//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: To Find the Children, and to Learn of the Impending Danger 
// Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask 
// by Ganondorf8 
//------------------------------//

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
September 25, 2015
Chapter 3: To Find the Children, and to Learn of the Impending Danger.

After several attempts where I blew a bubble in my mouth where it ended up popping thus splatting me in the face, I finally managed to get it working. However, the problem was that I had wasted a few minutes, and considering what was happening, time was something I couldn't afford to waste. The balloon that was being used as target practice by the kid who scorned me earlier just floated in the air, so it wasn't like I needed to hit a moving target, yet that was probably something I'll have to do later. 
I aimed my mouth upwards, and shot out a bubble, but it went spiraling off until it collided with a wall on the other side of the area staining it for a few seconds before fading away. Okay, I didn't think there would be any wind resistance when it came to doing this, yet there was no wind, so why did that just happen? I tried firing another bubble which resulted in the same thing, so then I tried it for the third time, and failed which had me wondering what I could be doing wrong.
" This isn't working," I moaned.
" I'll say, and you're wasting precious magic," added Twilight.
" I can create the bubbles using my mouth despite it sounding utterly disgusting, but I just can't seem to aim them where they need to go. In this case, I need to pop that balloon in order to get that kid's attention," I said.
" I'm not all that familiar when it comes to how Deku Scrubs use their magic, yet maybe you should aim slightly higher so as to overcome any sort of resistance. If you do end up running out of magic, you can either find magic jars by cutting down shrubs, or go back to see the Great Fairy," said Twilight. 
I was actually considering seeing Adagio just so that she could explain how I'm supposed to use this new form of magic, but she might not know anything given how Deku Scrubs are seldom seen around Clock Town from what I can gather. You'd think I'd be able to do this without any problems seeing as magic is my natural talent, but it turns out Equestrian magic is completely different compared to the magic of Termina. All of a sudden in the midst of my moaning, the sound of a wolf howling could be heard which made me think that wolves were about to bear down upon us, yet why would there be wolves here?
" Did you hear that?" I asked.
" Wolves howl as an indication that night has fallen, and just look at the sky above you Sunset Shimmer. The sun has gone down for the evening, so that gives us about 60 hours before the moon crashes down onto Clock Town. Also, is it my imagination, or has that moon gotten closer since we last looked at it? In any case, you need to pop that balloon as soon as possible," replied Twilight. 
I looked upwards to see for myself, and sure enough it was bigger. 60 hours may seem like a very long time to most people, but that isn't the case, for who knows how long it will take me to find Starlight Glimmer. She might no longer even be in town which would really be devastating seeing how I can't leave due to being a child despite being much older than that. That's when Twilight noticed something or someone hiding in the playground area, and brought it to my attention because of how odd it was. " Sunset Shimmer?"
" What is it?" I asked.
" Who do you suppose that is sneaking around over there?" asked Twilight.
" Huh?" I said with a confused expression on my face. I moved away from the kid towards the playground, and someone was standing there with her hands in her pockets as though she were trying to act casual. " That person looks kind of like Rainbow Dash in terms of her hairstyle, but she looks like she's up to something."
" That's Lightning Dust," said Twilight.
" Quite the odd name when you consider how she looks suspicious," I said. Twilight then explained to me that Lightning Dust wanted to join the Wonderbolts Reserve back in Equestria, and ended up being accepted because of wanting to take things up to a higher level than the standard. She proved herself wreck-less as she wanted to prove how fast she was in addition to wanting to be the best, and was highly competitive. This in turn made her oblivious to her actions which placed so many ponies lives in danger including my own, and was subsequently kicked off the squad. 
Just looking at her calm composure compared with what Twilight said made me think otherwise, but then I remember that everyone from the human world has been re-imagined in Termina. I decided to walk up to Lightning Dust as I was curious to see what she was up to, for why hide behind a playground unless you have nothing to hide.
" Can I help you kid?" asked Lightning Dust.
" I'm just curious as to why you're hiding behind here," I replied.
" That can cause problems as some people may not like being snooped on," said Lightning Dust.
" I wasn't trying to imply anything," I said.
" Good otherwise I would be feeling really uncomfortable right now. Besides, you don't need to check up on someone like me as I'm not really doing anything. I have every right to be behind this apparatus because of wanting to be alone with my thoughts, so unless you've got some kind of question, could you please leave me alone? You looking at me with those weird eyes gives me the creeps," said Lightning Dust.
" I do have one question," I said.
" What is it?" asked Lightning Dust.
" Have you seen a strange child around town wearing an evil looking mask?" I asked.
" I was about to say that I've seen a kid wearing a mask hanging around the Laundry Pool, but as soon as you said evil, I immediately began thinking of that other kid who has been wandering around wearing a really frightening mask on their face. If you're looking for that kid, I suggest doing something else entirely as she had such a powerful aura surrounding her. In fact, I hid behind here in order to avoid her as someone like that is probably up to no good," replied Lightning Dust.
" Yeah, she is definitely trouble," I said.
" What's that supposed to mean?" asked Lightning Dust.
" I need to find her before it's too late," I replied.
" It sounded like you were referring to me when you said that, for you were looking at me with those eyes of yours. Like I said, I'm not doing anything wrong other than just hanging out around here," said Lightning Dust. Her words made me feel suspicious because no one would just hang around especially with a moon that was looming above, but I had no other choice but to go back to the kid who was still trying to pop his balloon. 
As I began making my way back over to him, Lightning Dust has one piece of parting advice. " You should lift your head a little higher Deku Scrub if you want those bubbles to be of any use to you!" Now why would she know something about the form I'm currently in? Maybe Dekus aren't as common as I originally thought, or had she been spying on me? Either way, I decided to do what she suggested which made me feel somewhat uneasy. I looked back in her direction one last time just to be sure, and Lightning Dust continued standing there with her hands in her pockets just like before.
" I don't trust her," I said.
" While she may not be cocky and competitive in nature like she was in Equestria, I agree that she can't be trusted, yet I can't put my finger on it," said Twilight. She then looked down at her fingers, and realized that she had them now as opposed to having hooves back in our true home, and she made sure to mention this tidbit to me which did make me laugh causing Lightning Dust to look at us both one last time before ignoring us entirely. " As for her piece of advice regarding you raising your head slightly... what are you going to do about it?"
" The only thing I can do Twilight, and that is do what she suggested," I replied.
" Did you have these kinds of problems during your last adventure?" asked Twilight.
