//------------------------------//
// Chapter 15: The Gerudo named Derpy, and the Encroaching Darkness 
// Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time 
// by Ganondorf8 
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The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
December 7, 2014
Chapter 15: The Gerudo named Derpy, and the Encroaching Darkness.

" There is no need to be upset over how the Great Fairy described what you need to do next," said Rarity as she, Spike, and I left the fountain after hearing some of the most confusing rhetoric I've ever heard. " She has been giving cryptic clues to people for generations because it is how she prefers to do things. The Great Fairy feels that giving someone an easy time will not allow them to reach their true potential. I will be the first to admit that I was surprised as you were when she said that you were to go to Gerudo Valley in order to meet someone by the entrance."
" What's weird is that throughout my journey, I've never once asked anyone about that region of Hyrule as it didn't cross my mind. I've been travelling to every other part of the kingdom because I was following what people were telling me. I guess I haven't taken the time to do some self-exploring apart from those sidequests. This may sound like a weird question given that you are more of an expert when it comes to water, but do you know anything at all about the desert to the west?" I asked.
" Not much is really known as the Gerudo have never been forthcoming on that front," replied Rarity.
" But is there anything you know?" I asked.
" The Gerudo Valley technically is a part of the kingdom, but not officially due to the Gerudo not having an alliance with the King. It is said that this region experiences some rather harsh weather conditions that do not occur anywhere else, but most people believe that the Gerudo got adjusted to such patterns. Beyond the valley lies their keep which is called the Gerudo's Fortress, but very few have ever seen it and lived to tell the tale. Because of this, no one knows what lies beyond their fortress save for the Gerudo themselves," replied Rarity.
" It sounds like they are a tribe to be feared," I said.
" They pride themselves on being thieves and use a combination of speed and swordsmanship in order to get what they need. The fact that they are thieves is well known among the other tribes, and that is why we have trouble trusting them because we never know when we might get stabbed in the back," said Rarity.
" I have this feeling that something bad is going to happen if I end up having to enter this valley," I said.
" Just know that you must not show hostility towards them as they will view that as an excuse to declare an invasion. If you ask me, they are rather superstitious which will certainly do them no good in the foreseeable future. Well, this is where we must part ways Sunset Shimmer as I must return to my father, and you must make your way to Gerudo Valley. 
Perhaps our paths will meet again one day, but for now I must say good-bye to you my friend," smiled Rarity. She then turned around and jumped into the water before swimming off at rapid speed leaving Spike and I to ponder over what to do next.
" We could just go back to the castle you and ignore going to Gerudo Valley as securing the Triforce is the most important thing," said Spike.
" That's true but the Great Fairy did say that someone was going to meet us there, and that it was vital to speak to them before returning to see the princess. She also said I would learn much more about this world than I already do. I know that time is against us right now, but I do need to look around in Hyrule Field in order to find that one girl who has a fascination with rabbits, so that I can sell this Bunny Hood which I'm surprised survived being inside of a giant fish for so long," I said.
" How did you know it was a rabbit interest?" asked Spike.
" Did you just seriously ask me that question?" I asked.
" Now who is being the smug one," laughed Spike.
" Back to the matter at hand here. I think it would be a good idea to visit Gerudo Valley as it might give us some depth as to the kind of place that Ganondorf grew up in throughout his entire life. Also, I'm curious as to what the place might be like as I've seen everything else in the kingdom except for it. 
Plus, I need to speak to the second-in-command of the Gerudo as soon as possible as she also has Equestrian Magic inside of her. She's the only one left aside from Aria and Sonata who have the same magic that I do, and I need her to see the truth," I said.
" I knew you'd bring up your story of being from another world again," said Spike.
" It needs to be said to all three of them whether they want to accept it or not because I intend to tell them! There might actually be a fourth person I still need to talk to regarding the magic of Equestria, and it's probably the last person you would least expect. I need to speak to Ganondorf himself," I said.
" Are you insane!" exclaimed Spike.
" Back when I first saw him via looking through the window in the castle courtyard. There was something about him that felt very familiar to me as though he were from Equestria....not as a pony but rather some kind of mythical creature. My studies with Princess Celestia never focused on him because I left her side long before I was told anything about the more darker aspects of Equestrian history, but Ganondorf has to be from my world even though he may or may not be aware of it. 
I know it sounds even crazier than my actual story, but I need to confront him about it in order to give myself some piece of mind. Then there is that name which kept on appearing in my head which didn't make any sense. Tirek....is that who Ganondorf was in Equestria? Tirek?" I asked.
" Why bring this up now all of a sudden?" asked Spike.
" After I talked to Princess Ruto about my story, this thing with Ganondorf just suddenly clicked in my head, and I was shocked that I never figured out the connection a lot sooner. It never dawned on me that he would be from Equestria, so I kept it at the back of my mind and focused on the task at hand. Now that I am beginning to understand a lot more than I used to, I need to go the extra mile and confirm it for myself. 
