//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Curse of the Deku // Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask // by Ganondorf8 //------------------------------// The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask By Ganondorf8 September 20, 2015 Chapter 1: Curse of the Deku. The mysterious person raced towards me on the back of Epona, who was scared out of her wits as she was only used to two people riding her, and one of them was me. Without taking any time to come up with a counter-measure, I simply jumped to the side although I ended up colliding with a tree. It was a little embarrassing to have done that given the current situation, but it has been a while since I had to do an acrobatic feat of that nature. The human world wasn't really known for having such an exciting lifestyle unless you were involved in a dangerous line of work, and what happened during the Friendship Games, Battle of the Bands, and Fall Formal doesn't really count. As I got back onto my feet, and walked towards where Epona had stopped, the person forced her to turn around where she proceeded to charge at me again. I jumped to the side, but this time I made sure to stick the landing, and not collide with anything. Epona whinnied at me which made me feel angry, for she was scared of what was happening as well as being forced to run me down, but I wasn't exactly in a good position to stop this person who was having the time of her life. " You know, this is something that I could really get used to!" " Why are you tormenting me like this?" I asked. " I'm only having a little bit of fun, and it just so happens to be at your own expense. You really should liven up before you end up getting all frustrated which will do you no good whatsoever. Besides, your horse is enjoying all of this running around as listen to those sounds she is making." " You have no clue as to how she feels," I said. " Oh, and I suppose you know?" " Of course as she and I are able to communicate with each other," I replied. " Wait just a minute! You can understand the sounds that this thing is saying?" " And I can speak horse too," I replied. My response resulted in the person going quiet for a few moments, for what I just said left her stumped, yet my focus was on the white fairy who had moved closer to me as though I were attracting her. I'm not sure why it wanted to get close to a complete stranger, but I can't allow myself to be distracted as I need to rescue Epona, and get the Ocarina of Time back before anything else can go wrong. The person kicked Epona in the ribs again which caused her to start charging towards me, but instead of trying to knock me down yet again, Epona was steered towards a pathway which lead even deeper into the woods. There was no chance of me stopping Epona with my hands as I don't have that kind of strength, yet I needed to make sure not to lose sight of her. So, I decided to perform an act of stupidity because there was no other option available, and it involved grabbing onto Epona's tail and hanging on for dear life. She then began to gallop along at a fast pace while I was being dragged along the ground which caused me to experience third-degree burns, but that wasn't the only problem getting in my way. The two fairies began attacking me in an attempt to throw me off, yet I had no intention of giving up. " Wow! You certainly are a stubborn one." " After everything I've been through in this world, the human world, and Equestria, this is nothing," I said. The white fairy suddenly reacted when I mentioned Equestria, so she stopped attacking me, and simply floated along as though she were in deep thought. I didn't pay attention to this as my focus was on getting my horse and ocarina back, and teaching this person a lesson in the process. " Equestria? What kind of name is that?" " It's nothing you need concern yourself with," I replied. Epona continued to gallop through the Lost Woods, and if I was getting worried about becoming lost, that feeling had disappeared several minutes ago, but then we entered a really deep part of the woods where everything seemed a lot bigger than normal. There was something strange about the flora and fauna which made me nervous, and I could have sworn some bushes were moving about off in the distance. " I'm amazed that you are still hanging on despite having been dragged along all this time." " It's called perseverance," I said. " I prefer to call it annoyance, and you are certainly beginning to get on mine. All I wanted was to have some fun, and here you are ruining it for me all because you're just too stubborn over some horse." " She and I have been through so much together that the thought of you stealing her just makes me mad," I said. " There's that frustration again, but the novelty has already worn off, so I think I'm going to put an end to this charade right now. Do you see that sharp turn coming up by the tree stump ahead? I hope you know how to land because you're about to be ejected! Guess I'll get some last minute fun at your expense!" I then looked at what she was talking about, and sure enough the upcoming turn was very sharp. Considering that my body has been dragged all this way, it was on the verge of collapsing, and while I didn't want to admit that I was getting weaker, I remained dedicated to rescuing Epona. Unfortunately, my physical resolve wasn't as strong as my mental one, and so my grip on her tail gave out which caused me to tumble on the ground before crashing into a tree stump. The person then laughed before galloping off with Epona as the sound of her whinnying reached my ears, so I got back up to realize that now I had to chase them on foot which wasn't going to be easy as I had no idea what was waiting for me. Even though I had a sword and shield on hand for protection, my first instinct involved using my fire magic. I still had some doubts regarding my ability to swing around a sword given how during my last experience, I often dropped it, or threw it across a room by accident, and even nearly breaking it on one occasion which would have been nothing short of embarrassing. Staring towards the deep recesses of forest which stood before me, I sighed a heavy sigh before beginning to walk forward, but if there was one bit of consolation for me, it was Epona's hoof-prints which would