Episode 1: The Bridging of Worlds Part 1
Episode 1: The Bridging of Worlds Part 1 – The Rift Opens
Five years.
It's been five years since Equestria was assaulted by Ganondorf himself. Five years since we defeated him and ended the legacy of Demise once and for all.
One war ended…but another is on the horizon. I can feel it.
When Ganon arrived, we learned not long afterward that his resurrection here had been engineered by an even greater evil, one that remains unvanquished as of this day.
And yet, for the most part, Equestria has been quiet since the destruction of Demise and Ganon's final death. However, while a majority of Equestrians have readjusted to the peace, there are those of us that know it is but a temporary reprieve. Somewhere out there, hidden from our sight and beyond our borders, the forces of darkness are gathering for an all-out assault on this world. Celestia and Luna both know this, but so far, no sign of the Church of Majora has been found. The Dark God's servants have hidden themselves well if even Luna cannot pierce the veil of shadows they have wrapped around themselves.
It's been five years now, and as time goes by, my worry increases. I know the war is coming; I know that Majora is almost ready. But when will it be? When he does strike, will it be when we are at our most vulnerable? Equestria has been expanding its military, but I fear it will not be enough. Nothing would be enough to stop something like Majora, not if he is able to free himself.
The Gohma attack on Ponyville was the first sign we got that Majora is not content to just sit around and wait for us to pull our pants down. He WANTS us to know that he's around, to enshroud the country in a blanket of fear. Despite the lives lost, I believe Equestria is still holding fast in the face of that fear. Impressive, I admit.
Then there is the matter of the incident with Griffonstone. We managed to help them get back on their feet, and yet soon after, something, and no one is quite certain what, happened that almost sparked a war between the Griffons and Equestrians. Thankfully, with Gilda's help, we were able to not only make Chancellor Geoffrey see reason, but also inspired the previously-impotent prince to take his matters of state more seriously. There have also been rumors of strange activity amongst the dragons, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
There are also the troubling matters of the Great Manehattan Fire, which happened the day of my first birthday celebration, no less, and the mysterious disappearance of all the ponies in Hollow Shades. The fire apparently started at an old curiosity shop, but Celestia, Luna, and I all recognized those flames. We don't know why, but we believe King Sombra was the cause of that fire, which means Majora has seen fit to revive him. If that's the case, then the Crystal Empire is sure to be one of Majora's first targets once he launches his assault. Luna suspects he also might have been involved with the disappearance of the ponies of Hollow Shades, as Sombra apparently had no willing servants, and thus enslaved ponies to fight for him through enchanted armor that brainwashed the wearer into subservience. If Luna is right, then that means Sombra is preparing an army, wherever he is, and I have no doubts he will strike the Crystal Empire first.
Somebody also started riling the idiot nobles, basically spelling out for them just how much of a pointless joke they were in the Princesses' eyes, how their status really didn't have any political meaning anymore, and there was almost an outright rebellion. The thought makes me laugh; they had no chance of accomplishing anything in the end other than a prison sentence, and lo and behold, I was right. Surprisingly, it was Luna's whelp of a nephew, Blueblood, and that other socialite, Fancypants, that Rarity likes talking about so much, who exposed their silly little plot. Granted, had it come to fruition, Equestria would have faced significant financial upheaval, but it all thankfully resolved itself without too much incident. Was Majora behind that too? He has a knack for that sort of thing…
Then there was the mysterious plague that hit. It spread fast and affected many. Thankfully, Zecora was able to discover that the plague was magical in nature, thus confirming it as another attack against us, and Ponyville's residents were saved. But many others throughout Equestria were not so lucky, and perished before the cure could reach them.
Diamond Tiara disappeared too. According to her father, he was visited in his dreams by a being calling itself "Ooccoo", which told him his daughter apparently has her own divine role to play in this chess game between gods. I cannot fathom why he allowed this to happen, or why Diamond Tiara accepted such an offer, but nothing can be done about it now. If she indeed has a role to play, I think we will be seeing her again.
At the very least, though, some things have happened during these past few years I can regard with a degree of optimism. After all of monster-kind was freed from the curse of Demise, they all began the rebuilding of their cities and cultures, with some Equestrian help. The Darknuts carved a new citadel into the very rock of Foal Mountain, not far from Hollow Shades, which they named Lupay, after a famous Darknut sorceress. The Moblins built a string of fortress cities in the open plains between Galloping Gorge and Neighagra Falls, converting much of it into farmland. The Wizzrobes now have a mansion of their own inside Canterlot to serve as the headquarters of their Order. Some wander about the countryside, healing the sick, while others pursue mastery of rare and hidden magics. Some unicorns have even approached the Wizzrobes in hopes of receiving magical tutelage, and thus Overseer Shanzom has permitted the more experienced Wizzrobes to take in pupils of their own. The Lizalfos have built their kingdom within the Haysead Swamps of the south, not far from the Badlands. They have mostly been keeping to themselves, as they never were a very social race. Keatons roam all over Equestria and beyond, sometimes stealing, sometimes offering their services as mercenaries. At the very least, though, they limit the trouble they raise in Equestria. Must be their roundabout way of showing gratitude.
