//------------------------------// // Back in the Saddle // Story: Termina's Final Twilight // by Foursword4 //------------------------------// Termina's Final Twilight Chapter 3: Back in the Saddle [Clock Town Day 1] The late morning sun shone down on the bustling crowd of villagers as they frantically prepared for the Carnival of Time. The scene was all too familiar to Link; it was exactly like he remembered it three years ago when he first visited Clock Town. The nervous chatter that he remembered was replaced with excitement and glee...yet he couldn't shrug off the feeling that something wasn’t quite right. He glanced behind him to make sure his equine friend was still on his heels. Twilight was definitely transfixed on the design of the town. Link realized that the young pony was in an unfamiliar world, yet he wished she would realize just how important their quest was. Majora's Mask was the reason Link had come to Clock Town before. Once again, the gears of time were turning. The north district of Clock Town was a lot less populous in comparison to its southern counterpart. Being the scenic area of the town, there was a small park with a garden and a playground that was a hot spot for the local children. On the opposite side of the park was a cave at the top of a small ledge. Link motioned for Twilight to follow him as he headed towards it, hoping that what lay within would give them some much needed insight as to what was really going on. *** [Great Fairy's Fountain] Twilight gasped as the tunnel opened into a large chamber, it’s floor almost entirely taken up by a pool filled with swirling water. Stone pillars rose from the edge of the pool, connected by elegant arches. A small stone pathway traced the inside edges of the pool, leading to an altar on the opposite side. The room glistened with crystals as water ran down the walls, reminiscent of some giant fountain while the water in the pool itself seemed to glow with a mystical light. Link approached the altar at the pool’s outer edge. Twilight followed but soon stopped in her tracks when a voice rung through her ears: “The Hero of Time has returned, just as I expected!” She whirled around trying to find the voice’s source. She ran up to the alter next to Link, even looking down into the pool to try and find it. “Link, who just spoke?” Twilight asked. She didn't have to wait long for her answer. A shrill scream pierced the room as a large figure emerged from the center of the pool and the ring-like pathway. She looked down on her visitors with interest. The strange being looked human - reminding Twilight of Link - only much larger. Her long golden hair billowed behind her as if there was a gentle breeze blowing. Ivy seemingly crept along her skin in a way that resembled clothing while her body emitted golden particles of magical energy. Twilight was the first to speak, “Who are you?” The magical being lazily floated towards her, and gently stroked her chin. With a chuckle, it spoke: “My child, I am the Great Fairy of Magic. Please don't be alarmed, I will not harm you.” Turning to Link, the fairy wrapped her hand around his waist and lifted him up. “My, my...you are far more handsome than I remember. You have grown into a fine young man, my little hero.” She giggled at herself, and put Link back down on the altar. Twilight snickered when she saw him blush. After the short introduction, the Great Fairy's smile turned into a frown. “I know why you are here Link, and your assumption is correct. Eternal darkness will once again befall Termina, unless you can stop it. It was a mistake to allow Majora's Mask to remain intact. Unfortunately, destroying such an evil object will not be easy. To properly destroy and expel the evil soul that resides in the mask, you will need enchanted weapons. The mountains of Snowhead are known for carrying a wide assortment of gems and jewels. One gem in particular is hailed for having a dormant power that only a skilled craftsman can tap into. In ancient Termina, this jewel was commonly used because of its holy properties.” Link reached behind his back and grabbed hold of the weapon stretching out from behind his shield. He unsheathed it to hold it out in front of himself. Twilight immediately identified the object as a sword. She remembered reading about them in books as they were commonly used in human warfare. The sword that Link held was far more intricate than any she had seen; there were three golden markings along the polished steel blade. The sword gleamed beautifully in the soft light of the chamber, and Twilight couldn’t help but be impressed by the sword and whoever had forged it. “Link, your blade may be sharp enough to cut through the fiercest foe, but it is not blessed with the strength