Chapter 31: Reunion of Ponies
The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
October 24, 2016
Chapter 31: Reunion of Ponies.
If I wasn't a fan of slopes before, I definitely wasn't now. Who's smart idea was it to have the entrance to the Goron Racetrack located on a ledge that could only be reached by rolling up a slope? Were they trying their best to torment me? As I finished crossing the bridge and looking at what I needed to roll up, I was reminded of the explosive weight that I held above my head, slowly ticking away. The Powder Keg had so far managed to survive this long without exploding, but the fuse had grown shorter since I first got it.
If I were to make an educated guess, I'd say I had about a minute before it would go off. If that happened before I reached that boulder, it would mean going back to Medigoron for another one.
I knew it wasn't going to be easy to pass this certification test, but I wasn't expecting the boulder to be where it was. A part of me was thinking that this was just a waste of time, and that other things could be done before I would need to reset time, yet another part knew that this was necessary. Without the ability to use a Powder Keg freely, I'd never be able to reunite with Epona nor would I be able to help out both Applejack and Apple Bloom.
Epona... In hindsight, I used to think that riding around on a horse was weird. I mean, I knew people did it all the time for various reasons, yet I didn't have the same level of comfort as they did. I was a pony after all so the thought of a pony riding another pony would attract unwanted attention. I'm human now and have been for a few years, but deep down I still yearned for those glory days in Equestria, days before my life went wrong because of how stubborn I was. I'd love nothing more than to gallop about on four hooves, feel the wind blowing through my mane, and getting to eat oats, hay, and other such delicacies from the land of my birth.
Maybe, just maybe, that riding around on Epona allowed me to relive my past as a pony. She could gallop about freely without restraint, jump over wide gaps, and plow through anything that got in her way. Sure she couldn't use magic like I could, but the fact was she reminded me of what I had lost. A young innocence tainted by poor upbringing, being swayed by thoughts of power, wanting to prove my worth.
A new thought then crossed my mind. I wondered what went through Epona's mind as she was snatched away from me by Starlight Glimmer. For one thing, I'm betting she was surprised to see me again before we were separated by someone who may not even understand her own actions anymore. To be thrown into a strange world and locked up inside of a pen in a place you don't even understand. She must be scared because no one she knows is around to provide the ideal comfort she needs. That's why I need to get her back, to ensure that she never has to feel lonely again.
Was I being sympathetic to a horse? Yes, but she was more than just that. She was a companion who I could rely on to get me through difficult situations--even if she was now a foal as opposed to a steed like before.
" Sunset?" Twilight asked, noticing that I was daydreaming again. " What are you thinking about now?"
" About Epona." I answered. " You know, my horse."
" It still feels weird that you've actually ridden one considering you're... you know."
I sighed heavily. " It took me a while to get used to that. I mean, I still do find it strange but I also see it as a means of getting to experience my own life as a pony even if it is through another horse."
Her Highness had trouble responding at first. " I... I never knew you felt that way. Oh, if only you returned home to Equestria much sooner." I could tell that she was about to tell me something she regretted, but I wasn't about to scold her. " If I had done more to make everypony realize that you had changed, you'd have reconciled with Princess Celestia by now and not feel bad about going back and forth between the two worlds."
I lowered my hand to silence her before lifting it back up to support the Powder Keg I was holding. " Twilight... You don't need to feel guilty over that. I was the one who chose to remain amongst humans, because their world had become my home. Do I regret my decision? Sometimes, but what I've experienced have been the best years of my life. You know better than anyone how much I want to go back to Equestria, yet circumstances have gotten in the way."
No, I wasn't making an excuse. I knew both Princess Twilight and Princess Celestia would welcome me back with open hooves, but the rest of Equestria was a different story. I didn't know how other ponies felt about what happened when I stole Her Highness' crown--assuming they even knew but I wasn't going to take any chances. Had they forgotten about me? Did they even know I existed? My family... the one I was born into. Did they ever wonder what became of me?
That last question felt the most depressing. After all, I hadn't seen my family since I first became Princess Celestia's student. I... I was never really close to them. I tried my best to make them proud of my accomplishments, yet they ignored me at every turn. Was it their fault since they had my siblings to watch over in addition to myself? No, yet that was what I did without giving them a chance. If I could, I'd love to see them again even if I no longer remember much about that. Sure, I still had some grudges against them and no longer associated them as my family, but I had to acknowledge their existence.
It's what Princess Celestia would want me to do.
" Um... Darmi?" Featherweight called out from up ahead. " Why are you still down there? I'm waiting for you!"
Crap! I completely forgot that he was still up there! I looked at the Powder Keg and saw that the fuse was almost at the barrel. " Can we talk about this later, Twilight? I need to get this thing up there before it blows otherwise I've got to go back and get another one." I began to panic by walking back and forth before calming down when Her Highness showed me her deep breathing exercise she uses whenever she was stressed. " Wow... I've got to admit that your deep breathing does the trick." I said.
Princess Twilight smiled. " Princess Cadance showed it to me when I was a foal. I'd have never gotten through some difficult situations without calming down and not losing my nerves due to stress. Anyway, you've got to get that Powder Keg up there and that means tossing and rolling."
" You don't have to tell me twice." I said. I tossed the Powder Keg where it landed on the ledge situated between the first and second of four slopes. Knowing that time was even shorter than before, I curled up into a ball and rolled up before unfurling myself and quickly picking it up again.
I then tossed it up to the next ledge and repeated the process--I hoped I would never have to do anything this ridiculous again--until I had finally made it to the top. My first thought was to drop onto my knees with relief but I knew that I still needed to destroy the boulder. The boulder didn't really stand out although a crack in the center indicated that it must have gotten brittle from the cold and cracked when the warm weather returned.
My first instinct was to just toss the Powder Keg and watch it explode, but then I realized that Medigoron most likely made it extra sturdy to prevent it from blowing up prematurely under usual conditions; usual being thrown into a wall or dropping it on the ground just to name a few example. I decided to simply place it in front of the boulder and just let it explode once the fuse had run its course.
When I put it down, I rubbed my forehead clean of sweat. " That was without a doubt the most difficult thing I've ever done."
" At least you got the Powder Keg here." Twilight said. " Can you imagine what Medigoron would say if you told him that you needed another one?"
" Don't even joke like that!"
Her Highness stuck out her tongue at me before winking. " I was only having a little bit of fun, Sunset."
" That isn't very princess-like."
" Well, I'm not like other princesses." Twilight said. " Anyway, we should probably step away from the boulder. We don't want to get caught in the inevitable explosion that will happen when the Powder Keg explodes."
I walked back a few paces only to bump into someone who was standing behind me. I turned around and looked down to see Featherweight looking up at me, a huge grin on his face, and his arms behind his back. " Featherweight? Sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you." In my mind, I wanted to slap my forehead for making such an obvious blunder. He doesn't know that he was called that name in this world.
" Featherweight? You've never called me that before, Darmi." Featherweight said.
I blushed thinking that I had somehow insulted him. " I-I just assumed that was your name." I quickly started laughing, my hand behind my head as though I were trying to stop myself from making things worse.
" Are you okay, Darmi?" Featherweight asked. " You don't seem like yourself today."
" I've been through a lot."
" To be fair, I actually like the name Featherweight. I mean, I don't actually have a name but--"
My eyes opened wide in shock. " Wait! You don't have a name?"
Featherweight shook his head several times. " Nope! I'm only referred to as the Goron Elder's Son. I suppose one day I'll get my own name, Darmi, but for now I'm content with not having one." I had a feeling that whoever made this game slipped up here by not providing a name to poor Featherweight. Then again, the same was probably true with most of the other characters who inhabit this world. " I'm glad you came here, Darmi." Featherweight continued. " Now that it's nice and warm out, I'm much, much better."
" I'm glad to hear that."