The Changelings, to my surprise, have indeed so far maintained their alliance with Equestria. Though, considering that they too are aware of Majora's influence in Equestria, it only makes sense. Although the crops of life-giver plants I gave them are flourishing under their care, it's no longer unusual to find Changelings frequenting wedding receptions or even finding work in, shall we say, houses of pleasure, assuming the forms of whoever their clients wish so that they can live out some sort of sexual fantasy. The thought gives me hives, but I will not question it. I suppose you have to do what you can to support a rapidly-growing population.
The Diamond Dogs have been mostly quiet, though Rarity has, in recent years, voluntarily aided the Dogs living close to Ponyville in their search for gems. I personally can't imagine why, but Rarity claims that she is happy to perform a service, as long as she gets a share of the gems she helps them find. Occasionally, though, one may wander into town for whatever reason, and they are for the most part welcomed. In fact, it was the Diamond Dogs that warned us of the Gohma infestation in the Everfree, and for that, we all owe them a debt of gratitude.
About a year ago, Volvagia returned as well. The Fire Drake of Death Mountain apparently didn't think very highly of the Equestrian Dragons and instead has chosen to lair in a lone mountain far enough away from Ponyville that she (it still surprises me that Fluttershy was able to ascertain the damn thing's sex) could dig deep enough inside that she could generate some volcanic conditions without fear of harming pony civilization, but close enough that Fluttershy can occasionally visit. Heh, Fluttershy even took Spike to visit her once, and the poor kid was smitten. I guess it's good that he finally got over Rarity, as everyone knew that little pipe dream wasn't going anywhere. Though this only seems to prove my theory that Spike has a thing for older women…
Ahem, anyway, for the most part, Equestria has returned to normal. Though many more ponies are joining Celestia and Luna's guard now, and I heard Shining Armor and Cadance are doing the same over in the Crystal Empire. In the event of any situation, I dispatched Eye Sentries to all the major leaders of Equestria and its cordial factions. Maulgrim has one, as does Shanzom, and Sul-Kat-Na, King Bulblin and the Moblin Matriarchs, Prince Garrett, Rover, and even Chrysalis, though she avoids that thing like the plague when she doesn't need it, heh.
And as for my daughter Scootaloo and her friends, they all have excelled in their chosen fields. As soon as she was of age, Scootaloo joined Luna's Night Guard, and it wasn't long before she rose to the rank of Royal Night Captain, which is the Lunar equivalent of Shining Armor's former position amongst the Day Guards. Applebloom has become the head engineer of Equestria's siege weapons industry, and Sweetie Belle, through the teachings of not just Nigellas, but Twilight, myself, Shanzom the Golden, and even Trixie, to my surprise, has become an archmage to rival even the likes of Starswirl the Bearded. She has even managed to weave spellcraft into music, and she has gained the moniker of the "Siren of Canterlot". Whatever part they have to play in the future, they will all now do so from positions of power. Still, with Scootaloo having moved out from the palace, I find myself missing her company. She was there all the time, but before I knew it, she'd grown up and now she's making her own name out in the world. Is this what being a father feels like?
As I finish this entry, I still can't help but wonder; how long do we have left? And when the time comes…what role will Hyrule have to play in it?
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Palace of Darkness, the Dark World…
King Dethl sat in its hard-fought throne as it glared at the assembly before it. Every major force of evil in Hyrule and Equestria was now gathered in the throne room of the Dark Palace. King Sombra stood by his mentor Grogar, flanked by the hooded forms of Sunset Shimmer and Starlight Glimmer, who both regarded the demons around them warily. Gomess, surrounded as always by her hordes of Vires, hovered near the towering, centipede-like form of Iemanis, Lord of the Gohma. Yuga and Ghirahim stood together near the back, neither wanting to draw major attention to themselves, as Dethl regarded them both with a degree of disdain. Then again it regarded everyone except Majora with disdain. Tirek stood near the sultry Veran and the hulking General Onox, his arms folded as he waited impatiently for their orders to come.
"Servant," Dethl intoned, its single eye darting over each individual in the room. "Allies…our master has spoken. The time has at last come." No one said anything, and thus Dethl continued. "Veran, what is the situation between the Gorons and Zoras?"
Veran smirked. "War at this point is inevitable. As hardheaded and stupid as he is, King Rutolfus is a surprisingly good listener when it comes to matters of war. Even now he is gathering his forces for an all-out attack on Death Mountain."
"Excellent," Dethl replied. "With the Gorons and Zoras so focused on eradicating each other, neither of them will be able to reinforce the Kingdom of Hyrule in its time of need. Iemanis, are the Kokiri dealt with?"