serve as a means of following the right path. At the end of this path, the thief whose name I would soon discover to be just Skull Kid, and whose proper name became known to me later, had managed to come to a stop before a large cave entrance where she seemed both annoyed and surprised at what had happened. " Well, we managed to make a clean getaway this time!" " That was our most difficult target yet Skull Kid given how she regained consciousness sooner than everyone else we've robbed." " Maybe I shouldn't have wasted precious time trying to play this ocarina, and I can't believe that I'm finding myself agreeing with that girl when it comes to my lack of playing skills with it. Well, I've no intention of getting rid of this instrument... unless that one guy is interested in buying it. I mean, he'll buy just about anything if the price is right, but then he might not want my business given I'm wearing this mask." " Why not take it off?" " No way! This mask is making my dreams become a reality, and I just realized that I could use my powers into manipulating that guy without having to worry about him cheating me. It's a win-win situation for us Tael! As for this horse... he won't want a used creature, and even if he did, this thing has proven to be rather unruly." " You were almost knocked off a few times Skull Kid." " I think having a horse to ride around isn't the best idea." " What will you do with it?" " I'll probably just get rid of it by placing it somewhere back home, and be done with it where it will become someone else's problem." " And here I thought you were going to end its life." " Oh come now Tael! Why would I do something as barbaric as that? Granted, I have been having violent tendencies ever since I first put on this mask, but I'm not about to kill an innocent creature just because it won't listen to me. Besides, getting rid of it would be much more interesting as I'll bet that girl would go to the ends of the earth and back in order to be reunited with her steed. Speaking of that girl, I need to speak to you Tatl about what happened to you back there." " ..." " You and Tael were attacking that girl repeatedly so she would eventually let go of the horse's tail, yet you suddenly stopped and just floated along like you didn't have a care in the world. Despite our robbery being a complete success, you clearly didn't have your head in the game which is leading me to suspect you don't like what I've been doing as of late. Or, does it involve something else altogether?" " I'm not sure why we have to resort to thievery just because you think it's fun. " Of course it's fun!" " Not for those who we have robbing from." " They deserved it because many of them have been acting high and mighty, so they needed to be brought down a peg. Okay, some were just unfortunate incidents that happened to be on the path, yet the majority were within reason. Besides, you know that I'm just getting back at everyone who was ever mean to me... including total strangers many of whom I've never seen before. As long as I have this mask, I have no intention of stopping until I've punished all of them. You two fairies have been mistreated as well given what you told me when we first met a long time ago, so if anything, my actions are in your best interests as well." " When said in that context..." " I'm in the right about it." " I suppose so, but there was something that girl said which sparked a nerve." " What was it?" " She said Equestria." " Again, what kind of name is that? Also, why would such a stupid word cause you to suddenly stop doing anything?" " As soon as she said it, I started getting these weird images in my head about a world much like our own, but completely different at the same time. There were all kinds of locations that were a mixture of natural, unnatural, ancient, modern, and everything else in-between, yet the weirdest thing is that this world was inhabited by ponies." " Did you say ponies?" " Yes." " Tael was right about you having hit your head on a few trees on the way, for that's the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my entire life. If I were you Tatl, I'd stop thinking about such nonsense before it winds up getting you into a lot of trouble. Still, this happened to you all because of that girl... there seems to be more to her than appearances suggest, so perhaps she ought to be dealt with before she winds up ruining my fun. I've got no doubt that she is following us right now as her stubbornness is quite strong, but she will discover that following someone can lead into disaster." " But Starlight Glimmer..." " What did you say Tatl?" " I don't know why that came out of my mouth." " Neither do I, but clearly you're losing your mind. That name was probably even more stupid than the word Equestria, but we'll discuss this later as right now I've got more important things to deal with." " My sister might just need some rest Skull Kid." " I'm not going to let her messed-up head ruin things for me Tael, so you'd better get her back in line." Some time passed, and I would eventually find myself staring at a cave entrance, and Epona's hoof-prints kept going. Before entering to continue my pursuit, I took a moment to look at the beautiful scenery which I had grown fond of despite being lost. Seeing all of these trees reminded me of what my life used to be like back in Equestria, and what I had given up in a mad quest for power. Even though I've come a long way since those days where I betrayed Princess Celestia, my heart still wishes that I never left due to not getting what I believed was rightfully mine. Princess Twilight Sparkle has since become my mentor in addition to a friend, for through the letters I've been sending her via a magical book given to me by Princess Celestia, I've been guided on understanding friendship. There are still certain things I need to understand, but my progress according to Twilight has been outstanding. I reached into one of my many pouches in the hopes of actually pulling out the book in question, but nothing could be found. If I had it in my possession instead of not, I'd have sent a letter to Twilight explaining what was happening, yet I didn't have a means of writing anything down, so my idea was flawed. This person... I started to think about the strange mask she was wearing and the dark