The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time

by Ganondorf8

Chapter 34: The Waterless Lake.

Author's Note:

Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding the Legend of Zelda, the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and My Little Pony: Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks. These are the properties of Nintendo and Hasbro respectively.

If anyone asks, Sunset Shimmer had nothing to do with the disappearance of all that water.

Cast appearing in this chapter.

Sunset Shimmer - Link
Spike - Navi the Fairy
Sonata Dusk - The Happy Mask Saleswoman
Daring Do - Scientist living in Lake Hylia
Hondo Flanks - King Zora

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
January 21, 2015
Chapter 34: The Waterless Lake.

In all the excitement of heading back to Zora's Domain in order to save King Zora and gaining access to the Zora Shop, I completely forgot about the fact that I had to traverse across the chunks of ice floating in Zora's Fountain. The Octoroks I defeated before had since re-spawned which meant having to deal with them again unless I wanted to ignore all of this and go for a little swim. Just thinking about it made me shiver as the thought of swimming after what I had recently been through made me feel a little hesitant.

" You should swim back rather than use the chunks of ice Sunset Shimmer as you need to get used to swimming," said Spike.

" Are you implying that I don't know how to swim?" I asked.

" Based on what you've been doing in Zora's Fountain with regards to that subject, you appear to be water challenged as you almost drowned out here, and you almost drowned inside of the Ice Cavern. I have no doubt that you can swim as you do look to be very capable, but perhaps you were an expert swimmer in your own world, and in this one you've got the swimming skills of someone who flounders about in the water," replied Spike.

" That's because those previous experiences involved me swimming in places which aren't exactly considered normal for aquatic maneuvers. I'll have you know that I am a pretty good swimmer despite having problems, but I won't let that stop me from doing what I need to if I am to fulfill my destiny and save Hyrule," I said.

" Then stop being so hesitant and just swim," said Spike. Hearing him say that really struck home for me, and I couldn't blame him for saying it. My near-drowning experience, both of them, has given me an adverse fear of going anywhere near water, yet I have to swim if I'm going to be helping Rarity. I had to do this because I can't allow fear to hold such a strong grip over me....just like how I'm allowing my other fears to do exactly that. It looks like I'm quite a complicated girl because of having so many problems, but I had to start overcoming them otherwise they'll just walk all over me.

Having made up my mind, I jumped into the water and started to swim back to Zora's Domain, and the water was absolutely freezing which made me feel very uncomfortable, but I had to endure it if I am to survive the Water Temple. It took a couple of minutes to swim back to shore, and when I climbed out of the water, the first thing I did was use my magic to warm myself up which wasn't a struggle thanks in part to the Piece of Heart I found in the Ice Cavern.

Spike looked at me and started to clap his hands which sounded like little blipping noises to my ears. " See? That wasn't as bad as you were making it out to be. You just need to remember that you must save this world from the evil that controls it, and to do so you have to overcome even your most intimate of fears."

" While your choice of words were insulting to say the least, I do appreciate you telling it to me straight," I smiled.

" That's what friends are for," said Spike.

" Also, I proved to you that I am capable when it comes to swimming in a natural setting, but I do flounder as you say when it comes to cramped quarters, and dealing with chunks of ice and cold water," I said.

" You'll need to get better especially the part about swimming in cramped quarters as it appears you'll be doing a lot of that in the Water Temple. Granted, you can avoid some of that by using the Iron Boots and walking on the ground while underwater if you prefer it that way. In either situation, we won't be entering the temple until you have acquired the Zora Tunic which is essential," said Spike.

" I'm hoping that King Zora will deliver on that and give me one as a reward for saving him, or give me a good discount for one at the Zora Shop as I have no intention of paying 300 rupees for a piece of cloth. Even if it's cloth that was created using the best materials out there, I can't afford to pay for it, and Princess Ruto needs us at the temple as soon as possible. I was actually thinking that if I were to look rather pathetic when it comes to breathing underwater, maybe he'll be sympathetic and give me what I need," I said.

" Technically, you have been pathetic when it comes to that," said Spike.

" I'll ignore that comment, but I shouldn't act dishonestly because that sort of thinking got me into a lot of trouble back when I used to be a "bad girl" and used all manner of manipulations to get what I wanted. When King Zora is set free from his icy prison, I'm just going to talk to him with the kind of respect he deserves as I remember that the Zoras appreciate that," I said.