"To the last, Your Majesty," Iemanis answered smugly. "My servants feasted well."
"Good. And Sombra, are our newest recruits outfitted with your special armor?"
Sombra nodded. "They're ready," he said with a fanged grin.
"Onox, are the dragons subdued?"
"A few fled like cowards after my takeover," Onox responded. "Mostly whelps. Those that resisted now serve as Stallords. After the first few, the rest of them got the message."
"Grogar, your Trogals. Are they ready to march?"
"As soon as I give the order," Grogar replied.
"Gomess, your plague has run its course, in both Hyrule and Equestria. Do you have enough Stalfos for the battles ahead?"
"I underestimated the Equestrians' skills, but my plague still claimed many lives," Gomess admitted. "I will manage."
"Hm. Then let us proceed. Onox, go back to the Dragon Kingdom and mobilize your forces. Sombra, you will lead the first assault on the Crystal Empire after Blind steals the Crystal Heart. Onox will reinforce you with his dragons once they have sufficiently laid waste to the Equestrian countryside, dealing as much damage as they can to the monster tribes' infrastructure on the way there. Tirek, you will venture to Tartarus, free the beasts there, and bend them to our cause. Surely you have enough power to deal with Cerberus?"
Tirek smirked. "That mutt won't be a problem. Not this time."
"We will hold you to that. Once you have done this, you will reinforce Grogar's Trogals as they wipe out the Gorons and Zoras in one fell swoop. Iemanis, Gomess, take your respective armies and lay siege to Hyrule Castle. Devour all who lie within. Disciples, are the temples subdued?"
"Yes," Sunset answered. "The Forest Sanctuary, the Crater of Flames, the Temple of Droplets, the Crypt of Shadows, and the Fortress of Sands are all overrun with our servants. Eventually the Sages' powers there will fade."
Dethl chuckled darkly. "Good; the faster the Sages' legacy fades, the sooner Majora will be free. While you carry out your orders, we will focus on preparing the ritual that will shatter the doors to Majora's prison. Now go, all of you! To war, followers of Majora! TO WAR!"
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Somewhere in the Everfree Forest…
All was quiet and peaceful in the Everfree. Birds were singing, and animals were going about their usual business, hunting, eating, sleeping, mating, and carrying out the cycle of life.
All of a sudden, a strange glowing crack rent the air, spilling light into the usual gloom of the forest.
The rift had opened.
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Canterlot Castle…
Celestia was in the middle of signing more and more mounds of paperwork when she suddenly felt it. She shuddered, a million thoughts and scenarios running through her mind.
No…not again!
No sooner had she thought that when Luna barged into the throne room. "Sister! Did you feel that?" she demanded.
Celestia stood, setting the stack of papers aside. They could wait; this couldn't.
"We have to investigate this," the Sun Princess said. "NOW."
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Celestia and Luna ventured alone into the Everfree, fully armored and ready for anything, following the source of energy they had felt enter Equestria. Soon enough, they arrived in a clearing, and the two of them gasped at what they saw.
"Is that…?" Luna breathed.
"Yes," Celestia marveled. "A portal. A portal to Hyrule."
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Palace of Winds…
"You found WHAT?!" Vaati cried in shock.
"A portal to Hyrule opened up in the Everfree?!" Twilight demanded.
Celestia and Luna now stood in the meeting hall of the Palace of Winds, along with Nigellas, Maulgrim, (who had agreed to come on such short notice due to the severity of the situation) the Mane Six, and Vaati, who had all reacted with shock at the news.
"Yes," Celestia answered. "We don't know how it got there, but it's open now, and there has to be a reason for it, divine or otherwise."
Vaati put a hand to his forehead, trying to process this information. "How is this possible?" he whispered to himself.
"It matters not how it is possible," Luna replied gravely. "What matters now is that we must take advantage of this unexpected opportunity."
Vaati whipped around and glared at her. "Take advantage how?"
"How else?" Celestia responded. "We must go to Hyrule and establish relations with them."
"That's 'we' as in 'you', right?" Vaati said. "Because there's no way in Tartarus I'm going back to Hyrule."
"Vaati, as Mage Knight of Equestria, your duty is to help us when we require your aid," Celestia answered. "You alone know more about the people of Hyrule and their customs than any of us here in Equestria."
Vaati let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Princess…you can't…you can't be serious."
"The boss raises a fine point, Your Majesty," Nigellas chose this moment to speak up. "While he may be reformed here, the people in Hyrule don't know that. As far as they're concerned, he's still the big bad Wind Mage that terrorized Hyrule since ancient times."
"I-is there any way we might be able to get them to see that he's changed?" Twilight ventured. "If they see how much of a good person he's become, maybe they will be more accepting?"
Vaati shook his head. "You're all idiots. The people of Hyrule are bigoted and set in their beliefs. Nothing ever changes. Good remains good, evil remains evil. They may try to hang me on the spot, and possibly you for associating with me! Either that, or try to present you with some medal for apprehending the notorious 'Sorcerer of Winds'."
