The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
November 27, 2014
Chapter 10: Up the River.
" Ah, the girl from the forest....I am not surprised to see you here. I can sense that you have the Spiritual Stone of Fire in your possession, thus you have been able to acquire it from the Gorons. You have lead the light that shines in Hyrule one step closer to achieving peace, and the darkness is surely reeling from the defeat that it has sustained. That look on your face has you worried that I am angry about something? It seems that you are wise in addition to being heroic, but there is not much time for me to speak with you, for it seems that events have taken a turn for the worse," said Applejack.
" What do you mean?" I asked.
" If you believed that you could meet with Princess Zelda, then I am sorry to say that you will not be able to see her as she must prepare for a meeting that is to take place tomorrow. Her father has agreed to meet again with Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, in an effort to forge an alliance between the Hylians and the Gerudo, and as the princess of the kingdom, her duty bounds her to attend.
I of course shall be in attendance as it is my duty to protect her highness. Unlike before, the Gerudo King is traveling alone to the castle rather than bringing an entourage with him as I suspect that he does not want to have another incident like what happened where one of his own chose to defy him," replied Applejack.
" If he is coming here tomorrow then I need to find the final spiritual stone as soon as possible. Maybe I shouldn't have spent much of today having fun and partaking in sidequests as that could have been spent getting the stone, and preventing something terrible from happening," I said.
" You followed what your heart was telling you, and that shows great wisdom for wanting to do what you felt was right. Even if you had chosen to find the spiritual stone, you most likely would not have returned to the castle in time, for there is going to be additional security while the meeting is taking place. Time is now against us Sunset Shimmer, so you must find the final spiritual stone as soon as you are able.
The final spiritual stone was handed down to the Zoras who dwell within Zora's Domain which lies to the northeast of Hyrule. They have guarded the waterways of the kingdom for many years, and have proven themselves to be worthy allies to the royal family. You will need to speak to King Zora, but be aware that one must speak with respect to him. That is all the information that I am able to give to you, so I shall return to Princess Zelda and inform her that you have succeeded with the Gorons," said Applejack.
" Wait! Before you go, there is something that I must speak to you about," I said.
" It must wait for another time as I must return to her highness," said Applejack.
" Please? It won't take me long to explain, and it will definitely help you deal with some of the issues that the princess has been experiencing lately. No doubt you remember me talking about where I come from....as in where I really come from? Equestria? A world where ponies of various kinds live together in peace? When she heard me talk about it, it reminded her about the fact that she believed that she was a princess there.
That's because the Equestrian Magic inside of her was able to survive the transition from the human world to this one, yet it wasn't complete. My presence has caused a reaction where this magic has allowed her and the Goron chieftain to recall how things are supposed to be. Applejack! You too have Equestrian Magic inside of you, so surely you can recall something from the human world?" I asked.
" Whether your words are true, I do not have the luxury to reflect upon them as I must return to the princess and help her prepare for the coming of Ganondorf. You on the other hand must find the final spiritual stone and bring it along with the other two back to the castle so that you may protect this land," replied Applejack.
" But Applejack," I began.
" My name is Impa of the Shiekah, and a sworn servant to the royal family. Do not waste my time with such things that are not important, and do not attempt to poison her highness with illusions of another world. You are the messenger of the royal family, and you have been given a task which you must perform without fail. That is the duty with which you have been given," said Applejack.
" Fine! I shall perform the duty expected of me, but you need to remember the human world through the magic that resides inside of your heart. If you speak to the princess, I am sure that you will see things the same way that she does. All that I ask of you Applejack is to remember this saying that ties us all together....Friendship is Magic! Keep those three words close to your heart, and everything should become clearer. Don't let your stubbornness blind you from the truth! Anyway, you need to get back to the princess, and I have to get going to Zora's Domain, but what would be the best logical route?" I asked.
" If you travel up Zora's River, you should be able to reach the domain within a short period of time. As for your words....I shall take them into consideration and ask her highness about this other world you speak of. I wish you luck in your mission Sunset Shimmer for the fate of the world lies in your hands," replied Applejack. She then threw another Deku Nut which flashed a bright light for a few seconds before she disappeared. I then breathed a sigh of relief as I feared that she was going to have me arrested or something.
