Epilogue: The Beginning of the End?
The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
October 30, 2017
Epilogue: The Beginning of the End?
At long last... I had defeated Majora's Mask. Despite it going through a few transformation, pushing me to the limit, and even relying on a last ditch effort in an attempt to kill me, I had prevailed and that meant the world of Termina could finally experience peace again. And yet... That's what I thought was going to happen. I assumed that my adventure was over but instead I wasn't so sure about it. Everything had gone white resulting in me blacking out once more whilst the body of Majora's Mask crumbled to dust upon its defeat leaving me lost and without any answers. Had I truly won or was I to face yet another form?
If I were to continue fighting against Majora's Mask, I would have an advantage in the form of being on equal footing through the use of the Fierce Deity's Mask. Even though I had gained tremendous power by becoming a demonic version of myself, the fact that I was wearing a mask that was filled with evil gave me nothing but worry. I was in complete control of my actions but I had no way of knowing how long I could maintain it. If I were to lose control of myself, I would have become Sunset Demon reborn, the desire for destruction consuming every last fibre of my being, losing my humanity.
No... I couldn't allow myself to become a monster again. It was a part of my life that I had cast aside in favour of a better future but it still managed to nibble at my feet as a reminder that no matter what I did, it would continue to torment my very being. I would forever be struggling against the evil which had tainted me in my bid to keep it under control. So long as friendship was in my heart and I was surrounded by my family, the evil within me would never again emerge even when using an evil power to overcome the very evil I had to fight against to bring about peace.
That's why... That's why... That's why I wanted this whole experience to come to an end. I had endured so much torment throughout this journey that I had constantly questioned my very existence not to mention other facets resulting in conflicted answers which lacked any true comprehension. While I enjoyed the experience of adventuring--it reminded me of when I used to have similar adventures in Equestria before and after becoming Princess Celestia's student--the pain I felt was too much. If not for Princess Twilight giving me guidance, I would have succumbed a long time ago. For that, I owed Her Highness so much even if it was beyond my own limitations.
Opening my eyes, I discovered that I was awake spiritually whilst my physical body remained unconscious. Looking around my surroundings, I was back outside Clock Town, flanked on both sides by Princess Twilight and Spike, and there were other people outside scattered about. Why couldn't I wake up? I tried to but nothing happened leaving me to wonder if I had truly died against Majora's Mask. If death had claimed me then Ganondorf would have failed in his own ambition--a positive despite the overall negative--but what about my friends, my family? Without me, how could they continue to go on? I tried to open my eyes again but still nothing happened.
Everyone--including Princess Twilight and Spike--then looked up at the sky prompting me to do the same and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The moon, whose gaping mouth allowed me to enter it and interact with the children who played there, was back to normal or what constituted as such--its mouth had closed--but then it too looked upward as though something were looming above it. Suddenly, a bright light began forming at the peak of the moon and it began to crack in various places, resulting in additional beams of light pouring out from those cracks. Was the moon about to explode?
A tornado-like presence then formed where the initial light first appeared and it began sucking the moon up into it whilst it continued to crack. I had no idea what was going on but the people continued to be mesmerized by such a spectacle even though they should have fled back into town or something. This entire sequence continued on until the moon completely vanished in a final burst of bright light leaving nothing behind other than a beautiful rainbow which began shining across the sky. The Four Giants, who had spent this entire time cradling the moon, looked up whilst the people began cheering.
Just seeing that rainbow made me think that perhaps things weren't as bad as I was making them out to be. Sure, pain was something that everyone felt in their lives be it on a rare occurrence or happening frequently, but deep down there was always a sense of hope even when it looked like it could never happen. Hope was a feeling those who truly believed in it strove for though it proved difficult to achieve especially in a world filled with chaos and uncertainly, but when you actually see it for yourself with your own eyes, you just feel like believing things would become better in the end.
Perhaps the strangest sight I saw was Sweetie Belle and Shining Armour looking up at what had transpired. Both of them had been on opposite ends when it came to the fate of the Carnival of Time resulting in pointless bickering, but upon reflecting back on it now, they had their reasons for defending their actions. Both would ultimately be forced to eat crow--not actual crow but rather having to admit they were wrong about what happened--with Shining Armour bearing the bigger brunt given his opinion was more polarizing though Sweetie Belle wasn't innocent either.
Dawn of a New Day
While this was fine and all, the problem was that I still couldn't open my physical eyes and awaken. I didn't want to spend the rest of my time stuck as a spirit--it was peaceful to some degree--so I tried for a third time to wake up. Perhaps the previous attempts failed because the moon's presence was still around along with other forces that prevented me from opening my eyes but now there was nothing standing in my way. Struggling from a spiritual perspective, I concentrated as hard as I could hoping for a small miracle, and slowly my eyes began fluttering before opening up entirely though I felt groggy despite seeing everything.
" You've finally woke up." Twilight said.
I rubbed the back of my head. " How long was I out for?"
" I'd say about several minutes or so."
" Twilight... I saw everything that happened just now."
Princess Twilight was surprised. " Really? I thought for sure that you weren't going to come out of it, Sunset. I mean, you were lying there completely limp and looked like you were devoid of life but I refused to abandon your side until you woke up. To be honest, a part of me thought you weren't going to pull through but I'm glad to be wrong. Once again, Sunset, you've defied expectations." It then clicked in her mind as to what I had just said. " You saw everything? Wow... Colour me impressed if not slightly jealous that you managed to do that in the form of a spirit but I doubt you want to go through that again."
I nodded. " Being a spirit was fine but I'd rather live. Anyway, the moon has disappeared so I assume it's gone back to wherever it came from?"
" Maybe not exactly." Twilight answered. " I suspect that Majora's Mask created the moon or at the very least manipulated it into dropping down from the sky. In any case, it needed to coerce someone into carrying out its bidding and it chose Starlight Glimmer for that task. Without Majora's Mask, the moon no longer had any power so it just disappeared. I don't know if the Four Giants did something but the important thing is that Termina has been saved thanks to your efforts, Sunset. Now all we need to figure out is how to change this world back to what it's meant to be, the world that you call home."
" I already know."
" Really?"
I nodded. " We need to have Ganondorf change things back."
Princess Twilight's expression went from surprise to glum. " Then we're stuck, Sunset. If we have to rely on him to change this world back to normal, then you might have to become his servant or subject yourself to either more torment or humiliation depending on what he wants from you."
" Not the most comforting of results there, Twilight."
" Sorry..."
" No... I had a feeling that I would need to resort to such actions in order to convince Ganondorf to change this world back." I said. " I've come a long way since my first encounter with him back when my first journey reached its conclusion so I believe I can hold my own even if his power is clearly far greater considering what he possesses. Then again, if I could use the Fierce Deity's Mask in combination with my Daydream Shimmer form, that might be enough to defeat him. I won't be able to kill him though because of one little factor that he doesn't rely on as a crutch."
" Huh?" Twilight asked, clearly confused by that statment. " What do you mean?"
" Ganondorf can't be killed by conventional means."
Princess Twilight's jaw dropped. " What!? How is that even possible!?"
I drew out the Gilded Sword and held it firmly in my hands before revealing the truth to Princess Twilight. I told her that Ganondorf was immune to most conventional items and magic due to his dark power combined with the Triforce granting him near invulnerability. Only a magic infused sword and silver arrows--surprised I actually remembered that--could inflict damage and ultimately kill him yet I possessed neither. I wasn't sure if the sword I used whilst wearing the Fierce Deity's Mask counted as a magic sword despite it being able to fling magic but even if it were classified as such, it meant nothing as without silver arrows, there was no way of truly defeating him.
It's unfortunate that the Light Arrow was useless against him despite it being most effective against those who relied on darkness. The version of Ganondorf who was portrayed by Lord Tirek was vulnerable to it in both of his forms so I assumed that the real version would have the same issue. It turned out that he had somehow moved beyond being vulnerable to the light and instead could only be killed with the power of silver. It made Ganondorf come off as being like a werewolf or some other undead monster that could only be destroyed using some kind of silver material.
Even with the power of the Fierce Deity on my side, my best hope was to overpower Ganondorf enough where he would be forced to withdraw and change this world back to the way it was meant to be. Of course, it wouldn't be easy even with having the ultimate mask as I knew he had been holding back during our previous encounters. Unlike other monsters who had a limitation with regards to their power, the Dark Lord seemed to possess an infinite amount of strength that was beyond any mere mortal. Was he human or was he a demon? If he was the latter, then my chances of victory were extremely slim.
Suddenly, Spike flew into my face. " So you're the one who saved the Skull Kid?"
Even though I knew he was referring to Starlight, I had to play along with the fact that he only knew her by her name in this world. " Well... I wouldn't say that I saved her given that she was rejected by Majora's Mask."
" No, you saved her life."
" Are you sure about that?"
Spike nodded. " If you hadn't summoned the Four Giants, the Skull Kid would have destroyed all of Termina and wiped out everything in the process. You were able to free her from the influence that weird mask had over her so for that you have my eternal gratitude. But... I suppose I should take the blame for what happened."
I knew he was going to say that so I attempted to say otherwise. " You didn't know what was going to happen."
" No... I knew all along." Spike said. " I knew something was wrong when the Skull Kid began acting like a monster instead of the innocent child my sister and I first met. Granted, she wasn't entirely innocent due to her mischievous nature and having had a falling out with her friends but she never once considered wanting to destroy Termina. That mask convinced her to carry out its desire for destruction but I think she enjoyed it the more she used its dark power. I could have stopped the Skull Kid but I wasn't strong enough and it resulted in so many innocent lives being lost."
" You mean the likes of Darmani and Mikau?" I asked making sure not to use their actual names.
" They were only trying to help out their respective people yet the mask made the Skull Kid do things that resulted in their deaths."
" Are you sure she didn't have a desire to kill them?"
Spike went silent for a moment before answering. " Maybe she did because of wanting revenge against those who hurt her but those two along with other people didn't do such a thing so why were they punished?" He went silent again and floated around for a while in hopes of finding an answer but his expression ultimately signalled that he couldn't come up with anything. It seemed there was much about Starlight in this world that remained unknown but perhaps now was the time to get those answers. " I'm sorry but I just can't figure it out and personally, I'd rather not because it would just lead to further problems."
" You do realize that she has a lot to answer for."
" I know and I believe she knows that as well."
" It's not up to you to make that distinction."
" What do you mean?"
" Only she can make such a statement because it was her own actions that caused all of this." I answered. " While Majora's Mask did manipulate her like a puppet because she possessed a weak will, much of what happened resulted from what she desired, namely wanting to get back at those who had wronged her. What started off as innocent pranks soon became acts of murder and destruction until she chose to end everything by bringing a moon down on us. She may be back to normal but she isn't going to have an easy time of things because the people of Termina won't soon forget."
Spike sighed. " I know, but I wish there was something I could do."
" Perhaps you could help explain things to the people."
" Do you think that will work?"
I nodded. " Maybe but it's better than not doing anything. Now, where do you suppose I can find her?"
Spike pointed to my right and standing a short distance away was Starlight herself. She seemed perfectly fine from where I was standing but deep down I knew that she wasn't fine by any stretch of the word. After all, she had almost destroyed the entire world as a means of pulling off the ultimate prank and the Four Giants might not be willing to forgive her as she did imprison them by sealing them into the masks of those who guarded each of the four temples. Then again, they might be willing seeing as she was under the influence of Majora's Mask and much of her actions were caused by it manipulating her.
As I continued thinking about it, I felt a nudge from behind pressing against my back and I quickly whipped myself around and saw that Epona was behind me. If I recalled correctly, she had been left behind somewhere on the path that lead to Ikana Canyon. I made sure she wasn't near any of those Real Bombchu--in truth she could survive anything given she plowed her way through most of those monsters without any problems--so how did she get over here? I'm not complaining about it as I loved her to pieces due to her understanding me better than most--barring Princess Twilight--and I had hoped she would come back with me to where I was supposed to be.