Applejack smiled. "Ah don't know about you, but Ah think we got plenty'a evidence to show them folks that you're a changed pony…er, Hylian, Ah mean."
"Agreed," Celestia declared. "Luna and I will both go, as will all of you and Scootaloo. If anything should happen, all of us have stories to tell that could sway the people's minds in our favor."
Vaati held his breath for several moments before he let out a long sigh. "This is insane, Princess. You're asking me to walk into what might be my death."
"We'll protect you if it comes to that!" Rainbow Dash declared.
"And start a war with Hyrule in the process," Vaati grimly pointed out.
"What about Hyrule's princess?" Twilight asked.
"Zelda? What about her?"
"Maybe she could be convinced," Twilight explained. "I mean, she seemed to sympathize with you when you mentioned getting tired of your old life, didn't she?"
Vaati thought about this, folding his arms and bowing his head. "If this doesn't work…I swear I'll be back to haunt you all."
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Hyrule Castle…
Black clouds blanketed the sky, flashing red streaks of lightning that scorched the earth below. Cracks ripped open in the earth, spewing dark shapes with burning eyes. The Triforce was spinning above the chaos, its golden light fading as hands of darkness reached for it. There was laughter; terrible laughter that curdled the blood and froze the very soul. And then, without warning, six balls of light surrounded the Triforce, reinforcing it with their strength. The hands of darkness were forced back. The laughter turned to screaming rage, joined by the enraged howls of countless demons. Was this the power of the Sages? No; the new lights condensed into several large gems. A pink star. A red apple. A blue diamond. A multi-colored streak of lightning. A blue balloon. A pink butterfly.
Elements…
Elements of what…?
Elements of…
GWO HOH HOH HOH HOH HOH!
Blackness covered all, and a large green eye emerged, glaring murderously.
And then Princess Zelda awoke in a cold sweat, panting heavily.
She hugged her arms against her chest. Another prophetic dream. She had been having those a lot lately. They had all been the same; black clouds, demons spewing from the earth, the hideous laughter, and the Triforce's power failing against the power of evil. But something had changed with this one. Those gems of power…there were six, and yet their power was totally different from that of the Six Sages of old. What did it mean? What did they represent?
Zelda sighed as she tossed aside her covers and arose to greet the morning. As she set about bathing, and then clothing herself, she mulled over the dream in her head. Impa is a descendant of one of the Shadow Sages, she thought to herself. Maybe she can shed some light on the situation.
She caught herself and laughed mutely. Impa? Shedding light? And dogs meow and cats bark.
Now clean and fully dressed, Zelda tied her golden hair into a ponytail and put on her signature tiara before leaving her room to join her father at the breakfast table. When she got there, her father was already seated, as were her nursemaid, Impa, and Minister Agahnim, all giving her quirked eyebrows.
"Goodness, my daughter, I was beginning to think you would sleep through breakfast!" King Daphnes the Third declared as Zelda wordlessly took her seat beside him.
"Sorry, father," Zelda apologized. "I had another dream."
Daphnes waved his hand dismissively. "Bah! Dreams are only dreams! Harmless and meaningless! Think nothing of them!"
Zelda just looked down at the table, despondent that her father still refused to believe in her prophetic dreams. This was the same problem that had allowed Ganondorf to rise for the first time all those centuries ago. She didn't notice Impa and Agahnim look at her before sharing a worried glance.
At that moment, the pantry doors opened, and the castle cooks and pages brought forth their breakfast; eels, a whole roast pig, and lots of vegetables and fruit. The king was insistent that meat be present at every meal, thus the pig. Daphnes grinned from ear to ear. "Ah, let's get started, shall we?"
As the four of them gathered their respective helpings, Agahnim leaned forward in his seat, having removed the mouth cover of his turban so that he could eat, and steepled his fingers together. "So, would Her Majesty care to share the details of this dream?"
Daphnes rolled his eyes as he bit into his share of roast pork. "You Shiekah mystics. Seeing things in the shadows that aren't really there."
Zelda, however, knew that Agahnim and Impa would not dismiss her dreams as her father did. They were Shiekah; they were smarter than that. Clearing her throat, Zelda said, "It started out the same as it has been for a while now. Clouds of darkness blanket Hyrule. The ground rips open, and demonic shapes burst out of it. I see the Triforce, and the hands of darkness that emerge from the clouds to seize it. Only this time, something appeared and beat the darkness back, protecting the Triforce and strengthening it."
Agahnim straightened, a pensive look crossing his features. "Hmm…that is interesting."
Now Impa chose this moment to inquire, "And what did you see come to the Triforce's rescue?"
"I…I'm not entirely sure. Six colored orbs of light descended from the sky and encircled the Triforce, and together they created a barrier between themselves and the power of darkness."
Impa furrowed her brow. "The Sages?"