" When the Hyrulean Royal Family were in power, most obeyed the laws of the land, and for that they could be trusted. The exception were the Gerudo who had their own laws courtesy of Ganondorf, so people feared them. Of course, when he took over, things in Hyrule changed completely where trust was difficult to find in a world filled with evil. It seems Termina isn't governed by a monarchy, so the different regions including Clock Town are self governed which explains why things are like they are barring what is happening," I replied.
" I never would have guessed that kingdoms exists without a monarchy," said Twilight.
" Equestria just has that rustic charm I suppose," I said.
" Hopefully, our fellow ponies don't decide that they want to do away with the monarchy," said Twilight.
" That would be the absolute last thing to happen Twilight, for you and the other princesses have proven to be immensely favoured by everypony else, and I doubt they would want it any other way. As long as you continue serving the people as best as possible, things will continue going forward as they already do," I said. 
To think that it could have been me in Twilight's shoes rather than her had I chosen to continue with my studies rather than strike out on my own, but thinking about it from the perspective I've got, I'm not worthy to become an alicorn even though saving the world after the other Twilight almost destroyed it does bring me one step closer. Maybe someday that chance will come, but not today as I'm content with what I have. 
Anyway, upon reaching the kid again, Twilight finally got a good look at him which she somehow didn't get to do so before, and told me that this child was Pip Squeak. At first it sounded like she just went and insulted the poor kid, but in fact that was his actual name due to how small he was for a filly.
Good thing Twilight is with me on this journey as those who we've bumped into so far I would have never recognized, and that could 
have tripped me up when it comes to determining who is friend or foe. I know Spike did the best he could for me back in Hyrule, yet having such knowledge would have made certain situations turn out a whole lot differently than they did. 
Upon distancing myself far away enough from the balloon, I aimed my head even higher than before, and fired a bubble which popped it where sparkles scattered everywhere in the process. This prompted Pip Squeak to look around at first to see what had just happened, for he was completely dumbfounded, but then he took notice of me, and came over as he quickly figured it all out.
" Are you the one who just popped that up there? Not bad for a Deku Scrub! We Bombers have a hideout that leads to the observatory outside town. Around this time of year, things get pretty hectic which is something we kids have gotten used to. Even though you're just a Deku Scrub, you've probably felt the exact same way. The adults are all busy getting ready for the carnival! The old astronomer at the observatory is the only one who'll spend any time playing with us kids, for he can be best described as a big kid at heart despite how old he is. You need a code to get in. Maybe I'll tell you what it is!" said Pip Squeak.
" That would be appreciated as I really need his help to find someone," I said.
" But don't think you're getting it that easily! I can't just tell you what the code is, for it's something meant only for the Bomber's Gang, and I am their leader, Jim, which should have been obvious given how I wear red while the others wear blue. If you want to gain access to our hideout, you'll have to pass my test first," said Pip Squeak.
" What kind of test?" I asked.
" Before I can say anything, you have to accept," replied Pip Squeak.
" That's not fair!" I shouted.
" Sorry, but that's how things have got to work Deku Scrub. I can tell by the tone in your voice that you're desperate to meet the astronomer, and the only way you'll be able to see him is to know our code. That involves taking part in my test whether you want to do it or not," said Pip Squeak. I felt as though I was being bullied into doing something which could potentially consume what precious time I had, but he did have a good point in that I need that code in order to find out where Starlight Glimmer is. 
Slowly nodding my head in approval of accepting his test, Pip Squeak took out a small whistle which was concealed inside of his shirt, and blew it as hard as he could. All of a sudden, four additional children showed up out of nowhere, and each one looked exactly like him as though they were clones. " All right! Line up, guys! These are the other members of the Bombers who go around helping those who are in need. If you can find all five of us by tomorrow morning, I'll teach you the code!"
" I've got to find you all?" I asked.
" Think of this as a game of hide-and-seek, but with a much longer time limit. If you want to know our code, then you'll find all of us before morning. None of us are going to be leaving town in case you're worried, for we know that a Deku Scrub your age can't leave without having her parents around. Now turn around, and count to about 20 while we all pick good places to hide. 
Oh, and before I forget, even if you do manage to find us, we still won't be making it easy for you as you'll have to actively catch us otherwise you'll never complete my test," replied Pip Squeak. He then turned me around by force which was rather rude, and then he blew his whistle again where the sounds of five pairs of feet began running off in the opposite direction. Somehow, I had a feeling this is what his test was going to be like, for only a kid would want to play a game like this.
" I can't believe we're being forced to do this," moaned Twilight.
" How do you think I feel?" I asked.
" True as you've got all the footwork," replied Twilight.
" If we want to gain access to that observatory, we've got no choice but to play this game," I said.
" The sun will rise in about 12 hours, and that isn't as much time as you may think given how we've wasted half a day already. Luckily for us Sunset Shimmer, those kids have heavy feet as evidenced by the sound of their footsteps walking across the dirt. I'll be able to track them down for you without any problem, but you should use your spinning ability in order to keep up with them should they try to run away upon finding their hiding places," said Twilight. 
Sighing, I began counting up to 20 even though this did make me stand out like a sore thumb, and upon reaching the maximum number, I turned around and began searching for any signs of those kids. Twilight immediately sensed the footsteps of one of them, and it was coming from the playground area which was really close to home. Of course, it did mean having to interact with Lightning Dust who probably thinks me as being odd, but I've no time to deal with her when the fate of the world is hanging in the balance.
" Where exactly in this playground can we find him?" I asked quietly.
" The sound of his footprints are coming from the other side near the shrubs, so if you can sneak up on him without making a noise, you might be able to catch him before he has a chance to run away. Either way, I don't think he will leave this part of town as that would be unfair to us," replied Twilight. Despite being trapped in the body of a plant, I actually was pretty light on my feet as each one of my steps were so soft, I can easily sneak up on anyone. 
The kid in question was hiding and trying really hard not to be noticed by me, but a gurgling sound from his stomach gave him away. It also meant he hadn't eaten for some time, or maybe he had eaten too much. Slipping around the other side of the playground making sure to ignore Lightning Dust, who was actually ignoring me, I slowly made my way over to the kid, and grabbed him before he even had a chance to figure out what had just happened.
" Aw! You caught me... and by sneaking up on me no less! No wonder you snuck up without me hearing you as you're a Deku Scrub, and your kind are awfully quiet when it comes to walking around. Now there are only four left!"
" That wasn't so bad," I said.