power that came from it. I don't know why, but I could sense another power coming from this kid, and it reminded me of Equestria for some reason. It could have just been a coincidence on my part, yet there was no mistaking Equestrian magic as it's easy to sense especially when you've been using it. Was it possible that she was from Equestria? If so, then I truly have no idea as to who she really is as it's been a while since I last visited. Then again, she could be someone from the human world who was banished from Equestria just like the Dazzlings were. The dark power coming from the mask made me think that perhaps she has either been consumed by it, or has complete control over it thus making her dangerous. I've dealt with evil magic before, but this was a magic foreign to me, and yet I would soon experience it first hand when I decided to venture onward by going inside of the cave because Epona needed my help. There was no chance of me ignoring a friend despite knowing that this could be a trap, so the moment I stepped into the cave, I found myself struggling to keep balanced so that I wouldn't fall into the deep abyss which consisted of the entireity of the cave. Unfortunately, the weight of my sword and shield played against me, and I plunged downwards where everything went dark as though I were once again being dragged into something. As I fell without knowing what was going to happen, strange images began appearing all around me, and these quickly formed into the shapes of heads which made no sense. Well, they didn't make sense to me while falling, so perhaps they will make sense in due time? The faces were in all kinds of colours that looked both pretty, and psychedelic at the same time, so I was hoping it would end as I was getting freaked out by them. They would eventually cease appearing which was when I finally landed after falling for practically forever, yet it's the thing that broke my fall that would pique my interest if only for a brief moment. What I landed on was some kind of large plant, and it looked as though something small could dig its way into the center. I had no idea as to what could be capable of such a feat, yet my curiosity beckoned me to take a closer look... my studies with Princess Celestia weren't entirely in vain mind you, for she did teach me some interesting things which I could apply in any given situation. Unfortunately, I should have been paying more attention towards what was in front of me as opposed to this strange plant, for the one that I had been chasing was waiting in the shadows, and had known of my pursuit. As I continued to examine the plant in the hopes of trying to understand how it worked, a bright light suddenly flashed which blinded me for a few moments, and when I regained my vision, a spotlight was now shining on me as though I were the star of some kind of play, but with no audience in sight apart from the person. Looking forward, she was floating in front of me which probably had to do with her magical powers, yet why did she need to steal Epona in order to ride a horse when she can clearly fly? I didn't know it then as I do now, but there was a seething anger behind that mask, and it was about to become unleashed with me being the unfortunate victim. " Welcome although I'm not surprised that you are here." " Did you seriously think I was about to run away while you robbed me?" I asked. " Actually, I had hoped you would have been smart and just turned the other cheek leaving me to my own devices, but I knew you were going to follow me. That's just the kind of person you are... stubborn, and unwilling to know when you should give up. But, you're here now which means I've got to deal with this little problem before I can move onto much bigger things." " What have you done with my horse?" I asked. Epona was no where to be found, and the thief was still holding my ocarina given how she was tossing it back and forth between her hands, so naturally she has done something which demands an answer. I made sure not to be too angry as I sensed the dark magic coming from the mask had gotten stronger. " I don't see my steed anywhere in the facility, so please tell me what you've done with her." " That horse of yours wouldn't listen to a single word I said." " She didn't have any trust in you given what you went and made her do," I said. " What does that even mean?" " Epona will only obey those who have earned her respect, and know the song that is a sign of a special bond," I replied. " Is that a fact? Well, since it didn't want to obey any of my commands, there was no longer any reason to keep it around, so I did you a favour and got rid of it. Now, before you go and make a scene, I didn't end the life of your horse as that wouldn't be fun at all. Instead, I just dumped it off somewhere, so you'll just have to go and find it... assuming of course that you can survive what is about to happen." I couldn't believe it! This person...this thief, had stolen my horse, and had the audacity of getting rid of her somewhere without caring where just because she couldn't control her. The anger building up inside me was reaching a fevered pitch, for I have been greatly wronged, yet my reaction had caught the attention of the person who simply chuckled. " Awwww, what's wrong? Why the angry expression on your face? You're much better off without that horse anyway, so you have no need to feel angry. " While this may not be the worst thing that has happened to me, it does come rather close," I said. " I figured you had some previous experiences, but who cares as that horse of yours was just too stupid and stubborn." " Take that back!" I shouted. " Aww, boo-hoo! Why the sad face? I just thought I'd have a little fun with you..." " The fun has just ended," I said. " Oh, come now... do you really think you can beat me as I am now? Fool! The thought of you posing some kind of threat to me is just laughable, so do yourself a favour and just leave." The person then noticed me drawing both my sword and shield, and she merely laughed which almost made her fall down. " You really are serious about this aren't you? I'll admit that you've got plenty of courage, but that doesn't change the fact that you're stupid. Guess I must show you what happens to those who defy me!" She then began shaking her head back and forth which