The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time

by Ganondorf8

Chapter 16: The Fate of Sunset Shimmer

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
December 10, 2014
Chapter 16: The Fate of Sunset Shimmer.

As the Stalchildren approached in their sluggish manner, I began to think about what to use in order to clear them all out as fast as possible. I could use my regular magic, and pick them all off in several groups, but that would take a lot out of me, and more were coming up from the ground. Din's Fire would ensure that I destroy a large group all at once, but it takes time to cast, and that would leave me vulnerable. With my mind being wracked thinking about how to handle the situation, it looked as though Aria had decided to take matters into her own hands. By the time I realized what she was doing, I discovered that she had taken the fight to the Stalchildren by punching and kicking them into submission.
" Hey! Are you going to just stand there gazing off at who knows what? Or are you going to do that hero thing and help me take care of this?" asked Aria.
" Oh, right!" I answered with a bewildered look on my face. It felt weird that I was helping one of my enemies from the human world, but I had to remember that this was a different place, thus things weren't the same. What was also strange was Aria acted like that she had done this before as she spent a few moments dealing with one group of Stalchildren before moving onto the next one and repeating the process.
It took me a few moments to catch up with her while doing my share of the fighting, and when she noticed me doing something, she gave me a smile, or maybe it was a smirk, and came over to me where we had our backs to one another. " Since when are you capable of using skills like that? I always assumed that you just loved to run as a means of getting into shape to defeat those who challenge you."
" Running only does good for my legs and heart kid, and I need to make sure that my entire body is in tip-top shape when someone wants to race me. That's why I train my arms, torso, and head by relying on hand-to-hand combat so that the rest of me can keep up. No point in focusing on just a couple of things and ignore everything else right? Despite their gross factor, Stalchildren make the perfect training partners which is why I come out here at night every so often, and fight off as many of them as possible until the sun comes up," said Aria.
" You fight them all night? Doesn't that tire you out?" I asked.
" When I first started to do this training regiment, it did tire me out because I wanted to do too much all at once, and that overloaded me after a while. Once I realized how lame I was acting, I took it a lot slower until I was able to reach the fast results naturally, and I've been running with it since. It's been about two months now since I began training the rest of my body, and in case you were wondering kid, it was my race against Nabooru that made me realize that I needed to train all aspects of myself and not what I deemed to be important," replied Aria.
" That's amazing," I said. The two of us continued to fight against the Stalchildren using our preferred methods of attack, but I was beginning to struggle due to the overwhelming numbers whereas Aria was having no problem at all. It felt like this fight was lasting forever as the moon was still moving across the sky, and the Stalchildren were showing no signs of slowing down. When a few larger ones came out of the ground, I began to freak out a little and that prompted me to use my magic in a way I wasn't prepared for.
My reaction caused my magic to go erratic which did destroy a large number of monsters, but it also backfired the other way, and Aria had to dodge it or else she would have been hit. Luckily, I was able to quickly get it and myself back under control where I blushed bright pink. " I am so sorry that you almost got hit by my magic because of my inexperience in dealing with a horde of monsters. While I do pride myself as being very good in the magical arts, it looks like I still have a long way to go before I can be considered good in the eyes of others."
" Don't put yourself down so much kid! You just reacted in a way that made you upset, and your magic responded in kind. I avoided your crazy shenanigans without breaking a sweat didn't I? Now get your head on straight, and help me deal with them until the sun comes up which shouldn't be too long from now," said Aria. Who would have thought that I'd be getting words of encouragement from a siren?
Hyrule certainly does bring out the best in people especially if they were the worst back home, but I won't hold it against her as that would just be unfair, and she probably would have no idea as to what I'd be talking about. Aria and I continued with our struggle until the moon finally started to go down, and the sun was beginning to rise. Once the sun barely peaked out of the horizon to signal the start of a new day, the Stalchildren returned underground which meant that the ordeal was finally over.
That explains why they come out only at night as they can't stand the sunlight, and that reminded me of those zombie-like monsters I encountered in the Royal Family's Tomb. They must be vulnerable to the light of the sun as well as those spirits did mention it. I wonder if all undead monsters were like this, or that it was just exclusive to specific types. I had this feeling that my theory was going to be put to the test someday in the future, and I wasn't looking forward to it.
" Now that was what I would call brutal," I said.
" Really? To me that was nothing more than a brisk nap, but I suppose I do see it from your perspective given that you're not used to dealing with large numbers of monsters on a regular basis. Still, you did pretty good there kid despite the slight hiccup that you had earlier. You know, I'm surprised that you even know how to use magic as it's a skill that isn't seen all that much around Hyrule. It's usually in the hands of sorcerers and witches who use it for who knows what, but you're an adventurer who goes around saving those who are in need," said Aria.
" Well, I had a pretty good teacher," I blushed.
" You must have if you are able to use magic at your age as in Hyrule, it takes decades to be that good with it given the sorcerers and witches are pretty up there in years. So you must be some kind of child prodigy if you can sling spells around like it was nothing. What's your secret?" asked Aria.
" I wouldn't say it was a secret, but more like a story," I replied.
" Not sure why, but all of a sudden I feel like I've known you from somewhere before. I feel as though you and I once existed in another world where you were struggling to fit in, and I was being all negative and unconcerned with everything around me as usual, but also wanting to do something with others who were like me, yet different as they had their own unique personalities. I don't know what that something was, but it probably wasn't anything important which may be why I can't remember it off the top of my head. Ha! Just listen to me spewing about some nonsense just because you remind me of something that isn't true," said Aria.
" Actually, that's the Equestrian Magic inside of you reacting to my presence," I said.
" Come again?" asked Aria.
" Those thoughts that you described are the result of the Equestrian Magic struggling to overcome the memories you have in this world, and it's causing you to question me and your very existence. You, Sonata the Happy Mask Saleswoman, and several others all share the same thing in that you all experience these memories of another world which are hazy to you at best. The truth is that we're all from a world much different than this one, and we were all sent here by an evil force all because it wanted me to suffer and succeed in changing the fate of this land," I replied.
" Do you expect me to believe that?" asked Aria.
" No, and that has been the case with everyone else I've talked to who has the inner magic that I do. You can choose to believe my words, or deny them and consider me crazy, but these images in your mind will continue to haunt you until you accept the truth for what it is. Since it's now morning, you should be resuming your running although with that Bunny Hood on, I'm sure that you can run even faster than you normally could, so consider that to be an extension of your skills," I replied.
" Wait a minute! You're just going to leave me to figure out whether these thoughts are real or not?" asked Aria.
" That's been my approach every other time as I quickly found out that trying to enforce what I feel is right isn't the way to handle the situation. If you and everyone else manages to come to the right conclusion, then that will make me very happy knowing that you accepted the truth. If not, then while I would be upset, I wouldn't let it get to me as you probably had a good reason for not believing me, and most likely the memories you have of this world are too strong to ignore. I'm just glad that I managed to talk to you about this Running Woman, or would you prefer me to call you Aria now?" I asked.
" I don't mind you calling me by my real name kid," replied Aria.
" I'm glad you think so as calling you Running Woman does sound really awkward," I said.
" It's a title most people associate me with as they usually don't need to know my real name. Anyway, that's not the point so don't try to change the subject! You just told me something that has literally shattered the perception I have of my own existence, and you are just going to leave me to ponder over it just because you don't want to be a burden? I don't know if I should pity you, or see you as nothing more than a jerk for taking such a stupid stance like that. Everyone you've said this story to including me is going to feel deeply annoyed after a while all because it hasn't sunken in yet, and did you honestly not even realize it?" asked Aria.
" No, not really," I replied.
" Just because you think we can figure it out doesn't mean we will as what are we supposed to be looking for? When you see the other people you've spoken to someday in the future, be sure to help them along the way otherwise they could resent you for it. As for me, well, let's just say that you helped out in a specific way and leave it at that. You said that you needed to speak to both Nabooru and the Happy Mask Saleswoman right? Nabooru is out because you already know where she is, and getting there is going to be impossible what with the Gerudo's Fortress being under some kind of strict lockdown," said Aria.
" And that leaves Sonata. I'll just have to hope that I can run into her before I make my way back to Hyrule Castle, and explain the same thing to her," I said.
" You certainly are a strange kid that's for sure, but I suppose that I could take your wild story as being true as you did sound rather convincing. Whatever! I'll figure it all out later as right now I've got some running to do before my next challenger shows up which could be at any time. Hey! Sunset Shimmer was it? Maybe we'll meet again one day, and if you want, you can challenge me to a race. I'll most likely beat you because no one has ever beaten me, but you can give it your best shot just to see how well you stack up. Later!" said Aria, and then she took off like a rocket running at an insane speed which looked more like bounding along rather than simply running fast.
That Bunny Hood has certainly improved her overall outlook on life, but whether she will accept the truth remains to be seen. In any case, only two more people left to explain the same story to, but in the meantime I decided to begin the long trek back to Hyrule Castle where my fate is to be determined. It felt rather ominous knowing that so much was riding on my shoulders, but I somehow was given this responsibility despite the fact that I wish that it didn't have so much pressure applied to it. As soon as Aria was completely out of sight, I decided to turn around and head towards town, but I found that I wasn't quite done in this part of Hyrule Field just yet.
" That was certainly an interesting story you told the Running Woman."
" WAAAAH!" Once again, I ended up getting scared out of my wits by Sonata Dusk all because she was standing there as I turned around. Was she stalking me or something, or was I just ending up in the same place that she was traveling? Also, what did she mean by that was an interesting story? Did she overhear me mention her name as I talked to Aria? If so then that would make things a lot easier for me, but how was she able to hear anything? As far as I could tell, she just popped up out of nowhere meaning that it was impossible for her to have heard anything. " Sonata!?!? Where in the world did you come from? And how did you manage to hear my story?"
