Let me tell you something about my friends.
I'm not talking about my Hyrule friends, such as Link, Malon or… Navi. No, I'm talking about my Ponyville friends.
I didn't marry my husband right away after moving here from Manehattan. All I knew was that I wanted to get away from my parents' controlling manners: The way they always looked over my shoulder, the way they wanted me to inherit their family business and the way they dictated every little aspect of my life.
I hated it. And that's why I decided to move away as soon as I was of age. I gathered my belongings, met my beloved at the train station and together, we took the next train to Ponyville. And as soon as I arrived, I fell in love. With the town, I mean. Everypony was so friendly and there was much less noise, stench, hectic or stress. Of course I had to work hard to earn a living. Sure my darling offered me to live at the farm right away, but I wanted to show everypony that I would be able to stand on my own four hooves.
During my time in Ponyville, I met several ponies that would become my friends. Cup Cake, the baker's daughter. Pearl Belle, the jeweler-in-training. And Maybell Mare, the mayor's receptionist. Over the years, the four of us became inseparable. When I finally married my darling, they all volunteered to be my bridesmaids. Cup Cake, or Cuppy as we affectionally called her, was my best friend. We shared everything: The home-made pies and cakes we baked, the newest gossip in town and even the bits we earned.
Apart from my family, meeting her was the one thing I was most nervous about. I was very glad when I didn't run into her on the street, so I felt very relieved when I followed my daughter and her little friends into the strange, gingerbread house-shaped building.
I took a look around. There were yummy treats and tasty morsels everywhere. The sweet scent made my mouth water. Together, we approached the empty counter.
"Just you wait, Miss Romani," Apple Bloom said with excitement. "Sugarcube Corner has the most delicious cupcakes EVER!" She then turned towards the counter and shouted: "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cake? Are you there? We're here for our daily dose of cupcakes!"
"We're in the back. Just a moment, dear," somepony shouted back.
I recognized her as soon as she entered the room. Sure, she had a new hairstyle and apparently gained a few pounds over the years, but it was obviously my dear old friend Cuppy. Taken completely by surprise, I froze in my tracks.
"Hello there again, girls," she greeted the fillies in that warm, welcoming tone of hers. "You really like my cupcakes so much that you have to come here every day?"
"You betcha!" Scootaloo grinned. "But this time around, we brought a guest."
"How nice of you," she smiled as she turned her head. "Welcome to Sugarcube Corners, how may I…?" She stopped herself when she saw me. Her eyes widened and she stuttered: "E-epona?"
Apple Bloom looked up at me with a frown, then back to Cuppy. "Epona? Nah, that's our new friend Miss Romani. She's new in town."
I quickly gathered myself and said: "Y-yeah, I'm just a tourist, passing through lovely Ponyville. And my name's Romani. Um, nice to meet you, Miss…"
"It's Mrs." she said. "Mrs. Cup Cake." I noticed her eyes were wandering towards my cutie mark. Sweatdrops were forming on my face. 'Don't let her recognize me, don't let her recognize me…' I pleaded to whatever gods were listening.
"Can we all have some of those delicious carrot cupcakes from last time?" Sweetie Belle asked. "They were the best."
"Oh, of course… my husband is making some at the moment. You know what, girls?" She smiled down at them. "Why don't you three go to the back and Mr. Cake can show you how it is done."
"Really? We can?" Scootaloo gasped.
"Sure you can. And I'm going to entertain your new friend while you're gone," Cuppy said.
"Cool! Maybe we can get our cutie marks in making cupcakes!" Sweetie Belle squeaked with excitement.
"I already tried that…" Apple Bloom sighed. "But… last time it was Pinkie who showed me. Maybe Mr. Cake can show me something new. And maybe this time it really works."
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS CUPCAKE BAKERS!" they shouted as they ran through the door. I would have gushed at the cuteness of it, if it wasn't for the predicament I was in.
As soon as the fillies left the room, my pudgy friend closed the door behind them. With a stern expression, she came around the corner and stood in front of me. "All right, Epona. You can cut the act."
Nervously, I swallowed. "I d-don't know what you're talking about…"
"Apple Bloom was still a baby when you left, so it's no surprise she didn't recognize you. But did you honestly think you could trick me, your oldest friend?" She smirked at me and I sighed. She was right. If there was a pony that knew me better than my own family, it was her.
"All right… you're right, it's me," I muttered. "But please, please don't tell Apple Bloom!"