" Even if my daddy isn't right beside me, I won't be selfish and cry." Featherweight said. " I know that everyone was probably upset over how I kept on crying, but I was filled with despair that I didn't even realize how they felt. At least I wasn't too loud for them."
I rolled my eyes. " I'm not sure they felt the same way."
" Did you say something?"
" No, nothing."
" Anyway." Featherweight continued. " Now that spring has come, the Goron Races should be starting soon. But... But this rock is in the way, so I can't get in to see the race. I don't know how it got there but I'm not strong enough to get rid of it. And spring's just started, too... I was so excited...but there's nothing I can do..." He started to sniffle and that meant only one thing. I was about to get an earful of his crying. Now I would know how the other Gorons felt when they had to put up with it.
I had to say something to convince him not to cry. " I'm just about to blow up that--"
" I hate it! I hate it! I wanna see it! I wanna see it! I wanna see the race!" Featherweight shouted in tears. My ears were immediately bombarded with his crying and I wanted to cover them up in hopes of not going deaf. For a child, he certainly had a booming voice. " Break it! Break it! I wanna go to the race! I wanna go to the race!"
As if a motherly instinct suddenly took over me, I got down onto my knees and gave Featherweight a big hug. " You don't need to cry anymore. If you look to where the boulder is, you can see that I placed a Powder Keg there. It's going to explode in a few moments so you'll soon be able to see the race." How was it that the Powder Keg still hadn't gone off yet? I could've sworn it should've blown up by now and yet the fuse was still going. Was it possible that time stopped whenever I talked to someone? I never considered it before as I never noticed, but perhaps now was a good time to test that theory.
Moments later, the Powder Keg exploded and the boulder was blown up into pieces that scattered about the landscape. Featherweight was immediately overcome with joy that he ran into the cave and was soon out of sight. He certainly had a lot of energy for someone of his age. At least now I could return to Medigoron and inform him that I had completed the certification test. I did consider giving him a piece of my mind for putting me through so much stress, but I ended up deciding against it.
That's when I noticed Princess Twilight was looking at me with a smug look on her face. " What!?" I asked.
" I thought that was wonderful how you comforted Featherweight like that." Twilight said. " If Princess Celestia had seen that with her own eyes, she would have been so proud of such a display."
" I just felt this motherly instinct take over."
" It must have been your empathy." Twilight said. " You didn't want him to suffer so you comforted him."
I scratched my head. " My... empathy?"
Her Highness nodded. " Yes. If you ever had your own Element of Harmony, it would be Empathy."
" Because of what I went through?"
" Yes." Twilight answered. " Your struggles after you decided to change your ways in addition to your troubled past have made you someone who can express empathy towards anyone who might be going through a similar situation. By showing them what can happen if they continued down their chosen path, they will learn from you that they will end up experiencing pain and misery. I don't mean to insult you or anything, Sunset, but that is essentially what happened to you."
Her Highness didn't say anything that I didn't disagree with. I did experience pain and misery as I was growing up. I hid such feelings by becoming cold and wanting power more than anything else. Had I been more honest and admitted my weaknesses, perhaps my life would have turned out differently. Because I knew what it was like to become a monster, to atone for my crimes by being cast aside by my peers, to wallow in misery on my own, I could show others another way.
That's what happened with Twilight Sparkle. Had I not succeeded in reasoning with her--and becoming Daydream Shimmer--she would still be a monster and two worlds would be nothing but experiments to her.
Empathy... Was it really my Element? Despite the strong evidence suggesting yes, I wasn't entirely sure about it. Maybe, if I were to find someone else who had lived a good number of years and needed someone to talk to so they could open up their hearts to me. Perhaps then I could see myself as being empathetic towards their plight.
Suddenly, a thunderous roar started to sound throughout the area. Was it thunder? I looked up at the sky, no clouds indicted otherwise, although the moon falling reminded me that soon I would be resetting time and turning things back to how they were before. The sound continued to get louder until I looked behind me and saw a most peculiar sight.
Gorons--at least a dozen of them--were rolling towards me at an alarming rate. I had no idea where they came from but I wasn't about to be bowled over, so I merely stepped to the side and watched as they piled into the tunnel until only Her Highness and I remained, confused by the whole spectacle. Had the explosion from the Powder Keg reached the village prompting them to make their way over here? Or had they been following me, waiting for the moment to come where they could gain access to their precious racetrack? Either way, I could now gain access myself.
I walked into the cave and immediately began to stumble about in the darkness. Whoever created this tunnel forgot to include torches and that meant having to quickly adjust my eyes while hoping not walking into something--I would eventually do that by stubbing my foot against a rock on the ground.
" This is ridiculous." I moaned. " Why don't they have torches in here?"
" It's not that long of a tunnel." Twilight answered. " The Gorons probably don't think it wise to have torches since they don't seem to come in here all that often."
My throbbing foot was suggesting otherwise. " Well, maybe they ought to consider it in the future." For the next few moments, I mumbled under my breath so that Her Highness wouldn't have to hear the vulgar language I was using to express how painful my foot was.
It also turned out that she was right as the tunnel quickly ended and opened out into a really impressive sight. The Goron Racetrack appeared before us although we could only see the beginning and the end according to crude signs hanging from the peaks indicating start and finish. I had to admit that it was a pretty impressive sight especially how the track looked smooth. I suspected that it was the Goron's pride and joy given how neat everything was.
To my left were several Gorons who appeared to be flexing their muscles and getting in some exercise. Were they planning on racing? If so then I was in for some rather stiff competition since I had to win to obtain the bottle of gold dust. Technically, there was no point to me winning since the gold dust was worthless to me at this point, but the bottle was much more useful assuming it was something I could claim.
" It looks like there's strong competition." Twilight said. " I'm not sure how you're going to fare."
" Compared to me, those guys are experts at this Patriarch Race."
" That is definitely going to be a problem." Twilight said. " Yet you don't really have much of a choice here, Sunset. The others are expecting you to race because you've been chosen to succeed the Elder as the next patriarch of the tribe. I know this isn't supposed to be your race since Darmani was supposed to be here, but we can't let them know that their heroine is dead."
I sighed heavily. That was perhaps the one annoying thing about this. Maud--Darmani--was the real successor to the Goron Elder, not me. I was just someone who was pretending to be her in order to help her finish her mission in life. " Maybe I should reconsider this and go somewhere else until we need to reset time."
" Featherweight seemed to be hoping that you would race."
" What makes you say that?"
" Did you see the look on his face?" Twilight asked. " I sure did and it was a look of hope. I think he expects you to not only take part in the race but to win it too. If you're thinking of backing out now, Sunset, you no longer have that luxury especially with regards to Featherweight. There's no need for me to explain why, is there?"
Once again, Her Highness was correct. To back down from this challenge would mean breaking the innocent heart of a child, and I would merely be replicating my time as a monster by relying on emotional damage. I understand what Featherweight is going through better than most. When I comforted him just before the Powder Keg exploded, I could feel a deep feeling brewing inside of him, a feeling of admiration towards me. He must really view Darmani as the greatest thing out there. He sees her as someone to look up to, to be inspired by, to carry on a legacy that meant so much to so many.
For the sake of Featherweight and for the Gorons, I was going to race and I was going to win!
The odds were heavily stacked against me since the others were more experienced at rolling than I was, but perhaps I could channel the spirit of Maud to give me the strength I need to keep up with what I assumed would be a brutal contest. I didn't want her to help me win the race as that would be cheating, but if she could somehow transcend through death and grant me the ability to tap into her power, I could easily handle the rest.
Sure, it sounded rather farfetched but her spirit was inside of the mask I wore. I was Darmani and that meant I could do what she could... in theory.
