• Published 22nd Sep 2015
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The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask - Ganondorf8



Sunset Shimmer must save Termina, a parallel world to Hyrule on the verge of ruin. By her side is her friend and mentor, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Can Sunset overcome the odds stacked against her?

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Chapter 19: A Cold Wasteland

Author's Note:

Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding the Legend of Zelda, the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Friendship Games. These are the properties of Nintendo and Hasbro respectively.

The Snowhead region begins in this chapter, and that means a lot of cold is coming Sunset's way.

Cast appearing in this chapter.

Sunset Shimmer - Link/????
Princess Twilight Sparkle - Tatl the Fairy/????
Indigo Zap - Rosa Sister
Sunny Flare - Rosa Sister
Fleur Dis Lee - Banker

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
July 11, 2016
Chapter 19: A Cold Wasteland.

As I approached Indigo Zap and Sunny Flare, neither of them paid any attention to me. They had since gone back to focusing on coming up with a new dance routine, but it was obvious that tensions existed between the two regarding the moon. No one could deny that it was falling from on high--looking at it would definitely give you that impression--yet despite knowing what looms overhead, one sister wanted to continue believing that the carnival would happen as expected. This wasn't the first time I had noticed people going about their business despite impending disaster.

They were either truly brave, completely in denial, or believed that nothing could be done and were graciously awaiting their demise. From what I had observed through my conversations with these characters, they'd mainly accepted the latter option. Had Starlight Glimmer taken away what little hope they had to see them through this crisis? What could have possessed her to cause so many problems? Had she no morals? Those were just a few questions that needed answering, yet many more were waiting for me to uncover them.

Indigo was of the mindset that the moon would destroy all of Termina, and Sunny Flare cast it aside as superstitious nonsense designed to instill fear. Her perspective reminded me of what happened when I went to see Mayor Mare--Mayor Dotour--in her office. She was being plagued by opposing sides who either wanted the public to flee or continue on with the carnival as planned. Not everyone believed the moon was a threat. I would gladly tell them that they were being foolish, and that the moon would be their end. But, because of my ability to reset time, they didn't even know that they were being spared.

Were both sides right in their opinion? Fleeing Clock Town sounded like a plausible option, in theory, but then there wasn't really anywhere people could go to truly avoid the destruction the moon would cause. That brought up another theory. Was there land beyond the borders of Termina? If so, why not have everyone relocate there? Sure, it would be rather inconvenient, but they'd be safe although it would mean having to rebuild their lives. Proceeding as normal with the carnival meant defying the destruction, yet that meant believing a miracle would occur. No wonder Mayor Mare looked so miserable. She struggled to come up with an ideal solution that would please both sides.

Shaking my head, I focused on what I was supposed to be doing instead of lamenting over what might be. Still, Sunny Flare's words made think about the overall scope of this world, and how its people were going about their lives whether they accepted their fate or not. It also made me think of my actions when it came to helping them deal with their problems, like what I was about to do with these "sisters". Even though resetting time effectively wipes out my deeds--it also wipes out any knowledge of my existence--was it a waste of my time? I personally didn't think so, as helping people was natural for me to do. On the other hand, helping anyone meant nothing if they didn't remember it. The only way to know for certain was to bring the four Giants to Clock Town.

Eventually, the two sisters noticed that I was watching them, and turned towards me with anger in their faces. Their attire didn't look anything like the costumes dancers usuallywore back home, but perhaps this was a Terminian custom?

" Go away! You're bothering us!" Indigo Zap said.

" Can't you see that we're busy!" Sunny Flare said.

" I couldn't help but notice that you two were struggling." I said.

" What!? Us!? Struggling!? You've gotta be kidding! We're the world famous Rosa Sisters! We don't struggle with anything when it comes to dancing! What would you know, you little brat?" Sunny Flare asked as she scoffed at me. I knew she was trying her best to not appear weak in front of me, but she was doing a lousy job. Pride was something that she obviously had, and didn't want it to be tarnished. " If you came for an autograph, wait until tomorrow!"

" I'm sorry if my sister comes off as being rude." Indigo Zap said. She looked at her sister with a glare that could make anyone cower in fear. Sunny Flare, for her part, simply turned her back to me and continued practicing. " My sister is usually a lot more friendlier than that, but we've been having problems lately coming up with a new dance routine for the carnival tomorrow night." Indigo wiped her hand across her forehead to stop some sweat from trickling down. " Our dancing has always been the talk amongst people across Termina, so we always strive to come up with something new. But, with the carnival being cancelled, I'm wondering if we should even be practicing."

" The carnival's still happening, sister!"

" Gorman was told otherwise by Monsieur Aroma."

" Huh? The mayor's husband said that?"

" According to Guru-Guru."

" Well, Monsieur Aroma words shouldn't be ignored, but why would Gorman not want to tell us in person? I mean, I'm all for Guru-Guru explaining it to us, but why didn't our leader just say it to our faces instead? That would've solved a few problems instead of creating some." Sunny Flare said.

" Maybe he didn't want your dreams to be crushed?" I asked.

" And what makes you think that?" Sunny Flare asked. She lurched forward, arms on her hips, until her nose was mere inches away from mine. I could tell that she was about to insult me even further, but I wasn't about to call her out. Both sisters were troubled with what had been going on in Clock Town, and making Sunny Flare feel even worse would only make things more difficult regarding their problem. " You seem to be an expert on matters that don't involve you."

" I don't personally know Gorman, but I do understand where he's coming from with regards to his decision to not inform you of the carnival's cancellation. He knows that you've been looking forward to this event all year, and he'd love nothing more than to see you perform your very best. But, he also knows that revealing a terrible truth would shatter what expectations you currently have. It would also shatter your confidence." I said.

" Wow... For a kid, you certainly have a keen observation."

" My sister is correct. However, it doesn't explain why the moon's descent resulted in the carnival being cancelled." Indigo Zap said.

" Safety, I suppose." I said. To be honest, that wasn't my best answer, but then I was on the spot to say something otherwise Sunny Flare would twist the conversation about to make me come off as an uppity kid who thought she knew it all.

" Is there anywhere truly safe?" Sunny Flare asked.

" Not really."

