Chapter 65: The Last Legend
The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
April 30, 2015
Chapter 65: The Last Legend.
Am I seriously seeing a robed figure as I return from the Chamber of Sages to Hyrule? I have no idea why this is happening, but I'm not about to fall for a trap especially when I'm not able to do anything in response. The figure then approached me, and what they were wearing felt familiar as though I've seen it before, but as usual I just couldn't put my finger on it. I would try to see what their face looks like, but this bright light isn't doing me any favours.
" Sunset Shimmer!"
" How do you know my name?" I asked.
" You don't recognize my voice do you? I am not surprised by this, for it has been a very long time. It's me, Rauru, the Sage, who you encountered when you awoke after sleeping for seven years in the Sacred Realm." Even though his voice didn't resonate within my mind, that long flowing beard certainly did, and only one pony of Equestrian history had a beard like that....Starswirl the Bearded, but why has he decided to come before me now, and not during any of my previous visits to the chamber?
" It has taken you a long time to break the curses of the five temples, but at long last, we Six Sages have been awakened. While I cannot even begin to fathom the difficult challenges which you experienced, you were able to overcome all of the odds, and now you have a final challenge with Ganondorf, the King of Evil."
" So now I can gain access to his castle?" I asked.
" If you had tried to enter before awakening us, then you would have been denied. His castle has no drawbridge, so you would have been stuck with no means of access. I am assuming that you have yet to see this castle with your own eyes?" asked Starswirl.
" I was thinking of going there before going to the Spirit Temple, but my fairy partner insisted otherwise as my emotions would have shattered. Believe me when I say that I can't allow my feelings to spiral out of control," I replied.
" Your companion was wise, but you must still see what has befallen Hyrule Castle. After he conquered it, the Evil King decided that ruling a castle which represented the hatred he had towards the Hylians was unacceptable. So, he destroyed Hyrule Castle Town, and while many were able to escape, others weren't as fortunate and perished.
Once that had been taken care of, his next task was to destroy the castle, and build a new one where it once stood. His new castle was a testament to the fear and intimidation which he has struck into the hearts of all people in Hyrule," said Starswirl.
" Just hearing you say that makes me feel uncomfortable to no end," I said.
" You must not allow fear to hold you back Sunset Shimmer, for you must enter his castle and defeat him," said Starswirl. Once again, I was feeling a lot of pressure, and I wish these people would understand that. I'm just one person who has been dealing with plenty of inner struggles while having to deal with saving a kingdom which still confuses me because of certain elements not making sense.
You would think that someone like the legendary Starswirl the Bearded would allow me a chance to perhaps catch my breath especially since that fight against the witches took a huge toll on me, yet he expects me to just waltz on over to Ganondorf's castle in the hopes of bringing everything to an end.
" I would love nothing more than to make my way there, but I'm not in the best condition. I just finished dealing with his surrogate mothers, and I haven't had the chance to rest. I know you want me to get this over with, but I must put my foot down, and request that I pay a visit to his castle tomorrow. If I go there right now without being fully prepared in both body and mind, I'm most likely to get killed, then the entire kingdom would be up the creek as it were," I said.
" Then you shall have your request," said Starswirl.
" Just like that?" I asked.
" Even though you must enter Ganondorf's castle, there is something else which must be taken care of first. I am sure that you have been informed about the Seventh Sage, and you will need their help to penetrate the dark defences within the castle. There is someone who can tell you more, but they won't be available until tomorrow due to reasons even I find absurd.
You're able to do whatever you want to prepare yourself, so if you need anything, now is the time to claim it," replied Starswirl. Now this was quite the coincidence because I needed the extra time although not in the manner which I was expecting. Still, this gives me an opportunity to go back to the past, and perhaps pick up some of those Pieces of Heart. Also, I need to either stock up on fairies or potions as I have a feeling I'll be needing either one, or both if I am to survive inside that castle.
I'm assuming that I spent a good deal of time inside the Spirit Temple, so when I return to the Desert Colossus, it should be sometime in the afternoon which means I need to move fast if I want to get everything done.
" Where do I need to go in order to see this person?" I asked.
" They will be waiting for you in the Temple of Time," replied Starswirl.
" Is there any particular reason as to why it needs to be there?" I asked.
" It is where you returned from being trapped in the Sacred Realm, and the one who wishes to see you was the first person who was witnessed by your eyes. Go now Sunset Shimmer, and I wish you luck for the battle that is to come," replied Starswirl. It was pretty obvious that it was Sheik, but why go through all of this secrecy instead of just appearing before me like she usually does? Also, I had actually forgotten all about this Seventh Sage despite Fluttershy giving me a heads up about it.
A few moments later, and I found myself back in the Desert Colossus via the Sage Altar. Even though the desert looked the same prior to entering the temple, I knew that things had returned to normal, or as normal as they could get at any rate.
" So what did you make of all that?" I asked.
" Rauru certainly had a lot to say about what needs to be done next, but I'm surprised that you've been given extra time," replied Spike.
" How does that even work?" I asked.
" If anything, you shouldn't question why you've been given extra time. Instead, you should use it to get anything you may have missed throughout your journey. Granted, because you need to eventually return to the Temple of Time to meet with her, I don't think you'll be able to go back to the past which is what you want to do unless Sheik happens to be there much sooner than expected. That means any searching across Hyrule for Pieces of Heart and anything else is restricted to the current time period," replied Spike.
" That's rather disappointing," I sighed.
" What other choice is there?" asked Spike.
" You make a valid point as always, so I guess going back in time just isn't an option. That does mean those remaining Magic Beans have become useless, but I have no regrets about it," I replied. My heart was honestly crushed over not being able to go back to the past as there was still a lot of things which I missed, but there should still be some things waiting for me to collect them here in the present.