" We'll seen soon enough." Leaving the kid to accept the fact that I had caught him, Twilight suggested that I pay a visit to East Clock Town next as one of them is bound to be hiding there. Walking along until I entered a large opening, I entered East Clock Town where I immediately saw several buildings with unusual signs.
" None of this makes any sense," I said.
" Remember what Pinkie Pie told us? This is the area of town where you can play all sorts of fun activities, so if you have the urge for entertainment, this is the place for you provided you have enough rupees, and aren't a Deku Scrub," said Twilight.
" Why am I not surprised," I moaned.
" Deku Scrubs aren't welcomed in these establishments which is why they have a secret area where they have their own fun activities, but at least the Stock Pot Inn to your right will accept you as you currently are," said Twilight.
" So it's like a hotel?" I asked.
" Kind of. The Stock Pot Inn isn't what I would call a five-star luxury hotel given how it does have bugs crawling around in many of the rooms, and other rooms need some serious repair as they aren't exactly up to standard. Normally, not many people stay there because of the problems it has, but around this time customers come in droves. As such the inn gets filled up quickly to the point where one would need to make a reservation in order to be guaranteed a place to stay. It's night-time right now Sunset Shimmer, so the inn is closed, but there is a door no one ever locks which makes it easy to sneak inside," replied Twilight.
" So that means there's no reason for us to look inside of the inn for those kids as I doubt whoever owns it would appreciate them running about. That means we'll need to take our search elsewhere," I said. There was a sign up ahead next to a door which was the first time I've seen one in Termina, and it said that this was the residence of the mayor. 
If I recall what Pinkie told us, the mayor has been stuck in a meeting that shows no signs of ending, yet it's quiet which must mean they've all gone to sleep, and are likely to continue on in the morning. I was actually feeling tired myself and desired to sleep, but I knew that doing so would prevent me from beating this test, so I'm going to have to pull an all-nighter for three days straight which is probably going to kill me. " Since we can't see what is happening with the mayor, we could always come back here in the morning."
" Do you think the mayor may be able to help us?" asked Twilight.
" As the one who is in charge, she must know everything that goes on in town," I replied.
" Guess we might as well continue searching for the Bombers," said Twilight. Already, this game was beginning to get on my nerves as I had more important things to do, but I've learned that I need to endure such punishment in order to reap any rewards later. Turning to the right and walking down towards the central part of this area, I suddenly stopped because there was a crate which was shaking as though something were hiding underneath it.
" Could they be any more obvious?" I asked.
" When you're a kid, hiding underneath a crate is a perfect place," replied Twilight.
" This is either really easy, or they are planning something which will prevent us from getting that code," I said.
" We don't have much of a choice other than face it head-on," said Twilight. Using my sneaking skills again which consisted of walking slowly towards the crate, I tried to lift it up, but it was no use as it was just too heavy for me. This made no sense to me at all as I should be able to lift such a weightless object with ease, for I did work out in preparation for the Friendship Games. Twilight decided to take a closer look at my body in order to see what was wrong, and it only took her a few moments to reach a conclusion that wasn't to my liking. " In your current form, you lack any muscle to lift up anything like this."
" Seriously?" I asked.
" The only way you can do is spin into, and break it, but the kid underneath is bound to run," replied Twilight. The more of these negative drawbacks I keep on hearing about Deku Scrubs, the more annoyed I get because this was getting ridiculous. Moaning to myself as I took a few steps backward, I span into the crate destroying it in the process, and the Bomber freaked out over finding him before he started to run away in a crazy fashion.
" That was awkward," I commented.
" Any parent would be ashamed to see their kids run around like that," said Twilight.
" It makes him run faster which I guess is beneficial for the little guy, but then I need to catch up with him," I said. I began spinning repeatedly in the hopes of catching him before he gives me the slip, but he was a little slower than I thought as I caught him, and that was because being under that crate gave him some cramps. Good thing this didn't take me too long as I was about to throw up due to all that spinning.
" How did you catch me so easily?"
" Hiding inside of a crate caused you to experience some cramps," I replied.
" Guess that wasn't my greatest plan, but there are still three of us left!" Leaving the second kid to curse at himself for making such an obvious blunder, I decided to take a quick look at the other buildings before moving on. One building was in the shape of a treasure chest which looked really out of place, but Twilight said that this was intentional for it was a place where people have to try and grab a chest hidden a maze which keeps changing every time you play. 
Anyone, no matter which tribe they are from can take part, so there is at least one place I can go to without being ridiculed because of my appearance. Twilight then mentioned that the other two buildings were ones where you could challenge games of dexterity involving various items, but I currently lack the means to do so in terms of both appearance and not having said items. I told her that we should remember these places for future reference as I had a feeling something good can be had if I completed these games.
Walking down another path that turned to the right lead me right back to where I started, but things were much quieter than before, and that was due to the sounds of construction no longer being heard. In fact, I was looking at some kind of stand which must be what the workers have been making, but it doesn't really look like much of anything other than a confusing mess.
" What is it even supposed to be?" I asked.
" I think they were going for some kind of platform," replied Twilight.
" All of that noise happened for this thing? Maybe they plan on working on it in the morning, but I do have to wonder why they don't just try to go for something with a little more pizzazz?" I asked.
" It's not like the human world Sunset Shimmer! They don't have all of those modern conveniences that you've become used to, so all they can do is go with a really simple project which to you would probably date back several decades or so," replied Twilight. Despite having lived as a human for several years, I'm still the same age as Twilight, so her comment there wasn't really that appropriate, and I made sure to tell her that which she apologized. That's when she noticed the third Bomber just walking around the area as though he was mesmerized by all of the construction. " Is it just me, or are they getting really easy to find?"
" Do you suppose they want us to know the code?" I asked.
" I doubt Pip Squeak does as that would mean someone outside of their group knowing a secret of theirs, but the other four do look like they're warming up to you. Then again, it could be just a trick where they pretend to be nice, but end up backstabbing you making you feel miserable in the process," replied Twilight.
" It's not the first time," I sighed.
" You've changed a lot since then," smiled Twilight.
" I know, but I still feel guilty because of my past actions," I said.
" That will take some more time before it can finally be forgotten, and you can spend your life living it the way you want it to without having to worry about the past dragging you down. Say, do you mind if I take care of this one?" asked Twilight.
" You want to try?" I asked.
" I may be a fairy in this world, but I still have my personality from Equestria," replied Twilight. This is true which brooked no argument from me, so I folded my arms which let her know that she could go ahead, and do whatever it is she's planning on doing. I was actually curious as to how she was going to speak to this kid who was still looking around the construction site, so Twilight flew over to him where he took notice and began talking to her. In order for me to listen, I quietly snuck forward a few steps before hiding behind a stall which happened to be close by.