" I was walking along the pathway up there on top of that cliff, and while I was basking in the early morning goodness of a fresh new day, I was able to hear your conversation with the Running Woman where you mentioned me as being someone you needed to talk to about the truth of something very important. While much of what you said did sail over my head as I suspect that you were fixated towards the Running Woman, I was able to understand what you said about memories of another world," replied Sonata.
" And?" I asked.
" I've been experiencing these memories for some time now ever since we first met way back when, but I paid them no mind as I thought that they were the remnants of some crazy dream I had from eating too many tacos. That is never a bad thing mind you, eating too many tacos as they are an excellent source of nutrition....at least that's what I think when it comes to their yummy goodness. Anyway, when those visions started to occur beyond the realm of sleeping, I started to think that perhaps they were a sign of something that once was, but no longer is because I kept on seeing people who felt familiar including you my young friend.
I never thought to bring it up with you before as I assumed that it was some kind of divine intervention meant for me alone because of the good deeds that I have done in the world of mask purchasing and mask selling . There certainly is more to you than appearances would suggest, and it seems that others are connected to you in ways that they don't understand," replied Sonata.
" Do you understand?" I asked.
" Of course I understand as it means that we all belong in this other place where we have different lives compared to the ones in Hyrule. Despite how things started out for me, I managed to figure it all out the other day, but I refuse to act on it because there is nothing that I can do about it. This other world is meant to be our true home, but we can never go back there because none of us have the power to do so. Why worry about the possibility of being from another place when you can simply focus on where you are right now, and enjoy all of the experiences that come from it," replied Sonata.
Once again, it boggles my mind as to how in tune with her surroundings she was despite being an air-head, and having such a unique personality. Just as I was about to comfort her, she had already placed her bag on the ground and was ready to talk business. " So, were you able to sell the Bunny Hood to the Running Woman? I assume that you figured out on your own that she was fascinated with that extinct creature which in turn made the ideal buyer?
" But you were the one who told me that," I said.
" Really? I don't recall doing anything of the sort, but the important thing is that you were able to sell it and really make her happy. How much did she end up paying you in the end?" asked Sonata.
" 500 rupees," I replied.
" Did she seriously do that? For realsies? I always knew that she was desperate to have something that reminded her of that creature, but I didn't think that she was going to pay you such a hefty sum for one mask. That Running Woman must be incredibly rich despite the kind of occupation she chooses to indulge herself in. Either way, you managed to make quite the small fortune my young friend, and so all I ask of that is just 50 rupees for the Bunny Hood. The rest is yours to do with as you see fit, for you really deserved it after having to deal with her attitude," said Sonata.
I happily paid her the money for the mask and she placed it into a small purse that she carried around her neck, and this was the first time that I saw her do that as the other times, she just placed the payment into one of her pockets. " I noticed that you are curious as to why I have a purse when I didn't before. Let's just say I need my pockets to carry around things besides rupees, and also they might fall out since I do have to climb up many different things to get to where I need to go. Payment received! Well done my young friend! All of the masks have been sold, and those who purchased them have become better off because of it. I just knew that you were the right person for the job of being a Happy Mask Saleswoman."
" You mean, I have no more masks to sell?" I asked.
" Correct. Thanks to you, I was able to attract all kinds of customers wherever I go as the people you sold masks to prior to this one have all recommended me to their friends because of the assistant saleswoman who made everything possible. From now on, you will be able to borrow any of my masks for as long as you want until you want to get yourself another one to borrow.
Is that a disappointed look that I see in your face because all you got out of this was the opportunity to borrow my masks? Wipe away that frown, for I did promise that you would become happy yourself. I have one more mask to give you, but this one is different from the rest in that I have never sold it or given it away to anyone before," replied Sonata.
" Why is that?" I asked.
" I figured that this mask would probably make sense to someone as experienced as you. Now just wait a moment while I find it in my bag," replied Sonata. This time she decided to tip her bag upside down which caused all of her masks to fall onto the ground in a big pile. She then tossed them all back into her bag until she only had one left which turned out to be the one she was looking for. " It's always the last mask left when it comes to looking for this one.
Here it is! Granted, it's an odd looking mask, and will likely confuse people if you show it to them, but it is a special mask for a special person like you. This is the Mask of Truth, an item that has been passed down through the generations by the Shiekah. It has the power to allow the wearer to read the thoughts of the Gossip Stones which exist about the kingdom."
" Gossip Stones?" I asked.
" They look like ordinary stones to most people as they walk by them, but they are magical in that they remember conversations people had, and in turn will reveal their secrets to those who can understand them. Most of what they have to say is simply gossip they hear from others, but on occasion they do have some interesting information. They are easy to recognize as they share the same symbol that is on the Mask of Truth. All you have to do is wear it when you attempt to speak to them, and they will respond to you through your mind, but don't be scared as they will not hurt you.
This is a mask you may keep for as long as you want as I believe that you will be able to use it for your journey, but mostly to have fun listening to so much juicy gossip. Well, this looks to be our final farewell assuming that you wish to keep that mask, for I have no more for you to sell, thus your journey as a Happy Mask Saleswoman has come to an end. If you ever feel the need to see me about switching masks, I'll be sure to find you because that is just how I like to do things. Goodbye....goodbye....hmmmm....I never did catch your name now did I?" asked Sonata.
" You never asked," I replied.
" I wonder why I never got around to that especially after all of our encounters? Oh well! You can tell me your name now," said Sonata.
" It's Sunset Shimmer," I said.
" An interesting name if I ever heard one, and it suits you well because you have the shimmering flame of the sunset all about you even though it is morning right now. I will be sure to never forgot your name as well as the happiness you have given to so many people. I think you've got a pretty good future on your hands if you continue down this path you are on. Goodbye Sunset Shimmer, and may our paths cross again in the future....maybe as early as seven years? I don't know why that number has become so important to me as of late, but maybe it's some kind of sign? The mysteries of the world certainly are astounding," said Sonata.
" Before you go, there is one question that I've been meaning to ask you for a long time now," I said.
" And what question did you have for me?" asked Sonata.
" What made you decide to become a Happy Mask Saleswoman in the first place? I know that it isn't going to be any helpful information when it comes to my quest, but I wanted to know on a more curious basis than anything else," I replied.
" So you are curious then is that it? You don't have to be so formal silly as I will gladly tell you my story for realsies. As long as I can remember, ever since I was a little girl, I had this fascination for wanting to make people happy as my parents were both performers who did that every single day of their lives. Sadly, I was never very good at being a performer as I couldn't do any of those super-duper stunts, but my parents wanted me to contribute to the family business in a different fashion.
That was when one of their fellow performers showed me a mask, and it was so awe-inspiring that I realized there and then what my destiny was going to be. In case you were wondering, the mask wasn't anything special where it was some kind of fancy looking thing, but that wasn't important to me. What was important was the fact that it was really cool looking, and I felt a strong connection with it. The performer gave me the mask to keep as he had no need for it, and I used it to make people happy by combining it with some parlor tricks of my own," said Sonata.
" But you just said," I began.
" I was capable of doing simple hand tricks as those were easy for me to understand, but the kind of stunts my parents were able to do are what I could never achieve as I lacked the skills," said Sonata.
" Sorry about that," I said.
" My parents told me to never give up, and they encouraged me to pursue this new career choice revolving around the world of masks," said Sonata.
" I have to admire your parents for not wanting to give up on you," I smiled.
" Once I got used to wearing and having a mask, I had the urge to collect as many of them as I could, and within a few years, I had amassed over several hundred masks which made so many people jealous of it. This collection would continue to grow for a few more years after that until one day everything changed for me. All because one child inquired as to purchasing a mask from me, that I decided to sell my collection to make others happy, so that they too could spread happiness across the land.
From that moment on, I dedicated myself to making people happy by selling them masks, but I knew that my collection would eventually run out, so I had to acquire additional masks to make sure that I never ran out at any time. You already know the rest of my story as I explained it to you when we first met, so now I have answered your question," said Sonata.
" That you have," I said.
" So now it's time for me to pop off and into the world to resume my work. Just remember to be happy with your life as you never know what may happen. You just have to be positive Sunset Shimmer no matter what pressures you may face. I'm not really a fortune-teller despite what I just said, but you know what I mean," said Sonata.
As she too walked off into the distance and out of sight, again I am reminded of how different the Dazzlings are compared to how they acted back in the human world. Maybe when I get back home, there may be a chance for all of them to be reformed just like I had been. Then again, Sonata would most likely be the one capable of reforming as she wasn't the most evil of the three compared to Adagio and Aria. Now that I had taken care of that problem, I could now focus on getting to Hyrule Castle, and give the spiritual stones to Twilight. I can't wait to see her face when I show her all three of them.

" Impa! I do wish sometimes that you would not appear out of thin air like that. While it is how the Shiekah move about in order to stay secluded in the shadows, you need not make such an approach with the likes of me," said Twilight.
" It is something I am accustomed to your highness, for we of the Shiekah are at home within the shadows. Anyway, I returned here quickly to inform you that Ganondorf has not yet discovered this location, but do not get yourself attached to this place, for we will eventually need to flee the castle itself. It will not take the Gerudo king very long to know where we are, and I will make sure that you are out of his reach," said Applejack.
" What news do you have of my father?" asked Twilight. Upon hearing that question, Applejack turned her head away from the princess, and lowered it to indicate that the news she was about to say wasn't going to be pleasant. Even though she had no idea as to what she was about to hear, Twilight felt optimistic that her attendant was merely trying to make her feel intense so as to be prepared for when Ganondorf comes. " Your expression tells me that this is going to be unfortunate news, but perhaps you are wrong, and that my father is well off as I know that he can take care of himself in any given situation."