" So where do you want to go from here?" asked Spike.
" I was thinking we could pay a visit to the Gerudo's Fortress, and let Spitfire know what has become of Rainbow Dash," I replied.
" That's a good idea as they could do with some closure," said Spike.
" My only problem is how to get there considering we're now on the other side of the Haunted Wasteland. If we try to get lost then we'll merely end up back here again, and if I play the Prelude of Light then we could end up meeting Sheik too soon. I suppose I could play one of the other warp songs, and take a longer route to the fortress, but that would be wasting precious time," I said.
" We could try warping to the Temple of Time, and then making a run for it before anyone shows up," suggested Spike.
" But is the risk worth it?" I asked.
" It's either that, or take one of those longer routes," replied Spike. I then took out the Ocarina of Time from the pouch on my belt, and played the Prelude of Light which warped me in that bright yellow light to the temple. When I landed, I heard something scurrying about which made me think it was Sheik having appeared, but it turned out to be a mouse which quickly ran away out of fear of seeing someone suddenly appear out of thin air.
I was curious as to how a mouse managed to get in here considering this temple was in a pretty good condition compared with the rest of Hyrule Castle Town, but I chose to ignore this, and leave before someone shows up. As I made my way through the market and avoiding the numerous ReDead, I got outside where I played Epona's Song, and called my trusty steed who galloped towards me as fast as possible.
" Looks like she has missed you a great deal," said Spike.
" I'll say so considering how her muzzle is pressing up against my face so much," I said.
" She should feel happy knowing that she gets to travel around with you for one last time," said Spike.
" That's right....once I've reached the point of no return inside of Ganondorf's castle, I won't be coming back again as I'll be returning to my own world when he has been defeated. It's been on my mind for some time now, but I never really thought about how I would miss all of this. I need to go back home as that's where I and everyone else in this world belongs, yet do I have the right to bring an end to something this magical? I can't allow my heart to waver at this stage otherwise I'll never have the will to finish this," I said.
Aside from some mishaps in their personalities here and there, everyone appears to be so happy here, and taking that away from them would make me nothing more than a destroyer of dreams. I knew I'd have to face this eventually, but I wish that I could have had a little bit more time to appreciate this place before it had to come to an end.
" You need to finish this, and return to your world Sunset Shimmer," said Spike.
" I know Spike," I said.
" Don't think about holding back for anything as this is perhaps your one chance. If you end up falling to Ganondorf, you could end up being stuck here forever. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing mind you, this world is not your true home no matter what I, or anyone else says for that matter. Now, climb onto Epona and let's pay ourselves a visit to the Gerudo's Fortress. There is still some time left before we need to meet with Sheik, and that means you have some time to experience Hyrule a little more before ending it," said Spike.
I'm going to have to do the right thing even if it means changing certain aspects back to normal such as Adagio, Aria, and Sonata being allies in this world, to becoming villains back in the human world. Sighing, I gave a gentle kick to Epona's ribs, and she began galloping off towards Gerudo Valley at a fast pace.
It didn't take long for her to make it there which was a good thing as I needed as much time as possible to get everything that I could, and when I reached the bridge, I had to think about whether I should pay a visit to see Sweetie Belle, and the others who resided in the tent.
" Should I go and talk to them?" I asked.
" You are running on borrowed time because of needing to meet Sheik, so I don't think you should do that," replied Spike.
" They could give me some advice on what may be waiting for me inside of the castle," I said.
" No one apart from the tribe leaders know anything about that, for Ganondorf makes sure no one accesses his castle. You might say that he is very secretive about it, and those who did get to see the interior probably don't want to ever talk about it," said Spike.
" Maybe Spitfire would know something?" I asked.
" It's possible as she was loyal to him at the time, so she may be privy to a few things," replied Spike. When he said the word "may", I suspect she might not know anything, but the only way to know would be to ask her. At that moment, Sweetie Belle exited from the tent and began to walk around as though she were looking for something.
This turned out to be really bad timing as I must get by in order to speak with Spitfire, but when she noticed me, she tilted her head several times as an indicator that she wanted me to come over. Knowing that I now had no choice, I urged Epona to trot across the bridge before coming to a stop on the other side.
" I heard that you rescued my men," said Sweetie Belle.
" They were wrongly imprisoned, so I did what any hero would have done," I said.
" Well, I appreciate you saving all of them from the Gerudo. They may be worthless at times, and can be very demanding when it suits them, but they are perhaps the best carpenters I have the pleasure of working with. It took me until now to realize how important they are despite their problems, and I know not to misjudge them again.
Just look at this bridge that they built after returning to the tent. This is without a doubt one of the finest crafted bridges I've ever seen in my entire life, and they put all of their hearts and souls into the design. I've no doubt that they will become fantastic carpenters where they shall be remembered for generations to come. Onto a different subject, and that involves the Gerudo," said Sweetie Belle.
" What about them?" I asked.
" Within the last 24 hours, their leader came by and spoke to me directly. She apologized for kidnapping my workers, so she asked for forgiveness which did catch me by surprise. I've never know any of them to be of the apologetic type, but I suppose there's a first time for everything. I accepted her apology, and she did say that she would give me something in return," replied Sweetie Belle. So Spitfire has already started to make amends for her own actions as well as those of her tribe by choosing to accept responsibility.
This was a very good first step in my opinion towards gaining the respect of the other tribes. They still have a long way before being able to fully integrate with the rest of Hyrule, but it's good to know they're off to an impressive start. That's when Sweetie Belle walked behind the tent where she raised her fist up high as an indication that she found what she had been looking for. " This is what their leader gave me, and I must admit that I never would have guessed they would have such materials."