to slay a demon. Go to the mountains of Snowhead and retrieve an Astralite crystal. Only then will you have a chance to destroy Majora's Mask once and for all!” the Great Fairy finished. During the briefing, Twilight couldn't help but feel powerless facing the quest Link was tasked with. Ever since she had followed Link through the forest and into the world of Termina, she had been unable to cast even the simplest of spells. If she wasn’t able to use her magic, she wouldn’t be able to help Link out at all. “My little pony, there is something troubling you, isn't there?” Twilight looked up at the fairy to see her gentle eyes staring back at her, “Great Fairy of Magic...I have dedicated my studies to the elements of magic, yet I can't seem to use any of the spells I've learned in this new world.” The Great Fairy gently floated closer to Twilight, almost as if she was inspecting her. She floated away again, returning to her original position, and started stroking her chin. “Oh my dear...you are a victim of a terrible curse! Such a powerful one too...I'm afraid I don't have the power to break it!” Confused by what she had just heard, Twilight asked, “Did you say a curse? You can't be serious. There is no such thing as curses!” The Great Fairy laughed softly. “No such thing as curses? My dear, of course there are such things as curses! Just as there is good magic in the world, there is evil magic to balance it.” She frowned once again, “And you have certainly run into a being that possesses truly evil magic.” Twilight raced through what had happened to her recently: “I entered the Everfree Forest looking for the source of some music...and I noticed the forest changing. The music got louder, so I knew I was close but....Oh! The mask salesman! He was wearing Majora's Mask when I first saw him!” Link gasped after hearing what Twilight said. She looked up at him to see a worried expression on his face. “Would the salesman really put a curse on me Link? He didn't seem like a bad man...and he was the one who lost the mask!” The Great Fairy answered the question for her: “Whether it was the man or the mask itself, the spell is definitely potent enough to have come from the evil within the mask. I can use as much power as I have to chip away at some of the curse but if you want to free yourself you will have to seek out three other Great Fairies across Termina. I can't be certain, but the combined powers of four Great Fairies should be enough to break the curse completely. The dashing fellow next to you will be able to help you find the three other fountains. He is quite the adventurous type.” Twilight laughed after noticing Link blushing again. The Great Fairy joined in with her own charming laugh. “Now...will my little pony please walk up to the altar?” Link backed away as Twilight took his place. The magical fairy gave a soft laugh and used her hand as if to blow a kiss at Twilight. A magical wind swirled around Twilight, lifting her into the air, as sparks of pure magical energy danced along her coat. Twilight closed her eyes, allowing the magic to be absorbed into her body. She felt her hooves touch the ground soon enough and opened her eyes. Curious to see if the process had worked, she turned towards Link and focused her new found energy into her horn. Link gave a startled gasp as he was lifted into the air. He barely rose four inches before falling backwards. Link stood up and gave her a dirty glare. Twilight smiled cheerfully and turned to the Great Fairy: “Thank you so much! I promise to do all I can to help Link throughout his quest!” The Great Fairy chuckled warmly. “You have a very virtuous heart my dear. I am positive that you are just as essential in ridding the world of Majora's Mask as Link is! I wish you both the best of luck!” With those final words, the mystical fairy laughed a piercing laugh and vanished back into the depths of the fountain. *** [Clock Town Day 1] Link and Twilight stepped out of the cave’s mouth and looked over the north district of Clock Town. “So Link...if we’re going to do a lot of traveling, I should probably find a saddle bag to store some items in. Do you know where we might find one close by?” Link crossed his arms and seemed to lose himself in thought. Twilight examined the field ahead of them while she waited for his answer. The cavern that lead to the fountain-chamber was at the top of a sloped incline overlooking the rest of the area. A lone tree stood near the center of the park with a few newly planted saplings growing close by. There was a wall to Twilight’s left with a door leading out of the town. She felt a tap on her head and turned to see Link smiling at her. He jumped off of the ledge they were on and walked towards the Clock