Walking forward, I was about to talk to Starlight when she instead spoke to the Four Giants who were looking down at her. " You guys... You hadn't forgotten about me? I mean, it has been such a very long time since then and I believed you had neglected me."
" How could we forget you, oh imp?" Principal Celestia asked. " Even though you meant a great deal to us, we had our sworn duty which had to come first. As the guardians of this world, we cannot ignore our duty or else the world would become lost to all who dwell within it."
" But... You know what happened back then."
" You were young and did not understand the true nature which had been given unto us."
" It's not like you told me about it."
Principal Celestia shook her head. " Oh imp! Our dearest friend... There is much about us that you could never hope to understand though know that this is true for all of the creatures that walk this land. None of them can comprehend us even though some have tried to understand our very existence. We never meant to cast you away but you gave us no alternative when you began causing misery to those we protect."
" I... I felt as though you had abandoned me."
" Friendship is strong but our duty is stronger."
" And yet, you must atone for your sins." Vice Principal Luna said.
Starlight then lowered her head and her entire body began to shiver out of fear. " I... I didn't mean to do all of that stuff that I did."
Vice Principal Luna thrust out her hand indicating that she wasn't believing Starlight's words. " While you claimed that you were merely having fun at the expense of those that we have sworn to protect, you lost your way when you began inflicting pain and misery upon them in the name of destruction. It is unfortunate that we Giants cannot accept your attempt at feigning ignorance when the truth is clear to us. Perhaps the worst of your sins is when you sealed us away in those accursed masks. Had you not done this under the influence of the evil mask, we could have prevented so much from happening but instead we were powerless."
" So... you can't forgive me."
" Normally, we would not forgive such actions and instead banish you from this world forever."
" I understand and accept your judgment."
" You would not seek revenge like before?"
Starlight shook her head. " You're right in that I can't pretend that what I did wasn't my fault. Had I not been so weak, the mask would have never manipulated me and I would have stopped using it sooner instead of continuing to use its power. My actions are clearly unforgivable and you guys don't have to forgive me. For that, I will accept any punishment you can come up with including being banished or even wiped out of existence."
Again, Vice Principal Luna thrust out her hand. " You did not let me finish, oh imp. Normally, we would not forgive you for your actions... but... in this case, we choose to do so. We realize that it was because of our dedication to our duty as guardians that caused all of this to happen. We should not have cast you aside for the sake of our duty and instead embraced you as our friend. However, the people are not so forgiving."
" The people shall determine your fate." Dean Cadance said.
" Not you?" Starlight asked.
Dean Cadance shook her head. " We Giants have done what we can for you, oh imp, so now you must face the people that you hurt. We cannot say what will become of you but we believe that they will come to an understanding. There is no telling how long it will take or whether they can forgive you but this is the only path you can take as the alternative is one you are most familiar with."
" Do you guys still think of me as a friend?"
" We do despite what happened."
" I suppose I can accept that."
" It is as my sister said." Dean Cadance began. " Friendship is a very powerful force and it is one that cannot be broken so easily. There will be times where it shall be tested because of factors that are beyond our control but you must have hope that things shall work out upon the final conclusion. If you wish to understand friendship, oh imp, you should look towards the one who freed us from the evil masks that we were imprisoned in."
I looked up at Dean Cadance. " Me?" I asked as I pointed at myself. " I wouldn't call myself an expert on friendship."
Dean Cadance smiled as she placed her hand on her chest. " And yet you were willing to save our friend despite all she had done to you. You were able to look past such trivial matters and saw her as someone who was lost. Chosen one... You're being here in this world was no act of fate nor destiny. You were brought here because only you could resolve the issues that had plagued this world, issues that we Giants could not resolve on our own. You have earned our eternal gratitude and for that we shall forever keep thee in our hearts for all eternity long after you have gone."
Flurry Heart then spoke up. " Goo-goo! Gah! Hehe! Goo-goo! Gah-go!"
I had no idea what she said and I was expecting Sugarcoat to appear and translate but she was no where to be seen. Perhaps she had already returned to where Flurry Heart originated from as the guardian of Ikana? Either that or she didn't feel like saying anything for her own reasons. " Um... What did you say?"
" Goo-gah! Gah! Goo!"
" I don't understand."
Flurry Heart then began pointing in different directions. " Goo! Hehe! Goo!"
" Aren't those the directions you four came from?"
Flurry Heart nodded. " Hehe! Goo-goo! Gah!" That was when she stunned me and everyone else present when she suddenly began speaking actual words. " W... We... We must return... return... return to... place... place. We must return."
" You're going now?"
" We must return."
That's when Starlight decided to speak up. " Must you go now?"
Flurry Heart nodded. " We must return."
" Know that you shall always be our friend, oh imp." Principal Celestia said. " While we may not be able to play games with you like we once did because our sworn duty to protect this world must take precedence above all else, know that we shall always be your friend. Perhaps some day things will change where this world will no longer need us, but for now, we shall return to our rightful places and continue watching over everything in our respective domains."
" Chosen one..." Vice Principal Luna began. " May your journey be a pleasant one and know that we shall watch over you."
" And now we must rest." Dean Cadance said.
With that, all Four Giants then raised their heads up high and began singing their song, "The Oath to Order", whilst Starlight resumed shivering, resulting in Spike flying over to comfort her leaving me and Princess Twilight to watch the spectacle before us. As they continued to sing, each Giant then began walking off--Flurry Heart floated because she wasn't as tall as the others were--towards the region each one hailed from, their task now accomplished, and kept on going until they disappeared. Would they return again? Perhaps if Termina became threatened but for now, they were content with resting and watching over the world from their eternal slumber.
Looking back towards Starlight, she was still shivering though Spike was comforting her as best as he could. Despite everything she had done, I felt sorry for her because I had once been in her shoes myself. I knew what it felt like to be cast aside by my friends though my reason was much different from hers--I forgave the Crusaders for what they did despite them hurting me and everyone else in the process by sharing secrets--yet the point was that she could find kinship with me. Granted, it wouldn't make much of a difference as when everything goes back to normal, it would be as though none of this had ever happened.
" Are you okay?" I asked.
Starlight looked around wondering where my voice came from but quickly realized that I was standing behind her when she looked behind her. " Yeah... I'm alright but I know that I have a long road ahead of me when it comes to seeking forgiveness." She turned to face me, her face filled with sadness. " My friends have forgiven me but the same might not be true with the people who I have hurt. If they condemn me for my actions, I won't run away or seek revenge. Instead, I'll accept their judgment and work hard to earn their praise. It will probably be a few years or maybe less depending on their attitude but it's better than the alternative."
" You're a lot more mature than your appearance suggests."
" You could say that I quickly came to that realization."
" If it's any consolation, I can forgive you as well for what you did."
Starlight's ears then perked up when I said that. " Really? You'll forgive me? I'm surprised considering that I transformed you into a Deku Scrub, stole your instrument, stole your horse, and even mocked you. I was honestly expecting you thrusting out your sword at me but I guess I had you figured out wrong." She then leaned forward to get a closer look at me only to quickly lean back before scratching her head until her eyes opened wide. " I just realized something! Before losing consciousness on top of the Clock Tower, I saw you standing there holding your ocarina. You... Did you save me?"
I nodded. " It was the right thing to do because you were under the manipulation of Majora's Mask."
" I appreciate it even though you could have left me."
" Believe me... I know what it's like to be alone."
" Really?"
" Yes."
Starlight then looked to her left at Spike who smiled back before she looked up at the sky. " All this time... I truly believed that they didn't want to be friends with me. I thought they had abandoned me. In truth, they had their sacred duty as guardians of this land to perform which to them was important but I assumed the opposite and chose to lash out against everyone in return which lead me down a dangerous path that almost destroyed everything. But... They hadn't forgotten about me. Even after all this time, they still cherished our friendship despite their duty."
I smiled. " Glad to see that you can pick up where you left off."
Starlight shook her head. " Not entirely. They must fulfill their duty as guardians and I understand that now. Even if I have to wait for months, years, decades, or even longer than that to be able to play games with them again, I shall focus my life on what I currently have whilst making amends for my actions against the people." Giggling, she turned back to face me, her expression having changed from sadness to joy. " You know... Friends are a nice thing to have, heh, heh. You should always appreciate them even during the bad times in life as they will be there to support you."
Hearing her say that reminded me of what I went through when it came to my friends. We didn't start off as friends per say but more like acquaintances as Princess Twilight had told them to befriend me so I could have a second chance after what I did during the events of the Fall Formal last year. Because of that, my friends were hesitant towards accepting me as one of their own but the foundation had been set. It just took some time because of unfortunate circumstances--namely the Dazzlings and to a lesser extent the Crusaders--before we all got a better understanding of each other.
Do my friends and I still argue with one another? Sure as no friendship is ever perfect due to there being tiny problems that can flare up, but those problems have to be solved before they could spiral out of control resulting in hurt feelings, a huge amount of negativity, and ultimately the destruction of the friendship at its very core. I'd say we could do with some improvements on a few things but we are pretty close, more so now than ever before because of our Equestrian Magic that binds us together. Hopefully, nothing would come along and tear us apart in the future.
Knowing that Starlight was going to be alright, I looked back at Epona. " I think you'll be okay from now on."
" Could you be my friend, too?"
I almost stumbled when she said that as it practically came out of nowhere. Granted, such a friendship wouldn't last for very long considering that once this world went back to the way it was supposed to be, Starlight and everyone else save for Princess Twilight and myself would remember any of us, but I knew I could overlook such a thing and accept her offer and become her friend. After all, we had much more in common because of our respective histories with both Equestria and Her Highness, and that alone was an ideal foundation. Would I ever meet the real Starlight Glimmer from Equestria? I had no idea but I supposed it would be something to behold.
I nodded. " Of course I'll be your friend."
" I'm glad to hear that."
" By the way... I know you from somewhere."
I gulped. " You do?"
Starlight nodded before walking over to me. " It took me a while to figure it out but I do know who you are." Leaning forward, she began sniffing my body which made me feel really uncomfortable and I thought about backing away or telling her that I needed some personal space but she quickly stopped and giggled again. " Hee hee! You have the same smell as the fairy kid who taught me that song in the woods. What was it called again? Saria's Song? Yes, that's the one!"
My jaw dropped. She was the very Skull Kid that I gave that one mask to after playing the song Fluttershy taught me on my previous journey!? How was that even possible? I never encountered her at all during that adventure so how could she have been the same Skull Kid? Unless... This was one of those retcon moments I had heard Rainbow Dash mention constantly whenever we had a sleepover. My memories of my journey through Hyrule were hazy at times resulting in me not recalling precise details yet this was one that I remembered vividly and Starlight wasn't there.
Smiling awkwardly, I gave Starlight a response to what she had just said. " What about the mask I gave you back then?"
" You mean the Skull Mask, right?"
" Yes, I think that was it."
" It definitely made me tougher." Starlight said. " And it was certainly fun scaring my friends with it though they did end up weakening the prospect when they acquired their own versions of the mask. I didn't wear it anymore when that happened but I never got rid of it because I was reminded of the one who gave it to me. I never did find out what became of you after that as you practically disappeared into thin air but you probably had other business that needed to be dealt with."
I continued to smile awkwardly. " I had a destiny to fulfill."
Starlight giggled. " You certainly have an exciting life."
" It's not always like that."
" You need to have a lot of determination."
" Yeah."