Walking back into Zora's Domain placed me right behind the throne of King Zora who was still sitting there in suspended animation as he had done for years, and I went right up to him to melt the red ice away. This of course posed a problem because I needed to figure out exactly where I'm supposed to apply the Blue Fire. I only had one shot at setting him free, and if I end up botching it, I'll have to go all the way back to the Ice Cavern which I'd rather not do ever again because of the near death experiences I encountered there.

" What are you waiting for?" asked Spike.

" I need to do this with the utmost care otherwise we're going back into the Ice Cavern to get more Blue Fire," I replied.

" All you have to do is just sprinkle the fire onto the red ice like you've done with most of the red ice we've encountered," said Spike.

" That's not the problem I'm having right now Spike, but rather I'm not sure if one bottle is going to be enough to melt the ice and free him. The other ice we had to melt was small in size compared to what is covering King Zora. I was thinking that maybe I can climb up, and apply the Blue Fire that way for a better result," I suggested.

" Just use the Blue Fire near the base of the throne and let it do the rest," said Spike.

" Okay, if you say so," I said. If this plan wasn't going to work, I was going to give him the biggest scolding that I could muster up, but I trusted in his judgment as I knew he would never steer me wrong as his advice has saved my life countless times. Uncorking the bottle of Blue Fire which I had been holding in my hand, I sprinkled it next to King Zora where the red ice started to melt instantly.

Once he was free of his frozen prison, King Zora at first wasn't moving which had me suspect that he didn't survive, but then he suddenly began to move which caught me by surprise. Rarity's father, Hondo Flanks, who was King Zora in this world, was alive and well although he was really out of it when he first started to speak.

" Where am I? Why is there snow and ice all over my beloved throne room? What has become of Zora's Domain?" asked Hondo Flanks.

" You've been frozen on your throne for many years," I replied.

" Who said that to me just now? I can't exactly see where you are stranger, for you are most likely standing somewhere in which my vision cannot see. If you would be so kind as to stand on that platform in front of me, and speak once again, I will be able to speak with you," said Hondo Flanks. I had forgotten that he prefers people to talk to him in a formal fashion, so I walked all the way around his throne room until I was standing on the platform.

" Ah! There you are! You say that I have been frozen here for years? I do remember when the snow and ice first came that my people started to become trapped underneath the ice, but when I attempted to guide them to safety, I must have been affected by this frozen chill which grips my kingdom."

" When I first came here to Zora's Domain, I discovered that you were frozen solid in a large chunk of red ice, and I was determined to free you because it's the right thing a hero like myself would do for someone in need. I had to traverse the cold reaches of the Ice Cavern in order to acquire Blue Fire which is the only thing that can melt red ice, and upon coming back here after acquiring an important item, I immediately chose to free you in the hopes that you would come back to life," I said.

" So you were the one who brought me back to life?" asked Hondo Flanks.

" Yes," I answered.

" I truly appreciate you doing that for me as I feared that I would never awaken again. You know, you remind me of someone I once encountered seven years ago....yes! I remember now! You are Sunset Shimmer! As I recall, you came here looking for the Spiritual Stone of Water which belonged to my daughter, Princess Ruto, and you warned me that Ganondorf was the one who caused Lord Jabu-Jabu to become infected with a terrible parasite.

Not only did you save my daughter as well as the patron deity of the Zoras, you also proved to me that the King of Thieves was not what he appeared to be. I am surprised that after seven years, you have not aged which I find to be rather curious," said Hondo Flanks.

" It's a long and complicated story," I said.

" Then you need not explain it to me if it is a difficult tale for you to describe. So, what brings you back to my domain after such a long time?" asked Hondo Flanks.

" I came here because my fairy partner sensed an arctic wind was coming from Zora's Domain, and I was informed that a treasure was hidden inside of the Ice Cavern. After having a couple of near-death experiences, I acquired the treasure which were Iron Boots, and I must use them in order to go to the Water Temple," I replied.

" The Water Temple you say? It is a sacred place of worship only my people are permitted to enter, so I am afraid that I cannot allow a non-Zora such as yourself to go there. Even though you have helped us out in the past, the treaty I signed with the former king states that Hylians are forbidden to enter as the temple is for the Zora only," said Hondo Flanks.