" Figures you'd say that, kid! Looks like your opinion is wrong, sister, but then my own opinion has proven to be wrong." Sunny Flare said. She backed away from me, sat down on the ground, buried her head in her hands, and began to think about what had been said in the conversation. " We must believe that the Carnival of Time is still going to happen despite all this doom and gloom everyone around here has been having. We're the Rosa Sisters, after all! If we can make people happy with our dancing, that should relieve them of their misery until everything comes to an end."

" So, you do believe the moon is falling?" Indigo Zap asked.

" I'm not entirely convinced, but I do know that things aren't quite what they seem."

" Better than you outright denying it."

" Shall we resume our practicing, sister?"

" You've given me the encouragement to please our audience." Indigo Zap answered. She then turned to face me again, her annoyed look having since come back after she had been concerned for how her sister had treated me. " I'm sorry kid, but you'll have to leave us alone now. We must come up with a new dance routine to please the people. If we continue talking with you, we'll never get ready in time."

" Maybe I can help you." I said.

" Do you know anything about dancing?"

" Well, not exactly but--"

" How can she say that she can help us when she knows nothing about dancing? Ugh! Listen, kid! If you're trying to make us feel better, it isn't working! We were hoping to have learned a dance from the legendary dancer, Kamaro, but he died in Termina Field." Sunny Flare said.

" My sister is quite right. You can't help us because you don't know the first thing about dancing. Now, would you please stop bothering us? We've got to get back to practicing until we can come up with a new routine. If only we could've learned one of Kamaro's dances. Despite how eccentric he was, he had the power to make anyone mesmerized with his fluidity after just a few minutes of starting." Indigo Zap said. Both sisters then turned and walked away to give themselves some room to continue.

Despite some ups and downs, they both deeply cared for each other. It was that kind of sentiment that brought a tear to my eye. However, I also knew that they needed some help, and that meant I had to teach them the dance that Zephyr Breeze--aka Kamaro--had left me to spread into a popular craze. To be fair, I wasn't exactly sure how to actually go about teaching the Rosa Sisters. All Zephyr gave me was a mask before disappearing. Was it possible that a part of his spirit had been sealed into the mask just like what happened when I cured myself from being stuck as a Deku Scrub?

I took out Kamaro's Mask and looked at it carefully. Despite how strange it looked, I felt a strange power emnating from it. Even though he didn't actually teach me his dance--it probably would've taken several years--he said that by wearing his mask, I could perform the dance he was performing when I encountered him outside town. I doubted that I would be as experienced as he was or as fast, but then the Rosa Sisters didn't need to know that. So long as I showed them the basic routine, they'd be able to mimic my movements and perform the dance. They would be doing it naturally whilst I would be doing it through the use of a mystic mask.

My only concern, was how was I supposed to see anything? The part of the mask that goes on my face had no eyeholes. If I were to put on it on and stumble about, I'd be doing a great disservice to Zephyr. I couldn't desecrate the legacy he had left behind! I thought about asking Twilight for some advice, but she didn't exactly understand the powers contained within these masks--I didn't understand it either and I was the one who had to wear them.

No! I had to believe that Zephyr was telling me the truth about his mask. Holding it firmly in front of my face, I put it on and immediately expected to be surrounded by darkness due to being blinded. In reality, I could still see everything. I quickly pulled off the mask and looked at it again. What kind of power did it possess? Granted, the Blast Mask--one I needed to use--didn't have eyeholes either, but I suspect that upon wearing it, I'd be able to see just like I could with Kamaro's Mask. All of them had unique traits and it meant collecting them was more important than I realized. Adagio could be thanked for giving me the suggestion.

" How do I look?" I asked Twilight, putting Kamaro's Mask on my face again.

" Can you even see out of that?" Twilight asked.

" That was my concern but miraculously, my vision is the same as before."

" It does look weird on your face, though."

" Hopefully, the Rosa Sisters don't freak out over seeing me like this."

" They'll be curious more than anything else."

" What do you mean?"

" Masks are a means to hide one's identity, right? Even if someone saw someone else and then saw that same person a few moments later wearing a mask, the first person would view the second one as someone new. If you go up to the Rosa Sisters with that mask on, they'll think you're someone else." Twilight answered. Her answer felt like she was insulting their intelligence and that everyone in Termina would react in a similar manner.

I knew there was truth to Her Highness' words in that wearing a mask did give off the impression of being a different character, but surely people could recognize you from the clothes you wear or something like your hairstyle. " It may sound like I'm being critical of people's intellect, but surely you've seen examples of how someone reacts differently depending on what's on your face." Twilight said.

" Only when I was a Deku Scrub."

" Both of your forms will cause people to respond accordingly, Sunset. Remember those guards posted at the gates? They wouldn't let you leave as a Deku because they thought you were a child, but they let you leave without any questions when you were human." Twilight said.

" I was carrying a sword." I said, pointing to the scabbard on my back behind my shield.

" The point is, the Rosa Sisters will see you as someone else because of the strange perception that revolves around wearing a mask. It sounds weird, I know, but have faith in what I'm saying, Sunset." Twilight said. It's not that I didn't believe her, but rather how she said people wouldn't recognize me just because I had something on my face. Humans had their faults but they weren't completely devoid of brains.

Since I knew it was pointless to argue with Her Highness--she did have knowledge on her side--I walked up to Indigo and Sunny Flare, who immediately stopped practicing and looked at me with puzzled expressions. Twilight's theory wasn't going to work--I just knew it wouldn't--but then the two walked in a circle around me several times. It looked as though they were trying to deduce my identity but couldn't put their fingers on it. Surely they recognized my tunic from just a few minutes ago!

Once they finished their observation, they huddled off to the side and began whispering something that was too quiet for me to hear. I then looked at the guard in case he decided to get involved, but he merely stood in place like a statue. The sisters eventually came back over although I felt nervous over what they were going to say about me.

" That's quite the strange mask you're wearing." Indigo Zap said.

" Um, thank you." I said nervously.

" We were practicing a new dance routine, but we stopped because of seeing 'that' on your face." Sunny Flare said.

" Does it frighten you?"

" No, I wouldn't say that. More like it just looks so weird. I've seen a couple of people walking around town wearing masks, so you would easily fit in with them. Still, I think you should leave us alone. As long as you hang around here in that get-up, my sister and I can't concentrate on preparing for the carnival tomorrow." Sunny Flare answered.