Walking forward, I soon found Featherweight who seemed rather chipper. " Ah! Darmi! I've been waiting for you. I hope everyone else didn't run you down when they paraded in here to watch the races. See, everyone's restless 'cause they can't wait to enter. You're gonna enter, aren't you?" That look on his face told me that he couldn't wait any longer to see me rolling along battling other Gorons until I crossed the finish line first. I nodded my head and Featherweight began jumping for joy. " I knew you would enter. You have to! I want to show everyone how Darmi races!"
" I could do with some exercise." I said, trying to sound tough although I sounded ridiculous.
" That's the Darmi I know!" Featherweight said. " If your magic power runs low, charge it up with the green jars on the course."
" We can use magic power here?"
Featherweight nodded his head. " I'm not sure why you asked such a silly question, Darmi. Everyone knows that racers are allowed to use magic during the race. It can get pretty hectic out there especially with so many colliding with one another. Magic power will give you spikes you can use to defend and attack others."
I blushed once again and scrambled to make myself not appear like a complete idiot. " Of course I knew! I... I was just testing you." No doubt about it. I was humiliated all because of something that was so obvious. If Maud were here right now, she would be slapping her forehead in sheer embarrassment over how I just handled that situation. If there was any consolation, it would be knowing that no one would remember any of this once I reset time.
" You always did have a good sense of humour, Darmi." Featherweight said. " The Goron Races can now begin! Darmi will be racing today!"
One Goron then spoke out. " This year is my debut at the races... Please go easy on me!"
Another one then said something. " Darmani! Are you ready? I'm rarin' to go!"
Yet another Goron spoke. " Darmani! Are you entering after all? I guess I'll be last again."
Judging from what each of the participants were saying, they were either worried that I would be too much for them or they believed that they had a chance. I admired them for wanting to express their desires rather than keeping it bottled up.
Since everyone was expecting me to say something, I coughed to get their attention. " Let's make this the best race we've ever had!" At first, no one else responded and I feared my words had isolated me even further, but then one Goron started cheering before the rest of them joined in. No wonder Darmani was viewed with such reverence. She could say just about anything and her people would listen.
A Goron, who appeared to be a referee, motioned for those who were competing to stand at the starting line and wait for the signal to begin. I quickly followed the line of Gorons who began walking towards the track and soon found myself stuck in-between a pair who seemed both nervous and excited. Princess Twilight insisted on staying with me in case I were to get myself hurt, but I told her that she needed to stay behind. Since I would be rolling about at high speeds, she would struggle to keep up with me. Not only that, but I felt she would be tussled about by the collisions of competitive Gorons as she didn't have a tough body.
Knowing that I was right about this, Her Highness huffed and floated over to the finish line. Turning my attention to the other Gorons competing, I could sense they each desired to cross the finish line first. While a couple had their doubts, they quickly got over it by developing serious looks on their faces. I knew I needed to get serious too since winning this race would help me on my journey--an empty bottle was nothing to sneeze at.
The Goron referee than asked all participants to curl up into a ball and prepare for the whistle. Everyone else instinctively did so leaving me the only one who had yet to curl up into a ball, a surprise that caused everyone else to look at me. Without saying anything, I curled up and waited for the whistle. If I knew my racing rules, rolling before the whistle would mean starting early resulting in a false start.
Everything went quiet as everyone waited for the race to begin. One loud whistle later and the participants started rolling at top speed. I was the last one to leave the starting line as compared to them, my reaction time wasn't as strong. Already, I could tell that this would be a gruelling race as one Goron was already knocked out when another hit him from behind so hard, he went flying through the air and landed on his side in a nearby ditch. No one even bothered to go over and assist him. I thought about helping but something in my head suggested otherwise. A voice told me to continue going.
" I really want to help that poor fellow." I said to myself. " But, if I have to keep going then I guess I've got no choice." I was able to quickly look back and see the Goron pick himself up and slowly walk all the back to the starting line. They were tough all right and obviously held pride as an important virtue in their lives.
As I continued to roll onward, I was getting further and further behind the remaining seven competitors, but that began to change when I smashed through the green pots scattered on the track that Featherweight mentioned. My magic power was restored and I could feel it flowing throughout my body. Spikes protruded from me once I had built up enough momentum and my speed began to increase. The others in front continued rolling along although they began to swerve left and right in hopes I wouldn't be able to slip past.
" Got to weave my way in-between them if I want to get to the front." Waiting for the right moment, it came when two Gorons accidentally swerved into each other and I took advantage by rolling past. " Okay, this is where things get tricky for me. I've got two behind me and five in front. If I can get those two to collide into one of the others, I can slip by and get closer to the front of the pack."
Knowing I had to let the two behind me get ahead before I made my move, I simply stuck to my current speed and waited until we reached what appeared to be ramps. " I could try jumping off of them and get some wicked air but that could slow me down." The ramps were very tempting yet I knew they would be problematic. One of the Gorons up ahead got pushed really hard by another, resulting in him spinning off a ramp and crashing hard on the ground. " Wow... Things are getting intense." Magic jars could be seen on each ramp lined up including the main path so my choice was clear.
While everyone else rolled off the ramps, I stuck to the main path, shattering magic jars to keep my speed going and my spikes up. " So far, I'm doing good although I need to get from being in the middle of the pack and into first place." Suddenly, one of the Gorons rolled off a ramp, landed directly in front of me, exploded stopping my momentum, and sending me crashing into a rock located nearby.
I picked myself up and looked at the Goron who derailed me angrily. " What in the world was that for!?"
" Sorry, Darmani. Guess I got a little carried away."
I was about to lose my temper and let him have it, but I quickly realized that Darmani would never resort to such acts. I used the breathing exercise Her Highness taught me and calmed down in mere moments. " No, it wasn't your fault. Just please be more careful in the future alright?"
" Thanks. I'm gonna go back to the start. You should keep going, Darmani, and win this thing." The Goron curled up into a ball and slowly rolled away. I could tell that the explosion had really rattled him so perhaps he would consider being cautious whenever the next race would occur.
Speaking of the race, I had fallen behind--the Gorons who had been behind me had since retired and were no longer a threat--so I needed to hustle if I wanted to win and prove to everything that Darmani was who she says she was. Curling up into a ball, I rolled forward, spikes protruding from me, and I began the long and winding game of catch-up. I could see remnants of where the others had rolled around courtesy of tiny craters strewn about the track, broken pots, and pieces of rock just to name a few things. " They must be really serious judging from all this." I said to myself.
I soon reached what appeared to be a grove of dead trees. A couple of Gorons near the end were bouncing back and forth unable to get past, so using my swerving at the appropriate times, I weaved through the trees and in front of them before I felt something push into me from the side. One of the remaining competitors decided to get physical and wanted me out of the race. " He's putting a lot of weight behind his bumping but perhaps I can turn that around and get myself further ahead."
Seeing one more tree up ahead, I continued parrying with the Goron until he decided to make his move. I quickly nudged the tree--I gave myself a speed boost in the process--and he smacked into it before careening off to the side. That left only two more to go and I knew they weren't about to let me get by. They were rolling in tandem, each trying to edge out over the other in hopes of making it. " If I have my calculations correct, the finish line should be right around this next corner. I have one chance to do this otherwise I'll lose. I'm sure these two are familiar with cutting the corner in a race, but I'll have to risk it anyway."
The final corner went down a steep slope that brushed up against a large rock face. If I wasn't careful, I could get knocked into the cliff or even worse. My best bet was to wait until my opponents were so caught up trying to beat each other, they would ignore me completely.
My plan didn't go quite the way I hoped. Both Gorons continued pushing each other back and forth although they started to go for me when I got closer. One pushed me to the side and slightly backwards but didn't disrupt my momentum, but luck was about to come my way. " Magic! Sweet, sweet magic!" Ahead were plenty of magic jars and when I smashed through them, I rolled as fast as my body could manage.