That was going to be a problem as I needed to go into the temple and help Rarity, but I wasn't about to argue with him as he had a power which leaves me at his mercy when it comes to politics. On the other hand, I could appeal to his sense of being a concerned parent, for I remember that Hondo Flanks was very protective of his daughter.

He almost killed himself over worrying for her safety, and I suspect that this aspect of his character hasn't changed. " I am sorry, but I simply cannot allow you to enter its halls, so I am afraid that you will have to leave this matter to eventually resolve itself."

" Your daughter went to the temple recently," I began.

" What did you say?" asked Hondo Flanks.

" Princess Ruto was trapped under the ice along with the rest of your people, but she was rescued and proceeded to the temple as she intends on saving your people from their frozen fate. There is no way that she will be able to survive very long in there, and that's why I must be permitted to enter. Not only do I want to save your people, but I want to make sure that your daughter is safe," I replied.

" Hmmmm....I see, so Princess Ruto went to the Water Temple," said Hondo Flanks.

" It's no longer the place of worship you remember your majesty," I said.

" Your words ring true to my ears, and my pride as ruler of the Zora has blinded me to the truth. This kingdom is in danger from the encroaching darkness, thus I grant you permission to enter the Water Temple. My daughter is the most important thing in my life alongside my people, and they along with her are in need of a hero who can save them. Sunset Shimmer! Once again you have earned my respect as you a wise and courageous woman," said Hondo Flanks.

" Oh stop! You're making me blush," I said.

" I can see that you are exhausted in your appearance as though you have been struggling to swim about in the depths of Zora's Fountain and perhaps beyond my domain. There is no need for you to suffer like this, and you are going to be entering a place where water is abundant, so I shall grant you this Zora Tunic as your reward for saving my life. Take it as a token of my thanks and respectfully, and use it to save my people from the evil that plagues the temple," said Hondo Flanks.

He then raised his right hand and pounded it against the wall which caused a small box to fall from the ceiling, and bounce off of my head before landing in front of me. That actually hurt quite a bit, but I won't say anything as I don't want to insult him. Upon opening the box, I pulled out a piece of blue cloth which must be the Zora Tunic itself. " I wish you luck in your quest, yet you will need to travel to Lake Hylia the long way as the shortcut that connects the domain to the lake is unavailable due to the water here becoming frozen."

Thanking him for his kind words as well as for the tunic, I bowed before him and took my leave by heading down the stairs and running across the domain before exiting via the main entrance, and finding myself staring intently at the waterfall which blocks the entrance. Once again, I asked Spike to not look as I needed some privacy, and he accepted my condition by turning around and floating away.

As I undressed in order to switch tunics, I began to think about Rarity, and how she may be suffering right now. I had to get over to her as soon as possible as she needed help, but perhaps I was being rather hasty in assuming that she's unable to take care of herself because she clearly is resourceful if she managed to make it to the Water Temple by herself. Once I had finished changing into the Zora Tunic, I whistled for Spike to come back and see what he had to say.

" That looks really good on you as the blue colour matches really well with your eyes," commented Spike.

" I honestly prefer the Goron Tunic as it matched both my hair and skin complexion, but I need to wear this one from now on if I am going to be swimming about underwater. I will admit though that the Zora Tunic does make me look rather dashing. We should take the river as the water flow will get us back to Hyrule Field in a matter of minutes as opposed to using the pathway. Once we get back to Hyrule Field, I'll climb onto Epona and she will gallop over to the lake," I said.

" Aren't you forgetting something?" asked Spike.

" Not that I can think of," I replied.

" We still need to melt the red ice in front of the Zora Shop with the remaining bottle of Blue Fire. Not only that, we need to go back to Zora's Fountain in order to sink to the bottom of the pool and collect the Piece of Heart that's down there," said Spike.

" Oh shoot!" I exclaimed as I smacked my forehead really hard.

" Considering how often we were talking about it, I'm surprised that you ended up forgetting all about them," said Spike.

" My mind was preoccupied with the thought of getting to the Water Temple and aiding Princess Ruto," I said.

" I'm sure she'll be fine as even though she does have quite the attitude, I doubt that even she would be so reckless as to get herself trapped in a situation where she has little to no hope of surviving. The Zora princess needs more credit than you've been giving her as she knows the difference when it comes to keeping herself safe," said Spike.