made the mask look as though it was shimmering, but that was the least of my problems. I suddenly found myself under her power which caused me to struggle for a moment, but her power proved too strong for me to overcome, and it resulted in me blacking out once again. Instead of being a regular blackout where I would wake up somewhere else a short time later, this was more towards a dream that quickly descended into a horrible nightmare. Upon awakening from my blackout, I heard a strange noise, but couldn't determine what it was. Then I found myself surrounded by a large number of plant-like creatures that were intent on smothering me, and there was no means for me to make an escape. As they contained to pile on top of me in an attempt to suffocate me, I remember encountering several during my journey across Hyrule... Deku Scrubs I believe they were called. Eventually, I broke free and began running away as the noise continued getting louder, but then a larger Deku Scrub began following me which really freaked me out, yet tried as I could to outrun it, it was able to catch up before smothering me, and I blacked out yet again which was really starting to get annoying. When I came to this time around, I felt as though my perception had changed like I had someone shrunk in height, and for some reason my sword and shield were no longer in my possession. " I feel strange..." I said. " That's because my magic has changed you, and personally for the better I might add!" " What do you mean?" I asked. " Rather than having me waste my time explaining things to you, why don't you just take a look at your reflection in that pool of water in front of you. I'm sure you'll get a real kick out of it once you seen what I've done to make you more appealing as opposed to the alternative." " Like I should believe that!" I shouted. " It's not surprising to hear you say something like that given what I've already put you through in addition to spouting a few lies in an attempt to get you to leave me alone, and find another horse and instrument to call your own. However, in this case, I am telling the truth, so I suggest you look down at your reflection." " WAAAAH!" " Do you hear that beautiful sound Tatl? Tael? That's the sound of someone whose very existence has been turned completely upside down!" " What have you done to me?" I asked. " Your previous expression and form looked so boring, and you were nothing short of tense all because you kept on yammering about not wanting to be here again. So, I decided to give you a complete makeover. The results speak for themselves as this look really suits you, but I doubt that the people in town will be thrilled having another scrub running around." " I'm... I'm... I'm a Deku Scrub!" I shouted upon the realization that I was no longer human. For some odd reason, my hair remained intact along with the hat that I had been wearing, and the pants of my tunic were still there despite having changed. Everything else that I was wearing and/or holding were gone as though they had been sealed away with powerful magic or something. I tried to use some of my fire magic in the hopes of getting this person to undo what she had done, but nothing happened which really crushed my heart. The person in the meantime was laughing away at my misery, for in her perspective, my plight was nothing short of amusing, yet I clearly wasn't having a good time. " And this is a form which is going to last you the rest of your life, so I hope that you quickly get adjusted to it. Of course, you've got plenty of problems already considering what I've already done, and now chalk this one up as another addition. Getting rid of that annoying horse was worth it, for I doubt it will be of any use to a mere scrub, but maybe you'll find it one day if you survive. As for this ocarina which you gladly gave to me... I'm sure to get better as I continue practicing, and it already sounds better than my flute." Since when did I give her that? First she gets rid of Epona to who knows where because she assumed that she was doing me a favour, but in truth she stole her from me, and now she plans on taking my instrument away just to add salt onto an already festering wound. " Change me back right now!" I shouted. " What!?!? Now why would I go and do a thing like that? Like I said, this look really suits you." " Well, I don't like it!" I shouted. " Unfortunately, your opinion doesn't count. I would stay here and make you suffer more humiliation, but I've got things to do, and people to see. Besides, I need to get Tatl away from you as she is getting rather anxious which is beginning to get annoying. She's been acting that way ever since we first ambushed you back in the woods, so we'll take our leave before things go south. I hope you enjoy your new life, and I do have one good piece of advice as a parting gift. You might want to stay away from dogs because they have a tendency to attack Deku Scrubs." Again, this is something that I completely ignored because I was irrational over had just happened to me, but I should have paid more attention because I would have saved some time otherwise. " Wait! Come back!" I shouted. " Sorry, but I've more important things to do." " Stop!" " Have fun with your new life." " I'm not going to let you get away with this." I said. " Was that a threat? Ha! That has to be the cutest thing I've ever heard, and coming from you it sounds even more adorable. You don't have the means to defeat me as my power is far greater than anything you could muster up, so I recommend you back off before I lose my good humour. Still, you have proven to be quite resourceful which was unexpected." " Why don't I show just how strong I can be!" " Okay, but don't come crying to me when you lose everything." When will I ever learn that being impulsive will do me no good especially when my power had been sealed away, and I had no idea how this new body was supposed to work. In the eyes of the person, my actions were nothing short of immaturity simply due to me being desperate over this incident, so she merely laughed before she began floating backwards towards a tunnel entrance. Who knows where it lead to, but my mind was focused on making her change me back to normal... ... and this is where things are at this moment in time. As I mentioned at the beginning, everything