So here is what we're going to do Spike. First, we'll take care of the Bunny Hood and hope that it's the last mask that I need to sell. Second, we'll find this person I have to meet and hopefully get a chance to explore Gerudo Valley. And third, we'll make our way over to Hyrule Castle in order to save the world," I replied.
" What do you suppose will happen when Hyrule has been saved?" asked Spike.
" My theory is that I will return to my own world when this is all said and done as I was told before this all started that I needed to overcome numerous challenges that would present themselves to me in order to change the fate of this world. I feel that there is much more to this than just simply preventing Ganondorf from succeeding. I don't know, but it feels like there's going to be a lot more to come," I replied. 
With that settled, I began to swim back towards Zora's Domain in the hopes of getting back to Hyrule Field, but what I just said filled me with an uneasy feeling. What if stopping Ganondorf doesn't send me back home? What if there is another adventure for me to experience before I can safely be back in the human world? These questions would plague me for a while along with one that I wasn't about to forget. Were things still okay in the castle, or have gotten worse particularly after Ganondorf's arrival there?

" Your energy was succulent right down to the very last drop Hylian King." Tirek said to himself as he tossed the King's lifeless body to one side. The corpse had been drained of its magical energy as well as life energy leaving it nothing more than a zombified husk, and the Gerudo King felt satisfied that he was able to absorb the energy of a monarch. He then walked over to where the paper representing the alliance proposal was located, and he merely ripped it into pieces as a further means of insult. 
" My power has grown stronger, but it is still not enough to sate my appetite for I need the power of the Triforce. I suppose that I will have to settle for some alternative energy sources in the name of the castle guard as they should be along here at any moment. No doubt that the scream of the King as my blade went through him was enough to attract the attention of the most prominent of the guards. 
They do not yet realize that they are merely offering their lives to me in exchange for further increasing my power. Such is their lot in life to be used as nothing more than mere fodder in the name of the monarchy." Tirek then walked over to where he tossed the King's body and picked up again by holding it above his head as a means of showing off his authority, but that was when the doors of the throne room burst open and several guards entered lead by Shining Armour, the Captain of the Royal Guards who Tirek had hoped would be among those coming to investigate.
" We heard screams coming from in here, so we came to check on his majesty," said Shining Armour.
" Then I fear you are far too late, for your precious king has surely seen better days. In fact, here is all that remains of his lifeless husk having long since departed from this mortal coil, and his magical essence now serving a much greater purpose. To think that he never did figure out my true intentions until the very end when death finally came upon him....such a waste of a ruler like that who was ignorant of the truth that others tried to warn him about," said Tirek. 
He then presented the King's body to the castle guard which shocked them to the very core before he tossed it aside again. The guards in response drew their weapons and moved closer to Tirek who merely laughed at them as though he wasn't afraid of their efforts.
" You murdered the King of Hyrule and desecrated his body in such a humiliating fashion, and here you are laughing about what you've done? I blame myself for the fate of his majesty as I should have acted a lot sooner which could have prevented this, but instead I will act without restraint as you shall be arrested for treason against the kingdom. Men, surround the King of the Gerudo, and make sure that he is not allowed to escape," said Shining Armour.
" Heh, such words from a little man who believes that he is able to carry out a pointless threat," laughed Tirek.
" You're surrounded Ganondorf, so come along quietly and don't try to resist, or we will have no choice but to resort to our weapons in order to stop you. In fact, I wouldn't mind it if you would resist as that would make this so much more enjoyable," said Shining Armour.
" It seems that you are just as blind as your pathetic king," said Tirek.
" What do you mean?" asked Shining Armour.
" Have you even begun to suspect just how powerful I really am? Surely you are aware of my immense magical powers and strength? As such the chances of any of you leaving here alive are remarkably slim. Shining Armour, I knew that you suspected me from the very beginning. Originally, I did plan on killing you just for spite, but now I have something else in mind that will be just as riveting. Of course, you will not like it in the least, but that matters not to me," replied Tirek.
" Quite the confidant one are we?" asked Shining Armour.
" My power is all too real to not be anything else," replied Tirek.
" That's the one thing about you Ganondorf that I see as a big weakness. You view yourself as being better than everyone else, and you allow it to swell up in your head until it gets too inflated. You called his majesty and myself blind to the truth, but the fact of the matter is that you yourself are blind! You may be as strong as you say you are, but someone is bound to prove you wrong by defeating you in battle," said Shining Armour.
" Heh, heh, heh, heh....my opinion of you has not changed in that you are able to see the inner workings of a man. Such a gift as that is sadly wasted on one who serves no purpose in the future I have envisioned for this land," said Tirek. He then picked up his sword from the table where he had left it, and it began to pulsate in a dark aura to indicate that was dead serious about being as strong as he said he was. 