" Yeah, I suppose so," I said.

" Looks like you'll need to add memory to that list of yours," laughed Spike. He just had to get that last word in edgewise didn't he? Well, he made a really good point as I was about to head off towards Lake Hylia, and ignoring the two things I needed to do even if they were in truth optional. Sometimes being a hero meant making sure not to break your own promises as that proves you to be unreliable.

Sighing once again, I started to walk back towards the throne room, and surely King Zora is going to question as to why I suddenly came back after pretty much saying my farewells. Meanwhile, something else was happening at Lake Hylia coincidentally, and it began with some kind of tremor that could be felt throughout the entire area.

" What was that?"

" That would be the sound of the Zora princess finally putting my Blast Mask to good use, and gaining access to the temple. I am surprised that it took her so long to finally muster up the courage to actually use my mask, but then I suppose not everyone is willing to strap an actual bomb to their face and blow themselves up. Sometimes, I don't understand these people of royal blood as they sure do act rather irrational despite their station."

" You gave her a mask that can explode?"

" She needed to enter the temple, and the main entrance just wasn't possible, so I gave her the means to gain access."

" If it wasn't for the fact that the lake has already suffered due to what is going on in the temple, you would have made their princess commit an environmental error the likes of which would have caused reprehensible damage. While giving her that mask so that she could enter the temple was a noble act, you were being reckless as you didn't think of the consequences. Sigh....sometimes I do wonder about you Sonata in that perhaps you're working too hard."

" Maybe I did overdo things a little bit by giving her something that had a lot of explosive power," blushed Sonata.

" Like I said, the lake is already suffering, so what you did won't necessarily make things any worse."

" It still boggles my mind as to how this could have happened to Lake Hylia. What kind of natural disaster could have caused things to get so bad? On top of that, why is Zora's Domain covered in snow and ice? I was planning on visiting there for the very first time, yet the villagers in Kakariko say it's too dangerous because of how cold it is. They say that I'd only be heading towards my death as no sane person could survive in such frigid temperatures," said Sonata.

" This is no work of mother nature, but rather dark powers."

" Really? I never would have pegged you as being someone who believed in the magical arts Daring Do as you strive to resolve everything through science. Gasp! Is this that special secret project you've been working on as a substitute for the water properties project of the lake being on hold?" asked Sonata.

" I could never just sit down and do nothing when there is science to uncover, but yes this is what I've been working on. It's also the reason why I needed you to acquire that item for me as it will definitely be useful to my research. I'll ask you to give it to me once I've finished my explanation, and go over the fee that I must pay for your valiant services. I honestly believed the problem with Lake Hylia to be some kind of natural occurrence the likes of which we've never seen before," said Daring Do.

" What did you decide to do?" asked Sonata.

" I wanted to see if I could figure out what happened through scientific means, but I soon realized that I was dealing with something which went beyond normal means. For years I never believed in magic as I viewed it as nothing more than cheap tricks that lacked substance, and those who claim to be magicians were nothing but frauds who try to take advantage of people," replied Daring Do.

" And now?" asked Sonata.

" Now I believe that there is some truth to magic, but I still feel that there is a scientific reason behind it. Lake Hylia isn't the only place that has changed, for every region across the land has experienced something dreadful....with the exception of the desert which comes as no surprise to me," replied Daring Do.

" Do you think the water will ever return?" asked Sonata.

" Who knows as right now things are only continuing to get worse, and I'd say that the lake will be completely drained of water within a matter of days. But, we can't allow such negative thinking to get in the way of what is important, and that's where you come in Sonata with the item I requested. You must find it silly that a scientist of my caliber would want to have a mask of all things," replied Daring Do.

" Not really as I've heard all sorts of reasons as to why people desire masks. It comes with the profession, and I always find great pleasure knowing that people end up having their dreams fulfilled. I must admit though that it did take me a couple of years to finally get a hold of what you wanted," said Sonata.

" Really? The Happy Mask Saleswoman struggled to find a single mask?" asked Daring Do.

" Considering how rare it is to begin with, you can't blame me for taking such a long time to find it. It's a good thing you asked me to do this years ago instead of just recently otherwise I wouldn't even be having this conversation with you," replied Sonata.

" True, but you did manage to retrieve it?" asked Daring Do.