" Tatl? What are you doing here?"
" I was just in the neighbourhood, and wanted to see what was happening," replied Twilight.
" We're playing a game with this Deku Scrub who has the most unusual coloured hair I've ever seen, and if she can find all five of us before tomorrow morning, Jim will teach her the code which will allow her to access our hideout."
" Why did Jim insist on it?" asked Twilight.
" He's been on edge as of late because of your friend."
" My friend?" asked Twilight.
" Yeah, you know, the Skull Kid? She has been causing all sorts of trouble which clearly goes against our rules, and Jim is about to completely lose it. One more prank, and she is likely to be kicked out! As for that Deku Scrub, Jim asked us what we thought about the idea of having a Scrub amongst our number, but the jury is out when I say that she'll never join. A shame really, for I really do like her hair." That was when I decided to come out from my hiding spot, and grabbed the Bomber before he even knew what was going on. 
" What!?!? You were hiding this entire time? Pretty sneaky there Deku Scrub, so now you have two more of us left to find if you want to win." Twilight and I then left the kid who started looking at me which was creepy, and then he commented about my hair again which made me want to leave quickly.
" That... was just awkward," I said.
" Maybe, but we've learned some important information in the process," said Twilight.
" Starlight Glimmer is one of their members, yet she is clearly breaking their rules without showing any remorse for her actions. No wonder Pip Squeak wanted me to take on this test as he feels guilty over making such a big mistake as allowing her to join," I said.
" Also, I do believe that kid was the first person who has commented about your hair," laughed Twilight.
" As long as no one starts calling me "bacon hair", I'll be alright," I moaned. Yeah, I've been hearing some people calling me that as a nickname of sorts, but to me it feels more like an insult just because my hair has yellow and red streaks which just so happen to resemble bacon. Anyway, we decided to check out West Clock Town as it was the only area we've yet to explore, and upon entering it, I found myself feeling rather claustrophobic due to how narrow the street was. " This is where you can purchase items right? Also, you'd think they would have widened this street to accommodate shoppers?"
" Not many people come this way most of the time unless there's a special occasion happening in town, but I do see what you mean about how small everything looks compared to the other areas. Not only do we have shops here where you can purchase items... once you're no longer a Deku Scrub, but the Post Office can also be found here, yet it's rarely open. That's because Aria is often away delivering the mail while stick to her schedule until she's finished, and I still can't fathom how she of all people is a postal worker. Oh, and there is a Swordsman School around here," replied Twilight.
" Really? They have an educational facility dedicated to the sword?" I asked.
" Weird isn't it? Besides, they're closed for the night, and you can't use the school until you become human again," replied Twilight. Clock Town certainly is a diverse place what with all of these different attractions, yet there was one thing I noticed which I didn't bring up before until now. The Carnival of Time is supposed to bring people from all across Termina to town in order to celebrate the coming year, but there weren't that many people around. 
Shouldn't things be more active especially during the day? This was something I suppose the mayor would know about as she is the ultimate authority when it comes to Clock Town's well being. Walking forward a little further, I tripped on something, and landed flat on my face before hearing the sounds of feet running in the opposite direction.
" What was that?" I asked as I picked myself up.
" You tripped over one of the Bombers, and he ran off towards the south," replied Twilight. That was completely uncalled for, so I ran after him as fast as my small legs would allow, and for some reason he was stuck as though something was preventing him from leaving the immediate area. Right! This world is still just a video game despite how real everything is, so this kid isn't allowed to go from area to area otherwise players would cry foul. Since this was just absolutely pitiful to see with my own eyes, I grabbed the kid because his routine was getting old now. Before talking with him, I made sure to bring him back to where he made me trip.
" You caught me!"
" There was no need to trip me!" I shouted.
" Sorry about that, but I honestly had no idea you were going to come this way."
" Don't make a habit out of it," I moaned.
" Again, sorry for doing that. Looks like you only have one more of us to find, and it just so happens to be our leader Jim who remains elusive. I hope you're ready to search around town all night Deku Scrub, as that's what you'll be doing until you either succeed or fail."
" Isn't that him over there?" I asked.
" Huh?" Sure enough, Pip Squeak was standing in front of a building which had a sign of a pair of swords on it which must be the Swordsman School that Twilight was telling me about. He was looking in both directions with rapid glances as though he were wondering where I could be, or maybe he doesn't like being outside in the dark. Either way, this was extremely convenient, and the kid in front of me slapped his head knowing what had just happened. 
" What could Jim be thinking? Why leave yourself wide open to be found so easily by this scrub? I guess you could win our little game after all." Leaving the fourth Bomber behind, I walked up to Pip Squeak who immediately tried running away, but I was through playing around, and grabbed him before he could do anything about it.
" I don't believe it! You were able to catch me!" shouted Pip Squeak.
" You're the last one," I said.
" And it only took you about an hour or two to find all of us. That was some pretty fast searching there Deku Scrub, but I can't believe that I made such an obvious blunder by being in plain sight. I should have used that Cucco when I went through East Clock Earlier before doubling back this way, for that would have kept me well hidden until the sun came up. Well, since you completed my test, I'll keep my end of the promise, but first I need to call the others," said Pip Squeak. 
He took out his whistle, and blew it again which caused his fellow Bombers to show up where it took ten more minutes for them to arrive. " Okay, you've earned the right to use our code to enter our secret hideout, but make sure you remember this, for I'll only give it out to you once."
" I'm ready," I said.
" The code is 52143," said Pip Squeak.
" That's a pretty simple code to remember," I said.
" I know which is why someday I really should change it as just about anyone could waltz into our hideout just by saying those five numbers in that order. Now, the next thing on the agenda would be your name, for I'd like to know," said Pip Squeak.
" It's Sunset Shimmer," I said.
" Quite an unusual name for a Deku Scrub, but I can see why it suits you, for your hair does remind me of a beautiful sunset. I'm going to guess that you think you're worthy of joining the Bombers because of how quickly you found us all, but I'm afraid that isn't possible. You see, the last person who joined our group who came from the forest has been causing nothing but trouble, so we're of the mind that all forest folk are just like her. Personally, I'd welcome someone like you in an instant, for you have a heroic aura surrounding you, but it will be up to my friends, so what say you?" asked Pip Squeak.
" No way! No scrubs!"
" Then I guess you can't join," said Pip Squeak.
" Where exactly is the location of your hideout?" I asked.