" You're having problems?"

" When you're as famous as we are, coming up with new material can be extremely difficult. We've tried all kinds of poses and maneuvers but none of them work. We want to try a routine that has a lot of pizzazz if you know what I mean." Sunny Flare answered. She then noticed my tunic and pondered over it for a second. Surely she knew that I was the same person she and her sister spoke to mere minutes. " But, it's none of your business. You're bothering us!"

" Can I help?"

" With what?" Indigo Zap asked.

" Give you a new dance routine."

" What!? You!?" Sunny Flare exclaimed.

" I might have exactly what you need."

" Just because you waltzed into this area doesn't suddenly make you an authority on dancing. It takes years and years of intense training, dieting, having a nimble body, and possessing perfect choreography with your partner. I bet you can't even dance!" Sunny Flare shouted.

" I'm inclined to agree with my sister, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. If you think you can help us out, by all means show us what kind of dancing you can do. We'll give you as much space as you need." Indigo Zap said. She and Sunny Flare stepped back a few paces and I took a single step back before turning my back to them.

What was I thinking, turning away from them? Were they thinking that I was a liar for saying that I could show them a new routine? Or did they find me ignorant for boasting that I could do something they had been struggling to figure out? Underneath the mask, sweat dripped down my brow and my breathing became erratic. I was completely nervous about dancing for them, but this was something Zephyr desired just before he disappeared into the ether. The tapping from Sunny Flare's foot only furthered accentuated the pressure that was already building up inside of me, but I knew that I had to go through with this.

If the mask on my face was just like the other ones I had, there was nothing I needed to do. The mask itself would do what was necessary for me to achieve success. Twilight sensed that I needed her to not be on my hat, so she floated above the sky before looking down at what was about to happen. The music that I heard when I first came into West Clock Town began playing, and that meant it was time. I gulped heavily and took my first step.

Just like that, my body began moving on its own as though a strange force had taken control of me. I began moving my hips left and right in a swinging motion whilst moving my feet forward and back a single step interchanging between them. My left hand was behind my back while my right was up against the mask. Underneath it, I thought about how it was possible for me to be dancing something I hadn't been taught. The magic contained within the mask must have been Zephyr's--no, Kamaro's--spirit and was guiding me along. Indigo and Sunny Flare watched in awe as I continued to swing my hips around, but then the next bit surprised them--it even surprised me.

I spread my legs apart and squatted down until my rear was a couple of feet above the ground. I had no idea why I did that, but it was something Zephyr had done when I talked with him prior to speaking to the Rosa Sisters. My hands reached up to the mask, and began swaying back and forth slightly in conjunction with my legs swaying about. The sisters began talking amongst themselves and this time I could hear what they were saying. They were surprised at how my dance was unlike anything they had ever seen before. So far, it was working but me dancing alone wouldn't solve the problem. I needed them to follow along and dance the same routine.

After being stuck in the squatting position for what felt like forever--it was more like roughly six seconds--I lifted my body up, spun around on my right leg, extended my left arm out, held my right up to my face, and began the routine all over again. Unlike Zephyr who managed to perform the routine extremely quickly, my version was slower although easier for someone to memorize if they were watching.

Were Indigo and Sunny Flare attempting to perform the dance? I couldn't tell as my body wouldn't let me look at them no longer than a mere second. The power of the mask had compelled me to continue dancing.

" Are you seeing this?" Sunny Flare asked.

" Unbelievable!" Indigo Zap answered.

" Look at how her body flows about."

" It's poetry in motion."

" There's no mistaking that this is a dance that Kamaro himself created, yet how did this kid manage to learn it? No one could've mastered one of the legendary Kamaro's dances unless they were willing to sacrifice their bodies in the process." Sunny Flare said.

" Whoever she is, she is definitely a dancer."

" Yes, sister. I underestimated her."

" Shall we?"

" I think we shall."

The mask then began showing me a vision in my mind of Indigo and Sunny Flare performing the same dance routine. I was impressed that they were able to mimic my movements precisely after having witnessed it being done twice. Then again, they were professional dancers while I was just using a mask to achieve the same effect. In the meantime, the guard had been watching our performance intently, yet he knew what his place was. He had to stand guard to make sure monsters didn't enter, but deep down he wanted to get close and watch.

Once I felt certain that the two sisters had performed the dance successfully, I raised my body, spun around on my right leg, and finally planted my left foot on the ground ending the dance in an instant. Despite having danced for several minutes, I felt no signs of exhaustion nor any sweat pouring down every facet of my being. If Zephyr were watching me right now wherever he was, I was certain he was proud that I had fulfilled his dream.

I reached for my face in order to remove the mask, but Twilight stopped me by bopping my head.

Turning to Indigo and Sunny Flare, I was surprised to find them on their hands and knees.

" You... That dance was amazing." Sunny Flare said.

" Never have we seen anything like it." Indigo Zap said.

" I must apologize for doubting your ability to dance. In truth, your movements were beautiful and your choreography was sublime. I think I speak for my sister when I say we're both in awe over what you just did." Sunny Flare said.

" If it's okay with you, we'd like to use this routine at the Carnival of Time tomorrow night." Indigo Zap said. I nodded my head and they both squealed with glee. " Thank you for teaching us this new dance. From this moment onward, you are our master."

" Master, you were wonderful."

" We have something for you that we'd like you to have. It's a token of our appreciation for teaching us." Indigo Zap said. She reached behind her back and pulled out a Piece of Heart that glowed brightly in her hand. Just seeing its majestic was enough to make me happy, but then I did this not to get any reward out of it. I did it because it was the right thing to do, and they needed help. " We were given this a long time ago by a strange woman who possessed an aura that could be best described as breath-taking. We told her that we had no use for it, but she said to keep it until the right person comes along who you could give it to."

" Please accept our gift, master." Sunny Flare said. I reached out and took the Piece of Heart from Indigo, and immediately my body felt the same warmth that usually came whenever I got my hands on one. Before I could thank them properly, they started clapping upon getting back onto their feet. I felt embarrassed knowing they were smitten what over I had done for them, underneath my mask, my face began to blush. " Master, you're so cool. It'd be a great honour if you could come and watch us at the carnival."

" You want me to be there?" I asked.

" Of course! We'll make sure you have a front row seat."