" Are those pieces of wood?" I asked.
" In addition to steel beams, glue, cement, and even some rare materials which are pretty difficult to find," replied Sweetie Belle.
" And they just happened to have all of that stored away in their fortress?" I asked.
" They most likely stole it a long time ago because they felt the need to, but at least they were willing to give it away, and especially to a group that knows how to use them for their intended purpose," replied Sweetie Belle. The whole stealing notion sounded more plausible than simply having such materials in their possession.
I then asked if she was aware that Sonata did not return from our exploration into the Desert Colossus, and she nodded her head to indicate that she knew. " The running woman informed me of what happened when she and that saleswoman travelled with you across those cursed sands, yet I never would have imagined you three would achieve what had only been done by Nabooru many years ago."
" I'm sure you were told that Sonata plans on staying out there until she has found all of those buried masks," I said.
" While I don't really understand what the pleasure is with those masks despite her selling one to me, it's something she has been wanting to do for a very long time, and I know she is going to find all of them no matter how long it takes. If you were thinking of trying to speak with Aria, I'm afraid you'll have to come back another time, for she is taking some much needed rest, and won't be available for a couple of days. I'm guessing you have some business in the fortress?" asked Sweetie Belle.
" I need to speak with Spitfire," I replied.
" Then don't let me distract you from that," said Sweetie Belle.
" What are you going to do now?" I asked.
" My men and I will stay here in Gerudo Valley for a while, and then we'll hit the road once again and travel somewhere else. I was taking a liking to Lake Hylia because the men have been suggesting that fishing would be fun. Plus, I've heard the Fishing Pond is in dire need of repairs, so we can do something to help fix the place up," replied Sweetie Belle.
" Then I guess this is goodbye," I said.
" You've got your own path to follow in life, and we have ours as well, so we might as well continue down our respective routes to see where they go," said Sweetie Belle. I urged Epona to resume our journey to the fortress which wasn't that much further, and as she galloped along, I was curious as to what Aria had been doing when she returned from the Haunted Wasteland.
I guess that's something I'll never know as she won't be available for a couple of days, and my meeting with Sheik is going to be happening tomorrow according to what Starswirl said. Soon, I was back at the fortress where things looked different. While there was still women patrolling as before, they were acting in a calm manner rather than a serious one.
I'm guessing that news of the witches' defeat reached Spitfire as she was busy ordering some of the others to take down various defensive measures which had been set up out of fear of being attacked.
" This place has really changed," I said.
" With the threat from the desert no longer being an issue, they don't need to have all of these defences out," said Spike.
" But what about Ganondorf? Surely he would attack his own people for betraying him," I said.
" He no longer has any concern for his people considering he has been ruling Hyrule for these past seven years, and has not once visited here. In his eyes, the Gerudo are nothing more than an inconvenience, so any problems they are experiencing don't register with him. He may claim that what he has done was for them, but in reality he couldn't care less," said Spike.
" Who would have thought a man like him would be born," I said.
" Ganondorf was born as an ordinary baby although some would say that from the day he first came into the world, he had an evil streak inside of him which couldn't be quelled by any means. His surrogate mothers must have sensed this, and wanted to make sure that he was raised to become a man who had a desire for power. I suppose if he didn't have this evil streak, then he would have been raised as a man dedicated to the well-being of his people," said Spike.
If he had been raised differently then none of this would have happened, and while the thought of travelling back through time's flow would allow me to perhaps prevent the witches from manipulating him, I know such a thing is impossible. What happened in the past needs to remain that way because it's become a part of history. As Epona came to a stop in front of the entrance to the fortress, I climbed down from her just as Spitfire noticed, and proceeded to walk over to where I was.
" Sunset Shimmer? Quite the surprise seeing you here once again," said Spitfire.
" I'm surprised at how much different this place is when I came here last time," I said.
" The wind delivered me a message a short time ago, and what it was made me very happy. You were able to defeat Ganondorf's surrogate mothers, and that means the desert will slowly return to normal. We Gerudo can now begin to finally live in peace although the jury is still out with the other tribes, but that is something we will deal with eventually. I would invite you inside where we can talk on a more private basis, yet I suspect you can't stay here very long because of needing to fight and defeat Ganondorf," said Spitfire.
" Do you know anything about his castle?" I asked.
" I've never been inside of it, however, I do know some aspects of the interior because he told us about it before he left good seven years ago. I'm aware of there being a lot of evil elements which serve as a security measure, yet I never imagined Ganondorf would want to have safety precautions given how he is someone who shows little to no fear," replied Spitfire.
This sounds like something which could be overcome if I were to use those Light Arrows which Spike told me about, but that would require finding someone from the royal family as it's a treasure only they know about. Maybe Sheik can tell me where I can find Twilight as I need her help to obtain these arrows. I'm sure it won't take me too long to find her provided that I'm given the correct directions.
" Anything else?" I asked.
" Some areas of his castle are blocked off by monolith stones which look as though they are too heavy to be moved by normal means, but maybe if you were to acquire more power then you might be able to do something," replied Spitfire.
" Monolith stones?" I asked.
" These are giant slabs of rock which are seldom seen in Hyrule, but are very intimidating for their size, and not even the Gorons can lift them," replied Spitfire. Such rocks must be immense if Gorons can't pick them up, so what chances do I have of trying to do that? I'm guessing these stones will be too heavy for me to lift up despite currently having the Silver Gauntlets equipped, so is it possible that there is some kind of upgrade for them?
