//------------------------------//
// Chapter IX 
// Story: The Legend of Zelda: Friendship is Magic 
// by Multi Personas 
//------------------------------//

	
Chapter IX


For as far as I could see, I only saw carrots. It was a giant field of them. They were growing from bushes, from trees, and jumping out of the water like fish. I was in heaven, and heaven is glorious.

With a giant smile upon my face I ran through the carrot grass while giggling with glee. I jumped through the air and landed on a bed of carrots. Still laughing, I spread out my legs and waved them through the carrots in eternal bliss.

Then came the tremors. I felt one shake through the earth and I opened my eyes. My peaceful world shattered. I quickly sat up only to see the sky no longer bright blue, but dark and gray. A single drop of rain fell from the sky and hit me on the nose, making me flinch. After the first drop of rain fell, the others came pouring down after it, in big heavy drops.

More tremors rocked through the earth. One after another, growing in power as they made their way closer. Then it was quiet, until something erupted from the ground. Earth flew everywhere, and from the ground rose a terrible beast. It was the biggest, scariest and the fluffiest rabbit I have ever seen.

I felt my ears flatten and my eyes grow wide. It reared up on its hind legs and gave a mighty roar before spewing flames from its gaping maw. Its eyes were black, hellish, depths. It was the single most adorable yet scariest thing I have ever set my eyes upon. I was having trouble determining if I should let out a “D'aww!” or a scream of pure terror. I think I ended up doing both. I'm not sure what I did, as next thing I knew, I woke up.

~*~*~*~

“Epona?”
“Hmm?”
“Epona, it's time to get up.”
“Huh?”
“Epona,” I heard Link say for the third time. “It's time to get up.”

I slowly opened my eyes to see Link's light blue eyes staring back at me.

“Can I have five more minutes?” I asked, rubbing my eyes with my legs. Link only smiled, shook his head, and sat down on his bed. I took the hint as I couldn't sleep in and that he was on one of his barely talking days.

With a groan I sat up and stretched out my legs. With a hiccup, I blinked in confusion. I shook my head, trying to wake myself up. I slowly looked over at Link who had on his green tunic, green hat, white leggings, and boots. He was rummaging around in his pack for something.

“Howdy!”

I turned to the sound of the voice and saw Applejack in the opening of the loft. Link nodded his head in greeting and I gave a short wave.

“Good morning Applejack,” I said as I gave thought to if I should get up or just lay back down and sleep more.

“You two are up mighty early,” she commented. “Ah was plannin' on lettin' the two of you sleep in on account of your help last night.”

Link just smiled at her and waved his hand in a 'Not at all' gesture and stood up, stretching out his back. Applejack turned to me with an eyebrow raised.

“Uh, there any reason he ain't talkin'?” she asked.

“Some days he doesn't talk, some days he does. It's kinda random,” I answer. With no chance of me going back to bed I got up and stretched until I heard a few pops.

“Oh, uh, well there's breakfast on the table if y'all are hungry,” Applejack said, walking out of the loft. Me and Link followed her out and into the open air. I let out a grumble. The damn sun wasn't even up yet.

Don't get me wrong, I’m use to waking up before the sun as Link liked to get a very early start on his adventures. I just never really liked getting up in the morning.

The air was nice and cool, not too cold but still enough to make me shiver. Which was odd, as I never shivered at this temperature before. My new shorter fur mustn't keep me as warm.

Me, Link, and Applejack walked up to the house, but Applejack left us to go do work while we went inside.

“Heya!” Applebloom exclaimed as we were walking in through the front door. Dear goddesses, they have that kid up at ungodly hours too? Though Applebloom didn't look like her normal self. Her mane was a little ragged and she didn't have her bow in her hair, but it was sitting on the kitchen table next to her plate of pancakes. Her eyes also looked tired, almost half-lidded.

Big Mac and Granny Smith were at the table as well. Each with their own plates of pancakes. Two plates were sitting at empty spots so me and Link sat at them.

“Coffee?” Big Mac asked Link, picking up a coffee pot with his hoof.

Link nodded and grabbed it, pouring some in a mug that was waiting next to his plate. I had a mug next to my plate too, so when Link offered me the pot I grabbed it as well. Though it was odd grabbing it. I had to set it in the crook of my leg while pressing my hoof on it to keep it from falling. Pouring it was also a challenge and I almost dropped it twice, but in the end I managed to pour myself a cup of coffee. I even set it back down on the table without spilling it.

I was all ready to eat. My pancakes had butter and syrup on them, my cup of coffee was beside my plate, and the silverware next to me. I was all set and eager to dig in. Only, I didn't know how.

I took a look at Applebloom and saw her pick up her fork with her hoof. Just picked it up. Like, she touched her hoof to it, and it just stuck to her hoof. I was confused. Like, how the hell did it stick to her hoof. I looked back to my own silverware. I slowly rose a hoof and inspected it. It seemed like a normal hoof. Well, normal from what I could tell, I’ve only had this hoof for one day.

