"Unnnnnngghh…" Dash moaned. "I hate thiiiis… it's too hot. I need some shade. And water, lots of it!"
"What's the matter, we still got coconut milk left," Applejack said.
"Yeah, but it's the only thing we have. We've been drinking nothing but coconut milk for the past few hours. I want some fresh water!" Rainbow said.
"Yeah, me too," Scootaloo groaned.
"Stop complaining, you two," I said. "It wasn't hours, it was barely 30 minutes. And this is the desert, of course it's going to be hot. You decided to come along, so deal with it."
"Mom, I'm hot too," Apple Bloom said. "Can't we just take a rest? Only for a moment? Please?"
"Not a good idea, seedling," I said. "Staying right underneath the searing sun? That's asking for a heat stroke. It's best we find whatever place Link and Rarity have been taken to and hope there's some shade there." I looked back at Sweetie Belle, still perched atop my back. "Are you feeling better?"
"Still a bit woozy, but it's getting better," she said. "Thanks, Mrs. Apple. And I'm sorry for being such a burden. I'll walk if I'm getting too heavy…"
I shook my head. "No, it's okay. Don't overexert yourself. I'll carry you until the last bit of dizziness is gone."
"Rainbow Dash, can't you get us a cloud?" Scootaloo asked. "That'll give us some shade and water."
"Are you kidding?" Rainbow grumbled. "Take a look above you! There's not a single cloud in the sky, not even a small one." She shook her head, wings drooping. "This is no place for pegasi."
"If I only had my scooter," Scootaloo muttered. I felt pity for the pegasus filly. That little vehicle must have meant the world for her, but now it was at the bottom of the ocean.
"Hey, chin up, squirt," Rainbow smiled. "I'll buy you a new one once we're back."
Scootaloo's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"It's a promise," Rainbow smirked. That mare sure was something. Undoubtedly brash, cocky and competitive, but with a great heart. She and Applejack bickered all the time, but I could tell that it was just their way of sharing their friendship.
I couldn't express how happy I was for my daughter to have found such good friends. And the both of them were even willing to go to the end of the world to save their mutual friend. Of course, I was doing the same for Link, but that made me even prouder. It looked like they were made out of the stuff adventurers were made of.
Unlike me, however, they did this on their own, voluntarily. I had no choice when I was whisked away to that faraway land called Hyrule. I still had no idea how it happened.
That reminded me of what the girls had told me earlier. That Rainbow's mother was supposedly hit by the same meteor that hit me and my husband. It baffled me to no end. Where did that meteor come from? Was it really the meteor that brought me to Hyrule, or was I brought there before it could hit me? But if it really was the meteor's fault, shouldn't my husband and Rainbow Dash's mother be brought to Hyrule as well? As far as I knew, there were no horses anywhere in Hyrule that were anything like me. But if it wasn't the meteor, what did bring me there? It was a confusing loop of questions, and none of them brought me any closer to an answer.
Which is why I was glad when Apple Bloom pulled me out of my thoughts by tugging on my mane. "Mom, take a look at this. There's somethin' up ahead."
"Looks like some sort of deep crater is in the sand, behind that dune," Applejack remarked.
"I'll take a look," Rainbow said as she took off into the air. "Maybe there's an oasis down there. Daring Do always finds one when she's lost in the desert."
"I wouldn't put yer hopes up, sugarcube," Applejack shouted after the pegasus. "It's probably just a few more tons of sand."
Rainbow flew up until she could look over the sand dune. "Whoa…" she said. "Guys… you better come up here and take a look at this."
Together, the girls and I clambered up the dune until we could look down into the crater as well. And what we saw there made our eyes go wide.
"Wooooow!" Scootaloo said. "Cooooool!"
"That there looks like an old city," Apple Bloom gasped. "Y'all think there are ponies livin' down there?"
"Doubt it," I said. "That town is in ruins, and the buildings look like they're centuries old. However, they are looking somewhat familiar…"
"That has to be the ancient city of the desert tribe Daring Do wrote about in her books," Dash shouted excitedly. "That means Link and Rarity are somewhere down there, right?"
It made sense. And the more I looked at the city, it reminded me of the architecture of the Gerudos. I still didn't know why they were brought here, but Link and Rarity had to be here. This was where Epona's Song had come from. I wish I could still hear it, but Link had stopped playing for some time now. Slowly, our group made its way down the dunes, into the city.
"Poor Rarity," Sweetie Belle said as she looked around the stone buildings. "She's probably fainted several times because there's too much sand in her fur and mane. And after that, she's probably trying to clean the whole city."
"The way I see it, Rarity has bigger problems than just dust," Applejack frowned. "Take a look, guys… looks like we've got company."