" Oh yeah! I never told you that, and that code is useless unless you know where to go. If you make your way over to East Clock Town, and walk to the right of the mayor's residence, you should see a narrow passageway which leads down into an underground tunnel. One of our members is blocking that path from anyone who thinks they can sneak in, but because of the code you've received from me, he will let you in if you tell it to him. 
Be careful down there as you never know what could be lurking in the shadows, and with that we shall take our leave, and resume our usual patrol," replied Pip Squeak. He blew his whistle one more time which prompted all five kids to run off leaving me to make my way over to their hideout on the other side of town.
" They're gone," I said.
" Aren't you upset that they wouldn't let you join?" asked Twilight.
" We learned from the third Bomber that Starlight Glimmer's actions have practically sullied their reputation," I replied.
" That's true as for a group who are dedicated to preserving the peace, they want to maintain their credit even if it means cutting the fat so to speak. By the way, it's getting close to 9:00pm now, so perhaps we should think about getting some sleep? We can continue with our mission in the morning," suggested Twilight.
" If this were Hyrule, I'd agree completely without any hesitation, but because we've only got 57 hours left before disaster strikes, we can't afford to waste even a single minute on something like sleep. I don't know if fairies sleep as I never once considered it back in Hyrule, but I know that I can't sleep which means I'll barely be conscious once this is over with," I said.
" Fairies need sleep just as much as everyone else, but our magic does enable us to stay awake longer, and for that we don't need to sleep as much as others do, yet I can't see you running around for 72 hours straight without resting. You may have had experience of this nature before Sunset Shimmer, but not even you can ignore something as precious as sleep. Why don't we pay a visit right now to this astronomer that Adagio told us to see, and after that we can take a few hours to sleep," suggested Twilight. 
Sleep is the last thing I want to do given what is hanging above is, yet Twilight was right about it being impossible for me to stay awake for an entire 72 hours. This is going to be one of those conflicting moments which could make or break me. Sighing, I began to make my way back to East Clock Town, and as I trudged along, I looked up at the moon which had gotten slightly closer than before. 
The face was enough to frighten me as it was so hideous, yet I can understand why people feared it. Yet why was Starlight Glimmer so determined to bring forth the destruction of this world? If this was her means of pulling a prank, it stopped being funny a long time ago.
Twilight told me that Starlight believes that no one in Equestria should be superior to anyone else, and strives to bring equality even if it means relying on force and deception to achieve her goal, so would forcing a moon to come crashing down and destroying an entire world make everyone the same as each other? Now that I think about it for a moment, her mannerism back in the forest was different from what she was like in that cave. 
Could it be that the mask she wears is making her become more sadistic? Or, maybe she has fallen under the mask's control, and is merely doing its bidding? Nah! The chances of that happening are less than zero! I guess Starlight is someone I can relate to because I've done things because of wanting to achieve power, yet I was able to come back before I was consumed entirely. She could actually be reformed unless she is so far gone that nothing can help her change.
" Deep thinking?" asked Twilight.
" Yeah," I answered.
" I've got a feeling you're thinking of Starlight," said Twilight.
" Do you think she can be reformed?" I asked.
" It's difficult to say if such a thing is possible with the likes of her. She was so determined to make everyone equal that she used a forbidden magic in order to remove cutie marks from ponies, and replacing them with equal signs. Starlight stole the cutie marks of hundreds of ponies all in an effort to bring forth equality, and was essentially taking away what makes each of us special. That ranks her up with the likes of Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, and even Tirek for being a big threat to Equestria," replied Twilight. 
I suppose she was right because Starlight was someone I don't even know about because I left Equestria long before she made any kind of appearance Upon reaching the passageway which lead to the observatory, the Bomber that Pip Squeak told me about was standing there looking rather bored.
" Um, you can only go beyond this point if you have the code."
" Does this path lead to the observatory?" I asked.
" Yes, but don't feel creeped out by what you see down there, for the passage isn't nice and clean." I then gave the password to this kid by saying the following numbers in the right order... 5, 2, 1, 4, 3. Upon saying the final number, he acted surprised at first before stepping aside which gave me access. " Wow... you know our code which means you must be a member. 
There is a lot of cool stuff to be found at the observatory, but I wouldn't touch anything as the professor is very protective of his inventions." I don't know why he said it like that as I'm always careful when it comes to looking after people's belongings, yet Twilight reminded me of when I destroyed the front entrance to Canterlot High back when I was the she-demon.
" I was consumed back then," I said.
" That you were, but know that I am just having some slight fun," said Twilight.
" At my expense," I moaned.
" Sorry for bringing up such a bad memory," said Twilight.
" Well, I did manage to repair the damage I caused, and it felt really good doing something nice back at the time," I said. Upon entering the passage, I tried to hold my nose because of the slightly foul smell which was surrounding us, but in this form I don't have a nose which means this is going to be unbearable. " They weren't kidding when they said this place would creep me out! I'm about ready to collapse as the smell is unbearable."
" I feel fine myself," said Twilight.
" That's because you're a fairy, and you have certain immunities. Why do those kids have to use this route to get to the observatory instead of something simpler? Or, couldn't they just leave town, and go to the place like normal people?" I asked.
" The guards would never let them leave without any parental supervision, and this was even before the moon was falling down on everything. Besides, you told me that you experienced worse than this during your adventure in Hyrule, so I figure you've gotten adjusted by now," replied Twilight. I chose to withhold my enthusiasm because there are some things that happened last time I'd rather forget entirely. 
There was water running throughout the area, and I've no intention of swimming about in it as who knows where it's coming from. This is a rare instance where I'm happy being a Deku Scrub, for I can't swim which means not plunging into what could be dirty water. " There are small platforms dotted about ahead of us, so I should be able to make it across by hopping using my jumping ability right?"
" Remember that after the fifth and final jump, you'll sink to the bottom of the water. I know the water isn't really deep, but in your current form, it is so be careful and take your time," replied Twilight. I took a closer look, and sure enough she was right about it being deep for someone of my size. " Oh, and before I forget, be careful not to touch the flames on that torch on the one platform in the center."
" How come?" I asked.
" Did you seriously just ask that question Sunset Shimmer? Because Deku Scrubs are plants, anything fire related is pretty much instant death," replied Twilight. The element which helped me so many times in the past as well as part of my namesake was the bane of my existence so long as I remain like this? It made me feel upset as fire is something that truly speaks to me, and I don't mean because it's my preferred magic of choice. 