Starlight then began jumping up and down. " I know! I know! Let's do something! I want to celebrate my new friendship with you, fairy girl, but I need a few minutes to figure out what would be the best thing for us to do. I'm not going to suggest going around Clock Town and pulling pranks as I think I've had my fill of doing those."
" Oh... So the evil has left the mask after all..."
" WAAAAH!" I screamed as Starlight giggled in response. Whipping myself around, I saw that Sonata was standing a fair distance away from us whilst holding Majora's Mask in her hands and looking down at it with a happy expression across her face. " I wish you would let me know when you just show up out of nowhere!" My brain then realized what she was holding prompting me to inch backwards slightly in case something were to happen given what the mask had done.
" My apologies for startling you, my friend." Sonata said. " I was so happy that I just couldn't contain my excitement over what you have done for me. It took you the entire three days or perhaps much longer than that, but I finally have it back, my precious mask."
" But it doesn't do anything now."
" And that can be considered a blessing given all that has happened."
I scratched the back of my head. " I suppose that's true."
Sonata then looked in the direction of Starlight. " While this imp did cause me grief by stealing the mask while I slept in the forest, everything worked out in the end. She has been re-acquainted with the friends she thought she had lost and you, child of the forest, have earned both experience and a better understanding of yourself, and I have gotten back my mask. While it no longer wields such destructive power, it's still a unique piece that is sure to make others envious. But, I will confess that I shouldn't have found Majora's Mask. It's strange how destiny works sometimes isn't it?" She looked back at the mask in her hands and smiled. " Many try to understand it yet fail because it's beyond their means."
" Destiny hasn't done me any favours."
" Perhaps but then without it, you wouldn't be where you are now."
" In some ways its good but bad in others."
Sonata placed the mask in the giant backpack she had on her back, turned to face me again, clasped her hands together, and leaned forward slightly. " Only you can control your own destiny even when it looks like it's beyond your ability to do so." Reaching into her pocket, she took out what appeared to be a pocket watch, opened it up, stared at it for a few moments, said a few words under her breath, closed it, and placed it back where she got it from. " Since I am in the midst of my travels... I must bid you farewell."
" You're leaving?"
" I only planned on staying here for three days."
" Oh yes." I said as I recalled the words from my first meeting with her. " I remember you saying that to me."
" My busy schedule prevents me from staying any longer than necessary and so I must leave and move on to my next destination." Sonata said. " There are still many people out there who wish to purchase my masks and who am I to deny them such a joyous occasion as purchasing one. Before you question it, my friend, I did manage to sell some masks here in Clock Town though you didn't see it with your own eyes."
I should have known Sonata would say something like that, but then, this version of her was aloof in her nature though she did come off as somewhat creepy. Turning around, she began walking away whilst I turned to face Starlight who began shivering as she started crying. This time, Princess Twilight, Spike, and I comforted her and she quickly felt much better though her healing had only just begun. I told her that she didn't need to be upset as everything was sure to work out in the end by explaining things carefully to the people. She had a long way to go before she could truly find peace but what had happened was a good first step.
" Will you be okay?"
Starlight nodded. " I'll be alright."
Sonata then suddenly stopped and turned around. " Shouldn't you be returning home as well?"
" What do you mean?" I asked.
" You are not meant to be a part of this world." Sonata answered. " No, your place is elsewhere and so you must head off and seek out that place. It will take time for the wounds of this world to heal but by defeating the evil within Majora's Mask, you have given light back where it had been lost to the darkness. I know that you two have forged a new friendship where it had not existed before yet now it must end. Whenever there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow."
" You have to go?" Starlight asked.
I sadly nodded. " I need to go back to where I come from."
" Why not stay here in Termina?"
" This is not where I'm supposed to be." I answered. " I would try to explain things a bit further but I fear all it would do is cause nothing but confusion. All I can say is that you should cherish what you have and never lose sight of it even during the worst of times. I know you've already heard similar words but this is coming straight from me, someone who had to learn about friendship through more difficult and personal means."
" Will I ever see you again?"
" I'm not sure."
Sonata then coughed to get our attention. " You need not be filled with sadness, little imp. Even though you and the fairy child will soon part ways, know that such a parting need not last forever. Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short time... That is up to you to decide and no one else can change that. I believe you two will meet each other again but not in these conditions. Take my words however you wish. With that, please excuse me..." Turning around, Sonata was about to walk when she suddenly turned to face us once more. " There is one other thing that I wished to speak about regarding what you have done, my friend."
" What's that?"
" I'm aware that you managed to collect every mask that exists in this world."
I gulped. " You do?"
Sonata nodded. " While you struggled in some ways, helped out in others, and even had to sometimes rely on drastic measures, you were able to collect those masks from so many different people by showing them happiness, a feeling that I once believed had been lost because of the darkness that plagued this world. I am most impressed with how you managed to make them happy. The masks you have in your possession are filled with happiness."
" But... I had to give them away."
" Or did you?"
" I know that I did."
" Then you should check your possessions." Sonata said as she smiled. " This is truly a good happiness by making others feel happy. I have no doubt that what you did for them will make their lives much better and they will be forever grateful to you. And now, I must truly be going so again, please excuse me."
Turning around, Sonata began walking forward until she suddenly faded away to nothing. I had no idea how she just did that but I felt uncomfortable again knowing that I witnessed her doing it. Was she more than what she appeared to be or had my lack of sleep--it had been a very long time since I last got some rest--began messing with my mind? In any case, she had gone and that meant I to had to do the same thing. I needed to find Ganondorf and make him change things back to the way they were supposed to be and staying around here wasn't going to work. Rather than me finding him, he had to find me instead.
" I guess this is it then?" Starlight asked.
I nodded. " This is where we part ways."
" I understand."
" I'm sure we will meet again."
Starlight smiled. " I know we will."
Spike then spoke up. " It looks like both you and the Skull Kid got what you were after, huh? I don't mean to sound rude or anything but the Carnival of Time is about to get underway and we don't want to miss any of the action. I'm sure Tatl had a lot of fun hanging out with you, fairy girl, but you've got your own business to deal with and I'd rather it not ruin our eventual fun. So why not go aboyt on your merry way and we'll do the same thing. Come on, Tatl!"
Princess Twilight shook her head. " I can't go with you and Starlight, Spike."
" What!?"
" You two can go and enjoy the carnival but I cannot go."
" Why are you acting so strangely, sis?" Spike asked. " Before all of this crazy stuff with the mask happened, you were looking forward to the Carnival of Time more than me and the Skull Kid this time and usually I'm the one who gets the most excited about it. Why this sudden change?"
" I can't leave Sunset's side."
" I'm certain she knows the way back to wherever she came from."
" It's not just that." Twilight said. " I need to go with her in order to confront someone who has hounded us both for quite some time. What I'm trying to say, Spike, is that my journey with Sunset isn't over just yet until this person has been dealt with. Until then, I cannot in good consciene go with you and Starlight to see the carnival. If this wasn't the case, there would have been nothing anyone could have done to stop me from going but the alternative has happened."
Spike then looked disappointed. " So... You really have to do this?"
Princess Twilight nodded. " It's my destiny, Spike."
" And nothing I say will change your mind?"
" I'm sorry."
Spike looked like he was about to burst out in both sadness and anger over Her Highness' desire to remain with me instead of being with him, but then he suddenly surprised us all when he nodded before comforting her for a brief moment. " I understand, Tatl. Even though it pains me, this is something you must do with the fairy girl. Just promise me that you will come back when you've finished with what you must do even if takes you months or years."
Princess Twilight said nothing which confirmed to Spike that she couldn't guarantee that she could keep such a promise. After all, when everything is changed back to normal, no one is going to remember any of this happening save for myself and Her Highness as though it were just a dream. I wished that I could forget as it would mean forgetting Ganondorf and everything he had done to me in his bid to make me his devoted servant. Princess Twilight hugged Spike as strong as possible before floating away from him and over to me where I had since climbed up onto Epona.
This was such a sombre moment that I didn't want to say anything even though I could have. Starlight knew that I didn't want to speak up because we had both said our respective farewells towards one another leaving Spike and Her Highness to go and do the exact same thing without any interruptions. Spike would see her again back in Equestria so it wasn't like this was going to be the last time they would see each other. While I would have preferred it if Her Highness had stayed behind and gone to the carnival--I am certain this was intended in this game's actual story--but I knew she had to come with me as she was now under Ganondorf's radar.
Gently kicking Epona in the ribs, she slowly began trotting forward though I honestly had no idea where we were going. In all honesty, I was actually expecting Ganondorf to show up right here and now given that I had succeeded in saving Termina from being destroyed, but perhaps he was waiting for me to be alone before making his move. Being ever vigilant had become a top priority for me now which meant being cautious as who knew when he would appear. In any case, I didn't look back whilst Princess Twilight did--Tatl's persona most likely influences her at that point--before she too turned to face what had become an unknown.
" That must have been difficult for you, huh?" I asked as Epona continued trotting forward.
" A part of me wants to stay here but I know that you need me, Sunset."
" The Tatl side of your persona made you want to do that."
" You think I was meant to leave you?"
I nodded. " This happened before during my previous journey. After overcoming the odds and restoring peace, Spike ended up leaving because I had fulfilled my destiny and he no longer needed to be by my side. Of course, when I faced the real Ganondorf, he was there due to some kind of force bringing him to me. I think Tatl stays behind because she wanted to be with both her brother and their friend yet your persona decided to take the initiative by choosing me over them. I know what I said doesn't make much sense but it's the best I can say without sounding like an idiot."
Princess Twilight shook her head. " No, I think you said pretty well."
" Since the character I am portraying is just a blank slate, I don't have such persona conflictions."
" That must be nice."
" Not really as my character is just an extension of the one playing the game."
" I think I understand."
I rolled my eyes. " Maybe I should have Rainbow Dash--the human version--explain it to you the next time you decide to pay the human world a visit. She is the true video game fanatic who knows just about everything about them though she can't stop talking about them."
Princess Twilight laughed. " I didn't think she would be so engrossed with them."
" Being an athlete and the captain of every team isn't her only claim to fame."
" You've convinced me that I should pay a visit whenever I have a free moment."
" Princess duties taking their toll?"
" Yes." Twilight answered. " But, I've learned that I have to accept that fact because I was chosen to ascend and become an alicorn. Believe me, Sunset, being a princess is a lot of work that also gives me stress among other things so be glad you don't have to go through the same thing. I don't mean to say that you're not worthy to ascend. I'm just saying that it requires having a firm grasp of any situation and not allowing anger to cloud your judgment."
I raised my hand to stop Princess Twilight from talking. " You don't need to sugarcoat anything with me, Twilight. I know that Princess Celestia personally groomed me to ascend and become an alicorn but I allowed my arrogance to blind me to a truth that I kept on blaming her for it. It was my lack of humility, friendship, and patience that ultimately resulted in my self-exile from Equestria. Not a day goes by that I regret my actions as it resulted in another world becoming plagued with wild Equestrian Magic, but the experience gave me the chance to find those missing feelings and get to understand them."
" Then it wasn't a complete loss."
" Not at all."
" Someday... You'll return to Equestria."
As I contemplated Princess Twilight's words, the sounds of fireworks could be heard coming from behind me indicating that the Carnival of Time had begun. While I would have liked to have seen it for myself, I knew that I had to leave Termina in order to confront Ganondorf and change things back to normal. If not for him, I could have taken in the sights and sounds of the carnival and perhaps got a better understanding of what it really meant to the people of this world. As I whipped Epona's flank and she began galloping, I couldn't help but be curious about all those I had helped throughout this journey.