"Well, that depends on what I'm going to hear," she said. "But first of all…" With no warning, she scooped me up in a massive hug. "Epona!" she squealed. She did her best not to alert anypony in the next room, though. "It's you… it's really you! Oh my gosh… what happened to you? Where were you? We all thought you were DEAD!"
I found myself smiling at her excitement and returned the hug. I realized just how much I missed her. "It's a long story," I whispered. "And I'm not entirely sure what happened. Let's just say I was… somewhere else."
"But you're back!" Cuppy let go of me, looked me directly into the eyes, grinned and hugged me back to her chest. "You're really back… and… what DID you do to your cutie mark?"
I looked back at my flank. "Oh, that? I just thought it was time to try something new…"
"Don't give me that! I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I wasn't born yesterday either. I know you can't just change a cutie mark like that. So what happened to that little fruit bowl of yours?"
"Honestly, I don't know. This new mark appeared as soon as I turned back into a pony."
"Turned back into a pony? Dear, you just HAVE to tell me the whole story… but not now. Apple Bloom and her friends are next door. Say, when are you going to tell her?" Cuppy asked.
"I… I'm not sure I actually want to tell her…" I quietly said. "I mean, I was unable to be a good mother for her the past ten years… I'm not sure she'd even want me…"
"Nonsense! She'd be overjoyed to have you! And have you thought about the other kids? What about Big Mac? What about APPLEJACK? The poor thing was distraught when we… well… we put up your gravestones…"
I blinked. "You actually put up gravestones for me and him?"
"Well, we never found your bodies… but what were we supposed to think? The two of you were HIT BY A METEOR!"
"Not so loud!" I hissed. Fortunately, the three fillies chose that exact moment to cheer something in the next room, so it was unlikely they heard us. "Apparently, we weren't. Or else I wouldn't be able to stand here right now. But I really can't remember what exactly happened…"
"Tell me later… come back when the fillies aren't around anymore. But, you'll have to tell me EVERYTHING! You got that? I'm your best friend, I DESERVE to know the truth."
"Okay, okay. I promise, I will tell you everything I know." I took a deep breath. "So…" I looked around. "Sugarcube Corner, huh?"
"Oh, yeah," she giggled. "Carrot came up with the name. But I chose the design. Looks a bit silly, but the ponies love it."
"So you finally married Carrot?" I smirked. "Took him long enough to ask you. How often did you two date, four times a week?"
"He was so shy and awkward," Cuppy laughed. "It was just too cute, honestly. But yes, in the end he did ask me."
"And children?" I held my breath.
She smiled. "Two. A filly and a colt. Twins… born just a couple of months ago. We had a baby shower and everything."
"Eeeek!" I gushed as quietly as I could. "I wanna see them… next time, that is. I'm soooo sorry I was unable to attend but, you know… I was kind of dead."
"All right… so… about Applejack…"
I sighed. "You're not going to drop this, are you?"
"Epona, she deserves to know. They deserve to have a mother who lives. Do you have an idea how much AJ pushed herself after she took over the farm? She worked herself to the bone, took care of all the apple trees, the other fruit, the animals and the whole management. The others are helping, of course. But Apple Bloom is still too young and Granny Smith is getting quite old, to be honest. And even when Big Mac offered Applejack to do half of the chores, she refused. She seriously wanted to prove to everypony that she'd be able to take care of the farm as good as her father."
"Stubborn little filly…" I couldn't resist a chuckle. "So much like her Dad… but what do you expect me to do? From what you're saying, she obviously has everything under control. And I saw the farm. Everything looked to be in order."
"Talk to her," Cuppy said as she put a hoof on my shoulder. "Let them know that at least one of their parents is still alive."
"But I don't know what to say, Cuppy!" I groaned. "It's been ten years and I… I'm not who I was anymore." I looked at my cutie mark. "Do you see it? I'm not a farmpony anymore… I'm an adventurer… I spent an entire new life in another world, with other people. How can everything return to normal just like that?"
I'm sure she noticed that I said 'people' instead of 'ponies'. I could tell there had to be hundreds of questions on her mind. But she didn't ask me anything. Instead, she patted my head and said: "Tell them, honey. It's for your own good, too. They are your children. You can't tell me you haven't missed them. I know you too well."
I knew she was right. That made it even harder for me. I started to sob. Why did all of this had to happen? Why to me and not to anypony else? Why was I brought to Hyrule and transformed, adapted to a new life? Did someone choose me to become the Hero of Time's noble steed? Why me? What was so special about me?
"I wish… I wish that meteor had actually crushed me…" I whispered.