Guess I'll find out soon when I enter Ganondorf's castle, and that's when Spitfire had one last piece of advice to give to me. " From what we were told about the interior, certain themes from across the temples are featured which didn't make any sense to us given how we've never entered any of them, but I suppose it will make sense for you."
Indeed it did, so it appears I need to face some trials that I've already experienced, yet she wasn't specific which means they could be just about anything. I would ask her to inquire a little further on the subject, but I doubt she has anything else to say about it. " That's all I know about Ganondorf's castle, but I'm glad that you came."
" Why is that?" I asked.
" Did you discover what became of the exalted Nabooru?" asked Spitfire.
" As a matter of fact I have," I replied.
" Then I must know because even now I feel guilty over what I did due to being under the influence of those witches," said Spitfire.
" She had been brainwashed, and was sealed inside of a suit of armour known as an Iron Knuckle. For the last seven years, she had been nothing but a slave to them without any free will of her own. They forced me to fight her, and when I freed her from the spell, she couldn't remember anything from when she disappeared up until I freed her. The two witches then abducted her again, but I saved her again upon defeating them where it was revealed that she was the final Sage I've been looking for," I said.
That's when I noticed Spitfire had buried her head into her hands, and was weeping really hard all because she felt immense guilt over what she had done. I allowed her to cry it out, for she needed to do this in order to overcome what has been plaguing her for some time, and upon finishing, she then slapped her head.
" I can't believe that this is what Nabooru endured for so many years, and it was my doing which caused this to happen," said Spitfire.
" When I saw her at the Chamber of Sages where she and the other Sages have gathered, she believed that you would make a perfect leader of the Gerudo. While she wished that she could come back and help, she knows that destiny has commanded her to remain where she is in order to help defeat the Evil King," I said.
" You have no idea how thankful I am that you told me this," said Spitfire.
" Be sure to let Aria and Sonata know as they just as close to her as you are," I suggested.
" I'll let them know when next I see them, and that should be within a couple of days for Aria, and who knows how long with Sonata given she is still out there in the desert searching for those ancient masks. You have done me a great service Sunset Shimmer, so I shall reward you with something which should provide a lot of energy. We stole it years ago and locked it in a treasure chest, but we never did anything with it given how it served no purpose.
Go to the top of the fortress and near where the prison tower is, you'll find your reward there. You shouldn't miss such a large chest, but if you do then let me know, and I'll have someone guide you to it. I must return to my duties around here, and you must resume your quest, so don't spend too long looking," said Spitfire.
With that, she excused herself and resumed speaking with some of the other Gerudo, so taking her advice to heart, Epona galloped towards where the Horseback Archery field was located, but stopped short of that because I needed the fortress roof.
" She said the chest is located near that prison tower," I said.
" Which is located on the other side of the fortress," said Spike.
" Hopefully this won't take too long as I don't want to waste any time," I said. Walking along the top of the fortress felt strange because I had this fear that the Gerudo down below would suddenly turn on me, and fire arrows where I'd be helpless to defend myself. Eventually a reached a gap which was too long for me to jump across, so I switched to the Hover Boots where I floated across, and from there I soon found the treasure chest. " Strange that it's located here of all places given they could have hidden it inside so that no one could find it."
" At least you managed to find it quickly," said Spike.
" That's a relief because I still want to go and find other items," I said. Opening up the treasure chest, I took out a Piece of Heart which is exactly what I needed, and the warmth I felt was a wonderful experience as always. With my business here at the fortress taken care of, I made my way back to Epona, and climbed onto her saddle where I gave her a gentle kick to the ribs where she responded by neighing and galloping off. " You know, I haven't exactly figured out where I should go to get what I need."
" The closest place from here would be Lake Hylia, so you could try there," suggested Spike.
" I think this time I won't speak to anyone," I said.
" If it's any consolation, I doubt that Daring Do will be willing to talk with you as she's probably busy," said Spike. Epona then galloped back through the valley, across Hyrule Field, and finally into Lake Hylia by jumping over the fences....it took about an hour to make it down here, so already my time was being wasted. When I arrived at Daring Do's home, I was curious as to what I could find around here which would constitute as something to pick up, but so far nothing really stood out.
" Okay, what can I do here?" I asked.
" I can see something glowing on top of the house's chimney, so that might be a good place to start," replied Spike. There was no way I could get up onto the roof naturally, so maybe I can use the Longshot instead, but I don't see any Hookshot plates. That's when I had an idea of using wind magic because I haven't used it as often as the rest.
First, I checked around to see if I could sense any wind, and sure enough there was a strong breeze flowing around. Casting a spell behind me which should propel me upwards to the roof, I suddenly launched up where I landed....but rather badly.
" That almost worked," I moaned as I got back up.
" You need to work on your aim," laughed Spike.
" And the landing," I moaned. At least Daring Do didn't hear me landing up here otherwise she would have come outside to investigate the noise. I climbed up a ladder which had been propped next to the chimney, and upon reaching the top, I discovered another Piece of Heart, so I picked it up where I felt the warm feeling again, but now I need to figure out where I should go next.
That's when I remembered something about the interior of the house, but it depends on where Daring Do is right now. " Wasn't there a pool of water inside? I don't know why, but I'm suddenly compelled to check it out."
" She may be inside working," cautioned Spike.
" Then we'll just have to risk it even though I shouldn't given how she knows me," I said.
" You yourself said you don't want to speak to anyone," said Spike.