I didn't know if they remembered me helping them or not due to resetting time on a constant basis but if they did then I hoped that they would appreciate the knowledge that they were assisted with their problems. Then again, I don't believe that I helped everyone in Termina--I really should have looked at the notebook given to me by Pipsqueak way back when I first started my adventure more often than I had done--and so they either wouldn't be happy right now or they were yet had no recollection of me ever being in their presence. A shame that none of them will remember anything because of what will ultimately happen.
Some time passes...
" Welcome to the Indigo-Go's Live Concert here at the Milk Bar of Clock Town!" Coloratura shouted resulting in the crowd that had gathered to erupt with cheers. " When we heard what had gone on over here with that moon disappearing and our performance being given the green light by our manager, we hustled our butts over here faster than any fish out there in the ocean so that we can entertain you all with the hottest music fresh from Great Bay."
Rarity then spoke up, coughing slightly, causing the crowd to become silent. " I was planning on singing something special and to the heart, but the rest of the band insisted that we play the mainstay which has made the Indigo-Gos famous first before anything else, "Ballad of the Wind Fish". While I am not against playing our most famous song, I would prefer to sing this special song that came to me as a result of the experiences which I have endured these past few days."
" We could perform that song first, Lulu."
" I'd rather not impede on what the band wants."
Coloratura shook her head. " I know Mikau went to a lot of trouble getting your eggs back from those Gerudo Pirates as well as those Giant Eels over at Pinnacle Rock, but he's been firing up on all cylinders lately to perform our ballad. After all, he's the hero of the Zora and the one who helped restore your missing voice so if anything, consider our ballad being our way to let him jam in the way that he's best known for."
" That... Didn't make much sense."
" Sorry, Lulu, but I haven't had much sleep until recently."
" Maybe we should have postponed our performance until tomorrow night?"
The crowd then started complaining resulting in Coloratura giving Rarity a big smug. " If we did that then our fans would have surely rioted or something. Besides, we're not the only ones performing here in the Milk Bar tonight. Those Rosa Sisters over there from that Gorman's Troupe will be performing once we're done so we need to keep the people entertained until everyone has to go home. Besides, this is also a special occasion because our world was saved from destruction by that fairy girl who called the guardians. We need to dedicate our performance in her name even though I don't believe I ever caught it."
Rarity then smiled. " You didn't have to go into such an epic speel, Evan."
" Someone had to say something and I elected myself."
" Very well." Rarity said. " We shall begin our performance with "Ballad of the Wind Fish" because I am certain everyone here wishes for us to play that one. Once we have finished it, we will immediately play the song that I have been talking about. It's one that means a great deal to me because it was a song that my mother, the previous Lulu, sang when I was younger in the form of a lullaby. I am now a mother myself and so I shall sing it for my children thus the legacy will carry on to the next generation."
The crowd began chanting Wind Fish over and over until Coloratura raised her hands to quiet them down. " Okay, okay... We'll stop with the talking and get right down to performing since that's why you're all here to begin with. Let's show them what we've got!"
Rarity then turned to Mikau who was in fact me assuming his form even though I wasn't there in person. " I know that you will perform to the very best of your abilities, Mikau, or perhaps even more so. But, you don't need to try and show off in front of everyone for my sake." She then turned towards the audience who were eagerly awaiting the beginning of the festivities and she closed her eyes before clasping her hands together. " You know... I still think you changed when you left Zora Hall to take on the pirates, Mikau. I don't exactly know what your change was but I feel as though you are different now than you were before."
If only she knew that the Mikau she was speaking to wasn't the one she had come to know for such a long time. Truth be told, I had no idea how my Zora form could be there performing with them--my Zora body was female though they saw him as male--given I was leaving Termina but perhaps Mikau couldn't truly rest until he had performed one final time with the Indigo-Go's. I wasn't about to try and make sense of it as usually that never worked and left me feeling more confused than ever but perhaps it was for the best that they assumed he was still alive even when he wasn't.
" Everyone is still out on patrol, Aveil."
Rainbow Dash groaned under her breath as she sat on her throne in utter dismay. " Bah!"
" The waters of Great Bay have become so much nicer ever since that temple out there stopped acting weird." Derpy said. Unlike Rainbow Dash, she sounded very optimistic but made sure not to anger her leader too much. " Once everyone gets back from their patrol, we can head out for the temple and see if we can get that treasure. I know most of our boats were either lost or destroyed when that tornado brushed us aside but we've had much worse things happen to us."
" Derpy... I've no intention of sending the others out there."
" Why not?"
" I have to face the facts that the Gerudo Pirates are no longer the scourges of Great Bay."
" That's crazy talk, Aveil."
Rainbow Dash slammed her fist onto the arm of her throne and winced a little due to the slight pain it caused. " Our best guards were defeated not only by Mikau but also a young girl not to mention the Zora Eggs we stole were taken back by them. On top of that, we've lost most of our boats not to mention sustained damage to several parts of the fortress courtesy of that masked one who paid us a visit. Our reputation has been shattered and cannot be recovered. No one will ever take us seriously again." She struggled to refrain from letting go of her emotions and wanting to cry yet this was noticed by Derpy who couldn't respond to it. " I realize now that my own weakness caused all of this."
" Does this mean you won't be our leader anymore?"
Staring at Derpy, Rainbow Dash merely shrugged. " I honestly don't know, Derpy. While I know that your loyalty to me is unshakable, the same cannot be said about the others who truly believed that we would be living the good life upon getting our hands on that treasure in the temple."
Derpy looked down at her feet. " Aveil... Rainbow Dash... I still think you can turn things around even if it does look impossible, but you're right about me remaining loyal to you even though you have berated me in the past because of my trouble handling missions."
" I was only trying to make you get better."
" I can't help screwing things up."
" In this case, I was the one who screwed up big time resulting in the Gerudo Pirates suffering humiliation the likes of which has never been seen before."
Derpy shook her head. " You'll do better next time."
Rainbow Dash got up from her throne, walked across the chamber, past Derpy, and stopped in front of the huge hole that had been created when Starlight used her magic to create it when she visited the Pirates Fortress. In her eyes she knew that she had lost her fellow pirate's loyalty even when Derpy said it wasn't true. Had she known that things were going to turn out badly, she would never have spoken to Starlight, choosing instead to focus on angering the Zora like the pirates always did. She remembered those days as good times though now there was an aura of uncertainty flowing all around her.
Would she step down as their leader? The thought never once crossed her mind as she had always lead them with an iron fist and none of them dared question her authority but now she didn't know what to think. Her recent actions had indeed sullied their reputation and the Zora no longer needed to take them seriously. She felt like wanting to run away and never come back but such an action wouldn't change anything. To Rainbow Dash, she had to make a decision that would forever change the hierarchy of the Gerudo Pirates. Even though she was still loyal to her fellow pirates despite her attitude, she knew that it was all over for her.
" I'm going to step down."
Derpy was shocked. " No!"
Rainbow Dash raised her hand. " Silence! This is for the best for the Gerudo Pirates, Derpy, and I will not hear anymore about it. I will step down but I will not abandon you all as that would be the ultimate act of cowardice and eternal shame. As my final command as leader before stepping down, you, Derpy, shall become the new leader. You are more than ready to handle this task and I know you will succeed. From this moment on, I shall follow your orders."
" Aveil..."
" What are your orders, Derpy?"
" Are you sure about this?"
Rainbow Dash nodded. " You're more than capable of leading us, Derpy, and I will make sure that the others know to fall in line and respect your new position. No matter what happens to me, I'll always remain loyal to you. Now... What are your orders?"
" I can't believe we're still stuck as headless skulls!"
" It's because you were feeble when we fought that girl!"
" Are you still on about that?" Fleetfoot asked.
" Just admit that I am the superior swordsman whereas you are nothing more than a rank amateur." Spitfire answered.
" You take that back!"
" Why should I? It's the honest truth."
Fleetfoot was mere moments away from completely losing it. " I actually wished we had dueled one another before that girl showed up. It would have been the perfect chance for us to test each other out without fear of accidentally ending the other's life given we're dead and all. But, we were commanded to deploy the castle's defences and to prepare for what the king said was an invasion of the chosen one."
" That would have truly been a spectacle." Spitfire said. " A shame that we had to fight that girl who easily dispatched of us using that accursed instrument. The fact that we were both forced to march about through no will of our will was embarrassing to no end. If anyone had seen what happened, I would have died of humiliation--again--and would never be able to show my face around here again. But... I'll admit that what she played was actually pretty catchy not to mention she wore quite an interesting mask."
" She embarrassed herself by wearing it."
Spitfire laughed. " Despite what she did, we were bested by her honorably."
" You could being burned to nothing by the light honorable?"
" It was the only option she had given that we had an unfair advantage."
" Of course we were supposed to!" Fleetfoot shouted. " Our ability to revive from a fatal blow due to being of the undead was meant to be our means of wearing her down until she could no longer fight. From there, we could have easily killed her but instead we allowed her to defeat us."
Spitfire sighed as she floated over to one of the open windows. " We are not meant to exist because our time was long ago. Even though we are still here due to the power that girl carried with her, we are meant to be resting in an eternal slumber along with everyone else from the Ikana Kingdom. Fleetfoot... The chosen one saved us from ourselves by closing the doors to the Stone Tower, freeing our souls from the hatred that claimed them so long ago. I'm glad she defeated us the way she did and for that, I cannot help but respect her."
" I guess that makes sense."
" We should rest eternally like the king has done."
" Will we ever return again?"
" No as our time has passed."
" Then I guess this is goodbye... old friend." Fleetfoot said. " In life, you were both my rival and my friend."
" Even if you are feeble."
" You just had to say that, didn't you?"
" It took like, some serious doing on my part, but those elder Deku Scrubs have like, finally been put in their place."
" I am so proud that you did that, mother."
Tree Hugger smiled at Fluttershy. " If not for that awesome Deku with her righteous powers, the poison would have like, continued to spread throughout the swamp, endanger our way of life, and totally bum all of us out until we become one with the land. That one was like, filled with chakra I never knew could exist, and I felt completely in awe knowing that there is a much higher level I can achieve."
Fluttershy sighed. " Sometimes, I think you shouldn't be as mellow as you are, mother."
" Whoa! Way to harsh out on my mojo, dear daughter."
" I... I didn't mean no disrespect."
" When your father was, like, king and stuff, he ruled over the Deku Kingdom with a real quirky nature, and it was that attitude which made me fall in love with him and all that." Tree Hugger said. " I remember when he would always lose his aura over the smallest of things just because he felt off that day. I always kept saying that he needed to become one with his surroundings and not let his aura become corrupted but he never did listen and ended up wilting too soon leaving me to like, become queen and sole ruler."
Fluttershy looked at each Deku Scrub who were busy dancing about before turning her attention towards the elders who had been locked up in the very prison where her friend, the monkey, had once been imprisoned when he had been accused of kidnapping her. She realized they had been influenced by her father hence why they always believed that the Deku were destined for greater things and didn't need recognition from the other tribes. Tree Hugger was much different than what they wanted and tried everything in their power to make her act like her former husband yet she had no inkling towards it.
As she continued gazing over at the elders, Fluttershy began to understand why they acted the way they did. They felt that Tree Hugger was trying to change things within the kingdom which had been around for centuries and had hoped she would continue with tradition. Instead, she wanted to rule the kingdom in her own manner which was rather lax combined with a sort of hippee style. Her father, the previous Deku King, had a much stronger relationship with the elders resulting in him influencing their actions but in truth they were looking out for their fellow Deku even if it didn't seem like it.
" Mother... Do you think the elders will be released?"
Tree Hugger looked in their direction and shrugged. " I'll like, set them free if they change their mojo to the way I run things, but until they do then I think it's best if they like, stay where they are and mellow out for a bit. They've been bumming me out for a long time now trying to make me follow your father's example and rule like he did but that's not the way I want to rule over my people. I'm not like what you would call, ambitious, or even aggressive in my approach, but instead I preferred a peaceful existence for everyone in my kingdom where we could form alliances with the other tribes that actually worked out."
