Chapter 67: Kafei
The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
August 7, 2017
Chapter 67: Kafei.
While I was no stranger to love--I had a love life once though it was one-sided and Princess Twilight had one of her own--the situation with Scootaloo was different from what I had experienced or imagined. I was expecting it to be simple, reunite her with her true love while collecting a few masks, yet it was already proving itself to be monumental. Kafei, the one she loved was nowhere to be found and all she had for a lead was a letter the postwoman delivered, and who refused to explain where the letter originated from. It wasn't like Scootaloo could go around Clock Town, knocking on each door, and ask if the occupants inside had written it.
Not even I could do that as I was still a little in the dark regarding this whole matter. I suspected straight away that Kafei was still in town as his letter wouldn't have been picked up by the postwoman--she most likely stuck to delivering for Clock Town and nowhere else--so the big question was where could he be. The only clue I personally had regarding his appearance was his mask, given to me by Monsieur Aroma, yet it wasn't an actual likeness but rather a rough caricature of him. Searching around for Kafei would therefore prove pointless due to not knowing exactly what he looked like.
There was another big question, and that was why was he hiding from Scootaloo in the first place? Why not confront her in person and explain things? Granted, that would make his whole disappearing act a moot point if he had gone to her but it still didn't explain why he went and did it knowing how it would affect Scootaloo. The more I thought about it, the more it made me realize that this was not your typical romance story. The best way to truly figure things out was to meet with Kafei himself to get his side of things but without knowing where he was and what he looked like, finding him was pretty much impossible.
Scootaloo wanted me to meet her later on close to midnight in order to explain things further so that gave me about six hours to do some running around before meeting her to continue this plotline. I needed my sword upgraded and that would take a couple of days since the Mountain Smithies needed an entire day just for one re-forging session. To be honest, I didn't really need to get it re-forged as I already had the Great Fairy's Sword and it was more powerful than any other blade in Termina. Getting this other sword was merely a means of having perfection but not really necessary.
Even if I were to go to Snowhead for that, I was still left with too much free time before having to meet Scootaloo. A part of me wanted to pay Aria Blaze, the postwoman, a visit as she was clearly hiding something when she delivered the letter but because she was always running around on her delivery run, I had no idea when she would stop for a while before going back out on the job. I wished I had taken some liberty with regards to knowing what certain people were doing outside of their usual routine. I could have saved myself from getting a headache if I knew what they did.
As I walked outside of the Stock Pot Inn, I noticed Sunset-goro was sound asleep next to the path that linked back to South Clock Town. While her snoring proved to be slightly distracting, she looked rather content despite she was sleeping outside no thanks to me taking her reservation. I still felt bad for doing that to her but it was a necessary means as Adagio insisted on me getting what turned out to be a key that would let me enter the inn at any time after it closed for the evening. I considered waking Sunset-goro up just to make sure she was okay but opted not to out of guilt for having wronged her.
Walking back into South Clock Town, I looked up at the Clock Tower and dread began to fill my heart along with a bit of irony. I was now at the final stage of the journey having gone through so much just to reach this point. The Four Giants had been freed from their imprisonment and were ready to appear upon being called to put an end to Starlight Glimmer's plan to destroy everything, yet she herself was waiting for me, and I knew I couldn't allow her to prevent me from calling the Giants. Saving this world meant everything would go back to normal and my life would be normal as well... or as normal as it could be given the magic problem.
Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen upon calling the Giants using the song Principal Celestia taught me. It had been something I initially considered during an earlier stage of this journey yet I ignored it believing it nothing more than stress caused by having so much expectation thrust upon my shoulders. Now, at this stage, I felt what I once ignored had proven a hasty decision on my part. If the journey would indeed continue on after stopping the moon from falling, I would have no choice but to go through with it as choosing not to meant the world I called home and Equestria remaining unsafe.
" Thinking about Starlight?" Twilight asked as she flopped onto my head.
I nodded. " Yeah. I can't believe we're almost at the end of this adventure."
" Feeling nervous about it?"
I shook my head and then nodded. " A little bit but I shouldn't be considering I've done this before." I then sighed before looking at the ground. " I'm afraid that something else will happen upon calling the Four Giants, forcing me to do something even harder than everything else so far, and making me feel miserable. I ignored such feelings thinking I was giving myself way too much stress but now I can't help but feel there is more to come."
Princess Twilight rubbed her chin. " I doubt it could be Ganondorf's doing because he has been following some unseen rules this whole time."
" What do you mean?"
" If he had the power to, he would have killed you back when you first started." Twilight answered. " I think it's because that he isn't meant to be a part of this world, he's forced to rely on more indiscreet means of intimidation and bringing us to places beyond this world in order to deal with us on a more personal level. Even with all of that power, there are some things that are beyond even his reach though I wouldn't be surprised if he were able to bypass his own limits. I don't think we have to worry about him throwing you a plot twist or something along those lines so we should instead worry about what else Starlight has up her sleeve."
" I've been meaning to ask you something about her."
" What is it?"
" I know I've discussed her with you before during an earlier stage of this adventure, but I was wondering if you could go into more detail." I answered. " I know she almost brought all of Equestria to its knees out of jealousy but you didn't explain it in much detail when you came through the portal after the Friendship Games had concluded the week before and filled us in on events. What I'm trying to say is what did she really do and how did you feel about giving her a second chance like you gave to me?"
" You want to know if you can talk to her?"
I nodded. " Maybe I can stop her without needing the Giants."
" She might be too far gone."
" I have to at least try, right?"
Princess Twilight nodded. " You may be a special kind of student to me, Sunset, but you've definitely taken my teachings to heart and not just here. You did that when you told me about what happened when both worlds were almost destroyed when Twilight Sparkle became Midnight Sparkle. You becoming Daydream Shimmer to help her see the truth before she destroyed herself was the most wonderful thing I had ever heard. Even Princess Celestia would be proud of your accomplishment." She immediately stopped short knowing how I still had issues regarding going back to Equestria so she changed the subject to Starlight. " This might take a few minutes."
I walked over to a nearby bench and sat down. " I've got some time to kill."
" Starlight Glimmer is perhaps the most powerful unicorn I've ever met."
" More powerful when you used to be one?"
Princess Twilight nodded. " Not even I could do the things she could before I became a princess. She dedicated her life to magic when her one and only friend left because he received his cutie mark and went on to attend Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. She could have made more friends but instead believed cutie marks ruined ponies lives and was dedicated on removing them from flanks."
" It's called Marxism or Communism."
" When my friends and I found out what she was really doing, we had to stop before she could spread her philosophy to other parts of Equestria." Twilight said. " In her mind, her way of thinking was the future for all ponies and nothing else mattered. She even interrupted one of my friendship speeches, something that had never happened before until she snapped after being exposed. I learned she had been spying on me in particular as a means of learning all she could about my life before making her move, but had I learned ahead of time, I could have talked to her and not go through several alternate timelines."
" What were those like?"
" Each one was worse than the last though I think some of the alternate futures were ridiculous."
" Like?"
" One where two shyster ponies was worse than one under Changeling rule."
" Wow..."
Princess Twilight coughed. " Starlight made it so that she would always be there in the past ready to thwart my efforts every time I came back in my bid to stop her from stopping the Sonic Rainboom that Rainbow Dash created. I didn't think such an advanced spell was possible yet she clearly showed it could be done and this was especially true when she took a spell created by Star Swirl the Bearded long ago and modified it to suit her own needs. In that one moment, I felt completely inadequate. I felt my magic amounted to nothing while hers was beyond anything I could have done."
" And when she reformed?"
" It took some mighty convincing to change her."
" You said she showed you her origins."
Princess Twilight nodded. " Yes but I wished she had gone into more detail but I didn't pressure her into explaining otherwise that would have had a negative setback prompting her to want to continue our pointless grudge until one of us collapsed. While I should have been more lenient with Starlight given she almost destroyed time itself, I believed she just needed the right pony to guide her along and help her restart her life over again. Fortunately, no one knew what she did as otherwise Canterlot's dungeon would have had a permanent resident or she might have been exiled."
" She never suffered like I did?"
" No."
That was the first time I heard about that though why didn't Princess Twilight mention it before until now? When she and I talked about what had been going on in Equestria after she had spoken with Twilight Sparkle, I brought up whether Starlight was punished for her actions yet Her Highness refused to say anything and instead changed the subject to the magic problem I told her about. Had she tried to protect me from the truth knowing it would have made me furious beyond all reasoning or had she done so to protect Starlight and not have her get exiled from Equestria for all eternity?
For a moment, I felt somewhat betrayed over how my mentor kept such information from me, but it quickly passed as I would have done the same thing had I been in her shoes and protected Starlight from being prosecuted. Still, I had to endure isolation for weeks in addition to being viewed with scorn while Starlight practically got away with murder. That alone was enough for me to want to consider lashing out at Princess Twilight but I was better than that. On the other hand, I could now better appreciate what Starlight had been through. We had much in common though our respective origins were different.