" Princess Zelda....your father....has been murdered by Ganondorf," said Applejack while trying to hold back her tears. Hearing this shocked Twilight to her very core as she couldn't believe what she had just heard with her own ears. " I wanted to check to make sure that everything was prepared to enact my plan, and I decided to check the throne room in order to see if his majesty was okay....but all I found was a dried up lifeless husk which had been both killed and drained of energy.
The bodies of many of the castle guard were in the vicinity, and they too suffered the same fate as your father." Applejack then walked over to the wall and punched it as hard as she could with her fist causing a small dent to appear as a result. She then punched the wall again in the same place several more times in order to take out her frustration. " I do not know why Ganondorf absorbed the energy and life force of his victims, but the fact of the matter is that they are all dead. I have failed to protect your father from that man, and now he is pursuing you so that he may claim your life."
" No, you are not to blame for the death of my father or the royal guards Impa. If anyone is truly to blame, it would be me because I abandoned him when he needed me the most, and Ganondorf clearly took advantage of my weakness. My father would still be alive had I not chosen to act in such a manner, and instead stayed to expose the intentions of the Gerudo king, and the lives of the guards would not have been wasted so.
While it would be easy to blame Ganondorf as he was the one who took their lives from them, the fault lies upon my shoulders as my actions resulted in this. While my heart has been shattered to pieces over the loss of my father, I am unable to grieve because my own life is in danger, but once this is all over, I shall grieve for him and those who have fallen for days on end, and maybe my father will be able to forgive me for the way I acted in front of him during my last time with him," said Twilight.
" There was another issue which needs to be brought to your attention, and that has to do with Shining Armour," said Applejack.
" What about him?" asked Twilight.
" The guards who were killed by Ganondorf would not have been there in the throne room without Shining Armour to lead them as is his duty, but his body was not among those who had fallen which means that he is still alive. Then again, there was a struggle within the throne room due to how much scuffling was seen on the marble floor, and a window had been shattered as though someone had been thrown right through it, and down to the castle grounds below. I suspect that Shining Armour was the one who plummeted, so it is sadly safe to assume that he too has been killed," replied Applejack.
" No! Not Shining Armour! Despite the rift that existed between you two because of how you handle situations differently, he was like a big brother to me who was always willing to listen to what I had to say when no one else wanted to. I can't accept that he has been killed in this senseless act by Ganondorf all because he wants the Triforce from the Sacred Realm. I believe the Captain of the Royal Guard to be alive Impa despite the amount of pain he may be in, but what about the remainder of the royal guards? If they run into Ganondorf without knowing what his intentions are, he is liable to kill them without hesitation," said Twilight.
" You need not fear your highness as I have warned a few of them to spread the word that they are to avoid the Gerudo king at all costs, and that to make sure that no one from town comes up here in order to pique their curiosity. Hyrule Castle is effectively in lockdown until this situation has been resolved," said Applejack. She then turned her attention to a window on the opposite side of where she and Twilight were in refuge, and the sounds of swords clashing, screams echoing, and the occasional flash of light indicated to her that their hiding place was about to be discovered.
That meant that Ganondorf was getting very close, and for that she needed to get Twilight to safety. " While it was a miracle that we managed to evade him for so long, I fear that we have run of time your highness for he is almost here. We must enact my plan at once in order to prevent anymore bloodshed from taking place."
" But what about Sunset Shimmer?" asked Twilight.
" We cannot afford to wait for her any longer as your life is in danger, but then you knew this was going to happen which is why you used your magic to place a vision upon the Ocarina of Time which will activate when she touches the treasure. You have protected the ocarina for as long as you could your highness, but now Sunset Shimmer needs it in order to fulfill her destiny and bring Hyrule back from the brink of destruction. Hold onto me from this point on your highness until we reached the safety of the ground below.
There is a horse nearby which we can use to escape from the castle, so please do not argue with me," replied Applejack. Twilight did as she was told, and held onto her attendant as hard as she could. Applejack then opened the window and leapt out of it and straight down to the ground making sure to use some additional ledges as a means of getting Twilight down without any trouble. The two then found the horse that Applejack mentioned, and prepared to make their escape from the castle.

" We meet again Sunset Shimmer!"
" WAAAAH! Flash Sentry!?!? How long have you been up on top of that tree?" I asked. First it was Sonata who gave me a surprise, and now Flash Sentry has decided to throw in his lot. Just when I was about to leave for the castle, I get interrupted again by someone I know.
" I've been here for quite some time watching your exploits, and I must say that you have certainly come a long way since you first started your journey. You have met so many people who have influenced you in ways that you never imagined, and in turn their lives have changed upon their meeting with you. These are all signs that you are growing to become the destined hero of this world, yet there is still some growth needed before you can truly achieve that distinction.
Just keep continuing on the path that you have been on, and the final goal shall be within reach. It seems that you wanted to enter Gerudo Valley, but were advised not to because of something that has caused the Gerudo's Fortress to be sealed off to the outside world," replied Flash Sentry.
" Why would anyone want them to close their home to other people when it would be so much more beneficial to them to open up?" I asked.
" The Gerudo despite being a gang of thieves are extremely loyal to the one who leads them, for the word of the King of the Gerudo is law, and they must abide by these laws otherwise the punishment varies depending on how serious their king is. Most of the time, the punishment ranges from being exiled from the tribe, and being imprisoned for a while, but the most severe example would be immediate execution. That young Gerudo girl that you talked to mentioned that the entire tribe cannot leave their fortress or risk being killed through being branded as traitors for defying the law of their king. Normally, no King of the Gerudo would ever enact such a strict measure unless something was really wrong in the tribe's dynamic that would warrant it," replied Flash Sentry.
" Surely their second-in-command might be able to convince the Gerudo king to not invoke such an act," I said.
" In their society, one's status means a lot for the higher your rank, the more power that you possess, and the more respect you will receive. Those among the Gerudo who are at the bottom in terms of their status would feel the need to want to leave the tribe in fears of facing further ridicule, or feeling that there is no longer any place for them. As for those who are near the top, they are able to make some kind of influences that serve to benefit themselves more than anyone else. In their eyes, the Gerudo believe in survival of the fittest because the strong survive and the weak perish, but they have to work together in order to be able to survive despite the mistrust that can exist," said Flash Sentry.
" I never really knew that the Gerudo suffered so much, and I always believed that it had to do with Ganondorf and what he desired being viewed as more important to him than their well-being. Now that I've learned more about them and what they've had to experience, I really do pity them which makes me wonder why the King of Hyrule, or any of the other leaders of the tribe didn't want to offer any kind of support to help them out? I mean, I've heard that the other tribes are weary of the Gerudo because of their thieving nature among other unusual traits, but they wouldn't have to resort to that if they were given more opportunities to become better citizens of Hyrule," I said.
" You would have made an excellent ruler," commented Flash Sentry.
" Where did that come from?" I asked.
" It's just that you have so much compassion for others as well as an understanding as to the real problems that exist. A crown on top of your head would make sense as you do have the talent," replied Flash Sentry.
" While that would be a nice thing to have happen to me, that wouldn't be for at least several decades or so. I still have a lot to learn about being a good friend, and to become a ruler would mean having a strong relationship with the people that relates to friendship. Plus, it was the idea of becoming a ruler that lead me down the dark path in the first place, so I would rather much regulate myself to the role of being a commoner.
By the way Flash Sentry, isn't there anything important that you should be telling me? Usually, you often start out with information which proves itself to be useful, but this time all you've done is reiterated what I already know, and throwing in some compliments here and there. Is there something you don't want to tell me?" I asked.
" I was going to eventually get to this, but I wanted to have a pleasant conversation before focusing on the events of the kingdom. Do you notice the drawbridge that covers the entrance to Hyrule Castle Town is still up despite it being daylight? This is not a normal occurrence Sunset Shimmer for the town is always accessible during all hours of the day. Perhaps something bad is taking place there due to a breakdown in relations between the Hylian king and the Gerudo king. You must be prepared to face off against the Gerudo king if things have indeed turned sour in their negotiations," replied Flash Sentry.
" Could I be too late?" I asked.
" That is a question I cannot answer for you," replied Flash Sentry.
" Why not?" I asked.
" There is something that is of dark design which is preventing me from being able to tell you anything regarding the situation. I sensed this darkness when I flew past the castle earlier, and my partner here was most uncomfortable which is why he wanted to leave the area as soon as possible. Whatever this darkness is, it doesn't want anyone to know what is going on as though it were hiding a terrible secret. The fact that this darkness was allowed to go so far in its dark designs is truly shocking as I would have expected it to have been taken care of before it could reach this point," replied Flash Sentry.
" Maybe all of that running around wasn't a good idea given that it did nothing but slow me down," I said.
" While it did cause you to be delayed in terms of completing the quest given unto you by the princess, you need to remember that you were able to experience many different things, and forged lasting friendships by taking your time to accomplish your tasks. Never forget these things for someday those friendship shall prove to be most beneficial to you when things become bleak, and the threat of darkness will consume all in its weak.
We shall meet again soon Sunset Shimmer, and I wish you luck with what you must do to fulfill your destiny," said Flash Sentry. Once more, he urged his giant owl to take to the skies leaving me to ponder over just how I was going to deal with Ganondorf. If something has indeed happened at the castle, I hope that Twilight and Applejack are safe. It turns out that the two of them had since started to flee the castle on the white horse that Applejack had prepared ahead of time, and a good thing too because their hiding spot was just about to be uncovered.

" I must admit that the Shiekah woman is very clever as she had planned out everything in advance prior to my arrival, and for that she has earned some slight respect for temporarily outwitting me. This does set back my plans for a short period as I need to ensure that the Ocarina of Time ends up in the hands of the right person, and with Zelda having fled with it in her possession, it all falls onto chance as to whether she will fulfill her part and let that one obtain it. Hmmmm....judging from when this window was opened, and the sight of horse tracks on the grass still being fresh, they left here not too long ago which means that chasing them will yield the results that I need.