Our bodies tensed up when we heard the hissing. I carefully helped Sweetie Belle off my back, and Rainbow, Applejack and I formed a protective circle around the young fillies. I then saw the green-scaled reptiles crawling out of the buildings.
"Lizalfos," I snorted. "Here we go, girls. Those lizards are not going to let us go without a fight."
"Bring it!" Rainbow shouted as she ducked her head and raised her wings, a typical aggressive pegasus behavior. "Time to show these sand snakes what a Cloudsdale pegasus and Wonderbolt-in-training can do!"
"Yer not fergettin 'bout my mom and me, aren't ya, sugarcube?" Applejack smirked. "Cause us Apples can buck lots more than just apple trees. Right, Mom?"
I smirked back. "After you, daughter."
The Lizalfos pounced, and the fight was on.
Ghirahim was laughing. He was lying in the middle of a huge amount of rubble, his coat and mane was full of dust and there was a hoof-shaped imprint on his face. But he was laughing.
"Priceless!" he chuckled. "The little witch almost made my resolve falter. Telling me I have failed… But on the contrary: Fate has never been more kind to me than today. Does it matter if the horned horse is the sage or not? It doesn't! The winged horse is the sage… and I was the one who brought her here! If that isn't fate…"
Chuckling to himself, he slowly stood up, glancing through the destroyed doorway into the other room. The fools were discussing something. The winged horse seemed to be shocked to no end because of that silly emblem on her rump. It didn't matter. Soon enough, she would die.
He summoned his sword and stepped into the room. The fools didn't even see him coming. The unicorn was trying to calm the pegasus down and the witches were crouching in one corner of the room, licking their wounds. Death would come for all of them.
He raised his blade for the kill… but it was blocked by the handle of a hammer.
Ghirahim snarled while Link met his stare with resolve. "Forgot about me, didn't you?"
"Of course… the hero!" Ghirahim spat. "Always meddling, always interfering. Always wearing that annoying, green cap. Must I be cursed to run into one of you eventually?"
"Stop prattling and start fighting," Link said as he and the demon started to circle each other. Nervously, Daring and Rarity edged away into a corner of the room. Lotus was still crouching over her injured sister, an unreadable expression on her face.
"This shall be over soon, mortal," Ghirahim said. "The first Link was a formidable fighter and I underestimated him, true enough. But he had that accursed blade on his side. What do you have? A bulky hammer." He chuckled.
'Does he ever shut up?' Link thought to himself. 'Gee, and he calls me annoying.'
Link started the fight by taking a swing at his opponent, which Ghirahim nimbly dodged. Even in a unicorn's body, he was far too agile to be hit with a heavy weapon. But when he sliced at Link with his black sword, the hero barely managed to get his weapon up in time to deflect the incoming attack.
'This isn't going to work,' Link thought. 'If only I had my sword…'
"Are you not trying to hit me again?" Ghirahim snickered. "No? Very well then, allow me…" He summoned a single, crimson diamond, which he hurled at Link. Far too tiny to block with the handle of a hammer, and a dangerous projectile nevertheless. So Link did the only thing he could do in such a situation: He jumped out of the way.
That's what Ghirahim was hoping for. Faster than the eye could see, he dashed to the spot Link was jumping to. And slashed his arm with his blade. Link cried out as he was forced to drop the hammer. He tried to get Ghirahim with a kick, but a single backflip brought the demon out of his reach.
"Link!" Daring shouted. "Wait, I'll help you…"
"Stand back!" Link shouted. "That's just what he wants." He winced and clutched his injured arm, keeping the blood from coming out.
"Smart decision, hero," Ghirahim chuckled. "But futile. You can't protect your friend for forever. You know, this is very enjoyable. No sacred sword to fight back with, no annoying goddess or sword spirit to help you. How does it feel to be helpless?"
"Helpless?" Link asked. "Think again." Using his good arm, he reached into his bag and pulled out the hookshot. He aimed the sharp, metal tip in Ghirahim's direction and pulled the trigger. The tip came shooting at the evil unicorn like an arrow, pulling a long chain behind. Ghirahim did not expect that kind of attack and barely managed to sidestep the hookshot, which buried itself in a slab of stone.
"Interesting weapon," Ghirahim said. "But toys won't help you now."
"Oh, I think it will help me quite well," Link smirked and activated the trigger once again. The hookshot retracted, pulling the tip back towards him, together with the hunk of stone it was attached to. However, there was a certain obstacle in the way, which the stone heavily collided with. And that obstacle was Ghirahim's head. The stone slab broke apart and the demon lord fell to the ground with a grunt.