" Yeah, I did say that," I sighed. Jumping down from the roof, and landing on the ground below which did cause me to take some fall damage, I walked over to the front door, and slowly opened it so as to not let the occupant know that I had come inside without her knowing about it. The interior of Daring Do's home was just as messy as ever what with books all over the place, but then I heard sounds coming from upstairs, so it was safe to assume that she was busy up there with one of her projects.
Looking around for a few seconds, I eventually discovered the pool of water where I walked on over, and learned the truth about what it really was. " And I thought this was some kind of swimming pool, or at the very least somewhere for aquatic pets to swim about. It's just a deep pool of water with some numbers written down on the wall."
" Do you still want to check to see if anything is at the bottom?" asked Spike.
" I might as well," I replied.
" This does mean switching over to the Iron Boots so that you can sink to the bottom," said Spike. I knew there was something I had forgotten about, and he reminded me about it, so I changed boots and slowly climbed down into the pool. Had I merely jumped in then the noise would have attracted Daring Do. It does sound like I'm being cruel to want to avoid speaking with her, but I need as many items as possible if I am going to hold my own against Ganondorf.
Those two witches may have been powerful magic users, but his magic is on a completely different level thanks to his additional power boost courtesy of the Triforce. As I sank down to the bottom of the pool, I began thinking about what is going to happen when the Evil King is defeated. Do I simply return to the human world as though this had been a mere dream?
Or, do I have to return to where I began this journey before returning home? Or, do I have to overcome the real Ganondorf who was the one that sent me here in the first place? So many questions were flowing through my mind, and not a single one of them had an answer for me. When I finally reached the bottom, I almost freaked over what greeted me behind iron bars.
" What in the world is that thing?" I asked.
" It looks like some kind of giant fish, but with sharp teeth," replied Spike.
" I hope it's not able to break through those bars," I said.
" As long as you don't draw any attention to yourself, you'll be just fine," suggested Spike. There were two wooden boxes down here which made no sense as surely they would have fallen apart from being exposed to too much water, and I was thinking of simply rolling into them to break them open to see what lies inside, but such noise is bound to attract Daring Do. I needed another option which is when I came up with a rather unorthodox idea of simply lifting up the boxes.
Because there was a lot of buoyancy down here combined with the Silver Gauntlets, I lifted up both boxes where there were three red rupees underneath the first one, and a Piece of Heart under the second which was the real prize for me. I grabbed it, and felt the warmth coming from it although it did feel weird what with being underwater and all.
" I wonder why she never knew that this was down here?" I asked.
" Do you really want to know?" asked Spike.
" Maybe not," I replied.
" Now you need to switch back to your regular boots, and float back up to the surface. Once you've done that, simply slip on out of here without making any noise, and we can go somewhere else if you feel the need for it," said Spike. Changing to my regular boots again, I slowly floated back up to the surface where I pressed my feet against the wall so as to slow down my ascent, for I didn't want to make any loud splash which comes when you pop your head out from being deep underwater.
Upon reaching the surface, I quietly climbed out, and slowly tip-toed across the room, and when I turned around, I was relieved to see that I wasn't leaving behind a trail of water which would have exposed me. With that problem becoming a non-issue, I slipped outside before running over to where Epona had been waiting for me to return, and she neighed happily when I climbed onto her saddle.
" That was really nerve-wracking," I said.
" But, you managed to acquire two more Pieces of Heart in the process," said Spike.
" Are there anyone I can get?" I asked.
" You don't have time to go to either Zora's Domain, or Death Mountain as those locations are far away. You could try the Kokiri Forest, but I don't think there is anything you'll find in the forest, so the only two places left would be Kakariko Village, and Lon Lon Ranch. I would suggest paying another visit the village, but I think you want to go to the ranch," replied Spike.
" I would like to go there again as that place made me feel like I was back in Equestria what with all of the farm animals there. Plus, I think Epona would love to visit her home again, and it would be a great place to spend the night," I said.
" You could find something there which you couldn't before because of not having the proper weapons at the time," suggested Spike.
" Then that's where we'll go," I said. When I informed Epona that we were going to visit the ranch, she neighed with so much excitement that it almost caused me to fall off, but I managed to prevent that by holding tightly onto the harness. After regaining my composure, I then calmed her down with some neighing of my own, and I even informed her that this was her last leg of the journey.
My intention was to leave her at Lon Lon Ranch as she shouldn't be forced to wait for me to return from Ganondorf's castle, and she softly neighed back because she knew this needed to happen. It was painful to think that this would be the last time I get to ride her, but I didn't want her to hang around the entrance of a destroyed town for someone who wasn't coming back.
I then petted Epona on the muzzle, and neighed to her in a way which can be described as a special kind of love. Tears trickled down my cheeks because I didn't want to do this, but what other choice did I have? Epona then began galloping off towards Hyrule Field, but while we were making our way to the ranch, someone had been made aware of a certain situation, and wasn't very happy about it.
" Are you serious?"
" She wanted to do this because she felt obligated to helping the Hero of Time.
" This is a huge mistake! If the Evil King discovers her now, he will no doubt accost her to claim the power she wields. If he were to do the one thing which no one has done for centuries, then nothing can stop him. I implore that you suggest to her not to carry out this foolish idea, for she is merely giving him exactly what he needs."
" It is not my place to tell her, for this is something she must do as the future ruler."
" Back when her ancestors ruled over this land, they acted in a more sensible manner."
" Times have changed since you and I were young my old friend, and we need to understand things are different now. Back in those days, the royal family were much more conservative in their way of thinking because they didn't have to deal with problems which served to threaten the kingdom.
Now, with Ganondorf having disrupted their line of succession, the sole remaining member needed to act in a different manner from her ancestors to survive. You have surely witnessed what she has had to do in order to remain undetected, and aid Sunset Shimmer since she returned from her seven year slumber."