Zelda shook her head. "No…I don't know how I know this, but I do not believe so. It was something different. The lights, they…they became gems of some kind. But these were strange shapes. One was a pink star, one was an apple, another was a blue balloon, and then a blue diamond, a lightning bolt split into blue, red, and yellow stripes, and a pink butterfly."
Daphnes snorted. "Now that sounds like a nice dream, so why brood on it?"
Zelda glowered at her oblivious father as he returned to eating. She shared a glance with Impa, who gave her that "we'll talk later" look she had come to know so well. She sighed; at least someone in this damned castle actually bothered to listen to her.
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After breakfast…
Zelda met Impa in her room, casting a spell over the area to ensure that no one could listen in on their conversation. "You said there were six of these gems, Princess?" Impa asked.
Zelda nodded. "Unquestionably."
"And you say it wasn't the power of the Sages producing this magic?"
"I'm certain of it."
Impa rubbed her chin. "Then what could it be? The Triforce has been split apart ever since Ganondorf entered the Sacred Realm and attempted to take it for himself. The Triforce being whole again could symbolize that the Triforce may soon be reunited, or, far more unlikely, that its bearers face a threat so great that they must unite to defeat it. But that still does not explain these mysterious gems. I'm sorry, Princess, but I cannot help you further on this matter. The riddle eludes me as well. If it is a portent of the Goddesses, then perhaps the situation will explain itself in due time."
"But by then…will it already be too late?" Zelda mostly asked herself.
Impa, however, chose to answer anyway. "Truthfully, I do not know, Princess. But I do not think the Goddesses will abandon us to a dark fate. Whatever happens, know that I will be by your side when you face it."
Zelda flashed tired smile. "Your words give me courage, Impa."
Impa opened her mouth to reply, but she was interrupted when a shadow grew from the floor, widening into the size of a person before a body rose from the shadows and coalesced before them.
"Impa, Princess," Agahnim began, his mouth now covered by his turban again. "We are needed in the throne room. Some envoys from a strange land have requested an urgent meeting with the royal family."
"Envoys?" Zelda repeated incredulously.
Envoys usually didn't appear on such short notice unless there was trouble that required Hyrule's intervention. Gathering herself, Zelda nodded to her father's advisor. "Thank you, Agahnim. We'll be there presently."
Agahnim nodded in turn before sinking back into his shadow portal and vanishing. After a moment of silence, Zelda grumbled, "I really hate it when he does that."
Impa shrugged. "Come; let us see what this is all about."
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Townspeople stopped and stared at the procession of strange beings that strode purposefully past them down the streets towards the castle. The strangely-colored horses with the large eyes, wings, and horns were regarded with confusion and no small hint of suspicion, suspicion that only deepened as they noticed the small entourage of monsters accompanying them. But no one barred their path, and the path to Hyrule Castle remained clear. Some of the equines were wearing golden armor, and carried standards bearing various sigils the people of Hyrule did not recognize, which fluttered in the gentle breeze.
Vaati glanced nervously at his surroundings. Though he knew that the Hylians didn't recognize him right now, having only seen Vaati as the great winged eye, once word got out that this was what he looked like under his demonic exterior, he knew deep down there was going to be a veritable mountain of trouble for him.
All around him, his friends were darting their heads about as they took in the sights, sounds, and smells of Hyrule, their eyes wide with wonder and awe. Maulgrim, however, was less impressed, and could clearly feel the hostile eyes boring into him from multiple directions.
"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard," he muttered just loud enough for Vaati to hear.
Vaati scoffed in response. "Lucky us; that's probably where we'll end up soon."
"I still don't understand why you wanted me of all people to join you on this fool's errand," Queen Chrysalis glowered from behind him.
"At least consider it an honor we chose to involve you personally in an important diplomatic matter on Equestria's behalf," Luna chided.
Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Honor doesn't put food on our tables."
From where she was marching by Luna's side, dressed in the armor of a Lunar Guard Captain, Scootaloo breathed, "Wooow…this is really Hyrule? It's almost like Ponyville! But everything's a little taller and a little more drab…"
"I'll say!" Rarity spoke up. "Quite a number of these people obviously don't bathe on a regular basis, and the décor leaves a lot to be desired. Really, don't these people appreciate the charm of fashionable accentuations adorning their properties?"
Vaati rolled his eyes. "We walk into a brand new world, and the first thing you think about is criticizing the inhabitants' lifestyle choices."
Rarity jutted her chin out indignantly. "As the fashionista I am, it is my sworn duty to uphold the laws of fabulousness wherever I go! Perhaps I'll make a point to spruce up their drab little hovels."
"And then, maybe if their houses are nicer-looking, then they'll be happier!" Pinkie chirped as she bounced along in her usual way. "Then we can throw a huge party and bring lots of smiles to these unhappy faces!"