It seemed that what I said to her must have triggered a reaction as that was the first time she showcased any kind of anger and stubbornness about being told that this world wasn't true. Whether Applejack realizes it or not, I managed to get through to her even if it was only just a little bit. That leaves Rainbow Dash, Sonata, Rarity, and Aria left to explain things, but the latter two I have yet to meet in this world. As I left the castle, walked through the Market making sure not to bump into anyone, and leaving via the drawbridge, I started to wonder exactly what I was going to find in this Zora's Domain.
" Say Spike, do you have some information about Zora's Domain?" I asked.
" It's a place that's flowing with water due to the Zoras being aquatic-like creatures even though they are able to live on dry land. What Impa forgot to mention was that the water starts off at Zora's Fountain which is a sacred place only King Zora and his immediate family are permitted to enter. That water flows from the fountain, through Zora's Domain, down the river, across Hyrule Field, down the waterfalls of Gerudo Valley, and finally into Lake Hylia at the southern end of Hyrule," replied Spike.
" And the Zoras protect all of these waterways?" I asked.
" Only the ones that run from the fountain to the river, and the lake as that's their territory according to the alliance King Zora made with the King of Hyrule. The rest of the waterways are of no concern to the Zoras as they prefer to keep to themselves rather than mingle with the other tribes. Not just anyone can gain access to Zora's Domain mind you because of a very large waterfall that blocks the entrance.
While it is a fantastic sight to behold, it prevents most people from entering which makes you wonder why the Zoras choose to enclose themselves off like that. One thing you should be aware of is that the Zoras hold respect as a very high value in their society, and having that in your corner can go a long way especially when dealing with King Zora. If you were thinking that I knew something about the spiritual stone, then you're as clueless as I am, but Saria might have an idea," replied Spike.
" At least you included yourself alongside with me when you cracked that clueless insult, but you could be right about Fluttershy knowing more. Without her we wouldn't have figured out how to deal with the guard issue in Kakariko Village, and Darunia's anger issues on Death Mountain," I said.
" Your friend must truly be special if you praise her so."
" WAAAAH! Sonata? Where did you come from?" I asked.
" I stopped by the place in the Market where I originally had my shop as I was feeling a bit nostalgic, but that moment has passed. I was on my way to another location when I happened to see you standing there talking to your fairy. You two certainly have quite the conversations where you play off of one another, and it makes you look as though you were siblings who get into spats all the time.
Ah, but that isn't my business now is it? No, my business is to sell masks to people to make them happy, so let us get down to the nitty-gritty," replied Sonata. She walked a few steps before taking the bag off of her back and putting it onto the ground with a loud thud. Where does she keep on going all the time, and how is it she manages to find me so easily? I mean, I know she ends up finding you instead of you finding her, but this was starting to get ridiculous, and even bending the rules of reality. I'm surprised that Sonata isn't related to Pinkie Pie in this world as they would make the most fantastic of sisters That was when I noticed that she was still eating the same taco as before, or maybe it was a different one as it certainly looked different.
" Well, I managed to sell that Spooky Mask," I began.
" I knew that you would otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to become a Happy Mask Saleswoman now would I? So how did the sale of the mask work out for you this time? As I recall from our last encounter, the person you sold the Skull Mask to ended up ripping you off according to your exact words," said Sonata.
" It went a lot better that's for sure as I was able to sell for the full asking price, but two things surprised me about the whole thing. First of all, the boy in the graveyard who bought it managed to pay in full and didn't even mind it. The other thing was that he was interested in something that was very unpleasant to look at. Couldn't you have given me some other kind of mask that was so....creepy?" I asked.
" Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say, but the important thing is that you sold it, so please pay me back 30 rupees for the Spooky Mask," replied Sonata.
" Here you go," I said as I handed over the rupees.
" Payment received, so now I will present to you the fourth mask, but I must warn you that this one is not going to be as easy as the others. Let me take it out of my bag, and you will see what I mean," said Sonata. She then opened her bag and started to sift through it. Frankly, all of them save for the first one tough to sell as I had no idea who was to receive them. If not for Sonata being helpful without her knowing it, I'd still be stuck with that Skull Mask on my person. " Ah-ha! So this is where you've been hiding my little mask! This is the Bunny Hood, and it has real swinging ears which make it stand out."