I slowly took my hoof and touched it to my silverware, then slowly drew back my hoof. The fork stayed where it was. I tried again. Nothing. Again, still nothing. I slowly squinted my eyes at my hoof accusingly. I looked up in time to see Link looking at me with curiosity. I smiled and nodded at him before looking back at my plate. Then I slowly pinched my fork with my hooves and tried that way. I stabbed my pancake with my fork and lifted it up, but it slid back down to my plate with a sticky “Plop”.

I looked up to see Applebloom staring at me but she quickly looked away. I went back to my pancakes. I picked up my fork again and chopped at them. I looked up again to see Big Mac looking at me out of the corner of his eye, but he looked away quickly too. I turned back to my pancakes. I raised my fork once again to chop at it. Then twice, then I start mutilating the pancakes with my fork. I’m sure everybody is staring at me but it's too damn early to care at the moment. After a minute of mutilating my pancakes they become a mushy mess. With a smile on my face I scoop them up on my fork and bring them to my mouth.

“Mmm,” I say with a big smile on my face and my eyes closed in bliss.

“Ahem,” Big Mac cleared his throat. “Uh, well, after what the you two did last night,” he said to me and Link, “AJ and I have decided to let the two of you off for the day. We appreciate what y'all did last night, and we think you deserve a reward.”

Link started to wave his hands in refusal but he wasn't saying anything so I had to provide the words.

“That won't be necessary, it's what we do,” I said. “Well, what he does.”

“Still, we insist that you take today off. If it makes you feel any better we can work you tomorrow,” Big Mac said. He sounded like his mind was made up on the matter. I looked to Link and he just gave a look that said “Okay.”

“I suppose that we can take the day off,” I said, Link nodding his head. Big Mac gave a nod himself and went back to eating. I went back to eating my mushed pancakes as well. They were still pretty good pancakes.

Applejack walked in a few moments later. She wasn't sweating or anything but I could tell that she had been working because of how mussed up her coat was.

“Howdy,” she greeted us all as she made her way to the kitchen. Big Mac gave her a nod, Applebloom gave her a smile, Granny Smith said a simple “Hello deari and Link gave her a smile and a nod.

“Link, didn't you need to return a wagon to Twilight?” Applejack asked to which Link nodded. “Ah've got to go up to town to sell apples, you can come along if you want.”

Link smiled and nodded once.

“Uh, alright, when ya get done eatin' I’ll be in the barn,” Applejack said, walking away. Link quickly scooped the last of his pancakes into his mouth and rose from his seat.
He walked past me and ruffled my mane for a second before moving on. I quickly scooped up the rest of my pancake mush and shoved it in my mouth. Then I quickly got up and dashed to the door, but I stopped and grabbed my cup of coffee, which was cold, and downed it all in three gulps. Then I raced out the door.

With a steady trot I was able to catch Link. Looking down at me, he smiled then opened the barns doors.

“Y'all wanna grab the wagon?” Applejack asked Link, who nodded. I just stood by the door.

Applejack was hooking herself up to a wagon that had baskets of apples in them and soon she was ready. It didn't take Link any longer to get ready and in no time we were all set. I thought about grabbing my knife, but that wouldn’t help the town like us so I left it behind.

“Alright, let's go,” Applejack said while walking out of the barn, me and Link following close behind. We walked into the apple orchard and saw Big Mac leave the house. Applejack and Big Mac exchanged a nod between themselves and Big Mac headed to the southern part of the orchards while we headed down the dirt road leading to Ponyville.

“So, cat got your tongue there Link?” Applejack joked. Link, being to the good sport he is, just chuckled.

“Sometimes Link doesn't feel like talking to anyone,” I explained. “When he talks a lot it's a good sign that he won't talk the next day. Like how he talked a lot yesterday.”

“Oh?” Applejack asked, casting a sideways look at Link, who just blushed and scratched the back of his head.

“Yup,” I said. We walked a few moments in silence and then I started to feel an ache in my upper left hoof. I just shook it out and it went away.

“Look,” Applejack started but she paused before continuing. “Ah wanna personally thank you for what y'all did last night.”

“It's fine, it's our job,” I said, a smile on my face. It was nice being praised.

“No, it's not fine. If it weren't for you two then we wouldn't have as many apples as we do. The Timber Wolves usually wreck a part of the orchard in looking for whatever it is that they eat,” she said. “So thank you.”

I looked up at Link who had a smile on his face while looking ahead.  I smiled at Applejack. “It's ok. You're welcome.”

Applejack just smiled and nodded her head, before looking ahead again. With a smile I too looked ahead. The dark town now appearing over a hill. It felt good. Like right inside of me. Right in my heart.

That feeling lasted about five seconds and was instantly replaced with an aching in my hoof again. But this time it didn't stop in my hoof but instead traveled to the rest of my body as well.

“Uh oh,” I said. Link and Applejack just kinda looked at me with raised eyebrows. “I gotta run!” I exclaimed before taking off to the town at a dead sprint.