" When it comes to masks, I always deliver on my promise because if I didn't, I don't deserve to be a saleswoman. Even though I can't share with you the methods I used to acquire this mask, do know that I have it right here wrapped up inside of this paper due to how fragile it is. I should warn you though that it does have a scary power locked away inside of it," replied Sonata.

" Surely it isn't as dangerous as you claim?" asked Daring Do.

" They say that this mask contains demonic powers, but since you want to study its magical properties in the name of science, you should be fine with it so long as you don't wear it. Now then, the price of this mask is going to be roughly 1,500 rupees for the base cost, yet there will be additional costs as per the usual," replied Sonata.

" Well, that was the most embarrassing thing I've had to experience so far," I sighed.

" I'm not surprised that King Zora asked you how you managed to accomplish your task so quickly, but then I knew that he was simply poking fun at the fact that you had to come all the way back here to the fountain," said Spike.

" For a respected monarch among his people, he certainly knows how to make a person feel small and insignificant," I sighed.

" You can't really blame him for the way he acted though. Deep down, he wishes that he were suffering right now as he would do anything in order to protect his people," said Spike.

" I'm sure that he'll be really happy when all of this is said and done and his people free from their icy prison, but that all depends on whether I succeed in defeating the curse inside of the Water Temple," I said.

" Which I'm sure you'll accomplish because you are the hero," said Spike. I wish he didn't go and say that because I already have plenty of pressure on my plate. I suppose this is what was meant when I was told that the trials I was to experience would only get tougher, and already this was going into such territory. Once I put on the Iron Boots using the magical means of doing so which still didn't make sense to me, I closed my eyes and walked into Zora's Fountain, and immediately began to sink to the bottom like a stone.

Even though I could now breathe underwater thanks to the Zora Tunic, I didn't want to see my life flash before my eyes, so I kept them shut until Spike decided to bring it up because he saw the expression on my face. " You can open your eyes Sunset Shimmer as you're completely fine down here.

You're falling rather slowly which is natural due to the buoyancy of the water, and remember that you can breathe now due to the tunic, so you don't have to hold your breath like you're doing right now." I had forgotten that I could breathe, so I let go of holding my breath and relaxed a little while opening my eyes to see what was around me.

" It looks a lot more majestic when you're not drowning," I commented.

" This is just a small sample of what we'll be experiencing when we begin to explore the Water Temple," said Spike.

" Do you know anything about it?" I asked as I landed on the bottom of the fountain.

" I only know one small thing which may or may not be all that useful for when we finally enter. The water within the temple is able to be changed at the whims of anyone who is able to figure out the means to do so," replied Spike.

" What does that mean?" I asked.

" My best guess is that you can change the water level somehow," replied Spike.

" Not exactly the best piece of information you've provided, but it's better than nothing so it should give us some indication as to what we're to expect," I said. After walking over to the Piece of Heart and picking it up, I felt the warmth from it which was a good feeling given that I had been down here in this freezing cold water for a couple of minutes, and I wanted to get back up to the surface before this influx of heat quickly wears off.

Using the unexplained magical switch from the Iron Boots to my regular boots, I started to swim upwards which felt pretty calming given that in other situations I'd be in a panic due to not having the Zora Tunic. " I don't suppose that King Zora would be willing to provide us with some answers as to what lies within the temple?" That was when I reached the surface where I popped my head out of the water, and proceeded to swim to shore because as I had finally had enough of this cold climate.

" While he did give us permission to enter the Water Temple, I doubt that he'd be willing to go any further than that when it comes to revealing any secrets. Asking him is going to get us no where, so we might as well just experience it for ourselves," replied Spike.

" There's always Princess Ruto you know," I said.

" Do you think she may know anything?" asked Spike.

" She should given that she is the princess of the Zoras, so she would naturally have knowledge of the temple," I replied. Once I was back inside of Zora's Domain, I made my way over to where the Zora Shop was located, and used the last remaining bottle of Blue Fire to melt the red ice granting me access to the shop, yet something did quickly come to mind. " Do I even need to buy anything from this shop?"

" Arrows for one thing as you did run out inside of the Ice Cavern," replied Spike.

" Do they even sell arrows in here given that bows aren't exactly what Zoras like to use?" I asked.