Cup Cake grabbed my head and forced me to look into her eyes. "Don't say that!" she said firmly. "Don't ever say anything like that again, you hear me? You've been given a new CHANCE, don't you see? A chance to see your home again, your family, your friends…" For the third time this afternoon, she hugged me. "I've missed you so much…"
"I know," I muttered. "I'm sorry. I missed you too." And for a while, we just stood there, forelegs wrapped around each others necks.
And then Sugarcube Corner exploded. At least, that's what it felt like.
"RED ALERT! We have a party emergency! Mr. Cake, Mrs. Cake… Man the ovens! Prepare the party cannons! There's a NEW PONY IN TOWN!"
I was ready to jump to the ceiling when this obviously crazy, obnoxiously loud pony came barging in through the front door, bouncing all over the place and leaving balloons, confetti and streamers in her wake.
Cuppy chuckled. "Epona? Meet Pinkie Pie."
Slightly confused, Link followed Rarity through town, until they reached a very clean-looking building. But nothing he saw showed him what kind of place this was.
As they approached the entrance, he said: "Um… Rarity? I'm sorry, but what exactly is a… a spa?"
"You are joking, right? Why, a spa is only the most delightful and relaxing spot you could ever find. Here, a customer can find everything that refreshes your body and spirit, from massages and warm water treatments to mud baths and hooficures."
"Aha," Link said, not really understanding everything. "So… this is a public bath?"
"Oh, you'll see," Rarity smiled as she opened the door. "Trust me, you'll love it."
They entered a small foyer of sorts. Behind the counter, a blue earth pony mare with a white headband welcomed them with a smile. "Miss Rarity! Thank you for visiting us again. The usual, I presume?"
"You know me too well," Rarity smirked. "And a full treatment for my friend Link, if you please."
When the mare looked at Link, something strange happened. Her whole body seemed to be getting tense and her eyes darted around as if something had alarmed her. But as soon as Link noticed, her pose immediately relaxed again. "But of course," she said in the most polite voice. "Mr. Link was it? Welcome to the spa! My name is Aloe and I am here to make sure you feel relaxed. Why don't you go ahead to the massage room? My sister and I will be with you soon, our assistants will make sure to meet your wishes."
"See? I told you they have the best customer service here," Rarity said. "Follow me, I know my way around this place. I've been here countless times."
Unsure what to expect, Link decided to follow Rarity. Aloe's eyes followed them as they went into the next room.
As soon as the door closed behind them, she ran into the back office, where her sister Lotus was taking care of some paperwork.
"Did I just hear the melodic voice of Miss Rarity?" Lotus smiled as she looked up at her sister. "I guess we should prepare her bath now, then."
"Forget about her!" Aloe whispered. "And speak quietly. You won't believe who just entered our spa…"
Lotus seemed confused. "Oh? Is it some sort of celebrity? A well-known businessmare or a Canterlot noble in vacation, perhaps? That would certainly help our business…"
"Would you stop that and listen? I'm talking about HIM!" Aloe hissed.
Lotus blinked. "Him?"
Aloe nodded and formed a triangle with her hooves. "Him."
Her sister's eyes widened as she understood. "Oh. HIM!"
Again, Aloe nodded. "What do we do? In a hundred years I didn't expect him to show up here, of all places."
Lotus' eyes narrowed. "We contact the master, of course. He must be informed about this."
"Of course." Together, they went to a mirror hanging on one side of the office. Aloe quickly pressed its frame, and the mirror slid sidewards, revealing a dark staircase leading down. The twins went downstairs, into a gloomy chamber that was only dimly lit with a couple of candelabras. In the middle, there was a strange pool, filled with what looked like liquid darkness. The two ponies took places on both sides of the pool. Using their forelegs, they performed a couple of complicated gestures in the air and chanted something in a strange tongue. In the end, a dark purple flame came shooting out of the pool. In its middle, a shadow appeared. A shadow in the form of a horse with glowing red eyes.
The twins bowed down in front of the shadow. "Rise!" a deep, echoing voice spoke, and they obeyed.
"Forgive us, my lord," Aloe said. "But we have dire news. I don't know how it happened, but… somehow… the Hero of Time managed to find us!"
The shadow horse nodded. "Yes, I know."
That answer surprised the two ponies. "You… you know?" Lotus asked.
The shadow's ghastly laugh filled the room. "Of course I know. I knew he would come to this world at some point. Everything is going according to plan. I've been waiting for this moment for years."
A shimmer of hope and excitement appeared in Aloe's eyes. "Does that mean… we will finally get our revenge?"