It felt like I was burning up because of how fast I was, but deep down it was as though Maud herself was giving me that final push. " I can do this! I can do this!" I said to myself as the other Gorons began getting closer in their bid to overtake me. " Just a little bit more." My body continued to burn up and was about to reach its limit of endurance before the crowd located by the finish line started cheering. I had no idea what was going on as my last thought involved rolling into a rock face.
" We have a winner!" A Goron yelled out.
" What... What happened?" I asked as I unfurled myself and laid on my back.
" You did it!" Twilight answered. " You won the race!"
" Twi... Twilight?"
Her Highness floated up next to me and landed on my head. " I don't know where you got that last burst of speed, but it was enough to get you across the finish line first. I've never seen anything so intense before in my entire life. It was like a rush of adrenaline flowed throughout my body as I watched."
I got onto my feet. " I won?"
" You did."
Hearing those words made me slump forward a little out of surprise. " Ha... Ha... I actually won. I... I can't believe it. Those other Gorons... They were right on my tail... I thought one of them had gotten past at the last moment."
" You were mere inches in front when you crossed."
" That... That was intense." I said. " I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon." It then dawned on me that I would have to in another cycle of time if I wanted to make my sword even stronger. Just thinking about it made me want to throw up. Her Highness didn't need to say anything. She knew what was on my mind.
" That was great!" Featherweight said as he walked up to me. " I knew you were the fastest Goron, Darmi! I was sure you'd get first place!" In his hands was a bottle filled with a bright powder which I assumed was the gold dust. " You won the race and proved to everyone that daddy made the right choice. Darmi, we will love having you lead us."
" I still need time to think about that."
" No need to rush things, Darmi." Featherweight said. " Take as much time as you need."
" Thanks."
Featherweight then placed the bottle he was holding in my hands. " This is from daddy... It's the prize. This is the finest gold dust ever found in Snowhead. Daddy discovered it a long time ago and only he knows where to find it. I heard that someone could make something really nice out of it if they were skilled enough."
" Too bad he closed up shop." I said under my breath.
" Did you say something?"
I shook my head. " Nope! Nothing!"
" I'm glad that you won, Darmi." Featherweight said. " When I get bigger, I wanna be just like you--quick!"
" This race will go down as being one the greatest we've ever had." I said. The other Gorons began to cheer and already others were lining up at the starting line eager to race so that they could experience the adrenaline. I thought it was just one race per year unless these were minor races for fun.
In any case, I had finished what I needed to do at the Goron Racetrack, so I began to take my leave. No one even noticed me leaving--not even Featherweight--and soon I was back outside looking down at the lake. Quite a bit of time had passed according to where the moon was positioned up above. I needed to see Medigoron to tell him that I had completed the test and was more than capable of using Powder Kegs on my own.
Another thought came to me. Even if I do get permission to use them on my own, where was I supposed to buy Powder Kegs? If the only Goron who sold them was Medigoron, that meant having to defeat Goht every time to restore spring. I hoped that someone else sold them otherwise this would be another problem I had to deal with.
Sometime in the Past...
" Did you call for me, ma'am?"
" I did! Whatever became of that intruder I heard so much about?"
" Well... the others were able to spot them during their patrols of the water."
" And were they thrown out?"
" Um... You see... The thing is..."
" Derpy? Is something wrong?"
" No, ma'am." Derpy answered. " Nothing's wrong at all!"
" You know I can tell when you're lying to me, Derpy. You stutter way more than usual. Look, I don't care if any of the pirates botched it when it came to tossing out that intruder as long as they were thrown out. We can't let anyone sneak into our fortress and go about as they please. We Gerudo Pirates have a reputation to uphold."
Derpy appeared nervous when talking to her superior and that someone rubbed the bridge of her nose before groaning. Unlike most pirates, Derpy was known for being rather klutzy in that she often left weapons among other things behind. The other Gerudo viewed her as incompetent although she was second-in-command amongst them. Their leader saw her as having amazing skill with the sword despite her flaws. However, even she would run out of patience and chew Derpy out for her blunders. It was a strange relationship that often resulted in more than just mere headaches.
As she continued to tremble nervously, Derpy thought about running away when something jabbed her from behind. In an instant, she regained her composure and no longer looked nervous which caught her superior by surprise. " Ma'am... The intruder was thrown out but then they suddenly reappeared inside of the inner ground of the fortress."
" What!? How is that possible!?"
" She just appeared out of nowhere."
" You've gotta be kidding me! Do I look like a fool, Derpy? Do I?"
Derpy once again began acting nervous until the same jab from before got her out of it. " I think they want to talk to you in person." She stepped aside, stumbling in the process as a strange figure entered the room. The figure was wearing a strange garb that resemblance something that fairy folk would wear, but it was the mask on their face that stood out as being the most intimidating. A dark aura could be felt surrounding the figure who seemed calm about the situation, but quickly giggled silently as though they knew this meeting was going to happen in the first place.
" So... You must be Aveil, leader of the Gerudo Pirates?"
" I am, and what in blazes am I supposed to call you?"
" Me? I'm just a humble Skull Kid, a denizen of the forest, who came here to tell you something important." This was the same Skull Kid who had been causing so much trouble all across Termina--or as I've come to know her, Starlight Glimmer. " I did have some trouble getting here because your people were so rude, but I showed restraint by not turning them inside-out with my magic."
" You've got a lot of nerve barging in here like you think you own the place, but let me tell you that you shouldn't underestimate us pirates." With a snap of the superior's fingers, several pirates appeared from behind pillars and surrounded Starlight, who showed no signs of being afraid. " I don't know how you slipped through our defences but your fun is about to come to an end. We can do this the easy way or the hard way."
Starlight began laughing and folded her arms to prevent herself from losing her composure. " That was just too funny! If you knew just how powerful I am, you'd call off your pirates right now, hee-hee. I'd rather not see any of them die when they are so close to making their fondest dreams come true." Some of the pirates began looking at one another when she mentioned dreams as though she could perform some kind of miracle, but were quickly silenced by their superior who glared at them. " Wow... I didn't think you'd be such a killjoy but I guess that's what happens when you're serious."
" You miserable little ingrate!"
" Um, Rainbow Dash?" Derpy asked. " Maybe you should listen to this masked figure. I've seen what she can do with her magic and it isn't pleasant."
" Derpy! How many times have I told you not to call me by that insufferable nickname!" Rainbow Dash answered--is this what became of her when everything changed? " Gah! I can't believe how quickly that spread when it became known that I was capable of running at ridiculous speeds. That name brings out the worst in me every time someone mentions it to my face! What made you want to call me Rainbow Dash when you know my name is Aveil?"
" Um... I don't know?"
Rainbow Dash rubbed the bridge of her nose again and moaned. " Derpy, Derpy, Derpy! Sometimes I wonder why I made you my second-in-command."
Starlight's face perked up--you couldn't really see it due to her mask covering her face. " Oh... So your nickname is Rainbow Dash? My, that is quite the tidbit of information your pirate had the courtesy to babble out just now."
" If you tell anyone outside this fortress about it, I'll make sure you'll regret ever being born."
" Your threats are a joke." Starlight said. " With just my little pinkie, I could easily flatten this fortress to the ground, hee-hee. But, since I'm in a chipper mood, I'm going to leave this place standing, but don't think I won't change my mind because I will."
" Our fortress... Our home... Alright, you've got my attention." Rainbow Dash said. She snapped her fingers and the pirates stood down. " It's not that I'm afraid of you. No, I'm curious by what you said about making our dreams come true."
Starlight laughed again. " I know you're afraid but I won't judge you for it. Now, the reason I've come here is because I wanted to tell you something important. What do you know about the Zoras who live on the southern part of the ocean?"
" Those fish-freaks?" Rainbow Dash asked. " That one Zora among them has been a pain in our butts for years."
" I take it that the relationship between your pirates and them isn't very good, hee-hee! This does make things more interesting. Anyway, the singer of their band recently laid some eggs and has been taking really good care of them." Starlight answered.
" What do we care about some Zora Eggs?"