My parents named me Sunset Shimmer because they believed the fires of the red-hot sun would guide me down the right path towards my destiny, and while it has been a bumpy ride due to taking a dark direction, my path has become clear to me now. Speaking of which, I began hopping along from platform to platform as this foul-smelling water was beginning to make me feel queasy. Upon reaching the other side, I collapsed to the ground with every intent of throwing up, but I held it back just in time by breathing deeply several times.
" Those deep breathing exercises really work," I said.
" Glad you asked me to teach you during my last trip to the human world. Anyway, you need to be cautious as I'm sensing an evil force nearby," said Twilight. The faint sounds of scratching ringed in my ears, so I slowly stepped forward where I found myself being knocked back by something that dropped down from above. " I knew it! I'm not sure what this thing is, but I don't think it will be any threat to you given how it isn't moving."
" Looks like my past wants to make a comeback, and it's doing so in the form of a monster I've fought before. This creature is a Skulltula, and aside from dropping down from the ceiling for a surprise attack, it doesn't do anything else that can be considered threatening. When it turns around, it exposes its back which is the weak point, but I used my fire magic to roast them from any angle," I said.
" Why not try using your bubbles?" asked Twilight.
" I think it's my only option," I replied. As soon as I got close enough to the Skulltula, it span around producing some kind of barrier which I managed to dodge by jumping backwards. " That's new!"
" Guess you don't know it all that well," said Twilight.
" Since this is Termina and not Hyrule, monsters that I've met before may have slightly different behaviours," I said.
" Which means you need to prepare for anything," said Twilight. Aiming at the Skulltula, and using my mouth to produce a bubble until it was at the right size, I fired it at the Skulltula upon it turning around and exposing its back destroying it. Once it had burned away to nothing leaving behind a single green rupee which I picked up without a second thought, I proceeded forward making sure to walk slowly as who know what else would drop down. 
Around the next corner, the passageway opened out, and at the back someone had propped up a ladder against the wall with a balloon on top. Since I already popped one balloon already, I fired another bubble which popped it giving me access.
" Not sure why they used a balloon as a security measure," I said.
" You've got to them credit for being creative," said Twilight.
" I suppose so, but more than a balloon would have sufficed," I said.
" Assuming anyone else comes down here," said Twilight. That was a really good point, for as far as we knew, only the members of the Bombers have come down this way with Starlight being one of those provided she was given access to this path. Climbing up the ladder and moving forward, everything went dark for a few seconds before I found myself inside of a vertical room which looked alien like because of the unusual choice of colours. Crates and all sorts of gadgets were strewn about everywhere as though whoever lived here didn't understand the virtues of being tidy, and if Rarity were here to see this, she would have thrown a hissy fit. 
Upon walking up the stairs, Twilight and I came across a strange man who was busy looking at a telescope that was aimed upwards at the night sky. I had no idea who this person was, but Twilight told me that she had seen him many times in Ponyville although he usually kept to himself.
She said that his name was something to do with time at first according to some ponies, but when he decided to make a rare appearance at a wedding, he identified himself as a doctor. He wasn't the kind who studies medicine, but rather one who uses all kinds of skills to solve problems. I then made the joke of calling him Doctor Hooves to which she laughed in response because he was a pony, and a doctor, and because of a old television show Pinkie Pie asked me to watch with her one time. 
Perhaps if I used his telescope, I'd be able to find where Starlight has been hiding all this time, so I approached him where he noticed my shadow which prompted him to turn his attention towards me.
" Well, well... a strange-looking child has joined me today. Are you a new friend of the Bombers gang? I always say that it is important to develop your interests while you are young! I am Shikashi, professor of astronomy!" said Dr. Hooves.
" I'm Sunset Shimmer," I said.
" A very interesting name that has a strong connection to the very sun itself, and I can see the fires of the sun burning in your eyes. Most people would view this as a sign of great evil, but I can tell you are different, for your eyes are filled with a desire to perform great deeds. I have been enamored with the moon since I was a child, and have dedicated my life towards understanding the true nature behind its existence. Now, I spend my days gazing at it from here using my telescope in order to see what new changes have occurred. The moon has long been considered a mystical body, which people have worshiped and feared," said Dr. Hooves.
" People worship it?" I asked.
" A tradition which dates back many centuries Sunset Shimmer, and continues even now because it shows how the moon has a cosmic influence that affects our daily lives whether we are aware of it or not," replied Dr. Hooves. He took a few moments to get a closer look at me as though he was suspecting me of something, but then he slowly walked over to something that was inside of a glass container. 
" Hmmm. Your manners seem much better than those of your mischievous friend from the other day. That ill-mannered troublemaker from the other day said she'd break my instruments all because she saw it as having fun."
" I'm actually looking for her right now," I said.
" She said she'd steal my Moon's Tear which you can see inside of this case, for she wanted me to suffer due to wronging her in some fashion, but she chose not to steal it as she had much bigger plans in mind," said Dr. Hooves. According to what he just said, Starlight had been here sometime before my arrival in Termina threatening him by destroying his various inventions, yet it looks like it was around that moment where she decided to bring down the moon. 
Could it be that the doctor was what shattered the remainder of her sanity, or maybe seeing that gem made her react. She needed to be stopped before this world becomes nothing but a smoldering crater. " After she left my observatory, I resumed my studies of the moon as before, but lately, there is something quite strange with it. 
Strange, indeed... it seems as though the moon is being pulled down by something and is slowly drawing closer to us. At first my belief was that my eyes were deceiving me, yet as I continued to record my information, I can confirm that the moon is on a collision course."
" How long do you think we have?" I asked.
" According to my calculations, the moon will crash into Clock Town in exactly 52 hours from now. The impact will destroy everything, and no where on Termina will be safe from the impending doom. You may think that is a long time, but time is relevant Sunset Shimmer, for that amount of time can pass by without even realizing it. 
Most people in Termina do not believe that the moon is falling, and choose to ignore such matters... the fools! If they choose to act too late, they are as good as dead as the rest of us will be when the moon crashes," replied Dr. Hooves.
" I just can't believe that the Skull Kid would do this," I said.
" Even now! Just watch her! She's probably causing trouble around the clock tower," said Dr. Hooves.
" You know where she is?" I asked.
" I have been watching her by sheer coincidence whenever I look into my telescope to observe the moon, and if you have been looking for her, then perhaps looking into my telescope yourself can help confirm that I am telling the truth," replied Dr. Hooves. He pointed towards his telescope which was pretty impressive, so I walked up to it in order to take a closer look at the Clock Tower, yet I had some trouble at first due to being too small to reach. 