" Just seeing them locked up makes me realize that they were only looking out for our best interests." Fluttershy said. " The Deku Royal Family from what I have read has always been one where the kings and queens were erratic in their behaviour and often made decisions without thinking about any potential consequences. Because you are different from our ancestors--eccentric if you will--the elders feared our way of life was about to change forever so when I was imprisoned within the temple, they sought to use that incident along with your anger to further my father's original agenda."
" Whoa... That's like, so weird and radical."
Fluttershy nodded. " You're not going to release them, are you?"
Tree Hugger shrugged again. " You've made a wicked argument, daughter, and I will like, totally take it under consideration. For now, I think they need to mellow out and remember who wears the crown and who rules over the Deku." She went silent for a moment as she began thinking about what Fluttershy had said before continuing. " I think their punishment will last, like, a week or two at best."
" Mother..."
Twang! Twang!
" How was that?"
" Yee-haw! Now that's what I call some fancy shootin' there, Romani."
Apple Bloom smiled. " If it weren't for Grasshopper showing me how it was done, I never would have learned to use a bow myself. Reckon her visit to the ranch the other day was a blessin' given that she helped drive off them things that tried ta steal the cows."
Applejack rubbed her chin several times with her hand. " I never would'a imagined that what you said about 'aliens' turned out ta be true. Ya know, I owe ya a sincere apology, sugarcube, fer never believin' y'all when you kept on sayin' that they show up 'round here every year when the carnival happens. I always thought yer stories were nothin' but bunk and that y'all were tryin' to get outta yer responsibilites and actin' like a kid." She walked up to her little sister and placed her hand on Apple Bloom's shoulder. " All this time, I reckon y'all weren't mature enough but I knew when I've been wrong."
" Y'all still consider me an adult?"
" 'Course I do, Romani."
" Really?" Apple Bloom asked. " I thought yer were pullin' mah leg."
" Now why would I do that ta mah little sister?" Applejack asked. " Sure, I was stressed out in the past what with all the weird things that have been happenin' 'round here and took out mah frustration against ya, but I never go back on mah word no matter what. You've become an adult now, Romani, and that means I'll make you a mask that identifies y'all as such but not until I get back from the weddin'."
Apple Bloom began checking the string on her bow to make sure it wasn't lose or anything. " I can't believe that Anju and Kafei are finally gettin' married. Feels like they've been waitin' forever for this day ta come. I wish I could come with ya, sister, but I know their special occasion ain't the kinda thing a child like me should be at." Pulling on the string, she smiled knowing it wasn't going to break so she started looking around for another spare arrow. " Besides, someone has ta look after everythin 'round here while yer gone and I might as well be responsible by keepin' an eye on things."
" Y'all have matured."
" Grasshopper was very influencial."
" Ever since that girl, Sunset Shimmer, came to this here ranch, things have gotten so much better." Applejack said as she reached down, picked up an arrow that was stuck in the ground that her sister overlooked, and began fondling over it in her hands. " She helped y'all ta protect our cows and helped me with mah delivery ta the Milk Bar in town yet not once did she want anythin' in return. I've seen all kinds of people come ta the ranch over the years yet she was perhaps the most unique of the lot. It was like she had a burden on her shoulders and no one could help her with it."
" Bein' a heroine does that to ya."
Applejack nodded. " I 'sppose y'all are right about that, Romani." She then held out the arrow and Apple Bloom took a moment before noticing it and taking it from her. Blushing, the younger sister nocked it onto her bow and was prepared to fire when the older sister had more to say. " I don't wish any ill will towards Sunset Shimmer. In fact, I hope she was able to deal with whatever burden she had."
" I'm sure she's fine."
" I hope so."
" Now watch this!"
Apple Bloom then fired the arrow Applejack had given her and popped all three balloons before the arrow got stuck into the top of the barn with a loud thud. The older sister began clapping as she was clearly amazed that her little sister pulled off such an impressive shot. Not even she could have done something like that. She knew that Apple Bloom didn't need her to watch over her anymore even though she felt needed to because of the loss of their father. Shaking her head, Applejack had to realize her sister could take care of things while she was away attending Scootaloo's wedding.
However, she did feel the need to remind Apple Bloom not to trust the Gorman Sisters, who had been paying the ranch a visit lately as a means of trying to make a deal aimed at benefitting both their racetrack and the ranch. Whilst the sisters seemed honorable despite having dubious appearances, Applejack knew they were bad news and warned her little sister that Grog and Mamamu Yan were available to help in case any sinister undertaking occurred. If she could, she would have had the Gorman Sisters run out of Milk Road a long time ago but knew they were there to stay and some kind of peace had to co-exist between all parties.
" You must be feeling a lot better now, Gorman."
" Huh? Oh, Mrs. Barten." Big Macintosh said. " Yes, I am happy that Monsieur Aroma allowed the Carnival of Time to go ahead."
" I can see it in your expression." Granny Smith said. " When you were wallowing around here the previous nights, you got so drunk on milk that I didn't think you were going to get back to the Stock Pot Inn given your condition at the time."
Big Macintosh lowered his head in shame. " I have no excuse for how I acted. I was so frustrated over having my troupe's performances cancelled by Monsieur Aroma that I was willing to throw everything away, even my own life, because it felt like I didn't have a reason to go on. You might not believe me but my sisters got the better talents and it really shows with how they raised their horses down at the family racetrack. Me? Let's face the truth. My skills with horses are non-existent."
Wiping some glasses, Granny Smith coughed. " You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Gorman. Just because you come from a long line of skilled horse breeders doesn't mean you have to dedicate your life to the practice or else be deemed a failure. Not everyone can follow in the footsteps of their family successfully so finding a different means of making it out there are needed for one's own benefit. It means that you were meant to have a different calling other than being involved with horses, and I must say that you have proven to be one heck of a troupe leader given how they are performing on such a glorious occasion."
" No need to sugarcoat it."
" I'm not."
" Then why make such a big deal out of it?"
" I'm just trying to understand you."
Big Macintosh sighed. " Let's just say that my life has been a complicated one."
Granny Smith chuckled slightly but not loud enough for Big Macintosh to hear due to the sounds of the crowd cheering on his troupe's performances. " Everyone has had complications in their lives that they wish to keep to themselves." She wiped the last of her glasses and placed them on a shelf behind her before placing some more on the counter and pouring milk into each one. " No matter how hard you try, your personal knowledge will always end up spilling out much like how milk can spill out of these glasses."
" What does that even mean?"
" Never keep your past bottled up."
" Bah!" Big Macintosh moaned as he turned to face his troupe's performing. " My past is one that's filled with nothing but misery, but... You do have a good point, Mrs. Barten. If not for that weird girl coming here and performing that sound check with Mrs. Toto a couple of nights ago, I wouldn't have been compelled to open up on my personal feelings. She made me see the truth about myself. Maybe I should be more open about my past especially towards my troupe."
" You are a good man, Gorman."
" What about you?" Big Macintosh asked. " What about your past?"
" Mine isn't nearly as complicated as yours but I will share it with you." Granny Smith answered. " Like you, I grew up in a family whose profession was much different than what I now do for a living. They were famous archers who travelled about Termina showing their archery skills to any who were curious but my skill was hideous to say the least. I know being an archer wasn't my thing so I left home to find a new calling. To get to the point, I found my passion when I visited Romani Ranch and helped the old owner milk some cows whilst he watched over his two daughters."
" That explains why you run this joint."
Granny Smith nodded. " Like I said, not everyone will follow in their family's footsteps. They need to find their own calling in life and follow it even if their family might not necessarily understand what they are trying to do. So long as they respect your choice, things will turn out fine in the end. Anyway, that's all I wanted to say about my past so we don't we focus on the here and now and I'll serve you your usual. Who knows? Maybe it will make you want to share more of your past instead of wanting to keep it bottled up."
" You seem to be in much better spirits than before, father."
" Indeed I am, Pamela."
" But... Are you sure you should be going back to work on your research?" Twilight Sparkle asked. " You became so engrossed with it for so long that you couldn't recall certain things and I wasn't even sure what you were doing."
Soarin patted his chest. " Nonsense, Pamela. The world is full of mysteries and they are waiting for someone like me to come along and solve them. But... I must admit that I am a little weary towards going back down there in that well where those monstrous Gibdo lurk." He started shivering as though he was starting to feel sick which Twilight Sparkle noticed, causing him to come to his senses knowing his daughter was watching. " Perhaps I shall focus my efforts on researching the mysteries of the Stone Tower. Very little is known about the place as the records have been lost."
Twilight Sparkle grabbed her father's arm and began yanking it towards her. " Please, father... There is no need for you to resume your research so soon." She was about to mention what happened to him when he became a Gibdo but quickly realized that telling him would only convince him to go back down into the well resulting in events happening all over again like before. " I think you should relax today and focus on your health. After all, we almost were destroyed when the moon almost crashed."
" Ah-ha!"
" What's wrong?"
Like a blur of lightning, Soarin ran back inside the Music Box House and the sounds of objects being thrown about could be heard. Twilight Sparkle sighed knowing that her efforts in getting her father to change his focus had failed, but not entirely. She had apparently convinced him to focus on the moon rather than the undead creatures of Ikana--they were now resting again thus there was no longer any need to research that which wasn't there--and while that was much safer, it meant he would be busy staying up late, writing down all kinds of notes, using his equipment, wandering around Ikana Village, and forgetting that he needed to eat.
Several minutes later, Soaring came running back outside, his hands holding all kinds of things including sheets of paper that scattered everywhere, a small teloscope, a few books, what looked like a sandwich, and a sleeping bag which indicated that he was planning on camping outside for a while much to Twilight Sparkle's dismay. He immediately began to set up his station though he clearly had problems with the teloscope--it kept on falling down--but he eventually managed to get everything in working order before sitting down and looking up at the beautiful sunset. It was then that he realized what he was doing and turned to face his daughter.
" On second thought... I think I will relax."
" What made you change your mind?"
Soarin placed his hand on Twilight Sparkle's shoulder. " It was you who changed it for me, Pamela. I realized that moving out here to this desolate place was really sudden given we used to live in Clock Town but when the urge to understand this ancient kingdom too too strong to resist its temptations, I dragged you along even though it meant taking you away from the life you had come to know."
" I don't mind being here, father."
"And why is that?"
Twilight Sparkle sighed. " I'll be honest. When we first came here, I wasn't thrilled with the idea as it meant you becoming too engrossed with your work not to mention the sudden appearance of all those undead monsters made my heart beat something horrible. But, ever since that girl came to this place, it feels like light has come back here and those monsters have finally been allowed to rest. Maybe, just maybe, this will work out after all provided you take it easy from now on. Just because the undead are gone doesn't mean you can prance about without a care in the world."
Soarin laughed. " I'll be careful, Pamela. After all, you mean the world to me and I would hate to see you live in a world without me watching over you. Why don't we have a picnic like we used to when you were little? I know it sounds strange considering you are much older now but I thought it would be a nice thing to do."
" I'd like that very much, father."
Several Days Later.
" Welcome invited guests to the wedding of Anju and Kafei. I am Mayor Dotour and I shall be presiding over this occasion. Now, as I'm sure you're all aware, things have been rather busy these past few days what with Clock Town celebrating the annual Carnival of Time not to mention having to fix all of the damage caused when the guardians of Termina stomped their way across Termina Field. As such, we couldn't afford much and so this wedding will be a simple affair. I trust that you are all okay with these arrangements?"