" That is so cute!" I squeed.
" It was designed that way to look adorable to most who would see it, but therein lies the tragic story behind the history of this mask. You see, a long time ago before this kingdom was established, there was a abundance of different creatures that lived here in these fields. However, over time these creatures simply disappeared never to be seen again. The creature this Bunny Hood is based on unfortunately is one that no longer exists in Hyrule, and so many would not appear to care about something they never knew was alive.
However, there is at least one person I recall in my travels who seemed to have an obsession with this extinct creature. While her attitude and appearance would make you think otherwise, deep down she longs for the chance to want to know what it felt like to have been something that has become an ancient legend," said Sonata.
" So how do you know so much about this person?" I asked.
" She chose to talk to me about her fascination of this creature as she believed that I would make a good listener. While I don't know her personally, many have referred to as the Running Woman for she runs about Hyrule Field competing against man and beast alike in order to prove that she can beat them in a simple footrace. To this day, no one has ever defeated her for she is somehow always able to beat her opponents by just one second.
It's been about several months now since I last saw her, so I have no idea where she could be aside from one possibility. Some have said that she enjoys taking a brisk jog through Hyrule Field, but never stops to talk as she is concentrating on her running, so the only time she is willing to speak is during the night. She is not consistent when it comes to her jogs though, so you never know if she is going to be around here or not," replied Sonata.
" It sounds to me that she has a tendency to be aloof," I said.
" There is something about her outlook on life that seems to ire many who try to have a good conversation with her, and they refer to as being emotional and brooding as a result. Strange that she would have such characteristics when she has such an interesting name. Well, I am sure that you will run into the Running Woman one of these days, so do not give up hope. Anyway, I must be off on my travels once again as there is so much more for me to experience," said Sonata.
" Wait! You didn't mention her actual name!" I shouted as Sonata started to walk off at a rather fast pace.
" How silly of me to have forgotten something so simple as a name. Her real name is Aria Blaze, but she is not particularly fond of it and insists that people refer to her as the Running Woman unless she has a strong bond with a person. Will you be able to call her by her proper name? Who can say for sure," replied Sonata as she quickly walked out of my of line of sight and essentially disappeared, but that name that she mentioned....Aria Blaze!
She was the third and final member of the Dazzlings which meant only Rarity was left unaccounted for....and that was when I realized that I didn't mention anything about Equestrian Magic to Sonata. I had the perfect opportunity to bring it up, and instead I allowed her to control the conversation. Since I know that I will see her again once I've sold the Bunny Hood, I'll be sure to make her listen to what I have to say. With that mask business taken care of, my next objective was to make my way to Zora's River.
" So if we follow the river back to the source, we'll be able to reach Zora's Domain?" I asked.
" You just need to be careful of the water currents if you happen to either walk into the river or fall in. It will be going against us which would mean being sent back to the beginning of the path. Even though I said that the Zoras protect Zora's River, we won't be seeing any of them in person until we reach Zora's Domain unless we run into one of their rare scouting parties," replied Spike.
" Scouting parties?" I asked.
" It's a group of Zoras that travel down the river to make sure things are peaceful, but they don't seem to be utilized all that often what with the only threats being the occasional Octoroks and Tektites. If there were some kind of actual emergency then I can see them being deployed, but don't expect to run into them. I suppose you probably want me to tell you about the two creatures whose names I just mentioned?" asked Spike.
" No need for smugness now," I replied.
" Just having a little bit of fun with you there Sunset Shimmer. Anyway, Octoroks look like squids and spend their time popping up from the water in order to spit out a rock at unsuspecting prey. They are pretty cowardly though as they will duck back down into the water when they see anything coming near them. If you use your shield and reflect their rocks they spit back at them, they won't stand a chance.
Tektites on the other hand are a bit more of a problem as they tend to jump around in an attempt to slam into you. Red Tektites like to live on mountainous terrain while Blue Tekties live in areas where there is water. Be careful of the Blue Tektites as they take some real punishment, and their ability to jump about on water makes them difficult to attack. It might be best to either attack from a distance, or lure them onto land and defeat them that way," said Spike.