Dr. Hooves adjusted the height down allowing me to take a look, and what a sight it was seeing so many stars in the night sky. No wonder astronomy has become a rather popular subject as of late at CHS, for you get to see things that the naked eye can't. I made sure to allow Twilight to see as I knew she would get a blast out of this, and her reactions indicated that I was correct about that assumption. Once we had our fill of seeing the stars and constellations, I moved the telescope to look at the Clock Tower before zooming in due to seeing something.
Sure enough, Starlight was standing up there, and she knew that I was looking at her. Her demeanour was even more different than what it was before, but before I could get a chance to figure it out, she looked upwards towards the moon where something suddenly fell down from the left eye before a lot crashing noise could be heard. 
The resulting impact felt like an earthquake, but I ignored this and turned my attention to Starlight who just stood there twitching, and stared at me which made me nervous. Now that I know where she was, I moved away from the telescope allowing the doctor to move back in front of it.
" Well, did you find that troublemaker? And that loud noise... what was that? Perhaps another Moon's Tear has fallen nearby? That is a phenomenon which happens on rare occasions, and people call it the Moon's Tear because it looks as though the moon is shedding a single tear. If you want to see what landed, go through that door and take a look outside. 
But I wonder how that troublemaker got on top of the clock tower? The only way up there is through the clock door, and that opens only on the eve of the carnival which will be tomorrow night. What could she be doing atop the clock tower? I just hope she's not plotting another one of her no-good tricks," said Dr. Hooves.
" You mean I can have whatever fell outside?" I asked.
" Moon's Tears are very rare, and there are those who are willing to give one anything they desire should they have one. What you see in the case is for research purposes only, so I cannot give it away, but the one outside is yours for I don't need another. I have heard a Deku Scrub in town has been trying his best to find a Moon's Tear, but has so far failed in his mission to do so. Perhaps you could get something from him if you were to give him the one that landed outside of my laboratory? I am certain that it won't do you much good, so giving it to another would be the right course of action," replied Dr. Hooves.
" And the moon?" I asked.
" It already may be impossible to stop its descent even though we still have plenty of time to go before the impact. All we can do is accept what the cosmos has designed to be the destiny for us and this planet. Once you've picked up the Moon's Tear, you must go back the way you came in order to get back to Clock Town. If you can stop that troublemaker from carrying out her desires, this world may yet survive to see the next sunrise," replied Dr. Hooves. 
He then began looking through the telescope again which indicated to me that he was continuing with his observations of the moon, and perhaps keeping an eye on Starlight, so I went outside using a nearby door, and found myself staring at an immensely large field that looked as though it would never end due to how big it was.
" Not another one," I moaned.
" What are you talking about?" asked Twilight.
" Back in Hyrule, I had to traverse across a large field in order to reach other areas, and I remember exactly what happened that first night," I replied. I then explained that when nightfall came out in the field, undead monsters called Stalchildren rose up from the ground where they proceeded to attack me. Back then, my experiences with fighting monsters was less than pitiful, so my option was running away instead of sticking around and fight. 
Because of what happened, I developed a temporary fear of going out into the field after the sun goes down where I insisted on only travelling it during the day. Eventually, I managed to overcome this fear, and it enabled me to destroy them without any problems using my magic. Of course, the one remaining issue was that they kept on rising from the ground until the sun came up. 
Upon finishing my little explanation, Twilight felt sorry for me, but I told her that it was okay as I needed to step up to the plate as it were. " If I hadn't acquired courage during that intense time, I wouldn't be here right now, and what happened during the Friendship Games  would have been different."
" Is it true that you walked miles across Hyrule Field?" asked Twilight.
" I wasn't exaggerating when I said that, and despite getting a lot of exercise in the process, my feet probably got blisters because of how much walking/running I did to get from one place to another. In the future, this method was finally cast aside when I gained a horse after freeing her from a cruel man, but there were still moments where walking on foot was necessary as certain areas existed that horses could not traverse," I replied.
" Wait... did you say you rode on a horse?" asked Twilight.
" Yes," I answered.
" Um, you do realize that you're a pony right?" asked Twilight.
" Only when I'm in Equestria, for in the human world, I'm... well... a human. Besides, Epona and I are able to communicate with each other through whinnying, and while it may look weird seeing me speaking horse to a horse, we've developed quite the powerful bond which retained itself from one game to the next. Oh, and Epona is the name of my horse even though she isn't mine technically as someone else has ownership of her. Just think of me as being a permanent borrower until this is all said and done. You don't remember me riding a horse in the woods earlier?" I asked.
" Those are among the memories of Tatl," replied Twilight.
" And you're that character in this world," I said.
" This is getting weird," moaned Twilight.
" Now you know how I feel about it," I said. Getting back to the matter at hand, I began looking around this outside area until I stumbled upon the Moon's Tear, and it was quite the large gem considering it fell down from the moon when it literally shed a tear. Making sure that it wasn't hot or anything because of how fast it fell down from on high, I picked up and took a good look at what was supposedly going to help me reach Starlight Glimmer who waits on the Clock Tower. " So this gem is going to get us up there? To be honest with you Twilight, I just don't see how."
" Dr. Hooves said that a Deku Scrub in town has been trying to find one, so maybe we should find and give this to him," suggested Twilight.
" Do we even know where they like hanging out?" I asked.
" Well, there is that one location in North Clock Town where Deku Scrubs like to play, but I don't think he'd be there considering his priority would involve trying to get his hands on a Moon's Tear. You know, now that I think about it, I'm starting to remember some aspects of Tatl's memories which may prove useful. 
Those flowers we've seen scattered about are known as Deku Flowers, for they enable a Deku Scrub the ability of flight for a brief period. Perhaps we should search near their locations, for we could end up discovering the one who needs that gem," replied Twilight.
" Do you know how many flowers are around town?" I asked.
" Not a clue," replied Twilight.
" Then we have one of two options to consider here. The first would be to speak to the mayor as she might know something, or maybe not as I doubt she would show any kind of concern towards flowers used by Deku Scrubs. Our other option is going back and seeing Pinkie Pie again, for you have to admit she has proven to be quite the informant despite what she wears, and how she acts," I said.
" Seeing Pinkie is probably the better course as the mayor is likely still busy with her meeting," said Twilight.
" Yeah, I guess," I said.