Tower. Twilight leaped to the ground below and followed. “LIIIIIIINK!” Twilight turned her head as a bright-yellow light flashed by her. The glowing object flew towards Link and disappeared under his hat. He stopped in his tracks as his hat floated up into the air. He started chasing after it as it almost mockingly floated just out of his reach. With one last attempt, he leapt into the air to reach for it. Grabbing the brim, he pulled it down and looked inside. A glowing yellow ball with wings flew out to playfully circle Link’s head. “Link! I never thought I would see you again! I can't believe it's been three years already!” it said. Twilight's eyes grew big as she recognized the all-too-familiar creature in front of her. “L-L-Link! Get away from it!” Twilight rushed at the boy to knock him aside. “Fly away Parasprite! There’s nothing here for you!” The yellow sprite didn’t budge. “Uhh...Link? Did this horse just talk to me?” she asked. Link tapped Twilight on the head and shook his own. Confused as to what was going on, Twilight asked: “What is a Parasprite doing here in Clock Town anyway? Are they native to Termina as well?” The sprite rushed towards Twilight and bounced off her head. “Listen here you bug-eyed brat. I don't know what this ‘Parasprite’ you’re talking about is, but I'm a fairy. Name's Tatl, and I would appreciate it if that's what you called me!” “Brat?! You’re the one with an attitude problem! My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I am not a horse!” she replied, almost angrily. “What kind of name is Twilight Sparkle? Either way, you sure look like a horse from what I can see. Except you have a dumb horn on your head.” “What the...a-a dumb horn? You have no idea how special a horn is to a unicorn!” “Calm down Sparky. Don't get your tail in a knot,” she teased. “Ugh! Why is everyone in this place crazy? Demon children; a fairy with an attitude that would put Rainbow Dash to shame; and a mask salesman who has a few screws loose! I just can't take it anymore!” Twilight cried out desperately. “Listen here, it's not my prob-....wait. Did you say 'mask salesman'? Link, she doesn't mean that creep from three years ago, does she?” Link nervously grunted and nodded his head. Noticing the familiarity in the interaction between the two, Twilight asked, “I take it you two know each other?” Noticing the agitation in the pony's voice was gone, Tatl responded. “Yeah, I met Link three years ago. Not sure how much you know about what happened then, but Link and I were together when the Majora's Mask incident happened.” Twilight turned to Link and then back to the fairy. “I don't know much...Link isn't the talkative type it seems...but whatever the case may be, it seems like the mask is missing again and Link is here to find and destroy it.” The fairy quickly flew towards Twilight, stopping inches from her face. “What!? The mask is loose again? I thought the salesman told us he was returning the mask!” The fairy flew towards Link and continued her questioning. “Link! When you defeated Majora three years ago, didn't the mask salesman tell us that the evil in it was gone?” He took a step backwards as the fairy drew closer to him. He quickly nodded. “Then we have nothing to worry about...right?” Tatl asked. “Actually...we just finished talking to the Great Fairy who lives in the cave nearby. From what she said...the mask is definitely dangerous. We have to find some Astralite in the mountains and reforge Link's sword with it so he can destroy the mask for good,” Twilight explained. She continued to fill Tatl in on everything that had happened in the past few hours. Tatl floated away from Link, and hovered silently for a few seconds. She then slowly drifted towards Twiilght. “So...do we have any idea where the mask could be? Or who even stole it?” Link and Twilight looked at each other, then turned to Tatl and shook their heads. “Let me tell you a little story Sparky.” Tatl began. “Exactly three years ago today, I was in the Lost Woods with my brother and a friend of ours. Our friend got a hold of something evil. It was Majora's Mask. The mask feasted on the discontent in his heart and used it against him. That particular day, we saw a boy on a horse exploring the forest. My friend, the Skull Kid, attacked the boy - our friend Link here - and stole his Ocarina and horse. Link pursued us and got cursed by the mask in the process. Knowing that my brother and the Skull Kid were in danger, I decided to help Link just so I could save my friends. With Link cursed, there wasn't much he could do to save anyone, but we knew we had to get his Ocarina back first. At midnight, the night when the Carnival of Time was supposed to start...we found the Skull Kid on top of the Clock Tower. Using