" Nothing is too good for our master." Indigo Zap said.

" We'll speak with Gorman about it tomorrow morning when he wakes up."

" Master, feel free to speak to us any time you want. We'll always be willing to chat with you should you feel the need to. Now, we must resume practice with our new routine so that we may prove ourselves worthy of your teaching." Indigo Zap said. With that, she and Sunny Flare turned and walked a few paces before performing Kamaro's dance. They were in perfect sync with each other, and that meant they were going to be fine.

Since I no longer needed to wear Kamaro's Mask, I removed it from my face, breathed a sigh of relief, and ran my hand across my face. I wanted to see if I was sweating after going through a grueling experience. My hand revealed no sweat. Looking back upon Indigo and Sunny Flare, I wished that I could help them deal with the true problem at hand, namely, changing the world back to the way it was supposed to be. They obviously didn't know things weren't meant to be this way, and were completely entrenched portraying the Rosa Sisters.

I looked down at the mask in my hands, at the sisters, then up at the moon, and it made me realize something. Despite everything I had done: rescuing Fluttershy, saving a monkey, freeing Principal Celestia from being trapped inside an evil mask, soothing Zephyr Breeze's spirit, and helping two Shadowbolts learn a dance, it ultimately would amount to nothing. When I reset time, all of this would go back to the way it was before I arrived in Termina. My hard work would be gone.

" Is something bothering you, Sunset?" Twilight asked.

" When we restart time, all of this will revert back." I answered.

" The one drawback of reliving the same three days over and over."

" Twilight? Do you think my efforts amount to anything in the overall grand scheme?"

" It's hard to say because we don't know what will happen once the moon has stopped falling. I know our current efforts will be wiped clean upon restarting, but I'd like to think that you're doing the right thing by helping. Besides, that notebook you got from Sonata should be keeping tabs on the people you've helped." Twilight answered.

Her Highness was right. I quickly took out the Bomber's Notebook from somewhere on my person and opened it up. Entries for both Kamaro and the Rosa Sisters had since appeared in it, yet the portraits were of the characters as they were meant to be in the game. I flipped back a couple of pages to see if Fluttershy had been given an entry, and sure enough, there she was along with Mrs. Cheerilee--rather, it was the Deku Princess and Deku Butler respectively. Despite time undoing my work, the notebook contained proof that I had been helping out those who needed it. Would there be other people? Most likely as Termina was brimming with people who were miserable.

" Do you think we have enough time to get started on the next region?"

" Maybe, but we don't know for sure what awaits us up there."

" We know that the Gorons live in the mountains, but we haven't seen any around here since we arrived."

" Going to Snowhead now might not be a wise decision, Sunset. Tatl's memories have nothing about the region, so we would be going in blind. Perhaps we should start our trek there on the next seventy-two hour cycle? That way, we can have the full three days to explore it instead of just one and a half days." Twilight said.

The only problem with her idea was that I didn't have anything else to do as far as I was aware. Much of Termina still remained inaccessible due to not having the correct items, so resetting time now with plenty of time left would be wasteful. That's when a thought hit my mind.

Earlier, I had complained about having a small wallet and needing some way to upgrade to a bigger one. What if I spent some time trying to find a way to get it? That would mean not wasting time, and it would certainly make purchasing certain items a little easier. The only problem involved finding someone who knew something. Another problem was finding plenty of rupees to fill up the wallet with.

" I'm going to get a better wallet!" I announced to the surprise of Twilight.

" How do you plan on doing that?"

" Someone must know where I can get my hands on one."

" Well, I guess it's better than not doing anything."

" Now who would be an expert when it comes to money?"

" The upper class might know something, but I doubt they'd want to speak to someone like you because of your status. It happens far too often in Equestria these days and something really needs to be done about it. Anyway, the only other I can think of is Fleur Dis Lee who runs the bank behind the Clock Tower." Twilight answered. I was surprised that she used our home land in such context. Her Highness was right about Equestria having a disparity issue between high and low class ponies, but I didn't think she would use it to talk about finding out how to get my hands on a bigger wallet.

She was right about Fleur Dis Lee, however. If anyone knew something about money, it would be her, and she might know where I could find a wallet. Luckily for me, she was located in the next section of Clock Town, so it wouldn't take more than a minute to walk over to the bank. With a plan figured out, I began to walk towards South Clock Town.


" So this is where my other self ended up when the human world was transformed into this one. I honestly had hoped she would wind up in a place that took advantage of her vast, but inferior intellect, but I suppose this will have to suffice."

" What is that awful stench!? I've been smelling it ever since we got here!"

" That would be the smell of death. I'm surprised that you would be so easily offended by such an odor considering that you have been on death's doorstep many times all because of your other self."

" No need to rub it in!"

" I didn't mean to remind you of what happened."

" It's in the past and I'd prefer to keep it that way." A large figure then jumped down from its perch and landed next to a slightly smaller figure who had been busy writing down something on a notepad. The small figure appeared content with her work and showed a calm demeanour as she wrote using what looked to be a pen made of shadows. The tall figure was antsy and appeared ready to snap at a moment's notice, yet was quickly calmed down when the small figure showed her what she had written. " Despite being a demon of immense magical power who could potentially rule the world, you're far more interested in learning about your surroundings."

" I'm dedicated to understanding everything no matter what."

" Your attention to detail is spot on. I wish that I could be like that instead of what I ended up being." The tall figure looked down at her hands for a few seconds before slamming them down on the ledge she and the small figure were sitting on. The impact from her hands loosened bits of rock that dropped to the ground below, yet the mysterious shapes that surrounded a nearby house were oblivious to what had just occurred above. " All I am is someone who has to be strong so that Equestria shall fall at my feet."

" It's hard to change when you only know certain things."

" If not for you keeping me in check these days, I'd have likely found Sunset Shimmer, attempted to kill her and assume her life, and end up dying again all because I allowed my anger to blind me. It was a miracle that I managed to come back to life through sheer will alone."

" Most could never will themselves back to the living, but you had a valid reason and that was to become the true Sunset." The small figure then turned to the next page of her notepad and showed her companion what else she had written. " I've been watching those strange creatures surrounding that house for some time now. Despite having no intelligence and just walking around the place, they appear to be drawn to something that's inside."

" What do you think is in there--other than 'her', of course?"