I then stood up upon noticing someone standing outside of the Clock Tower and it was someone whom I hadn't seen in a very long time. Looking in all directions as though she were trying to find something or someone, Sonata Dusk had exited the tower, something I didn't think she would do. She was the one who had tasked me to get back Majora's Mask, the mask Starlight stole from her resulting in Termina becoming what it was, and while I was willing to help her out, I had my suspicions. Her smile was like a mask, a means of hiding her true face, and pretending that everything was fine. Deep down, I knew she wanted to see me.
Before heading over to Sonata, I told Princess Twilight to finish telling her story before we confronted Starlight and she nodded without saying a word. With that, I walked up to she who cured me from being a Deku Scrub--it was that incentive that got me to help retrieve Majora's Mask for her though somewhat against my will--who turned to look at me. I made sure not to come off as rude as she hadn't really done anything wrong. " I didn't expect you would come outside of the Clock Tower."
" I felt compelled to do at this precise moment." Sonata said.
" In any case, it has been a long time since I last saw you."
Sonata was confused. " But, I just saw you earlier in the day." Crap! I forgot that she too was affected whenever I reset time back to the beginning. Hopefully, she wouldn't view my words with suspicion otherwise things were about to get a whole lot worse for me. " Perhaps in your mind, time holds no meaning for you, and you are free to accomplish much without ever thinking of how it flows freely and unhinged."
Now I remembered why I hadn't spoken to her since she cured me of being a Deku Scrub. Sonata had a bit of a philosophical approach with her words though this belied a hidden demon that would be unleashed whenever she got upset. It was a stark contrast compared to her true personality, one where she was ditzy and not inherently evil. I mean, she was just like the other Dazzlings in that she craved attention, but could appreciate life and not destroy it. Of the three, I saw her as being the most capable of reforming, but no one had seen any of them since fleeing after the Battle of the Bands. A shame really as Sonata was perhaps the one Dazzling who was somewhat likeable.
" Well, don't let me stop you from doing what you were doing."
" Ah, but you did because I was looking for you."
" Why?" I asked. " Like you said, you saw me earlier."
Sonata leaned forward prompting me to step back. " I was wondering if you were able to get my precious mask back from the imp who stole it from me. I know it hasn't been that long since you began my little errand but I know you are capable of performing miracles."
If only she knew the truth then this conversation wouldn't have been quite so awkward. " I... I'm still trying to get it back for you."
" You still haven't done it yet!?" Sonata exclaimed, her face becoming angry. " I told you what might happen were the mask not returned to me!" Her angry demeanour changed back to a smile and I could relax once again. " I know you are doing the best you can given the situation but I must have it back before I leave this town within the next 62 hours. It is vitally important that you succeed otherwise the world could be destroyed."
" I get it already!"
Sonata then raised her hand. " I am sensing something different about you, my young friend." She closed her eyes and took a sniff, prompting me to back away even more as I thought that her actions were beyond creepy and went into downright weird. " It seems that you have been collecting all sorts of masks and helping those who have troubles. It shows you are considerate to those who cannot help themselves. If you would like, why not show me a few masks? I can tell you the significance behind them. When it comes to masks, there is nothing I do not know."
I was a little skeptical at first but ultimately chose to show her a few. The first one I chose to show Sonata was Kafei's Mask since I had used it just recently--I was also curious as to its origins. Rather than simply putting it on--I was thinking of doing that--I simply handed the mask over to her and she began looking at it. " This one doesn't really seem all that much given the design but I got it through a case of mistaken identity."
" That's Kafei's Mask, isn't it?"
" How did you know its name?"
Sonata laughed. " Like I said, there is nothing I do not know when it comes to masks. I've been collecting and selling them for over twenty years so I have seen plenty of them reach my hands as well as fall into the hands of others." Tapping the mask, she then sniffed the purple hair--I was seriously freaked out by that--before she handed it back to me. " The worry of a concerned father is expressed quite well even if others cannot see such truth with their own eyes. Do you have any other masks you want me to look at?"
Placing Kafei's Mask behind my back, I then randomly took out the Mask of Scents. " I won't be able to show you each one as I do have work to do."
Taking the Mask of Scents into her hands, Sonata nodded before laughing again. " While you may feel immense pressure to get back my precious mask before time runs out, know that time is not eternal. Please make the most of your time as there is more to it then even you realize. I believe in this and in you." She then focused her attention on the mask I gave her and blew on it before tapping its round snout. " This is the Mask of Scents, isn't it? You've done well to get this mask. Looking at its condition, I can tell that its previous owner was neat and tidy. There is also a strong scent of wood, a sign you acquired this from one of the Deku."
I nodded as she handed it back. " How about this one?" I put the Mask of Scents away and randomly took out the Mask of Truth. " This is one I've used before but I'm still curious as to what you have to say about its origins."
Sonata took the mask and smiled. " That is the Mask of Truth, isn't it?" I nodded and she tapped the eyeball in the center. " You have a frightful mask and one that resulted in another being cursed, but being able to see into people's hearts and minds seems useful. The same can be said about small animals as they often have much to say. Yes, this mask is one of the finest you have shown me so far, my young friend."
She handed the Mask of Truth back and I put it away behind my back before taking out two masks at random. " These are the last two that I'm going to show you. I know I still have plenty of time and all but I do need to focus on figuring out where to find someone."
" Then let these be the last two."
I handed both of them over to Sonata. " Well?"
" This first one is the Troupe Leader's Mask, yes?"
" It has a sad story behind it."
Sonata nodded. " It is a fine mask especially the realistic tears. It is filled with the feelings of tenderness left behind in the back of one's heart. Perhaps you should consider speaking to the one who gave it to you after helping them deal with their troubles whilst wearing it. It could lead you to a path not previously seen. But, I wouldn't try it right now as the one in question is too riled up and is impossible to speak to unless you want to be ridiculed. Perhaps talking to him in the morning when he's feeling less irritable is in order."
" And the other?"
" This is the Goron Mask." Sonata answered. " So... You were able to heal the soul of the Goron who was loved by her people. It is unfortunate that she died in such a tragic manner but then destiny had determined that this was meant to be for her. I can sense this mask contains her spirit and unflinching desire towards keeping her people safe from the cold which blows in from an ancient temple." Handing both masks back to me, she waved her hand signalling that she had seen enough. " I am so proud that you have collected so many masks by helping so many people, but perhaps you have a reason for helping them?"
" I seek the ultimate mask."
Upon hearing me say that, Sonata's jaw dropped and her eyes bugged out. I was certain that she had never heard of the "ultimate mask" before and was going to grill me endlessly until I caved in and told her everything I knew, but then she surprised me by taking out a small book that hung from a necklace around her neck, whipped it open, and began combing through it before stopping at a certain page. From my perspective, it looked like she was beginning to lose it but in truth she was searching for information. Once she had found what she was looking for, she closed her book, and looked at me with a curious expression.
" Many have sought to claim that mask for themselves yet none have ever succeeded."
" Do you know where it is?"
Sadly, Sonata shook her head. " It is a mask that I once sought to add to my collection but it proved far too elusive and so I ultimately ended up abandoning my search. All I know is that the mask is hidden away destined for someone who can appease the mask spirits."
I looked at her, eye raised to say I didn't believe her. " Mask spirits?"
Sonata nodded. " They are spirits who are dedicated to masks and ones that I allow to guide me on my own journey to collect as many precious masks as possible. Perhaps you will meet them one day and appease their nature? But, surely you should be able to do something. Believe in your strengths... Believe... You'll do fine. Surely you will be able to recover my precious Majora's Mask. I will always be here at the Clock Tower waiting for you."
With that, she turned around, thrust open the doors at the base of the tower, and walked inside before closing the doors leaving me to ponder over what she had said. I was honestly surprised at how much she knew about each mask I showed her though I wouldn't be surprised if she knew about ones I hadn't shown her let alone found. Despite her calm demeanour, I wasn't about to give Sonata the benefit of the doubt. She could easily become merciless at the drop of a pin and that alone was enough to make me worried about what she was capable of doing. If I failed in my mission to give Majora's Mask back to her... I shuddered at such a horrible thought.
Looking up at the sky, I saw that the sun was beginning to set and that meant I only had a few hours more before I was to speak with Scootaloo. While talking to Sonata didn't waste too much of my time, my schedule had gotten much tighter since I also had to make a visit to Snowhead in order to upgrade my Kokiri Sword twice by the Mountain Smithies. It shouldn't take that long for me to go there and drop off my sword but then there was something I seemed to recall about their place of business. Yes... Their furnace had been frozen over because of how cold it was up in the mountains so I needed to melt the ice to get them working.