Everything has fallen into perfect alignment, so now I must push things forward just enough so that the one I need will do exactly what I want." Tirek said to himself. He then smashed his way through another window, and landed on the ground with a large boom that shattered the ground. He then ran towards where his horse was being kept, and urged it to start galloping in order to begin his chase of both Twilight and Applejack.

" Well Sunset Shimmer, are you ready to end this?" asked Spike.
" To be honest, not really," I replied.
" How come? Don't tell me that you're afraid to go to the castle and stop Ganondorf?" asked Spike.
" That's the exact reason," I replied.
" Yeah, I can understand why you would be afraid," said Spike.
" It also has to do with what the Great Fairy of Power said to us when we were at her fountain. She said that not only was the fate of Hyrule hanging in the balance, but my own life as well was in the same predicament. Spike, if Ganondorf does end up succeeding and claims the Triforce, I'm going to die and that scares me more than anything else. I've come far in redeeming myself, but have it all come to an end because of trying to stop one man? The amount of pressure riding on my shoulders is intense right now, and that's why I'm feeling hesitant about doing this. I know that it's my destiny despite not really wanting it in the first place, but the fear of losing my own life is something I just can't ignore," I said.
" It can be difficult to want to go through with something when the stakes are both high and personal. No matter what ends up happening when we return to the castle, I'll be by your side no matter what happens, and that is a promise you can be believe from a friend," said Spike. Hearing him say that made me smile, and gave me a boost of confidence which I needed as we started to make our way to the drawbridge, but as soon as we were getting close, something happened which Spike immediately noticed. " Hey! Look up at the sky."
" What about it?" I asked.
" Where did those dark clouds come from? It was bright and sunny just a few moments ago," replied Spike. I looked up myself to see what he was getting at, and he was right for sky had been consumed with dark clouds that felt rather unusual. Was it a sign of things to come? Or was it just an unnatural weather occurrence? Either way, I couldn't let it slow us down, so I ran the rest of the way only to stop in front of the drawbridge upon hearing the sound of a horse's neigh.
That was when the sky started to crackle with thunder and lightning which was followed by a massive downpour of rain, and then for some reason the sun raced through the sky and settled down signalling the start of the night. Spike noticed this as well which he informed me about. " Ummmm....did you just play the Sun's Song in order for the day to be turned into night?"
" You know that I won't play that song unless I absolutely have to," I replied.
" Well, the day just turned into night before our eyes," said Spike.
" What!?!?" I exclaimed. I looked up again and saw that he was right which then made me think back to that nightmare I had which started all of this. What I witnessed in my nightmare was beginning to come true, and it caused me to assume a fetal position. " Spike....what's happening right now....this is what happened in my nightmare. Everything that is happening right now is what I dreamt about....my nightmare was a vision of things to come." The drawbridge then began to lower which prompted me to get back up, and from the distance came galloping a white horse with what looked like two people were riding on it.
The horse ran right past me so fast that I almost got run over, but I was able to get out of the way in time. Suddenly, one of the two riders made some kind of motion which looked like they were throwing something, and then the other one kept her head down as they rode off into the night.
" Sunset Shimmer....that was Princess Zelda riding on that horse along with her attendant Impa. I wonder where those two are off to in just a hurry?" asked Spike.
" I'm not sure but it looked like Twilight wasn't all that keen on being taken out of the castle in such a fashion. As for Applejack, she had a look of seriousness on her face as though she had planned this out for some time," I replied.
" What do you suppose the princess tossed before they rode off into the night? Not only that, but where do you suppose it ended up? I did hear a brief splashing noise coming from the moat, but that could have been anything," said Spike.
" That's not what my concern is right now," I said.
" And why is that?" asked Spike.
" In case you didn't hear it by now, another horse is coming up behind us, and there is something unsettling about it as well. You don't suppose that it could be him? If it is then I've never felt more scared in my entire life," I replied. The sound of hooves stomping on the ground then came to a stop, and that was when I decided to turn around and see just who it was that was behind me. Upon turning, my face once again turned white, and I went completely numb.
Standing behind me on his horse was Ganondorf himself, and that was when he urged his nightmarish steed to buck its forelegs up and whinny as a means of intimidation. I wanted to run away at this point, I really did, but my feet were just too scared to make me want to run.
" Arrrggghhh! I lost her!" said Tirek, and that was when he turned his attention towards me. " You, over there! Little kid! Hmmmm? That aura which surrounds you....I've sensed it somewhere before....yes, Hyrule Castle....the one who was observing me through the window from the courtyard. You are the one who possesses the magic that is not of this world. At long last we finally meet face-to-face. I was not expecting the one whose magical energies rival my own to be nothing more than a mere child. It seems that my expectations of you are nothing that I need concern myself, so I ask you this.
You must have seen the white horse gallop past just now. Which way did it go? Answer me! You are in no position to defy me child, for you already fear the power that I wield. The Hylian King realized the full extent of my power as the life left his body after I killed him, and the Hylian guards also felt the same thing as their lives came to an end. If you desire to live through this night, you shall answer my question now! Which way did the white horse go?"
" What!?!? The king is dead?" I asked.
" Yes! I killed him by plunging my sword right through his chest killing him, but I allowed him to live long enough to suffer the notion that his precious daughter will never see him alive again. Poor Zelda, she will never get the chance to forgive her father for the actions he committed in the name of wanting to forge an alliance with me for the sake of a simple unification. Ah, but the Hylian King was not my only victim as you now know, for a large number of the Hylian Royal Guard have been slaughtered all because they chose to fight against me thus condemning themselves to death.
Even the Captain of the Royal Guards, Shining Armour, chose to defy me by believing that he could defeat me, but alas his fate has also been sealed and his life has most likely left his body by now. Once I have obtained what I desire, I shall conquer Hyrule Castle and kill the rest of the guards there all because they will serve a greater purpose," replied Tirek.
" And what kind of purpose could they serve you? Being reanimated into undead monsters to serve your twisted will?" I asked.
" Such an idea would be something interesting to consider, but then that would just be predictable as many other evil ones throughout the history of this land have used the corpses of the dead and reanimate them to become nothing more than lifeless, brainless slaves. No, the Hylian King and the Royal Guard possessed much in the way of energy, and I absorbed that energy in order to become stronger and stronger until no one can stand against me.
Their bodies have become dried up husks when their energy was consumed, and that is the way that they shall be as they are buried by loved ones, or destroyed utterly once I bring that castle down and build a better one on top of its ashes. Now, you have stalled long enough as it is kid, so I shall ask my question to you last time. Which way did the white horse go?" asked Tirek.
" I'll never tell you," I answered boldly.
" So, you think you can protect them from me? You've got guts kid! Of course, guts alone will not save you from my fury. Defying me is asking for death, for there is nothing more satisfying than killing someone who believes that they can stand up to me. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha....I commend you for your bravery, but your stupidity is something to be punished, for you are merely wasting my time. That is what I would have said to you if not for the fact that your magical energy is something that intrigues me.
How is that a child such as yourself is in possession of such powerful magic. Such a notion defies all logic, and yet here you are before me with magic not native to this world. Hmmmm....your magic is powerful which cannot be denied, yet you are merely using a small fraction of it which is a shame, for you have so much potential dwelling inside of you," said Tirek.
" What are you talking about?" I asked.
" Your magic is strong, yet you have not tapped into the true power that you possess. Because of this, you are holding back the real you which could very well become the most powerful magician who has ever lived....or perhaps the most powerful princess of any land that she wishes to claim as her own. That look upon your face shows me that I am indeed aware of something that lurks within you that festers like an open wound, and refuses to heal itself. There is a small trace of darkness clinging to your heart, and it yearns to be free to walk the earth once more," replied Tirek.
" I have no idea about anything of the sort," I said.
" Feigning ignorance....how amusing. It seems that there was once a time where you allowed darkness to rule your heart, and you desired an artefact which you believed would grant you more power than you have ever dreamed of. You would do anything to acquire this power even if it meant betraying the hearts of those who were innocent, and turning them against one another all for your own benefit. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha....such delicious irony you display kid! You believe to be fighting for the side of good, yet deep down you have the urge to become exactly like me," said Tirek.
" I'll never become someone like you," I said.
" You can deny it all you want, but the fact of the matter is that you have darkness inside of your heart, and that it is something which shall forever be there no matter what you try and in the name of justice. But, do not see this as a travesty kid, for you can easily turn this to your advantage. When you finally achieved your destiny by acquiring that which you sought, it changed you into a more powerful form which granted you power that you had dreamed of for years," said Tirek. He then raised his hand, and the ground right in front of me burst into flames causing me to jump back to avoid getting caught in the blast.
The flames quickly disappeared, and standing there was the she-demon form of myself that I became when I donned Twilight's crown which had her Element of Harmony placed into it. It was actually a shadow-like version of the old me, but the psychological damage it was inflicting onto my mind was all-too real. I never wanted to see the she-demon again, yet there she was looking at me with a twisted expression that made me collapse to the ground and bursting into tears.
" No! I know that I was a horrible person who only cared about gaining power at the expense of other people's well-being, but that was the old me who no longer exists even though she remains as a constant reminder of the torment that I continue to endure. Every time I see that she-demon in my head, it causes me to break down, and her twisted laughter echoes in my ears as my heart breaks because I was a monster.
I'm different now as I was able to find friendship and realized how wonderful it really feels. Seeing this monster only causes me to want to put her out of her misery, so that I can finally move on with my life, and not be plagued by troubles in the past. I may have darkness in my heart as a result of being tainted, but I won't allow it to control my life anymore!" I shouted.
" This creature that you became was indeed powerful, but it was merely a flawed aspect of what you could have been," said Tirek.
" Flawed? In what way?" I asked.