" I don't know, but what I do know is that those creatures cannot die through conventional means."

" Hah! Just give me a few minutes and I'll rip them to shreds." The tall figure then took off by spreading her wings, but was quickly dragged back down to the ledge when the small figure grabbed her by the tail on a whim. " Ow! What was that for!?"

" Those creatures are already dead, so killing them would do nothing."

" Oh."

" This entire place is crawling with the undead and all because of that temple being open."

" Why not close it again?"

" The undead don't have the power to do that, but Sunset Shimmer does. Unfortunately, it will be quite some time before she manages to get here." The small figure then closed her notepad, adjusted what looked like glasses on her face, and turned to face her companion. " She should be starting her trek through the frozen wasteland soon, so if you want to carry out your intention of encountering her there--"

" No, I think we'll remain here."

" What made you change your mind?"

" Dealing with Sunset Shimmer is something I want to do more than anything, but right now I need to think about how best to approach the situation. My previous attempts resulted in me getting beaten to within an inch of my life with the final attempt resulting in my life leaving my body."

" You're learning."

" We'll meet her in that frozen tundra, but not just yet. For now, I'll let her play about in the snow and go about her business. The two of us can continue to observe your other self as she struggles to protect whatever is inside that has enticed the undead. Why do you think that house is in the shape of a music box?"


Once again, Her Highness had come through spectacularly. We visited Fleur Dis Lee at the bank, who had to check my hand for the mark she stamped on it when I first met her upon arriving in Termina, and revealed she knew how I could get my hands on a bigger wallet. I didn't understand why she insisted on being cryptic, but I guessed I had to earn it the hard way rather than simply having it handed over to me. Fleur said that I needed to deposit a lot of rupees at the bank--and reminded me that I had only deposited twenty rupees. My assumption was that the task of depositing rupees would be easy, but it was harder than expected.

The problem with collecting rupees was that there was only so many in one location before you were forced to look somewhere else. My efforts in looking for rupees across town resulted in abysmal failure, but it did allow me to memorize where everything was for future reference. I had hoped there would be some treasure chests lying about, but they were either very well hidden or I lacked a keen sense of finding them. That meant I had to collect rupees in the most mundane fashion.

I had to grind for them.

It was something I did when I explored Hyrule, but I hated it because I had to go back and forth several times between locations. Ultimately, it was just a waste of time that only made me miserable. The thought of having to do it again brought misery on my face, yet it would be under more restrictive conditions what with the limited time I had until I had to reset everything. I had no other alternative. If I wanted a bigger wallet, I had to rupee-grind for several hours or so.

My first instinct involved searching for pots scattered throughout town, and smashing them to collect what was inside. Unfortunately, there weren't that many pots so I had to try another tactic. Then I thought about cutting tufts of grass as that usually gave me small rewards, but again there weren't many of those in town either. My only option involved going outside into the field, cut down any grass, defeat monsters, and check every nook and cranny until my wallet was completely full.

Twilight had one concern about my plan. When the grass is cut by my sword, she said it would take several days for new grass to grow. However, I told her that by leaving an area and then coming back a moment later, it will be back and fully grown. Her Highness was confused at how that was even possible, but I said it involved a mechanic the game employs to give players a chance to spend some time collecting rupees. She had forgotten that we were still in a video game--to be fair, it felt so much more than that. Once we were outside, I began my quest to grind for money, give it to Fleur Dis Lee, and repeating the process until I had deposited enough.

[Several Hours Later]

" Oh? You're back again!" Fleur Dis Lee said as she saw me approach the bank.

" Here... You... Go!" I said, completely exhausted. When I got up to the counter, I stumbled forward, my body slammed into the counter, my arm thrust forward, and my wallet fell from my hand onto the ground by her feet. It felt like my body had been weighed down by a boulder that I couldn't get rid of. I had spent roughly five hours combing through grass, avoiding Blue Bubbles, and more just so that I could reach the maximum amount of rupees--it was ninety-nine--my wallet could hold. It helped that I had properly rested earlier when I had to race against Mrs. Cheerilee, yet I really wanted to just drop down and sleep for the next twenty-four hours. " I... can't believe... I endured so much... just to deposit money."

" If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were addicted to depositing money."

" That's the understatement of the year."

" Well, let me just add this total to what you deposited earlier, and we'll see if you have enough." Fleur Dis Lee said. She picked up my wallet and walked over to the safe that was situated at the back of the bank. She then fiddled about with a dial on the front for several seconds until it clicked then opened the vault before emptying the contents of my wallet. As I regained my composure and stood back up, I was able to glimpse over at what she was doing. " Are you curious as to how many rupees I have in here?" Fleur Dis Lee had noticed me and turned her head slightly before winking. " You might not know this, but you're the only one who has deposited anything."

" You mean, I'm your only customer?"

" People have been hoarding their wealth in the last couple of days ever since the moon first started falling."

" It's not like that will do anything."

" To them, it's part of their plans to relocate to safer grounds until the moon crashes. I doubt it's going to work since I think the moon will wipe out all of Termina. For me, it's just business as usual until the end comes." Fleur Dis Lee said. After she had finished depositing my rupees, she walked back over but kept my wallet in her hand. " You've now deposited two hundred and eighteen rupees, and that means you reached the two hundred threshold."

" So now you'll show me how to get a bigger wallet?"

" Why show you when I can just give it to you?" Fleur Dis Lee asked. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a wallet that looked identical to the one I had given her, yet it was much larger and appeared to have been made from better materials. " This right here is the Adult's Wallet! Adults are allowed to carry a lot of money, yet kids are forced to carry small amounts as adults claim they're immature. You've proven to be mature, and you did deposit plenty of rupees, so let me keep your old wallet and you can have this bigger one in return." She handed over the bigger wallet and I held it firmly in my hand. This would go a long way to making better purchases that would help me along. " Now let's see if you can deposit five thousand rupees into the bank."

" Five thousand!?" I exclaimed, my jaw dropping and eyes widening in response.

" That's the most the bank can hold. I know it sounds weird but I think you'll like the reward that you get in the end. You don't need to deposit five thousand rupees at all once as I know you've got other things that need to be done first. Just be sure you stop on by every now and again. I hardly see anyone because of what's been going on." Fleur Dis Lee said.