" So the Octoroks like to snipe at their enemies while the Tektites prefer a more direct approach. I'd say that my shield and Fairy Slingshot are going to be getting some action with these monsters, and I can save my own magic for when we really need it," I said. We then began to follow the river until it looked as though it was heading into a cave, but this was just a large archway which lead into Zora's River.
I did notice that the pathway in front of us was blocked by some boulders which made me glad that I had bombs on hand. " You know Spike, if we had decided to come this way first instead of climbing up Death Mountain, we'd have been stuck here because of these boulders. Now who do you suppose placed these here in the first place? It couldn't have been the Zoras as what would that have served?"
" It might have been the work of Ganondorf," replied Spike.
" Yeah, this does have the markings of something that he might do considering the results of his previous handiwork. If this was his doing, I suspect that he has probably caused some problems in Zora's Domain. You know, maybe I should talk to Fluttershy now while we're on the subject," I said. That was when I took out the ocarina and played 'Fluttershy's Song' in order to see if she knew more about Zora's Domain, and King Zora in particular.
" Sunset Shimmer? This is Saria. Can you hear me? I heard that Ms. Darunia was very happy when you played her my song to brighten up her mood. It makes me feel so happy knowing that what I taught you has proven itself to be immensely useful in saving Hyrule. I think you know by now how I came upon this knowledge, so I'd rather not repeat myself if that's alright with you. Anyway, what seems to be the problem?" asked Fluttershy.
" I'm making my way to Zora's Domain," I replied.
" The Great Deku Tree told us Kokiri many things about the Zoras as he believed that we should get to know the other tribes that exist even though we can never meet them as leaving the forest is strictly forbidden. I'm actually a little jealous of you in that regard Sunset Shimmer as you get to see so many wonderful things, and I along with the rest of the Kokiri have to remain in the sanctity of the forest.
Oh? Sorry if I was going off topic there. King Zora is said to be the possessor of the Spiritual Stone of Water according to the royal family and most of the Zoras themselves, but this is actually not the case. In fact, the stone has been passed down from mother to daughter over the generations, so the one you need to speak to is Princess Ruto," said Fluttershy.
" I've been told that King Zora and his people value respect as a high priority in their society, so I'm assuming that his daughter also thinks along the same lines? I want to be sure about this as I don't want to end up causing a problem," I said.
" While it's true that Princess Ruto does value respect just like her father does, she does seem to have a problem when it comes to authority," said Fluttershy.
" What do you mean?" I asked.
" Princess Ruto according to the spirits is apparently a tomboy who has a tendency to cause some problems because of entitlement issues, and wanting to be carried around due to being a royal. I'd say that you might have some trouble talking to her as she may treat you as nothing more than a servant instead of someone who is on a great mission," replied Fluttershy.
Hearing her describe how this Zora princess behaves makes me think of Rarity as being the perfect fit for her, so does this mean that I'm finally going to encounter the last of my friends here in this world? I can't be certain that this Princess Ruto is infact Rarity, but at the same I can be certain which means I need to find the Zora princess as soon as possible.
" Do the spirits say something about a problem happening in Zora's Domain?" I asked.
" They have been rather agitated about something that seems to be taking place there, but they aren't quite sure what it is exactly. I'm sorry if I can't answer your question, so you may have to talk to King Zora himself. Or, you could always talk to that Flash Sentry person that you seem to run into an awful lot. As always, if you need me to give you any kind of advice, just play my song and I will see what I can do for you," replied Fluttershy.
" Thanks as always Fluttershy," I said.
" That name is starting to grow on me now, but I still like my own name of Saria," said Fluttershy. As soon as the connection between the two of us had ended, I began to think about the obstacle that was in front of us. The boulders obviously could be removed with a bomb or two, so I prepared to take them out when all of a sudden, a familiar voice
ringed out.
" So you've made it all the way here to Zora's River have you?"
" WAAAAH!" I yelled because once again, Flash Sentry decided to greet me in his usual manner.
" The usual response from you whenever I begin a conversation with you. At least you should be thankful that it wasn't something along the lines of we've got to stop bumping into each other like this," said Flash Sentry.