" The power you wielded was not entirely complete as there were several other powers that connected with it. As such, this demonic form is nothing more than an imperfect shell that serves as nothing more than a stepping stone on a much grander path. If you had claimed the rest of the power, you would have become this instead," replied Tirek. He then raised his hand again, and the she-demon form of me transformed into a beautiful human version with demon wings and tail, but looked much more elegant, and had a confidant look on her face. " If you had chosen to stay on the path of darkness, this is what you could have become, and you could have claimed any world that you desired as your own.
All would bow before you and see you as their ruler. Kid, that small piece of darkness in your heart can still be salvaged, for I know that deep down you yearn for the power that you once held. You desire to have it again even though you deny yourself the pleasure, and I can help you achieve your true destiny. If you were to accept the hatred within you, and allow me to guide you, I can help you unleash the power that is sleeping within you."
" And what would that do to me?" I asked.
" You shall become everything you have ever wanted in your entire life....you shall become the princess which was denied to you so long ago, and you will use your power to bend the knees of others to your will. Do not attempt to refuse my generous offer because you know deep down that you want me to guide you down the right path. Your old mentors held you back as they wanted you to fall in line with their way of thinking, and for that they were weak-minded. I will allow you to reach your true potential, and never deny you anything that you could want," replied Tirek.
The moment he referred to both Princess Celestia and Twilight as being weak snapped me out of the mesmerising spell that Ganondorf seemed to have placed on me when he was speaking about what I wanted. I know that I failed Princess Celestia when I was her student because it was my own fault that I was weak, but she would never forgive me if I were to fail the one person who was gave me a second chance. And what about my friends? They would never forgive me if I were to betrayed the very friendship that they offered to me, whereas no one else even wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt.
" While I appreciate the offer you've been giving me here, I have to politely refuse your request," I said.
" What!?!?" exclaimed Tirek.
" For a while there, your words were twisting my heart around, and the darkness was actually beginning to build up momentum, but when you called my two teachers weak, that was when I realized that you were manipulating me just because you saw it as an amusement. My teachers and my friends did everything they could to set me on the right path, but the road was a bumpy one where I slipped up in places. But despite these problems, I wanted to prove myself that I could be a girl that understood friendship. I still have a long way to go and much more to learn, but I know for a fact that I am in a much better place now," I said.
" So....you choose to defy me?" asked Tirek.
" Without a doubt," I replied.
" Heh, I gave you an opportunity to achieve greatness, and you decide to refuse my offer? I had such high hopes for you kid, yet you have chosen to throw it away in the name of the light itself. My patience with you has just reached its end, for I now realize that this conversation has done nothing but delay me from my true objective, and that was to pursue Zelda in the hopes of claiming my prize. Now, move out of the way or I will be forced to make you suffer," said Tirek.
That was when I decided to conjure up some fire-based magic into my hands, and stood my ground by giving Ganondorf a look of determination which indicated that I was was not about to let him get away with his actions. Of course, his reaction was one that I was expecting. " Heh....heh....heh....heh....you want a piece of me? Very funny! I like your attitude, but tell me something. Do you honestly believe that you can defeat me? The most powerful man in all of Hyrule? You must be very stupid to think that you can pose a threat to me. However, I shall indulge you on your idiocy, and allow you to test your might against me."
" Didn't you say earlier that my magic was as powerful as yours?" I asked.
" Our magic is indeed on equal footing, but because mine is the most powerful, and yours is the most unusual. Comparing them to one another in terms of overall strength is pointless as your power pales in comparison to mine. It would be like a mouse pretending to be a lion, and you kid are clearly the mouse in that you are in over your head. If you believe yourself to be a lion that desires to roar, then show me what you can do," replied Tirek. This left me in a critical position where he was essentially urging me into attacking him with my magic.
Why would he want me to just strike him? Shouldn't he simply just cast me aside because it sounds like he can do that without even having to lift a finger. I could see the expression in his eyes were one of impatience, so I figured that he was thinking that I was trying to stall for time.
" What would I gain from attacking you?" I asked.
" Are you afraid to fight me?" asked Tirek.
" Of course I am as I know that you are powerful due to being able to sense your magical power," I replied.
" You are able to sense the magical energies I wield? Truly there is more to you than appearances dictate, and for that you could have used that ability to further your own desires and become so much more powerful. A shame that you have chosen to follow your heart as all it has done is made you weak and worthless. Perhaps in another world you were just as spineless as you are now; a cowardly little girl who was afraid to fight her own battles, and instead relied on others to do her bidding? Ha! Such a reliance on friends is so trivial as they are probably just as weak as you are, and only when together do they have a sliver of hope," said Tirek.
" How dare you," I began.
" Do my words bring forth anger within you? Then channel that anger and show me the power you possess," said Tirek.
" If anyone is weak, it would be you because you don't understand the power of friendship, so let me educate you on that with a powerful lesson," I said. I then unleashed a powerful magical blast which struck Ganondorf directly causing him and his horse to become engulfed in flames. Never had my magic come out with so much potency before....was it because I decided to let go of my emotions and allowed my rage to control me?
That is what he wanted me to do in another attempt to tempt me over to the side of evil, but I wasn't about to fall for that again. Still, I need to keep my emotions in check as I have been known to lose it from time to time when the stress gets to me. As soon as the flames snuffed themselves out, I was shocked to find that Ganondorf was still sitting there on his horse, and he appeared to be completely fine. He had no wounds or burns on his body, and his horse looked perfectly fine.
" This is the full extent of your magic?" asked Tirek.
" I guess it is seeing as going any further in such a direction will corrupt me," I replied.
" Heh, then I guess it's my turn now," said Tirek. He raised his hand once more and began to build up power in the form of a ball of energy that I could tell was brimming with darkness itself. As soon as he had built up enough power, he launched it without even making any kind of effort, and it struck me with so much force that it sent me flying back several feet before I crashed into the ground in a crumpled heap. I struggled to get back onto my feet, and all Ganondorf did was lower his hand down while making it all look like he wasn't providing any kind of effort. " Pathetic little fool....do you realize who you are dealing with?"
" I most certainly do," I answered.
" Your answer is one that does not surprise me kid, for I suspect that Zelda, or perhaps the Goron chieftain, or maybe even the Zora king have informed you as to the kind of person that I truly am. They assume me to be nothing more than a monster who cares solely for power, but I am a visionary who desires this world in order to mold it in my own image, so that it may become so much more. This world requires a king who shows no weakness, and who can rule without any kind of mercy.
The Hylian King was nothing but a weak man, so killing him was easy to the point where it proved to be unsatisfying. His fate is what shall become of all those who choose to defy me once I have claimed the Triforce for my very own. Thus is my decree, for I am Ganondorf! And soon, I shall rule the world!" said Tirek.
" Why not kill me while I'm down?" I asked.
" Killing you would prove nothing to me other than simply getting rid of someone of little to no significance and that is what I shall allow you to believe kid, for I doubt that you are aware of what is going to happen when you enter the Temple of Time with the necessary items. Yes, I suspect that you have all three spiritual stones in your possession, and that Zelda threw the Ocarina of Time away to prevent me from obtaining it. If you are not the one I require, then I will kill you for wasting my time, but if you are the one, I will kill you once you have pulled the final key from its lock as I know that you will not be able to use it against me, so right now you mean nothing!
My punishment to you should put you in your place, so perhaps now you realize that it is hopeless to think that you can stop me. You have wasted more than enough of my time, but I will be able to catch up with Zelda and her faithful servant," replied Tirek. He then urged his horse to begin galloping away, and he quickly disappeared into the stormy night leaving me to stare at him as he pursued Twilight. I had no doubt that Applejack was going to keep her safe from him, but what about that item that Twilight threw into the moat before she disappeared? Could that be the royal family's treasure that Ganondorf wanted so much to begin with?
" Are you alright Sunset Shimmer?" asked Spike.
" Yeah, I'm okay. That magical blast wasn't enough to kill me, but it did knock me down pretty hard with a tremendous amount of force. I have no doubt that he didn't intend on killing me, so why would he go to all the trouble of attacking me in such a fashion? Something about it doesn't make sense," I replied.
" I'm just relieved to know that you managed to pull through all of that despite the psychological mind games he was playing with you. For a moment, I was afraid that you were going to become evil, but I'm happy to see that you decided to follow your heart which is pure good," smiled Spike.
" As am I, but something about this just doesn't feel right to me. Well, we don't really have time to ponder about it as we need to gain access to the Sacred Realm as soon as possible, but I suppose that we could check out that thing that dropped into the moat, and then quickly shop around in town to get some supplies before we go to the place where the Triforce is located," I said.
" You do know that despite the fact that the sun just settled for the night faster than usual, the owners of those are still going to close because they do have to follow the rules and regulations when it comes to business. I know it sounds weird, but all of the shops are closed, so all we can do is pick up whatever is in the moat, and figure out where to go from there," said Spike.
" Have you forgotten about the one shop that is open only at night, and that you yourself were the one who mentioned it? The Bombchu Shop should be open, but then you're probably thinking why would I want to go and waste my rupees in there? Having 450 rupees is fine and all, but having so much in my wallet would make me vulnerable to thieves and other pickpockets. Since Hyrule hasn't heard of a bank system before, I have to spend a lot and keep what's left for future purposes," I said.
The moat, or perhaps it was the river flowing in front of the gate was calm enough, and I could see the object that Twilight had tossed in earlier, but I wasn't about to go spelunking about in the water, so I decided to take a different approach. I removed my hat from my head, and used it as a fishing rod of sorts, and after a few tries, I was able to snag the object and pull it to me where I fished it up with my hand.
I then placed my hat on the ground for it to dry, and I stared at what it was that Twilight tossed. " It's....another ocarina although it's a little bigger than the one Fluttershy gave me when we first left the forest. I do like the blue colour of this one though as it reminds me of Rainbow Dash, but why would I want to have another instrument when I've already got one?"