The guests who had gathered looked at one another with uncertainty in their eyes. Most were from Clock Town while a couple of individuals had come from far away in order to be witnesses to the union between Scootaloo and Tender Taps, yet they were expecting a more lavish affair as opposed to standing outside of the West Clock Town entrance with nothing but the bare necessities, namely the bride, the groom, the guests, and a bouquet of flowers. But, from the perspective of the soon to be married couple, they didn't care about any of that so long as they could finally get it over with.
A voice then called out to Mayor Mare. " Can you please get on with the ceremony already?"
Mayor Mare responded with a huff. " No need to be rude about it. I'm still the mayor of Clock Town for a few more years and I would appreciate it if you showed me the proper respect. Ahem! Anyway, we are gathered here to celebrate this union between two lovers who endured so much these past few days. My son, Kafei, had been cursed where he had become a young boy and chose to hide himself from the world until he could find a cure. Fortunately, he has regained his true self thanks to the valiant efforts of the girl who saved us all from the moon. A shame she couldn't be here but I suppose she had her personal life to attend to."
" You're doing it again, mother."
" I'm sorry if I like long-winded speeches, Kafei."
Tender Taps sighed. " Our other guests don't seem to appreciate it like you do."
" Yes, I suppose you're right."
" So can we continue?"
Mayor Mare nodded. " Very well. As per the tradition here in Clock Town, I would first like to welcome those who shall be the witnesses. Thank you for coming: Cremia, Mutoh, the man from the Curiosity Shop, Viscen, Anju's mother, Anju's grandmother, my husband Monsieur Aroma, myself, the Bombers Gang as they call themselves, and finally last but certainly not least, Tingle. I believe that's everyone so we may now proceed. May I present, the bride, Anju!"
Everyone suddenly were in awe as Scootaloo walked out out the West Clock Town entrance in a beautfiul dress whilst carrying the bouquet in her hands. She tried as hard as she could to prevent herself from crying but it was too much for me and tears soon trickled down her cheeks. Her mother attempted to offer some comfort but Scootaloo shook her head and continued walking forward towards the man that she loved with all of her heart. What Mayor Mare said about Tender Taps was true. He had become an adult again due to the curse being lifted upon the defeat of Majora's Mask.
The gathering soon went quiet when Scootaloo stopped in front of Tender Taps. " I know you must have a lot on your mind because of what you have endured for so long but know that we have finally reached this moment."
Tender Taps nodded. " I am sorry that I made you worry all this time, Anju."
" You had your reasons and I have accepted that."
" If it wasn't for the forest girl, this wouldn't be happening."
" Yes... We owe her so much."
" A shame that she didn't stay here long enough as I would have invited her to the wedding."
Scootaloo nodded. " But, we cannot allow her absence to prevent us from finally saying our vows, Kafei. Come... Let us begin the rest of our lives together and hope that we will enjoy every waking moment until the very end. Everyone here is waiting and we shouldn't keep them doing so any longer." She held out her hand and smiled as Tender Taps held onto it with his own hand and soon they were both walking towards Mayor Mare who would make the marriage official. " We must do all we can to heal the wounds made when you lost all hope but I know we can succeed."
" Yes." Tender Taps said nodding. " I must prove myself worthy to your mother."
" Not just her but to everyone."
" I have to do my best."
" Excuse me... Tingle, was it?" Mayor Mare asked.
" What do you want?" Pinkie Pie asked. " Do you need Tingle to make one of her maps for you? While this is a special occasion, I am still technically on the job so I can easily make you one of Tingle's Maps right now and sell it for a reasonably low price."
Mayor Mare shook her head. " No, I don't need you to make me a map."
" Oh? Then what you need Tingle for?"
" Do you have any of that confetti that people say you toss about?"
Pinkie Pie quickly checked her pockets before nodding. " Yes, Tingle is currently carrying several batches of confetti but why do you need them? Usually, I toss them about whenever someone buys one of my maps but I've never had to do it for anything else. Are you trying to buy it from me? You certainly have some strange tastes, Mayor Dotour, but don't let my words bother you. Tingle has seen all kinds of people with weird obsessions over the years."
" I don't need to buy your confetti either."
" Then what do you need from Tingle?"
" Could you throw some right now?" Mayor Mare asked. " The bride and groom will be here momentarilly and I wish for this moment to be marked with something colourful. No one else brought along any confetti save for yourself so would you kindly provide us with some?"
" May I use my magic words?"
" Of course."
That made Pinkie Pie happy. " Yippee!" She inflated the red balloon she carried with her in her backpack until it was big enough and began floating upwards until she was a good distance off the ground before she reached into her pockets. " This is without a doubt the happiest moment I've ever seen in my life. Anju and Kafei should also be happy knowing they are finally getting married. Tingle will give them the biggest celebratory sendoff ever seen throughout Termina. Tingle-Tingle-Kooloo-Limpah!" She then began tossing confetti everywhere whilst trying to hold in her overall excitment. " These are the magic words Tingle created herself. Please don't steal them."
As Epona galloped off in a random direction, neither Princess Twilight or I knew exactly how we were supposed to leave Termina and return to Hyrule. We hadn't exactly planned on leaving because our assumption--more like my assumption--was that Ganondorf would appear in Termina to challenge me once again to one of his contests, but he didn't appear forcing us to find a means of going back to Hyrule. Why go back there to begin with? It was where this journey began and I had a feeling it was where it would also end. If not then we would most likely travel about aimlessly forever.
Just when it looked like nothing was going to happen, a bright light shone which blinded all of us yet I made sure to keep Epona calm as I figured she was likely to freak out and gallop off in a wild frenzy. When my vision returned, we were no longer galloping across Termina Field with the sounds of fireworks in the background. Instead, we were in a dark forest where we couldn't see very far and most of the trees looked like they had been dead for years. Epona then whinnied to let me know that this place felt familiar to her and I responded in kind asking what this place was.
She whinnied that she could smell the Kokiri though it was a very faint scent. That meant we were back in Hyrule as Termina had no traces of them anywhere. Did that mean I would encounter Fluttershy here in this world--she was one of the Kokiri though I couldn't recall the name she went by. Would I be forced to go through my previous journey all over again even with my newfound knowledge? Such a thought made me feel numb as my expectation was that that this was the end of the adventure and everything would go back to the way it was before Ganondorf appeared and changed it all.
Epona felt frightened yet I comforted her with a soft whinny before she began trotting along. There was absolutely no sign of anyone or anything in this forest and it made me uneasy as well. I knew that forests could become creepy if you were to travel deep into them but I never expected it would be this creepy. I was worried that someone or something could jump out at any time without me realizing it and I would be unprepared. No... I had to remain calm otherwise Princess Twilight and Epona would lose their composure resulting in either one of them freaking out.
" Are you nervous?" I asked.
Princess Twilight nodded. " A little... Yourself?"
I nodded. " Yeah..."
" I had assumed that we would have gone back to where we are supposed to be but I guess this isn't it."
" Well... We're back to where the journey started although you don't remember that as you were portraying Tatl at the time."
" Does that mean that we're in Hyrule?"
I nodded. " If I recall the name of this location, we're in a place called the Lost Woods. Not only is it difficult to traverse because no maps can function here, there is also a curse that engulfs everything around us though how it inflicts its victims depends on what kind of being you are. If one of the forest children, the Kokiri, were to become lost, they would eventually become a Skull Kid. If anyone else were to become lost, they would eventually become a Stalfos, a fearsome undead monster that can be utterly ruthless. You don't have to worry about it, Twilight, because you're a fairy so you are immune."
" What about you?"
" If we can't get out of here, I'm likely to become a Stalfos."
" Not a Skull Kid?"
I shook my head. " I'm human and not a Kokiri so becoming a Stalfos would be my fate."
" Then which way is the way out?"
I shrugged. " Like I said, no maps work here so it boils down to guessing."
Princess Twilight sighed before suddenly realizing something. " Epona said that she could barely make out the smell of the Kokiri, correct? Yes, I can understand her whinnying as well because after all, I am a pony like you are, Sunset. If she could travel in the direction the smell is coming from, we might be able to find our way out of here. I don't think the Kokiri will be able to help us so perhaps we should seek out a higher power instead."
" I guess we don't have much of a choice."
Suddenly, a circle of fire surrounded us causing Epona to freak out resulting in her bucking me off of her back and landing on my butt. She managed to escape the circle before it grew larger before changing colour from the standard yellow-red-orange to purple-grey-black. I was able to whinny to prevent her from galloping away though I could no longer reach her until this circle of fire disappeared. What I knew straight away was that this was no ordinary fire by any means. It had been created and there was only one person who possessed enough dark power to do so. Instead of him finding us, we ended up finding him.
Begin: Those Chosen By The Planet.
On the other side of the circle, what looked to be a portal materialized out of nowhere and from it emerged Ganondorf himself before it disappeared. " Child... I am most impressed with how you were able to overcome personal torment and saved that world from destruction. Of course, I knew that you would succeed. I had foreseen it a long time ago so the fact that you stand before me is of no surprise."
" I've been looking for you."
Ganondorf laughed. " You still wish for this world to be changed back to what it is meant to be? Yes... I know that is your fondest desire, child, and I shall fulfill your wish, but first we shall have our final contest for the time being. Did you really think that you would escape from your destiny of having to face me in battle? You should know by now that I and I alone am the one who determines your fate." He then looked at Princess Twilight and a twisted smile appeared on his face. " And do not think that I have forgotten about you, princess. You play quite a significant role in this child's destiny."
" Why are you targetting her?"
" Surely, you have come to the realization that she is what keeps you going, child."
I stood there completely dumbfounded. " What are you talking about?"
" So... You didn't know then... How amusing." Ganondorf answered. " Allow me to educate you then, child. The Princess of Friendship has proven herself to be quite the beacon when it comes to providing the necessary boost to your power. You never once realized that without her presence surrounding you, you would have perished long ago. I am not surprised that such knowledge didn't become apparent until now."
" Twilight... Keeps me going?"
" She is the source of your light."
" Is that why you've been so interested in her lately?"
Ganondorf nodded. " That is one of the reasons why I have determined that she is much more important than in the past. Had this not come to pass then she would have been killed due to being insignificant but she shall be spared for now until her usefulness has reached its end. There is one other reason why the princess is necessary but that shall become clear when the time comes. For now, let us begin this contest so that I can see how much stronger you have become."
I stomped my foot. " Enough with the riddles! Just tell us what you know!"
" What I know is far beyond your comprehension."
Princess Twilight then spoke up. " You said when the time comes, correct? Does this mean that you intend on having Sunset go through another experience like this one sometime in the future? If this is true, Ganondorf, then I'm afraid I cannot allow that to happen. As the Princess of Friendship, I shall not let you make her suffer anymore. She will never become your servant and she will end your nightmare once and for all."
" Such an elegant speech."
" I'm serious!"
" Your words mean nothing to me, little one."
" And why is that?"
" While it is true that you possess power, a power so great that you have yet to understand it, you are nothing compared to me." Ganondorf answered. " My power far dwarfs anything you could hope to dream of so do not think that you can dictate any threats. Even the child herself possesses a power that she cannot fathom but in due course it will become clearer to her as will her destiny. Unlike you two, time holds no restraints upon me and so I can wait as long as needed. And yet, you do not have long to understand the true meaning of my words. Once it becomes clear, fate will become most unkind and both of you shall experience the truth."
Princess Twilight gulped. " How much time do we have?"
" Not as long as you think."
" Sunset... We need to defeat him and quickly."
I nodded. " You don't have to tell me twice."
Ganondorf laughed. " Light has been weakened emotionally and is now struggling to find an answer. Already, you have both been bested without me having to lift a finger, but I still require the child to once again prove to me that she has maintained my expectations of her." Disappearing, he reappeared behind me so quickly that I couldn't react fast enough, grabbed my sword from its scabbard, and pulled it out before holding it in his hands. " This sword is powerful but it does not possess the spark of magic. Thus, it is nothing more than a useless piece of metal that can be broken with ease." Just like that, Ganondorf snapped it in half without even trying before tossing it aside.