the power of the mask, he brought down the moon to crush Clock Town.” Twilight’s eyes opened wide. “He brought down the MOON!? How is that even possible? Wouldn't bringing down the moon have caused natural disasters as well?” “Well, it wasn't the actual moon. I guess it was an artificial one the mask created to trick the townsfolk. It was about the size of the entire town though. When we were on the Clock Tower, it looked like it was only a few minutes away from impact. Link was able to retrieve his Ocarina and he used it to travel back in time to the first day we were in Clock Town.” Twilight tried her best to wrap her mind around what the fairy was telling her. The idea of some kind of giant rock crashing into the town and time-travel were hard for her to fully comprehend. She started to open her mouth to speak, but Tatl continued. “You don't need to worry about the details. What I'm getting at is that a lot of recent events are similar to what happened three years ago. I wonder if it’s more than a coincidence? Could Majora's Mask actually be planning it all?” she wondered aloud. Finally getting a chance to speak, Twilight said, “I don't really understand what happened three years ago, but it sounds like you think the mask will be on top of the Clock Tower on the night the carnival starts, right?” Tatl shot towards Twilight while making a chiming noise. “Yes! It's a long shot but I think the mask is intentionally trying to repeat what happened! I don't know why, but it doesn't matter! We have to stop it!” She then sped towards Link. “Link! What do you think of me tagging along for another adventure? This time, we'll do the job right!” Link grinned and gave his old companion a thumbs up. He quickly turned to Twilight after hearing her cough. “Hate to ruin the moment here, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do! If what Tatl says is true, then we don't have a lot of time! Link, the saddle bags? Would it take too long to get one?” Link shook his head, but Tatl decided to speak for him. “Saddle bags? Romani Ranch might sell them. It's not a long walk from the southern gate. Is it really important for you to have a silly bag though?” Walking past the fairy, Twilight said, “Well, I figure if I'm going to be traveling around this world, having a bag to carry anything I find would be helpful. Let's go Link! Lead the way!” *** [Romani Ranch] The scene laid in front of Twilight almost felt like it came out of a dream: a wide open pasture littered with livestock stretched out in all directions as far as she could see. At the top of a hill was a small ranch with a barn beside it. When she entered the farm, Twilight was welcomed by the familiar scent of hay as the crisp breeze blew through her mane. Romani Ranch had a lot in common with Sweet Apple Acres. While it didn’t have an orchard, the scent of livestock hung in the air. Many different animals were out on the pasture, enjoying the cool day. A young girl roughly the same age as Link stood near the barn. She had auburn hair that reached down to her waist and was wearing a long, light blue skirt with a white shirt. An orange kerchief was draped around her neck with the ends held together by a golden pendant. The girl was brushing a horse’s side, humming a gentle tune. Twilight stopped to listen to the song while Link approached the lass. She turned to face him, and a bright glimmer appeared in her eye. “GRASSHOPPER! Oh it's been far too long!” The young girl leaped towards Link and wrapped her arms around him. A bit surprised at first, he returned the gesture. “Looks like Link has himself a girlfriend!” Twilight smiled at seeing the two friends reunited. She glimpsed at Tatl, who seemed to be staring right at the two. “Tatl, you’re going to stare holes in them if you keep that up. You’re not jealous are you?” The fairy quickly flew in front of Twilight, glowing a little brighter then before. “N-n-no! Of course not! I just wish the two lovebirds would hurry it up so we could get on with our quest! You know...stop an evil mask from destroying the world? It's not like it's a matter of life and death or anything.” Twilight couldn’t help but imagine that Tatl had gotten a little flustered. While she couldn’t see her cheeks through all the light, Twilight imagined that Tatl was blushing. Hearing his companions, Link pushed himself away from the girl. Without dropping the enthusiasm in her voice, she said: “Romani has- I mean, I have missed you so much! I have been practicing with the bow a lot since you helped with ‘Them’. I was able to hold them off the next year, and I haven't seen them since! The cows are really happy too!” Link smiled as Romani continued to catch him up on the latest news at the ranch. Getting annoyed at