" We'll still need to see her though as she needs to be informed about Starlight Glimmer, but it will have to be in the morning as she's asleep right now. By the way, seeing as that is a gem you're holding in your hand, if Rarity were here right now, she would be completely fawning over it, and we both know how much she loves gems of all kinds," laughed Twilight. I couldn't help but laugh along with her because that's exactly what Rarity would do... I do miss my friends even though we've ran into one of them via Pinkie Pie, yet she isn't the same person I've come to know. 
Twilight probably feels the same way as she has been taken away from her version of my friends minus the Twilight of the human world, so this would be another instance where have much in common. It's no wonder the two of us have become close friends in addition to the teacher/student mentality where I am the student, and she is the teacher, for we've overcome great differences in our lives. I do suspect though that our friendship will be tested as this adventure unfolds, so we need to remain strong for the duration otherwise things will completely fall apart.
" Upon pocketing the Moon's Tear, I began to take a closer look at this large field, and I could see what looked like floating winged skulls covered in blue fire... I remember those from before, and I didn't enjoy battling them that much, but maybe they only appear at night like the Stalchildren. In any case, I can't leave this area where the laboratory is as the fence is too high for me to reach, yet there was a Deku Flower on the other side which didn't do me any good. 
Going back inside where Dr. Hooves was still looking at the moon through his telescope, he pulled himself away from it when he noticed me come back in, and proceeded to tell me something due to how irritable he looked.
" That troublemaker seems to be doing some kind of chant up on the Clock Tower," said Dr. Hooves.
" Like an incantation?" I asked.
" While I don't understand much when it comes to magic as I am a man of science, what I do know is that she is using a magic spell. I don't know what kind of spell it is she is trying to cast, but if it causes the moon to fall down faster, our world could be destroyed much sooner than expected. Sunset Shimmer, you must confron the troublemaker and stop her from carrying out her deeds, but you will need to wait until the Carnival of Time begins," replied Dr. Hooves.
Thanking him for everything he told me, he proceeded to resume his gazing into his telescope, I began making my way back to town by using the secret passage used by the Bombers. Along the way, I began to think about what it was he just said about having to wait until the carnival begins, so I asked Twilight about it.
" When does it open?" I asked.
" At midnight on the eve of the carnival," replied Twilight.
" Could you be more specific?" I asked.
" Well, if we take into consideration that we only have three days before Sonata leaves Termina, and the moon will crash into the world at the exact same, the carnival will open at midnight of the final day," replied Twilight.
" That gives us roughly two more days," I said.
" You might think we've got all the time in the world, but that couldn't be further from the truth. We haven't exactly come up with a plan on how we'll deal with Starlight once we confront her, for you've seen what kind of power she has. In order to defeat her and prevent Termina's destruction, you would need your ability to pony-up, but you can't do that right now," said Twilight. 
I'm not sure if my ability to gain pony ears and a pony tail would make a difference, for even though I've gained full control of my ability to pony-up I doubt it would be this easy. Ganondorf said I would suffer once again through tremendous torment, and so far I haven't experienced that much hardship apart from being changed into a plant. I suppose the truth will be revealed to me once I catch up to Starlight.
Upon reaching East Clock Town again, something was different from before, and it took me a few moments to understand why. Pinkie was standing by the entrance to the north of town, and without her balloon no less, yet what could have forced her to come this way? The expression on her face was one of concern as though something had happened while I was busy talking to Dr. Hooves, and getting the Moon's Tear. Upon seeing me coming up, Pinkie began waving her hands around like she didn't want me to go any further, but my curiosity knew no bounds, so I was coerced into continuing moving forward.
" Ms. Fairy! Ms. Fairy!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie.
" What are you doing?" I asked.
" I'm waving my arms around trying to prevent you from going into North Clock Town," replied Pinkie Pie.
" Why in the world are you doing that?" I asked.
" Something horrible happened a couple of hours ago, and the entire north area has been locked down as it were until they can sort it out. An old lady was walking along with a bag on her back which contained goods for the Bomb Shop located in West Clock Town, but before she could reach the shop, a prancing woman came out of nowhere, and stole it. One of the local militia tried to stop this thieving woman from escaping, yet she was way too fast and crafty to be caught, and managed to escape," replied Pinkie Pie.
" Did you say a prancing woman?" I asked.
" She looked completely innocent what with her smiling smile, but her true colours came out when she casually walked up to the old lady, and stole her bag of goods. I know for a fact that Clock Town is a relatively safe town, yet this incident could cause people to want to stay away," replied Pinkie Pie. There was no doubt in my mind as to who the thief was, and I couldn't believe that I received and took advice from her regarding bubbles. 
Lightning Dust... no wonder she didn't want to talk to me, for she had been focusing her efforts on stealing important goods. Now she had committed a terrible crime, and I should have done more to prevent her from succeeding. Pinkie Pie then noticed I was trying to walk forward, and insisted that I stayed out of the north until things had calmed down there. " Don't go there! The militia are interrogating everyone who was there when the crime took place! If you go there, they may try asking you some questions!"
" I need to see what happened," I said.
" But they will start asking you questions," said Pinkie Pie.
" This is something I need to do, for it's part of being a heroine and all," I said. With that, I walked into North Clock Town leaving Pinkie Pie to scratch her head in confusion, and upon entering, there were signs that a struggle had taken place. The dirt on the ground had been disturbed where patches of it were lying on the grass, and several broken jars were scattered everywhere. I then slapped my forehead once again due to forgetting to ask Pinkie about the Deku Scrub who needed my Moon's Tear, yet it was too late for me to go back as the local militia just so happened to be nearby. He was comforting an elderly woman who looked dazed, and must be the one who got robbed.
" Are you okay madam?"
" I can't believe that a frail old lady like me was robbed by some prancing fool! I never would have suspected her of anything... it just goes to show that you can't judge people on their appearance."
" My apologies for not capturing the thief."
" It's not your fault as she was far too slippery for you given how she was a thief. My son is going to be so disappointed in me when I return to the Bomb Shop, and tell him that our stock of Big Bomb Bags won't be on sale in the foreseeable future. Perhaps he should have performed this delivery instead because of my frailty, yet my stubborn pride prevented me from seeing the truth for what it was."
" I've been asking those who witnessed the crime, and so far they all say the same thing."
" It was a prancing thief, but I didn't see what she looked like."
" Perhaps someone saw something that wasn't just the body-shape, but I've questioned everyone who was in this area." That's when the militia man noticed I was standing nearby, and began to walk towards me believing I might know something even though I wasn't here when it happened. As he pointed his spear right at my face, upon reaching my location, I should have listened to Pinkie Pie, and avoided this area entirely, but it looks like my blunder could wind up costing me.

To Be Continued.