" It was her own fault that Ganondorf gained the Triforce.
" I won't deny this because I know you speak truth."
" Had she been more assertive with her father, and allowed more people to understand the situation, Ganondorf would probably have been executed by now. The king should have known that the Gerudo King of Thieves had planned on betraying him, yet he allowed the notion of forming an alliance to blind him to what was happening.
" Mistakes were made back then, but now she is working so hard to reverse the damage."
" Yes, she has made considerable strides thanks in large part to Sunset Shimmer, yet I still believe she is taking a huge gamble. If her plan ends up going horribly wrong, and the Hero of Time is defeated by Ganondorf, he will have everything he has been wanting for such a long time. Even though this isn't my time and place anymore, I think things could end up taking a turn for the worst."
" All we can do is wait and see what happens."
" I trust you have a back-up plan?"
" Of course, for even I am not oblivious to these risks you speak of."
" Then I can leave this world knowing that you've got everything under control, for if you didn't then I would have been forced to play my hand which you of all people know can be rather devastating. My time on this world nears its conclusion old friend, so I'm glad that I could speak with you before departing. I hope that these children are up to the task of restoring Hyrule back to the way it was."
By the time I arrived at the ranch, I looked up at the sky and discovered it was getting very close to sundown, so that means I'll either have to pay a visit to Kakariko Village in the morning, or ignore it completely and make my way to the Temple of Time. Epona felt happy about being back home again for the first time in quite some time, and as she trotted towards the corral via passing by the house, and the stable, I could see that things have remained peaceful.
" It's nice being back here again," I said.
" Where do you suppose everyone is?" asked Spike.
" I can see someone lifting up some rather heavy looking logs over near the back, so I'm assuming that is Big Macintosh. Granny Smith is probably indoors working on raising those cuccos of hers which I remember from seven years ago, or she could be tending to the cattle in the stable. As for Applebloom, she might be in the center of the corral feeding the horses," I replied.
" Or I could be standing next to you."
" WAHHHH!" I shouted which almost caused Epona to throw me off because of being spooked.
" Quite the jumpy one aren't you?" I turned to my right where I saw Applebloom standing next to me, and I couldn't believe that she was able to scare me. " It's been a very long time since you last came around here Sunset Shimmer, but of course you're always welcome here because if it weren't for y'all, the ranch would still be suffering under terrible management."
" I was actually hoping to stay here for the night," I said.
" Our house doesn't have much in accommodations considering it's just me, Ingo, and Granny Talon, but I'm sure we'll be able to find some room for you. I've noticed you and Epona have become a pretty solid team, and it looks like she has adopted a couple of your mannerisms. I would have suggested to take a run around the obstacle course, but getting a little late for that," said Applebloom. I then explained the situation to her because I didn't want it to drag on, and become something that just spirals out of control.
By the time I was finished, she took it rather well which made me wonder if deep down she felt like I was abandoning a close friend who had been there for me practically forever. " I don't quite get the part about you going back to where you're from, but I do understand that it would be bad to keep Epona in front of the entrance to Hyrule Castle Town considering it's nothing but a ghost town."
" So you'll take her?" I asked.
" I know she isn't going to like this decision of yours, but this is something you want to do," replied Applebloom.
" Besides, Epona will be much safer here especially since I'm going to the castle," I said.
" Y'all don't want to go up there because it isn't a pretty sight," said Applebloom.
" You've seen it?" I asked.
" Granny Talon was commanded by Ganondorf to pay her respects to him, and she insisted that I come along. This was back when the king first took the throne, so even now it feels like it were only yesterday that we went there. Anyway, his castle is nothing but a nightmare, and those who desire to see him end up meeting some kind of horrible fate. I'm sure my words won't convince you otherwise because I know y'all are a hero and all, but I would suggest having some potions, and the like before going," replied Applebloom.
I then slapped my head, for once again I had completely forgotten to get my empty bottles filled up. Why is it that I can remember so much other stuff, yet something as simple as buying potions constantly baffles me? Guess I'm going to Kakariko Village in the morning after all! Climbing down from Epona, I shocked Applebloom by neighing to my trusty steed before handing over her reigns. " You can speak to horses? Home come you never told me that?"
" Where I'm from, it's sort of a second language," I replied.
" Must be some strange land if neighing is considered such an important language next to speaking English. I'll put her into the stable with the other horses when the sun goes down, yet you must be getting pretty hungry," said Applebloom. Now that's something which I never did during my entire journey, and that was eating food, but then I never did see any around the towns I've visited.
All I've ever consumed were potions, and even then I have to question what goes into making them, but I would like to have an actual meal for a change. Seeing my expression made her feel very happy, and she let go of Epona's reigns which meant she was going to run away, yet she remained where she was standing. " Did you forget that I raised her before you came along?" I had forgotten about that, and it made sense considering Applebloom knew more about Epona than I did.
It felt weird no longer having a horse to ride around the kingdom, but it was for the best because where I'm going, I won't be coming back again. It also felt weird because I'm a horse in reality, and I've spent a good amount of time riding on one....yeah, I'd better stop that way of thinking before I regret it later.
" Where are the others?" I asked.
" Granny Talon is currently in the stable tending to the cows because she needs to have fresh milk for a delivery to Kakariko Village in the morning. When she's finished with that chore, she'll be going inside to prepare dinner, so I'll be sure to let her beforehand that you'll be joining us. As for Ingo, he is building something, but he's being very secretive simply because he likes his privacy. He'll probably store it away in the storeroom before coming in for dinner, and we can all talk about what's been going on around here," replied Applebloom.