" My... my sword."
" You still possess a blade that is hewn with magic... the sword of the Fierce Deity."
My body froze upon him saying those words. " You... want me to wear that mask?"
Ganondorf nodded. " It is a power that could equal my own or it might not. Considering that you no longer possess a sword of your own, you have no alternative but to use the blade of the demonic warrior whose might you used to defeat Majora's Mask. I am also aware of the Great Fairy's Sword in your hands. While it is a blade that wields a divine power beyond that of most mere mortals' understanding, such power isn't magic and so it's useless to you. Use it child... Use the mask and become the demonic warrior once again. Only then will you have a chance of besting me unless you fear it will corrupt your spirit."
" Alright... I'll use it."
" This contest will only last for a few minutes."
" That's all I need to win."
" We shall find out soon enough."
Looking down at my now broken sword, I felt a swelling burst of rage come over me. The Kokiri Sword--its original form--had been by my side for such a long time, it had become an extension of me. Seeing what Ganondorf had done to it made me want to lash out but I knew that was what he was expecting and I would move one step closer towards succumbing to temptation and become his servant. I couldn't let that happen! Knowing that the Great Fairy's Sword wouldn't help me either--which was strange as it was stronger than even the sword wielded by the Fierce Deity so the lack of magic bit was a stupid reason--I had no other choice but to go with that mask.
Reaching behind my back, I was expecting to see just the four transformation masks, but was surprised to find that the masks I had given to the children of the moon were still in my possession, exactly as Sonata said before she disappeared. I thought that perhaps I could use some of them instead but without a magic infused sword, they could only go so far before being deemed useless much to my dismay. Taking out the Fierce Deity's Mask and holding it firmly in my hands, I closed my eyes, breathed deeply, and placed it on my face where it surprisingly worked despite not being in what was deemed an ideal location.
The power of the mask once again overcame me despite knowing that I could control it and I watched as my body shimmered from human to demon--more like demonic warrior and not an actual demon--until I let out a scream before becoming the Fierce Deity again. Drawing out the sword that came with this transformation and steeling myself for the battle that was to come, I watched as Ganondorf thrust out his hand and a black scabbard materialized from the darkness before clasping it with said hand. He grabbed the hilt with his other hand and pulled out a sword, the very sword he had used in our previous encounters, a blade as black as night itself.
Before I knew what was happening, he tossed the scabbard aside and dashed towards me with blinding speed. I honestly thought he was going to have me attack him a few times to test my power against him before responding in kind but instead he decided to get straight to the point. My body then reacted to his actions and I swung my sword the moment he swung his, both blades colliding with one another. Sparks flew from our swords as our contest got under way but again, this was different from what we had done before. Did Ganondorf want a serious fight this time? If so then would I be able to handle it?
We both struggled to overpower the other until we broke off from one another, each of us getting pushed back a little ways before we charged at each other again. Again, my body reacted to his actions like I wasn't in control of myself which had me wonder something about the Fierce Deity's Mask. Was the deity feeling threatened by Ganondorf's presence given both he and it were both powerful beings that relied on darkness? If that were the case then perhaps I had been hasty when it came to putting on the mask. Unfortunately, there was no turning back now which meant I was in it for the long run.
In the span of what seemed like forever--it was actually five minutes--both Ganondorf and I moved about the dark forest so fast that we would have been a blur to anyone who dared to watch us. We jumped about the trees, our swords clashing with one another releasing more sparks, then we moved down to the ground, clashed a few more times, then back to the trees, and so on until our fighting brought us to a stalemate. Several trees had been practically carved out by our blades whilst others had been completely destroyed. It was as though our fury couldn't be contained and I was personally afraid of it.
Ganondorf laughed. " You've become even stronger than before... child. In the past, you wouldn't have lasted this long against me. In fact, you would be dead right now or beaten within an inch of your life but perhaps it's a sign that you have fulfilled my expectations."
" It helps that you've been holding back."
" So... You knew?"
I nodded. " My experiences in Termina have given me the ability to know when someone is holding back. It's still something I'm working on so it's not perfect by any means but I know that you're not being serious with me."
" Then you wish to die?"
" While I'm not particularly comfortable using this body, I'm not going to just let you walk all over me."
Ganondorf laughed again. " You struggle to refrain from using the dark powers of the demon you have become... I expected this from you, child. While you have control over the demon for the time being, it is only a matter of time before you lose control and fully embrace it. When that happens... You will move ever more closer to becoming my servant." He then looked at Princess Twilight again. " Are you surprised that the child has gotten free of your guidance, princess? It must be painful knowing that your influence is beginning to wane but perhaps you might be able to change such an outlook."
" Sunset is doing what she needs to do." Twilight said.
" Heh, heh, heh... Is that your answer?"
" What about it?"
" How amusing." Ganondorf answered. " You are losing your student to the darkness that once claimed her yet neither of you have realized it. Then again, you yourself are slowly becoming corrupted. You may not see it right now but it is happening and it shall affect your judgment among other things. Princess Twilight Sparkle... Do not show ignorance to me as it makes you weak and worthless to both yourself and the child. Why not empower her strength with some of the magic that you possess? Yes... I know you possess magic that is far greater than anything she is capable of."
" Don't listen to him, Twilight." I said.
Princess Twilight nodded. " Right!"
Ganondorf laughed yet again. " Do not try to hide the truth for what it really is. Both of you possess far greater power than either of you realize yet you refrain from using it when it could potentially save you? Why hold it back and not unleash it? You could move mountains, rend the ground asunder, and perform feats others would be jealous of. Embrace the evil within and use it. The child does currently possess a far superior source of power but you princess are drawing ever closer."
" I'm not listening to you."
" I don't need you to listen any longer."
" What do you mean?"
" The damage has already been done." Ganondorf answered. " My words have reached you as intended and so there is nothing more I need to do. Everything will fall into place in due course so it boils down to waiting and seeing what will become of it."
I couldn't stand by and allow him to make Princess Twilight suffer the same torment that he had inflicted upon me so I rushed forward, swung my sword, and surprisingly, he didn't seem to react to it, allowing me to gash his cheek with the tip of my blade. Blood then trickled down his cheek though Ganondorf merely laughed and I knew what I had done was pointless as he could take much worse. I then swung my sword again but he countered with his own before knocking it out of my hand by swinging his sword slightly followed by slashing me across the chest and finally using the hilt to knock the wind out of me.
Clutching my chest, I winced because of how painful it was--he was still powerful but I didn't know if he was still holding back--but I had to grin and bear it if I planned on beating him this time. Jumping backwards and picking up my sword, Ganondorf charged forward with his sword aiming at me in an execution style, and I barely managed to parry his blow with my own sword though the sudden vibration rattled me whilst he was unaffected. Once again, our blades clashed with neither of us yielding an inch but it quickly became apparent that his skills were vastly superior to my own.
After a few more minutes of nothing but sword blows, I jumped back quite a distance before following through by flinging magic from my sword. I didn't have much magic left so I needed to make it count or else I'd be forced to fight up close. The first attack did nothing as Ganondorf brushed it aside using his cloak so I flung another one only to see him shatter it to pieces by swinging his sword at the right time. I then tried a third shot which struck his shoulder with quite some force behind it but he shrugged it off before dashing forward. Our blades clashed a few more times until I suddenly caught him by surprise.
Though his skills with the sword were beyond impeccable, I did notice that he left himself vulnerable for a split second--I was surprised that I noticed it given how fast he was moving in comparison--allowing someone to strike him if they were good enough. When his weak point exposed itself for that brief moment, I swung my sword and struck a very sensitive spot on his chest. A loose piece of armour then flew off, hitting me in the face before landing somewhere on the ground, and I bore witness to a glowing wound that looked like it had been healing for years but hadn't quite reached that point yet.
Hitting his weak point made Ganondorf come to a complete stop whilst moaning slightly where I proceeded to attack him there repeatedly. He tried to respond by hitting me anywhere he could using his sword but he couldn't muster up any offence as I continued hitting that glowing spot on his chest. Every blow kept on weakening him until he dropped down to one knee and at that precise moment, my belief was that this was a dream and that there was no way I could be prevailing against him like this. Ganondorf tried one last swing but I quickly turned my sword to have it face forward before thrusting it through his chest where it protruded out the other side.
Ganondorf coughed up blood and more trickled forth from the wound where my sword had gone through before dropping onto his other knee. " You have defied my expectations by unleashing a fury you haven't relied on since our original encounter." He coughed up some more blood with some splattering over me which made me feel disgusted. " I am surprised that you did not rely on the power granted upon you from the world you truly call home. What was it called... Equestria? Yes... Why did you hold back on it? Is it because the Fierce Deity has provided more than enough or is there something much more?"
" Had I used my Daydream Shimmer form, I wouldn't have been able to control it." I answered. " Besides, the same thing can be said about you. Why didn't you use that trident of yours which you so lovingly showed me before?"
" It wasn't needed."
" So you went with the sword instead?"
Ganondorf laughed as he coughed up blood. " My skills in combat are vastly superior to your own, child." I thought about laughing but I suspected that he was hiding something so I refrained and maintained my focus. " I am a Gerudo Warrior! I have fought plenty of heroes and others who believed they could conquer me! While you are different from them by possessing unique abilities, you are also just like them in that you proclaim victory far too soon." Suddenly, he grabbed the blade part of my sword and pulled it out of his body before throwing me back where I landed on the ground.
I got back onto my feet only for my entire body to suddenly go numb, and when I looked down at what happened, Ganondorf was smiling his twisted smile even as blood continued spilling from his mouth, his sword having gone through my body by piercing me in the chest. I tried to respond but my body completely shut down leaving me unable to do anything as he had now taken control of the fight. Ganondorf laughed once again though Princess Twilight attempted in vain to stop him only for him to immobilize her using his power without even lifting a finger.
" Sunset!" Twilight cried.
" I knew you were going to attack the wound that I received from those accursed Sages." Ganondorf said. " And so, I allowed you to strike it, giving you the false sense that you had finally gained the upper hand against me. However, you wounded me a lot more than expected yet still not enough to defeat me."
" You foresaw it, didn't you?" I asked.
Ganondorf nodded. " I foresee everything, child, so there was no chance of you succeeding. This contest proves that I was right about you in that your power continues to grow even though you refrain from using much of it. My expectations have been surpassed but I know that you are more than capable of going much further. Why not become my servant and further this strength? I can help you achieve a power most could never hope to achieve. You are strong, child, but you can become even stronger by allowing that power to come forth of its own volition rather than continuing to keep it ensnared."
" Why would I need to?"
" Power..."
" Power?"
" Yes." Ganondorf answered. " Power is the one force most choose to believe in and follow even when they don't realize it. All creatures seek power so that they can overcome the difficult challenges of life yet only the strongest are able to use it successfully. Can you feel it, child? The power that sleeps within you? I can make it come forth and no one would ever be able to stand in your way again. Allow me to help you become what destiny desires."
His words began to resonate with me and it felt like I was losing myself but when Princess Twilight called out to me, I shook my head clear of his influence and grabbed his sword with both of my hands. " Never!" I shouted as I began an attempt at lifting it up. At first, nothing was happening and I felt like a complete idiot, but I mustered up every last ounce of strength within me and started lifting up his sword despite it having protruded through my body.
" What is this!? Ganondorf exclaimed. " No... Impossible!" I continued lifting him up before I tossed him to the side, his sword getting pulled out of my body in the process. He smashed through numerous trees until he crashed into a boulder before slumping to the ground.