" Well, yes that is another instrument, but what you hold there in your hands is the Ocarina of Time, the hidden treasure of the royal family which they have been guarding for generations. You don't remember Princess Zelda mentioning it to you when she talked about the spiritual stones? She said that it was another key which is needed in order to open up the Door of Time. Uh, Sunset Shimmer? Why do you look as though you are in some kind of trance?" asked Spike. A blinding flash obscured my vision for a few moments, and when it returned, I was in some kind of strange place that looked like the inside of some ancient ruins. Standing in front of me was Twilight, but she had her eyes closed, and was holding something in her hands.
" Sunset Shimmer? Can you hear me? It's me, Zelda! If you are holding this ocarina in your hands, then it means that my vision which I cast upon it has been activated, and you are now witnessing this message. It also means that I won't be around anymore in order to guide you. I tried waiting for you to return with the spiritual stones to the castle for as long as I could, but I was forced to flee for my life due to Ganondorf pursuing me. No doubt that he has told you that he murdered my father and many of the castle guard as his means of showing off his superiority.
I wish that I could have waited just a little while longer in order to help guide you through these next steps, but I fear that you must handle things on your own. Now please listen carefully to what I have to say next. You must take the Ocarina of Time and the spiritual stones to the Temple of Time which is located in the north-east part of Hyrule Castle Town. Once inside, you will find a large plaque that is called the Pedestal of Time, and you must places the stones on it in the order in which you received them from left to right. Once you have done this, you must play the song that will open the Door of Time and allow you to gain access to the Sacred Realm," said Twilight.
" What song?" I asked.
" You probably just asked what song that would be considering that you were never taught it, but there is no need for you to worry as that is why I have given you this vision in your mind. The following melody that I am about to teach you is the only one that can be used to open the Door of Time. I am so very sorry that I was not able to teach it to you in person, but time was not on our side.
This is the song that opens the Door of Time," replied Twilight. She then played six notes which was actually three distinct notes repeated twice, and then she repeated it all again before turning it over to me. I did flub my first few attempts at playing it, but I eventually learned the Song of Time which sounded rather foreboding. " Sunset Shimmer....play this song in the Temple of Time and enter the Sacred Realm. You must protect the Triforce...."
" Sunset Shimmer?" asked Spike.
" Uhhhh," I replied.
" Snap out of it!" shouted Spike.
" Huh? What?" I asked.
" You just zoned out there for a while, and I was worried about you," replied Spike.
" I just received a vision from the princess telling us what I need to do next. We have to go to the Temple of Time and play something called the Song of Time in order to open up the entrance to the Sacred Realm. We should go there right away, but first we're going to take a quick stop at the Bombchu Shop, and contact Fluttershy before entering this temple," I said. Upon entering the town and the market specifically, there were several people in their pajamas walking about wondering what all the noise was about.
I was overhearing some of them say that horses were thundering through the market and woke everyone up, and others said that the rainy weather was to blame. The rain had since stopped of course, but it could start up again at any moment. It took a few minutes to find the Bombchu Shop, and upon going inside, I discovered that the owner was the same man who ran the Bombchu Bowling Alley.
" Well, look who decided to drop into my Bombchu Shop! If it isn't the forest girl who had a blast playing Bombchu Bowling some time ago! Welcome to my other lucrative business although this one is more of a small-time business as opposed to my main form of income. As you've probably figured out by now, this shop sells only Bombchu, but I only have limited quantities and once I have sold out of them, that's it!
Take it from me, Iron Will! These little beauties are guaranteed to be as effective as any regular bomb and more, or your money back! I must warn you though that these aren't cheap by any means. It is difficult to acquire the material to make these Bombchu which is why the five piece set costs 120 rupees, and the ten piece set costs 180 rupees. I know that it's expensive, but you are buying genuine mobile explosives," said Iron Will.
" How about that heart-shaped object that you have there?" I asked.
" You mean this thing? I picked up a couple of days ago when I accidentally returned someone's dog to its owner because it decided to follow me. I was visiting the owner in order to have a chat, and she was so thrilled that I found her precious pet that she gave me this heart as a reward. I told her no reward was necessary, and that I didn't even need the thing, so she told me to keep it anyway in case I were to change my mind. Even now I don't really want to keep it as I have no real use for it," replied Iron Will.
" I'm interested in it," I said.
" Hah! I had a feeling that you would seeing as you brought it up. I'm not really sure how much I can put a value onto this object because I honestly don't know how much they sell for if they even do so at all. Hmmmm....what say you pay me 100 rupees for this heart-shaped object? That sounds reasonable to me at least, but if you want to haggle the price down to a more reasonable cost, then I have no problem with that," said Iron Will.
" 100 rupees works for me," I said.
" Wait what? It does?" asked Iron Will.
" With all these rupees I have in my wallet right now, I need to spend a great deal in order to have a less suspicious amount which will keep me safe from thieves. Can I also purchase one of those five piece Bombchu sets please? I think they might be very useful to me in the future, plus I did have a blast playing that mini game of yours. That should bring my purchases to a total of 220 rupees," I replied.
" You've got yourself a deal!" shouted Iron Will. He then handed over the Piece of Heart which I took, and immediately it warmed me up just like the previous ones, and this one made me feel stronger for some reason. Then he handed me over a small pouch which contained the five Bombchu which I purchased. " You can hold up to a maximum of 50 Bombchu at any one time, but it may be difficult to reach that number as Bombchu are pretty scarce in Hyrule.
I do know that there is one family in Kakariko Village who have a small collection of Bombchu, and I've heard rumours of there being a person out there who sells his own Bombchu. Somehow, he is able to sell as many Bombchu as he wants which makes me wonder just how many he has. Well, take care of yourself kid, and be sure to stop by again another night as I'll always be open after dark." As soon as I left the shop, I took out the Ocarina of Time and played Fluttershy's Song. I wanted to use the Fairy Ocarina, but for some reason it disappeared from my inventory without any kind of explanation.
" Sunset Shimmer? This is Saria! Can you hear me? That's strange....your ocarina sounds a lot different somehow. Have you been practicing it a lot? The forest spirits have told me that you have collected all three of the spiritual stones that you need in order to open up something, but they also say that a darkness has struck the castle and left tremendous damage in its wake.
The ruler of the kingdom and many of his finest guards have been killed, but it looks like the Captain of the Royal Guards might still be alive. The spirits don't know if this is true or not as the darkness is clouding their vision, but they've told me to tell you that traveling to the castle for any reason is not a good one," said Fluttershy.
" Because of what happened there?" I asked.
" The remaining guards up at the castle have no idea what is going on right now, so they have issued a lockdown until they are able to figure things out. They may not be aware that the king has been killed, so they are most likely assuming that he along with the princess have been taken to a safe location by one of the attendants. It's so sad to know that someone is so cruel and merciless that they would want to bring this land to ruin all because of wanting the throne. There seems to be a lot riding on your shoulders right now, and no doubt that it is giving you a lot of stress, but you should stay positive because you'll need it where you're going," replied Fluttershy.
" What does that mean?" I asked.
" I hear from the spirits that the Sacred Realm is not like Hyrule in any way, shape, or form. The realm itself is beyond what our mortal minds can comprehend due to the arcane power that flows about it. They also say that you need to place the three stones on some kind of pedestal, and that there is a specific order they need to be placed in otherwise it won't work. You need to place them in the following order going from your left to your right: Kokiri's Emerald, Goron's Ruby, and Zora's Sapphire.
Remember this order Sunset Shimmer because this is the only order that is going to work. Once the spiritual stones have been placed on the pedestal, their purpose will be fulfilled, and they will serve no further use to anyone," replied Fluttershy.
" That's a good thing then as I won't need to worry about them after today,|" I said.
" It sounds like you intend to leave Hyrule when you have saved it," said Fluttershy.
" If this works and Ganondorf is denied the Triforce, I'll have saved this world, and it will allow me and all of my friends and foes to return to the human world where we all belong. While I have enjoyed my journey throughout this world, I really want to get back to my true life because that is the way things are supposed to be," I said.
" Your world does sound like a nice place to visit, so perhaps I'll see you there sometime. Good luck Sunset Shimmer!" said Fluttershy. Even in Hyrule, she has such a sweet and gentle demeanour which makes her an ideal friend. With everything now taken care of that I felt needed to be, Spike and I headed for the Temple of Time which was pretty easy to notice in town, and upon entering it, we were floored by how majestic the place really looked. There was another one of those altars like the one I found back in the Sacred Forest Meadow, and just in front of it was the Pedestal of Time which I recognized as the same one Twilight was standing in front of.
" Wow! This place is certainly something isn't it?" I asked.
" They say that this temple was built by the ancient sages as a means of protecting the entrance to the Sacred Realm, and it also serves as a place where Hylians can come and worship the goddesses. To be honest though, the interior could stand to have a little paint here and there as the 'old look' is beginning to wear off in places, but that's a totally different thing altogether. Since we now know the order the spiritual stones need to be placed, would you care to do the honours? Well, you pretty much have to because they're are too big for me to carry around," replied Spike.
" Once again, your smugness becomes you," I said, but he was right as we did know what needed to be done. Once I placed all three stones in the correct pedestals, I then took out the Ocarina of Time, and began to play the Song of Time in front of the pedestal. At first nothing appeared to be happening, but then I noticed the three triangles on top of the Door of Time starting to glow in a bright light. Within an instant after that, the door itself began to open which meant that the Sacred Realm was at last accessible. At least that's what I assumed until I realized that behind the door was merely another room.
" So there was an entire room behind the Door of Time? I thought that it would be the Sacred Realm which is what we've been told," said Spike.