the seemingly endless chatter, Tatl flew towards Romani. “Hey, we would love to play catch up all day, but we’re kind of on a tight schedule. We need a saddle bag for Sparky here, think you have one that’d fit her?” Romani looked past the fairy and examined Twilight. Her eyes lit up once again and she dashed towards the pony. “Wow! A purple horse! No, she's a unicorn, isn't she? She's beautiful, Grasshopper!” Link approached the two, noticing the smile on Twilight's face as Romani admired her. “Oh, I'm flatt- OW!” Twilight quickly turned to look at her flank after feeling something hit her. She only saw Link shaking his head. Confused, she turned back towards Romani to see the girl frozen in place. “L-Link...did she just talk?” Tatl flew herself in-between Twilight and Romani. “A horse talk? Of course not, do you know how stupid that sounds? Trust me, if horses could talk, we would be in a lot of trouble!” She then floated over to Twilight's ear and whispered, “Listen Sparky, animals here don't talk. Opening your mouth around the locals will only attract unwanted attention. I still find it odd that you can speak, but getting the Terminans in a panic will only slow us down. So, make like a horse and neigh!” Twilight sighed, and did her best to imitate what she thought a local horse would sound like. She didn’t like it, and they would most definitely be having a long conversation about it later, but Tatl was right. Still seeming a bit skeptical, Romani approached the pony and examined her. She then turned to Link with a frown on her face. “Well, I would say that we had plenty of saddle bags that fit her, but we don't have any on hand. My sister found out this morning that our entire stock was stolen! She's pretty sure it was those thieving Gorman Brothers down the road, but she hasn't come back yet. I'm guessing she's having trouble with them...as usual.” Romani started pacing back and forth, seemingly lost in thought. Twilight walked up to Tatl and gave the fairy a light nudge. “Tatl, who are the Gorman Brothers?” she whispered. “They're no good thieves, that's what. They’ve been stealing from the ranch for years; mostly their milk. Last time Link was in Termina, he stopped them from raiding a wagon that was delivering milk. Both of them are dirt.” Link walked up to Romani and patted her back. He gave her a warm smile as she turned to him and her own smile once again returned to her face. “Grasshopper, I knew you would go get those bags back for us!” She wrapped her arms around Link once more. Surprised by Link's action, Tatl shot towards the boy and smacked him on the head. “Link! We don't have time for this! We shouldn't have even bothered with the stupid bag in the first place! We need to get to Snowhead fast! Unless you forgot, that lazy smith loves to take his sweet time with his work. We have a lot to do!” Link swatted Tatl out of the way and started running towards the entrance to the ranch. Twilight quickly galloped down the path behind him. “UGH! Why did I even bother getting myself into this mess again?” The aggravated fairy dashed off to try and catch her partners. *** [Gorman Track] “Come on, anyone can tell you took your own label and put it over ours! You clearly stole our merchandise, so give it back! “Sorry Miss Cremia, I'm afraid ya'll are mistaken. These saddle bags are property of us Gorman Brothers. Terribly sorry to hear of you misplacing your merchandise, but we can't help ya there.” “That's a load of bull, and you know it! Are you going to stand here and lie to my face about never stealing any of the goods from the ranch?” “My dear, I thought we were having this conversation to remedy your lost saddle bags? You never mentioned anything that you might have lost before.” “Don't play stupid with me! I'm not leaving until I get those bags back!” The frustrated young lady continued to argue with the man, but was having no luck. She was Romani’s older sister Cremia - practically identical in appearance except for the obvious differences in their ages. If it wasn’t for that though, they could easily pass for twins. Cremia was wearing an outfit similar to Romani's except that her shirt was purple. “Howdy ya'll! How may I help you?” Twilight and Link turned around to see a man that was identical to the one that Cremia was still talking to. He was very awkward looking; bald, thick eyebrows, an impressive mustache, bright orange overalls, and a daunting gleam in his eye. Cremia heard the greeting, and whirled around. When she saw Link, she dashed over to him and wrapped her arms around him just as her sister had earlier. “Oh Link! It's so good to see you again! Romani has been talking about you nonstop since you left! You can't believe how annoying she can get!” Cremia