" All of the shops across Hyrule sells items for adventurers because they do get quite an influx of heroic types given how monsters have been plaguing these lands since the very beginning when the Great Goddesses created everything. Hopefully, you have enough rupees to buy some arrows otherwise you'll have to rely on the rather infamous "rupee grind" tactic in order to get them," replied Spike.

" What is that?" I asked.

" There are people who wish to buy something, but they don't have enough money because the item is too expensive. So, they wander about Hyrule Field and other places across the kingdom in the hopes of finding plenty of rupees by combing through a few times until they've scrounged up enough. It takes about a few hours to grind as many do this on occasion, so you may end up arriving at a potential spot where someone else beat you to it.

This tactic is often used by adventurers as they don't exactly think things over when it comes to money, but some regular people have been known to resort to it for reasons of their own," replied Spike.

" I'm taking it that I fall into the category of adventurers who waste their money?" I asked.

" You have made some questionable purchases," replied Spike. I knew that he was obviously referring to when I paid so much money to buy all of those Magic Beans from Snips as well as the Giant's Knife from Medigoron. While I have yet to use these items, I wanted to get them because of personal reasons, and also wanting to help out those in need.

I quickly checked the contents of my wallet to see how many rupees I had, and I counted up a total of only 40 rupees which may not be enough unless I could make some kind of bargain. About five minutes later, I came out of the Zora Shop with some arrows in my quiver, and I was surprised that I had just about enough to cover the purchase. I suppose I was just lucky that the demand for arrows was pretty low which is how the shop was able to sell them at such a low price to begin with.

" With that purchase, I am now officially broke," I said.

" For the time being that's the case, but you'll acquire more rupees on your travels as you'd be amazed as to how many rupees are out there in Hyrule. In fact, there is a surplus of them which means you will never truly be out of money as you're likely to find some almost immediately. Case in point, smash those pots over there and I guarantee you there will be some rupees hiding inside of them," said Spike.

Deciding to play along with what he said, I picked up the pots and threw them against the wall and two blue rupees and a single green rupee came out and scattered across the ground. " And there you have 11 rupees right there! Now, if you were to enter and exit the Zora Shop, you'll discover that the pots will re-spawn, and if you break them again, you'll receive the same exact rupees again. That is the nature of this world where things like to re-spawn when you exit and return to an area, and forms the basis of rupee grinding."

" Just when you think you've figured out everything, something else gets thrown at you," I moaned. Well, I wasn't about to do this rupee grinding that Spike brought up as right now I needed to get to Lake Hylia and help out Rarity, but I was going to keep the idea in the back of my mind as I had a feeling that the idea was going to be useful to me in the future.

Once again, I made my way back out of Zora's Domain and into Zora's River with everything I needed to take of now accomplished, and I jumped across the gap before rolling off the opposite ledge and falling into the river. " It's okay Spike as I said that this was going to be faster than simply walking."

" At least this time you intended to drop in," laughed Spike.

" Unlike a lot of the previous times where I did so via an accident," I moaned. Travelling through the river actually turned out to be rather profitable as I was picking up a lot of green and blue rupees, and of course having money would make certain purchases much more manageable in the future. When I reached the beginning of the river, I allowed the current to push me back into Hyrule Field where Epona neighed happily as I had returned after being gone for quite some time.

As soon as I got out of the water, and shook myself off to get dry, I walked over to her and climbed up onto her saddle where I had her turn around before gently giving her a kick to the ribs to start galloping towards Lake Hylia.

" During that trip throughout Zora's River, you acquired a total of 50 rupees," said Spike.

" You actually counted how many I picked up?" I asked.

" It was no trouble for me although I don't intend on making a habit out of it. In Hyrule, money is a language that's understood by pretty much everyone, and in order to acquire certain things, you need to speak the same language as them," replied Spike.

" Is it possible to have too many rupees?" I asked.

" There is actually a limit as to how many rupees can fit into a wallet, and the number is 500 which may or may not be all that much depending on who you ask. For most people in Hyrule, 500 rupees is sadly more than they will ever see in their lifetime. I'm guessing that where you come from, the concept of money defines what people can be like," replied Spike. He had no idea just how right he really was without even realizing it, but I was wondering why he was bringing up the notions of money and the economy all of a sudden.