" Maybe my idea of there being a fifth key needed to open the entrance does exist, so this could mean that we'll be searching for a while. I really don't like the idea of being delayed anymore than we already have, but time is pretty much up for us, and we need to get the Triforce before Ganondorf figures out that we have all of the keys in our possession," I said. Walking past the Door of Time and into this additional room felt rather intimidating to me, but maybe it was because I was nervous over the fact that I was so close to being able to go back to my own world. Spike then noticed something and flew off to investigate which had me wondering what it was he had found. " Spike? What is it? What do you see?"
" Take a look at this Sunset Shimmer," replied Spike. I saw that he was hovering above what appeared to be a sword stuck inside of a stone, and there was something about it that compelled me to want to get closer. The blade looked as though it had been forged from the finest metal in the kingdom, and its shine indicated that it had been cared for by whoever owned this temple. The handle looked like it could be gripped pretty firmly making it an ideal weapon for anyone looking to use one. Of course, I had no experience in using a sword, so I had no reason to want to try and pull it. Spike continued hovering around the sword in order to get my attention. " I can't believe that we've found that legendary blade....the Master Sword!"
" What's so special about it?" I asked.
" There is a legend associated with it, so I'll tell you as much of it as I am able to. The Master Sword was said to have been forged in ancient times during an era when the surface was plagued by a terrible war, and humanity had to retreat to the sky in order to protect themselves from a demonic horde. This sword was created in order to bring light back to the world which had been plunged into darkness, but not anyone is able to wield it successfully.
They say that the sword chooses those who are to use it, and only those who are of pure heart. The ancient sages discovered this sword in an ancient Temple of Time which had existed before the war, but fell into disuse after a few centuries, so it was decided to place it here," replied Spike.
" Do you think this sword could be the final key?" I asked.
" It certainly looks to be that way which means you'll need to draw it from that pedestal," replied Spike.
" I'm not sure if that would be a good idea," I began.
" Of course it is because what other option is there?" asked Spike.
" No, it's not that but rather the fact that only one who has a pure heart can wield the Master Sword. While I have saved two civilizations in this world, and saved another in my own world, my heart is anything but pure as the darkness inside of me still exists given that Ganondorf tried to take advantage of it. I don't aim to be a perfectly good hero Spike as that is something I will never be no matter how much redemption I do in order to make up for my past.
If I attempt to pull this sword out, and it determines that I am not of a pure heart to wield it properly, what would happen to me? Would the sword kill me for not being worthy? That sounds a little extreme even for me, so I think it will just stay stuck in place until someone else comes along," I replied.
" Are you going to allow your self-doubt to stop you when we're this close?" asked Spike.
" Even though I think it won't work because of what I've done, I might as well try to pull it out," I replied. I walked up to the sword and placed my hands firmly around the handle, and attempted to pull on it as hard as possible, but nothing happened which I was expecting. " Looks like I proved that I am not worthy to wield this sword Spike, but maybe that's for the best. If the sword isn't removed from the pedestal, then the entrance to the Sacred Realm can't be opened, and Ganondorf can't get his hands on the Triforce," I replied.
" That does make a lot of sense when you put it that way," said Spike.
" The only problem though is that all of the trouble has happened as a result of his obsession. If Ganondorf realizes that his plans have been thwarted because of my being unworthy, he could take his aggression and frustration out on anyone who gets in his way. He did say that he was the most powerful man in the kingdom, so I doubt that anyone can defeat him which means pulling the sword is the only option. Maybe I can use my Equestrian Magic to help pull out the sword as I know that is pure good, but would that be fair as it's just an extension of me and not the real thing," I said.
" What do you want to do?" asked Spike.
" I'm going to stop doubting myself for the time being, and pull the Master Sword out even if I have to use every last ounce of my magic to do so. This might get a little ugly as I don't look very good when I'm straining myself, so you have been warned," I replied. I placed my hands firmly on the handle of the sword again, and began to pull as hard as I had ever pulled on anything in my entire life. The sword still refused to budge, but I wasn't about to give up.
I wanted to do this in order to prove that I had become a pure-hearted girl, and that my past was something I had to use to better myself rather than dwell on it. That was when I tapped into my Equestrian Magic, and just like that, the Master Sword effortlessly came out of the pedestal and was firmly in my hand. It was surprisingly light despite how long it was, but it felt really nice to be holding it despite not knowing how to use a sword.
" You did it! You pulled the Master Sword from the pedestal! I knew you could do it Sunset Shimmer," said Spike.
" Okay, so now what do I do?" I asked.
" Your guess is as good as mine. It could be a delayed reaction, or you might to swing the sword in a specific pattern to make the entrance appear. Just when it looked like things were starting to look up for us, this ends up happening," replied Spike.
" Option one sounds like a reasonable one to me," I said.
" Looks like we're going to be waiting here for a while," said Spike. And we ended up doing so for the next 20 minutes which seemed completely ridiculous given that this was supposed to be a legendary weapon of Hyrule's history. Just when I was about to give up and leave the temple, the pedestal started to glow in a strange light which caught my attention. In what felt like an instant, a portal of some kind opened up before my eyes, and beyond it was a beautiful garden that was brimming with magical energy I hadn't felt since the day I exiled myself from Equestria.
" That certainly took longer than expected Sunset Shimmer, but at least we've opened the entrance to the Sacred Realm. Now we can go inside and claim the Triforce and use it to save this world."
" At last I'll be able to return to my own world when this is all done," I smiled. That was when a familiar laugh echoed throughout the room, and it was one that I was hoping would not be from the one person who scared me more than anyone else. I slowly turned around, and standing there with his arms folded was Ganondorf, and he had a big grin across his face.
" Geh, heh, heh....excellent work! As I thought, you held the keys to the Door of Time."
" I assumed that you were chasing the princess....which means," I said.
" That I was aware that you were going to come here in order to claim the Triforce before I could? I figured that you were much more than simply having a unique form of magic which is why I had to manipulate you into doing my work for me. I am fully aware that evil ones can never touch the Master Sword, so if I had killed you during our previous encounter, it would have done me no good as I could easily open all of the locks of the Sacred Realm save for the last one," said Tirek.
" Which you needed me for," I said.
" And you fulfilled your part most admirably kid! By pretending to pursue Zelda, I led you into a false sense of security which prompted you to want to come here and open the door as soon as possible. As soon as I was out of your line of vision, I changed course and came back here and waited for you to complete your task. Now that you have fulfilled your purpose to me, you no longer hold any value, so you will die right there where you stand. This time, I intend to kill you because the way I see it, you are essentially the only one standing before my destiny, and that is something I cannot allow," said Tirek.
" If you want the Triforce so badly then you'll have to go through me," I said boldly.
" Again, you want a piece of me? Do not assume that you think you can defeat me even though you are holding a weapon which can wound me. A powerful weapon does not make a warrior for it is their own strength and power that determines how effective they are on the field of battle. If anything, that sword is nothing more than a dull piece of metal in the hands of someone as inexperienced as you.
My skills with the sword are far superior to yours in addition to my magic being far more refined. Had you decided to accept my offer to become a princess in your own right, you would not be on the precipice of death, but that opportunity has long since gone for you. The only option you have left is to die here and now," said Tirek.
" There's something about you that reminds me of Equestria," I said.
" What in the world is an Equestria?" asked Tirek.
" You look as though you were some kind of mythical creature that comes from Equestria, but I can't put my finger on it because I've seen anything of your sort when I used to live there before my self-exile. Tell me something Ganondorf! Does the name Tirek ring a bell to you? Whenever I see your face or hear your name, that name keeps on appearing in my head, so I must know if it means anything," I replied.
" Tirek you say....that name does bring up some memories of another world which I was subjugating under my rule, but something happened which brought about my defeat, and I found myself shackled somewhere which I do not know. Such a vision is meaningless for it is nothing more than a distraction, for my desire to conquer Hyrule is much too strong for anyone to deny me," said Tirek. That was the clincher for sure which has me convinced that he was from Equestria, but why was he from there, and why was he brought into this world?
I had no time to think about this question as he was walking towards me, but he had no weapon drawn as though he wanted to be at a disadvantage. I had to do all I could to stop him, so I gripped the Master Sword firmly, and went into a fighting stance to indicate that I was blocking his advance. " Insolent kid! To defy me is to become a corpse whose energy will increase my power even more!" Ganondorf then dashed straight at me catching me off guard before kicking me really hard in the stomach which caused me to spit out in reaction.
He then followed this with an uppercut to my head that sent me crashing into the wall and making a serious dent in it before falling to the ground in pain. " Heh! That was much too easy for me to accomplish. Your energy is not worth the effort after all if you fell after two weak blows like that, and killing you would merely take little effort and be fruitless. Lay there where you crumble and witness my glory as the Triforce becomes mine."
" I won't let you....succeed....there is too much at....stake," I said in a weak voice.
" Do not attempt to get up kid, for you know that I am much too powerful for you to defeat," said Tirek as he walked ever closer to the Sacred Realm's entrance. That was when I mustered up all of the magic that I had and blasted him in the back with it....which turned out to have no effect at all apart from really making him furious. " That was your first and last mistake you will ever make." Ganondorf then turned around and came at me again where he grabbed me by the throat and lifted me up like I was a bag of wheat.
His laugh echoed in my ears as I found myself being choked, and then I was slammed into the ground which knocked the wind out of me proving that he was too strong. He then kicked me again really hard sending me rolling across the floor and into a heap in the corner. He could have just left me there, but instead he leapt into the air and came crashing down by punching me so hard in the stomach that I actually coughed up blood before he picked me up and tossed me into the wall once more. " That was a good deal of fun for me, but the games have gone on long enough, so stay down this time kid!"
" No....can't...." I said as I barely got back onto my feet somehow.