While the other castle guards stepped back in fear, Shining Armour remained determined to not be intimidated as he knew that would be a disgrace to the legacy of his fallen king. Tirek on the other hand laughed once again and lowered his sword which resulted in sighs of relief from the guards. " It seems that your men fear my strength as they were cowering behind you, and they are meant to protect the royal family? Ha! Zelda's life just became forfeit as a result of their actions!"
" Threatening the life of her highness will result in immediate death for you black-heart! I think I have a pretty good idea as to how you managed to get that sword past me earlier, but it won't do you any good as you are clearly outnumbered. Men, while he may be stronger than most, he is still just one man, and we are among the finest soldiers his majesty ever commanded. 
We must honour our fallen liege by subduing the one who killed him so that he may be brought to justice," said Shining Armour. His words acted as a confidence boost which made the other guards move closer and surround Tirek who didn't make any effort to escape. Instead, he simply stood there with his head lowered down as though he were planning to surrender. What they didn't know was that he had used his magic to seal them inside of the throne room because he intended to make sure that none of them were going to be leaving there alive.

While making my way back to Hyrule Field after saying my farewells to King Zora who thanked me for what I had done in his own fashion, I made sure to stop by the Magic Bean Seller in order to buy the rest of his Magic Beans before anyone else could, but that was a silly way of thinking because no one else was going to come by. The rest of the beans he sold were priced at 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 rupees for the last one which felt like highway robbery considering the first one was just ten rupees, but he insisted that it was worth the purchase as I knew more about their potential than he did. 
As I paid him for the beans and finding myself broke again, I cursed the fact that I even talked to him in the first place. Before I left him, I made sure to plant a bean in the soft soil that was nearby, and hoped that they would live up to my own expectations. By the time I finally reached Hyrule Field, the sun was getting close to settling for the night.
" All we have to do now is look for someone who is either running around at a brisk pace, or laying down somewhere for the night. Either way, we just have to hope Aria decided to come into the field tonight. I know it sounds rather trivial because we should be focusing on getting to Gerudo Valley, but I figure that running into her along the way will allow us to get two things done at the same time, and maybe even a third if Sonata is also in the area," I said.
" It does mean that we'll have to travel about the field at night, and you know what comes out at night seeing as we had to run all the way to the castle back when we started this journey in order to avoid it," said Spike.
" Right, the monsters that plague Hyrule Field," I said.
" We've been avoiding them all this time, but now it looks like we have to deal with them. Of course, I have no doubt that you can take care of them without even breaking a sweat since you've overcome so much. You know, there is always the option of using the Sun's Song in order to speed up the process. It's been a while since you last played it, and you could do with some more ocarina practice as you haven't touched it since we left Death Mountain," said Spike.
" Remember what happened the last time I played the Sun's Song?" I asked.
" All you did was turn the night into day in a matter of seconds," replied Spike.
" Yes, and threw the sleep cycle of the entire kingdom out of whack in the process. I'm surprised that they didn't end up experiencing sleep deficiency because of my curious nature, so I don't think I'll be playing that song again until I feel it's absolutely necessary. I have indeed come a long way since the beginning where all I wanted to do was avoid trouble due to not really knowing what was going on, but it's been over a week now, and I'm amazed at how much I've learned and done in such a short period as that. 
Anyway, we might as well start to make our way to Gerudo Valley and pray that she finds us, or we find her before we find this person we're supposed to meet. Just because I'm curious, what was the monster that comes out at night?" I asked.
" They are called Stalchild, and they can be described as child-like walking skeletons who attack using their claws to inflict damage. They can even fight without their heads although their aim becomes next to nothing when that happens. Stalchildren aren't very threatening by themselves and are easy enough to defeat, but they can swarm you when you least expect them to, and that's when the problems begin to pile up," replied Spike.
" If they are that easy to defeat them apart from when they are in a large group, then we didn't need to avoid the field like we did," I said as I blushed. If anything, such easy monsters could have given me some experience which would have made more recent situations easier to handle. You couldn't blame me for wanting to run away as I was unfamiliar with this world, but a week can certainly make you get used to it awful quick. Still, it was embarrassing that I was afraid of little walking skeletons who probably have trouble keeping up with potential prey especially if it was fast enough. 
The sun soon set which in turn allowed the moon to begin its phase of the sky, and I'll admit that there was a certain magical feeling associated with seeing Hyrule Field at night. As I walked past the entrance to Lon Lon Ranch, I looked over at the entrance to Hyrule Castle Town, and things looked like normal which was pleasant. " We'll probably arrive at the entrance to Gerudo Valley in about an hour, so we might as well take our time walking there in order to bask in the chill of the night sky."
" You're going to Gerudo Valley? That's probably the worst idea I've heard in a long time."