"Yes. That and much more. Now listen carefully: Your first task will be to take the Hero of Time prisoner. Do you understand? Do not harm him unless I say so! Afterwards, you shall do everything in your power to find his companions. I know he couldn't have come here alone."
"As you wish, master. But what should we do if someone sees what we are doing?" Aloe asked.
"We built up this cover for years," Lotus said. "It would be unwise to reveal ourselves. All our plans will be crushed if the monarchs of the land find out about us."
"They will not find out. If anyone sees you, eliminate them! Let there be no witnesses!" Having said that, the shadow horse disappeared and the dark flame swirled back down into the depths of the pool.
The sisters looked at each other. "Did you hear that?" Lotus asked.
Aloe nodded. "I did. Poor Miss Rarity… I really enjoyed serving her. But it looks like this will be her last treatment at our spa. The chamber?"
"Yes, the chamber."
Link sighed contently as the assistant's hooves rhythmically pounded on his back. He had no idea how this worked, but up to now, this whole treatment had felt heavenly. "This is great… thank you so much for inviting me, Rarity."
The unicorn smiled. "Please, it's the least I could do for a pony with such exquisite taste."
With the most cheerful expressions on their faces, the spa twins entered the massage room. "I hope everything was to your satisfaction, dear customers," Lotus said.
"But of course," Rarity said. "As usual, your services are delightful."
"Yes, I never felt this good in my whole life," Link grinned. "They should definitely open a spa in Hyr… where I'm from."
"Oh, it is only getting better," Aloe said. "After the massage, we invite you to come to the next room and we will show you the newest addition to our spa: An sauna that will refreshen your body and spirit. Please, it's this way."
After the masseur finished, Link and Rarity followed the twins in a spacious room with wooden, paneled walls. "Please, make yourselves comfortable while we prepare everything," Aloe said. As Link and Rarity sat down, the twins left and closed the door behind them.
Aloe turned the key, locking the door. "Everything ready?"
"Yes," Lotus nodded. "Minion, activate the bellows!"
The assistant's body shimmered momentarily as he opened his eyes, revealing an emotionless expression. With a slow nod, he turned around and did as he was told.
"Didn't I tell you?" Rarity asked Link. "This place is worth every single bit. I am very glad my store brings up enough money to afford this, I don't know how I would live through the week without my regular treatment."
"I'm sure Epona would enjoy it, too," Link said.
"Oh, you have a marefriend, Mr. Link?" Rarity grinned.
Link blushed. "Ah, she's just a friend. But she…" He then took a sniff. "Say… do you smell something weird?"
"Now that you mention it… these strange, green fumes can't be good for my complexion. Hello? Aloe? Lotus? Is everything okay?"
The twins' faces appeared in the small window in the room's only door. "Oh, it's more than okay," Lotus smiled. "Please try to relax, Miss Rarity. You will soon fall into a deep sleep."
Aloe nodded. "Yes, a very deep sleep. And you as well, Mr. Link. But unlike you, Miss Rarity will not wake up from hers."
"What are you talking about?" Link shouted. "Let us out!" He ran to the door and tried to open it. "It's locked."
Rarity coughed. "Goodness, that… that's gas, isn't it? I don't understand… why would you do this, girls? This isn't like you at all, you were always such good friends…"
"Seems like you never really knew the real us, Miss Rarity," Aloe said. "And if it makes you more comfortable: Know that we wish we didn't have to do this to you. You were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. But we can't allow our HERO to run around Equestria and meddle in our affairs."
"What… what affairs?" Link moaned. Like Rarity, he was gasping for air. "How do you know me? Who are you?"
Aloe grinned. "Oh, I knew you wouldn't recognize us, Hero of Time. It has been a long time and my sister and I have changed even more than you did. Maybe you even forgot about us."
"But we never forgot!" Lotus shouted. "We never forgave you either! You broke into our sanctuary, stole our servant, killed our old bodies and, the worst crime of them all: You murdered the King of Evil!"
Link was unable to stand upright anymore. The toxic fumes were filling his nostrils, making him more and more dizzy. As he turned around, he saw that Rarity had already lost consciousness. "Wh-what? Who are you?"
"He still doesn't recognize us, sister," Aloe laughed. "But maybe this will jog his memory…" And on both of their headbands, a glowing gemstone appeared. Fiery red on Aloe's forehead and icy blue on Lotus'.
Link gasped as he slowly slid down. Just before his senses faded, he finally realized the true identities of the two ponies behind the door. "T-twinrova…" he muttered, then his head dropped motionless to the floor.