I couldn't let that distract me as I urged Epona to gallop faster because the moon was starting to go down which meant that the sun was going to rise soon. Had I spent the entire night traversing a dungeon of cold without any sleep? If I recall my last visit to Lake Hylia seven years ago, there was a house where a scientist lived....Daring Do was her name as I recall, and despite her home being a mess what with all of those books, I assume that she will allow me to sleep there for a while as I could do with some rest.

" We should be arriving at Lake Hylia soon provided that we don't run into anything," I said.

" Since all of the Big Poes have been destroyed, we have nothing to worry about in terms of monsters," said Spike.

" It's rather weird that Hyrule Field used to be plagued with monsters throughout the night years ago, and now no monsters come out during the night or day which makes you think that perhaps Ganondorf's reign isn't as absolute as he wants everyone to believe. The people feared travelling about at night when those Stalchildren were around, and I was also afraid because I was new to the whole adventuring thing at the time," I said.

" Since the actual regions of the kingdom have changed as a result of his coming to the throne, it makes sense that Hyrule Field pretty much remains monster free as it gives off this feeling that you expect something to happen here, but nothing does which people will associate with fear. While the actions of Ganondorf have caused so much pain and suffering, you do have to admire some of his approaches when it comes to the likes of the field," said Spike.

" It sounds like you're becoming a fan of his," I said.

" Only because of how he chose to deal with Hyrule Field in that context. I'd never be a fan of someone like him as he is clearly consumed with power above all other things, and that obsession has transitioned into what we're going through. I know you didn't mean it like that Sunset Shimmer, but you could have chosen your words a little more carefully," said Spike. He then floated ahead of me for a few moments before coming back which almost scared Epona out of her wits. " There are some fences up ahead which signal the entrance to Lake Hylia, and Epona can easily jump over them with the right amount of speed."

" But?" I asked.

" Someone appears to have set up a small little camp on the other side of the larger fence, so you'll need to be careful otherwise you could cause an accident," replied Spike. Sure enough, I could see the camp in question and urged Epona to move to the right as I whipped her to pick up speed before she jumped over the fences and came to a stop before moving backwards a little bit. I immediately recognized the blanket as belonging to Sonata Dusk, so she had to be somewhere close by.

" That blanket belongs to Sonata," I commented.

" Indeed it is mine."

" WAAAAH!" I shouted due to Sonata appearing right next to Epona who also reacted by neighing really loudly and almost throwing me off as a result.

" It's been years since I last heard that scream, but I recognize it from anywhere....Sunset Shimmer....I had a feeling that we were going to meet each other once again mainly because I said that we would. Huh? You haven't aged at all since our last encounter, and I find that to be rather curious....but not curious enough for me to want to question you about it," said Sonata.

" You certainly haven't changed a bit," I said.

" And yet you have but not on a physical level it seems. That getup of yours has certainly improved in the last seven years, yet I think it would look good with one of my masks to give it some extra oomph! But, I know you're not here to purchase any of my masks. I knew you were coming to Lake Hylia as the Zora princess was hoping that you would come," said Sonata.

What!?!? Did she just say Zora princess? Since when does Sonata know about the likes of Rarity? I needed to know more, but I wasn't able to bring up anything as she decided to continue talking. " That princess wishes for you to come to her aid although she did have some trouble expressing it from what I gathered. She does make for a rather interesting travel companion though."

" You traveled around with her?" I asked.

" She actually came all the way from Zora's Domain to Lake Hylia on foot, and I am surprised that her feet didn't burst from blisters given that she doesn't wear shoes. I was actually heading to the lake myself in order to take care of some personal business, and since she wanted to see what had become of the lake, I insisted on accompanying her the rest of the way," replied Sonata.

" What's wrong with Lake Hylia?" I asked.

" It's a little difficult to explain without going details, so I won't and allow you to experience it for yourself," replied Sonata. That made me want to smack my head against a wall due to how frustrating she can be, but that's just the kind of person she is.

I'm glad though that Rarity was able to make it here on her own which must have been unbearable given how far she had to go without water. " You desire to know what's going on with the lake, and while I can't explain it because it's beyond my realm of understanding, the scientist who lives here should be able to help you out."

" So what you said about me seeing what happened to the lake is going to be true," I said.

" The Zora princess was shocked when she saw what had happened, and she was pretty determined to enter the temple that lies below the surface. However, the entrance was blocked by a rather imposing gate, but she managed to make her way inside when I gave her some much needed assistance," said Sonata. Judging from the way that she said that, I had reason to believe that she gave Rarity one of her masks to help her out, but how is that even possible?