" Talon is going to the village?" I asked.
" In the morning she is because of that delivery," replied Applebloom.
" Do you suppose I could hitch a ride?" I asked.
" I'm sure Granny won't mind, but you'll need to get up at the crack of dawn because she leaves at the sign of first light. Actually, you should wake up before dawn just in case she has an inkling for wanting to get there as soon as possible. Now, let's get some food in our bellies, and I'll explain to Granny about y'all staying here for the night," replied Applebloom.
Throughout the course of the night, Granny Smith was told everything, and I was surprised that she didn't fall asleep while hearing such a lengthy explanation. I guess she really has turned over a new leaf because in the past she acted lazy, so it was nice to see her acting in such good spirits. Big Macintosh was happy about working at the ranch after being such a horrible person before due to being influenced by Ganondorf's evil aura, and he constantly talked about how his project would make things better than they already are.
Just seeing all three of them being happy together definitely made me feel good about myself despite what was going to happen the next day. As I was sleeping, someone else was observing everything which was taking place.
" So in the end my own mothers ended up failing in their task to defeat that kid. Of course, I knew this would happen because the power she possesses enables her to defy numerous odds. There is no doubt she has one of the pieces I've been searching for, and to think that it has taken me so many years. As for the other piece, I know she currently holds it in her hands, but I've yet to discover her location.
I must hand it to that Sheikah woman for keeping Zelda out of my grasp, for this game of hide-and-seek has definitely prevented me from achieving my one true desire. Yet, I know the princess shall make that one mistake where she will at last reveal her location to me....Sheikah....is it possible that the Sheikah who has been aiding that kid is her? Perhaps it is true, but then I won't make my move until I am absolutely certain of it.
I've given free reign to that girl since the day she returned from her long slumber in the Sacred Realm, and while the risk to my dominion of this kingdom has been tremendous, in the end it shall be worth it when I finally get my hands on the true power I seek which shall allow me to reign supreme without equal."
The next morning, I awoke before the sun started to rise, for I made sure to go to bed very early, and sure enough Granny Smith gave me a ride to Kakariko Village. When we arrived just after dawn, and she walked off to deliver the milk, I made my way to the Potion Shop to buy some Red Potions, but then I remembered Spike telling me about the Blue Potion, so I inquired the shopkeeper about it hoping that he would have an answer for me.
" Blue Potion you say? You're in luck as the one who makes it happens to live in the shop behind this one."
" That's a relief as I've been meaning to purchase some of that stuff," I said.
" I should warn you that you'll need a lot rupees because Blue Potion doesn't come cheap. In fact, you'll need to spend just over three times the amount you would pay for a Red or Green Potion, so you'd better be pretty rich." Thanking him for the information, and for giving me permission to leave his shop via the back way, I found myself outside again where the other Potion Shop was located. To think that I never noticed this during my previous visits, but then I wasn't exactly trying to find it.
Luckily, the one who ran this shop happened to have a fresh batch of Blue Potion which she referred to as "Ultimate Potion", and I had enough rupees to purchase three lots which should be more than enough to survive Ganondorf's castle. With this purchase now done, I left the village, and began to walk back to the destroyed castle town where this phase of my journey began.
Hopefully, Sheik will be able to tell me where Twilight has been for the last seven years. Entering town and avoiding the ReDeads like before, I quickly ran up to the Temple of Time, and entered where I discovered no one was there.
" The temple is empty," said Spike.
" I was told that Sheik would be here today," I said.
" Perhaps we came a little sooner than expected?" asked Spike.
" Then does that mean we have to wait for her to show up?" I asked.
" Maybe she is somewhere in the back where the Pedestal of Time is, for I do remember that we first encountered her there when we returned from the Sacred Realm. She was also there when you learned the Prelude of Light which would allow you to come back here at any time you needed to, so my suggestion would to check out the back area," replied Spike. That did sound like a good idea, so I started walking forward when I suddenly heard the sounds of footsteps from behind me.
I turned around expecting some kind of monster, but it turned out to be none other than Sheik. You'd think she would understand what it means to be punctual given she was the one who wanted to talk to me, but I suppose there's no point in arguing about it considering she's here now.
" I have been waiting for you, Sunset Shimmer," said Twilight.
" Why would you want me to meet you back here of all places? Also, why would you request me in the first place? Usually, you just show up out of nowhere which has surprised me on many occasions," I said.
" I have my reasons for doing this, and it will be made clear to you in due time. Sunset Shimmer, the Hero of Time....You have overcome many hardships throughout your journey, and in the process have awakened the Six Sages who are assembled in the Chamber of Sages within the Sacred Realm. Now, you have a final challenge with Ganondorf, the King of Evil, and you must venture forth to his castle where he must be defeated to bring peace back to Hyrule," said Twilight.
It just boggled my mind as to how she was just reiterating information which I already know about, but I wasn't about to say otherwise considering she has been providing me plenty of information where Spike wasn't able to provide anything. " Before that....I have things I want to tell only to you. Please listen!"
" What do you need to say to me?" I asked.
" Another unknown legend of the Triforce passed down by my people," replied Twilight.
" There was another one? I thought the princess told me essentially all that I needed to know about it," I said.
" You were merely told one aspect of this legend, so now I shall reveal another side which is very important as it will relate to you soon enough," said Twilight. I didn't like the way she said that because she isn't aware that I don't really belong in this world. I'm merely here because of being forced by the real Ganondorf to endure plenty of torment as he feels it will amuse him to no end.
If I am a part of the legend of the Triforce, then I'll have to tell Sheik that my involvement is wrong, and someone else was meant to have my place. At the same time though, I was a little curious as to what she was about to say, for this would be the first time she has ever said anything about the history of Hyrule.