" WAAAAH!" I shouted due to being scared witless yet again, but how was I not able to notice the young girl resting near the tree by the ranch? I probably made myself out to be the biggest dork in all of Hyrule because of that blunder. When I took a closer look at the girl, it was none other than Aria Blaze, the third and final member of the Dazzlings although I'm surprised that it took this long to find her. She was wearing a white shirt, white shorts, and sandals, and looked as though she had been running a great deal given that she was sweating all over.
" Nice clothes there kid! You must be some kind of forest fairy or something with a get-up like that," said Aria. And there was the other aspect of her personality which made Aria the girl that she was. She was always in a negative mood for reasons known only to her, but I hear that people refer to those with this kind of attitude as being emo. A part of me was glad to finally see her here in Hyrule, but then another part made me realize just how difficult and disagreeable she can be. 
" You're the first person aside from me who decided to travel across the field at night, but everyone else is afraid because of how monsters keep coming up and attacking them until morning. Those people are lame all because they fear some walking bags of bones! Anyway, allow me to introduce myself. People call me the Running Woman because I challenge everyone I meet to a race be they man or beast."
" That isn't your real name though is it?" I asked.
" My actual name is Aria Blaze, but I don't like people calling me that. When you challenge me to a race anywhere in Hyrule, be prepared to lose as the Running Woman will beat you no matter how good you think you are. You're actually pretty lucky tonight kid as you caught me doing one of my casual jogs, and I was in the mood to talk to anyone who would be willing to listen," replied Aria.
" What do you want to talk about?" I asked.
" Now you're full of surprises aren't you? Most people just want me to talk about how they feel, and that gets pretty boring as all they ever talk about are boring things which make me want to fall asleep. Only a few ever ask me what I want to talk about because they think that all I care about is winning and beating my opponents in a race. 
There's something about you which makes me want to talk about a more private matter, but don't think that this makes us friends or anything. It's just that you remind me of someone who had to go through a lot of hardship, and I kind of feel that way myself," replied Aria.
" I'll keep those words in mind," I said.
" A long time ago before this kingdom even existed, there used to be rabbits which lived in Hyrule Field. They were such majestic creatures able to run at fast speeds with the wind blowing their ears about, but due to over excessive hunting, it became extinct. Rabbits were completely innocent, yet people hunted them down for food, sport, or things I don't even want to imagine. 
You might not believe what I have to say next, but don't you dare laugh unless you want me to give you a real kick in the teeth as I can do that. I've always imagined what it would be like to become a rabbit, and be able to bolt around the field with those floppy ears. Even though I'd only be pretending, it would actually make me feel happy," said Aria.
" That's actually quite a beautiful thing you said there," I smiled.
" You're not laughing at me?" asked Aria.
" Why would I want to laugh at someone who has such a creative dream?" I asked.
" Huh, I never thought anyone would ever think of my dream as anything but creative. Most people have laughed and called me pathetic for wanting to have fun pretending to be an extinct creature, and others just mumble under their breath about how pitiful I look," replied Aria.
" I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of being tormented as well as being the one doing the tormenting. I've had a troubled past where I used to be horrible to everyone all for the sake of being popular, but then I was given a second chance and began to realize how it felt to be picked on by those who didn't know what to think of you. I think I have just the thing you're looking for Running Woman on my person, so just let me take it out and try it on to see if you get the right kind of reaction," I said. 
I pulled out the Bunny Hood from a small pouch around my belt, and put it on which made me feel a little silly, but mostly cute because I wanted to make a good impression. Upon seeing the hood, her reaction was the kind I was expecting to see.
" Those ears look so authentic and real as I can see them blowing about in the wind of the night. Oh! These are truly the genuine ears of the rabbit of legend, and I can tell you got them from the Happy Mask Saleswoman as no one else in the kingdom has masks of any kind except for her. I don't care how much that Bunny Hood costs, I'll pay you whatever you want for it," said Aria.
" It does cost 50 rupees," I said.
" I told you that I don't care how much it costs! Here, I'll give you 500 rupees for it and I won't take no for an answer," said Aria.
" You're giving me....500....rupees?" I stuttered because that was more money I have earned in an entire moment which would take me a couple of hours to obtain in this world, and about an eternity to obtain back in the human world. If I ever wanted to earn a huge profit, Aria pretty much gave it to me without even a second thought, and Sonata only needs to be paid 50 of these 500 rupees which means I have a lot of spending money for the foreseeable future. As soon as I received the last of this ridiculous payment, I handed the Bunny Hood over to Aria who immediately put it onto her head, and it looked really cute on her if I had to be honest.
" At long last! The actress, stage, and prop have all been united, and I've never felt happier in my entire life. You said that you were going to Gerudo Valley in order to meet someone there? That place is dangerous as the Gerudo are people you shouldn't mess with unless you have a pretty good reason. Since you sold me this fantastic mask, I'm going to come with you to the valley in order to back you up," said Aria.
" You'd do that for me?" I asked.