"Do not forget the main reason we are here," Celestia reminded them as she led from the front. "It's quite possible the people of Hyrule are unaware that Majora is active once more. We have to warn them, and combine our resources to face our foes, just as Majora and his allies have. Once we have established some sort of political relations with them, then you can take some time to mingle with the locals."
"Jeez, I just wish those stares didn't look so hostile," Rainbow observed.
"It's because we're among you," Nigellas explained. "We monsters were forced to serve Demise and his ilk for so long that the people have forgotten that we too are children of the Golden Ones."
"Guess we gotta remind 'em, then!" Rainbow grinned. "'Cuz you don't serve those jerks anymore!"
Nigellas rolled his eyes. "I wish I could share your enthusiasm, but Hylians are notorious around Hyrule for their propensity towards racist beliefs. It's what screwed the Gerudo over."
"The princess is known for her wisdom," Maulgrim added. "She, more than anyone, can look past petty hatreds and see what is right and wrong. If we can gain her trust, we will slowly gain her people's."
Nigellas blinked. "Wow; you're not usually that positive."
"Oh, stow it, Wizzrobe. I'm merely realistic. And realistically, the princess is our best chance of overcoming cultural rivalries and burying the hatchets."
Suddenly Celestia spoke up. "Everyone…we're here."
They all looked up at the imposing crown jewel of Hyrule Kingdom. The castle was carved of white stone, with pointed towers covered with green shingles jutting out towards the heavens. The front of the castle, above the drawbridge, was the age-old symbol of Hyrule; a stylistic silhouette of the now-extinct Loftwing, eradicated long ago by demon forces during the War of the Bound Chest, with the Triforce nestled between its outstretched wings. However, before they could reach Hyrule Castle, they first came upon the royal gatehouse, where two Hylian guards dressed in white and blue, with the visors of their helmets covering their eyes, stood guard. Despite this, confusion was immediately evident on their faces as the peculiar entourage of Equestrian dignitaries approached them. Ever the diplomat, Celestia took the lead and cleared her throat.
"Pardon me, good sirs. My name is Celestia. I am the princess of the nation of Equestria, and I have come to your fair city to speak with your king and establish relations with your prosperous nation."
The two guards' mouths opened and closed like a pair of fish out of water, for this winged unicorn was dazzling to behold, with a voice like an angel and an air of outright divinity. It seemed so wrong to say no to such a beautiful being, thus the guards fumbled with their speech for several moments before one declared, "Ah…ahum, w-we will i-inform His Majesty of your c-coming, Princess."
Without another word, the other guard opened the gate, allowing his compatriot through before shutting it again. Awkward silence followed as they waited. About twenty minutes later, the other guard returned and said, "King Daphnes the Third and Princess Zelda the Sixteenth will see you now. F-follow me."
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Hyrule Castle Throne Room…
King Daphnes made himself comfortable on his opulent golden throne, awaiting his unexpected visitors. His advisor, Agahnim, was already there, dressed as always in his blood-red Shiekah robes, with a heavy turban on his head and his mouth covered by a red sash so that only his steely red eyes could be seen. Pretty soon he was joined by Zelda and Impa. Zelda daintily sat down in her smaller throne beside her father, while Impa, in her usual Shiekah jumpsuit with a tight-fitting breastplate and her trademark dagger at her side, folded her arms as she took her place at Zelda's side, directly opposite Agahnim's position near the king.
And together they waited.
After a few minutes, Zelda could no longer stand the silence and asked, "So, these dignitaries…did they say who they were? Where they're from?"
"Indeed," her father replied. "They are led by an individual who calls herself Princess Celestia, and they say they're from a land called Equestria."
Zelda furrowed her brow. "Equestria? I've never heard of it."
"Nor have I," Daphnes agreed. "And for some reason, the guard that delivered the news was tripping over his words, and his face was as red as a freshly-peeled grapefruit as though he had been smitten by some divine temptress! Rather curious."
Dignitaries from a land they had never heard of? That was something Zelda didn't see every day. She leaned back in her seat, and silence reigned again as they waited.
Eventually, the throne room doors opened, and the royal announcer came in, unwrapping a scroll he had been given. Daphnes and Zelda leaned forward in their seats, while their Shiekah subordinates merely waited impassively as the announcer cleared his throat and held up the scroll.
"From the noble kingdom of Equestria, presenting Their Royal Majesties of the Sun and Moon, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!"
The doors opened fully, allowing the procession to begin making its way in. Everyone's eyes widened at the sight; even those of the Shiekah, for the princesses in question were nothing like they had ever seen before. The taller one was alabaster white, with large, angelic wings folded against her slender body. Her multicolored mane and tail flowed in a non-existent breeze, and she wore golden jewelry in the form of a tiara situated underneath her long, slender horn, a large neck brace emblazoned with a sun symbol, and golden slippers adorning her hooves. Tattooed on her rear was a symbol of a blazing sun. The smaller one was midnight blue, with a mane and tail like the night sky. Her jewelry was dark blue instead of gold, and the design on her rear was that of a white moon surrounded by a black splotch.