" If I told you they were the key to acquiring vast wealth, would you believe me?"
" What!?"
" That certainly got your attention." Starlight said. " Listen carefully to what I'm about to say. I'm going to make it so that your dreams of wealth and power will come true. I know each of you desires such things because it's within your nature as pirates, hee-hee!"
Since I didn't have to carry something above my head, I found it much easier to make my way back to Medigoron to inform him of my success. I did feel bad leaving the Gorons but I had to continue with my journey. Judging from the position of the sun in the sky, it was almost noon. Had I seriously spent an entire morning rolling around on a lengthy stretch of dirt designed for Gorons to test their abilities against one another? It felt like time hadn't passed at all.
If only there were some way of slowing down time so that I could get so much more done. I mean, I'm already getting things done although I felt like I could go at a much faster pace than I was already going had I more time to work with. The Ocarina of Time must have the ability to slow time down but I hadn't figured it out yet. Another thought that crossed my mind involved having to wait for certain events. If it were possible to slow down the flow of time, perhaps it could be sped up. Unfortunately, I doubted anyone would be able to help me due to not realizing that everything around kept on going through an infinite loop thanks to me.
Still, if I could slow down or speed up time, it would make my journey a little easier.
When I crossed the Twin Islands Area to make my way back to Goron Village, the two Wolfos from before popped up from the ground on their respective islands and proceeded to attack me as they did before. This time, I had every intention of defeating them even though I could've avoided them. I guessed part of me couldn't let go of a grudge, a trait that was reminiscent of who I was. It didn't take long for me to beat both Wolfos, yet once I arrived in the village, I was surprised at what had transpired since my previous visit.
Many of the Gorons had since left the shrine and were busy decorating the area by hanging up flags, building small monuments out of rock, and even using bombs to carve out tiny nooks to be used as placeholders for what appeared to be small statues of Darmani. I knew Maud was popular amongst them but I didn't expect them to worship her like she was a deity who held reverence above all others. They truly believed her to be the one to succeed the Elder as the next leader of the tribe. As much as it pained me knowing all this would be reset upon playing the Ocarina of Time, I could relish in the fact that they were happy.
One Goron acted differently from the rest. He was looking up at the moon and the sweat dripping from his brow told me that he was worried about it. He was the only one who even noticed the moon was falling while everyone else focused on what they were doing. Carefree fools... Not that I mean it in a disrespectful manner. Until the remaining giants have been rescued, no one is safe from the impending doom that lurked above.
I walked down the path, waving to Gorons who noticed me pass them by, until I reached Medigoron's cave. Someone must have heard me as a tiny ramp had since appeared in front of the entrance meaning there was no need for me to change back to a human for about five seconds. Entering his domain and sliding down to the bottom, I was soon face-to-face with Medigoron who had a big smile across his face.
" Welcome back, Darmani."
" You seem to be in a good mood."
" Why wouldn't I be?" Medigoron asked. " Everyone in the village is preparing a feast in your honour, Darmani. After all, you are the one that the Elder has chosen to succeed him as patriarch. I'm surprised that you aren't mingling about."
Sweat began dripping down the sides of my face. " About that... You see, I wanted to come here first and tell you that I've blown up the boulder using the Powder Keg you gave me as part of my certification test."
" I suspected that was why you were here."
" Wait... You knew I succeeded?" I asked. " How did you figure that out?"
Medigoron laughed, his booming voice echoed throughout the cave. " I heard the explosion! Because of my size, I can hear things better than most although Biggoron does it even better since he is a giant among us. I knew you would succeed in your test, Darmani. Knowing your skills, I feel fine letting you handle Powder Kegs on your own. It was bad of me to put you through such a dangerous test."
" It had some difficult moments."
" Yes, but you overcame them as you always do."
" So, do I get something as proof that I have the proper certification?"
" Indeed along with something else. I want you to take this as my apology." Medigoron answered. He slammed his hand into the ground and a second Powder Keg dropped down from the ceiling although this one didn't have its fuse lit up. A small card then dropped down and landed on top of it which I picked up. " That card is proof that you are permitted to use Powder Kegs of your own volition. If you ever have need of another one, you can buy one from me for 100 rupees or from my apprentice who resides in the Bomb Shop of Clock Town for 50 rupees."
" And this one right here?"
" That's a free one on the house."
While I appreciated his kindness for giving me a Powder Keg for free, it would ultimately mean little to me because I would lose it upon resetting time. The same thing could also be said about the Razor Sword that Fancy Pants and Tirek re-forged from my Kokiri Sword. Resetting time would change it back to normal leaving me with a weaker weapon. It seemed that the more I thought about what I would lose upon resetting, the more I hoped there was some way of keeping it all. Yet, there wasn't because time magic was more powerful than most other forms of magic.
Thanking him for the certification and the gift, I curled up into a ball and rolled up the slope until I was back outside again. That's when I looked up at the sky to see the moon's ever grim expression looking down at everything below. The moon was always meant to be a romantic gesture especially during the night yet now it was seen as nothing but a nightmare to all those who knew that death was coming.
I sighed. " I guess there's nothing more we can do aside from resetting everything."
" I know you don't want to, Sunset, but we have no other choice." Twilight said. " It's going to take many more cycles of time before we can stop all of this."
" This is what Ganondorf meant when he wanted me to suffer."
" Seeing all of this progress being taken away is very painful."
" What if I can't take it anymore, Twilight?" I asked. " What if I suffer a mental breakdown?"
Her Highness then rubbed her tiny fairy body against my face. " It's going to be alright, Sunset. You don't have to go through this on your own. I'm with you and I'll always be there when you need me. We need to remain strong if we are to save this world and change it back to normal."
I smiled. " Thanks Twilight. You know, Medigoron said that his apprentice was in the Bomb Shop back in town."
" We never went in there before did we?"
" No as I never had enough rupees to buy anything there." I answered. " I've deposited some rupees at the bank--I should do that more often--so I should have enough rupees to buy another Powder Keg."
" You should still have some leftover rupees in your wallet. I suggest depositing those otherwise you'll lose them when we reset time."
" Do you think we've got enough time to do something before we start over?"
" Hmmm... I'm not sure what we can do." Twilight answered. " A lot of events are no longer available as they had to be done on previous days while others are unavailable until you've acquired additional items. Besides, most of the townsfolk have most likely fled because of the moon. The only ones left are those who have to remain for one reason or another. I think it would be a lost cause at this point."
I had a feeling Her Highness was going to say that. " Guess we might as well warp back to Clock Town, deposit my rupees, and start over." Taking out the Ocarina of Time from my pouch that changed into the drums that I use while as a Goron--it still baffles me over how a specialized flute could become a set of drums--I played the Song of Soaring and desired to be taken back to Clock Town.
The song heard my wish and wings appeared on either side of me before wrapping themselves around my body. In an instant, I disappeared and then reappeared several moments later in front of the bank--I landed on a higher up ledge that had a ramp leading down to the bank. I didn't think about it at that moment, but I walked up to Fleur Dis Lee without realizing that I was still a Goron. When she looked at me, I thought she was going to freak out but in truth she knew who I still was. When I asked how she knew that I was Sunset and not someone else, she told me that I still had the stamp she gave me back at the beginning of my journey.
Not only did the stamp somehow transcend through time, I could be in any of my forms when it came to dealing with the bank.
Once I deposited my rupees--I had about seventy in my wallet from who knows where--I thanked Fleur for her services and walked forward a few paces before stopping and taking out my drums. As I played the Song of Time, I looked around one last time and thought about all the good I had accomplished that was about to be erased. It pained me because all I would have as a reminder was what had been written down in my Bombers Notebook.
[Dawn of the First Day - 72 Hours Remain]
When I came to, everything looked the way it was back when I first started. That meant the harsh winter had returned to Snowhead, but I couldn't allow myself to wallow in self pity over something that was beyond my control. I had to look forward to the future by doing what needed to be done.