Link pulled the hookshot's tip all the way back in. "I won't be helpless as long as I still have equipment that can help me."
"Is that so?" Ghirahim grumbled as he looked up at him. "I will have to take away every last one of your little toys then." Weakly, he staggered to his feet. He was a mess. Both the front and backside of his head were swollen and disfigured, and his eyes were glowing with hatred towards the hero and his allies.
"How awful!" Rarity made a face. "He wasn't that nice to look at to begin with, but now his outer appearance at least matches his nasty behavior."
Ghirahim snarled. Those pitiful mortals would not ruin this perfect day. "AHUIZOTL!" he shouted. He hated to resort to the help of others, but they didn't leave him any other choice.
"Great, he's calling him," Daring rolled her eyes. "Let's just leave, guys. He can't do anything to stop us."
"No," Link said. "I want to end this now. And I want answers. And our friend here is going to give them to me."
"Such insolence! We'll see who answers to who when I'm done with you," Ghirahim said.
Ahuizotl then appeared behind him. He was accompanied by at least a dozen Lizalfos. "My lord! What happened?"
"What does it look like, idiot?" Ghirahim snarled. "Take those fools out so we can finish the ceremony."
"A chance to finally kill Daring Do?" Ahuizotl grinned. "But with pleasure!" He snapped his tail-fingers, and the Lizalfos followed him into the room, while Ghirahim backed off.
"This is going to be nasty," Link muttered as the enemies swarmed the room. He looked over to Aloe and Lotus. "So, are you guys with us or what?"
"I…" Lotus still seemed uncertain.
"Is there really much of a choice, sister?" Aloe asked as she stood up. Apparently, she had rested enough. "Ghirahim is not going to let us live after this. So if we want to survive, we have to side with the hero."
"I hate it when you're right," Lotus muttered. "Very well then, for now we'll help. But don't expect me to like him all of a sudden!"
"Aloe, Lotus…" Rarity smiled at them. "I knew you'd come to your senses. Thank you."
"Save your thanks for when we're out of here," Lotus muttered.
The Lizalfos snarled and bared their fangs. Aloe and Lotus charged up their spells. Rarity telekinetically picked up a couple of rocks and got ready to throw them. Daring Do and Ahuizotl glared into each other's eyes.
Link tried to pick up the Megaton Hammer, but with just one arm, he just couldn't keep a good grip on it. "Dangit, I can't fight like this. Maybe I should switch back to pony for now."
"Then get that mask back on. We got this," Rarity said as she threw her first boulder into the crowd of reptiles. "Take that, you ruffians!"
Aloe and Lotus started blasting them with fire and ice, while Daring and Ahuizotl engaged in a one-on-one fight with flailing hooves, feet, wings and fists.
Link took the pony mask. "All right, back to four legs," he sighed and put it on his face. An agonizing jolt of pain later, and he found himself back as a pony. His left foreleg was still injured, but at least he could still stand and hold the hammer with his mouth, using his earth pony strength.
Aloe froze a couple of Lizalfos to the ground, but didn't see a third one, as it jumped at her from her right. Before it could reach her, though, it was smashed into the wall by a giant hammer.
"Watch your back," he said. "And no need to go easy on those guys. They are not your minions anymore."
"Link?" she asked, surprised that he came to her aid. "I'm so sorry for all of this… I don't know if we can ever make it up to you…"
"Well, helping to win this battle would be a start," Link said. "So focus!"
While the fight was going on, the combatants heard a very strange battlecry echoing through the temple. It came from the door on the other side of the room, the one neither had paid any attention to up to now. And the voices who shouted this battlecry sounded very high-pitched.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MONSTER BASHERS!" shouted the three little terrors as they barged into the room, chasing a whimpering Lizalfos that ran away from them with his tail between his hind legs.
"S-SWEETIE BELLE?" Rarity gasped. "Wh-where did YOU girls come from?"
"They're with us," I said as I entered the room. "And I must say, they've been a huge help against these Lizalfos." I smirked at my four-legged, green-capped partner. "Hey Link. You look like you could use some help, so I've come to save the day."
"Don't forget about us!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she and Applejack came running in after me. "Hey Rares, what's up?"
"Yee-haw!" Applejack shouted as she bucked a Lizalfos away that came close to biting a white unicorn that I assumed to be Rarity. "And get yer filthy claws off her, ya scaly varmints!"
"You girls…" the unicorn said. "You're here… you came all the way here to save me?"
"What kind of question is that?" Rainbow asked. "Of course we did! Well, also to save Link and Daring Do, as it turns out. Hey, Daring! Miss me?"