Zelda's breath had been taken away. Never in her life had she seen such a beautiful creature. She seemingly emanated an aura of utter pureness that humbled the Hylian Princess in a way she had not been humbled before. However, they were not the only members of this entourage, for the royal announcer cleared his throat again and declared, "And now, presenting the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, the defenders of Equestria, Ladies Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy!"
Following after the princesses came a sextet of smaller ponies, who, unlike their rulers, had either horns or wings, but not both, and two had neither at all. As her eyes darted over each of the six of these smaller Equestrians, something clicked within Zelda's mind.
Elements…
Elements of Harmony…
Immediately her eyes widened as she took notice of the designs on each of their flanks. The lavender one with the purple hair had a pink star, the blue one with the wings and rainbow-colored hair had a multicolored lightning bolt, the orange one with the hat and golden hair had three red apples, the white one with the horn and the expertly-styled purple hair had three blue diamonds, the ordinary one hopping up and down excitedly that embodied the very concept of "pink" had three balloons, one yellow, and two blue, and the winged one with the butter yellow coat that regarded her and her father from behind her pink hair had three pink butterflies.
It was them. They were the ones the six orbs of light had represented in her dream. Impa was right after all; everything was all falling into place of its own accord. Yet she was shaken out of her thoughts as the announcer cleared his throat yet again.
"Ahem…representing the…" At this, the announcer looked a little surprised and nervous, but continued nevertheless. "Representing the Wizzrobe Order of Canterlot and the Darknut Legion of Lupay, presenting Nigellas the Green and Lord Maulgrim, the Black Knight!"
Daphnes's brow furrowed in suspicion at this as he watched the Wizzrobe and Darknut in question enter his throne room. He had half a mind to throw these abominations against the Goddesses out of his city, or better yet, have Impa and Agahnim put them down where they stood, but one pleading look from his daughter stayed his hand. All of them were here under an oath of diplomatic immunity, and to defy it on a whim could reflect badly on Hyrule Kingdom as a whole. Thus, he held his tongue and pointedly kept his gaze away from the two monsters.
But there were more visitors to be had. Clearing his throat yet again, the announcer declared, "Representing the Changeling people of the Equestrian Badlands, presenting her Royal Majesty, Queen Chrysalis!"
Immediately a slender, buglike pony with a black carapace and holes in her hooves strode purposefully past him, her head raised proudly. Flicking her teal hair aside, Chrysalis remarked, "Finally, someone addresses me with the proper respect around here!"
Daphnes fought the urge to curl his lip with disgust at Chrysalis's appearance. Another filthy monster contaminates these sacred halls, he thought bitterly. Any more of this, and I'll…
But the announcer had one more dignitary to name, and as he began, he faltered, "Presenting His Lordship of the Wind and Sky…Vaati…P-Picoru…Mage Knight of…Equestria?"
At the mention of that name, the heads of every native Hyrulean shot up as the last individual entered the room, an individual Zelda recognized instantly, and seeing him alive and well stunned her into silence. Flashing a bitter smile, Vaati the Wind Mage greeted, "Hello again, Princess."
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Well shit. Looks like i'll be needing to finally somewhat start reading the 2nd book now.
So in just five years, the CMC have managed to achieve that much? Do your ponies mature faster than humans, or am I missing something? I especially am finding it hard to believe that Sweetie, regardless of who her teachers were, was able to go from a filly who is just starting to use magic and just got her cutie mark, to Star Swirl's level in only five years. Other than that, it seems that time runs the same between Equestria and Hyrule, so in regards to the Zelda timeline, we are between Four Swords and Ocarina of Time, with the Link and Zelda from Four Swords being the characters here. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this meeting will end for Vaati. Keep up the great work.
Freaking finally. I've missed this.
OMIGOSHOMIGOSH SOOOOOO EPIC I CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER
2.5 isn't done yet, but I'm really not surprised that Chrysalis gets flak here as well. What really got me was Vaati's title.
Oh shit.
Oh HELL FUCKING YES!
Never played Zelda.
This thing here.
This thing here is awesome.
I was waiting for that moment.
reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/popcorn_stephen_colbert.gif
… Oh, boy. Here we go.
IT BEGINS
My only regret is it didn't end with vaati saying something like "I'm back bitches"
Great chapter though
Diamond Tiara was taken by the Oocca? Huh?! I guess that one needs some explanation.
And really, I've been waiting quite a while for non-villain Hyrulean characters to appear. Princess Zelda definitively seemed to be interesting so far, but her father seems a bit...obnoxious, is that the right word? Hmm...and Agahnim. Just seeing him appear as an ally to the royal family flares a lot of warning signals in my head, and I would honestly be surprised if he wasn't a traitor or double agent for Majora.
Watch as Link will be the biased 'hero' against Vaati, and earn himself the title of villain in the eyes of Equestria.