My first course of action was to take out fifty rupees from the bank and it was fortunate that it was located behind the Clock Tower. Upon walking over, speaking with Fleur, and getting the rupees, I made my way towards West Clock Town and started to look for the Bomb Shop.
" Which shop do you think it is?" I asked Twilight.
" How about that one with the bomb symbol next to the door?"
I blushed with embarrassment. " Oh." How could I have not noticed the obvious? Slapping my forehead, I walked over to and entered the Bomb Shop, grumbling to myself over not recognizing something like that. The interior of the shop was riddled with various bomb displays including some rockets and even what looked to be pieces from mechs. If I didn't know any better, I could swear the owner was obsessed with Gundam and its ilk. " Medigoron said that his apprentice would be in here, but I don't see him."
" What about that guy over there?" Twilight asked. She pointed at what appeared to be a Goron curled up on the floor.
" That will do nicely." I answered. I walked over to the Goron who got up as soon as he heard my footsteps. " Um... Hello there."
" Oh! Of all places! I never expected to see a Goron around these parts."
" I'm surprised that more of us don't come here."
The Goron nodded his head. " With the cold snap plaguing our home, it's impossible to make it out of the mountains without either freezing to death or being devoured by some wild creature out there. Say... Aren't you Darmani? I heard that you passed away recently. How are you here before me?"
" It's a long story."
" In any case, I'm glad you came. I can't believe that the Great Darmani is right here in front of me. This is just between us, but I have a huge bomb that this shop doesn't even carry courtesy of my master. Before we continue with this conversation, do you happen to have the proper certification?"
I flashed him the piece of paper I received from Medigoron. " Will this suffice?"
" That's all I needed to see." The Goron answered. " So, will buy a Powder Keg for 50 rupees?"
I handed over the money and in turn he gave me a Powder Keg that I pocketed behind my back--how I did that was something I'll never know. Thanking him, I left the Bomb Shop and was about to leave town when I remembered something I did a long time ago during an earlier cycle.
When I first paid a visit to the ranch, I struck an owl statue located on the path that connected the ranch to the field. I could warp there in an instant without having to waste time rolling over there. Taking out my drums and playing the Song of Soaring again, wings appeared on either side of me, wrapped themselves around my body, and just like that I was sent to the place called Milk Road if I remember correctly.
" Guess warping does save us precious time."
" You have been getting used to it." Twilight said. " Not once did you feel sick."
" I'll need to not use it for a while otherwise I will get sick."
Her Highness began to look around to see if things were different here on the first day as opposed to the final one. " Everything seems to be the same other than the giant boulder over there that's blocking our path."
My mouth dropped in awe over seeing how big it was. " No wonder it took that guy two days before it finally shattered. Why do you suppose Starlight would want to block access to a ranch? It doesn't seem to fit in with her usual means of causing pranks."
" Perhaps she did it to prevent you from reuniting with Epona?" Twilight asked. " Other than that, I agree that it doesn't make sense."
" Do you think we should check out the ranch first or see what Pinkie has to say?"
" Pinkie? Why would we need to speak to her?"
I pointed upward. " She's floating up there and is probably wondering why we haven't spoken to her yet."
" You're currently a Goron and she is only interested in talking to fairies."
" So? I talked to her when I was trapped in the body of a Deku and she still talked to me about fairies. I guess she thinks anyone who wears green clothes and has a fairy travelling about with them is a fairy in her eyes." I said.
" That does sound a lot like Pinkie Pie." Twilight said. " I'm sure she would be willing to talk to you despite you already having purchased the map of this area. Since we're here much sooner than normal, I'm sure she will have new information or rather old information because it hasn't happened yet."
" Okay, then we'll speak to her."
Her Highness then floated out in front of me. " Maybe we should visit the ranch first before doing that? I know Pinkie has been a valuable source of information, but deep down you really want to be reunited with Epona."
Princess Twilight knew me better than anyone else. I did want to see Epona more than anything because she and I possessed a special connection with each other. Since I had to come back through here anyway--I wanted to check out the remaining paths that branched off from Milk Road--I could speak with Pinkie later. With that decision made, I began to walk forward until I came to a stop at the boulder. Unlike what I saw blocking the Goron Racetrack, this boulder was even bigger. Could a Powder Keg truly reduce it to rubble? There was only one way to find out.
That's when I noticed the man who told me he struggled to break the boulder. Since I had come here earlier, he had only just started the process and was itching to continue working until the path was cleared. If I recalled correctly, Sweetie Belle asked him to come down here to take care of the problem. In his hand was a pickaxe that appeared dull from being struck many times against the boulder, yet why was he using it when he could be using something more reliable.
He turned to face me upon my approach. " Huh? A Goron? Fancy meeting one of you here of all places."
" I was able to get off the mountain before the snow hit."
" You're one of the lucky ones then. I heard that Snowhead has become a winter wasteland because of how cold it was getting. I can understand you wanting to leave to get away from the cold, but why leave behind the rest of your people?"
I had to take a moment to come up with something before I could continue. " They told me to go and find help despite my protests saying otherwise, so I reluctantly left them to get some help, but the way back has become impossible to traverse because of the ice that blocks the way."
" That's a shame."
" I'm not sure if I can go back now."
" Sorry that I made you bring up such a painful experience." The man said. " If it's any consolation, you might be able to do me a favour and get some kind of retribution for yourself in the process."
I nodded. " What do you need from me?"
" Someone was up to no good and placed this huge boulder that's blocking the way to Romani Ranch. I was planning on breaking my way through, but I think it's going to take me a couple of days before I can clear the path. If you happen to have a Powder Keg on you, we could blast away the boulder sooner instead of later. I heard my boss say that Powder Kegs have finally become available after waiting months for that Medigoron fellow to complete them. She hoped to have some Gorons come down from the mountain with some and assist on a few projects, but the harsh weather has gutted those plans." The man answered.
" I do have a Powder Keg on me."
The man jumped for joy. " You have no idea how much trouble you saved me from!"
" Just make sure you stand back." I said. " These things have a large blast radius."
" I'll take your word for it."
The man then thrust his pickaxe into the ground, folded his arms, and tilted his head to signal that he wanted me to proceed. I wasn't sure why he decided to act like that, but if I were to take a guess, it was because he felt jealous that I could do what he couldn't. He should be thrilled knowing the boulder would be out of everyone's way instead of throwing a hissy fit over not being up to snuff. I walked over to the boulder and first inspected it.
Placing my hands on it and rubbing them across the surface, I learned that it was both smooth and sturdy. No wonder that guy was having so much trouble. There wasn't anywhere that designated a weak point so he chose to hit aimlessly in hopes of creating a crack. No doubt Starlight intended for this to be almost impossible to break unless you were willing to go the entire distance and forsake sleep in the process. She probably didn't think anyone, especially a Goron, would have in their possession the means of getting rid of something she didn't want destroyed.
Reaching behind my back and taking out the Powder Keg, I placed it on the ground next to the boulder and took a few steps back. Miraculously, the fuse lit on its own and began ticking away until it reached the barrel, blowing it up and destroying the boulder.
As pieces of it scattered about the area, the man picked up his pickaxe, thanked me profusely for doing the work for him, and he immediately started running back towards the field leaving me and Her Highness to just look on in surprise. He really didn't want to be here given how he jumped for joy as he ran. I supposed that I envied him a little as while his work was complete, mine was only halfway done with the rest being more difficult.
" What a strange guy." Twilight said. " You'd think he would've stayed to catch his breath or something."
I nodded. " He just wanted to get out of here."
" It doesn't really matter what he does now I suppose."
" Maybe we ought to have told him about the monsters?"