" At least this time I didn't scream for ten seconds," I said noting to myself that he just mentioned the very phrase he has often said whenever he bumped into Twilight back in the human world. Some things just never change no matter what tends to happen around you.
" You have most likely been informed about this river connecting from Zora's Domain to the south at Lake Hylia, but you probably don't know that only the royal family is allowed to enter Zora's Domain. The Zoras for their part are weary of strangers, and accept only the members of the royal family as a result of the alliance. However, you will be able to enter Zora's Domain by playing the song passed down by the royal family," said Flash Sentry.
" Do you know about any problems happening at Zora's Domain right now?" I asked.
" As a matter of fact I do which is what I was about to explain to you next. It seems that King Zora has been unwell these past moons due to his daughter having gone missing, and as a result he refuses to eat and sleep until she has been found. None of the other Zoras have been able to find her, and they fear that their king is going to make himself even worse until death eventually overcomes him.
Over the past few days, the Zoras have been sending out small groups in the hopes of finding her, but so far none of them have managed to succeed. I have even heard that a few Zoras are searching in Lake Hylia for any clue that may reveal what happened. The Zora princess is known for being tomboyish and wanting to cause mischief, but this is something that goes beyond even her own limits," replied Flash Sentry.
" What about seeing someone suspicious?" I asked.
" I did find it strange how that one man was able to enter Zora's Domain without being associated with the royal family. He was quite the large individual wearing heavy black armour, and riding a horse that looked like it came out of someone's nightmare. This could very well have been Ganondorf, the King of the Gerudo, but what he may have been doing in Zora's Domain is a question I cannot answer, so you will need to figure it out on your own.
My advice to you Sunset Shimmer is to be careful from now on, for it seems that the evil forces in Hyrule are starting to bare down upon you. Do not allow this notion to frighten you, but instead strengthen your resolve as you will continue to grow stronger, and become the heroine this world needs," replied Flash Sentry. Once again, he urged his giant owl to take to the skies leaving me to wonder just what Ganondorf had been up to in Zora's Domain.
No doubt that he went there to claim the spiritual stone just like he done in Kokiri Forest and Death Mountain, but he was rejected those previous times and did something horrible. If he had been rejected by King Zora, could he have caused the disappearance of his daughter, Princess Ruto. Once I destroyed the blockade of boulders in front of me, Spike and I began to walk up the path that winded through Zora's River.
The path itself seemed peaceful enough, but there was a fence a short distance away which struck me as odd as why was there need of one. Someone was sitting in front of the gate munching on something from a bag they were holding. As I got closer, the person turned out to be Snips, someone that I knew very well but not for good reasons.
He was one of my 'helpers' if you will back when I had a mean streak at Canterlot High, and I made him do the most mundane of tasks because I viewed him as a servant more than a friend. The only reason that he hung out with me back then was because I had power, and he wanted to share in that. Maybe in this world he is a lot different in that he has some kind of dignity rather than being laughed at.
" Heh! You're the first non-Zora I've seen come this way in a very long time. Are you thinking of going up to Zora's Domain? If you're not connected to the king, then you're outta luck and may as well just head on back home where you came from. Now, I bet you're wondering what I'm doing here in the middle of nowhere huh?" asked Snips.
" The thought did briefly cross my mind," I replied.
" I was planning on going further up the river in order to start my special business, but this fence here has stopped me from getting any further, and I dare not risk attempting to cross the river and damage my merchandise. So, I decided to set up shop here, and so far you're my only potential customer. Sometimes I wish those Zoras weren't so secretive when it comes to dealing with the other tribes. If they choose to continue to isolate themselves like they do, they'll end up having no one else to rely on except for themselves, and that would just be a crying shame," said Snips.
" I certainly know how that feels," I said.
" So let me tell you a little bit about my business. What I have in my hand may look like an ordinary bean pod, but in actuality it is a Magic Bean. When you take one of these Magic Beans, and plant it into some soft soil like that dirt patch over there, a small sprout will grow which will then take several years for it to bloom into a plant that has the ability to transport you around like you were hovering on some kind of platform. Your sceptical face isn't a surprise seeing as my explanation doesn't exactly convince you that what I say is true, but then you just need to take my word for it, and plant a Magic Bean in some soft soil," said Snips.