That was my plan... Paying the Mountain Smithies a visit and getting back to Clock Town to see Scootaloo. Taking out the Ocarina of Time from the pouch on my belt, I was so glad Flash Sentry taught me his song that allowed me to warp around to the various Owl Statues he had placed throughout Termina. If not for those, I would have to get to these respective locations the hard way thus preventing me from doing certain things all because time wouldn't have been on my side. As I raised my instrument to my lips, I suddenly noticed a familiar person running by before stopping at a mailbox.
Before I had a chance to talk to her, Aria immediately took off and ran into West Clock Town by using the connection on the southern end of Clock Town. While I wanted to go to Snowhead, I was compelled to follow her as she knew something about the letter she delivered to Scootaloo earlier. Running after her, she proved to be very elusive in that she had disappeared upon my entering the west side of town--it made sense as she knew her way around better than anyone--and I felt dejected knowing I lost her almost straight away. Sighing, I walked along the street and thought about where she could have gone.
Aside from a single mailbox along the way, there wasn't really anything of interest that someone like Aria would stop at. As I learned from listening to her conversation earlier with Scootaloo at the Stock Pot Inn, Aria was a stickler for sticking to her schedule and hated it when she was forced to slow down for anything. While I admired such dedication, it also proved troublesome. Frustration built up in me and I unleashed it by pounding the ground with both fists prompting Princess Twilight to stop me from doing anything else. She then flew off ahead for a few seconds before quickly coming back, grabbing my nose, and trying to pull me towards something.
" Let go of my nose!"
" Sorry, Sunset, but I wanted to show you something." Twilight said.
" Did it have to involve you pulling on my nose?"
Blushing, Princess Twilight let go of my nose. " I didn't mean to do that but I wanted to show you that the post office is right in front of us." She pointed towards a door that featured a giant letter above it indicating that it was indeed the post office. " While Aria is certainly not being subtle about it, at least we know where to find her now. After all, we lost her when you attempted to chase after her."
" What makes you think she is inside?"
" I don't."
" So this boils down to guessing?"
Princess Twilight nodded. " I know you probably wanted to go and get your sword upgraded given that I practically kept on nagging at you to go and get it but I think dealing with the problem involving Scootaloo is a bit more important."
" Then we might as well check to see if Aria came back or has gone on another delivery."
" I can't imagine her working around the clock."
" Do they even have ponies like that back in Equestria?"
Princess Twilight nodded again. " They really love working to the point where they give up on sleep just to meet their quota. To be honest, they really should consider taking a vacation before they end up giving themselves a nasty ulcer or something."
Walking up to the post office's door, I gently tapped on it using the back of my hand and someone on the other side told me not to disturb them. I tapped the door a second time and got the same message only this time it was much more gruff though I knew it was Aria who was calling out. Checking a sign that was hanging on the door, it described when the post office was open and closed. Aria certainly had a busy schedule as according to the sign, she only had a two hour break before having to go out again and deliver more mail. Did she honestly deliver out in the middle of the night!? Surely she had to have some sleep otherwise exhaustion would have claimed her by now.
Opening the door--it was unlocked as she was inside--and entering the post office, I was surprised at how neat and tidy everything was. No doubt Aria was dead-set on making the post office run efficiently at maximum potential though I did notice that there was no one else around other than her. It must have been hard for her being the only postwoman around but I doubted she complained as she clearly enjoyed running around and delivering letters. The bed, table, and chairs located ahead revealed that she practically lived in here though she herself appeared to be concentrating on something--she hadn't noticed me come in.
Within a small nook was a Postman's Hat and a satchel yet something about the former screamed out at me. Was it possible that I could obtain Aria's hat as some kind of mask to add to my collection? The thought of going around to mailboxes wearing that hat wasn't high on my list of things I wanted to do before ending things but I was a little bit curious. My eyes spotted a pair of letters on a nearby shelf that piqued my curiosity. One of them said: "Last night, I wrote a letter to myself and deposited it in a post box... Sure it sounds weird writing a letter to myself but I really needed it. I retrieved it earlier and tomorrow morning, I shall deliver that letter!"
The other letter said: "To Myself. You have been doing a great job delivering the mail." According to the context of both letters, Aria enjoyed praising herself for what she did around town but she also sounded lonely and perhaps a bit desperate. Looking at her sitting on her bed in sheer concentration, I just couldn't picture her wanting to deliver letters so badly, she was willing to mail one to herself just to get some kind of pleasure out of it. Was this a side-effect brought on by all that had been happening around Termina? Not only did I want to inquire about who sent Scootaloo's letter but also Aria's mental state.
I walked up to her and coughed. " Um..."
Hearing me caused Aria to jump slightly in the air before landing on her back. " Whaa!" She got up and looked at me for a brief moment before resuming what she was doing leading me to think she was ignoring me on purpose. " Four... five... six..." She stopped, looked at me again, blinked twice, and jumped again, landing on her back. " You startled me! I didn't even hear you come into the post office!" Getting up, she wagged her finger at me before sitting back down. " Please don't interrupt my training! This is the only time during the course of the day where I can relax before going back out to deliver my letters."
" What are you doing?"
" Training my mind."
" By counting?"
Aria scolded me. " Of course! In my mind, I am running for exactly ten seconds without looking at a clock. If I can succeed in doing this, then I will know that I am the best postwoman this town has ever known, but I won't achieve my goal if you keep on talking to me. You see, I was in the middle of mental training when you popped out of nowhere and broke my concentration. You may make fun of me, but this is quite difficult! Only those who have a sharp mind can count to ten without the need of a clock." She tried counting only to stop suddenly because of my presence. " Why are you even here in the first place?"
" I need to talk to you about a letter."
" All you need to do is follow the rules I wrote down on that scroll on the wall." Aria said. " If you can't figure out what it means then you've got no hope at all. Now, if you don't mind, I must focus my mind and count up to ten." She managed to count up to two when she suddenly recognized who I was. " You're the one I saw at the Stock Pot In earlier when I was there delivering a letter to Anju. Yes, I recognize your attire even though you had a mask on. Come to think of it, that mask looked awfully familiar to me. I remember seeing it in the postmaster's possession when he became the postmaster and I a postwoman."
" Monsieur Aroma gave me the mask."
Aria was shocked. " The postmaster gave it to you!? Then you must be the one he hired to find his son, Kafei." She turned away briefly allowing me enough time to whip out Kafei's Mask and place it on my face before she turned back to see me. " Oh... So you're wearing it now in hopes I would know something about him? Well... I only ever met him a few times when I was but a lowly assistant to the old postman but he seemed like a nice fellow. He did have a strange fascination with an old mask he always carried around though. I thought it was creepy how he held onto it so fondly and he was a grown man no less."
I took the mask off knowing she wouldn't say anything else. " Now... About that letter you gave to Anju." I made sure not to mention Scootaloo by name otherwise Aria would just get confused and I would get nowhere. " She asked you where you got it from but didn't answer her saying that it was a secret."
" It's a secret."
My expression after that response made her quiver. " That wasn't what I wanted you to say. I know you have an obligation to keep the identity of customers and their locations a secret, but this is really important and could be the breakthrough I need to find out where Kafei could have disappeared to." The howl of a wolf somewhere outside informed me that the sun had gone down and nightfall had begun.
Night of the First Day - 60 Hours Remain.
" I know you want to know but it is a secret."
" Please!" I exclaimed. " You have to tell me!"
Aria sighed. " Normally, I don't do this kind of thing as it does go against protocol but I am willing to tell you what I know. In exchange, you must first pass a small test of mine that you already know about seeing as you saw my attempt. In fact, I'll even give you something good if you can count to ten without looking at a clock. Don't think it will be easy as it requires dexterity to be able to count to ten in such a manner so don't feel ashamed about quitting at any time."
" I accept your challenge."
" I will give you a slight advantage though." Aria said. " I will count up to two and from there you must do the rest on your own. Shout out ten when you think you have counted up to it exactly and I'll see how well you did. If you get within a second of ten on both sides, you can have another attempt for free but if you're not within a second below or above ten, you must pay me two rupees to attempt my test again."
I didn't think she would attempt to extort me for a little cash but I wasn't in any position to argue with her. I needed the information she had about the letter as it would help me track down Kafei whilst giving Scootaloo a sigh of relief knowing where it originated from. Standing firmly, I awaited for Aria to begin counting up to two. When she did, I quickly found that she wasn't kidding about how difficult her test really was. My first attempt resulted in absolute failure--my time was something like fifteen seconds--resulting in her laughing and claiming I had no hope at all with a display like that.
Fortunately, I had picked up some rupees along the way so I could pay her to try again but I only had enough for about two more attempts. Handing over two rupees, she counted up to two before handing things over to me, but upon saying ten several moments later, ending the challenge, she revealed my time had gotten even worse--it was twenty-five seconds which was way off the pace. I paid her again and she counted up to two though this time I tried picturing in my mind when it was the right moment to call out ten. My idea kind of worked as when I said ten, Aria told me that my time was now thirteen seconds, better but not good enough.
