//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 // Story: The Legend Of Zelda: Equestrian Nightmare // by Violet Runner //------------------------------// “One above the clouds” Link and everypony made it back into Ponyville. They all smiled as they looked towards the Element of Kindness in Fluttershy’s possession. “Alright, that’s one Element down and four more to go.” Link said. Twilight looked over to Link cautiously. “So, which Element should we find next?” Twilight asked. Rainbow Dash smiled as she walked over to Twilight and Link. “If it is no pressure, I say that we should look for the Element above the clouds. That sounds like a place where I can stretch my wings after waiting in the Everfree Forest.” she said proudly. Link looked back towards the ponies behind him. “Alright, all in favor of heading out towards the clouds?” he asked. He saw that Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Epona all raised their hooves. “Five against two votes it seems.” As Link said this, Twilight looked towards Link with concerned eyes. “Two things wrong with this Link: first of all, the sky is an enormous place. The temple where that Element resides in can be anywhere. Second of all, we don’t have a way to carry all the ponies into the sky.” she said. Just then, an elderly voice echoed out of nowhere. “Did somepony say that they need to carry a bunch of their friends up into the sky?” Everyone looked back to see a pale brown elderly earth pony stallion with a mane as white as snow. The stallion slowly walked over to the group. “You can use my hot-air balloon that can hold up to ten ponies if you want.” he said. Twilight smiled and focused on the elderly stallion. “Why, thank you for your kind offer sir. Is there a reason why you are loaning a hot-air balloon to eight complete strangers?” Twilight asked. The stallion waved his right forehoof towards Twilight. “Aww phooey! I don’t need anypony to tell me who I can lend my materials towards, especially if it means finding that.” As he said this, everyone else looked towards each other with one eye fully opened in confusion. “Ummm, what is ‘that’ sir?” Twilight curiously asked. The stallion smiled. “I’m glad you asked young missy. But first, my name is Hot Air. You’ll hear that name a lot. You see, for a large portion of my life, I’ve been giving hot air balloon tours since they first came out. It was a hoot going into the air! Eventually, I’ve learned of a certain place that flies reeeeaaaaal far into the sky and comes around once every year. I’ve spent my entire life charting out its possible locations. One of them happens to be good ol’ Ponyville skies. However, I never found the place.” Hot Air said. Link tapped the back of Twilight’s neck gently with his fingers. Twilight turned back towards Link. “I think this old stallion might be referring to the temple that holds the Element we are looking for. You should press him on that fact.” Link whispered into Twilight’s ear. Twilight smiled and nodded before she faced the old stallion. “So Hot Air, would you mind telling me more about this place? I’m really curious to hear more about it.” Twilight asked. “Why of course! So, this place was created over tens of thousands of years ago. Nopony now knows about its original purpose, but it was rumored to be a floating city where ancient ponies would look down upon the world and watch it from above. I have no idea on how much magic it took to lift a giant set of rocks up into the air, but I hear that there is something absolutely amazing in the sky.” Hot Air said. “Now, I’m too old to go that high in the sky. So, all of you shall go into the sky and find what I dub the ‘Skyview Observatory,’ where ancient ponies of olden says were said to watch over the world.” As he said this, he pulled out a large basket with a sturdy rainbow-colored balloon and a fire expelling system. “Now, please find that area as quickly as possible before I die with regret. I want you to tell me what is in that place!” he said as he walked back into a nearby shack. “Well, that sure was mighty convenient.” Applejack said suspiciously. “Eh, don’t question it Applejack.” Rainbow Dash said happily as she opened the straw door on the basket. Everyone walked into the basket. Rainbow Dash slammed the door shut. Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash curiously, who was outside of the basket. “Umm Rainbow Dash? Why are you outside of here? Shouldn’t you be in here with us?” Twilight asked. “Well, I thought about it at first. However, I think that I should be this team’s mandatory lookout. After all, if this Element is in the sky, then it means that the one who can hear the call has to be a pegasus, and Fluttershy already found her Element first. That means it must be me.” Rainbow Dash said somewhat cockily. “You make a fair point Rainbow, but please don’t let this hot air get to your head.” Twilight said as she started a fire within the metal chamber and pulled the lever. The lid on the chamber released the hot air into the balloon, which caused it to fly into the sky. Rainbow Dash followed nearby. The hot air balloon kept flying into the air until it pierced the clouds above. As Rainbow Dash flew upwards, she started to hold her head in pain. Link dropped the balloon down to Rainbow Dash’s level. “Rainbow, are you alright?!” he asked in concern. Rainbow Dash looked towards Link and smiled toughly. “Yeah, I just heard a weird noise.” she said. Link cuffed his ear with his hands. “I don’t hear anything.” he said. “Well, I definitely hear it. It’s coming from the north from a higher altitude. You must be deaf if you… cannot… hear it.” Rainbow Dash said with a few winces. She flew into the basket and smiled sheepishly. Applejack smugly smiled towards Rainbow Dash. “Team’s mandatory lookout, huh?” She said. “Don’t say anything else Applejack. Please.” Rainbow Dash said irately. “Anyways, we’re getting closer to the sound. Can we get there more quickly?” she asked. Link lifted the flap on the hot air balloon before it drifted along the winds. Soon, it reached the point where the stars looked much closer and the earth looked blue. It was then when they saw it: a giant, stone ruin with a metal ring underneath it. Everypony gawked at the beautiful sight of the ruin nestled within two clouds. Link lifted the flap and allowed the hot air balloon to go towards the site. The hot air balloon descended onto the base of the partially crumbled-away stone staircase. Everypony stepped out of the balloon, where a robed Zecora stood awaiting them. She had a large smile on her face. “Welcome to the Temple Skyview, where everything around is blue.” “Zecora! How did you get up here?!” Twilight shouted in surprise. Zecora smiled. “I can warp from the sacred temples across the land. I almost forgot to teach you and your band.” Zecora handed one green medallion and one cyan medallion to link. One depicted a butterfly, and the other depicted a lightning bolt. “These medallions contain spells needed to traverse the world. Immerse yourselves within the power of the mystical swirl. Anytime you wish to revisit a temple, toss a medallion and watch it dissemble. These two are my gifts to you for now. It is time that I leave with a bow.” As she said this, she bowed towards the eight beings in front of her and threw a Deku Nut onto the ground. A bright light illuminated from the explosion, which blinded and deafened everyone. As soon as their senses came back, they no longer saw Zecora from where she stood. “That zebra is very mysterious indeed.” Link said. “Her mysterious nature is very reminiscent to someone I knew.” he turned around and saw towering pillars make the path towards the stairs. He looked towards Rainbow Dash, whose Cutie Mark was similar to that of the medallion he was handed. He looked towards everypony on the ground. “You know, for some reason, this place feels very familiar. I just can’t put my mind on it.” Rainbow Dash said. She then looked flatly towards Link. “Just because of that, I guess I’m going to have to accompany you Link.” “That’s fair enough.” Link said. “Anyone else wish to join?” He asked. “If you don’t mind Link, we’re just going to sit this out as well. I trust that you and Rainbow Dash will find the Element here, but we’ll just guard the front entrance like last time.” Twilight said. Link simply nodded as he turned towards Rainbow Dash. “Whenever you are ready, we can leave.” Link said. Rainbow Dash smiled cockily as the two of them went up the stairs. “Finding the Element will be easier kicking clouds. I’m definitely ready.” She said. The duo made it to the top of the stairs. On top of it, there was a dark corridor that led into the temple. Link and Rainbow Dash wandered into there, ready for the challenges within.