released the boy, and Twilight noticed he was blushing yet again. “What brings you to this dump? I would assume you wouldn't come here unless it was important.” Tatl flew out from Link's hat to hover in front of her. “We're on a tight schedule, but the little hero heard you were having some trouble with these crooks again.” “You must have already talked to Romani then. These no good thieves stole our shipment of saddle bags, I just know it! Link, is there anything you could do?” The brother in the orange overalls spoke first. “This is all a simple misunderstanding ma'am. We just got our own shipment in a few days ago. You see, it's simply a coincidence that we got ours the same time you did. Now...if you are interested in buying one of them fine bags, we would be happy to help.” Cremia put her hands on her hips and leaned towards the man. “BUY them? There is no way we're buying anything that was stolen from us in the first place!” The man that was speaking with Cremia before - the brother in blue overalls - stepped forward. “How ‘bout if we make a deal then, hm? We'll trade our entire stock of saddle bags for that fancy purple horse over yonder.” Everyone turned towards Twilight. She looked around, hoping that by some chance there was another ‘fancy purple horse’ nearby. Tatl quickly darted in front of Link. “Done!” Link gasped and swatted the fairy out of the air. Noticing the interest in the unicorn, Cremia decided to strike a little wager with the brothers as a counter-offer. “How about we settle this with a horse race? Whoever wins gets to take home both the unicorn and the saddlebags?” The two brothers chuckled loudly at her suggestion. “Miss Cremia, you’re kidding right? You know Gorman-bred horses are the best in all of Termina! Why, when was the last time a horse raised at your ranch won the annual horse derby here at the track? It must have been before you took over the ownership of the ranch if I'm not mistaken!” Cremia stomped her foot into the dirt. “We consider those fightin’ words in these parts Gorman! If you weren't too busy cheatin', perhaps our horses would win a race! Link and I will be racing you and your brother there. Whoever wins gets the entire pot! Or are you scared?” Twilight dashed to Link's side and whispered in his ear, “Uh, Link? Are you even going to jump in and let them know that I am not up for grabs, or are you fine with me being sold to the highest bidder here?” Link nodded and tapped Cremia on her shoulder. She turned to him and saw him shaking his head while pointing at Twilight. “Don't worry Link, I didn't expect you to be the victor here. I can tell your horse ain't no race horse, I'm not stupid! But if you were to enter the race with her, then you could act as a distraction so I could pull ahead!” Tatl floated towards Cremia and rested on her head. “But Cremia, wouldn't that be...cheating? I thought you were against all that jazz!” Cremia looked up to say: “Oh come on Tatl, you gotta fight fire with fire round these parts! You actually think those sniveling brothers will play fair? We gotta beat them at their own game! I'm sure Link here can give us the winning edge!” She walked over to Link and placed her hands on his shoulders. “So what do you say Link? You're in, right? I'll be glad to give you a saddle bag for free when we win!” Link nervously nodded before feeling a nip at his side. Twilight grabbed his shirt with her teeth and pulled him towards her so she could whisper without being heard. “Link! How can you even agree to this? I'm not an Earth Pony...there is no way I can do well in a race like this! Besides, do you actually expect me to let you ride me?” Tatl flew over to Twilight and rested on her nose. “Aww, is Sparky afraid that she'll break a hoof? C'mon sister, it's time for you to ‘pony up’ and actually do something here! Or are all the ponies where you come from useless?” Twilight furiously shook her head, knocking the fairy off her nose. She’d completely lost herself in her frustration. “UGH! I'll show you! I'm far from useless - you'll see! Come on Link, saddle me up so we can put on a show for those Gorman Brothers!” *** “Alright ya'll, here are the rules. Whoever crosses the finish line after one lap ‘round this track is the winner! The prize is the shipment of saddle bags and the purple unicorn. May the best man win!” “Or woman!” “Of course Cremia, or woman. Everyone get into place, and we'll start the countdown.” Cremia hopped onto her horse and guided it on to the racetrack. Link had crouched down to place a saddle that one of the Gorman Brothers lent him on Twilight. He took the strap and wrapped it around her midsection before tightening it. “Hey! Can't you be a bit more gentle?” She was grimacing. He looked up to see