" A while back, one of them challenged me to a race from their fortress all the way to the top of Death Mountain. It was a pretty close race and even now we still don't know which of us was the victor, but that woman earned much more than my respect. We became friends which is why I'm allowed to traverse their territory whenever I want. Her name was Nabooru and she is the second-in-command of the Gerudo," replied Aria.
" You know of her?" I asked.
" I take it that you have some business with her then?" asked Aria.
" There is something that I need to speak to her about as soon as possible in addition to seeing this other person," I replied.
" In that case, I'll see what I can do with regards to getting you a free moment to converse with Nabooru. I can't promise you any kind of success kid as she is a busy woman, and the Gerudo are seen as not being native to Hyrule because of a lack of a formal representation in the eyes of the rest of the kingdom," said Aria. I certainly wasn't expecting Aria of all people to tag along on the journey, but perhaps her assistance will help me get a moment with Rainbow Dash in order to explain my story. 
I also need to explain it to both her and Sonata despite them being my enemies back in the human world. A short while later, Aria and I were walking near what appeared to be the start of a mountainous range, and we noticed a young girl pacing about back and forth, and dropping her spear every now and again. 
There was something about her behaviour that struck me as familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. When she noticed us walking towards her, she immediately ran to greet us only to trip at the last moment and smacking her face into the ground.
" Ouch! That always seems to happen whenever I run to meet new people."
" Are you alright?" I asked.
" I'm fine as this happens to me a lot. The exalted Nabooru often says that I need to focus more otherwise I'll just keep on falling over, but she doesn't like being referred to as exalted. My name is Derpy although I'm not sure why people call me that. Some say that it has to do with my eyes being strange with one looking up, and the other looking down. 
Others say that it has to do with the fact that I cause a disaster wherever I go. It's not my actual name, but most call me that so I came to accept it." Derpy then managed to get back onto her feet where she freaked out upon seeing my face. " It's you! The forest girl that Nabooru and I ran into back in Hyrule Castle Town!"
" Huh? I remember you now! You were that one girl who broke that one merchant's wares," I said.
" I was afraid that you weren't going to come to the entrance of Gerudo Valley, and that would have meant going back to the fortress and waiting for the return of Nabooru which might not happen if she plans on going through with her one-woman crusade," said Derpy.
" What are you talking about? Where is Rainbow Dash?" I asked.
" Rainbow Dash? No, the exalted Nabooru has never been called that name before, but many of the other Gerudo have called her Dashie because of her lightning reflexes and sharp wit. Now what was I going to say next? Oh yeah! If you came here looking for Nabooru, then I'm afraid that you have missed your chance as she is probably at the temple in the desert preparing to cause trouble for the two who dwell within there," replied Derpy.
" Why in Equestria would she go and do something as idiotic as that?" I asked.
" That temple was originally discovered by Nabooru and she used it as a base of operations where she could go in order to be alone with her thoughts. One day, she was driven from it by two witches who raised the great Ganondorf when he was just a baby, and they have been living there since then. It's sad that those two old women have to live in such a musty temple by themselves all the time, but maybe they like being surrounded by ancient history. 
Nabooru did manage to steal something from them before she fled, and I was supposed to do something with it, but my mind is drawing a blank right now. Anyway, when she discovered that the great Ganondorf was using the temple as a place to store all of the treasures he has stolen over the years, Nabooru went there in order to steal it all and mess up his plans," replied Derpy.
" You said some things just now that I want to clarify," I said.
" Clarify? I don't know what you mean," said Derpy.
" It means go into more detail," I said.
" Then why didn't you say that instead of that other word?" asked Derpy.
" Ugh! Let's just get to my questions okay? First of all, you said that Ganondorf was raised by two witches," I replied.
" After he was born, the mother of the great Ganondorf died of an illness when he was about three, and those two Gerudo seniors decided to raise him as their own child by teaching him many wicked things. They raised him to use dark magic, to display remorseless acts of cruelty, and view everyone and everything as a tool for him to use however he saw fit. 
Their teachings drove him to want to become the strongest man in the kingdom, and that is when he learned about the golden triumph forks in the books of his library....did I just say triumph forks? I never meant to say triumph forks. I meant to say the Triforce. The rest of us found it weird that he had two mothers who wanted the very best for him, but maybe he was just being moulded to become a conqueror for their sake," replied Derpy.
" And this temple?" I asked.
" No one knows who built the temple out in the desert, or what purpose it has, but it does make for an interesting location where history comes to life, and it is a perfect place to seek shelter when the cold winds of the night blow. It really is an interesting place to visit, and it makes me wish that I could see for myself, but crossing the desert is almost impossible unless you have a really courageous spirit inside of you. 
Those cold winds really are uncomfortable when they breeze throughout our homes in the fortress, and many of us have succumbed to its sinister chill which always did bother the great Ganondorf. Despite his evil nature, he always placed his people's well-being in his heart because he felt jealous that the rest of Hyrule languishes in beautiful fields, and adequate climate whereas the Gerudo had nothing but sand and stone along with the winds. I think that he is just mis-understood as he has always been kind to me along with Nabooru as they both know how unique I am," replied Derpy. 