Daring Do grunted as she was pummeled by the fist of a strange creature. "I thought I told you that Daring Do doesn't need any help." She and Dash then attacked the creature at the same time with a double dive kick. "But it's good to know you still don't care about that," she smirked. "You're just in time to help me kick Ahuizotl's tail. Took you some time to get here, though."
"Sorry, you know how it is. Crowded skies, stormy sea, a sea monster that wants to eat me and a 30 minute desert trek while listening to AJ's whining about how hot it is."
"Hey, YOU were the one who complained, not me!" Applejack shouted from the other side of the battlefield.
"Well, I must side with Rainbow Dash on this one," Rarity said as she poked an enemy with her horn. "The desert is dreadfully hot."
"Enough!" Ahuizotl roared as he grabbed Rainbow Dash by her tail and threw her into Daring Do, so the two pegasi fell to the ground, completely dazed.
"Ouch… Rainbow, your head is harder than it looks," Daring mumbled.
"Oh yeah? Well, you have… huh? Daring, why do you have my cutie mark?"
"Why are you looking there at a time like this?" Daring snapped.
"I can't help it!" Rainbow protested. "That idiot threw me in a position where I can't look anywhere but there."
"So you're saying I have a big plot?"
"At last, I will have my revenge!" Ahuizotl laughed as he towered over the two pegasi. "Say your prayers, Daring Do… hey!"
A trio of tiny fillies jumped at him at once, clinging to his neck, tail and legs.
"Leave my sister alone, you big meanie!" Sweetie Belle said.
"Ya stupid furry thing, yer even dumber than Diamond Tiara!" Apple Bloom added.
"For Rainbow Dash and Daring Do!" Scootaloo shouted.
"Aaaah! Get them off me!" Ahuizotl shouted as he tried to pry the fillies off, but to no avail. "Get them ooooooff! Ow! Ow! Ow! No, not the face! Let go of my tail, you little… YEEEEEOOOOOOOOWWWW!" He screamed as Sweetie Belle bit down on his tail. "Wait! Please! Stop! I surrender! I surrender, but please make it stoooooop!"
"Yaaaaaay!" the crusaders shouted as one.
"Look, Rarity," Sweetie Belle said. "We beat the evil monster."
"I… see it," Rarity said as she looked down at the tormented form of Ahuizotl. For a moment, she wasn't sure if the should be angry at him or feel sorry for him.
"Hah! That's a laugh!" Daring chuckled. "The great Ahuizotl, beaten by a bunch of kids. I think that's a good story for my next book."
Ahuizotl paled. "You wouldn't DARE write about such a humiliating defeat!"
"Hey, I'm the author. I can write what I want," she grinned.
While all of this was going on, I defeated the last of the Lizalfos with a powerful kick. "Looks like that's the last of them," I said. "Or are there any more?"
"Not unless you count a slightly battered unicorn stallion with an absolutely horrible sense of style," Rarity said. "By the way… who are you?"
"Rarity, meet my mom," Applejack smiled. "And you must be Link," she said to the Hylian turned pony. "A mighty big honor, meeting one of mom's best friends. I'd shake yer hoof, but I can see that's not probably a good idea right now."
"My best friend, Link. My daughters, Applejack and Apple Bloom…" I pointed my hoof at the filly while she was using her bow to tie up Ahuizotl's mouth. "And their friends. Now that the introductions are out of the way, can we finally get out of here?"
"Not until I found that horned coward," Link muttered. "I've still got some unfinished business with him."
"You're hardly in any position to deal with evil ponies or persons right now, Link," I frowned. "Take a look at your leg. You were being careless, weren't you? Now what would Malon say if she saw you like this?"
"She'd probably cuddle me for hours and try to brush my mane," Link grumbled.
"Point taken. But still, you're in no condition to fight. Why don't we all take a rest, get rid of this mess…" I pointed at all the motionless bodies lying around. "And get each other up to date on what's going on."
"And let Twinklehooves get away?" Daring Do asked. "I'm with Link, we shouldn't give him any chance to get away."
"Yeah, what they said!" Rainbow cheered, even though she couldn't have any idea who this 'twinklehooves' was.
"Take a look around, y'all," Applejack said. "We're dirty, hungry, exhausted and injured. We've got three fillies with us and we didn't get to rest ever since we've finished that trek through the desert."
Link took a look around. I could tell he wanted to jump right back into action. He always does. But he wasn't on his own for once. He couldn't make the decisions for all of them. And on top of it, he didn't even have a bottled fairy to heal his wounds.
"All right," he grunted. "Let's rest for now." And that was when his weak legs gave up underneath him. I was at his side instantly when he fell down.
"You stubborn Hylian," I sighed. "You just can't go one day without having to play the hero, can you?"