Thanking her for the new wallet, I turned and walked back toward a bench located near the bank, and sat down on it before looking up at the sky. Was it worth spending so long scrounging up enough rupees? I think so because now I can buy more expensive things. However, there was one item that continued to elude me. I recalled seeing the mask that Iron Will was selling at the Curiosity Shop for five hundred rupees. This new wallet wouldn't allow me to buy it, and I doubted he would accept being paid in several payments. I supposed I could convince him to cut me a deal and drop the price, but he looked to be immune to such ideas.

" Hey!" Fleur Dis Lee called out. " I forgot to mention that there is an even larger wallet that you can get. It's a pretty rare wallet in that only the truly wealthy can afford it, but I do know of a guy who has one that he received through questionable circumstances. Last I heard, he was heading towards Great Bay to the west of town." I thanked her by waving and she resumed her business by just standing there waiting for another customer.

" Another wallet?" I asked.

" Is it something you need, Sunset?" Twilight asked.

" Remember that mask Iron Will had?" I asked. Twilight nodded her head. " He was selling it because I prevented that Old Lady from being robbed of her goods, but the price was too high for me to afford. If I can get the next sized wallet, there should be nothing that I can't afford. The only question is, should we go to Snowhead to find the next Giant? Or, see if we can find this guy in Great Bay?"

" I suggest Snowhead."

" Because of our mission?"

" Yes, but I recall something from Tatl's memories. There is a tall fence that blocks the path that leads to Great Bay. I don't think you have the ability to jump that high, and it appears to be completely unscalable." Twilight answered.

" Guess that means we're going to Snowhead."

" Is there anything else you need to do or do you want to reset time?"

" Grinding for this wallet did take up most of the night and there isn't really anything else I can think of that needs doing. Looks like we're going to be restarting things a little sooner than expected." I answered. I reached into my pouch and took out the Ocarina of Time, and upon staring at it, I knew that by resetting time, everything that I had accomplished would be completely undone.

It pained me to have to force Fluttershy back into Woodfall Temple as Odolwa's prisoner among the other things that would be reversed, yet there was no other choice. I had no time to complete another region with what time remained. " So when I play the Song of Time, we should immediately head north, right?"

" Remember that the guard is going to stop and demand to see if you're old enough to leave town, so you'll have to endure that again. I do suggest picking up some ammunition for your bow by cutting down grass. I've got a feeling you'll be needing its power soon enough." Twilight answered.

That was something I felt was getting redundant, but then the guard didn't know any better because he forgets who I was every time.

With my decision having been made, I raised the ocarina to my lips and played the Song of Time--it only took me three attempts to play it properly. The magic contained within the song began flowing around me, and I felt it pulling me back through time's flow. My ammunition left my body along with any temporary items that couldn't be brought back through time, but at least my new wallet was accepted along with the money I had deposited at the bank.

Dawn of the First Day - 72 Hours Remain.

Once I was back at the beginning of the seventy-two hour cycle--and in front of the entrance to the Clock Tower--I immediately ran around the side of the tower, past the bank and into North Clock Town, and spent a few minutes getting past the guard. It was a good thing that Her Highness had warned me ahead of time that this was going to happen. It made listening to the same speech the other guard at the southern exit said that more tolerable. When he was convinced that I was old enough to leave town on my own, I ran past him and immediately halted in my tracks upon seeing what stood before me.

I was in complete awe of the majesty that was the mountains known as Snowhead. It looked like a thick layer of rock had spread itself out across the land shielding what lurked beneath it, and the white blanket that existed on each peak added to the pristine beauty that was no doubt plagued with problems. The white blanket--that I had deduced to be snow--made me shiver because I knew it meant being exposed to cold temperatures. I was the kind of person who loved mild days that were neither too hot nor too cold, yet every now and then I did yearn for a hot day, especially during the summer.

Then it hit me. Was I seriously going to be trapesing about a frozen tundra in my current attire? Couldn't I have been given a warm jacket to wear along with some ear muffs? If it wasn't the creatures that lurked ahead, it was catching a cold or even worse that was going to end my life up there.

" So there it is."

" Who knew that this side of Termina looked the way it did."

" What do you mean?"

" Look in front of you, Sunset, at the area below where we're standing." Twilight answered. I walked forward towards a small wall cutting some grass along the way that gave me some rupees and arrows before I looked down upon reaching the wall. The entire clearing was covered in snow, a reflection of what I was going to be experiencing once I actually get into the region proper. Twilight then bopped me on my head to get my attention. " Good thing you just picked up those arrows because it looks like you need to do some sharp-shooting." She flew ahead slightly and I followed her movements until I saw what she was talking about. There was a pathway that went up to the mountains, but a large chunk of ice was blocking the way with a suspicious looking chunk above it.

" Do you think Starlight Glimmer put that there?"

" She must really not want anyone to go to Snowhead."

" That obviously means something is wrong up there."

" You need to use your Hero's Bow and fire some arrows at the ice chunk that's above the bigger one below. That should cause the former to smash into the latter and allow us to continue forward. I suggest getting a little closer as you're too far away for an arrow to hit it." Twilight said. There was a ramp nearby that I walked down, but before I reached the bottom, I was stopped by Her Highness again when she heard something loud. " Sunset? Did you hear something roar around the corner?"

" What do you suppose it is?"

" I'm not sure, but I don't want to find out." Twilight answered. That was her way of telling me to run, so I began running where it was immediate that I lost traction when running through the snow. The roaring sound was quickly followed by the sound of large footsteps, and when I was about halfway across the clearing, we found out what it was. My heart instantly froze upon seeing a familiar creature I hoped to never see again. " Sunset! What in Equestria is that!?" A large bipedal lizard was stomping towards us covered in a thick hide that looked to make it impervious to most damage. While Her Highness just stared in complete horror, I merely slapped my forehead because of knowing it was a Dodongo.

" Why did this thing have to be in this game?"

" You've seen it before!?"

" Back in Hyrule, although this one is much larger in size. Dodongo's can only be damaged by attacking their tails, but then it's not an easy task when they start breathing fire on you as a defensive measure." I answered. I had no doubt my sword wouldn't do much, and without my magic, fighting it was useless. Fortunately, Dodongos were sluggish so out-running it was easy, but I would quickly discover that it wasn't the only one stomping about. To my right, another Dodongo could be seen, yet it was smaller than the other one. Nearby was one the same size as the first one, so it appeared they came in different body sizes.