" So, you continue to resist....I will admit that you do possess much courage kid, but at the same time you also possess stupidity for continuing a struggle that is clearly far more than you can handle. Even one attack from me would be enough to kill you where you stand! I do not grant mercy to anyone because mercy is for the weak, but I suppose that I can make an exception for you. You have lasted longer than anyone else has against me, and for that I do commend you," said Tirek.
" I....can....k....k....keep...." I said.
" Whether you can matters not for you are no threat to meonce again you are easy to manipulate kid for I know that you possess a power far greater than even you can imagine, but all it needs is a little extra push to bring it forward. What surprises me is that the Master Sword has not performed that one quirk it does. Perhaps the kid used her magic as a means of pulling out the sword, and it is trying to sense if she is worthy or not before making a decision.
Such an ironic twist in that the very weapon she is holding could send her away with the right incentive....and that is going to happen as my words have already broken her mentally, and the power that she wielded before when we met is about to unleash itself again. I suppose that I could just kill her and be done with it, but this is much more delicious, so stand there dejected at the fact that you have failed this world by changing its destiny. I have won and you have lost kid! Let that feeling sink right down into your heart and allow it to fester for many years to come," said Tirek.
" N....no....I....mustn't lose....too....much riding.....on my shoulders. I....must.....continue on and stop you before this world is destroyed! HHHHAAAAHHHH!!!!" I then shouted at the top of my voice and the magic inside of me began to go into overdrive which felt both scary and exciting at the same time. An aura then surrounded my body and the pony ears and tail which I received against that musical fight with the Dazzlings appeared indicating that I had tapped into the Equestrian Magic that dwells in my heart. The brightness of the aura blinded Ganondorf momentarily, but when he was able to see again, he saw my transformation and was completely shocked by it.
" What sorcery is this? Are those pony ears and a pony tail? I did not expect her to change her appearance in such a manner, nor this sudden increase in her magical powers, but I was expecting her to unleash her inner strength for now she has awakened the Master Sword and alerted it to her presence. It won't be long now before she is gone, and Hyrule's last line of defence is no more. Still, I have underestimated this kid as her increase in power is most unexpected. There is a slim chance that she can defeat me thus denying me my prize, but I will not fall to the likes of this one. It appears that you possess some skill after all."
" It feels strange to have my pony ears and tail in this kind of situation, but you have pushed me to the limit which has allowed me to transform," I said.
" And you think that you now have the power to defeat me?" asked Tirek.
" Most likely as Equestrian Magic is far more powerful than you can imagine," I replied.
" I highly doubt that," said Tirek. That was an indication that he was taunting me into wanting to attack him, so I decided to take him up on his offer. Raising the Master Sword high above my head, I charged at Ganondorf in a speed that was even faster than his, and I plunged the blade into his chest, where it went right through and protruded on the other side. Just seeing the Master Sword sticking out of his back was inspiring as it felt that I was about to fulfill my destiny, and finally return to the human world.
" GGGGAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!" The blow caught him by surprise so much that he dropped onto his knees, and I pulled the sword from his chest and held it in front of his face. " Gasp! Gasp! Impossible! Where did all this power come from? You could not possess such a power like this? You were barely alive on the ground as a result of my attacks, and now you have somehow regained your strength and inflicted such a wound unto me. Hmph! It seems that my taunting of you has pushed you over the limit, and I am living to regret such a decision, but then this is exactly what I was hoping you would do; succumb to your rage once more and attempt to strike me down in order to kill me."
" What do you mean?" I asked.
" Heh, it amazes me how you are so ignorant in that you have not figured out the drawback of wielding that blade, so allow me to educate you on your folly. That blade judges those who wield it by testing their power and determining their fate upon the result. If they are worthy enough, the Master Sword shall glow brightly and enable the wielder to achieve a power that is rivaled only by the Triforce.
However, if they are not worthy, then the punishment is most severe. I knew deep down that you were not worthy of the blade because of the insecurities that you have, but I needed you to unleash your power so that you could be judged. I would say that the sword shall deliver its judgment onto you at any moment," replied Tirek.
" Is that an act of desperation?" I asked.
" Such a childish thing to say," replied Tirek.
" Maybe so, but you have to admit that the Master Sword choosing to punish someone not worthy is a little extreme," I said.
" Your words speak out with fear in them as you know that your fate has been sealed from the very beginning. I allowed you to unleash your true power so that the sword would awaken and determine if you were the right one it has been waiting for. The Hylian King before his death told me that those who are not worthy have their souls ripped out of their bodies, and sealed away in the Sacred Realm. Some of those who are banished this way do end up returning, but the vast majority are never seen again for the blade and the realm itself rob them of their life's essence," said Tirek.
" How could such a sword of light do such a thing?" I asked.
" Ignorance is truly blissful on you it seems....how amusing to know this small facet of you just before you die. I doubt that your soul will be returning to your body once it has been removed, so this would be our final farewell. That expression tells me that you still refuse to believe what is about to happen, but I shall allow the Master Sword to tell you as it is about to do what it does to the unworthy," replied Tirek. I would quickly discover that his words were indeed true as the Master Sword suddenly began to pull me towards the Sacred Realm in an attempt to drag me into it.
" What's going on?" I asked.
" You have been judged as being unworthy to wield the Master Sword, so you are being sealed within the Sacred Realm where your soul will be separated from your body, and your very existence is snuffed out. At least, the final piece of my plan has borne fruit, and it is very succulent to say the least," replied Tirek.
" Sunset Shimmer! Help!" yelled Spike as he was sucked into the realm.
" SPIKE!" I screamed.
" How delicious this truly is knowing that you did everything that I wanted you to do," laughed Tirek. Once again I realized that Ganondorf had manipulated me into doing exactly what he wanted, and I also realized that my own magic had essentially doomed me. The Great Fairy of Power warned me that I was going to die if I did not change the fate of Hyrule, and it looked as though I was about to have my life cut short. I struggled to fight back against the force pulling me in, but it was too strong for me to handle. My pony ears and tail disappeared as the Master Sword flung itself into the light taking me with it.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" That was the last thing I said as I was flung into the Sacred Realm. I reached out with my other hand with tears streaming from my face as I disappeared leaving nothing left other than Ganondorf who got back onto his feet with his wound still giving him some slight pain.
" You thought that you could control the power of the Master Sword? Hah! Such a deluded kid you were, thinking that you could save this world, but now you have been sealed away by the very sword that was designed to repel those like me. I did not expect you to give me such a grievous wound like this, but it will heal soon enough meaning that your efforts in the end were wasted. Heh....heh....heh....heh....With you no longer getting in the way, there is nothing to stop me from claiming the Triforce.
Hyrule is now mine to rule for my destiny has at last come true. Kid, despite wanting to deny me my prize, you turned out to be most useful in the very end. You have lead me to the gates of the Sacred Realm! Yes! I owe it all to you kid! Ha, hah, hah, hah....heh....heh....ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!!" laughed Tirek.
Once he had regained enough strength from the wound I gave him, he proceeded to enter the Sacred Realm where upon he was able to find the location of the Triforce and lay his hands upon it. At the precise moment when his hands touched the golden power, Twilight, in the hidden spot Applejack had taken her to, sensed that all was now lost.

" Gasp!" exclaimed Twilight.
" What is wrong your highness?" asked Applejack.
" It's Ganondorf! I can sense his power having grown exponentially which means only one thing. He has obtained the Triforce from the Sacred Realm, but how was he able to enter the realm in the first place? The final key was designed to prevent those with evil hearts from ever touching it, yet he was able to bypass that and obtained the power of the gods themselves. Wait! Sunset Shimmer....I can't sense her magical presence anywhere in Hyrule," replied Twilight.
" There are only two possibilities that could have resulted in that your highness. The first one is that Sunset Shimmer was killed at the hands of Ganondorf once she was of no further use to him assuming that he manipulated her in the manner that you and I are quickly suspecting. The second one is that her spirit has been sealed away somehow, and the only thing which has the power to do that would be the final key to the Sacred Realm itself," said Applejack.
" The Master Sword is capable of doing such a thing?" asked Twilight.
" Did you not know about this from your studies your highness? Surely they would have informed you that the 'blade of evil's bane' possesses the power to seal away any who try to claim it, and fail to do so. It does however appear that you were not aware that this was going to happen, and the same can be said of Sunset Shimmer. I cannot even begin to imagine what it must have been like for her to have her own spirit taken away in such a manner," replied Applejack.
" Is it possible for her to return?" asked Twilight.
" Perhaps although I cannot say for certain," replied Applejack.
" Then I will not rest until she has returned to this world no matter how long it is going to take. I will search for her and find a way to bring her back even if I am to be captured by Ganondorf in the process. Impa, I dragged Sunset Shimmer into this conflict against her own will, and now because of me, she has lost everything while the Gerudo king has obtained everything. There is so much despair in my heart right now because of what has happened, but I will not give up until she has come back to us. The question now is how am I going to do that if Ganondorf is still searching for me. So long as I continue to exist in Hyrule, there is no where for me to hide as he will no doubt never stop until he has me in his clutches," said Twilight.
" There is a way your highness, but it will not be easy," said Applejack.
" Despite that being the case, I will take that risk for my people and for Sunset Shimmer," said Twilight.
" Then the risk your highness is to no longer exist as you are," said Applejack.
" Hold on a moment Impa. Are you saying that I must be killed, or even sacrificed to ensure my people have hope for the future? While that would rally people into fighting back against Ganondorf, I think it would be more prudent if I were to serve as a rallying point while still being alive," said Twilight.
" I did not mean to mince my words princess, but what I mean it that Ganondorf is searching for you. In order to move about the kingdom undetected, you must no longer be the Princess of Hyrule. While this continues to confuse you, your highness, rest assured that I shall take care of everything. The forces of evil may have succeeded, but someday the one chosen by destiny, Sunset Shimmer, will return and fulfill her duty. Until then, we must bide our time and you must disappear," said Applejack.

To Be Continued.