Princess Twilight shook her head. " If he was able to make his way down here then he can easily go back the same way. In any case, we can now enter the ranch and find out what really happened during the first two days here." I started walking forward only to have her fly out in front of me. " Sunset... You can't go in there in your current form. I don't think they would appreciate having a Goron rolling around plowing down any grass they need for their cattle."
" It's been a while since I got to walk around as a human."
" Then you need to switch back." Twilight said. " You can become a Goron again later."
Grabbing my face, I pulled on it, took off the Goron Mask, flipped my head back including my hair, and put the mask away before taking out my sword. I was disappointed in that it was now back to its weakest state, but that was due to Fancy Pants closing his business. Had I been a little bit faster in clearing Snowhead Temple, I could have given him the Gold Dust and gotten my sword upgraded--the Gold Dust vanished when I reset time. Maybe I would get another chance in the future but for now I had to make do with my sword not being as effective as it could've been.
Putting my sword away, I walked forward and soon entered Romani Ranch. Things were definitely different compared to my previous visit. For one thing, there were no patches of burnt grass caused by whatever made them before. There were also the plesant sounds of cows mooing and horses neighing. Despite Termina being such a gloomy place, this ranch was actually well off, but I knew trouble would soon rear its ugly head.
My first order of business was to find Epona so that I could finally get her out of here. Since Apple Bloom should be in a better mood than she was before--she somehow lost her memories--I should be able to explain the situation to her.
Before I could even take my first step, someone called out to me. " Hey! You! Yeah you! The kid wearin' the green get-up!" I turned to my left and standing there next to a cow was Applejack, who seemed more cheerful than last time. Of course, this was at a point where she didn't know what had happened to the ranch. " Y'all are the first person ta come visitin' this here ranch for what feels like forever."
" You must be the one in charge I take it?" I asked. I wasn't about to make the same mistake again. Even though this was Applejack, I had to treat her like the person she was portraying in this world.
Applejack nodded her head. " Yup! The name's Cremia! I run this ranch! By the way, how did y'all even get here in ta first place? Reckon you must have come from town, but I can't really be sure o'that."
" I did come from Clock Town." I said. " There was a boulder that was blocking the way, but it was destroyed just a few minutes ago."
" That explains the explosion, but how did you manage to get rid o'somethin' that dern big?"
I couldn't tell that I was responsible by changing into a Goron, so I had to lie to her slightly otherwise she wouldn't understand. " A Goron came by and used her Powder Keg to remove the boulder. She didn't say much and left just as soon as arrived."
" A Goron you say?" Applejack asked. " Huh... Good enough I 'sppose." That's when everything clicked when she realized I was here before her. " Then that means... Milk Road is open to traffic! Yeehaw! I've been waitin' ta hear that for what feels like forever! I can deliver milk to town now! Y'all don't know what this means ta me and the ranch. I thought we were gonna be stuck here without any means of makin' our livelihood, but seein' y'all here makes me happy knowin' I can make that important delivery."
" I heard that this place is famous."
" Yup!" Applejack answered. " Welcome to Romani Ranch, Chateau Romani's Village. Enjoy yourself. This here cow along with ta others over in the barn are Romani-bred. My father left them for us. An inheritance from the heavens..." She sounded rather sombre at that point indicating that she was struggling to come to grips with something. I figured it wasn't my place to pry so I chose not to question her past. " The special Romani-bred cows are the source of Chateau Romani, the most desired of forbidden milk!"
" Forbidden? That sounds suspicious."
Applejack began to laugh. " Hoo-wee! Y'all are quite the comedian, ain't ya? Usin' the word 'forbidden' just makes it sound way more excitin'. No need to be worrying' over nothin' since this is a good sign regardin' anythin' forbidden. It is a mystical milk that fills you with Magic Power... I can't tell ya what it can do cause y'all must experience it for yourself. If you seek the dreamy milk of Chateau Romani, please visit Latte, near Clock Town's East Gate."
" That was... interesting."
" How was my sales pitch?" Applejack asked. " Reckon I wonder if I said it just like it's written in the brochure."
" It was pretty good."
" Thanks sugarcube."
" No problem." I said. " I was wondering if you picked up any horses as of late."
" Horses?" Applejack asked. " We've got some over in ta barn, yet there is that one locked up in a small stable next to the house. Reckon I ain't never seen such a ornery horse like that one before in my life." She walked back and forth, hand under her chin as she began to think back on something. " Mah little sister found that horse just outside the ranch entrance about a few days ago. The little critter looked so terrified that I reckon anything coulda scared it outta its wits. There weren't no tag or anything ta confirm who it belonged to, so we decided to take it in and perhaps try ta raise it ourselves."
" That horse... belongs to me." I said. " She was stolen from me by a masked imp."
" Now who in their right mind would do that to a kid like you?"
I shook my head. " I don't know but I've been worried sick about her."
" In that case, y'all better talk ta mah sister over by the house." Applejack said. " She's currently lookin' after yer horse right now. If y'all explain the situation to her, I'm sure she'll understand and allow you to take her back."
Applejack then went back to tending to her cow leaving me to continue on and see Apple Bloom. I thanked her but she didn't pay attention as the thought of making a delivery for the first time in a while made her tune out everything else around her. Shrugging my shoulders before sighing heavily, I began to walk forward and knew exactly where I was going. The overall terrain remained the same which meant Epona would be within my sights in a matter of moments.
When I reached the house, the sound of a familiar neigh greeted my ears. I turned to the stable located nearby and there was Epona, still locked up although she did have food and water located nearby.
She began to whinny like mad knowing that I had come back to see her again. I walked up to her and whinnied in response before patting her on the head. Just like that, she calmed herself down and started making a soft whinny noise in return. Looking into Epona's eyes, I could tell that she had been frightened because of what happened when Starlight took her away from me. In my heart, I felt guilty over failing to keep her safe.
" Are you alright, Sunset?" Twilight asked. " I could leave you two alone if you want."
" No. I prefer you to be here."
" There is a powerful bond between you two."
" You can sense it?"
" Yes." Twilight answered. " It's a bond that has transcended time and space. I'm actually rather jealous."
I continued patting Epona on her head before stroking her muzzle and neighing to her before addressing Her Highness. " I'm sure you've got a similar with Spike. I know he's not a pet nor does he carry you around, but he's always there for you when you need him, right?"
" I'm lucky to have him."
" Epona is like Spike in that sense." I said. " She's always been there when I needed her, yet it wasn't until she was taken from me that I realized that." Epona then nudged her muzzle against my hand and neighed causing me to neigh back at her. We both did this for a few moments before I stopped stroking her. " We need to get her out of this stable. If we had the key then we could do just that."
" If yer lookin' fer a key, I'm ta only one who's got it."
I had a feeling she would have it. I turned around and stopped Apple Bloom looking at me with a disapproving glare on her face. " I got word from your sister that you would be somewhere nearby."
" This is my first time meetin' a foreigner yet y'all are actin' mighty strange." Apple Bloom said. She then noticed how much Epona kept on nudging me in the back with her muzzle and her expression changed slightly. " That there horse ain't never done anythin' like that since it first showed up on our front door step. I reckon y'all know somethin' 'bout it otherwise it wouldn't be actin' so funny."
" Epona is my horse."
" Huh? Epona?" Apple Bloom asked. " Is that the name of that horse? Also, what do ya mean it's yours?"
" She was my horse until a masked imp stole her from me back in the woods. I've been trying to find her ever since and it's only recently that I discovered that the entrance to this ranch had been blocked." I answered.
" I ain't so sure she belongs to ya but I can't ignore ta that she takin' a might shine to ya."
" You don't believe me?" I asked. " No... I didn't think you would. It's not like I have any credentials to prove she belongs to me. In fact, the only proof I have is her continual nudging me in the back. It's not much to go on since it could be some kind of trick from your perspective, but I don't really know what else I could try."
Apple Bloom looked at Epona before looking at me. " There might be a way to know if y'all are bein' honest with me."