" To be honest, I actually believe you," I said.
" You do?" asked Snips.
" I am able to sense magic in living things due to being taught magic by my old teacher. That Magic Bean of yours is pulsating with a magical essence that's begging to be unleashed. The reason why my face may have looked sceptical to you was because I find it odd how you decided to set up a business in a place where there is hardly anyone coming through the area aside from the rare Zora or other traveler," I replied.
" Yeah, I suppose you do make a good point about the fact that this was a pretty lousy place for me to try and sell Magic Beans to a tribe that rarely travels outside of its own territory unless they were looking for someone," said Snips.
" What do you know about the missing Zora princess?" I asked.
" Not much other than knowing that the Zoras have been searching the river for days, and found no signs of her anywhere. I only arrived here the other night, and the tracks that I saw in the ground indicated to me that they've been traipsing the area non-stop which surely has got to be tuckering them out by now.
If you still insist on wanting to attempt to get into Zora's Domain, and you somehow succeed even though you won't, expect the Zoras to give you a not-so-pleasant welcome given that they are probably under a lot of stress what with their missing princess and all," replied Snips.
" Guess I'll have to see for myself when I get there," I said.
" Anyway, back to my Magic Beans. They're not really that popular right now, so I could sell you one for just ten rupees which is quite a steal given that you know how magical they can be. Once you've purchased the first bean, the next one's price is going to be 20 rupees, then the one after that will be 30 rupees, then 40 rupees, and so on until all of them have been sold. While it does sound like a crooked way of doing things, times are tough in this economy and you have to raise prices accordingly just to make ends meet," said Snips.
" That's not a problem for me seeing as I know what it's like to have lived a rough lifestyle. Okay, so if I have your pricing methods figured out, I'd like to buy five of your Magic Beans right now, and come back to you after finishing up my business in Zora's Domain. That means I need to pay you....let's see....150 rupees....well, that is quite a lot, but it should be worth it. Good thing I continue to pick up rupees from cutting down grass, and smashing pots as I just have enough to pay you for the purchase," I said.
While this did put a dent into my wallet, I'm sure that I can find some more rupees through the usual means, and there is that potential mask sale which could give me more money despite having to give 50 rupees back to Sonata. After paying the Magic Bean Seller the total amount, I thanked him and made my way back to a small gap which I jumped over in order to make it to the other side of the river so that I could progress.
An Octorok then popped up from the river and fired a rock at me, but I quickly took out my Hylian Shield, and bounced the rock back at it causing it to shrivel up and sink back into the water. As soon as it sank back down, two more Octoroks appeared, and I dealt with them in the exact same fashion. Soon I came across another gate which blocked my progress, but there was another path to take that involved a weird jump which was easy enough to clear.
" I can't believe that you spent so many rupees on those Magic Beans," moaned Spike.
" Figures that you would question my decision, but then you are entitled to your opinion just like how I am entitled to spend my money any way I see fit. I can sense the magic coming from these beans, and I feel they may be useful in the future which is why I wanted to get them now. Besides, it will be easy enough to gain those rupees back if I continue doing what you suggested to me, and I appreciate you telling me sooner rather than later," I smiled.
" Glad that I was able to help as that's my job," said Spike.
" Feeling not as annoyed now?" I asked.
" You made your point, and it is your money, so all I can do is hope that you made a wise decision. If we continue walking on the path and around this corner, we should come across the waterfall that covers the entrance to Zora's Domain, and it's a good thing that we made it here despite the various interruptions. The sun is starting to set, so we'll have to hope that the Zoras have a place where we can rest for the night," replied Spike.
" Just how big is this waterfall anyway?" I asked, but I quickly got my answer when I walked around the corner and found myself staring straight up at the water that was crashing down into the river. " That answers my question! It's such a beautiful sight, and seeing it reminds me of Equestria, but I'll take a trip down memory lane another time as we need to focus on the matter at hand. There should be a place for me to stand on and play 'Twilight's Lullaby' in order to open up the way to Zora's Domain, so where do you suppose it could be?"
" It might be up there where the path runs by the waterfall," replied Spike.