Twilight glaring at him. He stood up and placed his hands on her back. He lifted himself up and swung one of his legs to the other side, gripping the saddle for support. Once he was seated properly, Twilight started to trot towards the starting line. “Link, are you sure about all this? It's not too late for me to just turn around and leave. What if we lose? This whole race would have been for nothing, and we've wasted enough time already! Besides, I’d rather we not have to fight our way out of here if those Gorman Brothers think they’ve ‘won’ me.” Link stroked her mane and smiled. Tatl flew out from under Link's hat and perched herself on Twilight's head. “You worry too much Sparky. Just use some of your magic to help Cremia win. They won't know what hit them!” “But that's the thing, I don't know how much magic I can really use right now, with me being cursed and all. I can try, but I have no idea what will happen!” Twilight tried to calm herself, but she was far too nervous. She stopped under an archway that was serving as the starting line for the race. She looked to her right and saw the horses the Gorman Brothers were on. They were large stallions, reminding her of some of the stronger Earth Ponies back home. It was clear to her that she was at a big disadvantage in terms of speed. She gulped. “Oh...what have I gotten myself into?” she whispered to herself. [Horse Race] “Alright ya'll, on my mark!” One of the Gormans started counting: “3” “2” “1” “See ya'll later!” The two Gorman Brothers bolted ahead, leaving Link and Cremia surprised. “No! Those cheaters! Come on girl, let's get 'em!” Cremia knocked her foot against the side of her horse and started to chase after the brothers, with Twilight hot on her heels. With the Gorman Brothers holding a good lead, Twilight put all her effort into catching up with them. “Sparky, don't overexert yourself! If you waste all your energy now, you'll be too exhausted to finish!” “But if I’m too far behind, I won't ever be able to catch up!” Twilight quickened her pace even more and started to close the gap on her competitors. Cremia was just a few feet behind the brothers when Twilight caught up. “Link! Head towards the right and try to cut that brother off! I'll do the same on the left!” she called out. Link nodded and leaned to the right. Twilight felt the shift in his weight and steered herself towards the gap between the brother on the right and the side of the racetrack. Cremia followed the same routine, and successfully pulled ahead of the Gorman on the left. This caught the attention of the opposite brother, who turned his head just in time to see Twilight approaching his side. “Not today laddie!” The brother quickly pulled ahead and cut off Twilight's advance. She turned to her side in a panic, but was unable to keep her balance. She rolled over into the dirt throwing Link a few feet to the side. Cringing from the pain in her side, Twilight got back on her feet. “Link! Get up! We need to catch up with them before they try to knock Cremia down too!” Link quickly stood up and lifted himself back into the saddle. Twilight took off towards the straightway that was littered with trees. She could see the other three racers navigating around the trunks. Knowing that they were too far behind to catch up by normal means, Twilight started to prepare a teleportation spell. “Link! Hold on tight, this could get a little bumpy!” She closed her eyes, and visualized a pathway free of trees. With a quick jolt, Twilight felt her horn pulsate with magic. She opened her eyes to see the two Gorman Brothers just a few feet ahead. Creima was still ahead but she was in danger of being overtaken by the duo. A panicked chime rang through Twilight's ears. “Link! Link! Your hat! It's on fire!” Link quickly grabbed his hat with his right hand. Noticing that the tip had a small flame on it, he blew it out. Without putting his hat back on, he leaned to the right, directing Twilight towards the inside corner of the curve. With the finish line in sight, Twilight pushed herself to use whatever energy she had left. A series of fences were lined up on one side of the track, while a line of mud pits were on the opposite side. Cremia positioned herself in the center of the track, which was free of both obstacles. Before she had a chance to pass the first set of obstacles though, one of the brothers dashed ahead and cut her off. In an attempt to avoid the fence to her side, Cremia directed her horse into the mud pit which only slowed her down. “See ya'll at the finish line! It'll be mighty fine having that purple horse at our track!” The two brothers burst into laughter as they rode down the center lane. “Quick Sparky! Think of something!” Twilight turned towards the line of fences, and started a spell. “Ohh...I sure hope this works!” Her horn glowed with a light blue aura as she felt herself picking up speed. She could already feel the strain on her body as the spell came close to its limit. She felt Link's boot tap her side, and she leapt into the air, clearing the first fence easily. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, tapping into her final reserves of magic. Another tap from Link’s boot and she jumped into the air. She was completely out of breath, but she knew it was her only chance to win. She opened her eyes for a second, just to see the final fence ahead of her. Focusing all of her might into one last spell, she imagined herself on the opposite side, dashing towards the finish line. She felt her head throbbing with pain as the spell enveloped her. A second later, she opened her eyes to see a clear path ahead. Twilight strained to keep herself upright. The overuse of magic was taxing, and her vision was already severely blurred. She heard multiple shouts behind her as she fell into nothingness. The last thing she felt was a warm hand on her mane. *** [Gorman Track] “Twilight? Twilight? Can you hear me girl? You're okay now! ... Wake up Twilight!” The gentle words sounded so inviting as Twilight slowly opened her eyes. The face of a young woman greeted her. A smile slowly appeared on her face. “Link! She's awake!” Twilight looked around and saw Link off to one side. He ran towards her and got down on his knees. He patted her head and smiled. Tatl flew out from behind him and hovered in front of her face. “You somehow managed to pull it off Sparky! You won the race!” Twilight's eyes glistened with happiness at the news. She tried to stand up, but a sharp pain shot through her body. “Easy girl, you'll be sore for a bit. You sure took a beating during that race, I'm so sorry for volunteering you and Link when I knew you weren't up for racing.” She looked at Cremia, whose bright face was now sullen. Twilight walked closer to her and nudged her face with her muzzle. Cremia laughed and patted her on the head. “I can't believe we lost to such a ragtime group of misfits!” the brothers said together. Twilight and Link turned around to see the two brothers arguing amongst themselves. “This is all your fault! You should have paid more attention when that girl passed you!” “MY fault?! You're the one who let that purple horse slip by!” Cremia walked towards the brothers, with Link and Twilight right behind her. “Boys, I'm afraid you have a shipment of saddle bags with my name on it. I'll ignore the fact that the saddles originally had it on them to begin with if you cooperate.” The Gorman's stormed off, mumbling under their breath. Twilight turned to Link and gave him a playful nudge. “Link! I can't believe I actually won! I never would have thought that I could beat a bunch of Earth Ponies!” Link tilted his head in confusion. “I mean...a bunch of ‘full grown horses’!” “Link! Catch!” Cremia shouted. Link yelled in surprise as a pair of saddle bags flew towards him. He flailed his arms in an attempt to catch them, but was knocked down by the impact. He got back to his feet and held them above his head triumphantly. Twilight looked at her friend as he stood in place for a few moments. “Uh, Tatl? Does he always do this?” “All the time.” *** [Romani Ranch] “I'll swing by the racetrack with my wagon later on to pick up the crate. I don't think those thieves will be a problem for a while. You and Twilight sure put a dent in their ego!” Cremia stepped towards Link and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you so much! You've done so much for me and my sister, I only wish we could somehow repay you. Remember, you’re always welcome at Romani Ranch!” She stepped away from Link and walked towards Twilight after picking up the saddle bags that she had given him. “These bags are very durable, so you shouldn’t worry about losing anything inside Link.” She turned to look at Twilight before continuing. “I put a good amount of hay in one of the bags for you Twilight. You look like you could use a bite to eat!” Cremia reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of hay. Twilight happily opened her mouth as Cremia fed it to her. “You two take care now, you hear? Romani would be devastated if anything ever happened to you Link! You’d better come back to visit us soon!” Link nodded, and climbed on to Twilight's back. She turned around and started to gallop towards Clock Town. Link turned around to see Cremia waving in the distance. “Just so you know Link, I don't mind you riding on my back, but you’d better think twice before you start treating me like your horse.” Link laughed at his friend as they headed towards the mountains of Snowpeak.