" Can you fight them?"

" My sword isn't going to do much damage to them."

" Run away then?"

" No need to tell me twice." I answered. I began to run forward again and hoped that the Dodongos either didn't notice me or were too slow to be able to catch up. Fortunately, it seemed the latter was the reason why they eventually gave up and returned back to their original locations. It did give me some insight on how they defended what they perceived to be their territory from anything foolish enough to venture into it.

With the Dodongo threat temporarily neutralized--I would have to eventually fight them at some point--I slowed down and walked up the path that lead to the ice chunk. It was a radiant blue in colour and was thick in diameter. If I had my fire magic from before, I could've melted this ice without having to rely on doing things properly. However, it occurred to me that I had to do things as the game had intended rather than constantly defy it. Looking up above, I could see the second chunk of ice. It was sharp on the bottom end and extremely narrow near the top. One or two arrows would be enough to lodge it loose and come crashing into the ice below.

" Why not stand a short distance away?"

" Couldn't I just aim from here?"

" Yes, I suppose you could, but just how confident are you with your bowmanship?" Twilight asked. Touché. I thought being up-close would make it easier, but that would involve aiming straight up at an angle only a professional could hit. I wasn't anything of the sort so Her Highness' suggestion was pretty solid.

Stepping back a few paces until I was a fairly good distance away, I took out the Hero's Bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed up at the narrow part of the ice. Unlike previous times, my target was big enough for me to hit without needing to be a perfect sharp-shooter. I fired my first arrow, hitting the ice where it shuddered slightly, so I fired a second one that ended up careening off the main section of the ice and landed on the ground several feet away from me. Twilight thought about saying something but my cold glare kept her silent.

A third arrow was fired from my bow and connected, the chunk of ice coming loose, dropping down, and shattering itself along with the other ice until all that remained was bits of powder that scattered away with the wind. As I put my bow away, I made sure to walk over and pick up the loose arrow that missed. I wasn't about to waste a precious arrow all because my aiming was still lousy.

With that done, I walked forward and soon the path ahead started getting misty, the sky above completely disappeared, and snow started to fall all around me. My body started to shiver slightly from the sudden change in weather, but I knew that I had to just grin and bear it until I was finished in this region. Of course, Her Highness had noticed that the cold was getting to me, yet there was nothing she could have done. As a fairy, she was immune to various environmental conditions--including the cold--so she was fine. Sometimes, I wished she had been the hero and I the fairy partner. That way, she'd know how it felt to go through such torment.

" It's getting harder to see where I'm going, Twilight."

" We need to stick to the path until we can find some kind of civilization."

" I can't believe the Gorons live in such conditions."

" You did tell me that they were capable of surviving in conditions humans could never hope to achieve."

" Makes you wonder how they do it."

" I'm more concerned with your current temperature. Don't try to hide it from me, Sunset. I know you're getting cold from the sudden drop in temperature as your body is shivering up a real storm, so maybe we should go back to town and find you a warm coat before coming back here again." Twilight said.

" A nice thought but we need to keep going."

" Do you want to catch pneumonia?"

" This is the kind of thing I've been forced to deal with ever since I was first sent into the previous game, Twilight. I know you don't like it when I suffer because there isn't much you can do for me, but I have no other choice." I answered. I wanted to make Her Highness understand why I had to do certain things despite clearly wanting to do so in the safest manner possible. Destiny had placed me in a position where there was no escape. I wanted to wear something warm but that would be taking the easy way out. I assumed that Link didn't wear anything up here in these mountains other than the clothes on his back alongside whatever weapons he'd picked up.

" There's always a choice, Sunset."

" Not when the game intends for me to follow it to the letter."

" I thought you didn't do that last time."

" Exactly, but it looks like I have to follow protocol."

Her Highness thought about saying something in response to that, but ultimately decided to keep quiet about it. Despite not playing video games herself, she had some slight experience when we went to that slumber party during the Battle of the Bands. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were competing against each other in a fierce competition their game presented them--Rainbow reset it when it became apparent that she was going to lose--and it compelled Twilight to briefly pay attention. She was told that gamers had to play as was intended by the creators otherwise the true purpose would be lost. Some games did allow for cheating but only if the creator had included it as an option.

As I walked along, despite how cold it was, I couldn't deny that the scenery looked beautiful. The snow was falling at a slow pace and gently landed on the ground where it disappeared into the white hue that already existed. The trees were caked with snow and could easily fall off if enough pressure was applied. If there was one complaint to be had about my surroundings, it was dealing with icy sections every now and then--to me, ice was even worse than snow. On occasion, there were snow mounds that could break if something powerful were to smash into them.

These mounds looked innocent, but the familiar creatures that popped up from the snow nearby certainly weren't.

" I didn't think those things could survive in the snow."

" Another monster you've seen, Sunset?"

" Their names escape me, but I do remember that they're at home in the water. They enjoy skimming along the water's surface, yet they're just as deadly on land where they bounce around in an attempt to ram into something." I answered.

" Snow is basically cold rain, so it makes sense to see them here. Oh, and they're called Blue Tektites. You can easily slash at them with your sword although I suggest keeping your shield raised in case you're not too confident. Conversely, heavy impacts can cause them to flip over onto their backs living them vulnerable." Twilight said. "Heavy impacts"? I had nothing like that on my person, so it looked like going with the sword was my best option.

The Blue Tektite bounced towards me but I raised my shield just in time. It bounced off it constantly in its efforts to damage me, but I wasn't about to let it do that. When it hit my shield again, I drew the Kokiri Sword as it rebounded, slashed it twice, and it disappeared by falling apart.

" Huh... And to think I had trouble with them before."

" You have gotten better."

" Maybe, but I still think I could improve."

" Anyway, we do have another problem and it doesn't involve monsters." Twilight said. She floated ahead of me and slightly to the right before coming to a stop. I walked over to what had caught her interest and gazed upon several snow mounds that blocked the path. I began to think of a way to get past by using something heavy like Her Highness suggested, but did I have anything that would work? " Do you have any bombs with you? Snow mounds may look sturdy, but they're only snow so using a bomb should get rid of them." Unfortunately, I never took the chance to buy a Bomb Bag in Clock Town, so I shook my head.