I paid her the remaining rupees I had and went through the process, but when I shouted out ten this time, she told me that my time was nine seconds. On the plus side, I was slowly getting better at it but on the other hand, it still wasn't good enough. At the very least, my next attempt was free but that meant nothing if I couldn't figure it out. She counted up to two before going quiet before I concentrated and when I called out ten moments later, she told me that I had gotten nine seconds again. She was surprised at how close I had gotten yet I needed to be right on the nose.
Then Aria mentioned something that I wished she had brought up earlier. She said that if I had the ears of a rabbit, I would be able to hear sounds all around me and know when exactly ten seconds had passed, but then she laughed because rabbits, according to her, had been extinct in Termina for several centuries. I had the Bunny Hood in my possession though I only knew it for the ability to make me move faster but I didn't think I would have an increase in hearing. When Aria began counting again, she looked away long enough for me to whip out my Bunny Hood, and put it on where I immediately felt everything had slowed down to a crawl.
Was it because the rabbit was so in tune with nature that it could sense the ebbs and flows of everything that surrounded it? Or was the magic within the mask more powerful than I gave it credit for despite rarely using it? I didn't know what the answer was but what I did know was that when I called out ten, I had counted up to that number as Aria as wanted though it did require me to cheat a little bit though she brought it up to begin with. I quickly took off the Bunny Hood and put it away behind my back just as she turned back to look at me. Her expression was one of surprise knowing I had passed her test.
" Did I do it this time?" I asked, making sure not to look guilty.
Aria was completely beside herself with shock. " Huh!? Ten seconds!? That is amazing! You started off so badly that I thought about telling you to give up but then you quickly got better and now you managed to pull it off. You know, you have reflexes suitable for a postwoman though not as good as me. Perhaps you should consider becoming my assistant and train to become a postwoman. As thanks for showing me something impressive, I give you this." She reached over to the other side of her bed and pulled up a Piece of Heart before handing it over, and upon holding it in my hands, I felt the warm embrace that came from it, and it made me feel strong again."
" Now... About that letter."
" I promised I would tell you and so I shall."
" Where did you get the letter from?"
" I received it from a young boy who lives somewhere near the Laundry Pool." Aria answered. " I don't know what he looked like as he wore a strange fox-like mask that covered his face but he has been seen going to the mailbox at the southern end of town several times according to people. There is a mailbox in the Laundry Pool that he uses but I don't know his exact location given that by the time I get to it, he has disappeared. Along with the letter, there was a note saying not to let anyone else know where the letter came from. In my eyes, I believed it to be a joke but perhaps something else was going on altogether."
" Why hide that fact from Anju though?"
" She looked miserable so I chose not to say anything."
" Well, you did the right thing I suppose."
" A postwoman must only deliver letters." Aria said. " I cannot allow myself to become involved in the affairs of other people. In any case, that is all I have to say about the letter so please do not ask me any questions. While I was impressed with your skill, I can't be like this! I must train even harder than ever if I am to count up to ten without looking at a clock. I will be the best postwoman Clock Town has ever seen and no one shall deny me that title."
It was clear to me at that Aria had gone off the deep end so I thanked her before taking my leave of the Post Office. As I closed the door behind me, I could still hear her shouting on the other side about how she was going to train even harder. Hopefully, she wouldn't become obsessed with it and end up hurting herself. Despite having to go through a rather ridiculous test, it was worth it to learn more about what was going on regarding Scootaloo's love life. Kafei was obviously the key to everything so finding out where he was had become more important than ever before.
" So this kid wearing the mask is who gave Aria the letter?"
Princess Twilight nodded. " Yes, and we've actually seen them before though we never paid any attention."
" When did we ever see them?"
" It was back when we first were able to leave Clock Town." Twilight answered. " I recall seeing a boy with blue hair wearing a strange mask walk up to a postbox, depositing something into it, and then leaving again. He didn't seem like he was up to anything and wearing a mask didn't make him weird according to what that Principal Cinch told us when she read those stories about the history of the Carnival of Time."
I slapped my forehead. " I wish I had seen him."
" Even if you did, I doubt he would have talked to you."
" Where do you suppose he is?"
" I don't know."
That didn't give me much hope. " I guess we should go back and see what Scootaloo has to say." I sighed. " Perhaps she will give us the next piece of this puzzle? I honestly thought this was going to be easy given how I was romantically involved with Flash Sentry despite it being one-sided and seeing you go through a similar thing. Instead, it just keeps getting more and more complicated all because the supposed groom disappeared days before the wedding."
" It's frustrating yes but we can't give up."
" I'm not about to."
" In any case, we can't see Scootaloo just yet."
" Why not?"
Pointing to a clock on a nearby wall, Princess Twilight revealed that it was only 7:00pm. " Scootaloo told you to meet her at 11:30pm so we still have four and a half hours to go before then so you could make your way over to Snowhead to upgrade your sword. You will need to get some rupees out from the bank unless you want to quickly rupee grind outside in the field before heading there. I also suggest bringing along a Fire Arrow in order to melt the ice that has frozen the Mountain Smithies' furnace. If I recall correctly, we had to wait until spring returned for them to provide assistance but now you can do things a little quicker now."
" I guess that's true."
" So long as nothing distracts you, you should have more than enough time."
While I wanted to upgrade my sword to its strongest level, I was still hesitant about it given how I had the Great Fairy's Sword to use as a backup, but then if I didn't go and get it re-forged by the Mountain Smithies, Princess Twilight would never stop complaining over how I kept on neglecting it for so long. Personally, I wanted to simply kick back while waiting for the anointed time where I was to speak with Scootaloo, but I supposed I could pay Fancy Pants and Lord Tirek a visit provided Her Highness doesn't freak out when seeing the latter given what she went through when he tried to conquer all of Equestria.
Heading back into South Clock Town, I walked up to the bank and asked Fleur Dis Lee to take out one hundred rupees though she warned me that it would soon be gone before I knew it but to upgrade my sword, I first needed to pay one hundred rupees--I doubted I would get the discount the second time around. With money in my wallet, I thanked Fleur for the service, walked away from the bank, raised the ocarina to my lips, and played the Song of Soaring. In my mind, I focused on the Mountain Village as the Mountain Smithies were located there before wings protruded from my back and wrapped themselves around me before spinning around me several times until I disappeared.
Moments later, I found myself back in Snowhead for the first time since I successfully won the race over at the Goron Racetrack, and immediately I folded my arms as a means of warming myself up. The cold winter of the region could be felt all around and it was clear that I had completely forgotten about it. The last time I was here, the cold didn't really affect me as I had traversed through similar conditions during my previous journey but I never realized how cold it could really get. I didn't have far to go and for good reason as I also forgot that it was colder during nightfall as opposed to the day time.
Without wasting time, I trudged through the snow--it was a lot deeper than I remembered--until I reached the Mountain Smithies. Before going inside, I checked to make sure I had arrows in addition to Magic Power so that I could use a Fire Arrow. To my dismay, there were no arrows in my quiver. I slapped my forehead again knowing that whenever time was reset, I would lose ammunition like arrows forcing me to collect them all over again though my magic was retained. Grumbling to myself, I trudged back into the snow, picking up some snowballs along the way, and smashing them into the ground where they produced arrows that I picked up along with some extra Magic Jars.
Once I felt I had enough, I walked back to the building and went inside where I was immediately caught by surprise when Lord Tirek called out. " Ugo! Ugoh-oh! Ugo!" Despite him wearing the strange mask and wielding a massive hammer, he just wasn't the same person who hounded me during my previous journey."
" Shaddup!" I looked to my right and noticed Fancy Pants had just woken up and was clearly in a foul mood. " Just when I was having a good dream... Oh! Someone actually came all the way out here? I must admit that you have a lot of courage given how cold it is outside. Anyway, welcome to the Mountain Smithy, where we take our time to make a good point." I had already heard this before during a previous cycle yet I found myself having to listen to it all again. " I am Zubora, the owner. Pleased to meet you."
" Ugo-oh! Ugo ugo!"
Fancy Pants snapped at Lord Tirek. " Shaddup over there! That huge fellow is my assistant, Gabora. He's all brawn and about as smart as a Deku Stick. While he does have a major speech impediment, there is no one better when it comes to forging blades though he does it with my precise guidance. Did you come to have your sword sharpened? Unfortunately, we're not doing any business right now. It's because of this abnormal cold snap we've been having." He pointed to the furnace that was beside Lord Tirek and I saw the massive chunk of ice that had frozen it over. " See? Our hearth has been frozen over!"
" I thought it was a furnace." I said.
" Well, that would be another name for hearth, yes."
" Ugoh! Ugo! Ugo-oh!" Lord Tirek said.
" What are you trying to say, Gabora?" Fancy Pants asked.
" Ugo! Ugoh!"