" If you would seek the Triforce, listen well. It's resting place, the Sacred Realm, is a mirror that reflects the heart of any who enters it....if an evil heart, the realm will become full of evil; if pure, it becomes a paradise. The Triforce is a balance that weighs the three forces: Power, Wisdom and Courage.
If the heart of the one who holds it has all three forces in balance, they will gain the True Force to govern all." Sheik then came to a stop when she realized that all of this sounded very confusing, so she gave me a moment to let it all sink before repeating what she had said, but in a much simpler explanation so that I could have a better grasp of it.
This must be what Ganondorf wants, but doesn't he already have the Triforce in his possession? As such, he should have this True Force, so why would he want it again? Unless, he didn't claim all three pieces at the time. Perhaps I should allow Sheik to continue with her explanation as my theory is either correct, or completely wrong. " Shall I continue with telling you of this legend?"
" Yes, I'm ready to learn the next part," I replied.
" If one's heart is not in balance, the Triforce will separate into three parts, and a part shall remain which represents the force that one believes in the most. In order to acquire the True Force should this come to pass, you would need to seek out the remaining pieces which have been hidden in those who were chosen by destiny to wield them in their hands.
Those who are chosen shall bear the mark of the Triforce on the backs of their hands. In case you were wondering, Ganondorf possess such a mark for he was chosen to wield one of the three pieces when he claimed it," said Twilight.
" Gasp! Then we need to find them before he gets the chance," I said.
" You can relax, for they have already been found," said Twilight.
" Whoever these other two chosen ones are, they must be pretty good at eluding the Evil King for so many years," I said.
" Seven years ago, Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves, used the door that you opened in the Temple of Time and entered the Sacred Realm. But when he laid his hands on the Triforce, the legend came true. Those who knew the truth were in utter shock over how he was able to manipulate his way in, for those with evil hearts cannot enter the realm under any circumstances," said Twilight.
Of course, he gained access to the realm because I drew the Master Sword from its place of rest without even knowing what would happen, so in truth I am at fault for allowing Hyrule to become a world of darkness. Just knowing this made my heart feel pretty weak, for I couldn't deny that it was my own blunder which caused this, so I am the one who must fix it even if it means losing my life in the process.
Now that I think about it, how did Sheik know I was the one who accidentally allowed Ganondorf to access the Sacred Realm? I don't recall her ever mentioning this in any of my previous encounters with her, so where did she get her information from? " The Triforce separated into three parts with the Triforce of Power remaining in Ganondorf's hand.
It's strength enabled him to become a mighty, evil king, but deep down, his dark ambitions were not satisfied. He wanted to have complete mastery of the world, and one piece of the golden power would not be enough, so he began searching for those who held the other two parts. For seven years he has been searching all across Hyrule for the chosen ones, and he has yet to find them even when they were right under his nose from the start."
" What do you mean?" I asked.
" The one who holds the Triforce of Courage is....you, Sunset Shimmer!" replied Twilight. Gasp! I had one of the pieces!?!? There was no way that was even possible considering I'm not from this world, so I think she has gotten the wrong person. I'm not part of this legend, and I definitely don't have one of these golden triangles on my person. If I did, I would have seen it by now not to mention be able to use it.
" No, I'm afraid you're wrong," I said.
" In what way?" asked Twilight.
" I can't be one of the chosen ones, for I am not from this world. I'm not sure if I ever told you about this, or your leader Impa informed you sometime during my absence, but I come from a different world where my true form is a pony. Actually, I'm a unicorn which is why I possess magical powers, but the fact of the matter is that you have the wrong person. Sorry to have given you such bad news which wasn't intentional, but I needed to let you know now before you end up carrying things a little too far for my liking," I replied.
" Oh I'm aware of that," said Twilight. She knows about where I'm from? Then someone must have been telling her, for I know that it hasn't been me, but who could it have been? Most people wouldn't have said anything as they know nothing, and those who do are five of the Six Sages. Before I could ask Sheik about how she knew about my story, she continued on much to my annoyance.
" And the other, who holds the Triforce of Wisdom....is the seventh Sage, who is destined to be the leader of them all. The time has come for me to reveal to you the location of this final Sage, so are you ready Sunset Shimmer?" I had a feeling she would know something, but then it also confused me for how would she know?
Just when I had a firm grasp on the situation did it suddenly get away, and that's when Sheik did a weird pose which I thought must be some kind of Sheikah maneuver, but when a golden triangle mark appeared followed by a bright light, I had a feeling things were going to get a lot worse.
" Sunset Shimmer? Are you okay?" asked Spike.
" This bright light is making it difficult to see anything, but I'm fine as far as my health goes," I replied.
" What do you suppose Sheik is doing?" asked Spike.
" We'll know soon enough when my vision comes back to normal," I replied. The bright flash lasted a lot longer than the previous ones I had encountered, and for a brief moment I believed myself to be truly blind. Lucky enough, the brightness eventually disappeared allowing me to see things again, but when I looked forward to if Sheik was okay, my jaw dropped because what, or rather who I was looking at was perhaps the biggest shock to my system I've ever experienced....
To Be Continued.
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Heh, so Twilight/Zelda has finally revealed herself.
Moving on, it is nice to see that she remembered to get those blue potions. I would have facepalmed with the force of a rocket if she had. And, it is nice to see the whole ranch group doing a whole lot better. ...You know, I don't recalled the original Ingo working on any special projects (it has been a while since I had last played the game). Is that canon or something you cooked up?
I'm going to PM this chapter's C&Cs, so be prepare.