during these last 24 hours has been nothing but a bad dream which I can't wake up from. All I wanted to do was live a normal life despite having to deal with problems that stem forth from Equestria, but instead I am once again trapped inside of a video game world with no idea on what kind of fate awaits me. It felt as though this was the beginning of a new series of torments, and yet there would be an unexpected miracle that would change everything. The purple fairy chose to go with the person which told me what their alliance was, yet the white fairy ran into me as though it were trying to stop me from chasing after its friend. I tried getting past this fairy, yet it continued on getting in my way, so when I was about to give it a piece of my mind, it called out my name which brought me to a stop. The person then entered the passageway followed by the purple fairy who called out to the white one in hopes of getting it to hurry up and come along, but it was too late for the tunnel became blocked with a large door. " Oh no! Tael!" The white fairy quickly flew over to the door and began to collide against it in the hopes of being able to open it, but its drooping wings indicated that it had no chance of getting through. " I need to catch up with my brother before something bad happens... huh? Brother? Tael is my brother? No... no, that can't be right. I don't have a brother named Tael... my brother is named Shining Armour, co-ruler of the Crystal Empire." Did that white fairy just say Shining Armour? That was the name of Twilight's brother that she told me about during one of her responses to my friendship reports. Now that my mind is cleared of all of the frustration which revolved around me being robbed, I took a closer look at the white fairy, and I was shocked at discovering that this fairy was none other than Princess Twilight Sparkle. Now hold on for a second... she was Princess Zelda during my journey in Hyrule, but now she has taken on a different form? " Ummmm....Twilight?" I asked. " Huh? Sunset Shimmer? What are you doing here? More importantly, what am I doing here?" asked Twilight. " Wait! You know who I am?" I asked. " Now that's a strange question to ask a friend who is also your mentor," replied Twilight. " You have no idea how happy I am seeing you here," I said. " The last thing I remember was sitting inside of my castle attempting to figure out a really difficult problem, but then some kind of strange tornado appeared in my throne room which dragged me into it before I lost consciousness. The next thing I knew, I was in this forest hanging out with someone wearing a weird mask who resorted to thievery, and with me was a fairy who I believed was my brother, yet that honour belongs to Shining Armour," said Twilight. " You had no idea what you were doing?" I asked. " Upon looking back on it, I was acting as though I were someone else, but when I saw your unconscious body back in that dark forest, something in my mind reacted which enabled me to remember my true identity as the Princess of Friendship. However, it looks like I've still got some memories of existing in this world," replied Twilight. This little bit of information could prove to be extremely useful, for I had no idea as to where I was going in this world, but Twilight does to some extent. It looks as though we're both in this together which makes for a nice change of pace, yet Spike proved himself invaluable during my previous adventure. " Now, can you explain to me what exactly is going on? You've been changed into some kind of plant, and believe me when I say it looks really weird, but what about the rest of this?" " Where do I even begin?" I asked. " I've plenty of time to hear your story," replied Twilight. I then explained everything that happened which resulted in everyone in the human world including Twilight being dragged into the world known as Hyrule as seen in 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time', and everyone had been given new lives aside from me as only I remembered how things were supposed to be. I even explained that I went through so much torment in my bid to change everything back to normal, and that Ganondorf had warned me of my current plight which ended up being where we are right now. As Twilight listened to my intricate description, she experienced a variety of emotions such as sadness, shock, horror, happiness, and even anger. " I can't believe all that happened to you and everyone else... including me all because one man wanted you to suffer, but why didn't you mention any of this in your friendship reports? If you had told me, I could have provided some kind of help." " At first, I didn't want to believe what happened, and pretended as though it had been nothing but a bad dream. When I started seeing the Mark of the Triforce appear on the back of my hand on a regular basis, I knew that it was all true, so I chose not to let anyone else know about it. My thought process was that no one would believe me even if I told them, so that was I went with until Rainbow Dash made me realize that the human world has seen all sorts of weird things courtesy of Equestria. The thought of one world being changed into another isn't quite out there as one would think, yet only our close friends knew," I said. " And me?" asked Twilight. " I thought you would have laughed," I replied. " No, my role as the Princess of Friendship would have compelled me to help you deal with the problem," said Twilight. " Wish I'd known that sooner," I moaned. " Nothing can be done to change the past Sunset Shimmer, and you know that better than most, but I think you should be open with me regarding your inner demons, for you know that I've got your back," said Twilight. I cringed when she brought up the word demon because of Sunset Demon, so I explained to her about my dark side wanting to take over my life, and become the real me. " Hyrule must have a magic which is more ancient and powerful than what's in Equestria, yet you defeated this demon proving you are in fact Sunset Shimmer." " I'm not so sure as she did say that she would return," I said. " Well, if that were to happen then you can easily overcome her given that you're be stronger than you are now. Since you went to all the trouble of explaining what has happened to you, I should explain what