She had been twirling about her spear while she had been talking, but she ended up dropping it on the ground where it snapped into two pieces. What had me shocked was everything she had been saying about Ganondorf in that he was a kind ruler of his people despite his intentions, and that he was raised to become who he is now. 
Maybe there was a side to him that ended up getting lost on the way when his mother's convinced him to steer down the path of conquest. Maybe she knew some other information as well, but I had best not test my luck otherwise she might not want to say anything, so one more question is what I decided to go with.
" Okay, my last question for you has to do with Nabooru. You said that she is the second-in-command of the Gerudo, yet she is going to attempt to ruin the plans of her king by visiting some temple in the desert? Why would she betray Ganondorf in the first place?" I asked. 
Now that I think about it, that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing given that anyone who tries to stop him is okay in my book. If only Rainbow Dash were the one speaking to me instead of this Derpy as the way she speaks switches between coherent thought, and sheer nonsense which is making it difficult for me to understand her.
" Nabooru has been the second-in-command of the Gerudo for a few years now having replaced the previous one who fell out of favour with the great Ganondorf. She used her position as a means of instilling some kind of sense into the ranks of her kinsmen. The Gerudo are thieves by nature because we need to steal in order to survive, but our great king wanted us to resort to killing those that we steal from as a means of making an example of any who would get in our way. 
The exalted Nabooru feels that his leadership has corrupted us, so she attempted to set us back on a path of nobility, but then she learned of his plans to conquer Hyrule and rule over it with an iron fist," replied Derpy. Gasp! This was it! The very reason why Ganondorf wanted to conquer Hyrule was about to be revealed to me, but that was when Derpy began to scratch her head as though she was confused about something which meant she might have forgotten about it. " Now how did that go again?"
" Don't tell me you forgot!" I shouted.
" Nope, I remember how the story goes," said Derpy.
" You were named well," I moaned.
" The great Ganondorf has been under the belief that the Royal Family of Hyrule are incapable of ruling over a kingdom because they don't believe in relying on strength to govern accordingly, and instead prefer to lead with their hearts. He also believed that the Gerudo were always being shunned and treated like outcasts due to having to resort to questionable tactics just to survive. 
His vision of a kingdom ruled under him would allow his own tribe to finally benefit while the other tribes suffer as a means of retribution towards how we were treated. Nabooru was the only one who felt that Ganondorf had gone too far, and that he had become blinded by power as a result of the influence his surrogate mothers gave him throughout his life. While she is my superior whom I respect, Nabooru shouldn't have tried to oppose the will of the great Ganondorf as now the entirety of the tribe have turned against her, but I still remain loyal as she's always been nice to me," said Derpy.
" So that explains it," I said.
" Both Nabooru and Ganondorf have been so good to me while everyone else has treated me as being the lowest among the Gerudo with regards to our status as individuals in the tribe, so it is difficult for me to choose one over the other, but I would probably stick with Nabooru as she talked to me more often and views me as a friend. As for the great Ganondorf, he just sees me as someone who needs to be looked after which is why he never lets me go out on my own, and if I have to then someone has to be with me at all times. 
Without either of them around now....I'm all alone which is how it's been for much of my life," said Derpy. Hearing her say that made me feel really sorry for her because she was alone given that the rest of the Gerudo view her with such discontent. Just as I was about to give her some ideal comfort, Aria decided to speak up due to having gotten fed up with all of the talking Derpy and I had been doing.
" Okay! Enough with the sob story already! Can we please get on with the reason that you wanted to see....ummmm....what was your name again?" asked Aria.
" In all the excitement, I completely forgot to introduce myself, so let me do that right now. My name is Sunset Shimmer," I said.
" That's an interesting name, and one that sounds very familiar to me like I knew you from another world or something. Whatever! It's a lame idea to assume that there is some kind of alternate universe that exists out there. Anyway, I'm sorry if what I said sounded harsh, but you said that you needed to speak to Sunset Shimmer about something," said Aria.
" Yes! Nabooru wanted me to give you this which she was able to obtain when she was forced to abandon the temple. What I have here is a special ring that is filled with good magic, but it is a magic that just doesn't activate whenever you want to use it for anything. The only way to tap into the power of this ring is to have an abundance of some kind of special something which comes from the heart," said Derpy.
" Did that sound cryptic to you?" asked Aria.
" I was hoping that it wasn't going to be that as I've had more than enough cryptic clues to last me a lifetime, but I suppose that I'll figure it out on my own eventually which seems to be a growing trend as of late. Thank you for giving me this ring Derpy, and know that I will cherish it. Just let me put it onto my finger like so, and I'll be sure to know that's on my person. 