I then interjected knowing what was about to happen next. " If I may interrupt for just a second, I believe I can solve your hearth problem." I took out my Hero's Bow, switched over to the Fire Arrow and began preparing it. " I can help you two get back in business by melting the ice with a single arrow."
" Ugo-oh! Ugoh! Ugo! Ugo!"
Fancy Pants was surprised upon seeing my flaming arrow. " Where did you get that from?"
" I acquired it from the Snowhead Temple." I answered.
" I didn't think anyone was able to access that place given the harsh winds coming from up there."
" That's a whole other story right there."
" Well, in any case, I hope you can help us out otherwise you would have wasted our time." Fancy Pants said. " Gabora here may have the brains of a Deku Stick, but he can be very strong especially when someone causes trouble if you catch my drift. I don't mean to sound horrible or anything but we're at the end of our rope and are desperate to get back to work so hopefully, what you're doing isn't just bravado but actual substance."
Aiming at the chunk of ice--it was large in size that I couldn't miss even if I wanted to--I had to hit it correctly otherwise my Fire Arrow might hit something else resulting in a chain reaction that would set this entire building on fire. Despite being out in the middle of a frozen wasteland, the Mountain Smithies lived in a wooden house and an uncontrollable fire meant them losing everything in mere seconds. Breathing deeply and concentrating as hard as I could, I fired my arrow where it struck the ice, and it melted away, the heat from my arrow warming up the hearth.
" That was harder than I thought."
" Ugoh! Ugo! Ugoh-oh!" Lord Tirek shouted as he swung his hammer around.
" Oh! You've done me a great favor!" Fancy Pants said. " Now, then... This hearth can finally go to work for me! Heh-heh-heh-heh... Thanks. Gabora! We're now back in business so hopefully someone will come in and request their weapon to be made stronger." I then coughed and he looked in my direction before seeing my sword's scabbard. " Oh? A customer as well? My aren't you full of surprises."
" Ugo! Ugoh!"
" Gabora!" Fancy Pants announced. " Get our customer some coffee, quick-like."
" Ugoh!"
Fancy Pants then leaned forward to get a closer look at my sword and through what looked to be goading--he was actually trying to ask me to take out my sword from its scabbard and present it before him--I presented my sword. " Now then, let me take a look at your sword." It took him several seconds of glossing over it before reaching a decision though I knew he was going to work on it as this is what he had done before when I was here last. " Hmmm... All right... To re-forge your sword, it will cost you one hundred rupees. However, since you went and melted the ice that froze our hearth, I'm going to charge you only fifty rupees."
I smiled. " I appreciate you giving me that offer."
" But, should you want your sword re-forged, it won't be ready until sunrise." Fancy Pants said. " Granted, the sun just went down a short time ago so that would mean working relatively quickly to get it done before the sun comes up but I love a good challenge otherwise Gabora and I would have to turn in our hammers. Anyway, you'll have to let us hold onto your sword until then. Keep in mind that after you use your re forged sword one hundred times, it will lose its edge and it'll be back to its original sharpness. I know it sounds bad but this is the best we can do with our skills. So, would you like your sword to be made stronger?"
I nodded before handing over my sword. " Please take care of it."
Fancy Pants nodded. " That is what we do around here. Now, I'm off to work."
" Ugoh!" Lord Tirek said.
" Before you go, I do have a little secret to share with you."
I knew what he was going to say but I went along with it anyway. " What is it?"
" If you bring me some gold dust, I can forge you the strongest of swords." Fancy Pants answered. " It'll never lose its edge. It's the strongest. The strongest... You will definitely feel its power flow through your hands and all monsters will fear your presence upon seeing such a powerful blade."
" Ugo-ugo! Ugo!" Lord Tirek said.
" Quite right, Gabora... For a change."
" Ugo! Ugoh! Ugo! Ugo!"
Fancy Pants turned to face me. " Gabora says that gold dust is the prize for winning the Patriarch's Race that's held by the Gorons every spring. Despite his dense nature, he is actually correct about the Gorons in that they have what you need to make your sword even stronger. What if you tried entering that?" His excitement was then crushed upon realizing there was a fatal flaw with the suggestion. " Unfortunately, with the current cold snap, I doubt spring will be coming back any time soon unless you know how to get your hands on some gold dust somewhere. I did hear rumours that one Goron has a stash of gold dust in the mountains but it's just a rumour."
" Ugoh!"
Thanking the Mountain Smithies, I turned and walked outside and back into the cold once again. Unlike last time, this time I had given them my sword on the first night so now I had the chance to get them to re-forge it for a second time using gold dust. According to Adagio, Darmani, the Goron heroine whose spirit was sealed in the Goron Mask, had a gold dust stash hidden somewhere in her village resulting from her numerous victories in the Patriarch's Race. If I could find and get my hands on some, I could hand it over to the smithies and get myself the second-strongest sword around--it didn't sound that exciting given I already had the strongest sword.
I thought about going back to the Goron Village to find the hidden stash but I decided instead to go back to Clock Town. While I knew it wasn't 11:30pm yet, I didn't want to take any chances in case something went wrong around here and prevented me from getting back to speak with Scootaloo. Besides, my body didn't appreciate being stuck in the cold despite not having problems before but perhaps going to much warmer places had an adverse effect on my body causing me to react to the cold so badly. In any case, I wanted to go where it was warm and not become a frozen popsicle.
A few hours earlier...
" I can't believe it!"
" What's wrong, Skull Kid?"
" That Kokiri girl from the woods that I changed into a Deku Scrub is back to normal." Starlight answered. She stomped her foot several times followed by throwing a temper tantrum where she swung her arms around in a maniacal fashion and finished by picking up several pots and smashing them on the ground. " How in the world did she become normal again? The magic I used should have been permanent! How dare she ruin my wonderful prank!"
" Don't let one setback make you upset." Spike said.
Starlight was clearly beyond reasoning and ignored what he said. " That was one of my best pranks and that girl ruined it! How!? How!? HOW!?" She clutched her head and began shaking out of sheer anger and almost smacked Spike before she eventually calmed down. " Come to think of it, how did she get back that ocarina I stole when you and Tatl spooked that obnoxious horse back in the woods? I know I stole it from her as I even stole her horse but now she has it back again."
Spike shrugged his shoulders. " I don't know how she did, Skull Kid, but she did."
That wasn't what Starlight wanted to hear. " That girl is nothing but a big party pooper for ruining my fun. If I could, I would gladly take care of her right now before she gives me even more of a headache but I must focus on carrying out the ultimate prank." She looked up at the moon and laughed which made Spike very uneasy. " Soon... my ultimate prank will destroy this world and everyone will pay for how they mistreated me. Just because I love playing pranks on them without their knowledge doesn't mean they have the right to scold and push me away. You know... Just thinking about what will happen in a couple of days is making me feel a lot better now."
" Glad to see you're back in a good mood."
" Besides, I doubt that girl is going to be able to do anything to stop me."
Spike didn't sound quite as confident. " Um... Are you sure about that?"
" Of course I am, Tael!" Starlight answered. " You clearly saw that she was no match for me when I transformed her into a lowly Deku Scrub. Sure, she managed to break the curse not to mention my magic, but that's as close as she is going to get. From what I have seen, she keeps on leaving Clock Town to go to the four regions of Termina, but by then I lose complete interest in her. Knowing her, she probably felt way out of her league and probably ended up giving up and going back home."
" Do you think it's possible that she rescued them, Skull Kid?"
" What are you getting at?"
" Because you said you lost interest in her, it's possible that she may have succeeded in freeing the guardians without you even noticing."
" How can one girl do all of that in just three days!?"
Spike shrugged. " Maybe she's one of those really lucky girls?"
Starlight went quiet for a few seconds before erupting into a burst of rage again. " No! I refuse to accept that! There's no way she could have saved them all in just three days especially after I went to so much trouble pulling prank after prank in each region. Why does this girl have to be so annoying!?"
" Maybe it's a sign that you should stop before things go too far."
" What did you say?"
Spike cowered a little before responding in a meek sounding voice. " While I know you've had lots of fun pulling pranks, Skull Kid, and are still itching to pull off some more thanks to that mask you stole, I was thinking that things are getting out of hand what with wanting to bring down the moon to destroy everything. I've stood by in complete silence as you continued making people miserable even if they didn't wrong you way back when, but now I feel I should stand my ground and suggest that you stop now before you're too far gone."
At first, Starlight said nothing in response to Spike. Instead, she chose to walk around for a few minutes, pausing every few moments to think about what she heard, and then continuing on again. When she finished walking, she turned to look at Spike who gulped whilst wondering what was going through her mind, but she turned away from him before turning back and smacking him so hard that he crashed into the ground. He picked himself up as Starlight burst into laughter before she dashed forward, the eyes of her mask glowing in an eerie light, laughed a second time, and squatted down to Spike's level where she spoke in a deep voice.
" Don't speak out line ever again!"
" But, but, Skull Kid..."