I know about this world. It feels weird having two sets of memories, but it's something I'll quickly adjust myself towards," said Twilight. She began by talking about the other fairy who had been in the company of the Skull Kid, the name of the person, and my jaw dropped when she revealed that it was Spike. How about that? He went from being my partner to that of a thief who wears a creepy mask. Twilight said that Spike doesn't have his real memories like the two of us do, so the chances of getting him to aid us are slim to none, and this will apply essentially to everyone else we know who exist in this world. " I can't imagine Spike as a fairy given how he is a dragon, but you can as he was a fairy when you went through your experience." " We had our share of banters here and there, but we did make for an excellent team," I said. " Did he ever believe that you were someone else, and not the one he thought you were?" asked Twilight. " It took Spike a long time before he finally believed that I came from another world, yet I think he knew from the very start, but didn't want to confess as he thought it would have made him appear inferior to me. This time around, you're my partner Twilight which will make things different," I replied. This revelation came as a surprise to her as she had never been anyone's partner before from that perspective. Usually, she was the one in the leader role given how she was a natural born leader, but now she must guide me along as I'm the only one who can actually perform any kind of feat as fairies are rather fragile in nature. Twilight then remembered the face of the Skull Kid, for it was one that she could never forget because of an incident that happened in Equestria. " It was Starlight Glimmer," said Twilight. " Who?" I asked. " Right, you don't know about her," replied Twilight. She went on to explain that Starlight Glimmer was a pony who wished to make all ponies equal with another, and desired a world where no one is either superior or inferior to anyone else... a world where equality dictated all. Those who she convinced gave up their cutie marks willingly without understanding the true nature of what was going on, yet Starlight never gave up her mark, and pretended to have a equal sign mark just like everyone else did. The thought of a pony with that kind of desire in her heart frightened me to the core, and now this same pony was here in this strange world wearing a mask of tremendous dark power which could allow her to fulfill her wishes. Twilight then explained that Starlight Glimmer became so desperate to see her vision become reality, she was willing to go to any extreme even if it meant bringing Equestria to its knees. " And I thought my problems were bad," I said. " You reformed and learned from your mistakes, but she refuses to change her ways," said Twilight. " Starlight Glimmer most likely doesn't recall her memories of Equestria, so we won't have to deal with her plans for equality, but she is capable of so much more given she changed me into a Deku Scrub," I said. " Then we need to go after her to make sure she doesn't cause anymore trouble, and since I'm your fairy partner as opposed to Spike, it's up to me to guide you along which means this will be difficult as I don't know much either," said Twilight. In reality, she knew a lot about this world, but such memories would appear at various intervals as though it would just come to her when the situation needs it. It was pretty obvious that I needed to open the door ahead, so I did so and entered the same tunnel Starlight Glimmer used when she and Spike made their escape earlier. The tunnel turned out to be pretty short, for it expanded out into a large room where shrubs were scattered all over the place. Twilight floated ahead of me for a few seconds before making her way back over before looking at me from several angles, and it felt really uncomfortable as though she was scanning me. " It looks as though you can spin around and use the tip of your hat as a weapon." " I can actually fight like this?" I asked. " You can't use magic, or that sword and shield, so this looks to be your means of fighting," replied Twilight. It sounded odd spinning around as a means of attacking, but I didn't have much choice given my current form was so restrictive, so I began to spin around several times in order to cut down the shrubs as they were the only things that counted as targets. Spinning around was actually a lot of fun, and I didn't feel sick even once which must be because Deku Scrubs are used to spinning compared with humans. I also learned that I move quite the distance when I spin, so this could allow me to get around at fast paces in case I'm racing against time for whatever reason. Once I felt comfortable, I made my way over to the door, and opened it where I entered a much larger room that consisted of several pillars that rose up from an abyss. There was another one of those flowers like what I landed on before when I first came to this area, and something was compelling me to take a closer look. Twilight took notice of my actions, and decided to take a closer look as well. " I've got to admit that the flora and fauna around here is different from what we have back in Equestria, but it looks like you might be able to dive down into this flower given how you're currently a plant yourself." " I can dive into this?" I asked. " Maybe, but I'm not sure where," replied Twilight. " Guess all I can do is look," I said. The center of the flower looked to be the perfect spot for me to dive into, and that urge was directing me to stand there, so I did and dove into the flower until my mouth stuck out which must have looked weird. " Okay, aside from this being completely bizarre especially for my standards, this does feel really nice as though I was meant to do this, but how am I supposed to get back out?" " This is something that's beyond anything I've ever seen, so you'll have to figure out an answer," replied Twilight. " Am I going to be stuck in this flower forever?" I asked. Such a thought made me curse the fact that I dove into this flower, and just as I was about to blow my top, I found myself being ejected where I somehow materialized two smaller flowers. These began spinning around at a rapid pace like they were the blades of a helicopter, and