" That sounds like a good place to look," I said. It was a bit tricky to make it over there as the pathway began to twist and turn at this point making the risk of falling into the water that much more liable, but by taking my time, I made it to the section that was in front of the waterfall.
Sure enough, there was a small groove in the ground which contained a message about how the song of the royal family would cause the water to recede long enough for one to be able to gain access to Zora's Domain. It also said that when the King of Hyrule was said to sleep, so too would the falls. " This message is actually pretty poetic even though all that's going to happen is the water receding allowing us to jump across and enter that cave over there. Still, I wonder just how Ganondorf managed to make his way inside without knowing the song passed down by the royal family."
" We may soon find out," said Spike.
" The time will eventually come where we will have to face Ganondorf face-to-face....and I'll be honest in that I'm not looking forward to when that happens," I said. I stared at the waterfall for a few moments thinking about what would eventually come to pass, but I quickly regained my composure and played 'Twilight's Lullaby' which caused the waterfall to slow down and recede allowing me to jump across.
While the sun was setting behind me and bombarding me with its warm embrace as I entered Zora's Domain, something else was taking place far to the west of Hyrule Castle in the desert regions of the land. I didn't know it at the time, but Rainbow Dash was beginning to enact the plan that she had been concocting.
" Are you sure about this Derpy?"
" Lord Ganondorf is going to the castle tomorrow in order to meet with the King to forge the alliance. It would be nice to visit the castle town without having to be shunned by the people there. Do you feel the same way as I do exalted Nabooru, I mean ma'am? Oh wait! He isn't going there to make good things happen," replied Derpy.
" The King's life is going to be in danger, and there's nothing we can do to help him Ganondorf has forbidden anyone from the tribe from coming along. The rest of us are to remain here until further notice, and if any of us violate his command then we are to be executed immediately without question. No doubt that his loyal follower Spitfire is going to be enforcing his edict harshly," said Rainbow Dash.
" If Lord Ganondorf were to have you killed ma'am, it would be such a tremendous loss for the Gerudo," said Derpy.
" You know as well as I do Derpy that he doesn't trust me for an instant, so because of that I'm essentially being treated as someone with a much lower status in the tribe. I thought that the meeting between Ganondorf and the Hylian King was going to be the day after tomorrow, but knowing that the King sent a messenger to inform our great leader that the meeting has been moved up to tomorrow gives me much less time to work with," said Rainbow Dash.
" I guess this means that I have to carry out your final orders ma'am," said Derpy.
" Do you still have that ring?" asked Rainbow Dash.
" It hasn't left my sight ever since you gave it to me. While I am known to be clumsy and forgetful much of the time, that ring is far too important, but it does pose a problem ma'am if you think about it. Since none of us are allowed to leave the fortress via the Gerudo Valley entrance, how am I supposed to deliver the ring to that forest girl without Spitfire noticing me?" asked Derpy.
" You'll be able to leave just fine as you're one of the guards who has to patrol the valley in order to defend the home front tomorrow. All you have to do is sneak out of the valley, and into Hyrule Field and wait for that girl to show up," replied Rainbow Dash.
" What makes you certain that she would want to come this way ma'am?" asked Derpy.
" Back when we left the castle, that girl was giving me the most unusual stare as though she wanted to talk to me. I figure that she is likely to come here at some point in order to talk to me, but she won't be able to get the chance as by that time, I'll be in the colossus waiting to enact my plan. As for you seeking refuge with one of the other tribes....that is still a part of my orders Derpy, so I expect you to carry them out even if your heart wants you to come back and try to help me," replied Rainbow Dash.
" So you're leaving everything up to chance?" asked Derpy.
" It's not the most effective plan I'll admit, but it's all we have if Ganondorf is to be stopped. I just hope that those inside of Hyrule Castle who are aware of his true nature don't end up botching things. If only I had been given a chance to talk to Princess Zelda, I could have explained the situation more carefully, but the others just had to cause a commotion which prevented me from speaking with her.
Well, we might as well go back and rejoin the others as they'll wonder why we're still out here when nightfall is about to commence. Tomorrow is going to be the most critical day in the history of this kingdom, and that forest girl is going to be the one who determines the final outcome. I just hope that she is ready for it," replied Rainbow Dash.
To Be Continued.