" Did I do that?"
Princess Twilight nodded. " I think so but how did you do that?"
" I'm... I'm not sure."
Ganondorf then yelled as his sword burst into dark flames before he tossed it at me where it went right through me. I then slumped to the ground as he disappeared only to reappear in front of me where he dropped to one knee again. " I have been able to foresee everything, child, but this was the first time that I could not make such a prediction. You are the first being to have surprised me in such a way and you will be the last." He coughed up more blood as he grabbed his sword. " My wounds are far more serious than I expected so I cannot kill you even though I wish to smear your blood on my blade."
I then slowly got up onto one knee. " Guess we're both out of it now."
" And yet I continued holding back as did you."
" So then this contest is a draw."
" It would seem so."
" Then will you change things back to the way they were?"
Ganondorf nodded. " You have fulfilled my expectations and have accomplished the task that I placed upon you. I shall return this world to what it once was but you will find that time will have moved forward slightly by several hours. No one in your world aside from you will know that this has happened and they will remain forever ignorant of it. Upon awakening, you shall be in your bed even though you were elsewhere when I changed everything. However... Do not believe only you will suffer, child."
" What are you saying?"
Ganondorf laughed. " You will not be the only one who shall remember what happened in this world. You, the Princess of Friendship, and those who represent the Elements shall remember these events and be plagued with nightmares of them." He pointed a finger at me as he coughed up even more blood. " This is my curse to you! Your friends shall now experience the same torment! Only you though are the one I seek to become my loyal servant and that time shall come." I knew he was lying as he was also after Princess Twilight, and while I was outraged that he wanted my friends to suffer as well, there wasn't much I could do."
" Leave them alone."
" My curse has been afflicted and cannot be undone."
" Why are you doing this?"
" It will become clear in time."
Getting back up--it took a while--I tried to raise my sword only to drop it on the ground. " That's the thing with you, Ganondorf. You keep so much close to your chest because you view all of this as a game. While I have no problem with how you do thing, I take offence with how you harass those I care about. I know I can't beat you now but I'd like to believe that someday it will be possible for me to achieve such a goal." I sounded really brave or rather insane for standing up to him. While he had been weakened, Ganondorf could still kill me so I had to use my words carefully. That's when it dawned on me as to certain words he spoke of earlier. " I'm doing this again, aren't I?"
Ganondorf coughed blood as he nodded. " One day not long from now or perhaps longer, you shall experience another journey where you will endure torment far worse than what you have seen thus far. The princess shall accompany you as she too must come to understand her role in the grand scheme that continues to unfold even now. It is by my will and mine alone that this shall come to pass so accept fate for what it has given you. Child... We shall meet again and when we do... I will not hold back so unless you become even stronger, your life will become forfeit unless you go further beyond my expectations."
Those Chosen By the Planet ends here.
He began laughing before he disappeared by becoming one with the shadows leaving Princess Twilight and me alone to ponder over his words. On the one hand, I hated the fact that I had to go through yet another adventure sometime in the future though it would be mitigated by having Her Highness by my side. On the other, our friends were going to remember what happened in Termina and I feared that they would be asking me a lot of questions. The weirdest thing was that Ganondorf was going to move time forward resulting in me being at home as opposed to the gym at Canterlot High where we had that celebration between CHS and Crystal Prep.
I supposed there was one advantage in all of this. I wouldn't have to explain why time moved forward as no one would realize it except for me. It was evening when all of this started so at best we would only be moving forward three or four hours. Grabbing my face, I pulled off the Fierce Deity's Mask--I wanted to be my true self when everything would begin changing--and flipped back my hair before staring upwards at the branches of the trees. To be honest with myself, I would miss this experience as it meant going back to a slightly mundane existence--barring the wild Equestrian Magic--but I wasn't going to miss being tormented.
Everything then went bright indicating that Ganondorf was beginning to change things back to normal. Knowing that this would be the last time I would see Epona for the time being, I hugged her muzzle as tightly as I could before giving her both the loudest and longest whinny I could muster. My final words to her were to return to where she came from so that she could be loved by the one who raised her. Epona whinnied in response and began galloping off before I turned to Princess Twilight who started to fade away as she was being pulled back to Equestria. " I guess this is where we parts ways for a while, Twilight."
Princess Twilight nodded. " It was an experience that I will never forget and I literally won't as Ganondorf is making sure of it. Sunset... You started things off a little on the sloppy side of things and you were pretty reckless at times, but you rose to the occasion when it was needed and have become a true friend by helping those who needed it. I am honoured to have been your fairy companion during this adventure and hopefully we can do this again."
" You'll probably write several research papers on this experience, huh?"
" Most likely."
" Will I see you again?"
" Of course you will." Twilight answered. " I'll come through the portal if I can find the time or you can come through it yourself and pay me a visit. Remember that you can always come back to Equestria, Sunset, whenever you want without being afraid of being persecuted because of what happened. I will make sure that you will be under my protection so think about it for a while. This isn't our final goodbye but rather a temporary farewell."
" And what about Starlight?"
" I hope you two can meet each other for real someday."
I smiled. " I'll come home when the time is right."
" I'll hold you to that then."
" I've got a lot of explaining to do with our friends."
Princess Twilight laughed. " I'm sure of it. I'm about to completely fade away so may I ask you one last question? What do you suppose Ganondorf has in store for me given that he has been taking an interest in me despite mainly focusing on you? If you can't answer me then that's okay as it's probably very complicated."
I shook my head. " I'm not going to hide it from you, Twilight. I believe that you may be branded with the same mark that I have but I'm not entirely sure about it. If anything, I'd take my words with a grain of salt above anything else. If it turns out to be true and my theory is correct, I am so sorry you've been dragged into my problem as it means Ganondorf will come after you at some point. I'll do everything in my power to keep you safe.
" I know you will."
" Until next time... Princess Twilight Sparkle."
As Her Highness faded away, I looked down at my own body and watched as it faded away as the world began changing back to normal. Despite not having my body at that exact moment in time, I could see Termina slowly shimmer from what it was to the town of Canterlot that had been my home for years. I guessed Ganondorf wanted to prolong the transition by having it go through this process but at least things would be normal again or as normal as it would get around here. Equestrian Magic was still on the loose and I needed to figure out its nature before someone else would become affected by it.
Opening my eyes suddenly, I looked around and saw that I was back in the bedroom of the apartment that I lived in. I had only acquired it a couple of days ago as a gift from my friends who felt I needed to live in my own place as opposed to the library of Canterlot High--I liked living there as there were so many books I could have read to keep me occupied--but I supposed having my own residence would give me more privacy. My sudden surprise of being in my bed almost caused me to fall out of it and onto the floor but I managed to refrain from doing that though it did feel like I had been dreaming.
But, I knew that what happened had been real and my friends would remember the experience as well. They would no doubt have near endless questions for me and I would try my best to answer them all but first I needed to answer questions which had been on my mind. Looking down at the back of my hand, the mark of the Triforce of Courage appeared on the back of it and was a glowing, a reminder that I had been chosen by destiny to wield it because of how often I relied on courage to overcome challenges. Would Princess Twilight discover that she had the mark of the Triforce of Wisdom on the back of her hoof? I hoped she would send me a message about it sometime if it happened.
Rubbing my head, I knew that things weren't over and I didn't need the Triforce to remind me of that. Ganondorf wasn't done with me by a long shot and someday I would have to go on another journey. When would it happen? I had no idea so I needed to remain ever vigilant about it. For now, I planned on getting some sleep considering that I haven't had any in what felt like a really long time. As my eyes began to grow heavy and my head dropped down on the pillow, my mind began thinking about what I would say to my friends about their experiences in Termina.
I also thought about the ramifications. Why did Ganondorf want them to remember what had happened? Did he have plans for them? What about Equestria? Could he conquer it with no trouble as he claimed? Other questions swirled through my head as I slowly closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep yet there was one thing I did need to do as soon as possible. I needed to get my hands on that Hyrule Historia book that Rainbow Dash allowed me to borrow after my Hyrule journey. There were answers located within its pages that would prove essential for what I needed to know about not just Ganondorf but others facets of the overall legend.
Sleeping... My mind thought back on the adventure that I had just been through. It had its ups and downs to be sure as every adventure had situations like that but overall I enjoyed it despite being torments by what I witnessed. I wondered if the masks were still in my possession? I doubted it because they were part of that world and were unlikely to have been brought back with me but I loved changing into other forms and understanding how other creatures functioned. Within the next few days, I knew I needed to explain things to my friends but for now, the days between now and then would be ones of relaxation.
My journey has reached its conclusion and it was one that pushed me to the limits of endurance. If anyone were to find themselves in the same predicament that had ensnared me, I implore you to find a way back to where you truly belong or else you would meet with a terrible fate, one that could prove disastrous. Perhaps I would do what Princess Twilight intended on doing but instead of writing it as a research paper, perhaps I would write it in my magic journal for future reference. With that, I now began to rest and resume my life as before but I knew that this wasn't where my story ends but rather my story had only just begun.
The End...
... But then, you know that this is not the true end of the story. There will be four bonus chapters that will showcase some of the other legends that exist within the Legend of Zelda lore, ones that Sunset will come to realize that they are all connected by a thread that intersects in many different ways. Will she find her answers? We shall see soon enough then. This isn't the end but rather just the beginning.
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Our Journey in Majora's Mask has come to conclusion. For a new story, will be written. A new journey will be waiting beyond the horizon. A new Legend will be told.
Despite it being a Draw, I'm glad Sunset didn't fall in this encounter and was able to weaken ganon. Causing him to be on his knee, making him retreat and lick his wounds till the next time they meet again. So...starting either tomorrow or a couple bonus chapters (till next Monday, depending how you're feeling.), Sunset friend's will come see her and ask her about what they remembered about during the journey.
Ganondorf: heh heh *coughs up blood*...Very well...I'll let you win this battle, however...I am not conceding the war!
I wouldn't be surprised if Sunset ended up landing on the events of Twilight Princess. This IS the Adult Timeline, after all.
If Twilight can't help, there is her own god. And no, I'm not talking of Celestia. Maybe she could convince Discord to stop Ganondorf. Ganondorf use the tri-force that was left by the goddesses, But Discord is a true god.
P.S: Very good as always
8521259
Major mask is the child timeline.
The Nintendo Zelda timeline officially is:
Skyward sword
Minish cap
Four swords
Ocarina of time( time spilt.)
Downfall timeline( link is defeated( most think this means being killed but it is not) basically like lost the war.)
A link to the past
Oracle of seasons& Oracle of ages
Link's awakening
Legend of Zelda
Adventure of link
Child timeline
Major Mask
Twilight Princess
Four swords adventure
Link between worlds
Adult timeline
Windwaker
Phantom hourglass
Spirit tracks.
The mystery game is Breath of the wild. I am trying to figure it out
8522137 I'm not sure if it's true, but there's a good chance that Breath of the Wild might be in the downfall timeline based on the enemies featured in the game.
8522504
Don't count Breath of the wild part of the official timeline. But all the rest is Nintendo official cannon timeline.
8521205
If you've read the previous story, you should know how the bonus chapters are going to work. They will consist of Sunset reading up on additional legends within the Hyrule Historia--my version of it as the actual one isn't quite as detailed--out of a sense of being curious of what will happen. What will the legends be?
They will be: Ocarina of Time, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess, and Breath of the Wild in that order.
8521259
Twilight Princess is likely to be the next one in this series or I could throw a curveball and do something unexpected.
8521626
Ganondorf vs. Discord... The odds are in the latter's favour.
8524962 I'm pretty sure that Twilight Princess is the last of the Child Timeline. I'd hate for her to be permanently stuck in the Triforce curse.