" I never went to the Bomb Shop after saving that woman."

" Then we need something else." Twilight said. She floated back and forth for a few seconds before an idea popped into her head. " Sunset! That woman you saved! Didn't she give you a mask that was capable of setting off a small explosion?" I wasn't liking where this was going. " Since you don't have any bombs, maybe you can use that instead to destroy these snow mounds."

" Wouldn't the Blast Mask hurt me in the process?" I asked as I took it out from an unseen location. " I know it can be used as a substitute for not having bombs, but I'm not liking the idea of blowing myself up."

" Do you want to go back to the bank, take out some rupees, and buy a Bomb Bag?"

" That would waste precious time."

" Time is pretty much relative given you can reset it as much as possible." Twilight said. I should've decided to go back, get the proper equipment, and come back again instead of deciding to go with using the Blast Mask.

I knew it was a dangerous mask to wear--the skull on the front was a dead giveaway--but then the old woman did say that I could use it to put on my own fireworks show. I didn't actually understood what she meant at the time, but now it made perfect sense. Putting it on my face, my vision remained intact like it had with Kamaro's Mask, yet the smell of gunpowder wafting around my face made me uncomfortable. If my health wasn't very good, using this mask would've resulted in being blown to pieces, but I was doing fine on that front. I walked towards the snow mounds--bombs had a small radius and the Blast Mask most likely had the same radius--until I was mere centimetres away from them.

" You may want to stand back, Twilight." I said, prompting Her Highness to fly a few feet away from me. I assumed that to activate the mask's special power, I had to concentrate my mental energies. I closed my eyes and focused on the thought of clearing the obstacle that was in my way.

BBBOOOOOOMMM!!

The mask exploded and I was obviously caught in the process, yet the damage done to me was surprisingly minimal. I expected to be bleeding profusely due to how powerful bombs could be, but I supposed that the game's physics favoured me. I did suffer some slight burn marks on my arms, but it was better than losing something. Fortunately, the blast was enough to destroy the snow mounds and allow me to continue onward towards the mountains. Twilight then floated back over to me and looked me over to make sure I hadn't taken more damage than expected.

" I wasn't expecting that to happen."

" At least I now know what the Blast Mask can do for me."

" Perhaps it's something you should use in an emergency."

" Guess I'd better put it away in case I get the urge to use it again." I said. I grabbed the Blast Mask, pulling it off my face only to discover that it was fading in and out. A few moments later and it was back to normal. " Huh? Why did it do that?"

" I'm guessing the mask needs a few moments to recharge when you use its power. That does make it less reliable than bombs as you can use as many of those as you so long as you have enough. Perhaps we should consider finding an owl statue, activate it, and warp back to Clock Town with the Song of Soaring." Twilight answered. I had actually forgotten that I could warp around Termina using the song Flash Sentry provided when I encountered him in the swamp. No wonder he was so insistent on me learning it as soon as possible. " In any case, we can continue forward, but be cautious as who knows what may be waiting up ahead." Twilight said.

I took several steps forward before another Blue Tektite popped out from under the snow, so I put the Blast Mask away, took out my sword and shield, and waited for it to get close enough to strike it down. For some reason, it refused to bounce towards me and I wondered why it was acting strange, but then it suddenly began sliding towards me. I reacted fast enough by jumping left and the monster continued sliding down the path until it was out of sight. Upon getting back up, I extended my foot forward and tapped the ground--being cautious never hurts--and my suspicion was correct. This section was made of ice.

No wonder it slid away like it did. I doubted the same thing would happen to me, but I didn't want to chance slipping and falling onto my face. So, I walked forward slowly to the point of shuffling, but soon the ice became snow again, and I was on my way again.

Eventually, the narrow path expanded out into a large area, prompting me to come to a complete stop. I looked left and right to see what kind of area this was. There was a single house to my right that looked out of place given the current environment, yet a body of water situated at the far end of the area was even more suspicious. It should've been completely frozen, yet it was water that could easily be swam in--several ice chunks were floating on the surface. Beyond that, a cliff extended upward so high, it went beyond the clouds that hung above. A path beyond the house looked promising, but a second path near the water that went further up the mountain was even more promising.

" I wasn't expecting this to greet us, Twilight."

" I'm surprised someone has a house here in the middle of nowhere."

" If only there was a sign that could explain what this area is."

" How about that one over there?" Twilight asked, floating towards a nearby sign that was a few feet away. How did I miss seeing that? Perhaps I wasn't as observant as I hadoriginally thought? I slapped my forehead before walking over to the sign with my head held low. Despite how the cold should've clearly shattered the sign to pieces, it was still standing and was fairly readable. " It says here, 'Welcome to the Mountain Village, gateway to the rest of Snowhead. If you want to go to Goron Village, head down the path to the right. If you want to go to Snowhead Temple, take the path that goes further up the mountain. If you need a sword or other weapon forged or improved upon, visit the Mountain Smithy, located ahead in the building to your right.' Well, that was certainly informative."

" At least we know where to go to find the Gorons."

" Yes, but perhaps we should pay a visit to the Mountain Smithy?" Twilight asked. Her thought process was to ask whoever was in there questions about the region, but I believed they wouldn't want to bother with anyone who didn't need them to work on some kind of weapon. " Besides, you might want to inquire about making some improvements to your sword so that it can serve you better. Against Odolwa, you struggled when it came to dealing damage."

" I suppose it could do with some work." I said, drawing my sword from its scabbard and looking at it. The Kokiri Sword had proven itself to be a faithful weapon, but there had been times its power hadn't been enough to ensure my victory against more powerful foes. Perhaps an improvement would make it more effective. " Yeah... I definitely agree that my sword needs to be improved, but what if the smithy doesn't want to do anything?"

" Only way to know for sure is to ask."

" Good point."

Fortunately, the Mountain Smithy's house wasn't too far away, but it did mean having to trudge through the snow. As soon as I started walking forward, my feet sank down causing my movements to become sluggish. At least there were no monsters attacking otherwise I'd be a sitting duck. Upon reaching the front door to the smithy's, a loud roar came from the other side that sounded like someone was experiencing great pain--it was enough to cause me to fall down onto my rear. Someone inside then said "shut up" before the noise quickly went silent, but what could've made that sound in the first place?

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