As far as I was aware, only the Mask of Truth which she gave me possessed any kind of special power....unless Sonata had other masks with their own powers. " I can tell that you have a strong desire to help the Zora princess, but I suggest that you pay a visit to the scientist living at the lake. Again, she will tell you what has been happening here over the last seven years, but she may be a little preoccupied with that mask I gave her as part of a favour."

" What mask?" I asked.

" I'm not privy to reveal that information as it was a private request even if you once were my assistant, but I'm sure that she will reveal this information to you. Well, I must be heading off on my journey once again as I have places to go and masks to sell. By the way, the Zora princess is going to give you something as she has been reminded by me to fulfill this little obligation. She has been given the most intricate of information with regards to how this will be resolved, and with that I will say farewell to you," replied Sonata.

" Will we meet again?" I asked.

" Oh we most certainly will especially since the princess has something of mine," replied Sonata.

" Princess Ruto has something of yours? Then why not come with me into the temple so that you can get it back from her," I suggested, but as I turned around, I discovered that Sonata had already left in her usual manner of just doing so as though she were a ghost. My curiosity towards this mask was pretty strong, but I had to focus on what was important.

I urged Epona to continue on, and soon I found myself entering Lake Hylia via the natural entrance instead of the shortcut which is what I used before. " Things appear to be normal around here Spike, so I don't know why everyone is making such a fuss about the lake."

" We need to get closer so that we can see it for ourselves as back here we can't see anything," said Spike.

" I see Daring Do," I began.

" Where?" asked Spike.

" Over there by that waterfall although why would she be there, and not inside of her house looking over that mask that Sonata gave her? I know that I should be focusing my efforts on the Water Temple, but that mask has really piqued my curiosity," I replied. Epona then trotted over to where Daring Do was, and when we got within range, she turned her attention towards me which is when Epona slowly came to a stop, and I climbed down from her saddle. " I suppose you may or may not remember me from the last time we met."

" Sunset Shimmer!?!? Why, you haven't aged a single day since our paths last crossed! I'm not sure how you managed to retain your youth, but clearly it has something to do with magic which does go hand-in-hand with the rest of my current research," said Daring Do.

" Whatever happened to your study of the water of Lake Hylia?" I asked.

" That was forced to be put on the shelf as it were until a later date because of what happened to the lake in recent years. I take it that you ran into Sonata, the Happy Mask Saleswoman? Did she tell you about what has become of the lake which is why you've come here, or perhaps you came to enter the temple which lies below the surface which is what the Princess of the Zoras currently is," replied Daring Do.

" I'm here to resolve the problem that's affected the lake as well as Zora's Domain," I said.

" My current research is trying to prove that a magical force has been behind the water in the lake being reduced to roughly a third of its natural content, and the harsh weather in the Zora's Domain is a result of the water being used to create that horrible snow. Ever since the day Ganondorf took over Hyrule, the water slowly started to recede until it reached the point it's at right now," said Daring Do.

" What do you mean the water has receded?" I asked.

" So she didn't say anything?" asked Daring Do.

" Sonata said you'd be able to explain it better," I replied.

" Naturally of course as it is my field of expertise after all, but I must warn you that you won't like what you see especially since you remember what Lake Hylia used to be like years ago before the coming of Ganondorf. Please follow me as I take you to the lake which is just over that rise, and you will be happy to know that I do have a spot near my home where your horse can relax," said Daring Do.

I walked over to Epona, and grabbed her reins and she acknowledged this by trotting along at a slow pace as we walked towards the lake. When we made it over the rise and witnessed the lake itself, my jaw dropped in utter shock over what I was witnessing, and Epona neighed with such sadness that I could feel her pain given that I can speak horse. The water which once filled up the lake had been reduced to less than half of its total making it look less of a lake, and more like a small pool of water.

I was compelled to run to the edge of the lake in order to see it up close with my own eyes, and when I reached it, I merely dropped to my knees in utter shock over what I was looking at. If this was the result of the curse inside of the Water Temple, how was I supposed to deal with it when it had such a power that was capable of doing this? And what about Rarity? Could she have fallen to this evil power already before I even enter the temple?

To Be Continued.