Starlight slammed her fist into the ground, leaving behind an indentation. " You will do what I tell you unless you want to die! Remember that you are only here because I need someone around to act as amusement and can be replaced whenever I see fit." The fear in Spike's eyes made him burst into tears as Starlight clutched her head before shaking it a few times. " Huh? Did I just do something? Huh... I can't remember." She then saw Spike crying and immediately cupped her hands together before scooping him up. " Tael? Tael? What's wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden?"
" You... You've changed Skull Kid?"
" How could I have changed?" Starlight asked. " I'm still the same fun-loving prankster I've always been."
Spike shook his head. " No... You've changed. You're no longer the friend I used to know."
Starlight shrugged her shoulders. " You must have hurt your head or something when I got frustrated because of that girl. I was so annoyed that I feel like I lost complete control of myself and something else ended up taking control of my actions. I know it sounds weird but it did feel that way." Releasing Spike from her hands, Starlight looked up at the moon and clutched her head again. " Ugh! I don't know what happened but it won't stop me from pulling off the ultimate prank and make me a legend. Anyway, if I did something to upset you, Tael, then I'm sorry for doing it, alright?"
" I'm... I'm just going to keep quiet." Spike said softly.
Laughing maniacally, Starlight suddenly spoke in her deep voice again. " Once this world has been destroyed, I shall relish in the fact that I have caused so much pain and misery to these pitiful worms. While it does mean destroying this one, I am not regretful in the least about letting it die though it proved useful to me."
It felt weird not having a sword to protect myself from harm. I mean, I had the Great Fairy's Sword and while it was powerful, it had obvious flaws such as not allowing me to use the spin attack--I didn't use it that much anyway--and preventing me from using my shield, but I preferred having my regular sword around. I guessed that because I had used it so often and that it had been there for me, I had grown attached to it as though it were an extension of myself. Not even the strongest blade could replace what had been there by my side so I couldn't help but feel naked without it in my hand.
But, the Mountain Smithies were working on making it into the Razor Sword like they did the last time. Back then, I didn't have to wait very long to get my sword back as when I handed it over to them, it was only a few hours away from sunrise so they only had it for a short period. I could have played the Song of Double Time and sped forward through to the next day yet that would have meant missing my appointment with Scootaloo. I didn't want to take any chances especially since messing up at any point during this process would force me into having to reset time and go through everything again, including re-forging my sword. No... I had to focus on getting this right the first time through.
Using the Song of Soaring, I warped back to Clock Town and immediately went into the east side until I reached the Stock Pot Inn. Sunset-goro was still sleeping outside though I had to admire her tenacity for wanting to remain out here rather than seek out the Goron friend she mentioned during her conversation with Scootaloo earlier. My heart continued to feel guilt over having taken that which was meant for her and it would continue to torment me for quite a while since it reminded me of how I used to take advantage of everyone around me when I was a bully who sought power above all else.
Looking up at the clock that hung on the wall, it read 8:30pm. I was still early for my appointment with Scootaloo yet I decided to simply go inside and wait until she would to where she wanted to talk to me. Fortunately, I had a room key and that allowed me access after hours without having to rely on the side door. Before using the key, I tried to see if I could open the door without using it but it was to no avail, the front door was locked tightly. I supposed it was obvious they would do this as it prevented trespassers from getting in and protected everyone inside.
Unlocking the front door, I walked inside and closed it before locking it up again--I didn't want to be someone who left without locking an important door. The interior of the inn was much different at night compared to what it was like during the day. I could also see what Sunset-goro meant when she said this place needed to be fixed up a little bit. Poor lighting combined with a lack of heat indicated that this place felt like one of those one-star hotels. Considering how the inn was the only "hotel" in Clock Town, their reputation must have been one they didn't care about considering customers frequently came here.
Still, I bet some were expecting a ritzy experience when coming to the inn instead of a run-down shack that could fall apart at any moment. Still, it was a roof over their heads and they were provided with a hot meal, drink, a shower, and a room so they didn't really have much to complain about. I felt compelled to explore even further but chose not to in case I were to accidentally disturb the other patrons resulting in me getting kicked out or worse. Instead, I sat down on a nearby couch and waited for the allotted time to happen. I could relax now for the first time in a quite as I wasn't under any kind of pressure or anything.
As I sat there for the next few hours, I just stared at my surrounding and almost fell asleep in the process--I really should have planned this out a lot better. Just when it looked like I was about to fall asleep, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. I got up and slowly made my way over to see who was coming down but I made sure to remain hidden in case whoever it was would freak out if they got scared by my presence. A few moments later, Scootaloo appeared from the stairs and turned the corner, her destination being the kitchen so I followed her without saying anything until we both reached the destination.
The kitchen itself looked pleasant compared with everything else I had seen of the Stock Pot Inn--it wasn't much--yet I immediately noticed there were two problems that pretty much reaffirmed that this place really needed some maintenance to fix it up to proper standards. There was a pool of what looked to be sewer water in one corner of the room and numerous cockroaches could be seen crawling about. This kitchen was practically screaming personal hygiene problems just by these two flaws alone. A shame really as I was hoping for at least one decent part of this inn but sadly it wasn't meant to be. I had every mind to report this to the mayor but chose not to out of respect for Scootaloo as she was already suffering.
Turning towards me, Scootaloo was slightly taken aback before she bowed slightly. " Thank you for coming."
I smiled. " While it may be a little late, I'm not bothered as I've been pretty active during the late hours."
" I am sorry to trouble you late at night but I needed to speak with you." Scootaloo said. " It's about him... Kafei."
" Speaking of him... I paid a visit to the postwoman."
" You did?"
I nodded. " While I can't tell you everything because of understanding what seems to be going on, what I can say is that she received the letter from someone who likes to frequent the Laundry Pool but their face was covered."
Hearing me say that made Scootaloo feel a little bit dejected. " I see. Um... I appreciate you telling me that piece of information but what I have to tell you is much more important in that it could lead you to where Kafei might be hiding." I noticed she was holding the letter she received earlier from Aria. From what I recalled from their conversation, Scootaloo was pretty upset about what Aria had to say regarding where it came from and who sent it to her. " I received a letter from... him."
I was shocked. " How is that possible!?
Scootaloo shrugged her shoulders. " I'm sorry but I wish I knew but the postwoman wasn't able to tell me. But, it is strange... isn't it? Getting a letter from a missing person. Upon opening the letter and reading it, I couldn't believe that it was from Kafei. In my head, I believed it to be fake but in my heart, the words written down on it are genuine. But there's absolutely no mistaking it's from him!"
" What do you plan on doing?"
" It's clear to me." Scootaloo answered. " I must send him a letter in response."
" I don't think it will be as easy as you make it out to be."
" Um, what do you mean?"
" Even if you were to send out a letter to him, you have no way of knowing if he will receive it or not." I answered. " I don't mean to make you upset, Anju, but you're not thinking this through entirely and that could become problematic further down the road."
" I'm sorry."
" But... I'm not suggesting you not do it."
That made Scootaloo a little happier. " Please! Here is my letter." She presented me a red envelope that featured a beautiful pattern on it though why did she want me to go and deliver it on her behalf? Wouldn't it have made more sense if she went and did it herself? " Please put this in a postbox. There are plenty of them all around town so this should be an easy enough task but I don't mean to treat you as being idiotic. When this is delivered by the postwoman... When he receives my letter... You should be able to meet him!"
" Are you sure?"
Scootaloo nodded. " I have made sure to mention you in my letter in case he gets suspicious of you meeting him. By the way, I would like to ask a request of you. Um... I know it's a little sudden but I am hoping you will do this for me. Please tell Kafei that Anju is waiting for him. Despite everything that has happened to him since he disappeared, I am still waiting for him when others have given up. Also, after you see him wherever he is hiding in town... Tell me how he looked. It sounds weird but I fear something has befallen him as why else would he remains hidden despite sending me a letter."
" To be honest, I think you should meet him in person."
" I'm scared!"
" What do you mean?"
Scootaloo shivered. " I'm scared... I... I can't go."
While I understood her fears of not wanting to see what might have happened to the man she loved, I had to call foul on Scootaloo's behaviour. By allowing herself to succumb to her fears, she was showing weakness that would easily allow others to take advantage of her kind and generous nature. Come to think of it, she had already been doing that from the moment I first met her due to how she kept on apologizing for even the smallest of infractions. I knew that nothing I said would make her change her mind so it appeared I had been recruited to carry out another task without really being given an option.
On another notion, how was I supposed to meet with this Kafei anyway? I knew now courtesy of Aria that someone with a mask hung out around the Laundry Pool who gave her the letter that she delivered to Scootaloo and that meant I had to find him as he could lead me to Kafei. One more thought then entered my mind. How was it that no one had been able to find him since he had been here in town all along? It's not like he was trying really hard to remain hidden but sure he would have been found by the Town Militia. No doubt they were either incompetent or focusing too much on dealing with the carnival committee.