6965141 SO TRUE
6965141 I hope if they do something like that they don't paint Link as a blind bigot who is to stubborn to hear there arguments, cause that's not link.
oh exhilarating exhilarating I say what a way to start it. Vaati why are you afraid, Link isn't present, and you now have the Triforce of power. Until Link armed with the four sword showed up you bested Hyrule with just your hat and the light force, now you have the power of Ganondorf at your disposal. (pardon my obliviousness but whats Hollow Shades?)
6966771: Unfortunately, he IS like that. Most heroes are; it's instinctive to be so. But in this case, it's going to cause more harm than good, and if Zelda doesn't keep a firm leash on her 'pets', Hyrule could end up causing a war.
Oh boy... I think the King is going to throw a fit. Let's see how far it goes. I just hope Agahnim isn't like the Link to the Past version and ready to take over, we need more powrful magic users on the good guys' side.
I get the feeling Zelda's inner little girl is going "PONIES PONIES PONIES!" while bouncing up and down and wanting to try to braid Celestia and Luna's manes. If Malon is around... yeah, I can see her and Rarity getting along since Malon would probably be the closest to a mane stylist in Hyrule.
To LordSiravant, Perhaps you should just forget about 2.5 and continue working on 3.
6969161 Now that you mentioned it, Agahnim didn't appear in the meet along with the other villains in Season 2 epilogue. Perhaps the Curse of Demise was broken before it could reach him, so he's still a good guy. Still, they shouldn't let their guard down.
By curiosity, since:
- it's in the 'child' time-line
- Majora is a multiversal-level threat
- a multi-racial alliance of both equestrians and hyruleans people is in order
Do you intent to use the Twili race in this story or just the classics like Gorons and Zoras?
6993236
There will be no appearances by the Twili, and the story follows its own timeline completely separate from the canon timelines.
Twilight princess HD has gotten me hyped for the next chapter.
Dammit, I was unaware of this!
6993236
6997061 I really enjoy this series that you have, just wish Ganondorf could have been reformed at the end of 2, he'd be invaluable to them.
But to further your point about the separate timeline: you actually have that set up perfectly because the events in Minish and the Four-Sword occur before oot, so the 3 alternate timelines wouldn't have happened yet. The only break in my reasoning here is how you had Ganondorf having reached the sacred realm already and spliting the triforce.
Just finished reading, and may I just say this was one hell of a bountiful timeskip.
Also, I look at Agahnim, and instantly think of Link to the Past. Of course, that one served as an alter ego to Ganon at the time, but I'm still suspicious
7092175
Considering Ganon's deader than dead now, you haven't got a reason to be.
7092381 more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! d.wattpad.com/story_parts/80/images/13f8a789e6c44e06.jpg
I have a question, do you think it is possible to give some of non mane6 characters the temple medallions and give vaati a seventh medallion?
Shadow. Luna
Light. Celestia
Water. Sweety Bell
Fire. ?
Forest. Apple Bloom
Spirit. Scootaloo
Vaati. Mystics
For fire I'm not sure, it could possibly be zecora since she is a shaman of the zebra tribes,
it's not my call it is your story just giving you some ideas so you don't get a writers block, I just love these kind of stores.
7122589
Uh...no. I've already got plans for the Medallions, and there's only six. One for each Mane Six member.
I love your stories, your characters, the dialogue, the whole thing. Thank you for these dang good stories!!! Keep it up! Also, are the CMC going to make an appearance in Hyrule?
is it dead
image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-illustration-of-a-tombstone-with-amusing-game-over-message-134778656.jpg
7146908
Nope, just on hiatus till something necessary to move the next few chapters (which are indeed already written) forward is completed.
7148794 yay
7148794 need more good updates because they tasty num num
7152178
They will have to wait, though, because I can't release the chapter until the song I commissioned for it is completed.
7152736 doh
what the heck man i absolutely hate cliffhangers. lol. im patient haha but still whyyyyy??? haha.
7152736 Well at least there's a good reason for the hiatus. Half the stories that I followed that wind up on haitus usually don't even GIVE a reason.
Any news about the next chapter?
7421868
It'll come when the bloody song is done, which is still being worked on.
Yeesh songs take time
7424993
) or rather not
?
So, can I live with hope to be able read a new chapter of"The Equestrian Wind Mage" during Christmas (as a present
7798590
If the song isn't done by February 22nd, (a year to the day since the last update) I will have no choice but to start uploading chapters. To be honest, I really am getting tired of waiting.
7798736
, WoW it's really a long time and they still do that.
They are still doing that song
7798921
They said they were going to do it. Six months later, we inquire about the progress. The guy feels attacked and admits that they weren't really interested in it. Then we decided to do it ourselves. Then the guy came to us and said they were willing to do it again. Four months later, here we are now.
7799676 sounds like a clusterfuck
6997061 when will ypu update this story?