I've got to admit that the engravings on it are impressive to say the least, and the gem inlaid in the centre sparkles with immense beauty. Ummmm....Derpy was it? Aria and I are going to be entering the Gerudo Valley as there is something there we need to take care of, but perhaps you would like to come along with us?" I asked.
" Nabooru's final orders have not yet been fulfilled as giving you that ring wasn't my only command to complete. Once I was to give you that ring, I was told to seek asylum in one of the other tribes because she believed that I should no longer live with the other Gerudo because of how they treat me, and because of the great Ganondorf's desire to rule the world. 
As such, I am not able to accompany you into the valley not only because of fulfilling the final part of Nabooru's orders, but also because I want to flee from here before things end up getting out of hand," replied Derpy.
" I don't blame you for wanting to leave the Gerudo," said Aria.
" I'm glad that you understand," said Derpy.
" Aside from Nabooru, the rest of them thieves save for yourself always had issues which makes them hard to deal with. Like I said Sunset Shimmer, I'll be able to give you access to it unless they're under some kind of lockdown or something in which case you won't be getting all that far," said Aria. 
That was when we both noticed that Derpy had in fact disappeared during Aria's little rant of sorts, and I wondered where she had gotten off to without even saying goodbye, but then Aria noticed her all the way at the top of a nearby hill waving to us in a crazy fashion. " That Derpy pretty much had the right idea in that she just wanted to leave and not look back, but she could have at least said goodbye or something instead of just giving off a weird wave."
" Goodbye!!!!" shouted Derpy.
" And there it is," sighed Aria.
" Before I forget about it, I wouldn't visit Gerudo Valley right now because no one is allowed to enter or leave the fortress under the orders of the great Ganondorf, and anyone who defies his command is to be punished via an immediate execution. It sounds harsh I know, but his word is law, and all Gerudo must obey his law....which doesn't explain why I'm defying him by choosing to leave, but Nabooru insisted I do this so I'm sure it will be okay. 
Anyway, I wouldn't travel to the valley if I were you as you won't find Nabooru there, and you might end up getting into some serious trouble. Good-bye again!" shouted Derpy as she turned around and walked off disappearing in the process. 
Even though that was the second time she mentioned that Rainbow Dash wasn't going to be there, I really wanted to check out Gerudo Valley because my curiosity was too strong for me to say no to exploring a new location. I turned to face Aria in the hopes that she would help me get into the fortress beyond, but I noticed that she was also starting to walk away, and I ran after her in order to stop her from leaving.
" And where are you going?" I asked.
" There's no point entering Gerudo Valley if the fortress is under a lockdown which would be a waste of time. If Derpy hadn't gone and mentioned it, we'd probably be walking into some kind of trap, and I'm not about to do anything of the sort. Sorry for not being as helpful as I said I would be kid, but I've got to get back to doing what I love doing," replied Aria.
" It's getting close to the middle of the night, so shouldn't you be getting some sleep? Come to think of it, I could do with some sleep myself as I suspect that I have a big day tomorrow," I said.
" You seriously want to sleep out here in Hyrule Field with those monsters that attack?" asked Aria.
" So far, I haven't seen any sign of them which makes me think that it was just a story to get people to not traverse the field at night," I replied.
" I can't believe that you just said that Sunset Shimmer, and you are supposed to be some kind of adventurer what with that get-up and those weapons. Of course there are monsters that come out at night as it's been that way for at least the last year due to some evil presence covering the land in darkness. If you don't believe me, why not turn around right now, and see if you can prove me wrong," said Aria. I decided to do as she said in order to prove my point, but it looked like she was going to prove hers to be true as coming towards us were a large number of Stalchild. 
How did they manage to sneak up on me without my knowing about it? There must have been at least several dozen with more of them rising up from the ground. Spike did warn me that they were strong when it came to their numbers, so it looks like I was going to have a midnight fight on my hands, and somehow protect Aria from them. 

" Gasp! Gasp!"
" You are the only one left among the castle guard Shining Armour, and the rest of them lie dead after being felled in one strike. They were supposed to be the finest that your late king relied on to protect him? No wonder they were so easy to cast aside for they failed in their duty to save him and to stop me. I will admit that you surviving my blade did catch me by surprise for I was certain that you would fall just like the others, but it seems that you are stronger than the average Hylian....a trait which both blesses and curses you," said Tirek.
" Why not just kill me if you think me as being stronger than most?" asked Shining Armour.
" Because I want you to live with the conscious of seeing your own men slaughtered to be burned into your memory for the rest of your days. Their deaths are on your hands and it wouldn't surprise me if they were to haunt you for leading them to a horrific end. Of course, I intend to make this even more unbearable for you as I will absorb the energy of their dead bodies in order to become even stronger than I am now. While their energy is pitiful at best, why allow it to go to waste when it can serve a grander purpose?" asked Tirek.