I gulped slightly. " What's that?"
" A little game of my own design." Apple Bloom answered, grinning slightly from ear to ear. I wasn't liking the sound of where this was going. I hoped that this wasn't going to be along the same lines as what I experienced during the Goron's Patriarch Race. If it was, then I'm in a lot of trouble... again.
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Poor Sunny's not gonna like what's coming.
Now that I think about it, Featherweight's hero worship of Darmani is a lot like Monster Kid's hero worship of Undyne.
And I have an explanation for the item storage conundrum. In the cartoon, if you pay attention, the items are shrunk down when Link or Zelda put them away, and return to normal size when they take them back out. My headcanon is that each Link has a magic pouch like this, even if it's not shown.
Starting to see Sunset is Slowly losing it. Not that I Blame her, After everything she has done for to save Termina, It would all just be reversed after resetting Time. Termina is a Cruel Reality to live in...
I Wonder How Both Sunset and Twilight Will react to seeing Aveil/Rainbow-Dash when they enter their Hideout?
That was indeed a touching reunion for Sunset & Epona. But in order for them to be truly reunited They'll need to complete Romani/Applebloom's Test first.
Shame you didn't end the chapter to right after Romani/Applebloom's Test, taught & Learned the song and Romani/Applebloom saying: "They're Coming..."
Sigh, Sunset forgot to sell the gold dust... The shop that was around the deposit, the one that sells the mask could buy it and give some rupees.
Also, it make me wonder, what if someone hold Sunset when she go to the past? Maybe s/he could remember everything or go to the past with her? That is something that Sunset could try
7670226
You know, that is never brought up in the game although technically, Tatl would be the exception since she is Link's partner. I think you've given me an idea that I could try. It would need to be one of the Mane Seven though for it to hold significance. Maybe Pinkie Pie since she has been seen more than the others have.
That Gold Dust would have given her 100 or 200 rupees--it's one or the other--had she gone there, but Sunset still remembers what kind of shop the Curiosity Shop can be. She hasn't gotten over how Iron Will sells stolen goods.
7669110
In the game, Aveil is scared off by bees so Link never sees her, but I'm not going to do just that. I'm going to have Sunset and Rainbow encounter each other through the only possible means, and it will involve a secured place.
I decided to save that for the next chapter. I've also decided that Sunset and Twilight will be spending this cycle helping out Romani Ranch rather than helping it on the side while exploring Great Bay. It also means she will finally learn the secrets behind the Song of Time. I think I've delayed that knowledge long enough. How will she know about it? I'll leave it up to random fate.
Huh, I never knew you could get powder keg at Clock Town. Whenever I played the game, I saved the keg Biggoron gave me for the boulder instead of buying it on my own.
Before I found this site, I made a little redrawing of the Apple Sisters as the Romani Sisters.
orig08.deviantart.net/e4ae/f/2014/312/1/6/the_apple_sisters_as_the_romani_sisters_by_jongoji245-d85r4tx.png
Crude, but gets the point across.
I also like how you have Sunset and Epona have a Twilight/Spike relationship, love to see how that's put to the test if you plan on writing Twilight Princess.
7669106
I've always liked idea of just putting them behind her back where they disappear. A couple of items though do have specific locations on Sunset, such as the Ocarina of Time for example. She has that on a pouch located on her belt. I don't know what compelled me to give that kind of detail to one thing and not to every other item, but I suppose it's because the ocarina is important.
7670846 Well then, maybe sell it to the smith and get 20 rupee, is better that 0
About Tatl, I just imagine that in theory is not because he is the compannion, but mainly because he usually stay under the hat of Link, so he is transported with him
7670865 It's definitely funnier. "Where do your items go?"
"Don't know, don't care."
It would be interesting to have one of the Mane Seven in a sort of Sans role.
7670860
The Goron in the Bomb Shop sells Powder Kegs for 50 rupees, but you need to be a Goron and have passed the certification test in order to buy from him. Otherwise, you have to go all the way to Goron Village, melt the ice blocking the entrance to Medigoron's cave, and buy one that way.
I am strongly considering writing Twilight Princess next.
And with the Apple sisters being Romani and Cremia, that was completely intentional on my part. Apple Bloom was Malon last time and was a shoe-in for Romani, and Applejack being Cremia was an obvious choice.
7670873
Tatl is female. Her brother Tael is male. Sunset really does need to use the rupees she finds, and she will when she pays a visit to the item shop back in town. She needs healing items after all.
7670912
Maybe not in this story given how morbid Termina can get, but perhaps the next story might feature it?
7671077 Feature what? I wanna make sure we're on the same page.
7671119
What you said about having a Sans like character in the next story.
7673948 I was going along with what Kichi said about someone being able to remember/go to the past with Sunset, as Sans was the only monster who remembered the RESETs. But I kinda have an idea. I think I've mentioned it before, but I think the Hero's Shade should be himself. Link could go a LONG way to repairing the damage Ganondorf is doing. Talk about the ultimate Sans.
7673970
Not all Legend of Zelda characters will be portrayed by MLP characters because they are either really minor characters or I just couldn't think of which MLP character would work. Right now, there is nothing concrete about who is portraying who in Twilight Princess other than Sunset--for obvious reasons--but you never know what might happen.
As for a character being pulled back into the past with Sunset. It's certainly an idea but it would need to happen at the right time to make it more effective.
7675922 Maybe Twilight could be Ilia.
Though I'm not sure who would fit the younger sibling role Colin has with Link.
I can't wait till Sunset meets the boss of the forest temple, and even more the temple of time 
Another excelent chapter.
Like the little things about each transformation so far. Can't wait to see what comes up with the Zora mask, and how Sunset will look as a Zora.
This thing needs Sunset emotes...
7676698
Picture Lulu of the Indigo-gos but with Link's shorts, the cleavage that covers Ruto's breasts in Hyrule Warriors, and Sunset's hair colour on the tip of the fin located on a Zora's head. That should give you an idea as to what she might look like.
7675978
Such a sequel will likely start sometime next year between April and June if my scheduling works in my favour.
Now that I'm thinking... When was the last time Sunset managed to eat something? She need to sleep but she don't need to stop for lunch.
7683335
The earlier Legend of Zelda games never did address that although Breath of the Wild is going to be. Now that I think about it, there are no restaurants in Clock Town unless you were to count the Stock Pot Inn.
7683956 The older Zelda Games did not need for Link to rest, but I remember a couple of times that Sunset was forced to stop because she was hungry or need to sleep.
7684032
Having her sleep was my idea because it would make things feel more realistic, yet she would only do every now and again due to exhaustion from what she goes through. It's been essential in this story because of Ganondorf paying her a visit in her subconscious, and will continue to be that way.
Maybe she should eat something but what could she eat in Termina?
7684448 Maybe the Sensei in Samurai school could invite her... Or she could try the expert cuisine from the Gorons and Deku... There is the Lon Lon Bar... Maybe Romani Ranch? It's true that they didn't show somewhere to eat but I doubt they showed us all the shops in the city.
Even so, I can just imagine strange dishes prepared by the Deku, Goron and Zora... Maybe even the Gibdo or the Stalchildren.
And just the image of Sunset offering home made food to Skullkid/Starlight and taking off the mask to eat appeared in my head, after all if it fails she just need to reset.
7684683
Goron cuisine would consider of eating rocks--rock sirloin in particular--so unless she was in her Goron form, I don't think a human would like to eat rocks. Zoras eat fish although I think Sunset is a vegetarian and the Deku most likely eat nuts and other forest goods. The Gibdo don't consume anything apart from the life-force of others, yet they do need some unusual things for reasons no one knows. As for the Stalchildren... well... they don't need to eat since they're already dead.
The place you're thinking of is the Latte, the Milk Bar in Clock Town. They serve milk there including Chateau Romani, but I assume that they do serve actual food in case milk wasn't on the top of one's priorities list.