" Do you really want me to do this for you?"
Scootaloo nodded. " I would really appreciate it.
I sighed knowing I didn't have much of a choice. " Alright... I'll post the letter for you."
That made Scootaloo bow forward slightly. " Thank you... very much. Please mail it immediately in the morning or perhaps before you head off to bed. Either way, please deposit it in a mailbox soon as possible. Now, I must head off to bed myself before my mother accidentally wakes up and thinks something is wrong. Goodnight and I await with baited breath as to what Kafei will have to say when you meet him."
Bowing slightly again, Scootaloo left the kitchen before turning to her left and walking down the hallway leaving me holding the letter she gave me. I looked down at it and for a moment was curious as to what it contained but I knew better than reading someone else's letter. Fortunately, I knew what she was going through as I had seen Princess Twilight act nervous regarding Flash Sentry though this was much worse. Her Highness had a small crush that ultimately amounted to nothing whereas Scootaloo was to get married and that meant spending the rest of her life with Kafei.
Taking my leave of the Stock Pot Inn, I looked around to see if there was a postbox nearby. Sure enough, there was one to my left so I walked over and investigated it. To my surprise, it spoke to me as though it were alive. We didn't have anything like this back home in Equestria so this definitely took me by surprise. The postbox said I should deposit any mail inside the slot--anyone could have figured that out--so I took the letter and slotted it into the slot. The postbox said it had been received and would be delivered tomorrow morning, yet while I was fine with that, I found it difficult to accept the fact it had talked to me.
Looking back at the clock on the wall, the time was now 12:30am which meant Lightning Dust had robbed the Old Lady from the Bomb Shop. According to Adagio, I had to allow the robbery to happen otherwise everything else wouldn't have happened. I was beginning to feel that this side-quest was forcing to act in a manner that brought back painful memories of my past and I absolutely hated it. My heart once again grew heavy knowing how many sacrifices had already been made and yet, it was worth doing it as it meant acquiring something that could help me defeat Starlight--and perhaps even Ganondorf himself.
Since I had nothing else to do, I thought about going back inside and sleeping in the room that had been given to me via the reservation. I wasn't really tired and given how poor it was inside, perhaps it simply best for me to warp forward through time until I reached the point where Aria would deliver the letter Scootaloo asked me to mail. Judging from what I recalled from the schedule that was posted on the post office's door, it opened at 7:00am. Aria most likely went around to pick up everything that had been deposited, go back to the post office, and then go back out again to deliver any letters she received.
" What are you thinking about, Sunset?" Twilight asked.
" How far forward we should go with the Song of Double Time."
" I had a feeling you were thinking of doing that."
" It's not like we have anything to do between now and then."
" There was one thing Sonata mentioned that piqued my curiosity."
" What's that?"
" When you showed her that mask you got from Big Macintosh, the Troupe Leader's Mask." Twilight began. " She said something about speaking to him while wearing it to open up a path not previously seen but he would be too riled up from drinking too much over at the Milk Bar. I don't need to remind you of what he did when you were helping Mrs. Pommel perform that sound check she was working on."
I shuddered. " Who knew that a guy like Big Mac would be so surly and from just drinking milk."
" It takes all kinds."
" You think we should check that out?"
Princess Twilight shrugged. " I'm not really sure as Sonata was being all cryptic when she brought it up. I just happened to remember her saying that and thought to bring it to your attention in case you were curious to find out what she meant. We don't have to do it right now though since we technically still have endless cycles before we confront Starlight so maybe when we're done helping out Scootall and this Kafei, we could find out what might be wrong with Big Macintosh. At this point, it's a good idea to prepare yourself according before we call the Four Giants."
I nodded. " That means I'll need potions, ammunition for my items, and anything else that's necessary before going up to the Clock Tower's apex."
" To answer your question about how far forward we should go through time." Twilight began. " It probably takes Aria about an hour or two to collect all of the mail during her morning run through town, but I suspect she goes back to the post office for another hour or two so as to have her break. Once she's had that, she goes back out again to deliver along the same route until she finishes back at the post office again. I would say we should move forward until sometime around 1:00pm tomorrow afternoon. If I have Aria's route all figured out, she goes to the Laundry Pool as her second-to-last stop before going through West Clock Town."
" How sure are you of that?"
" Not very well."
I was afraid Princess Twilight was going to say that but then we didn't really have much of a choice. It's not that I didn't have confidence in her--I had more confidence in her as opposed to myself--but if arrived too late, we would be forced to start again by getting the room key by saying I had a reservation. Taking out the ocarina and raising it to my lips, I played the Song of Double Time and focused on 1:00pm tomorrow, and everything started speeding up as clocks appeared all around me before it all went black. When my eyes opened moments later, I assumed I had reached my intended time but the clock on the wall revealed it was only 6:00am.
Dawn of the Second Day - 48 Hours Remain.
Why didn't I go to the intended point in time I wanted? Why did I end up only going to 6:00am? I felt so annoyed that I wanted to explode with rage but instead I chose to remain calm in hopes of figuring out an answer. Fortunately, it only took me a few minutes to realize that the Song of Double Time had some limitations when it came to moving through time. I could pass through time to reach a specific point but only during the current day I was on. It had no effect if I was going from one day to the next like I tried doing just now. While it was an inconvenience, it wasn't anything serious as I could just keep moving forward through time by playing the song.
Playing the Song of Double Time again, I focused and the clocks surrounded me again as I moved forward through time until everything went black again. I opened my eyes a few moments later and looked up at the clock on the wall where it told me that the time was now 1:00pm. Whew... I reached where I wanted to go despite the slight hiccup along the way courtesy of the song's limitation. Again, it wasn't that bad, just a little inconvenient. Suddenly, I started getting wet due to it raining--surprised how I never noticed until now--but there was no time to complain about having wet clothes and a wet body.
Knowing that I had to go to the Laundry Pool, I cut my way across using the pathway to South Clock Town that was next to the Stock Pot Inn--Sunset-goro had since disappeared so I assumed she was with the Goron she mentioned--and entered the Laundry Pool before ducking behind the lone tree. Peaking around and looking out in front of me, Aria was slowly running up towards what appeared to be an old bell attached to a piece of rope attached to an old sign. When she reached it, she checked her bag before ringing the bell, and out from a side door to the right came a young boy who was wearing a mask.
" That must be the one Aria mentioned who gave the initial letter to her." Twilight whispered.
I nodded whilst whispering. " But why would they live out here in the Laundry Pool?"
Princess Twilight shook her head. " I don't know but this child must know where Kafei is. I have a feeling Aria is going to keep him distracted long enough so you can take the time to swim across the pond and enter that door on the other side."
" I wonder why I never noticed it before."
" We only ever came here once when we ran into Discord that one time." Twilight said. " I guess we never bothered to take a closer inspection. In any case, you need to hop to it if you want to get inside that kid's place before he does otherwise we may not get another chance to do so."
Checking to make sure neither Aria nor the kid were watching me, I slowly stepped across a bed of flowers, making sure not to accidentally step on any in case doing so would make a noise that would attract them towards me, stepped into the water, swam across to the other side nearest to the door, and slowly climbed out of the water. I looked back to see if they were looking in my direction--they weren't--before slowly tip-toeing until I reached the door. Opening it, I crept inside before slowly closing it, and found myself in a room that comprised of a staircase going to the left.
I had no where else to go so I walked up the stairs for a few moments before it opened up into a small room. There was a bed with sheets that looked to be old and worn out, a desk and chair with someone's journal left open, and a strange looking hole on the back wall. Whoever this kid was certainly knew how to survive in such conditions yet why go to the trouble of hiding in such a place? Why not live someplace normal? I had a feeling something fishy was going on but I didn't have all the facts just yet. It wouldn't be long before the kid would return so I decided to wait for him to come back.
Two minutes later, the door at the bottom of the stairs closed and footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. The kid had finished dealing with Aria so now it was my turn to deal with him, and yet, I knew not to be too harsh as he was my only means of finding Kafei. The kid then arrived and came to a sudden stop upon seeing me but made no effort towards attacking me or pulling some kind of hidden level that would cause me to plummet down to my death or something. Instead, he tilted his head back and forth as if to get a better look at me but I still had to be cautious in case he did do anything.
" Surprised you were able to slip by so easily."
" It wasn't easy mind you."
" I thought about throwing you out for trespassing but then I noticed what you were wearing."
" Oh?" I asked. " You were expecting me?"
The kid nodded. " Green hat... Green clothes... Anju wrote about you in her letter."
I huffed. " Wait a minute! How do you know about that letter? It was meant for someone by the name of Kafei." I then gasped upon realizing what he had done. " How dare you read something that doesn't belong to or even concerns you!"
" Not to worry." The kid said as he laughed. " I assure you that everything is perfectly legitimate with regards to that particular letter. Besides, you do deserve an explanation so I hope you are prepared for what I have to say. Before that, however, I need to know if you can keep a secret. This is extremely important so I must know before I continue on otherwise things could become quite dire."