it dawned on me that I was floating above the ground. My next thought was to try and see if I could move around as just hovering wasn't going to do me any good, so I floated along which was really fun... until I came to a startling conclusion. This method of flight has a time limit, and I learned this the hard way as I almost plunged into the abyss, but lucky for me, I managed to make it to the next platform. " Okay, I can use those flowers that appear whenever I'm in the air to float around, but only for a short time as demonstrated when they wore off. This would have been something I could have been told much sooner, yet I'm not blaming you Twilight as you didn't know any better than I did." " Perhaps one of those Deku Scrubs can teach you," suggested Twilight. " First, I need to see if I can do this on my own, and I've got a few more pillars to reach," I said. There was another flower nearby on this second platform, so I dove down into it before launching myself again where those two small flowers appeared above my head, or rather in my hands as I'm holding the stems which connect to the petals and core. Unfortunately, I was facing the wrong direction, so when I realized this and attempted to float over to the next platform, the petals fell off which made me fall where I barely managed to grab the platform's edge allowing me to pull myself up. " Definitely need some teaching as that was another close call." " You still have another platform," said Twilight. " This is going to be one of those days," I sighed. " Sorry for not being more helpful," said Twilight. " No, you've already proven that and then some what with the replies you've made to my reports," I said. " Reports about friendship aren't exactly going to be helpful where we are," said Twilight. She then noticed a weird-looking tree that was situated on the final platform which also connected to another tunnel which lead into the darkness, and she signalled me to make my way to the tree as fast as possible. " Sunset Shimmer! You need to see this tree right away as it looks as though it could explain why you look the way you do." A third flower was present in this area, so I dove into it before launching myself again, but I was slightly more fortunate in that I was floating in the right direction. However, I didn't take distance into consideration this time which resulted in me crashing into the wall above the tunnel entrance before landing hard on my burear. " Not exactly the most graceful moment you had there." " Spike said the same thing many times during my last adventure," I moaned. " He was wise to have done so," chuckled Twilight. " So I'm not the most graceful person out there, but I made it which is all that matters. So, what did you mean when you said this tree would explain things?" I asked. " Take a good look at it," replied Twilight. The tree was certainly weird given how small it was compared to normal trees, yet it appeared to have some kind of face on it which resembled someone crying as though their life had come to a tragic end. " Your current face bears such a striking resemblance to the face on this tree, it's as though you have taken on its form. What I'm trying to say is that this tree must have suffered horribly, and you were changed into it albeit in a moving form. I am also sensing the same dark magic which was surrounding Starlight Glimmer, so she must have been the one who did this." " Could it have once been a living creature?" I asked. " Perhaps, but I don't have enough evidence to answer that properly," replied Twilight. " If Starlight Glimmer did do this, she must be stopped before things get even worse," I said. " Considering her current memories are of this world as opposed to Equestria, she has an advantage in terms of knowing the lay of the land. The two of us are walking around blind without any clue as to where we can go," said Twilight. " You have the memories of this world in addition to your own," I said. " Oh! Then, I guess we do have some idea on what this world will be like," said Twilight. After shaking my head for a few moments as a means of chuckling along at this rather awkward moment she just had, I walked into the tunnel which resembled the previous one, but then things got weird again when everything started to spiral around as though everything was becoming distorted for no reason. It eventually came to a stop when I entered a large room where a massive door closed behind me with no means of opening it, and all around me were several large gears like the kind you see within factories, or other forms of machinery. " This place feels morbid," I commented. " All of these gears give off the impression that we're inside some kind of giant mechanism," said Twilight. " Such as?" I asked. " A clock for one thing," replied Twilight. " Then we should look for the entrance if this place is exactly that," I suggested. " Why not try that flight of stairs over there at the back? I don't think there is any exit on the lowest level of this place, so climbing up to the top may be our best bet," said Twilight. Even though I had a small body complete with small legs and feet, I still walked at my usual pace which didn't mean it would take me a long time, so I walked over to the stairs and up to the next level which consisted of a large area with an even larger door on the opposite side. " That must be our way out, yet why have such a large door anyway?" " I've got a question," I began. " What is it?" asked Twilight. " How did Starlight Glimmer get a hold of that mask?" I asked. " My mind is hazy given how I've got my real memories back, but I do seem to recall a strange woman who carried a large bag that was filled with masks. Starlight got her hands on that mask by taking advantage, but I don't remember how she did it," replied Twilight. There was no doubt in my mind that the woman Twilight was referring to was Sonata Dusk, who in Hyrule was known as the Happy Mask Saleswoman. I remember my encounters with her where she wanted me to assist her in the sale of her masks, and she even assisted me in other ways which proved to be invaluable. If I'm to meet up with her, I'm hoping she will remember who I am in her current incarnation rather than the one where she was a member of the Dazzlings. This strange area was devoid of any kind of life which made it