though that maybe Link though that I was an imposter or something and he was going to kill me. But this though was dashed as his grip wasn't near it should be in a killing crush. And the next thing he said helped. “D'aww! Your so adorable, Epona!” … “What.” I was confused. Very confused. “Say,” Link said, holding me out at arms length and started to eye me up and down, “when did you get so small?” “What? I don't know. I just woke up like this!” “Huh,” Link said as he lifted me up. “Wah!” I yelped as he started to lift me up and down. “Excuse me?” I heard Twilight say. Link stopped lifting me and turned his head to the new sound. He slowly set me down and I instantly started to wobble on my feet. I shook my head to clear the dizziness from it. I’m not sure I like being picked up. “Hi!” Link said cheerfully. “Are you a unicorn?” “Um, yes?” “Cool, so that thing spit us in a place where there are unicorns. Interesting,” Link said as he stood up and stretched. I came up a little past his waist now. “I doubt this is Hyrule, right?” “Um, no, this is Equestria,” Twilight said. “Huh, never heard of it,” Link said rubbing his chin. “Oh! Sorry, my name is Link,” he said, kneeling and presenting his hand to Twilight. “My name is Twilight Sparkle,” she said, putting her hoof in Link's hand and shaking it. “And I’m Rainbow Dash, fasted flier in Equestria!” Rainbow said, striking a pose. “Though, what are you? I’ve never seen anything like you.” “I'm a Hylian, a close cousin to a human.” “Human?” Twilight asked. “Huh, I though your body structure look familiar, though your... ears, was it? Darn, it was Lyra who was a human specialist, amongst other mythical creatures,” Twilight said to herself, rubbing her chin with a hoof. ROOOOOAAAAARRRR! Upon hearing this ferocious roar, Link spun, drew the Master Sword and took his usual fighting stance, while I also took a fighting stance. Link raked his eyes through the dense forest, trying to spot the great beast who made the noise, and his ears twitched as he listened closely. “Uh, Twi? I think it's best to get out of this forest,” Rainbow said as she too tried to look for the beast. “Your right, come on, we have to get out of here,” Twilight said as she started to move to the bushes she came from. “Wait! Our stuff,” Link said, never letting his eyes leave the forest. “Oh, sorry, I got them,” Twilight said. I looked just in time to see her horn light up in a purple aura, then all of our bags and my armor also being wrapped up in the aura. Then all the stuff began to float. “Alright, I got them. Let's go,” Twilight said, heading back to the bushes, this time, Link and I followed. Rainbow was just ahead of us, so it was pretty easy to follow them. ~~~ We have been running for a while, the only sounds were Twilight and Rainbow shouting at each other about directions. I pray they don't get us lost. Link has not said a word and the Master Sword is still out. His childish manner replaced by that of a skilled warrior, prepared for battle. His mouth was pressed down into a slight frown and is eye's were cold, no long holding the warmth they usually held. He always got like this when danger was involved, even if it was just a single deku. I looked forwards once more, watching Rainbow possible get us lost. “Aha! This way!” I heard Twilight yell as she took a sudden right. I ended up skidding on the forest floor as I tried to take the same sudden right that both she and Rainbow took, but I righted myself quick enough and was back to running. We ran for a few moments until we broke the forest line, the sun blinded me but I kept running until we were a good distance from the forest. Twilight just collapsed from exhaustion, panting very heavily. I doubt she ever had to run that much in her life before. Rainbow panted heavily but she still stood, and I panted but not as much as anybody else. I was use to endurance running. Link sheathed his sword and wiped his brow of sweat. “See.. I told you... we should have... took a left at the boulder,” Rainbow panted. Twilight just raised a hoof to wave her off, not being able to respond just yet. Link dropped to the grass and took off his hat, and ran a hand through his messy hair. I walked up to him and sat down to the right of him, close enough for touch, but far enough away so I didn't make him uncomfortable with the amount of body heat I was giving off. Link raised a hand and set it on me, patting my back a few times, before standing and making his way to our stuff. He dug around in it and he pulled out his water canteen, he walked to Twilight and offered it to her. She took it and drank greedily. “Gah!” she let out a huff off breath, “Sorry.” “Drink as much as you need,” Link said with a smile. Twilight nodded and took another mouth full before giving it to Rainbow. “So, where are we?” “About, two miles from Ponyville, which is that way,” Twilight said, pointing off into the distance. I squinted in that direction and sure enough I could see what looked like an impressive sized village. “Is that where we are heading?” “Yup. I'm the librarian there.” “Alright then.” “Rainbow,” Twilight said, the winged horse looked at Twilight. “I need you to fly to Ponyville and announce the arrival of new ponies, then I need you to gather the other girls and tell them to meet up at the library. Can you do that?” “Sure thing!” Rainbow said, taking to the air. “You can count on me!” With that, Rainbow took off, leaving behind a rainbow trail. “Well, we should go also,” Twilight said, lighting up her horn once again and enveloping our stuff with it, though she was clearly straining. She mustn't have recovered all the way from the run. “Here, let me grab this,” Link said, stepping forwards and plucking my armor out of Twilight's grip. “Hehe, thanks,” Twilight said. And with that, we set off. It was quiet for a few minutes, nobody knew what to say. It was Link who broke the silence. “So... is that magic?” he asked. “Yup, I assume you have magic where you are from?” “Yeah, I know a few spells myself.” “Really? But you don't have a horn.” “In our world you don't need to have a horn or anything. However I can't just cast them willy nilly. I need to use these special types of crystals. Din's Fire, Farore's Wind, and Nayru's Love.” “Only three?” “Heh,” Link said sheepishly, “well you see in my world you need to train as a wizard to be able to cast some serious magic. The only reason I can use those three crystals is because I was blessed by one of the Great Fairies.” “Huh, interesting. Mr. Link, would you mind if I asked you a few questions about the place you came from?” “Um, sure I suppose, as long as it's a few questions. Oh, and please just call me Link, I’m not old enough to be called Mr. anything.” “Oh, sure.” Silence once again fell. Link then turned to me. “You seem awfully quiet, Epona.” “Yes, well I did just discover the ability to talk about a half hour ago. I’m not use to talking.” “Oh, right.” “Wait a second,” Twilight said. I looked over at her. “Haven't you always been able to talk?” “No? I'm a horse, horses don't talk.” “Horse? But your a pony.” “Pony?” I ask, testing the word. It felt weird to call myself a pony. “So is that what you are?” Link asked. “Yup.” “Hmm,” Link said, rubbing his chin with his free hand. “What's wrong Link?” I ask. “It's just; if you transformed, then why didn't I?” “Huh,” I said, looking at the ground as if it held the answer. I was stumped. “Hmm, maybe I should include that in my report to the Princess,” Twilight said offhandedly. “Princess?” “Yes, Princess Celestia. She and her sister, Luna, rule over this land,” Twilight said with a big smile. “I'm Princess Celestia's personal student.” “Personal student, huh?” “Yup!” “Neat.” And with that, it was silent once again.