" Why do you desire the Triforce so much? A power such as that is far too much for any mere mortal to possess. You could end up like all of the others who tried to wield the power of the goddesses, and become nothing more than a mindless monster bent on destruction from being consumed by power," said Shining Armour.
" This world needs a ruler who possesses the strength to command all that he surveys, and the golden power of the Great Goddesses should prove to be satisfying enough for me to fulfill that task. Power is the driving force that most people believe in whether they will admit it or not, and that is what enables me to continue....my hunger for power can never be quenched until I have the Triforce in my hands," said Tirek.
" Then you're a lost cause," sighed Shining Armour.
" Is that what you are reduced to saying after having lost all of your men, and barely breathing with your life after withstanding my blade? This kingdom was lost when the royal family chose to become weak by relying on simple treaties rather than using power in order to subjugate the other tribes into submission. 
To secure my dominion of course, the rest of the royal family needs to die, and that is why your precious Zelda is next on my list as she has defied me once too often," said Tirek. Hearing him threaten the princess ignited a spark inside of Shining Armour, and it prompted him to charge at Tirek and strike him through the chest as hard as he could.
" So long as I still draw breath, you will never harm Princess Zelda!" shouted Shining Armour.
" GAHHHHHHHH!!!!" Tirek reeled back in slight pain and clutched his chest where the blade went through, but because he was wearing heavy armour, the wound wasn't as serious as it appeared, and his already immense stamina ensured that the wound barely did a thing to him other than give him a slight irritation. 
Shining Armour looked confidant believing that he had dealt Tirek a mortal blow, but the Gerudo king merely laughed as he grabbed Shining Armour's sword, and pulled it out of his chest before breaking it in two with his own hand. " Now that was something most unexpected, and you certainly caught me by surprise, but your effort was wasted for as you can see, your attack did little to me other than prove that I underestimated your strength.
It is my turn to strike back at you, and that fear in your eyes shows that you now wish that you had stood down rather than attempt to kill me. Your rashness will become your undoing...." Tirek then raised his hand in front of Shining Armour, and blasted him with dark magic that caused the captain to go smashing through a window and dropping to the ground several hundred meters below before crashing into the ground with a thud.
" Whether he survived that or not means nothing to me as now all that remains is to find Zelda, kill her, and take the Ocarina of Time." He then proceeded to make his way towards Zelda's room where upon he smashed the door down to discover that the princess wasn't there. " Hmmmm? She's gone? 
Heh, it seems that the Shiekah has more tricks up her sleeve than I originally suspected, and she has taken Zelda to another part of the castle. Most clever of you, but just how long do you think you can hide before I find you?" Tirek's suspicions were correct as Applejack had indeed relocated Twilight to another part of the castle as 
a safety precaution.
" This is an area of the castle that only the royal family and their close attendants are aware of your highness. We can remain here, but it will not be a permanent solution for I have no doubt that Ganondorf is going to find this place eventually," said Applejack.
" Why did you insist on bringing me here?" asked Twilight.
" I sensed that your life was in danger your highness, and as your attendant, my sworn duty is to protect you at all costs even if it means my own life becomes forfeit. I am not sure what has happened to your father, or to the royal guards, but Ganondorf has already shown his true intentions and means to find you in the hopes of acquiring the treasure you hold in your hands," replied Applejack.
" The Ocarina of Time....I had hoped that Sunset Shimmer would have returned to the castle this night in order to open the Door of Time, but it seems that she is not going to make it, and my father's well-being is unknown to me. If I had just decided to stay at their meeting and waited for the right opportunity, I could have exposed Ganondorf's intentions, and proved them to my father. Impa, it seems that I have made a grave mistake by not being more assertive when it came to my visions," said Twilight.
" Do not blame yourself for events which are beyond your means to control. Your father may still be alive your highness as Ganondorf may choose to keep him around as a means of a bargaining tool. It pains me to even think of the king as such, but right now he is safe where he is just as we are safe where we are. While it is true that I would have been more at ease had Sunset Shimmer returned by now, she still has a chance to make it and prevent Hyrule from plunging into darkness. 
We must keep Ganondorf occupied for as long as possible until she appears with the three spiritual stones. However, should the situation worsen, then I will have no choice but to take you from the castle and ensure that you remain out of his reach via enacting the plan," said Applejack.
" Without the treasure of the royal family, the spiritual stones are useless, so we must make sure that she receives the Ocarina of Time and learns the song that is needed to open the Door of Time. I am unsure if I will be able to get the chance to speak to her directly as that depends on the actions of Ganondorf, but I will use some of my magic in order to place a vision into the instrument that will occur when her hands touch it. 
Sunset Shimmer needs that song as no other melody will open the door. I pray that we will be able to survive this night if we are to ensure her success, for tomorrow is going to be the most important day in the history of Hyrule," said Twilight.
" And it will be her actions tomorrow that will determine its fate as well as her own," added Applejack.

To Be Continued.