even more eerie, but then something came to mind that related to Sonata. How could she even be here in the first place? I doubt she dropped down into that massive chasm back in the Lost Woods, so maybe there are other entrances to this new world aside from the one I used. I walked a few paces towards the door before coming to a stop, for I could sense someone having appeared behind me. My first instinct was that the one behind me was Sheik who wanted to surprise me, but she was Twilight in disguise last time, and is currently with me in the form of a fairy. Then I thought it could be some kind of monster, but this place isn't exactly an ideal location for something like that. Knowing that I had to face whoever this person was, I turned out where Twilight immediately hid behind my hat while I responded with my usual reaction in a situation like this. " WAAAAH!" " I remember that scream from back in Hyrule although that was quite some time ago." " You recognize it?" I asked. " One person loved to make such a scream, but not for a good reason of course as she did so because of being scared. That person was named Sunset Shimmer, who at one time served as a Happy Mask Saleswoman who was able to sell some of my masks." I breathed a huge sigh of relief as Sonata Dusk was standing behind me with her iconic bag of masks, yet her appearance was not as cheerful as before as though something had greatly affected her. Maybe traveling to this world from Hyrule may have been too much for her to handle, or maybe all that time traveling alone without any friends has made her bitter. " You know, that green hat along with those green shorts reminds of the Kokiri child who helped me out, and that reaction of yours was almost identical to hers." " I am Sunset Shimmer," I said. " Really? But, you look so much different than you did when we last met. If you really are Sunset Shimmer, then you should be able to tell me what masks I gave you in order to sell to those who desired them. This also includes how much each mask cost which had to be paid back to me upon the successful sale. While it may seem unfair that I'm asking all of this to you after we've only just met, but I need to be sure that you are being sincere," said Sonata. My mind began thinking about what the masks were, so remembering the exact details was difficult. Eventually, after spending what felt like 20 minutes trying to remember something which didn't have much practical use to me, I revealed what Sonata wanted me to tell her, and I stumbled several times as clearly this was information I had to dig deep into the recesses of my mind to even remotely recall any of it. " Only someone who was dedicated when it comes to selling masks would know all of that... so, I see you've met with a terrible fate haven't you? In case you have forgotten which is a distinct possibility, allow me to introduce myself. I own the Happy Mask Shop. I travel far and wide in search of masks. During my travels, a very important mask was stolen from me by an imp in the woods." " You don't say," I commented. That must mean Starlight Glimmer stole that strange mask she was wearing from Sonata, but how was she able to do that? Twilight knows the answer to that question, but her memories from this world currently elude her, so I guess I'll just have to figure it out later. On the other hand, I wish Sonata didn't tell about who she is and what her profession was as I remember it from my Hyrule adventure. Maybe she has doubts about who I claim to be, and I don't blame her as I'm not exactly in my more well-known form right now. I'll humour her for the time being, for that should make her feel better to some extent. " So here I am at a loss, and now I've found you. Now don't think me rude, but I have been following you." " Wait, what!?!?" I exclaimed. " I have been following you," said Sonata. " How? There was no way someone who carries such a large bag would have survived the plunge back in the Lost Woods, and even I was barely able to survive the drop as an unusual flower managed to break my fall," I said. " Things are not always what they seem," said Sonata. " If you say so," I said. " Judging from the tone in your voice, you're not a fan of being stuck in the current form you now reside in. I wouldn't want to wish such a fate on anyone, and I certainly wouldn't want to suffer myself otherwise I wouldn't be able to sell my masks. I also wouldn't get to enjoy the tacos which I eat whenever I am feeling peckish, but you need not worry about your current condition my small friend... for I know of a way to return you to your former self," said Sonata. " You do? How?" I asked. " If you can get back the precious item that was stolen from you, I will return you to normal," replied Sonata. " That means I need to find Starlight Glimmer, and reclaim the Ocarina of Time," I said. " In exchange... all I ask is that you also get back my precious mask that the imp stole from me," said Sonata. " I'm not sure if that's possible, for she has proven to be very powerful when it comes to using the dark magic which stems from it," I said. " What? Is it not a simple task? Why, to someone like you, it should by no means be a difficult task. However, there is something which I must reveal to you, yet I am sure that it won't cause any problems. You see, I am a very busy woman what with my business of selling masks, and because of this, I am on a very busy schedule which may not appear as such. I must leave this place in three days," said Sonata. " You have to leave in three days!?!?" I exclaimed. During my journey across Hyrule, I never had any kind of time limit on my hands aside from when I needed to find the third and final Spiritual Stone, but then that was actually pretty tame given how Ganondorf wasn't doing anything until he made his move. Three days isn't a lot of time for me especially since I have no idea what kind of world I have been dragged to, and Twilight doesn't have any ideas either, so Sonata is expecting me to perform what is basically a miracle for her? Judging from the way she worded her situation, I've got no other choice but to carry out her task, for it means me being freed of this accursed form. There was no doubt in my mind that this wasn't going to be a good day for me... or in this case, a good three days.... To Be Continued.