I nodded knowing I had no choice and also because I knew how to keep promises. " Alright... I won't say anything but I hope this will be worth it."
The kid nodded. " Anju trusted you. I shall also trust you." He then grabbed the mask on his face and held it firmly in his hand. " Had you not spoken to Anju, I wouldn't be doing this but again, you have earned my trust so there is no need for me to hide my secret from you." He pulled off his mask to reveal his face and I was surprised to see that it was someone whom I had never seen before. " I am Kafei."
Princess Twilight then whispered to me. " I don't believe it! That's Tender Taps."
" Who?"
" He is an Earth Pony who was a performer yet lacked the courage to perform in front of other ponies." Twilight answered. " According to Applejack who was told about the incident by Apple Bloom, she and the other Cutie Mark Crusaders succeeded in helping Tender Taps acquire his cutie mark while also discovering what their own marks truly meant, helping those who either don't have their mark or do but need to know their meaning. I'm honestly surprised that he turned out to be Kafei but something isn't adding up. Isn't he supposed to be a young man and not a child?"
Her Highness was right! Why was Kafei, or rather, Tender Taps, a child instead of an adult? I had to inquire about it without making it sound so obvious. " You are Kafei? I mean, I never would have imagined it considering how non-chalant you were with that letter, but this... this is something unexpected."
" What my friend means is the Kafei we were asked to look for is an adult." Twilight said. " While I have no doubt that you are Kafei--your hairstyle matches that of the mask that bears a likeness to you--when I look at you, I just see a child who happens to have an unusual looking face."
Tender Taps sighed. " My story is a tragic one."
" How so?" I asked.
" You are correct in that I am adult." Tender Taps answered. " But, that was until just over a month ago. I do not know why I was targeted but I was turned into this current form by a strange imp wearing a mask. She said that she wanted to make me feel small when she claimed I had somehow wronged her. Her words made no sense at all since I never saw her before until that very moment and yet I was changed by a dark magic she possessed."
I clenched my hand into a fist. I should have known that Starlight Glimmer had something to do with Tender Taps' current condition, and I was just as confused as he was regarding as to why she chose to punish him when he had nothing to do with her. Perhaps she saw him as being too positive and changed him into a child out of spite or perhaps she really felt he had wronged her in some way. Either way, what was originally a love problem between two people had become something much worse. Not only did I need to solve this problem, I also needed to find a way to change Tender Taps back to his true self.
" Why are you hiding here anyway?"
Tender Taps went silent for a while before uttering a single word. " Um..."
" Anju has been worried sick about you this entire time." I said. " Even if you were an old man, she would still love you no matter what you looked like. You don't need to be afraid of showing what you look like right now. Just muster up some courage and go see her before it's too late and you'll live to regret it." I made sure not to mention that I knew what was going to happen because of seeing it in the future as that would have freaked him out and he didn't need that. " I heard that some people in town may flee if things were to get too hectic but it's just a rumour right now but one you should strongly consider."
" I can't reveal myself to Anju... At least, not yet."
" Why not?"
Tender Taps sighed. " I'm not hiding because I look this way. If I was trying to hide in that manner, I would have fled Clock Town and no one would have ever seen me again. In reality, my reason for hiding is because of what happened after that masked imp cursed me. I went to see the Great Fairy in the shrine near the North Gate in hopes she could reverse the curse but on my way there, my precious mask--a wedding ceremony mask--was stolen from me by some prancing woman with a grinning face!"
I knew straight away that Tender Taps was referring to Lightning Dust but I pretended that I didn't know who she was. However, it appeared that she was rather infamous around town for being a troublemaker yet she always got away with whatever goods she managed to pilfer from the innocent. I had allowed her to get away with so much all because I didn't know how to deal with her properly but perhaps now I could finally do something about her. Still, I wasn't surprised that Tender Taps got robbed though he was also rather careless carrying around something that precious in the first place.
" Your mask?"
Tender Taps sighed again. " It was a sun mask that I was to exchange on the day of my wedding with its counterpart, the moon mask, in the hands of Anju. And now, I have lost it and everything else. Before my wedding ceremony, I was quite happy yet I was targeted because of what I had been turned into. That prancing thief knew the masked imp had cursed me yet she still took advantage all because she loves robbing the innocent.
" Oh my." Twilight said. " I pity you."
" I know Anju is worried about me but I can't go out yet."
" And that's because?" I asked.
" I made a promise to her that I would bring the sun mask and greet her on the day we are to be married." Tender Taps answered. " That day is tomorrow night which gives me just over a day to find it and bring it back with me."
" What do you want me to do?"
Reaching into his pocket, Tender Taps took out a beautiful pendant before slipping the mask back on his head. I had a feeling that his mask was one of the ones I needed to collect in order for me to acquire the ultimate mask yet how was I supposed to get it from him? He then handed over the pendant and my heart felt a huge burden suddenly placed on it. He was placing his future in my hands and I knew it was a serious issue. " This pendant... Give it to Anju. Please keep what we just talked about a secret from everyone, at least, until when I am able to confront her with the mask in my possession."
Taking the pendant in my hand, I gazed upon it for a moment. Again, I understood what was going on as I too had experienced love yet I took it for granted all in the name of wanting to remain on top as the most popular girl. In fact, this was my first true experience with love, and it felt absolutely wonderful. Had I been this honest with Flash Sentry back then instead of using him, we could have made it work but instead, my arrogance blinded me to the truth. Unfortunately, he still had feelings towards Princess Twilight as she did in turn but while I told her the harsh reality of it, he still needed to know and it was now my job of providing him that reality.
Putting the pendant carefully into my pocket, I told Tender Taps that I would give it to Anju--Scootaloo. " She wanted me to tell her what you looked like but I'll try to make sure not to tell her about your current condition."
Tender Taps bowed slightly. " Be careful with that pendant, green hat girl. I don't want it to get stolen especially by that prancing woman should she still be around or by that strange bird that lurks out in the field near the entrance to the Southern Swamp. Make sure you keep a close eye on your pockets when going around town especially at nightfall. I say this as a friendly warning and not to intimidate you. Things that get stolen in this town always make their way to the Curiosity Shop. I'm waiting for that to happen."
" How come?"
" Do you see that hole up there on that wall?"
I nodded. " What about it?"
" If you stand on that crate and peek into the hole, you'll see the Curiosity Shop's interior from behind the counter." Tender Taps answered. " I've been doing this for some time now, checking on the customers who come by there at night, and that woman has been there several times before. She will definitely come tonight with whatever stolen goods she has in her possession and I'll be waiting for that moment. I would confront her in there but if she spotted me, she would run at the first opportunity."
Tender Taps had certainly given me a lot to think about. On the one hand, I now understood his plight no thanks to Starlight having cursed him and Lightning Dust having stolen something precious from him. On the other, there was still much more about this problem that remained unsolved. What was Lightning Dust's involvement in all this? Yes, she was involved now due to having stolen that sun mask so where could I even begin to search for her hideout? I had to deliver the pendant to Scootaloo to let her know that I had found Tender Taps but to learn more about Lightning Dust's scheme proved too juicy to ignore.
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You should really practice what you preach Twi.
Since I used my DBZA video last chapter, I'll let this one go. Still, Called it!
And the scene with Sonata gave me a thought. Are you going with the game's ending, or the manga ending where Link runs the mask salesman off instead of risking Majora's power fall into the wrong hands? I think he destroyed it after that, but it would certainly be an interesting ending. Especially if, like in the manga, Sunset is still in Fierce Diety form.
8352186
I also asked him about the Manga question. He might [MIGHT] not use it cause he doesn't know how the manga version of the game went and ended. It's possible he might use it or not, He needs to see it first (in Correct English) and see if it has potential for his story. I've even asked him if he could re-enact that scene with the four giants and learning the reason why Starlight/Skull-kid did these acts and revealing the true villain. We don't know for certain, but one can hope.
8352580
Good thing I spend a lot of time on manga sites, cause I've got a link! The whole manga is in this one chapter though, so the pages may load a little out of order, but they're all there, and all in order.
Sunset Shimmer, PI
hehe... good chapter.
I wonder if the Fierce Deity mask turns her into Daydream Shimmer again, but with armor instead of the dress...
Hm...
8352580
I don't see the manga as being canon with the game so I'm not going to use anything from it. However, referencing it isn't out of the question so I could at least do that. At any rate, expect the final chapters to follow the game's narrative but with the obvious additions such as one more Ganondorf encounter for instance.
8354174
If anything, it would make her a combination of herself, Sunset Demon, and whatever the mask itself provides. In any case, she will be using the Fierce Deity's Mask as why else would I have had her go to such lengths to get every mask? This next chapter will give her two of the remaining three masks she needs and maybe the third one as well.
8356002
Alright.